Todaiji temple @ Nara, Japan

Todaiji temple or translated as "Great Eastern Temple" is one of the most famous temple in Japan and a landmark of Nara. The main Todaiji temple hall is the the world's largest wooden building. This is where the world largest bronze Buddha statue (Daibutsu) is located in the hall. The Big Buddha is 15 metres tall and represents Vairocana. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara.

Another popular attraction is a pillar with a hole in its base that is the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril. It is said that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next life.


Todaiji temple.

Giant bronze Buddha statue.

Buddha statue.

Bishamonten statue in Todaiji temple.

People enjoying the view surrounding the temple.


During a certain festival, the small door will open to show the Buddha face outside the temple.

The main hall is decorated during festival.

Me outside Todaiji temple.

Temple visitors will encounter some deer from the adjacent Nara Park.

GPS/Coordinate: 34.688999, 135.839917
Address: 1 Zoshicho, Nara, Nara Prefecture 630-8211, Japan.
Public transport: Todaiji is located in the northern part of Nara Park. It is about a 30 minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, or about a 45 minute walk from JR Nara Station.
Admission fee: 500 Yen

Yu Garden / Yuyuan Garden @ Shanghai, China

Yu Garden or Garden of Happiness is a extensive chinese garden located in the central of Shanghai. The layout of Yu Yuan, which contains several gardens-within-gardens, can make strolling here a bit confusing, but if you stick to a general clockwise path from the main entrance, you should get around most of the estate and arrive eventually at the Inner Garden and final exit. Occupying just 2 hectares (5 acres), it appears quite expansive, with room for 30 pavilions.


Entrance gate to Yu garden area.

Many traditional chinese looking building.

Rows of shops.




Walking towards Yu Garden. Many tourist around and its quite crowded.


Traditional building.

Many art works which is delicate on sale.

Modern and touristy.

Inside Yu Garden area there are many food stalls available as well.

Visit the City Temple of Shanghai.

People praying to the god.

Smoky environment. The visitors are praying to the god.


A lady burning incense.

Statue of god in the City Temple of Shanghai.

Photo inside the temple. God guards.


A small temple but many visitors.


This is the main attraction. The Yu Garden.

There are some stalls around Yu garden. This guy is drying the tea leaves.

Scenery around Yu Garden.

Statue of Guan Yin at the middle of the Yu Garden lake.

GPS/Coordinate: 31.227236, 121.492083
Address: 218 Anren St, Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Public transport: Yuyuan Garden station on line 10.

Aji No Tokeidai Ramen @ Ameyoko, Tokyo, Japan

Aji No Tokeidai Ramen is a famous Sapporo ramen chain shop in Japan. There are 3 key ingredients contributed to a good ramen: soup, noodle (ramen) and pork (char siu).

Taste:8/10(Good. The noodles and the pork slice were good. Ingredient mixed well and good combination. However, the soup is a bit salty).
Price:6/10(Moderate. My bowl of ramen priced at 810 Yen).


Aji No Tokeidai Ramen shop in Ameyoko, Ueno.

My bowl of ramen noodles with bamboo shoots, char siu (pork slice), bean sprouts and some mustard like vegetables.

The taste of the broth were good but a bit salty.

GPS/Coordinate: 35.710974, 139.775083
Public transport: Ueno station.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka @ Pavillion, Kuala Lumpur

Recently there are many good ramen shops open in Pavillion shopping centre. At least now Malaysian can have a real taste of how real ramen should taste like. Located in Tokyo Street of Pavillion at 6, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka claimed that they have a perfect temperature for delicious soup. To make their mild, pearl coloured Tonkotsu soup, they take time to simmer the pork bones before adding vegetables, dried fish and kelp (seaweed). in order to have great taste soup, they claimed that they never boil the soup and best enjoy at optimal temperature.

