Japan June 2014 with Janet & David

Japan, June 2014

Day 1 & 2, Wed/Thurs:

The flight over was uneventful.  The only bummer was that the movies featured were the same as on our last trip to the west coast in May.  Well, at least I got to sleep more than what I normally do.  Even JJ said that she got to sleep a bit.

Remember I used to say the Hawn Air business class upgrades were not worth paying for?  Well, I had a change of heart.  I still don’t think that it’s a good value but I have started to change my way of thinking.  We worked hard and invested money when many others that we know were enjoying trips with their children, buying new cars, etc.  Now that we are comfortable, I told JJ that what are we saving our money for?  We may as well enjoy it as if we don’t, our heirs certainly will.

Would you believe that we never owned a brand new car throughout our marriage?  The closest thing to a new car was a year old 1972 Datsun that was never sold until we came along.  Now, I’m even thinking of buying the new C7 Corvette Stingray.  At first I told myself that I was too old for a car like that, but now, I don’t want to think back 5 years from now and say “I wish I did it 5 years ago because now I’m too old!  The main drawback with the Vette is that I don’t know if the local Chevy dealer can provide warranty service as their Vette allocation from GM is probably zero.

My other dream car is a Tesla but again, who is able to repair it?  I can justify the high price of a Tesla with the profits we are making on our Tesla stocks will bring down the price that is close to a Vette.

But my real dream car?  A Ford GT.  Dream on!!!  (real dream car, HYF?) 

Anyway, we couldn’t even purchase two standby upgrades.  They had only one available.  Interestingly enough, Hawn Air has this promo where if you fly 75K miles with them, you’ll get 6 business class upgrades.  I guess it will be 6 upgrades that is difficult (impossible?) to use.

After checking in, we decided to go across the street to Lawsons to buy drinks and a snack.  On the way over, we saw two groups of loud and unruly young tourists, seemingly from the U.S.  I tell you, some of these foreign tourists are ruining the Japan that we love.  And to make it worse, one of the groups had what looked like A.J.A.s with them.  They must make their parents proud.

We are staying at the New Hankyu Hotel, the same place that we stayed a few years ago when we first started traveling on our own.  JJ remembers it as having really good coffee.  The breakfast prices are reasonable but I don’t know it it is worth the difference as compared to “Amici”, where they also have good coffee and really reasonably priced meals.

The room itself is a bit disappointing as to what we normally are used to in Kyoto.  It is on the small side and smells like old cigarette smoke.  Like many ex-smokers, we don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke.  HYF?  The air conditioning is also on the warm side, even though we have it set to 64 f.

I guess we’ll stick with either the Hokke Club or Dormy Inn if rooms are available.

Ended up drinking and talking story with the “kids”.  Probably stayed up too late but we’ll see how it pans out today.

Day 3, Friday:

We enjoyed breakfast at Amici.  The owner remembered us and didn’t charge us for our second cup of coffee.  The breakfast is such a bargain already so it’s a good thing that we got some omiyage for the owner and the waitresses.  We plan to give it to them the last day that we are here so they won’t feel that they have to reciprocate (more often than not, it’s sometimes very difficult to do something nice to people in Japan as they almost seem generously obsessed in doing something in return).

We did all the stuff that JJ had planned for the day.  Golden Pavillion, lunch at Kushikura Grill Restaurant, Nijo Castle and Heian Shrine.  Basically, same ole, same ole.  The kids experienced all kinds of transportation today, bus, subway and taxi.  Janet is a fast learner and after this trip, will probably be able to lead the way.

The good thing about summer is that the crowds are minimal.  But so is the visual impact as even flowers are not in bloom.  So far, the picture taking can only be described as boring.  Japan in the summer seems so ordinary, except for the many shades of green that we see and are in awe off.  I carried my 2.5 lb. “lightweight travel tripod” for nothing, today.  Two of the places that we visited today do not allow tripods at all.  And yet, the serenity of the gardens without the crowds are nice too. 

The weather was very comfortable.  The humidity is like Hilo but the breeze feels more dry.

In some ways, Dave and Janet are more like JJ than me.  JJ sez that I’m the one who is not “normal”.  The three of them spend so much time deciding what to order and asking the waiter questions.  And you know how that goes, the waiter cannot understand English and Dave and Janet (or JJ) cannot understand Japanese.  Aiyaiyah!!  For myself, one dish and beer.  Then all is good.

We found an Izakaya type restaurant near the train station.  The food portions were more restaurant like as they were quite large (too big more me as my taste buds got bored).  So far, the food that we’ve eaten is good but not extraordinary. 

Right now, I feel as though I just hit the wall.  It’s only 8:00 p.m. but good night, everybody.

Day 4, Saturday:

After breakfast, we planned to catch the train to Saga Arashiyama, then catch another train line called the “Romantic Train”, then ride a boat back down the river to Arashiyama.  Unfortunately, like many English words that the Japanese use, the meaning does not have any analogy to the actual object.  I’ve read that many times, they just enjoy the sound of the words.  Once we saw a poster for a band called “Bump of Chicken” and of course, my favorite “Pocari Sweat”, which is a drink like Gatorade.  Drink Pocari Sweat, HYF!

When we bought the tickets, I was told that if standing was ok, we could catch the next train.  When we got on the train, there were a lot of seats available, so we sat down.  However, at the next stop, many people got on and apparently, we were sitting on someone’s reserved seats.  After getting up and moving down the aisle, this young Haole Mother and one of her sons stand up and give us their seats.  I guess me and JJ look older and more fragile than we feel.  It’s a good thing that we had Big Island Candies Chocolate Dipped Shortbread to share with them.  They are originally from California and are now living in Okinawa.

