Welcome to My Cousin Nobita

Hello and welcome,

It was back in October 2013 when we had a family discussion and decided that we're going to Japan in April 2014. Seems like a life time away and now less than 2 weeks before we will board the flight going to Singapore en route Tokyo.

Japan always been one of my dream destination even though it's been replaced by Europe as favorite destination lately. I still remember a conversation I had with my tutor Mr. Harjo back in elementary school about our dream holiday. He said that he would like to go to Europe before the rest of the world and I myself would like to go to Japan to experience the culture.

As a kid of the late 80's and 90's my childhood dominated by Japanese comics/mangas, I can still remember when ELEX Media Computindo first introduce translated Japanese comics around late 80's it was instantly became a hit among Indonesian regardless their age. Manga introduced Japanese cultures and created die hard fans among Indonesian youth and one of the strongest influence is Doraemon.

Doraemon is the longest running program in Indonesian TV history started at the same time as our second and most successful TV Chanel (at that time) RCTI, Doraemon graced the Indonesian small screens every Sunday 8am until today.

The story is about a robot cat from the future sent to mentor a lazy ass elementary student Nobita to excel and change the fate of his descendent. The story took place in an urban area of Tokyo rendered full of Japanese culture and everyday way of life. Hence I chose the blog tittle 'My Cousin Nobita', because Nobita embodied what Japan is for me.

This blog intended to serve as Journal of our journey from preparing for the trip, during the trip and after math of the trip. To record and memories of what we encounter all the experiences and as a memoir of the trip.

I will be traveling in a group of 6, which consist me and my wife with our 3YO daughter Alana and my parents in law and my brother in law. So this blog can be useful for people traveling with a kid, and middle age couple (their in their 50's) and a young man which will be my brainstorming buddy and extra helping hand with Alana.

As a destination, Japan is quite unique as Tokyo is one of the most populated city in the world. I think no matter how many you tube videos you watch and travel blogs you read I have a feeling that it will be a different experience for every each individual.

So watch this space and I will try to tell you in my own way about my experience in Japan.