YES Asia – we’re now coming back to you as Dear & I embark on another 13 & more hours of flight from Detroit-Michigan in USA to Tokyo, Japan :

Self-taken portraits of Dear & I onboard Northwest Airlines Flight NW 11 :

Soon it’s Snack time again with our favourite American Pretzel Minis & fresh Orange Juice :

Then we’re served LUNCH – Stirfy Chicken with Sliced Red Capsicums Set, with mini Oreo Cookies, Bread Bun, fresh Salad & Prawn Cocktail :

Mmm……..Dear & I immediately smell & taste ASIAN already!! Well, see the freshest & most delicious chilled Prawn Cocktail – the BEST which I love it so much!!

Stewed Beef with Mashed Potato, Green Beans & Carrots Set – these are so yummy yummy too!!

Hours have passed (with Dear & I sleeping throughout our flight!!) & it’s morning Breakfast now aboard NW 11 – Fresh Bun with Smoked Ham with mini Toblerone Chocolate bar :

And afterwards - Dear’s enjoying his Poached Scrambled Eggs with Fried Potato cubes & “Wuxiang” (in Chinese meaning “Fried Meat Roll”) – these Western cum Eastern cuisines are sososos GOOD!!

And here’s my pretty tasty Chicken Fried Rice (with Green Beans, Diced Carrots & Sliced Mushrooms!!) garnished with Japanese Sweet Sauce :

And we’ve Dole Fruit Bowl Tropical Fruit plus Blueberry Muffin for desserts :

Hahah did I ever tell you that I pretty much enjoy in-flight Meals?!? Well, though some are not yummy at all, but I simply find it pretty exciting upon discovering what interesting kinds/types of Cuisines & the different fascinating mixtures/combinations that each & every Set holds heheh!!

Oh YEA, sleeping throughout most hours of our Flights since flying from Orlando, Florida USA – it’s now around 3.45pm on 16 Feb Asian hour (cos of the 12 hours time difference between America & Japan!) -

Time to land on Tokyo Narita International Airport here in Japan – YES YES Japan – another favourite country of mine………..

Located 60km from downtown Tokyo in Narita, Chiba in Japan – Tokyo Narita International Airport is the 2nd busiest Passenger Airport in Japan – the busiest Air Freight Hub in Japan, & the 8th busiest Air Freight Hub in the World!

It serves as the main International Hub of Japan Airlines (JAL) & all All Nippon Airlines (ANA), & it’s a major Connecting Point for Air Traffic between Asia & America!

Dear & I are now inside Terminal 1 of Tokyo Narita International Airport Passenger Transit (Waiting) Lounge – looking at the Departure Flights Information Screens for our last connecting flight back home to Singapore :

And of course it’s time for Shopping for Japan Souvenirs as Dear & I re-visit the following Japanese Sweets Shop which we’d been during our first Transit here in-between our Flights from Singapore to Minnesota during our Orlando, Florida USA Trip :

Here’s our lovely Box of Japanese Assorted Rice Cakes (or Mochi) which we’ve just bought from the above Japanese Sweets Shop :

Let’s look at the insides Mochi now :

HEY what a great difference!! Just see the huge difference between the following sweets Cakes & Mochi (on display here in the Airport Shop!!) & the ones above which we just bought!!

Hahah it’s pretty disappointing to have seen the way my Mochi Komachi turn out to be in such plain white Box, & all looking kinda soaked & grumpy-looking & all not too pleasing & appetizing at all!!

Luckily I only got one Box for Mom & Dad, instead of the “many” boxes we’d innitially wanted, cos we’ve already bought too much sweets & chocolates from America, plus we’re already carrying too many travelling bags & stuffs on hands!!

Well, let us now look at my other Japan Souvenirs which I just bought from NAA Retailing Fa-So-La Tax Free Shop located opposite the above Sweets Shop here inside Tokyo Narita International Airport :

Movable Tokyo Tower (with Sino-Japanese words “Dong Jing” meaning Tokyo) in Pink Water Souvenir Key Ring :

Handmade & Handpainted Wooden Japanese Kimono Girl Souvenir Key Ring - hahah Dear says this Japanese Doll looks like Me when I was young – cos I had exactly the same BLACK bob hairstyle, & everybody thought I looked like a Japanese girl too heheh!!

