Adventures in Japan Update!

Hi everyone- this is Teppie from Dream Believe and Manifest!  It has been a long time since we posted and that is because we have been so busy here in Japan!  We definitely will be keeping you updated in this blog post on what we have been up to!!!

Basically it has been snowing nearly everyday here in Niigata!  Growing up in Australia we all dream of a white Christmas and snow and it looks so perfect and beautiful...but actually when you get used to it, it`s very messy and inconvenient and dangerous at times when walking and driving.  Me and Christina have slipped on a countless number of occasions!!!!!  That was scary!!!We are not very used to driving in the snow!!!!

We took a drive from the city of Joetsu where we are living at the moment and drove to Nigata city where the whole place has been beautifully lit up with Christmas illumunations!  Recently Japan has been obsessed with the Christmas season and everything associated with this beautiful event. 

Things have changed dramatically over the years in terms of Christmas becoming a very big part of Japanese modern culture!!!  Unfortunately, in terms of the religious aspect of Christmas, most of the Japanese do not see Christmas as a time of celebrating the birth of our beautiful Lord Jesus Christ...but it is great to feel the Christmas season alive and kicking in Japan!

Actually I was so touched in one clothing store .. they were playing a beautiful song about Christ and how he died for us and the beauty of his birth.. I nearlly started crying in the store.  To come so far to a country steeped in Buddhism and to hear this playing is truly amazing...  I love you Jesus!

Me and Christina have been over induldging in the tastes of Japan!!  In particular the hot beverages and desserts which are absolutely delicious!!  To be honest, we have been treated like Princesses!!

YUMMY!!!!!  Berry and Berry Waffle with ice cream and fluffy vanilla cream!!!  We both loved the ice-cream and berry flavoured sause!!!!!!

Here we are at Tully`s Coffee a cool hangout to have a great coffee or tea and dessert and just hang out!!!  Tully`s is like the equivalent of Starbucks in Japan and has amazing drinks and great atmosphere!!!  

We love going to coffee shops at least once or even twice a day to muse, read the bible and other books and to make new ideas for our blog that are fun, exciting and informative! 

The service here is amazing!!  As it is winter here and very cold, this coffee shop Tully`s offers complimentary soft blankets for customers to cover their legs to provide that extra comfort on those chilly winter days.  Here I am [Teppie] enjoying my hot irish cream latte with a cosy blanket over my cold legs.

Very comfortable and a great time to relax after a hard day in the snow!!!!

Finally after the end of a snowy day I took an onsen.  Onsen is the word for therapeutic bath in Japanese.  I have been taking these baths nearly every day!!!  I have become addicted to them and every Japanese home has a bath- quite different to the western bath but personally I think it is more comfortable!!! 

I have been using aromatherapy - mineral bath salts for a German company called Kneipp.  They offer a whole range of herbal, non chemical bath salts and they are a great way to relax and calm you after a hard day or to rejuvinate you in the morning!!  This time it is Gute Nacht formula with Hops and Valerian..  I recommend this Gute Nacht bath salt very much!!!  Also lavender and orange are amazing - I recommend you to try them!!!!

Anyway, until next time my dear friends!!!  Take care and enjoy during the Christmas season.  I`ll be posting soon, so please visit my blog to check out my new post!  God bless you all from Teppie [and Christina!] xxxxoooo