Where to learn Japanese in Singapore: Tenrikyo Mission Centre

Since young I have always loved eating Japanese food and learning Japanese has been on my wish list for many years. However this never materialised until I visited Japan in 2008. It was a huge embarrassment, when the citizens went out of their way to help me when I was lost and all I could say was Arigatou Gozaimashita (Thank you). With this new found determination, I decided to source for a language school.

Three of the most well known Japanese Schools in Singapore are Bunka, Ikoma or Japanese Cultural Society. In fact there are many forums online comparing the teaching methods in these three schools.

When I started looking for a language school, I considered attending one of them. However I felt that the course fees in all three schools were way above my budget! Recognising how hopeless I am in learning a new language. I knew I didn't need a premium syllabus but a patient teacher! I chanced upon Tenrikyo Mission Centre

International Plaza
10 Anson Rd, 079903
6221 4035

With the exception of level 1, the rest of the 6 levels are a year long. Each level usually starts in August, Level 1 has two intakes one in August and the other in January. Each lesson is two hours from 6.30pm-8.30pm. In addition to the normal classes, the centre also conducts JLPT preparation classes. Other Activities are organised at the centre to immerse the students in the Japanese culture. Japanese KTV sessions are held ever Friday, Japanese cooking classes are conducted bi-monthly, Japanese Festivals are celebrated and Cultural and Travel classes are taught at the end of the year! If you are interested in picking up the Japanese language, do visit the nearest Tenrikyo Mission Centre in your country!

1 Jan 2011 Hitting the Rice Cake and Children's Party

Awashima Jinja, Kada Station, Mt Imose, Wakayama Station

Day Trip from Osaka

I took the private line from Wakayamashi Station to a Kada. The fare was slightly above 300yen! Kada is a coastal town. If you are interested in the Sand and Sea, do alight two stops before Kada and that stop will lead you to the Beach!

Awashima Jinja is about 30 mins walk from Kada station. Do ask the station master for a map or it will be quite difficult to locate the shrine. The shrine is a photographer's paradise as the ground is littered with a wide collection of ornaments, dolls, statues, masks and figurings. Some words to describe the shrine are Bizarre, Quirky, Absurb and Creepy! It is the final resting place for many old, damaged and unwanted Hina Ningyo. This shrine is also home to plagues with women's underwear attached to them. These are placed by women who want to conceive or give birth to a healthy child.


On March 3rd, Girl's Day is celebrated at the shrine. Boats are filled with dolls, in the hope that the dolls will take their owner's misfortunes away. Due to the rocking of the sea, the dolls will slowly fall overboard thus taking the bad luck away with them.

I had enough cash to get me a car on the spot :P

Lunch inside wakashiyama shi station, one of the cheapest walls I found! Just for 300-440 yen, you can get a bowl of noodles and rice!

A Must Try is the vending machine at wakayama station. It is so cool! There is a wide selection of Hot or Cold drinks to choose from. I tried iced coffee and the most interesting part is that after your choice is made. A video will be shown to demonstrate how the coffee is made. It captures the whole process from grounding the beans, to pouring the milk into the cup and topping it off with shaved ice! After which the machine's window will open and viola your drink is ready! The end product - freshly brewed coffee with bits of grounded beans at the bottom! It is unlike the vending machines in Singapore which only gives us instant coffee.

From Wakayama Station do visit Mt Imose an islet, with a tiered pagoda and a covered water viewing deck. The view from the top is stunning. It takes about 1/2 an hour to walk there.

Direction: Walk straight from the station to the main road. Turn left and you will pass a ski shop and furniture shops along the way. Walk down to the junction where you can see Mos Burger. Turn Right, cross the bridge and continue straight. You will walk pass a huge supermarket along the way, cross the second bridge. At the end of the road, turn left and hopefully you can spot the islet!
*By the way items in the supermarket are much cheaper than Osaka!

Kyoto: A Haven for Temples & Shrines Part 2: Ginkakuji Temple, Path of Philosophy, Heian Shrine

There are two start points to get to The Path of Philosophy. You can either begin the walk at Ootoyo Jinja and end it at Ginkakuji Temple or vice versa. I started from the side nearest to Ootoyo-Jinja, but it was the wrong choice. Even with direction from the locals it was extremely difficult to locate the start point of the walk.

*My advice is that you should first visit the Ginkakuji Temple. Start the Philosophy walk from that side and end the walk at the Ootoyo Jinja. After which you can consider going to Lake Biwa Canal Museum and Kyoto Museum of Traditional Craft (Fureaikan) and lastly to Heian Shrine.

Lake Biwa Canal Museum
17 Nanzenji, Kusagawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Mar - Nov: 9:00am - 4:30pm
Dec - Feb: 9:30am - 4:00pm
Closed on Monday
Fee: Free
Kyoto Museum of Traditional Craft
Kyoto International Exhibition Hall "Miyako Messe" 1st Floor Basement, 9-1 Seishoji-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
10:00am - 6:00pm
Closed on Dec 29th - Jan 3rd
Fee: Free
Access: Kyoto City Bus to "Kyoto Kaikan/Bijutsukan-mae"
Subway Tozai Line to "Higashiyama"
* Information extracted from here
Heian Shrine
Nishi Ten-o-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8341
March 1 - 14 & Sept 1 - 10: open 6 am - 5:30 pm.
March 15 - Aug 31: open 6 am - 6 pm.
Nov, Dec, Jan & Feb: 6 am - 5 pm.
Access
From JR Kyoto Station take City Bus 5 to "Kyoto Kaikan Bijitusu-kan Mae".
10 min walk from "Higashi-yama" Tozai line subway stop.
15 min walk from Keihan Railway's Sanjo Station.
By car: exit Meishin Expressway via Kyoto East Interchange. Drive west on Sanjo-dori for 20 min.
Information extracted from here