Well, Kimono literally means “Thing to Wear” as in “Ki” meaning “Thing”, & “Mono” meaning “Wear” - which is the National Attire of Japan since the 5th Century.

The earliest Kimono was influenced through extensive Cultural exchanges between China & Japan, when Chinese Traders introduced traditional clothing known as “Hanfu”, which was later modified throughout Japan’s history resulting in today’s Kimono.  

A Kimono is best described as a T-shaped, straight lined Robe with a Collar & wide full-length sleeves that fall to the ankle – made from a single bolt of fabric known as a “Tan”, which comes in standard dimensions.

Now, here’s my most precious Japan Kimono Girl Souvenir Magnet from my World Souvenir Magnets Collection!! Ahahhah Dear also said I look very much like this sweet pretty PINKY Japanese girl when he first laid his eyes on her…………

Below are my Japan Kimono Lady on Plate Souvenir Magnets (that come with small foldable back Stands!!) from NAA Retailing Fa-So-La Tax Free Shop here at Tokyo Narita International Airport :

Dear & I next shop at the below Convenience Store EMPIRE :

Me standing infront of Japanese Comics outside Convenience Store EMPIRE :

WOW WOW!! I’m immediately overjoyed with great excitment upon seeing these MANY Souvenir Magnets inside Convenience Store EMPIRE hahah!! But heheh I’ve already got severals of them in my World Souvenir Magnets Collection!!

“Hey Dear there’s even a Black Fortune Lucky Cat Souvenir Magnet here!!” Me telling Dear excitedly as I discover the followings :

“Heheh my Dear Dear already has the White & Yellow Cats right?!?!!” says Dear – YES YES I do!! Great thanks to buddy Guat Tzin I’ve got the White & Yellow Fortune Lucky Cats (Maneki Neko) Souvenir Magnets – here they are :

WHOA why the different colors of Maneki Neko – well, the White Cat means to bring Happiness, the Yellow Cat means to bring Wealth, & the Black Cat means to guard against Evil! Btw, Dear’s favourite is my Yellow Cat Maneki Neko Souvenir Magnet cos he LOVES money money!!

Silly me never buy the above Black Cat Souvenir Magnet as Dear keeps commenting “Err so BLACK not nice la!!” – but I think it’s got very good meaning - “guarding against EVIL!!” (which I only just found out!!)- hahah the next time I visit Japan I’m sure to get this Black CAT Maneki Neko Souvenir Magnet!!

Well, Maneki Neko is a Japanese Sculpture that’s believed to first appeared in Japan during the later Edo period (1603- 1867), & later distributed (clad in Kimono!) at a Shrine in Osaka during the period of Meiji Era in 1870s.

Maneki Neko literally means “Beckoning Cat” – also known as Fortune Cat, Lucky cat, Money Cat or Welcoming Cat. Traditionally showing a Japanese Bobtail Cat beckoning with a raised Right Paw, or Left Paw, & placed at the entrances of Shops, Restaurants & other businesses – is believed to bring Good Luck to the owners, attracting Money, Wealth & Good Luck (with Right Paw!), & Customers (with Left Paw!).

And it’s also believed that the higher the raised Paw, the greater the Luck, & the greater the distance Good Fortune will come from!!

Let me now show you my other Porcelain Maneki Neko Souvenir Magnet which I got during my first Hong Kong Trip with Dear :

Now, let’s get back here to my few other Souvenir Magnets which I just bought from Convenience Store EMPIRE here at Tokyo Narita International Airport -

Japanese Ninja on Shuriken Souvenir Magnet (with a Sino-Japanese Kanji Word “忍” pronounced as “Ren”) : 

In Japanese History, a Ninja (or 忍者 as in “Renchi” in Sino-Japanese Kanji words) was a Warrior trained in unorthodox Arts of War in terms of “Ninjutsu” or “Art of Stealth” which includes Assassination, Illusion & Espionage (or Spying)!