We had a brief scare in Kyoto when we got separated going to catch the train to Arashiyama.  I figured that no way would JJ figure out how to get the tickets, find the right platform and go to Arashiyama as even I had a hard time, looking at a paper map, trying to read the large route/fare map at the ticket machine which was written mostly in Japanese.  So I just stayed put by the ticket machine.  Surprisingly, Dave and Janet showed up and said that they were all waiting on the platform.  JJ thought that I might have left for Arashiyama because of my comment the last trip, “if you don’t make it back before the train leaves, I’ll meet you in Mishima”.  I told her that at that time, we had a hotel destination to meet at.  BTW, she found out how much the tickets were and which platform to go to by asking.  Reminds me of the story of the space race.  The Americans spent millions developing the “space pen”.  It could write upside down, underwater, etc.  The Russians used a pencil. 

The boat ride back down the river was a nice experience.  The oarsmen were entertaining and charismatic, even though we could hardly understand what they were saying.  They should give a summer discount as the last time, the fall colors made the ride super extraordinary.  It might also be great during the Sakura season.  But summer, just the lush greenness of the countryside and the clear water.  But then again, we did see a few turtles, wild monkeys, a deer and some big water birds.

After the river ride, we happened to find a restaurant with really reasonable prices.  Upon entering, we found that every seat had a spectacular view of the river as the restaurant was long and narrow.  The food and service was also quite good.

After lunch, it was time for our real adventure, climbing up to Monkey Park.  When we bought our tickets, the lady explained to me and JJ that it was a long climb, uphill.  Did I mention that me and JJ must look older and more fragile than we feel?  HYF?

The climb only took about 20 minutes of torture.  It was almost as strenuous as I remembered and it even made me forget about my aching right ankle.  But, every time we stopped to rest, we got our wind back quickly.  Another trick is what we learned in Aikido, “extend your Ki” by projecting your mind on what is ahead of you, the next turn, etc.  This really helped.

When we finally got to the top, which is higher than Kyoto Tower, me and JJ quickly looked for a bench to sit down.  Once we were rested, we started taking pics of the monkeys and each other.  I got up from a sitting position too quickly and thought I might faint so I quickly sat down again.  Fortunately, after a few seconds, I felt better and ssslllooowwwlllyyy got up. 

On the way down, we stopped at a playground.  Dave did some of his exercises and I rode down this long slide.  It sure beat walking down J.  I even shot a video of it.

The walk back down to town seemed easier physically, except that me and JJ’s knees were either sore (JJ) or shaky (me) from the strain of walking downhill.

In Arashiyama, it seems that they tore down the building that the Misora Hibari Museum was in, which is amazing as you would think that they would reuse the building for something else.  But all I could see in the area I remembered was a screened off empty lot with construction equipment.

We saw a store with some really colorful umbrellas so we stopped by.  They were quite unusual as the patterns would appear when the umbrella got wet.  Later on, further away from the main street, we saw the same type of umbrella a little cheaper.  Good shopping lesson to remember.

JJ did find a handbag that was made of old kimono material that was pretty reasonable in price.  The store had a huge assortment of bags and other things that were so colorful and reasonably priced.

Upon getting back to Kyoto, we ate dinner at a tonkatsu restaurant called “Katsukura” that was recommended by our friend that was located in the “Cube” in the train station.  They had good reviews on Trip Advisor so we decided to try it, thinking that the lines were shorter on weekends.  The wait was about 30 minutes and they are so efficient that they take your order while you are waiting so you can start eating as soon as you are seated.  Everyone except me enjoyed their food.  Same ole, same ole, “flavors too bold, my taste buds got overwhelmed, yara, yara, yara”.  At this rate, I might actually lose weight.  On the way down from the Cube, there was this tall, wide stairway that was lit up with LED lights.  They had them programmed and the colors as well as the words would change.  It was pretty neat to watch and we were all enthralled with the light show.

Once back in our room, I enjoyed the crisp clean flavor of an Asahi with a pickled plum pupu that was just slightly and so delicately seasoned.  Simple flavors for a complex person.

Which reminds me, JJ told Dave and Janet that she really likes their being with us as with the three of them, I’m the one “marching out of step”, not her as when we are alone.  So I told them, that even though there are three of them, they account for only 49% of the vote.  The only choice they have in voting is to join the majority.  End of story.

Day 5, Sunday:

We are greeted as old friends as we enter Amici, our fav breakfast place.  They have enough variety so I don’t think that we will ever get tired of eating there.  Best of all, the coffee is really good.  Although lacking the same depth of flavor and finish of good Kau coffee, it's still pretty darn good.

After breakfast, just before we were supposed to meet up with the kids, I got a little scare.  For those of you who are easily grossed out, I will tell this tale at the end, using a different colored font, to protect your sensitivity.

The day started off with light showers.  We caught the train to Uji to visit the Mimurotoji Temple.  It was a tiny bit  disappointing as the blooms that we enjoyed last summer was almost non-existent.  It’s amazing what a few weeks difference will do.  But still, the ambiance was nice and we enjoyed a great snack at the on site “restaurant”.   The little gnats that were landing in our water and food neither added nor detracted from the flavor or enjoyment of the food…..well, perhaps a bit of the enjoyment.

