Year in Review: ありがとう 2017

It's the time of the year again! Always write this post on the last day of each year, very last minute to be exact. I don't really want to say this year is the best because I somehow feel like I achieve less this year. But some BEST THINGS did happen to me and I am very, very grateful. Well, there is no artwork for this year's post, just 2017 best nine of my Instagram posts. Overall, you can see the best things happened to me in 2017 from that one pic: solo trip to my dream country, Japan. Went crazy by dying my whole hair into purple-pink and finally went back to dark hair. Now, let's talk more about those highlights below!

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1. Solo Trip to Japan

Hands down to my biggest and best decision I've ever made: solo traveling to Japan after those years wishing, waiting, and crying. I'm not from a rich family and going to Japan seemed so impossible to me. I really thankful that I have this stubborn heart when I want something. I didn't want to give up to the circumstance and did nothing nor depending on others because I realized nobody can make my dreams come true but me. People asked me why I'm so brave to go to Japan all by myself, and I actually could easily answer that. I always love Japan so much and when I can make it happen, why do I have to wait for others to accompany me? I didn't want to wait for other people and ended up postponing my chance. Because at that one point, I suddenly realized that my timing to visit Japan had finally come. There are a lot of things that made me think like that, believe it or not. In the end, it was the best decision I've ever made. I could enjoy Japan to the fullest because I went there alone. I could have some time to think a lot, about what I want, and that maybe my crazy dreams are not really crazy after all. And finally, my goal to write about Japan travel in this blog can be achieved. Although still have so many posts queuing, hahaha. Let's wish for more trips coming!

2. Senpai Noticed Me (lol)

....well, I actually thinking to write this point or not, hahaha. Maybe I'm being weird and extra and anything you call it, but it's okay to tell you what I actually feel, right? I've been following some people since forever because we all have similarities- love Japan. I'm not the type of person who begging for "follow back" so I was so excited to be finally getting noticed by them and they followed me back. Maybe sounds exaggerating but it actually means a lot. First, @rainbowholic followed me just before my trip to Japan. I still remembered how I freaked out at the train station (lol) and messaged her to thank her (omg what did I do...) I was thinking whether to ask her to meet up or not, but sadly it turned out we couldn't meet there because her parent also went to Japan at the same time. Then, after my trip, my photos were featured on @japanloverme and @gogirlmagz, and suddenly @jessyamada followed me. LIKE WHAT?! She said she saw my Japan photos and love it. Cryyy. She is one of my favorite blogger who loves Japan too. And she loves One Piece also. Lastly, I also just realized @cominica also followed me back months ago (not that long actually). They're all Japan lover bloggers who I look up to tho :")

3. Write More Travel Posts, Especially JAPAN

Yes, I finally write some Japan travel posts: tips and tricks, preparation, guide, things to do etc. which you can check from this complete list. You can also check my others travel posts by clicking this category: travel. While writing these travel posts, I realized how much I love doing it. I also wrote some on past years, but I can say I improved a lot this year. Rather than just blabbering about how I feel about certain places, I also tell you how to get there, what to do there, and some useful info about those places now. 

4. Being A Talent for All Things Hair Indonesia

I got a DM from them, asked me to join a casting for All Things Hair Indonesia. I was always so afraid of this kind of things and usually just answered "no", but not this time. I decided to give it a try although I felt uncomfortable to step out of my comfort zone. I'm afraid to be in front of camera because I have so many insecurities T.T But I also want to make myself proud so I just said "yes". Who knows, I even passed the casting and chosen as one of the talent............ Ha! I think the video haven't published yet tho. Ah, one of the reason I went back to dark hair is for this shoot. They wanted me to dyed my hair into black/brown color and after gave it some thoughts, I decided to dye it. I can always dye my hair into pink or any color anytime but I can't always get that kind of opportunity, right? Good job, self :))

5. My Style Transformation

Hmm, not that much but I did change a lot this year, personal style wise. As I said on one of my Instagram post, my styling game has changed. I used to be hold back and wear just enough because I was afraid it'd be too much. I could actually give my 100% but instead I decided just give 80-90% I love head thingy like hats, bandana, headband but didn't really wear it because people would give me the weird look. Actually, (again) thanks to my Japan trip this year, I saw a lot of stylish people in Tokyo (especially Harajuku area) and gained my confidence. It's okay to be different. I am better in expressing myself through my personal style now. Also, people (and fellow bloggers) told me that my style is unique, quirky, one of a kind, or just "so-you", and I'm really thankful for that.