Ninja is known to appear in 14th Century Japan & remained active from the Kamakura to Edo period – & such actions of Ninjutsu (which was developed as a highly counter culture to the ruling Samurai Elite!) took place at the service of a Feudal Lord (or Daimyo or Shogun) waging guerilla warfare. 

As for the Star Dagger (or Shuriken) seen on this Ninja Souvenir Magnet – it’s literally a “Sword hidden in the Hand” – a Japanese concealed Weapon known as “Death Star”, “Throwing Star” or “Ninja Star“ - a common Japanese Ninja Weapon usually coated with Posions used for throwing at (attacking) enemies :

Here’s my Japan Kimono Lady with Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) Souvenir Magnet :

Cheery Blossoms are Flowers of Cherry Trees, & the word “Sakura” means Japanese Flowering Cherry in English.

In Japan, Cherry Trees were planted & cultivated for their Beauty in the grounds of the Nobility of Kyoto, in as early as 794 – for Hanami (or Flower Viewing in this case it’s Cherry Blossom Viewing!!) parties of Imperial households, Poets, Singers & Aristocrats celebrating under the blooming Trees.

And these Cherry Blossoms hold a deep symboliz significance in that they’re a very delicate Flowers that bloom for a very short time – representing the Transience of Life, which is often associated with Mortality in Buddhism in that the state of life is suffering & transitory. And that people be noble & not become too emotional cos this transitory Nature of Life will all pass in time………

Therefore, besides representing Spring, Cherry Blossoms are seen as Omens of Good Fortune, as well as Emblems of Love & Affection. 

Here’s another pretty Japan Kimono Lady on Plate Souveir Magnet which I just bought from Convenience Store EMPIRE here at Tokyo Narita International Airport :

We’re now looking at the Restaurants, Shops & Airline Lounges inside Tokyo Narita International Airport :

Hahah Dear & I wish we’ve the time to go grab come Japanese Sushi for bites here inside Tokyo Narita International Airport since we both love Sushi & we’re right here in JAPAN!! But NOPE cos we hardly have much time here as our Transit’s only less than 2 hours!!

Here’re Edy (Euro, Dollar, Yen) Charger e-Money Service Machine & NTT Public Telephones : 

Public Telephones that allow International Calls too :

Dear’s seen here seated outside Gate 23 at Tokyo Narita International Airport :

It’s FINAL CALL at boarding time now (at 5.45pm) as I stand outside Gate 23 for our last connecting Flight (Northwest Airlines NW 19) of more than 7 hours back home to Singapore!!

 Here’re views of Tokyo Narita International Airport from aboard NW 19 :

Our Flight soon takes off into the dark Japanese sky as I’m feeling happy filled with my fair share of lovely Japan Souvenirs – SAYONARA Japan (Goodbye Japan!) & Arigatou Gozaimasu (Thank You very much!)!!

Here’s a snapshot of Dear & I onboard NW 19 flying back home to Singapore :

I’m now reading USA TODAY (International Edition) – ahaha Me missing America so soon already hahah!!!

It’s DINNER time now as we’re served Japanese Rice with Fried Fish in Japanese Sweet Sauce with Carrots, flat Green Beans, Mushrooms & Fried cubed Bean Curds (Tofu) – with Bun, Chocolate Cake & Fresh mixed Salad – Hmm……..yummy yummy!!

And here’s Japanese Rice with Stirfry Chicken with Long Beans, Carrots & Oyster Mushrooms in Japanese Sweet Sauce :

Here’re Babies Cutie, Smartie & Sportie flying home to Singapore with Ma Ma & Pa Pa :

And Pa Pa’s now carrying Smartie as he enjoys listening to, & watching, the In-flight entertainment Movie :

Well, here’re some Northwest Airlines (NWA) Pocker Playing Cards which we’ve collected during this American Trip of ours for myself & Mom who love collecting these whenever we travel :

As Dear & I approach home sweet home Singapore in the air, packed with loads of beautiful World     Souvenirs & filled with tons of amazing sweet precious memories that we’d forever treasure in our lifes together……….as loving & as happy as always!!