Soon after exiting, as we walked through the usual vendors hawking their goods, I saw this giant ume.  It looked like the rare “super taranka” marble when I was a kid.  So I bought one.  It was so good, I went back and bought a box of smaller ones.  As we were leaving, I told JJ that I was going back to buy another box.  It reminds me of the dried Ume that we enjoy in Hawaii, except that it is moist and soft and too quickly just goes down my throat.  Talk about a perfect balance of flavors.  Oooh la la!!  Mi Cherie!! Fu….g Good!!

Last year, in Uji, some good Samaritans told us that we should catch a cab as the walk to Mimurodoji temple was long.  That was ok but when we were done, there were no cabs there so we ended up walking until we could finally flag one down.  By that time, we didn’t realize that we almost reached the area that was our destination.

This year, JJ checked with the tourist info office and the lady suggested that we catch the city bus.  It not only dropped us off right in front of the garden, but was also there when we were ready to leave.  All at a fraction of the cost of a cab.  Lesson learned, always check with the tourist office first. 

We had a really hard time in finding a place to eat lunch.  We first tried to find a place across the river as it looked like a typical tourist street.  All we could find was coffee shops.

So we crossed the river to go back to town (Uji) and tried looking at the menu of a couple of restaurants.  Unfortunately, the one that we chose told us that they were out of what we wanted to order, which were curry dishes.  We all ordered a shrimp/veggie tempura dish with rice and soba.  It turned out to be weird.  Somehow, the flavors didn’t quite meld together.  And it wasn’t just me who thought this way.  To put this into perspective, the worst meal that I’ve eaten at Zippy’s was better then this.  And it wasn’t because the taste was bad, it just didn’t “sing”.

After lunch, we visited the Byodoin temple.  The temple was photogenic but our visit to the museum was a bit boring.  Even non-flash photography was not allowed.  I would suggest you skip it unless you are a devout Buddhist.

The 49% enjoyed macha ice cream and green tea ice cream in a waffle cone before catching the train back to Kyoto.  For dinner, we decided to go back to the same tonkatsu restaurant that everyone but me enjoyed.  After we were seated (no lines today), we found out that they were only offering the lunch menu (after 5:00 p.m.) so ala carte dishes were not available.  There went my plans of ordering only appetizers.  I ended up ordering two beers and eating one of JJ’s shrimps, her miso soup and the rest of her shrimp tails.  Yummy!!!  My own Izakaya!

After dinner, I finally got to visit my “toy store”, Yodobashi.  After buying some camera accessories, we showed the kids a 3d demo tv and an 84 inch 4K tv that was awwwesommmme!!  It would really be great for “GO BOWS!!!”.

I finished my day, relaxing with a cold Asahi and the ume that i bought for pupu.  Heard a couple of bangs.  At first, i thought JJ had fallen in the bathtub.  I checked and she said she heard it too.  After a while, i heard it again.  after several more loud bangs, i opened the door to check.  The guy across our room and Dave was also there.  Turned out that the person across from our room was using the door latch to keep the door open while he went somewhere.  So unjapanesey behavior.  HYF?

Just before we were to meet in the lobby, I used the bathroom.  After I was done, the toilet water was red.  I started to feel a bit light headed at that point.  Just in case, I looked up what should we do in case I needed medical attention via Google.  Then I remembered that I ate a whole bunch of packaged Ume, which was red.  Just in case, Dave suggested that we meet a half hour later to see if everything was ok.

If I’m writing this, everything must be good.

Day 6, Mon:

Saw the door banger this morning.  He appears and sounds like he is Chinese.  If the banging continues, I’m going to take a picture of his door and latch and show it to the front desk.   It seems as though the Japan travel industry may become a victim of its own success.

We got our rail passes before leaving for Inari Shrine.  We barely beat the crowd as when we left, the line was almost out the door.

When we got to Inari, we didn’t recognize the shrine as the last time we came here, the cab dropped us of at a different location (I guess the parking area for cabs).   Once we got through the entrance, everything was as we remembered.  Due to time constraints, we did not go all the way up.  We reached about the 1/3 mark, where the teahouse is at.  We stopped there to have drinks and sushi.  Although the ambience was nice, the prices were rather high as the snack cost about 3500 Yen.  Well worth it, though, as we got a chance to sit, rest and talk story.

We ate lunch at the Porta underground plaza at a place called Tokyo Soup Stock.  We all ordered a lobster soup.  While the flavor was good (not extraordinary), the soup had almost no body as there was not even a lobster shell in it.  I think Dave and Janet left hungry.

We continued our adventure by going to Nishiki Market.  We were looking for a fish that one of our friends brought to our house that was cooked and stuffed with fish eggs.  It was really ono.  We showed the picture we took to several vendors but no one sold it.  The last person we spoke to said that it is called “Iwashi Mentaiko”.  Iwashi is the type of fish and Mentaiko is the eggs.  He said it comes from Hokaido.  We could not find it.

In Nishiki, we came across the store that sold frozen fruit juice that was served like shaved ice.  After seeing Dave and JJ eat their Mango flavored goody, I decided to try their strawberry.  It was really good and tasted like frozen strawberries that was light and flakey.  The best part was that it wasn’t sweetened.  The portion was perfect as it left me craving for more.

We strolled into a knife store that had a knife that listed for 280000 ($2,800.00)!  after seeing that knife, even $800.00 for other knives seemed reasonable!