6. More Self-Love

Oh, well. I did the same terrible thing last year, won't call it a mistake tho. Or is it? When I got a chance to get over it, why I was faced to the same things? I was afraid and defensive at the beginning, but sometimes going with the flow could really kill you, you know hahaha. Thankfully, I've had this feeling about everything that happened so it didn't really surprised me after all. And it was me who decided to stop because it's not worth it at all and I was just wasting my time, and self-value. In the end, it was just my fault for being too stupid. I also started to approve myself with all the flaws. Trying to stop thinking about my insecurities and not following the "standard", and think I'm unique and it's okay to be different instead. 

7. My Blog's Growth

This year, I got more beauty event invitations, collaboration posts, product review, and some projects for #BigDreamerBlog and I really grateful for that. Looking forward for more opportunities to come next year! I also feel like this blog has improved so much from years ago and I'm so proud. I will keep writing about things I love here. 8 years since I started a blog and still counting :)

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I think that's all for this year. Tomorrow is the fresh start and I'm planning to be more productive and "crazy" in 2018 so I can unlock another dreams. Also be more positive and can calm my chaos mind about somethings I keep thinking these days. Jaa, Happy New Year!!!

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Liburan ke Luar Negeri Lebih Mudah dengan HIS

Yo, dreamers! Aku udah banyak banget nulis artikel seputar traveling, khususnya traveling ke Jepang, yang udah pernah aku kunjungi sendiri maupun yang akan aku kunjungi suatu saat nanti. Buat yang belum tau, selama ini aku lebih suka untuk jalan-jalan sendiri tanpa bantuan travel agent, soalnya aku orangnya nggak bisa terlalu stick to the plan apalagi diatur-atur pake durasi, hahaha. Tapi, bukan berarti aku nggak memakai bantuan travel agent untuk hal-hal tertentu seperti tiket pesawat, tiket masuk tempat wisata, atau asuransi perjalanan. 

Untuk yang belum pernah liburan ke luar negeri mungkin akan lebih ribet untuk ngurus ini itu, tapi sebenernya nggak susah. Yang penting harus research selengkap-lengkapnya tentang tujuan yang akan didatengin. Trus kalau kamu pengen mengunjungi destinasi wisata tertentu saat liburan ke luar negeri, sebaiknya cari tau bisa beli tiket masuknya dulu atau nggak dari Indonesia, soalnya hal itu bisa menghemat waktu dan tenaga banget, lho. Sekarang udah banyak yang bisa membantu kamu untuk beli/booking tiket dari Indonesia, salah satunya adalah HIS Online Booking #JelajahiDuniaBersamaHISGO

HISGO Indonesia atau HIS Online Booking ini bisa menjadi solusi tepat untuk liburan (termasuk Natal kemarin dan Tahun Baru atau event-event special sepanjang tahun) yang menyediakan tiket pesawat hingga tour pilihan dengan harga yang terjangkau untuk liburan bersama keluarga atau teman-teman. 

