J-CUP

Hello from freezing Kyoto !

What have you thought about this title?

We had a sports day with J-Hoppers Kyoto, Osaka ,Kyoto Hana Hostel staff
and some friends yesterday.

We did Futsal at Futsal square in Kyoto.
It was my first time to play futsal though, I had so much fun.
I guess most of them have got muscle ache in a day or more !!
I'm having a moderate aches today...

You'll see what we have done on pictures↓↓

First, warm-up!

Then , Mr. J made up 2 teams.

Now, here we started~♪

It was our first time to play sports together!
This was so virginal time as you could see smiles of all.
Hopefully, we often could keep doing this kind of events with
some other guests once a month.

BIG SMILE :)

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Shirakawago light-up

Hi,I am Matsu from J-Hoppers Hida Takayama.

I went to Shirakawa-go light-up.































Light-up schedule is below

* 4th Feb (Sat)
* 5th Feb. (Sun)
* 11th Feb. (Sat)
* 12th Feb. (Sun)
* 18th Feb. (Sat)


















Nohi bus company organizes a tour for the light-up.

Time schedule for the tour

Takayama ・・・ ・・・・・・・Shirakawago・・・・・・・・・・・・Takayama
　　　16:15 ..................17:05~19:15 ......................20:05

Nohi Bus company

http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/new/fuyu_tour2011-shirakawago.html

TEL０５７７－３２－１６８８　　（９：００～１８：００）

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Have you seen "Unkai"??

I went snowboarding to Arkopia ski area last weekend.

I was so exited!!

I've heard new snowboard park has just opened!!








It was so fun, they had waves, ramps....and some jumps!!


When I got on the ski lift to the top, I saw the sun in a fog.


.......???????


"Unkai" ( Sea of clouds!!)






I couldn't believe it, because the bottom was so foggy.


Of course I've never seen heaven, but it was like a HEAVEN!!!!!

I was so lucky to see it :)














I love winter and snowboarding:)

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Trip to Beppu and Hakata

What the best thing in winter time in Japan is to soak and get relaxed in an Onsen (hot spring.) Beppu in Oita is one of Japan's Three Great Hot Springs. I went there for a new year's trip a couple weeks ago. It is a small town and you see steam of hot spring everywhere.

It is also famous for it's visually stunning hot springs (The Hells of Beppu).
The hells are too hot to be diluted into Onsen, and they emerge at temperatures ranging from 50 to 99.5 °C (122 to 210 °F). Look at those colors! Some of the hells have a natural smell of sulfur.

Here is how to make "Hot Spring boiled eggs."

There are some crocodiles too! Surprise!

I visited Hakata sity in Fukuoka on the second day.

Kushida shrine lies at the heart of old Hakata, the centre of the old city and is from here that the competitors in Fukuoka's most famous festival, the Yamagasa depart on their long early morning run. It was a nice small shrine to visit.

Fukuoka Asian Art Museum was very interesting.

And enjoyed the good city view from Fukuoka tour.

Then had some yummy Hakata Ramen of course!!


It was great fun visiting those diferent cities!
I would love to come back again!

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the ideal housewives

Greetings from behind the computer at quiet J-Hoppers Kyoto’s lobby.

It has been a while turned New Year, 2012.
We have put up decorative pine trees at the gate (called ‘Kadomatsu’). It is almost seasoned and that means St. Valentine’s Day is coming soon.



We have received new night staff here in J-Hoppers Kyoto since end of December.
She is the lady of ‘ the ideal housewives’.
Firstly she is young and pretty. Second, she is good at cleaning (Her bed is always neat and tidy.) And most importantly, she is a super talented chef!

She cooked;
・ soba noodles with fried vegetables for New Year’s eve
・ fresh spring roll (Goi cuon in Vietnamese)
・ Japanese style pilaf (rice seasoned and cooked with various ingredients)
・ Miso soup
・ Spaghettis
・ Sandwiches (better than Subway’s ones) and so on…





Before the cherry blossom season comes, we will put on our weight. I’m sure.

Talking about the food, I tried Kyoto style soup with rice cakes (Ozouni) for the first time for this New Year’s days. The soup is cooked with white miso while other regions’ soup made with red (dark) miso. It is sweeter and milder.

When you visit to Kyoto, please try white miso Ozouni and dishes cooked by our new night staff!

