Tag: Thriller

Revisiting The Japanese Break!

Japan is not just a country but a culture!

The moment had arrived when we were not just thinking about Japan! 

But, had actioned our vacation in 2018! 

The flights were getting booked! The hotel, Train Tickets and Visa process had begun. 

The countdown was inching closer! 

Japan was happening! 

The first stop of our Journey was Singapore! We travelled by Singapore Airlines which gave us the option of exploring Singapore City while we had a layover at Changi Airport. 

The flight landed at Haneda Airport. We Did not choose Narita. As Haneda was closer to the city! 

Tokyo! Huge! One of the largest cities in the world! With millions of people staying in MatchBox homes. 

We passed by the Tokyo Tower! And soon reached our hotel! The Prince Tower Hotel Tokyo! A centrally located hotel for major tourist attractions and landmarks neighbourhood. 

The first night we explored our surroundings the Roppongi a buzzing neighbourhood with nightlife and walked through the Meguro River a prominent river of Tokyo! 

Oh! We witnessed the city landscape from the rooftop bar at the hotel before we called it a night. 

Next, we explored the city’s sightseeing landmarks Meiji Jingu, Imperial Palace and Senso Ji temples and the Tsukiji market the largest fish market in the world.

They also have a tuna auction daily at 5:30 am. Since it’s limited seating you need to be there as early as 3 am to get in.

We explored the Akasaku neighbourhood which is traditional cultural side of Tokyo.

The neighbourhood had a very interesting hostel Bed & Books Tokyo! That was a cute little place filled with books and bunk beds! 

On another day we visited Harjaku & Shinjuku which was filled with restaurants and shopping stores! While going  Banana in Tokyo! I visited a Pokemon Store! Had relived those childhood moments. And little did I know I had entered the Animated  neighbourhood of Tokyo Akihabara

While exploring ourselves and the city we were sometimes naturally lost! When the locals not just helped us but held us through to our final destination. Ginza! Felt like the futuristic side of Japan with Nissan cars armed with robotic gizmos and Ginza is also known as the Haute couture neighbourhood of Tokyo.

Omestando another neighbourhood about the luxuries of Japan with Architectural buildings and interiors you wouldn’t get enough of. 

One of the stores worth visiting is Nicole Bergman’s Floral store in the neighbourhood. 

The other side of Tokyo that we witnessed was the industrial side where all hospitality-related goods were available and to spot that there is a life-size chef Cap that you need to watch out for. And so we crossed over to Shibuya the busiest crossing neighbourhood in Tokyo whose sight can be enjoyed from a Starbucks across from the crossing and Hachi statue a dog that waited for his owner to return at the same spot over the years until the Hachi had passed away. 

Before we left Tokyo we enjoyed the glimpses of Central Tokyo Station while it started to pour and we got ready for the next few journeys across the country. 

The long-awaited Bullet Train shin-shaken to Kyoto had sped away. 

Kyoto felt like a mystical small town in Japan that  preserved the Japan of the past with temples like the Golden Temple that was surrounded by trees. The day trip to Nara Deer Park was unbelievable getting clicked and witnessing so many Deers under one roof.

The evening we enjoyed at another temple that was surrounded by trees. 

Kobe! A destination that’s not on tourist Radar while visiting Japan! 

But, the city had one of the oldest traditional cafe Nishimura that’s popular for its setting and Coffee Jelly a dessert that’s made of coffee and is also known for Wayu Steak! A popular beef-style steak from Japan. 

Osaka! AKA The Food Capital of Japan!!

We got a taste of the Okonomiyaki traditional Japanese pancakes that are cooked live on your tables. 

Amerika- Mura a  neighbourhood in Japan that’s very youthful and inspired by American

Dotobori is the Shinjuku neighbourhood of Osaka that has a landmark icon of a runner. 

Shinabasi an entertainment hub of Osaka that that would remind you of Times Square. 

Tseutanku Tower which is sponsored by Hitachi is a sight that can be enjoyed from a rooftop space & Osaka Castle is the sightseeing to go for. 

Also, Osaka the city that has a Japanese Liquor store based allow only one miniature of Yamazaki to be bought and carried by a tourist. 

Important things:

  • Book your JR Pass at least two weeks before you travel. 
  • To travel within Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka buy metro/Subway tickets from the station or airport.
  • Download the Google Translate app. 