Di luar tiket pesawat, paket tour, wifi, tiket masuk tempat wisata, dsb, hal yang nggak kalah penting untuk liburan ke luar negeri adalah asuransi perjalanan. Sebenernya penting nggak sih asuransi itu? Well, menurutku nggak ada salahnya kita mempersiapkan the worst scenario. Kita tentunya berharap liburan kita nggak berubah jadi nightmare, tapi kita nggak tau apa yang bakal terjadi. Aku aja hampir aja nggak bisa berbuat apa-apa karena HPku ternyata jatoh di Disney Land dan aku juga nggak beli asuransi perjalanan. Untung aja ada nihonjin baik hati yang balikin T.T 

Kalau ada asuransi perjalanan, ketika kamu mengalami hal-hal tidak diinginkan seperti (amit-amit) meninggal dunia karena kecelakaan, terluka akibat kecelakaan, delay pesawat lebih dari 6 jam, barang pribadi yang rusak atau dicuri selama perjalanan, hingga memecahkan barang jualan pun masuk dalam jaminan asuransi perjalanan HIS #JelajahiDuniaBersamaHISGO Jadi, sekali lagi, asuransi perjalanan nggak wajib tapi sebenernya perlu untuk jaga-jaga. Sebelum berlibur, pastiin wajah cantik dan terawat yang biar fotonya bagusss hahaha. You can visit Beautynesia for skincare and makeup tips anyway. Jaa, happy holiday~

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A Life Update Before 2017 Ends // 171227

First of all, Merry Christmas!!! No, it's not "(x) year in review" post yet. I just want to write some life update about things happened to me lately. Well, I always say life is full of surprises, which is....not always good. I never thought I'd dropped my phone and cracked the LCD. AGAIN. This time is the worst of all, I can't even use my phone again because the it's dead. I am clumsy and tbh this is my third phone with cracked LCD. LCD IS NO CHEAP!!!

I cried because I was so upset that I need to spend my money on the unpredictable things, again. I just changed my phone battery and bought new charger for my laptop because they're all broken. I guess I just don't give enough care to them, huh? It's heartbreaking because it's all my hard-earned money. Every time I thought I can save more money that month...... something's broken. Arrrgghhhh!!! Now I need to take care of my camera because if it's broken.....I'm a dead meat. Hahaha. Jaa, I'm going to fix my phone now, brace myself to spend at least IDR 1.3mio.........

Love-Hate Relationship with Myself

First of all, why I use "love-hate relationship" as my title? It's actually what I'm feeling right now, especially about this outfit and everything else in these shots. I'm not skinny and no model-material body but I love fashion. I love sharing my outfits but sometimes I feel so insecure about my flaws and imperfections. That's also the reason why I decided not to post this outfit, because I didn't look "perfect". After some time, I don't really remember what's the trigger but I started to accept myself for who I am and how my body is, and try to ignore the "standard". It's not like I can change the shape of my body or my legs. Well, actually I can try to work out if I want it to look better. But again, I decided not to just feeling sad and hate my body, but do nothing about it. "Don't complain when you're not willing to change it." I thought, actually what's wrong for having not-so-perfect body? What's wrong for having such thick legs? It's not a sin. So, here I am, writing an outfit post although it shows my insecurity. Just because, I love fashion.

omg I miss writing this kind of outfit post so so much!!! Please self, share more outfit post next year! I wore this outfit to pick up my cousin who was going to continue his school at Bandung. There was nothing special, we would just go the the mall after picking him up so I thought it's no need to dress up like crazy so I just wore something I usually wear: t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers (the weather was so hootttt). This Mickey Mouse t-shirt was actually a new tee I bought just the day before and the denim shorts was from my Mom, she bought me a lot of clothes from Bangkok (ありがとう!). Completed my look with hi-top sneakers from Vans and yellow backpack stole from my Mom. I miss my colorful hair + above-brow bangs anyway. 

See you on next post, じゃね!

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MOS Wagamama Burger // Build Your Own Recipe

こんにちは, dreamers! Today I'm gonna tell you about one of Japanese brand, MOS Burger. They have a few branches in Indonesia, and one of them is in Plaza Senayan called MOS Cafe and Dining. It's a popular brand in Japan and I was so glad to be able to attend this event. We're invited to try their newest menu, Wagamama Burger. 