We arrived at the Gion Night Tour meeting point about an hour early so we decided to eat a light meal at a nearby restaurant.  It turned out to be a perfect choice as we all got to eat something that we each enjoyed.  I had a huge Asahi and sausage.  There was 6 different kinds of sausage and each has a unique flavor.  It was quite a bargain for $6.00, especially considering that my beer was $8.00.  JJ had a banana split, Janet pancakes and Dave a Curry Tonkatsu.  His dinner included soup, coffee and dessert and was quite a bargain for $13.00.

On the way to dinner, we came across a baby lion that was leashed.  He seemed pretty tame so I asked the owner for permission to take his picture, which as thankfully granted.  The lion was a very handsome fellow and strutted about proudly, with his tail held high.

The Gion Night Tour remains as good as it used to be.  It is entertaining and informative.  We even got to see a Maiko which was the highlight of the tour.  Hopefully, it was a real Maiko and not an actress.  During the tour, we also came across “cool cat”.  As I approached him, he lay on his side, stretched out and placed his “arm” under his chin, regally giving me permission to take his picture.

It was a good day.  Today we leave Kyoto for Hikone.  Tonight, we travel to Ominagaoka to see fireflies.  I just love those country areas.

Day 7, Tues:

I got up at 3:30 A.M. with stomach cramps.  I think it was from eating the Lobster Bisque at Tokyo Soupstock.  JJ woke up later feeling dizzy.  We’re not sure what is causing her symptoms.

I tried eating a more bland breakfast, just coffee and toast.  Don’t know if that worked.  Maybe the next time, we should bring some crackers.

We caught the train to Hikone.  JJ almost ended up getting a camera like mine as she had lost hers.  I already decided to get hers in a black body so we don’t get each others cameras confused.  Turned out that she had forgotten it at the New Hankyu Hotel.  Only in Japan could anyone ever expect to get back a lost item.   

Hikone during the summer is a ghost town.  Very few people on the streets and even the restaurant that we normally go to was closed.  We ended up trying a new place.  After looking at the menu, I knew that the food was too rich for me in my condition.  I ordered this egg over rice cooked in ketchup.  I could only eat about a third.  Everyone else enjoyed their meal.  We all made it up the long walk uphill.  While up there, I could feel my stomach gurgling so I told JJ that I would be going back down to check in and take a nap as I did not want to miss out on the fireflies.  Dave wasn’t comfortable letting me go by myself so we all headed down. 

We checked in and I took a short nap.  I got up feeling a little better.  We caught the train to Ominagaoka, and proceeded to the river with the fireflies.  We waited over 2 hours for it to get dark.  JJ tried to speak to several older , locals but they just kept walking.  We don’t know if they were hard of hearing or just aloof.

We were the only ones waiting so things were not looking very well.  A young guy drove up and asked if we were waiting to see the “Hotaru”.  Yes, we exclaimed.  Now we were hopeful.  As darkness came over us, we all eagerly strained our eyes, looking into the dark waters below.  As it got darker, lights from an adjacent building got brighter.  We saw a few spots of light that we thought were fireflies.  However, as they did not move, we don’t really know if it was merely reflections of light on the evening dew.  While all this was going on, I had already made one long walk back to the train station to deal with my cramps.  Finally, I told everybody that I had to go back and that I would meet them there.  I don’t know if everyone went with me due to compassion or if they were afraid of getting lost but they all decided to go back with me.

Upon reaching the station, it was eerily silent.  Even the agent went home.  When we reached the tracks, there was a couple of young boys waiting, about 10-12 years old.  Only in Japan could you let your children safely wait at a train station, unaccompanied by an adult.

After getting back to Hikone, I asked JJ to buy Pocari Sweat and water for me as I would be skipping dinner.  The rest went to an Izakaya so I guess they did not return to the train station in Ominagaoka with me due to compassion.

After returning to our room, I started to get the chills.  I went to sleep wearing my sweat pants and shirt, my knit cap, socks and I even had to cover my head with the futon to get warm.  I really slept well and got up feeling a whole lot better.

Breakfast was included with our room but I decided not to chance it and ate only plain chazuke, miso soup and pickles.

Before any of you start feeling sorry for me, being sick in Japan is still better that seeing my mother in law in Hawaii.

BTW, some of you have emailed me and said that the baby lion was a dog.  Well, while we did not hear it roar, we also did not hear it bark.  And I’m almost certain that I heard a deep, low purrr.  Tru fac!!

Day 8, Wednesday

This is our day to go to Kawaguchiko, where we will hopefully see Fujusan again, as well as the rich Lavendar blooms.  Traveling, even with our one large and one small (carryon size) suitcase each, was pretty simple and trouble free.  Some of the transfers (4) were a little tight but we managed ok.

When we finally go to Kawaguchiko, we decided to eat lunch at the train station as the last time we were here, we had a hard time finding a lace to eat near our hotel.  The food at the station was quite good, although a bit different.  The curry rice had two types of beans in it, making for a slightly different texture and flavor than is typical.  The Fujii beer was delicious. 

The tourist info office called the hotel shuttle for us and the hotel allowed us to check in early.  After a short nap, we met and went for a walk along Lake Kawaguchiko.

The barren trees that I took beautiful morning pictures of are now full of leaves, in two months!  The lakeside still is serene and scenic, but different.  Fujisan is apparently away on his summer vacation as he is not visible.

Dave found this hot dog/hamburger stand so we decided to have a snack.  The burgers were so good, Dave had two of them.  I just enjoyed my Kirin and JJ her peach ice cream.  After drinking the beer, I started to get chilled again so I told JJ that I would be skipping dinner and rest instead.