Eat in Japan: 

  • Tokyo Banana 
  • Ramen from Ippudo 
  • Coffee Jelly Nishimura Kobe 
  • Tiger Gyoza in Tokyo for Japanese Raw Food 
  • Okonomiyaki in Osaka 
  • Wagyu Beef in Kobe 
  • Senbei Rice Crackers 
  • Seaweed Potato Chips 
  • Mochi 
  • Matcha Tea 
  • Cheese Tart from Secret Tokyo 
  • Japanese Cheesecake.
  • Shashimi 

Experience : 

  • Tokyo Hands departmental store 
  • Conveyor Belt Sushi 
  • Nerman Bergman Store 
  • Shibuya Crossing from Starbucks 
  • Cheese Garden Store 

Stay:

  • Prince Tower Hotel Tokyo
  • Westin Osaka. 

Sightseeing: 

  • Tokyo Tower & SkyTree 
  • Imperial Palace, Tokyo 
  • Osaka Castle 
  • Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kyoto 
  • Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto 
  • Kobe Port Tower
  • Deer Park, Nara 
  • Hachi Statue 

Cafes: 

  • Starbucks Reserve Tokyo 
  • Here cafe in Kyoto 
  • %Arabica Kyoto 
  • Nishimura Kobe.
  • Hoshino Cafe Tokyo 

Read: 

  • Haruki Murakami -Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki
  • Sayaka Murata – The Convenience Store 
  • Meiko Kawakami – All the lovers in the night 
  • Hiro Kawakami – Strange Weather in Tokyo 
  • Toshikazu Kawaguchi – Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. 
  • Banana Yoshimoto – Kitchen 
  • Natsuo Kirino – Out 
  • Ryu Murakami – In the Miso Soup 
  • Keigo Higashino – Malice, Salivation Saints
  • Yoko Ogawa – The Housekeeper and the Professor

Watch:

  • Hachiko 
  • Drive My Car 
  • The Tokyo Project 
  • Seven Samurai 
  • Spirited Away 

The Trial Series: Netflix

The Trial:
A Body is found on the riverfront, and a few minutes later, the main accused is arrested. But this is just the beginning of a high drama series. This Italian series is split into eight episodes. once the case is exposed, and this goes on where you realise it’s a one-sided argument, but since this is a courtroom drama, the case soon is getting Balanced, where you don’t know whether the accused will remain in prison or will be set free. This series keeps you glued until the end and makes you witness, how one manipulates evidence and facts to prove one’s innocence. This is a binge-worthy series!!

The Guestlist by Lucy Foley-Personal Book Review


A book that was on my reading list for months !! A story themed around a wedding celebration. 
Yes!! It’s unusual to find a thriller around a wedding and this was one reason the book got my interest and the second it being a thriller. 
The writing style is similar to Girl on the Train!!
The Story starts unfolding when family secrets and friends start realising what relationships meant to them. 
While even betrayal of trust is one of the elements of the story where some confessions let out secrets that never unfolded, But the island celebration changes many fortunes and reveals all the secrets. 
A weekend fast-paced thrilling read by Lucy Foley. 

September Book Reviews!

Salivation Of A Saint By Keigo Higashino. 

My 3rd Book from Keigo Higashino, 2nd one of the year and two and half days of another page tuner from Keigo Higashino.

The Writing is so engrossing. Murder has already being committed in the first thirty pages and You might have the hint of who the murderer might me. But How it actually happens remains a mystery…Until Detective Galileo works around the theory with the Police officers and comes to the conclusion. A Book & author you wouldn’t want to miss reading, Who surprises you with a perfect Murder Crime that you wouldn’t in your wildest thought, imagined to take place like the one mentioned in the books and with logical backstory and supporting evidence, This book is all  the more enjoyable where you just want to read  more stories like these from Keigo Higashino one of  my new favourite Crime/Thriller who doesn’t disappoint. Now the next one I want to read is his bestseller “The Devotion of Suspect X”

Seventeen by Hideo Yokoyama 

A Story about a plane Crash that took place in 1985 and How the piece is reported by

Kazumasa Yuuki, a reporter at the North Kanto Times who is responsible for covering the news of the Plane Crash. The Story revolves around the daily battles of the power struggles and office politics in the Print Media and Media as a field .

Itself ,But in 2003 Seventeen years later, Yuuki remembers the adrenaline-fueled, emotionally charged seven days that changed his and his colleagues’ lives. He does making on a promise he made that fateful week—one that holds the key to its last solved mystery and represents Yuuki’s final, unconquered fear.

Though I picked up this book for the story. What I enjoyed the most was the way it was written,The Writing and setting was just like how internal politics & power takes over.

When it comes to reporting & publishing news. If you are looking to read a nice Investigate Journalism book on reporting a disaster. This one you should be reading.

