Japan to home travel day

​    Well, got up and evaluated (again) our time left and plans. Quite the vacation, so we are running on fumes. We left Madison at the Airbnb while Abigail, Bailley, and I walked around one last time, keeping an eye out for anything open. Slim pickings, so hit the 7/11 for a random cornucopia. 

    We eat and drink and talk about the trip, then start picking up and cleaning and organizing before leaving. The plan morphed into all go to Shinjuku, go to a fluffy pancake place, then we take Narita express, leaving Madison for two more days on their own. We say bye to Makoto, the Airbnb owner, and take our last walk down ‘our street’ as we got to know it.

    By the time we reach Shinjuku and then have some issues finding the place, we decided we’d better just try to get to the airport. We said our goodbyes and left Madison to hunt down the pancakes while we searched for the train to the airport. 

    We made it, got bags situated, past security, past immigration, grabbed food and then rested at the gate. FWIW, the report on the pancakes was very positive 😂.

    Great great trip. It sure helped a lot to have Ryo and Yoshiko as people I literally asked all the stupid American questions… and I always got in depth explanations. I can unreservedly recommend a trip to Japan. Nine days and it’s clear we barely scratched the surface to this beautiful country. 

    Until next time!

Japan day 8

     Last full day... wow... this was a good trip!

    Today was day two of two for Madison's tattoo, while Bailley, Abigail, and I went to Disney Sea. But first... breakfast. 

    Then a long metro ride to Disney Sea with a bonus Disney monorail to finish it off.

    Abigail and Bailley wanted to see it all and shop, but we've taken to only riding rides that have a single-rider line and then us all getting in it. That has worked out wonderfully. In Disney Sea we rode one roller coaster, Raging Spirits, and one immersive ride, Peter Pan. 

    Then we split up with them wanting to explore more and me wanting a beverage and sit. However, I got neither! I did end up getting a bite to eat at the very front of the park and they joined me just as I was finishing. They hit one more store, then we reversed our route and headed back to the rental... only stopping at a Santoku convenience store to buy snacks and drinks, because the feeling is that we are so tired, that we will not get out again tonight. Safe bet.

    Madison is done with their tattoo, and is going to go to the eight story stationary store we hit yesterday and maybe grab food before coming back.

    What an epic trip this has been!

Japan day 7

     Day seven... hard to believe there's really just two full days left! Today we have a tour of the Imperial Palace gardens. Very interesting, especially learning about the Shogun origin and history.

    After that, we had a gap before out next booked activity, so Madison went back to the airBnB to get something while Bailley, Abigail, and I went looking for some art. Luckily, the first stop was amazing. The owner was so helpful, telling us what the subjects were as well as about the medium and where the artist was from... we even met his mother! I ended up getting two small prints... and I'm very happy with them. From there we walked to a famous stationary store... all eight stories of it! It was cool though as this was our first venture into Ginza. 

    Then off to meet Madison for kintsugi! The art of repairing pottery and glass with adhesives and gold. Madison brought a piece to repair, while we all picked a broken piece the teacher, Aya, had available. Aya even gave a class on not only what to do, but the history, concepts, and ideas behind it. 

    It was a great experience.  We scatter for a bit, but for me the night ends with Bailley and a great bowl of ramen.

Japan day 6

     Day six is a split up day. Madison is scheduled for day one of two days for a tattoo. They've gotten a tattoo the last few family trips they've been on and they are keeping that up. Abigail, Bailley, and I are going to Disneyland Tokyo.

    Up early and out at 8am. Taxi aaaalllllllll the way to Disneyland Tokyo and get there before opening at 9am. We took some entry pics.

    Then rode the carousel...

   Then walked around a bit. Stopped at Belle's castle for the Beauty and the Beast ride.

   We walked to Adventure Land and road the jungle cruise. It was very entertaining not knowing anything the person said, yet trying to call and response and do the gestures that people seemed to be doing. 

    After that, the Abigail and Bailley waited and watched the parade while I found the only 'tavern' in the park. Afterwards we met up near the entrance/exit and slow walked to the metro station. It took two changes and three lines, but soon we were back, popping up out of Hatagaya. We were all pooped and hungry so stopped and grabbed food and started walking up 'our street' as we call it. Not one fourth in, we hit a dessert place we've never seen open... hmmm... ok, y'all handle that, I'll run ahead and buy drinks. We get done at the same time and finish the short walk back. Madison was just a few minutes behind us, and sat with us while we scarfed down food. I think they are going out later to eat, but the rest of us are done for the day!

Japan day 5: Kyoto -> Tokyo

     We get up and head out at 9am to a coffee shop Bailley found that was close. Coffee and food was fantastic, but the odd thing... everyone kept taking pictures of the building. Not just customers, people would walk in, take pictures, and then leave. 

    We decide to hit a few more places before going back to Tokyo. We check out of the ryokan and head to  a close shrine, Heian Jinju. 

    The gate is huge and is a 5:8 replica of a palace gate that was destroyed. 

    Then a walk to the metro to get to the instagram famous bamboo forest, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Very beautiful, but VERY crowded. Also, so many signs of no photos and small trails that said no entry, yet people were disregarding everything. For such a pretty and organized culture, this felt really bad to me. I guess social media can bring some bad things.

  The gardens were super pretty and just immaculate. 

   We take the metro to Kyoto station and struggle to buy Shinkansen tickets at the kiosk. So we go to what we think is a 'travel agency adjacent something' but while we wait I hop on an app. Looks like I can buy from the app and then we just deal with turnstile again, oh well.

