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Last Day In Tokyo + In Defense of Those Who Still Write

Monday, February 19, 2018


A few weeks ago, a dear friend posted an online status that says how much he missed the good old days of blogging when bloggers actually write and not just post heavily filtered Instagram photos. Although I agree with the lack of "writing bloggers" as I myself sometimes find my Macbook's Reading List meh on days when I just need to feed my brain through reading, is it just the bloggers to blame?



This is what I realized during the past years and had a hard time to accept right away, the general public who goes online will choose to browse their Facebook or Instagram, and double tap or comment with emojis rather than go to a blog page and read wordy and photo-heavy posts like mine. Photos and videos are just easier to chew, and that's a sad fact.

I think it's not only the lack of bloggers who write, but also the lack of people who actually reads. It goes both ways I guess! Due to the lack of demand for the written stories, the content creators divert their medium to other uso and more favored means of expressing themselves, and I am not one to blame them. They are still there, just taking a different route. And we writers are still here, but with a little less attention compared from before.

And although I would love to "innovate" and "reinvent" just to go with the times, making videos or just taking photos with short captions is not me (obviously, haha). So I stick with what I know best--the good ol' blog where I can be madaldal. Not to compare, but writing is not an easy street to take. Take for instance during a travel assignment, most of the vloggers and Instagram-mers I was with will post their output on the day of the trip! Or maybe just after a week, late na yun sa kanila.





While here I am, the blogger, drowning on blog backlogs! Haha! The process is so tedious. First, I have to be there to experience what is needed for my output. Then I go home and sort all 2000+ pictures, edit, put the hundreds of them on the blog, before telling my story. Sometimes I will need to research more on certain activities or places to complete the article. And all the time, I have to also put a little of myself on my work to make it personal and not just something grabbed online. A day will pass by when I finally finish my work, then it's time to read and reread till I approve of the whole thing I wrote without cringing, haha. It's time to publish and pray that people will read what I worked hard for a day or two. If I've posted a blog just a week after the trip, then wow that's another level to be proud of!

And although with lesser comments and interactions from before or compared to other medium, I know it's true that there will still be a few people who will turn to the long, photo-overload posts for tips and personal stories, I know this thanks to Google's very transparent blog stats section and "love letters" that I receive from "silent readers". In the end, those who still put up their stories through words and pictures are those who are really passionate in this field and medium because again, it's not easy and it's not what people usually look for nowadays. Gone are the days when people call themselves bloggers just for the perks because it is harder than it looks, in short nasala / nafilter na talaga ang bloggers.

I am just happy to see the whole social media community very much alive and co-existing with their different fortes, from bloggers to vloggers to 'grammers and even "influencers" that people hate to love but still follow, and here I am, very proud to be part of those who still write.




Anyway, na-carried away nanaman ako sa intro ko, haha! I am finally down to the last day of my Tokyo 2017 Autumn trip! I would have loved a chronological posting of my trips, the only thing I am OC with, but at this rate where I have deadlines, I bumped and set aside some of my travels from last year to accommodate brand requests. Anyway, I am just proud that after 3 months I have no travel backlogs na! Haha! So here's what happened during the last day of the great 10-Day Tokyo adventure!

Our first stop was to have breakfast overlooking Japan's iconic Tokyo Tower. There are different grounds where you can stay to see the structure in different perspectives, and Deegee and I tried to check out as much areas as we can!






Our next stop was a bit spontaneous since we just passed by its train line and decided to check it nadin since we had no concrete agendas for the day. The Tokyo Imperial Palace reminds me of Osaka's Castle. What impressed me the most is the contrast of a historical structure from the modern-day buildings directly in front of it.




Third stop was a chill stroll around my new favorite district in Tokyo around Harajuku. Not Takeshita, but the less touristy Meiji Jingumae and Cat Street which to me are Tokyo street style and beautiful store-front heavens! I'll stay here if I have a chance to go to Tokyo again.






They have everything, from kawaii...










....To cool!








Our last stop and where we spent the whole night was of course in Shibuya, also our first stop when we landed in Tokyo around 10 days and 10 pounds ago, hehe. We had our third Ichiran ramen for this trip, placing all the possible toppings and add-ons because we will super miss it. 