Natur-E Face Mist, the First Anti Photo-Pulloaging in Indonesia

こんばんは, dreamers! Hari Sabtu lalu aku menghadiri acaranya Natur-E, yaitu Refresh Beauty Gathering yang diadakan di Wyl's Kitchen. Lokasinya bagus banget buat foto-foto juga. Pas masuk ke venue eventnya, kita mulai foto-foto dulu di tiap spot yang memungkinkan buat dijadiin spot foto, lol. #bloggerslife Abis foto-foto kita juga udah disiapin makan siang biar bisa ngikutin rangkaian acaranya dengan semangat.  

Brunch at Hotel Grand Mercure Jakarta Kemayoran + Canmake Beauty Gathering

Last Sunday I attended beauty blogger gathering at one of the hotels in Jakarta, Hotel Grand Mercure Jakarta Kemayoran. Basically, we were having brunch and continued to makeup demo by Canmake. Before the event started, I was having fun taking photos with their Christmas decorations and the hotel lobby is really amazing- with those sparkling lights, creating a festive Christmas vibe. Who's ready for Christmas?? 

Need to Write This So I Can Keep Going

Oh, hi there Dreamers! Decided to write this because my mind is such a mess, over-thinking about my own life and the so called my passion- blogging. There are a lot of things running in my mind right now, mostly not that important actually, hahaha. I don't even know if I'm on PMS or just being annoyed with everything. I started crying as my bad PMS a few months back and it's just...weird, lol. I'm a crybaby to begin with, so yeah.... whatever.

I'm on this phase where I doubt my blogging passion. I used to do it because I love it, a lot. But you know, nowadays this blog is also one of my income source, and it makes me comparing my progress with another bloggers- which is not good, toxic, and killing me. I do feel guilty when I write too many sponsored posts in one time, but I also need money to make my traveling dreams come true (I try to be realistic too). That's why I try really hard to balance out my blog with personal posts like outfit post or traveling/ Japan posts. I mean, I really try hard because I also work full time and I'll be tired when I got home and don't want to do anything (okay, this sounds like stupid excuse but I think anyone who works in Jakarta will feel me). I feel like I lost my actual purpose of blogging. Why do I feel down whenever others "do better" than me? I mean, it's not that I'm doing bad. I'm doing good, I know God has planned everything, but just....full of negativity and I hate it. I want to be more grateful and positive blogger- or person. 

One of many things that lingering in my mind right now is Instagram growth. I know, I know number is just a number. But it's super heartbreaking to see your stuck progress- gain some followers to lost more followers. It's also every bloggers problem, and IG algorithm to blame. To be frank, I won't buy any (fake) followers because I mean, what's the point? From brand's point of view, number of your followers does affect their decision to use you or not. This is my exact problem, I need to stop thinking that I'm doing all of this for business sake. I NEED TO REMIND MYSELF THAT I BLOG BECAUSE I LOVE IT. I NEED TO KEEP DOING WHAT I CAN DO, WITH MY BEST EFFORT. See, I feel like crying HAHAHA. I need to go back on track and find my motivation again. No more negativity and crazy mood swings. I wish. 

So, thank you if you're reading to this point. And sorry if this post is so negative and full of whining  :))) I wish I can overcome this very fast and giving my very berry bestttt 💪💪💪  I feel better now, hahaha.

How to Take Unique Travel Photo // Dusun Bambu Lembang

I decided to write this post A.S.A.P because hey, it's December! Waktunya untuk liburan Natal dan liburan akhir tahun, ya kan? Kali ini aku nggak bakal nulis guide atau tips traveling untuk tujuan tertentu, tapi lebih fokus ke "How to" post, yaitu gimana caranya ngambil foto liburan yang unik. Sebenernya aku mau nulis ini karna pas aku ke tempat wisata ini, it's not my first time dan aku juga udah pernah tulis di blog, jadi daripada sayang nggak ada tulisan tentang foto-foto itu, aku bikinin aja ini. Nah, buat kamu yang belom pernah ke Dusun Bambu mungkin bisa terinspirasi untuk menjadikannya destinasi untuk liburan Natal atau liburan akhir tahun kamu. 

