Mano Erina – Kono Mune no Tokimeki wo PV

The PV for Mano Erina’s 4th major single is now out on Youtube. It’s a nice ballady song but I’m of the opinion that the songs she’s released so far just aren’t that good as her indie singles. I have to say that after watching this young lady blossom over the past year Mano Erina has to be the most beautiful of all the girls in H!P right now (sorry Ai-chan, Maimi and JunJun). She looks sensational in a light-pink dress in the PV.

Japan Trip Summer 2009 – The Final Day

Day 14 – 30/7/09

The dreaded final day of the holiday had arrived and tomorrow I would have to go home. Not something that I was looking forward to. In the morning I hopped over to Shibuya to look around the music shops there and bought Ayumi Hamasaki’s Best Of (Black) album. I could have bought a hell of a lot of albums but my suitcase was full enough as it was and there’d be no room in it. Even my carry on bag was loaded up so I had to pass up on them. I visited a couple of other places but I had a rendevous with my friend at 4pm in Kichijoji.

We met outside the central exit of the station and decided to head for the shops as I wanted to buy a farewell present for her parents. She suggested a box of these Japanese biscuits with red bean paste inside (the name kinda escapes me now). They’re usually given to people you have high regard for said my friend. After buying that it was time to eat and get some drink. I’d told myself that I didn’t want to get drunk tonight seeing as I had an early start to go to Narita Airport but once the booze started flowing I said sod this and just let myself go. My friend tried to get one of her pals to join us but she’d gone home after working and was tired so she didn’t come. We exchanged gifts and I got a bag full of Japanese food to take home with me. I’d also written her a thank you letter for all the hospitality and the precious time from her busy life she’d given me. Before moving on to another bar we ordered a big bottle of champagne on ice. It was great – perfect company with lovely food and a delicious drink to boot. What could be better?

After drinks at a bar we went to an Okinawan restaurant. I think it was called Ryoukuu or something like that where I had some amazing food. The best was Seaweed Tempura. I’ve never tasted anything like it in my life. I can only describe them as medium sized green balls with bits of cooked prawn inside them. The taste when added with green tea salt (yes that’s right – green tea salt) was out of this world. My friend thought I was about to have an orgasm seeing the look on my face whilst devouring them. Another fantastic food item I ate here was Tuna Jerky. I asked the chef to make me some more of the tuna jerky and seaweed tempura so that I could eat them tomorrow at the airport before going on my flight.

Time was going by so quickly and I was enjoying myself so much that 11.30pm came too soon and it was time for me to say goodbye to my friend or I’d miss the last train back to Shinjuku. She did ask when I was coming back and I said I’d be back in March to see the cherry blossoms with her and hopefully my Japanese language skills will have improved by then. Luckily we were both fairly drunk so we didn’t shed any tears on the train station platform as we both waited for our respective trains but we shared a hug. As the train door closed with my friend on the platform and as we both waved to each other my eyes did get watery. I would miss hanging out with her as I’d had a lot of fun with her on this trip. I finally arrived back at my hotel at midnight but couldn’t sleep. It was 1.30am when I finally dropped off and I needed to wake up at 5am.

When I did wake up at 5am I was in a state. Half drunk and bleary eyed – not a good start to the day. Thankfully the takeaway from the Okinawan restaurant that I’d bought and taken back to the hotel came in handy and it sobered me a little bit. Some last minute packing and I was out of my hotel at 7.10am. I walked to Shinjuku Station lugging my suitcase and bag as I wanted to take in the surroundings one last time. Once the Narita Express pulled out of Shinjuku I knew that the trip was over. It had been an unforgettable trip for me which I didn’t want to finish. It’s a month since I’ve come back and I still miss Tokyo so much.