Taste:6/10(Moderate. The noodles and the soup are average but the char siu is good. The soup needs improvement as its not rich enough and oily).
Price:5/10(Near expensive. Spicy pork char siu with bamboo shoot at MYR6.00 and Shio ramen on regular size at MYR25.00)


Karami char siu and menma. This is spicy pork char siu with bamboo shoot.


Shio ramen (salt flavour ramen).

GPS/Coordinate: 3.148264, 101.713247
Address: Lot 6.24.03, Level 6, Pavilion KL, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur 55100, Malaysia
Public transport: Raja Chulan monorail station.

Chicken soup ramen at Hidakaya @ Minami Senju, Tokyo

The time is showing 10.30pm and there is not many options around Minami Senju to have supper. I opt for this shop instead as there are quite a number of patron in there and to have hearty meal as the weather was cold.

Taste:7/10(Moderate. The soup is a bit plain but overall the noodles with vegetables is fine and its a hearty meal. Comes with lots of vegetables, mixed with eggs, chicken and pork).
Price:6/10(Moderate. The chicken soup noodles priced at 500 Yen and steamed broad bean at 170 Yen).


My bowl of chicken soup noodles. Really a lot of vegetables. It has bean sprouts, cabbage, carrot, fungus and some chicken meat.

My supper before going back to hostel to sleep.

Interesting. Steamed broad bean taste quite good. Usually these beans sold as fried in packet back in Malaysia.

GPS/Coordinate: 35.733155, 139.798367
Public transport: Located opposite of Minami Senju station of Tokyo Metro via Hibiya line.
Website: http://hidakaya.hiday.co.jp/index.html

Fried Rice at Jombali @ Tesco Food Court, Ara Damansara

Jombali is a Malaysian family style halal restaurant chain that serves delicious Malaysian food and beverages. They usually open their outlet inside hypermarket food court where you can enjoy air-conditioned comfortable seating. Their set meal is good with good value for money and service is fast.

Taste:9/10(Delicious. Their fried rice with savoury fried chicken is delicious. The fried rice has the fried pan flavour with makes the fried rice good. The chicken is good as it marinated with spices. However this meal may not be suitable for those who can't eat spicy food. For non-spicy, I would suggest to take their nasi goreng kerabu-vegetables fried rice or nasi goreng cina-chinese fried rice).
Price:7/10(Moderate. They have set of fried rice with barley drink at MYR8.90).


Nasi goreng ayam berempah (Fried rice with savoury fried chicken).

Nasi goreng kerabu is the good option for those who cannot eat spicy food and vegetarian.

Nasi goreng kerabu (vegetables fried rice) with barley drink. Vegetables selection for fried rice: bean sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, egg, spring onion and mustard.

GPS/Coordinate: 3.116792, 101.576059
Address: Tesco Ara Damansara, Taipan 2 Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Nasi Lemak Hilton Corner @ Wisma Genting Hawker Stall

There is one stall at Wisma Genting food court which have long queue every morning on weekday. This stall selling nasi lemak with a few pots of curries. They have damn good squid, fish, chicken and eggs curry. The nasi lemak here is quite different. It follows the nasi kandar style. The hot coconut rice when mixed with the curries (squid, fish, chicken & eggs) is really good. I will always stop by here if I happen to go to Kuala Lumpur during weekday.

Taste: 10/10(Excellent & mixture of many types of sambal/curries. This is the best nasi lemak I that I had so far. The great thing about the curry is that it never gets too spicy and the spiciness level is just great).
Price: 8/10(Cheap. Mixture of 4 types of dish only cost you MYR5.00).


Don't judge the meal but its look. This meal is really good. The nasi lemak is moist when combined with dishes and curries, it become excellent breakfast.

This is how the nasi lemak looks like if you take away. Normal coconut rice with curries without the additional items.

GPS/Coordinate: 3.150440, 101.710843
Address: Stall No. L1, Wisma Genting, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50540 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Public transport: Raja Chulan station via Kuala Lumpur monorail.