I think all of the others went to the hotel’s Onsen after we came back, then on to Café Gusto for dinner.  JJ brought back for me take out rice so at least I got to eat Chazuke and Ume for dinner.  She told me that they now charge (under $2.00) for all drinks, although the soup is still free.  I guess what they were doing earlier was not sustainable and I’m glad they made the adjustments quickly.

JJ said that when they reached the lobby, on their way to dinner, they could see Fujisan.  This was one of the only time that Janet was not carrying her camera.  By the time they went back to the room to get the camera and returned, the mountain was again veiled by clouds.

Two months ago, we passed a site where they were doing groundwork.  JJ told me that there is now a 7-11 there.  

 I’m feeling much better now, about 95.876% of my regular self.  Speaking of self, it’s unbelievable how different Dave and I are.  He is exuberant and I am more laid back.  He has a strong zest for life and I just take things as they come.  He lives life fully in the moment while my mind is on the next thing to do.  He will try eating anything at least once, while I’ll do the same only with my eyes.  He really is like JJ on steroids!!

Day 9, Thursday:

BTW:  Yesterday, I was so under the weather, I drank only one beer!

Days are whizzing by.  When I first went to the lobby in the morning to email my journal, Fujiisan was still covered.  Dave and Janet came down to take pics but quickly went back up.  JJ and I went down later for her to check email, etc.  When we saw Fujisan visible, we quickly called the kids and we all went to the lake to take pics.  It wasn’t super clear like in April but we were all thrilled with the view.  Magnifico!!  Fantastico!!  Beutifullico!!  (I bet you didn’t know I was bilingual.)

Found out that drinks are still free with breakfast at Café Gusto, and soup is also included with some meals.  My appetite is still not back to normal but at least I could eat.

The plan was to buy a 2 day bus pass from the driver, then catch the bus to Yagisaki Park, where they had a Lavender Festival. 

Did you ever notice that JJ has this certain believable, trustworthy bearing when she says anything?  After almost 50 years of marriage, she still fools me.  I really believe that in her previous life, she was General Custer’s guide.  I can just hear her saying  “sir, the Black Hills are in THAT DIRECTION!”  Then they ended up at Little Big Horn.

Anyway, we get on the bus to go to Yagisaki Park and the driver says “this is the wrong bus but the world is round and this is the wrong stop but if you walk 20 mile to the terminal you can catch a train to the park and if there is no train, the space shuttle will take you 10 minutes” or something like that.

JJ is looking at him uncertainly and he seems to repeat what he was saying.  Finally, I tell JJ, “staying here is not going to make us understand what he is saying, just say thank you and let’s go”.  Is that a woman thing or what (her reaction, not my normal one)?

So we know the general direction and that it should take 10 minutes.  When we finally reach the bus stop, about 20 minutes later, the next bus is in an hour.  We decide to walk all the way to the park.

We finally reach it and see flowers blooming everywhere.  Interesting thing about the flowers that we saw, they have lots of bees, ants and other flying and crawling insects.  Everything living harmoniously, how neat.

We decide to have a snack before entering the park.  I tried three types of beer that were supposedly world class beers.  Naturally, they were all good although I had to pass the dark one to Dave as it was too heavy for me (like a Guinness).  The 49% also had cokes, BBQ Sticks and Sweet Potato French Fries.  Dave, JJ and I shared oysters and scallops.  I thought the oysters in Miyajima were much better and I didn’t care for the scallops, which  JJ said were much better in Hokaido but you have to take what she says with a grain (large grain, remember Gen. Custer?) of salt.

We took so many pics that it’ll be hard to choose the best ones for the slide show.  Also, along the pathway, we heard music that turned out to be played live by a musician.  He was quite good and his performance really added to the ambiance of the place.  I regret not asking him if he sold CD of his music that we could use for or slide show.

We then caught the bus to go to Oishi Park where the staging area for the cherry picking farm was.  The park also had many blooms but alas, Fujisan was still cloaked by his summer veil.  Did you notice that I refer to Fujisan as male and JJ as female?  HYF?

We all enjoyed the cherry picking but I picked more for JJ than I ate as IT WAS TOO SWEET!  But, I picked so many that I could tell which ones were PROBABLY the good ones, which were a bit softer to the touch.  No, I did not squeeze hard enough to bruise the fruit, just a soft squeeze between thumb and forefinger.  When we left, I could still feel the sugar on my lips.

Finally made it back to our room where I could enjoy a few Asahi to rinse that sweetness from my mouth while JJ is relaxing in the Onsen.

When we were leaving for dinner, Fujisan teased us with a little peak of his magnificence so back to the lake we went for more pics.  We, as many of our fellow travelers, took a moment of relaxation to admire Fujisan.  In the pic attached, you have to look really hard and perhaps zoom in to see Fujisan.

I wanted to try a shortcut to Café Gusto.  It took about 5 minutes longer but the worse part was the 49% saying “We told you so”.  But the fact of the matter is that a good pack leader will purposely humble himself to make his followers believe that he is one of them.  Tru fac!

It’s really hard writing about places that we’ve visited only two months ago.  I guess you noticed that every day’s entry is a little shorter than normal.

Day 10, Friday:

Still catching up on my sleep so I woke up at about 5:30.  Even JJ overslept a bit.  Keeping up with the kids is hard work. 

We caught the bus to the “Thatched Village”.  This is the place that I wished I rented the costume the last time so I could use a more “authentic” picture for my “Okinawan Ninja”. 

