New Year!

あけましておめでとうございます！
New Year Countdown celebrations were held at Zojoji Temple, Tokyo last night where they released silver balloons with notes of hope inside.

Here's a video with 5 minutes leading to countdown.

Tokyo women prefer to be 'cute'

Image by Kanebo Cosmetics Inc

 According to a lifestyle survey conducted by Kanebo released on Tuesday, Tokyo women prefer to be “cute” rather than sophisticated or anything else. This is the first ever South East Asian study on lifestyles and attitudes on women in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei and Seoul.

Happi mentioned that around 33% of Tokyo respondents wanted to appear cute, a standout figure compared to women elsewhere. In Beijing women want to look “elegant,” Shanghai women “lady-like,” Taipei “refined” and almost 45% of women in Seoul strive to look “sophisticated.”

The survey was part of a bigger study of examining women's expectations of work, their aims for five years' time, their personal aspirations, attitudes about beauty and make-up preferences.

Kobe Luminarie 神戸ルミナリエ

The annual illumination Kobe Luminarie has just commenced and will be running until 13th December. It started in 1995 commemorating 6000 victims of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in January 1995.

What started as just a small festival has grown into an annual one with more than 5000 visitors. This year’s theme for the lights is 「光の心情」meaning “The heart in the light” (roughly). It is an Italian designed tunnel and lights are expected to be lit for several hours everyday. Kobe Luminarie is among the first ever illuminations in Japan, starting a trend in other parts of Japan now.

Here are a few pictures I took from a few years back.