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Winter Wind Protection

Hello, this is Papi from J-hoppers Hida Takayama Guest House.

It's snowing every day and cold day every day..

We have wide door at main entrance.
When its opened in winter, cold wind come into the lobby.

So, we made this!


This curtain can protect from cold wind!

Now I am going to make some decoration for this.

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A start to the season. Football and Skiing.

So first of all we had a general meeting to discuss the coming season. Most position in club changed hands. And you are reading about the new team captain. My new role we be the same as when I was in England. Keeping everyone motivated whilst on the pitch and leading by example. However I do not think I will be able to be a strict as if I were playing in the UK. I might come as a bit of a shock if I spoke to people that way.

芸北国際

I have also been skiing a few times this season. I have also brought 10 season passes for this ski field 芸北国際 Geihoku Kokusai. I found them on line at Winterplus.jp

I look forward to going every week. Please give me a call if you want to come ;-)

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vacation

あけましておめでとうございます！
Happy New Year!　I wish you all the best.

First. I'd like to say thank you to Ranna and Keiko.
Thanks to them, I got 7 days vacation and off to Thailand.
it was my 4th time there but I pretty much enjoyed it as previous times!

We went to floating market, beaches, fancy hotel, tiger temple and tourist places.
food was amazing as burritos. I had 31 meals for 6 days. mostly, fried rice and larp with steam rice! so good.

countdown was so crazy. all people wasted their beers haha.

I had an awesome time! wanna go back there one day soon again!

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2012 !!!

Happy New Year!!!

We would love to thank everyone who made our 2011 so great! We hope your new year will be filled with lots of joy and happiness. We are looking forward to seeing you here at J-Hoppers Hiroshima! :)

J-Hoppers Hiroshima Team

Party Organizer, Kawa-chan and Night Staff,
Tsuru-san are also waiting for your visit too :)

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Thank you a lot!!

It was my last day of J-Hoppers Osaka yesterday.

It has been 4 years already since I started working as an opening staff,but I can't believe it past so quickly.
It's just because I've had so much fun there,to meet tuns of nice people, to try a lot of new things..

I can't finish writing this blog if I start telling about all guests who I met,everyone has stories and they are all my precious experience.

I left from J-Hoppers Osaka, but I and my husband will open our guesthouse in Matsuyama, Shikoku in early spring 2012, so please come and visit us!!(Please ask Osaka's staff for the details;)


I apology that I can't say "thank you" in person to everyone, but I do hope to see you all in the near future.


Hope everything is ok with everyone, and have a happy New Year!!

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must have this in Winter ..

Hello, this is PAPI from J-Hoppers Takayama.

Its snowing this few days.
We need to shovel out every day...










After that our boot get wet.
If your shoes get wet, this will help you!



It's called "shoes dryer" !!





Also, we have boots for lent.
You can enjoy snow!

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Welcome Back Everyone!

Only 2 more nights till 2012!

I cannot believe how fast 2011 passed by. I hope everyone had a great year :)

Since the winter holidays began, we have been having familiar faces at J-Hoppers Hiroshima these weeks! I am so happy to see them all again and having so much fun!

Paul from Australia↓↓

His first stay at J-Hoppers Hiroshima was 4 years ago, then he came back in winter in 2009. He was supposed to be back last spring, so it was so good to see him after 2 years! He loves Karaoke as always.


Reece from Australia↓↓

He stayed with us a couple moths ago, then he went to Osaka and Kyoto for about a month. Then he came back to spend this Christmas and New Years with us in Hiroshima! He is a crazy and easy (lazy) guy. :P I know you love us!

Tarro from England (middle) and Miyoko (right)↓↓

Tarro stayed this hostel during the same period as Paul 4 years ago. At that time, there were some guests stayed at hostel most of their time in Hiroshima, so Paul and Tarro made up a "Team Lazy" with some other guests. So it was a small reunion. :)

Miyoko used to work here at J-Hoppers Hiroshima when they were staying. She lives in Australia now, but she is back to visit her family during the holidays. She is so much fun and enjoyed having her as always!


Ethan from the USA↓↓

He stayed with us for a long time this past summer. He has lived in Japan for 5 years and he speaks fluent Hiroshima Ben (Hiroshima dialect!) He lives in Tokyo now but he works an Okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima just for the holiday seasons.

We had so much fun together last weeks!!!

I will be looking forward to seeing you guys soon again!
Thank you for coming back!

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