World’s most expensive Hello Kitty figure
“The Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo has announced that it will sell one Hello Kitty figure made of pure platinum. Priced at 18.9 million yen (UK£82,585 / US$163,358), it is reportedly the most expensive Hello Kitty figure ever produced. It will go on sale on Tuesday.
The shiny figure is 5.6 centimeters high and weighs 590 grams. Its owner can attach seven different ribbons made of diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems to the figure and use it as a pendant.
The department store has put the figure on display in its special Christmas section. The buyer will be able to take the unique piece home on Dec. 21 — albeit with a much lighter wallet. (Mainichi)“
If I was loaded, I’d definitely add this to my brother’s girl’s Hello Kitty collection. Sadly, I’m no where near being loaded… sigh. Oh, well, my break will come sooner or later…
3 commentsWii launches soon
Well, as you all know, Japan will see the launch of the Nintendo Wii on 12.2, which happens to be today (considering it’s 1am now). I have no idea as to why the Wii was launched in the US 2 weeks before it’s homeland. But anyway…
I was just watching news on TV which was reporting live from outside Bic Camera in Yurakucho. It said that there are currently 600 people camping outside the store in anticipation for the launch of the Nintendo Wii, which happens in approx. 6 hours time (7am when they go on sale). Basically, the cameraman and presenter were filming the geeks out in the cold when all of a sudden, I see this white thing lurking around in the background. And it happens to be a friend, Danny, appearing in his Stormtrooper armour! Hahahahaha! And he gets briefly interviewed too!
2 commentsTakao mountain
紅葉/Kouyou basically translates directly to red leaves. Around this time of the year, leaves on some trees turn bright orange (or red) and people would venture out for sightseeing. A few years ago, I went to Kamakura for Kouyou and thought it was rather nice but I never got to go anywhere for Kouyou ever since. So this year, I made an arrangement to go to Takao-san which is 45 mins train ride from Shinjuku.
3 commentsUtsunomiya
I joined with a few girls from my ex-employers to visit Utsunmiya (Tochigi prefecture), a place that is famous for its dumplings, gyoza, and Oya stones (image: that frog is carved from Oya).
The girls basically named this trip, gyoza eating trip: go around to a few famous gyoza restaurants and just try ‘em all and see whos the best. So yeah, I thought it was just an eat-till-you-drop kinda thing. But to my surprise, they had plans to do a bit of sightseeing too which is always great since I do not venture out of Tokyo all that often, if ever.
The journey took us about 1hr 30mins (train ride). Upon arriving, the first thing I noticed was, there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of people. Certainly, this place is no big city but nor is it really countryside. Anyway…
1 commentXmas in Roppongi
To end the day, Yuki, Hiromi and I had dinner near Roppongi Hills (just across the road, actually). The Xmas illumination is identical here every year - they need to do something different… like… change the colours of the LEDs on the tress? Hahahahaha… OK, maybe not…
No commentsTokyo Tower
After the Imperial Palace, we grabbed something to drink in Marunouchi (trendy business district which is just around the corner) before heading off to the Tokyo Tower, a place I last visited close 11 years ago…
5 commentsThe Imperial Palace
Yuki is in town again from Osaka so I met up with her and her manga-artist friend, Hiromi, and did a bit of sightseeing here in Tokyo.
2 commentsAnimals in the womb
“Using an array of technology, the images reveal what until now has been a secret - exactly how animals develop in the womb. Each one amazing and now, thanks to these remarkable pictures, they can be seen for the first time.
Researchers used scans to track elephant calves developing for almost two years in the womb - the longest gestation period of all mammals. It shows at 16 weeks the elephant foetus starting to look more like an elephant as the trunk develops.
Animals closer to home were also studied. A golden retriever foetus is shown exhibiting some of the same behaviour as family pets, panting with its tongue out, while still in the womb.
Programme makers also reveal the moment at eight weeks when a baby dolphin learns to swim while in the womb. During the next few weeks, it develops flippers, a tail and a blowhole before being born after a year, and must be able to quickly swim to the surface to take its first breath of air.”
Incredible! Absolutely amazing! Check it out!
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