Sebaiknya aku ngasih tau info-info dasar tentang tempat wisata ini dulu kali yaaah. Dusun Bambu ini salah satu tempat wisata yang ada di Lembang, Bandung. Aku rasa ini tempat mainstream sih buat yang liburan ke Bandung. Dari terakhir kali aku ke sana, which is tahun 2015, udah banyak hal yang berubah, seperti bertambahnya beberapa spot oke yang bisa banget buat foto-foto, aktivitas yang bisa dilakukan seperti sepedaan atau naik ke hammock yang digantung tinggi bertingkat gitu.

Salah satu aktivitas yang pengen aku lakuin dari dulu sebenernya sepedaan. Yes, you don't know how much I love riding bicycle as my healing. Tapi lagi-lagi ga kesampean karna aku ke sana pas Idul Fitri dan keluargaku yang lain udah pengen pindah tempat. Huhu. Udah cukup intro panjang lebarnya, now let's get the travel photo tips started!

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1. Find the Different Angle // Cari Angle yang Unik

Angle foto nggak melulu harus lurus dari depan. Kita bisa coba buat explore berbagai angle sampe akhirnya dapet yang bagus. Coba juga buat foto dari bawah untuk kesan lebih tinggi (full body) dan dramatis, terutama kalau objek yang menariknya ada di atas kita. Jangan ragu juga untuk buang rasa malu sejenak demi dapetin foto bagus, just sit down anywhere you can 😂😂

2. Use Nature as Props // Manfaatin alam sebagai properti kita

Jangan sia-siakan keberadaan alam selama kita jalan-jalan. Pohon-pohon, tanaman, langit, laut, semuanya bisa jadi background kece buat foto liburan kita. Bahkan kalau kita pinter ngambil anglenya, foto kita bisa jadi extraordinary and nggak ketebak lagi dimana. Contohnya seperti foto yang aku tampilin di atas, berasa di Bali nggak sih? 😜

3. Keep the Distance + Don't Look at The Camera // Foto dari jauh dan jangan liat ke kamera

Ini salah satu poin yang bisa bikin foto liburan kita nggak boring. You can try to look at the ground, show your profile, or just close your eyes. Foto dari jauh yang menampilkan lebih banyak background ketimbang kitanya pun bisa bikin hasil foto jadi lebih aesthetic dan artsy lho. Salah satu jenis foto travel yang aesthetic adalah: show your back side dengan background pemandangan yang indah. 

4. Foreground to The Rescue // Tambahkan foreground 

Yah, ketika udah keabisan ide dan mati gaya, tambahin aja foreground biar fotonya nggak flat-flat amat. This is actually blogger's life saviour buat bikin foto lebih bagus dan lebih enak dilihat. 

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Yup, that's all. Semoga tips ini bermanfaat ya, hahaha. Ohya, sekalian nih mau ngasih info dikit. Mungkin aja kalian yang liburan nggak PP dalam sehari karena capek atau karena mau explore lebih jauh lagi di kota/destinasi tertentu, I'm gonna tell you about H.I.S Travel Indonesia yang juga punya layanan online booking, Hisgo Indonesia. Hisgo Indonesia bisa jadi solusi tepat untuk liburan hari natal dan akhir tahun dengan menyediakan tiket pesawat, pesan hotel, hingga tour pilihan dengan harga terjangkau untuk liburan bersama temen atau keluarga. Sekarang udah nggak perlu repot-repot nelfon ke tiap hotel buat booking karena H.I.S Travel Indonesia bisa ngasih kemudahan pesan hotel langsung dari HP juga. Artinya, ketika ada perubahan rencana dan harus cari penginapan mendadak pun udah nggak perlu panik guys. Dan terakhir, jangan lupa untuk tetep ngerawat kulit selama liburan karena kalo kulit udah bermasalah, difoto juga bakal keliatan kusam dan nggak seger. Check out some skincare and makeup tips on Beautynesia ;)

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Retro Green Bell Sleeves

Hi, dreamers! Decided to write a quick outfit post. I know I know, there are some "work-related" posts lately but I hope you understand because I also need income to continue writing for this blog, right? 😝 I'm writing this from my office (hey, it's already after office hour!) and going to watch Murder on The Orient Express later. 

