Japan April
2014
Tuesday, April 8:
The flight is a bit long, a little
under 10 hours. There is a 160 mph
headwind now. I got to watch the “47 Ronin” which followed
the new book pretty closely.
We got several surprises from the
Hawn Air employees. When we checked in,
the agent remembered our name and better yet, asked before giving us a
complementary upgrade to interisland first class. Because it was row one which has no overhead storage, we declined because
of our carry on luggage. We almost
missed our flight due to talking story with one of our old friends who works at
the Ag inspection station. Good thing JJ
heard the last call.
After boarding our plane to Japan, one of
the stewards came to us and thanked us for being platinum members and flying on
Hawaiian. Before disembarking, he came
back again to thank us. Wow. And even our baggage came out early. Hope we can save some of this good Karma for
Vegas next month!
The lunch of Mushroom Chicken was
pretty tasty. However, the snack was ordinary
as it was just a ham/cheese and egg sandwich combo (½ ea). Overall, the meals were probably the best
that we have ever eaten on Hawaiian but it is nowhere close to JAL. Of course, the JAL fares were much higher,
although I haven’t checked recently.
I just checked on airfares from ITO
to KIX for a 9-11 day trip in November.
HAL is $882.00 and JAL is $1385.00.
I can handle a simpler meal for that difference!!
It took us about 2 ½ hours from the time we landed to checking in
at the Hokke Club Hotel in Kyoto. We ate dinner at the Izakaya downstairs but
we were too tired to really enjoy it. However,
the Cherry Tomatoes that were included in my steak dish were really sweet and
tasty (not overly sweet like mangos or corn) and the nori for the Tekamaki
really made a difference in the flavor of the Teka.
We both just hit a wall and were
thoroughly exhausted by the time we were finished, about 10:00 here (I think it
would be 3:30 a.m. in Hawaii).
I got up at about 3:30 this morning
after a great nights sleep. Just checked
the Yen on the CNN website and it’s down to about 101.8. it will be interesting to see what we get at
the bank.
Before leaving Hawaii, we got the T Mobile 30 day data pass
for JJ’s ipad mini so we would have on line connectivity while on the
road. Turns out that we needed to
completely change plans for that.
Fortunately, they said that they would credit us the $30.00. It’s really true that there is no free
lunch.
The sandwich from HA is proving to be quite enjoyable as I work on
this while jj is sleeping.
Well, time to get ready for the
first day of our adventure.
Wednesday, April 9:
After breakfast, we got our rail
passes, some snacks and changed our travelers checks for Yen.
I always read advice from other
photographers to carry spare memory cards.
Except for once before, I never ever needed to buy a card while
traveling (I bet you can see where this is going).
Early this morning, I removed the
card from camera so I could email one photo for each day of my journal. Anyway, for the second time, I put my camera
base down with the door for the card open.
And for the second time, the cover slipped out of the hinge due to the
pressure on it. Only this morning, I put
it on in the dark so I didn’t see that it was not properly installed. To make a long story short, I lost the card
somewhere in the train station. The
camera store did not open until 10:00 so our day got pushed back a bit.
So we changed our plans and decided
to go out to the furthest town and work our way back. So JJ and I researched the revised train
schedule then started the day.
We first went to Omninagaoka to see
where the fireflies will be this summer when we go in June. Of course we didn’t bring even a schematic
type map as we expected a visitor center.
The town was so small that we had to use the intercom to get the agent
so we could pay for our train fare. We
didn’t ask him for info as we had a hard time explaining that we wanted to pay
for our fare adjustment. JJ saw a
teenager but he was of not much help. He
couldn’t even tell us where the river was!
I remembered that the fire fly area was southwest of the train station
so we started out by heading toward the river on the map that JJ found (written
all in Japanese) then going in the sw direction. Being a photographer, I noticed paintings on
the concrete wall along the river that appeared to be painted by kids. I even took a picture of them. Being a senior
citizen, I didn’t realize that the drawings depicted fire flies (I thought they
were cartoons of aliens!!!).
We probably walked about a mile and
came to a bridge. There were two signs
with fire flies on them. So we now know
the area well enough to guide our son and his fiancé this June.
While walking back to the train
station, I then notice the resemblance of the paintings on the wall to the
signs by the bridge. Growing old is
scary. How you figguh?
So we get on the train to Hikone,
where we plan to see the Sakura at Hikone
Castle and eat lunch in
town. The train reaches Maibara and
everyone gets off. We’re happy because
we now have seats. Then the conductor
comes along and asks us where we are going.