When we got there, we found out that the costume rental was only 500 Yen each so we all decided to do it.  The costume, especially the helmet, was heavy.  Dave got the samurai, Janet a maiko and JJ an Okinwan Ninjress and of course, I a Shogun.  This turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.  Me and JJ got to experience what Dave and Janet normally do, as they are a lot more spontaneous people than we are.  Unfortunately, having such a kind face, I had a difficult time in trying to look mean.  Tru fac!

The rest of the day was spent strolling, eating, drinking and looking around.  We decided to wait to eat lunch at Dave’s favorite burger joint in Kawaguchiko.  When we finally reached there, it turned out to be the guy’s day off.  Talk about 4 disappointed customers.

We changed rooms today as we added the third night at the last minute.  Our new room is a Tatami room.  Everything is so different from our other room, which is directly across the hall.  We have a view of Fujisan, if he decides to grace us.

We also have a Toto toilet.  The refrig is fully stocked but no Asahi.  The bathroom has Shiseido products for men.  We feel like celebrities as compared to our other room.  But, the treatment from the staff remains the same, first class for everyone.

Whenever we return to the hotel, they usually have someone outside to greet us and open the door.  Then miraculously, as we approach the front desk to get our keys, the clerk will hand over our room keys without our asking for it or our saying our room number.  Now I can understand the outside person telling the inside person that we are arriving, but how do they know who we are?  This is a big hotel!  “attention, Gaijin customers, one with bald head, other is foxy old lady, arriving, get keys”.  HYF?

This is one of the few places in Japan that we visited that is almost as enjoyable during the summer as during spring and fall.  Although we still do not completely understand the bus system, it is still do-able for most of us.  You can purchase the 2 day pass from the bus driver.  It’s the route and schedule that is still difficult to figure out (and there are only 2 basic routes, with a couple of sub-routes).

Sadly, we leave for Gifu soon.  The only thing that we have planned in Gifu is Cormorant Fishing.  If it rains and the fishing cancelled, then I guess that our overnight visit to Gifu will be a total downer.

When I got up this morning, it almost seemed that I woke up in a different town.  The personality of the room is so Japanese and it took me a moment to realize that we were in the same hotel.

The trip is almost over.  I think the best part of this trip is that it gave me and Dave a chance to reconnect.  I now appreciate the differences of our personalities and his zest and spontaneity toward life.  And Janet’s personality seems to perfectly complement his, keeping him on a straight course.  Plus, she has a good sense of direction.  Did I tell you the story of how they met?  The story I first heard is Dave, being a friendly guy, will talk to anyone, wherever his is.  They struck a conversation in Starbucks one day and lighting struck.

Now the real story.  Dave was lost in Starbucks for 2 days, not being able to find his way out.  Janet comes along and saves him.  Lighting struck.  Tru fac!!  

Day 11, Saturday:

Believe it or not, the 49% actually woke up early today as we needed to get an early start to catch the train to Gifu.  There was a light shower as we left our hotel for the train station.  Catching the train to Gifu, including the 4 transfers, went along pretty easily.  Our biggest worry was that being a Saturday, there might be large groups of local visiting other areas.  Worried for nothing as the trains were not full.

A couple of things I forgot to mention earlier.  First, the Shinkansen was one of the things that Dave was really looking forward to.  Once he rode it, he said it was a bit anticlimactic and he even got a little sick.

The other is that even though Japan and Japanese people are supposed to be really clean, I have yet to see soap in many of the public bathrooms, especially in the smaller cities and rural areas.  It’s a wonder that there is no mass outbreak of sanitation related diseases as everyone uses the bathroom and then goes on to touch railings, safety bars and straps on the train, etc.  Some of these people even work at Tokyo Soupstock!

After leaving our baggage at our hotel, the Dormy Inn, we looked for a place to eat lunch.  We all ordered shoyu ramen at a ramen shop that Dave’s friend had recommended.  I thought the ramen was quite good, as although it was Tonkotsu based, the flavor was not that bold and went along well with the noodles.  JJ thought it was not tasty enough and asked for hot sauce, which they did not have.  HYF?

We have our reservations for the Cormorant fishing tonight so we are now just resting and waiting for the time to leave.

The Cormorant fishing was not as enjoyable as last year.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still good but it seems that they are a victim of their own success.  Hmm, is this one of my “truisms”? 

What I really missed this year was the boatload of young girls, all dressed in white kimono’s with bright orange trim, dancing while their boat was traveling in front of the tourist boats, before the fishing began.  And it’s not because the girls were particularly pretty (they were not) or great dancers to good music.  It was just that the beautiful kimono’s with the orange trim was just a great contrast to the color of the river and their boat.  Sure made for great photography.  We did not get a chance to see the fishing boats extinguish the fires and cage the birds, perhaps due to the shear number of observation boats.  The real bummer was that the last time, seating on the boat was first come, first serve so we got the front seats.  This time, seats were assigned and we got the last seats.  I was counting on the front seat and only brought my wide angle lens.  Argggg!  Why do I do these things?  My 50 mm 1.8 would have been perfect, tonight.  Double arrrrgh!  But I still managed to get a couple of “lucky shots”.  And lastly, everything seemed a bit too drawn out and should have ended sooner.

On the bright side, they still signaled the start with fireworks and we all got some pretty good views of the fire and birds, in spite of our bad location as they allowed us to move on the other side.  They had a western toilet on board so I went out to buy beer before we left.  Most of the people on board brought along fabulous bentos and made a real party of the event.  We ate our Mosburgers on the steps outside of the docking area, before we boarded.  Good thing, we would have really stood out, eating hamburgers on board.