A Story written by a writer who has been in the journalism field for years working with Jōmō Shimbun the largest general circulation daily newspaper based in Gunma prefecture, Japan. The same region where apparently the Aeroplane Crash takes place.

Seventeen, is a slow burn but a very interesting. Battles, arguments over departments who feel they contribute & our more important for publishing business are well written. I guess writing a setting one knows, does truly bring out the authenticity in the writer while writing his story. Hideo is best known for six- four a murder thriller.

After Dark by Murakami 

Yes! This year I have read more than a couple of books from Murakami. Ranging from his Bestseller “Kafka on The Shore”to “After Dark” Though the style remains the same in the writing,The ideas that are shared in the writing by the writer are amusing to immediately get you interested in wanting to read the book. The same thing happened After Dark. After Dark is story that’s written describing the dreams and psychology of a person while in sleep, the thoughts, the nightmares etc. Coincidentally just like After Dark being Murakami’s Eleventh novel. This also happens to be my Eleventh read from his collection.

The Story revolves around a night in Tokyo where two college students bump into each other after a long time.

And Mari one of the protagonist in the story is approached by the manger of a restaurant as Mari is fluent in Chinese and the manager isn’t and request her to act as a translator for her. Soon both open up about their feeling within Mari opens about how she became fluent in the language and her feeling and comparison with Eri who is sister.

Meanwhile, strange things have been happening at the sister Eri’s place. Eri has already gone to bed by the time the events of the novel take place, but as she asleep strange things happens around which the writer narrates in his writing.

The Novel like most of the authors works ends abruptly, without any definitive answers to its many mysteries.

Incase you haven’t read any of the works by the authors and are considering starting of. Please don’t read this book first read a couple of his other works first.

Thrillers Books Worth Reading!

It’s very difficult to find thriller books, that keep you engrossed till the last page. And if you have found it by the same author twice, it couldn’t be better. 

Keigo Higashino a Japanese Author! Ah! Yes, another Japanese author. 

Journey under the midnight sun is about A group of children playing inside the building have found the body of a pawnshop owner, 

Detective Sasagaki’s investigation unearths more questions, but never reaches any conclusions. One of his chief suspects, the partner of a woman who the pawnshop owner visited on the day of his death, dies in a car crash soon afterwards. 

Though Sasagaki’s suspects there is more to the deaths, the case is abandoned. But, Twenty years later there are some leads that hints sasagaski that he could finally solve the mystery. 

This is one Book, I came across after enjoying reading “Midsummer Equation by Keigo Higanshino” 

  and what surprises me most about the author and his books is that when you are searching for “Best Thriller Books” You only come across American authors & British Authors, but none of the  Japanese authors, in the first few links and in the first few reviews. And I wonder why? “Japanese authors” are really underrated. This whole curiosity for “Japan” For me grew after I visited the country, it was a place I wanted to know more about? 

Keigo Higanshio is best known for his book “The Devotion of Suspect X” 

Yasuko Hanaoka accidentally kills her ex-husband, when circumstances rose to an unendurable level of ghastly behaviour from him. What follows is an elongated and witty brain-game between the investigator and her accomplice, Ishigami, who aided Yasuko in covering up the murder. ”The Devotion Of Suspect X”is the story about an ingenious plotter, and clever Dr Manabu Yukawa, who helps in solving the case.

In case you are looking to read a nice page-turner and are finding it difficult which one to start with you could surely start with “Journey Under The Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashnio” 

Plotters By Un-Su-Kim 

I have been in a frame of mind, where I am enjoying some nice thrilling stories, 

That is a quick read, written in a way, where you want to know what happens next. 

And after reading Keigo Higanshino’s ”Midsummer Equation ”last year and Under the midnight sun, I found Plotters by Un-Su-Kim a South Korean writer. And having watched some really good thriller movies by Korean Filmmakers, Maybe I had high expectations from Plotters, And as the story unfolds it becomes a predictable story, with not much material to keep you holding to know why, Whereas Books like “Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins” “Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn” Keeps you engrossed. 

While I am not saying  “Plotters”  wasn’t a good read, It certainly wasn’t as good as these, But very much alike like a series I just watched on the streaming platform “Giri/Haji” where The main underworld boss, hires people to do the damage (Assassins/HitMan)  But surely questions if we continue behaving like Assassins/Hitman all for that chair to be the boss for a reason, That we might think we hold the power, Power to continue the same racket/Practice where nobody gains anything, but only losses.

Plotters are read for those, who enjoy a little cliche story and someone who just would like to enjoy a crime story of how the Mafia works in a very simple, plain and easy to understand read.