We tell him Hikone. He tells us
to go on the train on the other side of the platform. We both forgot about the need to
transfer. Growing old is tough! Did I tell you that before?
Upon reaching Hikone, we decide to
find a place to eat lunch as it’s about 2:00.
We can’t find a place so we decide to go back to the same place as our
last trip. Instead of ordering the steak
like the last time, I opt to be brave and try their pasta with uncured ham and
JJ a Salmon dish. JJ loves hers as the
main dish and the sides are super flavorful.
I enjoyed the first few bites of mine but then my taste buds went on
“super mode” and the richness of the cream sauce and the bold flavor of the
uncured ham just got to me. Even the
second Kirin did not “reset” my taste buds.
Three things really standout at
this restaurant. They have an outside
dining area and it’s really nice eating out there and looking at the flowers
and castle. Second, they have the most
interesting sink in the bathroom and lastly, we could see dishes piled on the
floor of the “kitchen”. Turned out that
they cook downstairs and use the upstairs “kitchen” to hold used dishes and
serve water. Besides those three, the
food is mostly good and the waitresses pretty, if that type of stuff is
important to you.
After lunch, we went to see the
Sakura blooms at the castle. While the
blooms were probably at their peak as there were no flowers dropping, somehow
they look better and more iridescent on an overcast day. The weather today,
warm temps and a pale blue sky, just made the flowers look less vibrant. What was really interesting is that the same
gardens that had brilliant fall colors in November were now in full bloom with
Sakura.
Both of us had aches and pains from
walking so much, mostly our feet. We are
probably both carrying too much weight, in both body and gear. Good thing tomorrow is a travel day by train.
After we got back to Kyoto, we relaxed a bit
before going downstairs to the Izakaya for dinner. They said that they did not have empty seats
so we decided to go to another place that we found in one of our earlier
trips. We couldn’t find it. But, we did see a tourist couple yelling at
each other on the street, with their embarrassed daughter close by. The woman even slaps the guy before walking
away and stubbornly sitting on a planter.
The guy and the daughter are waiting for the light to change to “walk”
but he then stupidly goes to the woman and coaxes her. STUPID!
Guys like him with no back bone makes women act like that. All he has to do is show her once that he
will not take that type of abuse and her attitude will change for the better the
rest of their marriage. STUPID!
We see an Izakaya sign pointing in
one of the alleyways. We look for it and
cannot find another sign. We finally
decide that perhaps it was one of the places that we passed. As we enter, we ask if they have an English
menu and the host sez that they do. The
place is jumping, full of customers and happy drunken people. The place specializes in a special breed of
chicken. And they serve it in many
creative ways. They had sashimi chicken
meat, intestines and gizzards. For those
not quite adventurous, they had horsemeat, also available as sashimi and Whale. We look for three dishes to order so at least
we can sleep with some food in our stomachs.
We finally decide on deep fried chicken, a three cheese variety and grilled
musubi. We wait, and wait and wait. Then we see a whole bunch of haole tourists
come in. I tell JJ let’s leave as the
poor service can only get worse with the number of customers that they have. It is the first time in my life that I was
happy to receive poor service at a restaurant.
We try the place downstairs again
and they have space. Whew!!! Another great meal for only 2300 Yen. Speaking of Yen, the exchange rate we got at
the bank was the same as on CNN’s website, 101.8.
After dinner, we have to look at
the train schedule to Mishima as we may end up leaving later. Lo and behold, I see the memory card for my
camera in the card reader of “Junior”, my laptop. How you figguh? Is growing old tough or is it TOUGH? And we didn’t even have to say “choo choo
lei”. For you newbies, this is Laura’s
magic words whenever she loses something.
It the lost object doesn’t appear in three days, then it’s probably lost
forever.
Speaking of magic words, we know
some people who also believe and use them.
For instance, we know of people who say “we’re poor” or “we don’t have
money” and soon thereafter, miraculously, they have a new car, or a new
photovoltaic system or are taking another trip to far away places. Believe in magic, and your life will be enriched. Tru fac!!
Well, off to a new day.
Thursday, April10:
The internet and Google especially
are such great tools for us technically challenged people. My WIFI, using our own wireless router, was terribly
slow. I tried connecting via LAN cable
and the speed was about 80 MBS versus WIFI which was only about 2. Trying to read the Star Advertiser and the
Trib was frustrating. So I Googled it
and got instructions on removing and reinstalling the wireless adaptor. Voila!!