2 or 3 weeks ago I went to Grand Indonesia with my mom and I was wearing this green sweatshirt she got from China. When I saw this sweatshirt I fell in love at the first sight, for its color, for its velvet bell sleeves 💖  I wore it with black tennis skirt and my favorite mint sneakers from Onitsuka Tiger. And again, the yellow sling bag from Zara for final touch. You see, I didn't even put any eyeliner (it's the most basic makeup that I'll always wear).

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Afternoon Beauty Stories with Beauty Journal x Dove + Vlog

Here is another event I attended a few weeks ago, this time it's about well-known body wash brand, Dove. I already tried using Dove body wash when I was younger because I always have dry skin and Dove is known for its moisturizing formula, perfect for dry skin. As time goes by, they also expanding their products and its body wash variant: the classic Deeply Nourishing (deep blue), Fresh Touch (green), Revive (pink), and the latest Aqua Moisture (light blue). For you who don't like its slippery effect of those 3 variants of Dove body wash, you can try their Aqua Moisture one. Not only body wash, Dove also comes in beauty bar (I personally prefer body wash).

Event Report: Dear Me Matte Lip Creame

Heyho, dreamers! I'm so excited to tell you about this new cutest local brand matte lip creame called "Dear Me". As a girl who really cares about visual, this product really catch my attention because of its polkadot packaging. I was so lucky to be one of the girls who tried this lip creame before anybody else ;) Well, it's said that we can't judge the book by its cover. How about Dear Me Matte Lip Creame?

Event Report: Mad For Lipstick #BreakTheStandard

Last Tuesday I was invited to Mad For Lipstick new shades launching. Well, actually not only new shades, they also changed their logo and packaging into more sophisticated look. This local lipcream brand, also known as MFL decided to #BreakTheStandard with their new campaign, #MoreThanBeauty.

#BerasaJadiSelebgram with Minimum Budget

Wohoo! Such a productive month! For a few weekends I attended beauty and fashion events consecutively, that's why I have a looot of deadlines waiting for me. And this time I'm gonna share about my latest fashion event with MatahariStore.com: #BerasaJadiSelebgram dengan Modal Minim talk show and workshop. 

Pass For Traveling Around Osaka

Hi! I'm writing you this post di hari Kamis rasa Jumat, nih! Besok long weekend jadinya aku pengen banget nulis tentang traveling. Lagi. Jepang. Lagi. Kali ini aku mau ngasih tau beberapa jenis pass/kartu yang bisa dipakai selama jalan-jalan di Jepang, khususnya Osaka. As I always said, semua perkartuan ini sebenernya nggak wajib, tapi jelas membantu banget. Kita udah pasti bakal sering banget naik kereta di Jepang karena kalau mau naik taxi itu biasanya mahalnya gila. Ada juga beberapa daerah yang mengharuskan kita untuk naik bus di Jepang. Jadi dengan adanya beberapa pass ini, kita udah nggak perlu lagi tuh ngantri beli tiket ketengan atau nyari receh buat bayar bus. So, let's get it started! #JelajahiDuniaBersamaHISGO

Dengan membeli Osaka City Pass, jalan-jalan di Osaka bakal jadi lebih praktis karena pass ini memberikan akses transportasi di Osaka berupa Osaka Loopbus, Osaka Cruise, dan juga Osaka Subway selama seharian penuh. Osaka City Pass tersedia dalam 1-Day Pass dan 2-Day Pass yang membawa kita ke berbagai tempat wisata. Osaka Loopbus sendiri melewati 13 area terkenal di Osaka, Osaka Subway melewati sekitar 39 area, dan Osaka Cruise melewati 4 area. Kita juga bisa banget menikmati city tour Osaka dengan naik bus di Jepang ini. Oh iya, Osaka City Pass bisa dibeli dari Indonesia, lho. Salah satunya bisa melalui HIS Online Booking >> Hisgo Indonesia.

