MALAYSIA FASHION WEEK 2018

I am still in awe! Remembering my Malaysia Fashion Week experience. It's was mind blowing meeting, the famous international fashion designer Jimmy Choo. 

with Jimmy Choo

Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW) is the nation’s premier design, lifestyle and trade fashion event, featuring designers from over 15 countries, which include Philippines, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore. This year’s participants from our country are Randolph Keith Jinky Petalcorin of Agusan del Norte, Jor-el Espina of Iloilo City, Dong Omaga Diaz, Adante Leyesa of Batangas, Jet Salcedo of Iloilo City and Dodjie Batu of Davao City and Len Nepomuceno-Mortel a Filipina based in Bangkok, Thailand. 

with Adante chan

Two of this year’s Filipino designers are my good friend, Adante Leyesa and Jor-el Espina, so that sums up why I’m here and was able to witnessed this stylish gala.

with the whole gang, who fly all the way to Manila just to support Momshie and Adante

with Momshie Jor-el, Heizel Comia and Adante chan

Malaysia Fashion Week is organized by the local government agency in partnership with Malaysia’s private sector and collaborative effort between national trade promotion agency, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Malaysia’s leading lifestyle fashion event organizer, STYLO International Sdn Bhd and luxury automaker, Mercedes-Benz. 

This year MFW was held at The Boulevard Publika, Kuala Lumpur last November 25, 2018. 

Before we head home and call it a night, team Philippines bagged the most important awards of the night, “Best Showcase of the Year”. It was overwhelming and we are so proud, with smiles from ear to ear. Philippines head of the Filipino contingent of designers, Sir Dong Omaga-Diaz, received the plaque and called all designers from the Philippines to come forward, waving the small flags I bought from Manila. What a proud moment of camaderie! 

Team Philippines with Jimmy Choo: Randolph Keith Jinky Petalcorin of Agusan del Norte, Jor-el Espina of Iloilo City, Dong Omaga Diaz, Adante Leyesa of Batangas, Jet Salcedo of Iloilo City and Dodjie Batu of Davao City. Not in photo is Len Nepomuceno-Mortel, based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Truly, Filipino craftsmanship are world class. This year’s Filipino contingent of designers, showed a truly world class craftsmanship, that was widely love, and applauded by the audience. 

Here some of my favorite snaps from that night.

with Miss Len Nepomuceno-Mortel

seated on the frontrow with this charming lady Illiza Ho, multi-awarded, Jimmy Choo's protege and this years Stylo Asia Best Accessories Designer Malaysia Fasion Week 2018

selfie with Kuala Lumpur's Stylo International President and Chief executive officer Datuk Nancy Yeoh

its not everyday you get to be photo bombed with Jimmy Choo.LOL

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Batu Cave Malaysia

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji! Definitely on the top of every tourist itinerary when visiting Japan or Tokyo. But not for me, Japan was not really on my bucket list, then. But having the opportunity to come here last year because of work was really a mind changing experience and I felt in love with this country. (I guess everyone who have come here can relate to this feeling).

L: Mount Fuji from Kawaguchiko Station R: Mount Fuji from 5th Station

Seeing Mount Fuji is indeed on my top must see on this trip. Our plan was to see Mount Fuji at Arakurayama Sengen Park, but as I mentioned in my previous post, the mountain is not that visible at the time of our visit. Thick clouds were covering the mountain and there was no chance of us seeing it. I’m glad I had someone with me who’s really patience to all my request. Although I wasn’t making it too obvious for him about my disappointment because it’s “nakakahiya”, plus we already booked our ticket back to Tokyo from Fujiyoshida.

But he was really nice, and figured a way out for us to see Mount Fuji without worrying our ticket. Thanked God he was able to cancelled our tickets and fifteen minutes later, I was outside Kawaguchiko Station looking up Mount Fuji. Although our planned was to stay in Kawaguchiko and watch Mount Fuji from there, but the view was kinda not that pleasing. And it doesn’t make sense travelling all the way to Tokyo and not being able to see its beauty. So we decided to go up to the 5th station where in the best spot to enjoy the sight of Mount Fuji. It took us an hour travel going up to the mountain and voila the trip was so worth it! I know these photos will never do the real deal of justice of how beautiful Mount Fuji is, but we can only try! And hope you like it. 

HOW TO GET HERE:

There are plenty of book tours available online so I suggest you should plan your trip before coming here. But if you have a local friend like mine, or wanted to be adventurous and wanted to do DIY (Do it yourself) then you’re good to go. Just make sure you have internet connection with you all the times. Because even if I had a local friend with me, we still had hard time figuring out our DIY. The only advantage we had, is that he can speak the language so there was no worries of getting lost.