    We buy a bunch of food for the ride and make our way to the platform. This time, no QR scanning issues! Not sure why, but we're through. We board and enjoy another 180mph train ride back to Tokyo. Now it's about 6pm when we get to Tokyo station, so it's popping! Tokyo station to Shinjuku to Hatagaya was some hot and crowded metro lines... but we did it.

    There was a little talk of going back out, but after everyone sat down a minute, a more sane 'wash clothes and relax' mentality came out. Madison did end up ducking out for some sake (and hopefully beer for me), but back soon. 

    A bit of rest before Tokyo Disney... man... what have I gotten into.

Japan day 4

     Up somewhat early again, early enough that we find it difficult to find anything open any way. So we walk until our trusty 7/11 or Lawson's shows up and we dive in for food and drinks. Food is consistently good, but we struggle to find a place to place to sit and eat. We finally commandeer a bench outside a closed office. It'll do fine.

    From there we decide to just taxi to Shariden Kinkaku, the golden temple. 

    Spectacular temple and sites. Also very crowded. Seems like it was field trip day in Kyoto and all the busses are right here with us :) . We decided to taxi again (yeah, seems so easy and we're getting so lazy and tired at this point) to the next stop, Imamiya Jinja Shrine. 

    Stunning and waaaaaaay less crowded. And even cooler, some ceremony started while we were there just browsing and relaxing.

    Then a taxi (ouch... sounds a lot worse typing this out) to a market. And man do I mean a market! I think down the main hall, I could see the curvature of the earth! This place had everything, and I do mean everything. 

   After lots of exploring, we end up splitting up. I grab some tempura shrimp at the market and eat before heading to a brewery that was to be our reconvene point. I rest and drink some good local beer while I wait on the girls. Eventually we all gather and decide to split up again. Madison and Bailley going to a knife shop and Abigail and I going to the Kyoto Museum. We start the 2 mile walk back after the museum, but eventually ditched about a mile in and, shocker, called a taxi. Madison and Bailley weren't far behind and oddly, did a similar attempt to walk then ditch strategy.

    We/I nap a bit and rest, before deciding to use our second wind to hit on of the most instagram famous sites, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. It was dusk and starting to drizzle when we got there. Was it crowded? Yes, but I'm sure not nearly as bad as during the day. Did the mist/drizzle make it seem more mystical? Oh definitely so. 

    Spectacular shrine and the gates didn't disappoint. It's basically a hike up a mountain and the path is lined with torii gates. Oh, PSA: This waiting for crowds of people to stop while someone takes 20 pictures each of 5 different poses, THEN SWAPS WITH THEIR PARTNER TO REPEAT has got to stop for the good of all humanity, please! 

    We are about at the midway point and it's basically light rain now and dark. At that point we were discussing keeping going to the top or starting the walk down. When all of a sudden this big Italian family comes scurrying by us, almost running and even pushing us. I think to myself, "Americans have the bad rep, but look here, that's just uncalled for!" when the last older gentlemen scurries by and he looks me in the eye and says "bear". Umm, ok, very scurry worthy! I grab Madison and pull her closer to us and we make a hasty retreat back to the main area. So, basically, we narrowly avoided a bear attack... whew!

    It's raining now, so we look for the first place we see where we can get out of the rain. Huh, a metro station. Wow, I guess we haven't been trying very hard with public transit in Kyoto LOL. 

    We take the metro back north and pop up to look for food and a pharmacy (normal vacation stuff for us it seems). We ducked into a place and had ramen and gyoza. No metro runs east enough for the ryokan (I at least looked this time), so we taxied back for our second and final collapse of the day!

    

Japan day 3: Tokyo -> Kyoto

     Hmmm... so much for going to bed late and getting up late, I'm tied to the sun. 5:30am. Ok, doesn't matter. I get up and put most of the clothes we washed on a drying rack while waiting for 7am bakery opening. Bailley got up before 7 as well, so it's not just me. At 7 I walk to a local bakery and grab just a few things for everyone to share. So scrumptious. 

    We all get ready and do a light sub-packing-pack using just our backpacks for our 2-3 days in Kyoto. Walk, a couple of metro lines, and we're in Tokyo station. Whoa Nellie, this is a big station. And to make it feel even larger, it's attached to a mall? Multiple malls? We explore a bit and then everyone goes and gets a drink and some food for the train. Most Japanese trains and metros we were told not to eat or drink, but the Shinkansen (bullet train) is fine. Oh, speaking of rules on the metro, there's no talking, no phone conversations, no nothing... just amazing silence. After we get food and just chill a minute, we make our way to the Shinkansen area. The entrance turnstiles are different, so we watch a minute... ok... scan train QR code then tap Suica... boom... we got this. Well, not so much. We got in line for help and the person evidently had to do special scanning and the Suica taps to let us through, but we made it.

    This is our train pulling up. The thing to notice is all the blue uniformed people are each exit/entrance to the train. They are cleaners. They attacked that train like it's the SWAT olympics. Cleanliness in general in this country is no joke.

    Got a short glimpse or the very top of Mt. Fuji! It's supposed to rain on the return trip, so I think this was our best shot.

    Made it to Kyoto station and then grabbed a taxi to the Ryokan.

    The person who showed us to our room also showed us how to use the tea set and how to dress properly in our kimonos. 

    She also would come back and make matcha for us. After the matcha, we just explored the grounds a little and chilled. Later they came and escorted us to dinner. Wow, we had such a great time... so much food and very very good. 

    Then the girls went to the onsen and I went back to start resting up for tomorrow.