By that time, I thought we've already exhausted all our efforts in finding the best angle of the Shibuya Crossing. But being with a millennial who is serious with his photography and Instagram feed, I discovered the best view of this world-famous intersection! May bebest pa pala! Haha! And sa totoo lang, this girl who would rather describe her feelings through words than an aesthetic feed found herself trigger-happy with her camera because there will be instances like this when words just need back-up. Everything's sparkling from the top floor, and I am glad to end this trip at the right place, at the right time, and with the right company.







No need for drones, just like in posters:

Domo arigatou gozaimasu to everyone who completed this trip: Voyagin and KlookPH for some of our tours, and Deegee my Tokyo travel buddy who is very insistent in his craft and interests--I learned a lot from our differences. ❤😊🍁  


Watch my last full day in Tokyo Instagram Stories:


Ending this post by sharing my favorite "Love Letters" I received recently. These words encourage me more than you know, to do what I do even and to love what I love. THANK YOU!





12 comments

  1. Just keep on writing pa din po, marami pa din kaming nagaabang at di mgsasawa mgbasa ng mga adventures nyu po:-) Because of you I was able to proved na kaya naman pala maging masaya while traveling solo (HUGOT!)srsly.. kahit nabasa q na halos lahat sa blog nyu d naman nakakasawa ulit-ulitin;-) GODBLESS po!

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  2. Oh lookie, my comment made it! Hehe. Totoo naman. Iba pa rin talaga ang feeling when I read content from blogs. Mas personal siya. Thank you for continuing to update this space with your travels. I get to experience it vicariously na rin through your photos.

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  3. Hey! I still read your blog! Naku since 2010! Specially now yung Japan blog mo since my family will visit Tokyo this June! So, ayan kuha ng idea and everything ,So please keep on writing blog.

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  4. Hello sis! Please do know that I've here since your Multiply days. You were one of my inspirations in writing then and up until now (Can I just say na na-miss ko din mga coffee/heart to heart dates natin dati :3 ). I hope you will continue to inspire, encourage and entertain us with your "super maka-totohanang stories", yung feelings mo parang feelings ko din every time I read your blog. And I think you are one of the few travel writers who will admit na ilang beses sila nawawala during their trip, super real content yun walang filter curation kaya lahat kami nakaka-relate sa'yo. :) And believe it or not, you even inspire me and my sister to travel to SoKor which happened last year. Diba? :) Also, thank you for helping our clothing brand. As in :) I hope you'd still welcome Seoul Sisters on our comeback collection ;) Fighting, Unnie! :D -Ella

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  5. It is pretty hard to find bloggers who really write nowadays. I, myself, find it difficult to get a post out because I do not know what I want to write or am not satisfied with it. It's easy to have all the pictures ready but the words are hard to come by. When I am able to find a captivating writing blogger like yourself, I find myself checking in often to see what is new and what story you have to tell.

    So I hope you do not ever get discouraged about writing. Pictures and videos are fun but the stories behind the pictures and videos are what makes them memorable!

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  6. I still read your blog posts! *raises hands* Love you, sis!

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  7. Been a silent reader of your blog for months. I like quickly strolling through my feed but nothing beats a blog post with the personal touch and photos that would never make it to Instagram. Your blog is one of my favorite of all. <3

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  8. I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice,
    keep it up! I'll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back down the road.
    All the best

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  9. Appreciating the hard work you put into your site and in depth information you
    present. It's awesome to come across a blog every once in a
    while that isn't the same unwanted rehashed material. Wonderful read!
    I've bookmarked your site and I'm adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

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  10. Hear, hear, Anagon! "It's harder than it looks." Those who have a real passion for writing/blogging set themselves apart from the rest. Love your posts as always. Keep them coming! (P.S. Also a silent reader here.)

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  11. After reading your Korea blogs as a guide for my trip there last January..... here I am checking out your Japan blogs and I just finished reading ALL of them and i super loooveeee it!!! <3 I'm flying to Japan next week and just by reading your blogs pa lang gusto ko na agad iextend yung stay ko sa Japan eh hahahaha o naiisip ko na agad na "ahhhh babalik talaga ako sa Japan tapos this time pupuntahan ko yung side trips ni anagon" I wished I've read your Japan blog before I booked my ticket!! Nonetheless, I supper appreciate lahat lahat ng shinare mo!!!! BIIIIIIG THANKS UNNIE!!

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  12. Always loved reading your stories kahit sobrang haba, kebs lang! <3 <3 <3

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Your turn! Always excited to read your comments! :)