Book tours are way expensive! But if you want comfort and relaxation then it’s convenient, without anything to worry but just to see the Mount Fuji. Wherein DIY like ours was a bit tiring but FUN! Like really FUN! You get to be at places you never imagined you will be, you get to meet people and new friends along the way if you get lost somehow, and the lesson and experience you had encounter with DIY’s are precious and of course lastly you get to save money from it. 

I hope this post helps you on planning your future Mount Fuji trip.

Arigatou gozaimasu! Matane!😊

Other related blog post: 

• The Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho
• Keisei Skyliner
• Instagrammable spot in Shibuya Tokyo 
• Sensoji Temple in Asakusa at Night 
• Kawagoe The Little Edo Town in the Modern day Japan
• The Travelling Hopia
• Arakurayama Sengen Park 
• Nezu Shrine in Tokyo Bunkyo Ward
• The Meiji Shrine

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The Meiji Shrine

I went to visit another Tokyo’s most famous Shinto shrine, The Meiji Jingu in Shibuya. Aside from being known as a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken, this place is also known as one of the best instagrammable place in Tokyo and one of the busiest sites in Tokyo for tourists, so I suggest you come here early to avoid the massive crowd of people coming to the shrine.

Another special sight inside the spacious grounds of Meiji Jingu that caught my eyes while walking my way in, are the rows upon rows of decorative sake barrels (Sake is a Japanese alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, koji often translated as rice malt or yeast made from rice and water.) lining the walkway on the way to the temple. As what I overhead from one of the tour guide, this empty sake barrels were donated by sake brewers from all over japan and offered to the shrine deities at Meiji Jingu every year.

Another important note that I would like to share while visiting this site is that NO TRIPOD is ALLOWED INSIDE the Shrine. I don’t why! I was getting ready setting up my tripod when suddenly some guys wearing white and violet skirt looking pants approach me and gently told me, that using tripod is not allowed inside the vicinity. Selfie stick is okay. So, the whole time I was inside the shrine I was asking for favors to some tourist and locals to take my photos.

ADMISSION IS FREE

Other related blog post: 

• The Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho
• Keisei Skyliner
• Instagrammable spot in Shibuya Tokyo 
• Sensoji Temple in Asakusa at Night 
• Kawagoe The Little Edo Town in the Modern day Japan
• The Travelling Hopia
• Arakurayama Sengen Park 
• Nezu Shrine in Tokyo Bunkyo Ward
• The Meiji Shrine
• Mount Fuji

Before you go: please share this blog on Facebook, RT on Twitter. Follow me on Facebook, at The Travelling Hopia. Subscribe to receive email updates. Thank you for your support!

Nezu Shrine in Tokyo Bunkyo Ward

When we think of Kyoto, the first thing that pops in-mind is the Torii gates of the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. Torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shrinto Shrine. And since Kyoto is miles away from Tokyo, the chance of seeing a Torii gates like the one in Kyoto is impossible, especially if you’re staying in Tokyo alone. 

But worry no more, I found out that we don’t need to travel all the way to Kyoto just to see the famous Torii gates because right at the heart of Tokyo, there is a shrine called Nezu Shrine that features the vibrant red path of Torii gates like the one in Kyoto. 

Although the Torii gates at Nezu is smaller in size than in Kyoto but who cares, if your agenda is to simply snap some insta photo looking like you’re in Kyoto. And so far this Shrine is not known to many tourist, yet, so its less crowded. 

Nezu (Jinja) Shrine is located in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward near Ueno Park. Regarding as one of Japan's oldest shrines, and certainly one of the most photogenic places of worship in Tokyo. 

Nezu Shrine is set in lush greenery, with ponds of carp, pathways that are tunnels of small shrine arches, and elegant, beautifully colored, wooden structures that reflect Japanese culture in all its age and beauty.

Nezu Shrine is the home of the Bunkyo Azalea Festival, which happens every April and is named after Tokyo's Bunkyo ward where Nezu Shrine is located. 

Admission is fee at Nezu Shrine, so you might what to keep this lovely place in your itinerary Minasan, on you future visit to Tokyo. This culturally-significant site is located minutes by foot from Nezu Station on the Chiyoda Line and Todaimae Station on the Namboku Line.

Other related blog post: 

• The Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho
• Keisei Skyliner
• Instagrammable spot in Shibuya Tokyo 
• Sensoji Temple in Asakusa at Night 
• Kawagoe The Little Edo Town in the Modern day Japan
• The Travelling Hopia
• Arakurayama Sengen Park 
• Nezu Shrine in Tokyo Bunkyo Ward
• The Meiji Shrine
• Mount Fuji

Before you go: please share this blog on Facebook, RT on Twitter. Follow me on Facebook, at The Travelling Hopia. Subscribe to receive email updates. Thank you for your support!