After returning, we all feasted on the Dormy Inn’s noodles (I don’t think they call it singing noodles anymore).  Still about the best I’ve eaten in Japan.  The kids also enjoyed it and Dave said that the dashi was really good.  I should bring my surfer dude sun bleached hair cap so I can sneak in for another helping.  Probably no sense as they would recognize the gleam in my eye as I look at that most delicious bowl of heaven.!

Today is another long train ride to Miyajima Island.  A little over 4 hours and 3 transfers, most of it on the Shinkansen.

Day 12, Sunday:

We all woke up early and finished breakfast unusually early.  When we got to the train station, Leftenant Muneno, General Custer’s guide, told us “look, there’s an earlier train”.  While we’re checking the schedule, the train pulls away.  She then exclaims “look, there’s another train”  We look at the schedule and see that it does go to Maibara, our first transfer point.

We catch the train and everything is going well.  We have seats and space for our luggage.  When we get to the town before Maibara, most people get off (meaning everyone but us).  The conductor comes by and tells us that we have to get off, wait and another train will come by to finish the leg to Maibara.  We don’t know why as we did not pay attention to our teacher in Japanese class and could not understand the conductor.   

While we’re waiting for the next train, JJ see’s an older lady waiting for the train.  She was on the same train as us and JJ noticed that the lady had two bags with cat patterns on them.  Figuring she’ll be nice, JJ plans to talk to the lady about their love for cats, then give the lady some Big Island Candies Macnut/Choc cookies.  After she asks the lady if she like cats, the lady seems not to understand.  So I point to the cat pattern on her bag and she responds “no, cats are humbug” or something like that.  HYF?

The rest of the journey to Miyajima was easy.  Minor probs with our large bags on the smaller train but nothing serious.  JJ arranged for the hotel’s shuttle to pick us up.  As we were driving to the hotel, the driver drove uphill via a narrow winding road.  When we finally got to our hotel, we were surprised to learn that the hotel is actually just above town, about 3 minutes walk.  The poor workers had to carry our heavy luggage down some pretty steep stairs.

We were early so we had our bags stored and set out to discover the town.  The tide was so low, we could walk across the bay to reach the other side of the island.  Never saw it this low but then again, we haven’t been here that often.  The famous large Tori was completely out of the water.

I ordered oysters at my fav oyster grill along with an Asahi.  It was ok, much better than the one we ate in Kawaguchiki, but still not as good as I remember.  For those of you who believe that it never is as good as you remember, when JJ and I made a day trip from Kyoto a few years ago just to eat Apple ice cream on Iwakuni and oysters on Miyajima it was as good as the ones I enjoyed the previous trip.  The seasoning was perfect as was the “doneness” but somehow, it just lacked the depth of flavor and finish that I remember (or it could have been as simple as lightly salting the oyster before grilling).  I’m also pretty sure that my taste buds are getting out of whack as I get older.  But then again, except for the saimin with dried scallops that we sold at the market, we never relied on my taste for anything.

JJ, Dave and Janet, on the other hand, are eating their way through Japan.  They seem to enjoy everything that touches their palates.  JJ found a shop that sold mango smoothies.  It was thick and rich.  It was just mango puree blended with ice. 

Our room at the Arimoto Grand Hotel is fantastic.  The total size must be about ½ the size of our house.  It’s a combo Tatami/Western room so we get to sleep on beds.  It would be a bargain if you had a large family as they have futon also for the Tatami area.  Even the bathroom is huge.  This room makes me wish that I studied hard in college and got a better job so I could afford something like this on all of our vacations.  It costs about $350.00+/night and includes breakfast and a Kaiseki dinner.

Dinner was WOW!  This is the first meal that all of us agreed was really outstanding.  From the first sip of the plum wine to the last spoonful of the fruit compote, everything was extraordinary.  The melding of similar flavors or combining contrasting flavors was just so exciting for my taste buds.  The portions were for the most part, small, so my taste buds always got the chance to experience so many flavors.  Fanastico!!

After dinner, we took a walk outside to view the famous Tori.  It was lit up beautifully.  It was so nice, I walked back to our room to get my tripod and longer lenses and Janet also went to get her Nikon.

The only bummer was a tour boat that spent a lot of time, drifting around the Tori, shining a bright spotlight on it.

I had to start deleting some pics from my camera as my memory card is full (first time ever) and I forgot my spare at home.  Live and learn.

I think that all of us enjoyed the trip and company and perhaps this can be a yearly thing and give all of us a chance to reconnect and reset ourselves in this most wonderful place. 

Day 13, Monday:

Tonight is our last night in Japan.  We’ve covered so much ground that without my journal to read, everything would be a blur.

Although I got up early, I got so engrossed in working on my journal that I forgot to go out for the “golden hour” to take pictures.  Actually, it doesn’t really matter as I really would like to return here for an overnight trip whenever we leave from Kansai.

Breakfast was a Japanese set and it was pretty good but no where close to last night’s dinner.  They also had coffee that was mediocre.  The main dish was a fried fish that was very tasty and interestingly, had no bones.  Which reminds me of one of my favorite jokes:

How many pancakes can you stack on a red doghouse on a rainy day?

Answer:  29 (can be any #).  Why?  Because ice cream has no bones!  I think that I’m the only person who thinks this is funny.  I chuckle as I read this!  I think it’s funny because it makes as much sense as many peoples excuses for not doing what they are supposed to.  HYF?