Nah, kalo Osaka Amazing Pass ini yang aku pake pas ke Jepang kemaren. Basically dengan kartu ini kamu bisa mengunjungi banyak tourist spots dan mendapatkan diskon untuk tiket masuk, bahkan ada beberapa tempat yang tiket masuknya free dengan menunjukkan Osaka Amazing Pass ini. Sama seperti Osaka City Pass, pass ini juga tersedia dalam 1-Day Pass dan 2-Day Pass. Oh iya, pass ini juga bisa untuk naik kereta dan bus selama di Osaka. 

ICOCA adalah kartu yang berlaku di daerah Kansai, salah satunya Osaka. Prinsip kartu ini sama seperti Pasmo atau SUICA yang bisa diisi ulang. Seperti yang udah aku sebutin di atas, kalau kita punya kartu ini, kita nggak perlu ngantri beli tiket saat naik kereta di Jepang, apalagi kalau lagi buru-buru. Tinggal tap udah bisa langsung lewat gatenya. Untuk pengisian ulang/ top up pun bisa dilakukan hampir di semua stasiun subway. Biasanya untuk pembelian kartu pertama kali akan dipotong biaya pembuatan kartu dan sisanya untuk deposit. Nah, asyiknya lagi, ICOCA Card ini bisa diuangkan kembali ketika kita balik ke Indonesia. Tinggal ngasiin aja kartunya ke kantor JR daerah Kansai.

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Seperti biasa, aku mau ngasih tau kalau pass-pass ini sebenernya bisa disiapin dari Indonesia, salah satunya dengan membelinya di travel agent. Selain menyediakan paket wisata, Hisgo Indonesia juga menawarkan berbagai akses transportasi ini melalui HIS Online Booking. Zaman sekarang mau traveling jangan dibikin ribet kalau bisa terima beres, hahaha *anaknya malesan* #JelajahiDuniaBersamaHISGO. Anyway, don't forget to visit Beautynesia for beauty tips and recommendation :)

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#BigDreamerInJapan: 10 Things To Do in Kyoto

Hola, dreamers! Are you ready for another #BigDreamerInJapan post? *drumroll* I'm writing you a (sort of) guide of one of my most favorite city in Japan, Kyoto. I don't know, but there's something in Kyoto that gave this peaceful... and nostalgic feeling. It's where the traditional and modern fused, creating a unique and memorable place to visit. I even cried in the train leaving to Tokyo, like why? It's my very first time and it's not even my home, lol. So, enough of my blabbering, let's start this post!

Kyoto was once the capital of Japan, best known for its countless historical buildings and sites, such as Buddhist temples, gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines, and traditional wooden houses. You will feel like you're legit in Japan in this city. It's also less hectic and people were so nice there. 

With so much love of this city, I will tell you some (10 to be exact, maybe it can be added later) things to do in Kyoto. If you have more recommendation, please do leave some comment, okay? ;)

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Yes, don't do what most people do (well, actually it's your choice). Most of tourists just visit Fushimi Inari to take pics with the torii gates and leave the shrine to visit another place. I will tell the details in another post, but basically there are some parts and check points along those torii gates path- you can leave or you can keep going. I decided to keep going because I wanted to explore Fushimi Inari to the fullest. It's my most-wanted place to go after all. It's kinda tiring but it was super fun, I also sacrificed going to Kinkaku-ji to make it to the top of Fushimi Inari. 

When you reach the point 7, you can actually see Kyoto City from above. It was sooo pretty in my opinion, breathtaking I can say, hahaha. People usually stop here and go down after enjoying the scenery, but I really really curious what's on the top so I was like "I don't care, I will just f**kin' go up."

...So, what's laying there on the top? Stay tuned for the separate post about Fushimi Inari (guide and stuff). Tee-hee.



