Photo Tag And I'm Playing For A Change!

I got tagged by A Z Haida, of Look Again blog which I had been following for a few years now.

Like her, I don't normally do tags but I couldn't resist this one from her. Not when she put it this way :

"I hereby challenge (ehcheh) these 8 to do this tag...
5) Lina (bet it's going to be Japan-related photo)."

I do admit that we have more photos of us in Japan than any other places in Malaysia. My 8th folder is of our photos in Japan during Summer 2006. Almost 4 years ago.

The tag requires me to:

1) Go to your photo files…Select the 8th photo folder.

2) Select the 8th photo in that folder.

3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.

4) Then challenge 8 blogging friends to do the same!

So, here goes! Yosh!

The Story: 

This photo of Raimie was taken in summer 2006. It was Raimie's second trip to Japan and we were there for a week, for the sole purpose of going to Ultraman Festival (Ulfes) in Ikebukuro. Because of that, we just stayed in Tokyo and one of the places we went to, apart from Ulfes was the Shitamachi Museum in Ueno.

Being in the museum was like being transported to the era of Oshin, a woman who lived in the Meiji period. The Japanese drama Oshin was aired on TV in Malaysia when I was in primary school and everyone I know stay glued to the TV screen watching this drama of a strong woman who persevered during hard and tough times. Oshin serves as a symbolic figure for perseverance, showing that a person should never give up - even in the most difficult times.

Anyway, back to Shitamachi Museum. Shitamachi which meant low city; is the name for the low-lying parts of Tokyo. This museum is dedicated to looking at the lives led by millions of  men and women over the years in the area spanning from the early Meiji to late Taisho-eras (1868-1923). The museum has interactive displays which meant you can touch and play with all the exhibits.

An elderly guy who volunteered at the museum taught Raimie how to play the Japanese toys that were on display and before we left the museum he gave Raimie a little koma spinning tops made out of old magazine pages and toothpicks.

Here in the photo, Raimie was happily poking around in the blacksmith's home.

For our trip in Sep 2010, I plan to bring my friend to this museum. Even if you don't care much of the history of lives of Japanese of yesteryears, being in this museum makes good photo op.

I'm passing the baton to 8 others:

1. Cindy of Blank Thoughts. She's expecting her first baby soon. She made Osaka her home but she is back in Malaysia for the time being.
2. Kozue of Oh Tazawako, Where Art Thou? Hardworking to promote Tazawako and its surrounding area, I completely understand if Kozue can't play this tag. :D
3. Shida of shidafzan. A friend of mine since college, we used to be roommates too. She just started blogging  with blogspot, after years of using fotopages. She's one of few people left who still call me by a boy's name.
4. Nick of Anything goes. He blogs because he can!
5. Su of I Lookup As I Walk. A Malaysian, she is currently raising her family in Japan and giving support to her hubby who is pursuing his studies there.
6. Evan's Mom of A Little Boy's Blog.  A proud mom of two sons in Bogor, Indonesia.
7. Yatie of Sawanila. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby.
8. Bengbeng of My Longkang. See great photos and read about his life, Benghui's and the people around him in Sibu.

No pressure though. Have fun!

p.s. It might take me sometime to inform all those listed that they've been tagged.