They also served a cold raw egg that seemed so be swimming in a pool of cold dashi.  Only Dave was brave enough to try it and he didn’t seem to be too impressed with it.  The miso soup was great, as was the ume and other pickled veggies.

Checking out and being shuttled to the ferry took a little longer than planned.  I guess automobile traffic is severely restricted in this island.  If they took the most direct route from the hotel to the pier, the drive would be less than 2 minutes, that includes time to allow the deer to cross.  But they have to take the mountain route, making the trips about 10 minutes.  This route has narrow, curvy roads through forested areas.  We even saw a couple of wild deer along the way.  It looks like it would be a nice walk, except for the cars whizzing closely by.

We just missed the Shinkansen in Hiroshima by about a minute.  We used the time to snack.  JJ found this frozen seedless tangerine fruit that was interesting.  Dave got us a couple of super cold Asahi’s.  The wait at the train station turned out to be not too bad.  BTW, the tab for one night at the Arimoto, including the beer and soft drinks for dinner and the beer from the mini bar in the room, turned out to be 41200 yen.  It was worth every penny and we will be doing it again, probably spring of 2015.

Dave made an interesting comment.  He said that waiting at the train station or even traveling on the Shinkansen is no where as bad as waiting at the airport or traveling in an airplane.  It’s so true.  It really is stress-less traveling.  I think that it’s due to a combination of things, such as the respect Japanese have for each other, the openness of the train station, the roominess of the Shinkansen as well being able to breath normal a/c cooled air and the knowledge that if you miss your train, you will not have to wait long for another one (especially for the shorter routes).

The hotel staff returned JJ’s camera as were checking in.  They found it in our room, after we left.  I think she really missed not having it and missing so many photo ops.

We did a little shopping but will save the major shopping for tomorrow.

Since it’s Dave’s birthday, tonight’s dinner is his choice.  Would you believe he chose Tonkatsu at the Cube?  I thought he would choose a steakhouse in Gion.

After dinner, we all went to a dessert restaurant in the train station.  JJ and I had shaved ice and Dave and Janet shared a Parfait.  All were quite good and the addition of condensed milk would have taken it over the top.

We bought some gourmet cheese and crackers at the supermarket below the train station.  We will be looking for more snack type food so we don’t have to eat that lousy airport food.

It’s 9:41 now and way past my bed time and I am exhausted.

Wow, I really hit that “wall” last night!  I’ve been sleeping much later than normal this trip as we are trying to fit it as much as we can.  But the camaraderie, company, and quality family time is worth is.  JJ and I really enjoyed this summer trip.  I think that what she enjoyed the most was having someone to side with her, more often than not (now what does that tell you, do you suspect a conspiracy or is it just me?).  Sometimes, I feel like a cat with a pack of dogs.  Tru fac!

Just before dinner last night, Dave and Janet presented us with thank you gifts.  I got a new light blue golfer’s cap and JJ a small purse and small socks.  We told them that their joining us was a gift in itself but “thank you”.

I feel emotionally and mentally rested enough to deal with our semi-permanent house guest again.  Hope this euphoria lasts more than a few days but if it doesn’t, we can always take another trip.

Yesterday seemed more like my birthday than Dave’s.  Besides the golfer’s cap, a good friend emailed and told me that he purchased an ebook for me to read on the plane.  It’s called “A Beautiful Anarchy” by David Duchemin.  I read a couple of pages and it promises to be a great read.

Today is our last day so as we usually do, after packing and checking out, we’ll go to Nishiki for our final shopping.  The kids will probably elect to go to Aeon Mall or Isetan to look at clothes. 

On our way to our room last night, we passed three rooms with their doors latched open with people speaking loudly in Chinese.  They were moderately loud but not loud enough to penetrate our room.  I wish the hotel would give more than one key/room to resolve this problem.

Hasta lavista, baybeeee!  Thank you for joining us.

Epilogue:

While eating dinner one night, I asked the 49% if they ate their food with the seasoning facing downward, toward their tongue.  Of course they replied “no”, that’s why they’re the 49%!  They suggested that I do an informal poll among my audience.  So this is it.  We would appreciate it if you responded.  If you don’t now do this, try it on any food that is seasoned on one side, say hot buttered toast or a steak.  You’ll notice an immediate burst of flavor.  Another benefit is especially for meats, you’ll use less salt.

I don’t think that the slideshow will be as good as the last one as we will not have JJ’s telephoto shots to complement my wide angle ones.  Plus, we’ve just been to much of the area only two months ago.

Until our next trip, keep in touch.  Don’t forget to let me know how you eat your one side seasoned food.  BTW, if you decide to try this, it is important, when using a fork or hashi, to place the utensil at the end closest to your hand, so you can gracefully “flip” the food upside-down into your mouth.  If you vote, please vote as follows:

·        I thought everyone ate this way.

·        I don’t do it but sounds like a great idea.

·        I don’t do it and this sounds like another one of your idea of a joke.

Speaking of jokes, I thought of a great prank to pull of in Japan.

Dressed in a yakata, look for foreign visitors, especially a couple who appear on their honeymoon, holding hands.

Walk up to them and pretend to be a local.  “X” your arms and say, “No, no, no.  In Japan, we walk this way”  Proceed to place husband in front wife, then tell them ok. 

Watch them.  Repeat a couple of times as necessary, then “bust out laughing and run like the wind”.  HMM, sounds like I have too much idle time on my hands.

For those of you who took the time to email, thank you.  We enjoy getting and reading email whether at home or traveling.

Have a great day!