You need to at least try wearing kimono when you're in Japan, don't you? Especially when you're visiting Kyoto which is still rich in its traditional attractions and temples. I rented a kimono at Akihime (if I'm not mistaken, kinda forget) in Arashiyama. I chose Female Standard Kimono Stall Plan for 3,400 yen and must gave it back in 2 hours...? omg I'm such a forgetful person, have to take note next time. So yeah, I strolled around Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in pinky kimono and purple hair, super eye-catching 😂😂

Kiyomizu-dera is one of the must-visit place when you're in Kyoto. It's also on my bucket list since forever, but unfortunately there was renovation going so I couldn't capture the real beauty of the temple. But worry not, I can always come back there. One mandatory thing to do when you're visiting Kiyomizu-dera is to drink the holy water from Otowa Waterfall. The water is separated into 3 stream, which each stream has different benefits such as longevity, success at studies, and fortunate love life. You MUST only drink from one stream, don't drink from all three because you'll considered greedy. I drank from one of the stream but didn't know which benefit I will get. Yeah, I just wished good things will happen.

%Arabica is so famous and listed as one of must-visit cafe when you're in Kyoto. It has 2 branches, one in Higashiyama and one in Arashiyama. The one I went to is the Higashiyama branch, I ordered a cup of hot Cappucino. If you love coffee, trying their coffee won't hurt. The place is rather small and usually packed so I suggest you to just buy it and drink it outside,with the view of Yasaka Pagoda.

People may know this colorful temple but most of them don't actually know the name. This colorful Kukurizaru at Yasaka Koshindo temple is located near Kiyomizu-dera and Yasaka Pagoda. 

Kukurizaru is representing the good faith monkeys, a symbol of self control. It's said that if you want your wish to be granted, you must sacrifice another desire. You can buy your own kukurizaru here and write your wish, but I didn't do it this time. 

I just love doing something I think most people don't usually do or something that I can find in another people's recommendation/posts, this senbei for example. This senbei or rice crackers are sold near %Arabica Coffee, freshly baked and available in various flavors. I forgot what I exactly ate, maybe something like blended 7 spices? It's a little bit spicy and super savory, really love it! Only around 120 yen/piece.

One thing I regretted about going to Nishiki Market: too little time! I thought Nishiki Market is all about seafood, all about food. BUT! It turned out Nishiki Market offers a lot more, from beauty to fashion, and you can also buy omiyage (souvenir) here. 

It's huge and you need more than 3 hours to explore, obviously. I needed to drag myself out of the stores there, lol. Anyway, the seafood is still the highlight tho. You know you're not legit in Japan before you try their seafood ;p

Any body loving manga as much as I do here? If you do, pay a visit to Kyoto International Manga Museum when you're in Kyoto. We can read manga at the park outside or inside, there are a lot interesting and amazing things you can see like manga history etc, mangaka exhibition, and also merchandise to buy. Please take note that you can't take photo of the manga and merchandise there, copyright, everybody~ Gonna show you more in separate post for more details.

What's the point of visiting Kyoto without anything matcha? I decided that I must eat matcha parfait in Kyoto, or especially in Gion. There were a lot of parfait stores in Gion actually, but the queue was crazy! I almost gave up on it but then I walked pass Nana's Green Tea, decided to eat the parfait there, because I've seen it a few times from Rainbowholic's posts. God, it was sooo geeewd! 😋💖

Another thing I recommend you to do in Kyoto is strolling around Gion, it has a lot of food and if you're lucky enough, you can spot Maiko there. They will walk so fast tho. I didn't meet one when I went there, such a pity :( 

I had dinner at a ramen house called Musoshin in Gion, it's quite famous and also recommended by TripAdvisor, so I gave it a try. To get there you need to walk quite far from the crowd and to be honest it's kinda scary because it's suddenly so dark and silent....and those criminal drama scenes kept popping up, hahaha. 

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Jaa, that's it! There are still a lot of things you can do in Kyoto, but those things above are the one I did on my trip and I want to share it with you. If I have a chance to visit Kyoto again (which I will make it happen actually), I want to take a stroll around Yokai Street. Can't wait 'till that moment come, hahaha. Anyway, hope you like this post and can inspire you to enjoy your time in Kyoto. See ya on the next post 💖

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