50 MBS! Ah, life in the fast
lane.
We walked over to the train station
to eat at Amichi, a restaurant that we enjoyed many a breakfast in prior
trips. The breakfast prices were still
cheap and a second cup of coffee only 100 Yen more. When we paid our bill, the owner seemed to
remember us after all those years and gave us a “hotokisama” type of bow.
We walked our large bags to the Kyoto
Dormey Inn and they agreed to hold them for us until we arrive next week. So, off to catch the Shinkansen to Mishima,
about a three hour train ride.
I told JJ with my infinite wisdom
that we should enter via the central gate as it is on the ground level. We enter but cannot find track 12. I ask an agent and he tells me to go
upstairs. We go up the escalator and
still cannot find track 12. We ask
another agent and he tells us to go downstairs to another part of the
station. This is the first time we
encountered poor signage in a train station.
We finally get to track 12 (so much for my “infinite wisdom”). JJ tells me that she is going to buy a snack
or bento downstairs. Against my better
judgment, I tell her ok. Catching a
train can be pretty stressful as although we know enough to get by most of
time, once in a while we get an unexpected surprise so I like everything pretty
much in place and taken care of early.
So she goes downstairs and I can see people starting to line up. She finally returns and tells me that she
found a place that sold what she wanted but she didn’t buy it as she wondered
if I wanted anything. At that point, I told
her no and that she should buy something on the train. Furthermore, I couldn’t logically understand
why she didn’t buy something for herself instead of coming back upstairs to ask
me if I wanted something. I keep telling
her, she has trouble taking care of herself and should quit worrying about
other people. I finally tell her go
ahead and go back for her bento but if I’m not here waiting, I’ll meet her in
Mishima.
I was telling JJ that as I am
getting older, my memory is fading (it was never good to begin with as I rarely
needed to remember stuff as I could easily relearn what I needed) but on the
positive (?) side, my sense of taste is getting better and my sense of logic is
becoming much better (well, to me, anyway).
However, both sometimes create problems for me. Brightly flavored foods soon overwhelm my
taste buds then I lose interest in eating.
I thought that today would be an
easy travel day. JJ fooled me. After reaching Mishima, we were too early to
check in. So we left our bags at Dormey
Inn and caught the train to Hakone. The
plan was to visit the tourist office and drop of some omiyage as they were
super helpful the last time, purchase some koko that is the specialty of the area
and to revisit the Izakaya that we enjoyed the last time.
The first two went perfectly. However, we couldn’t find the Izakaya as most
of the places were still closed and we couldn’t peek inside to take a look to
make sure it was the right place. So we
ended up at a place that seemed to have a more Chinese character. The only person who could speak a little
English was not very understandable (I think he thought the same of us).
We thought we ordered a braised
pork belly, fried chicken, stir fried vegetables and rice and tea for JJ. When the food started arriving, we both
thought, “this is a lot of food for two people”. Then the waitress brings a bowl of
Ramen. We tell her that we didn’t order
that and she tells us that it is included with the pork belly (which was only
1000 Yen). All this food and one draft
beer came out to only about 3500 Yen.
What a bargain!
After getting back to Mishima, both
of us were so tired and aching that we decided to catch a cab back to our
hotel. Our hotel was so near that the
meter did not even move from the original 670 Yen. I gave him a 1000 Yen and tried to explain
that he could keep the change as the ride was so short. He finally got the message and thanked us.
I told JJ that this pace is a bit
too fast for me as we visit Japan
so often that we should only have about a 4 or 5 hour window of
activities. “Take it easy, there is
always tomorrow”. Logical, huh?
JJ is enjoying the onsen as I write
this. I hope that I have enough energy
to stay up for the “singing noodles”.
Ps:
did anyone notice that I corrected the day and date?
Friday, April 11:
The size of the room of this hotel
is so small as compared to our room in Kyoto. Our two carry on luggage are sitting on the
floor, making it hard to walk around the room.
However, we discovered that we have a great view of Mt. Fuji. What a welcomed surprise. Hopefully, we’ll see the sun set behind it in
the evening.
We were first a bit disappointed
when we found out that we had to choose either American or Japanese breakfast
as we were hoping for a buffet. The
actual entrée was a bit sparse but they had a mini buffet on the side with miso
soup, my favorite tofu with ginger and coffee.
After breakfast, we caught the
train to Fujinomiya. It was pretty
straightforward with only one transfer.
Had a little stress as I forgot my rail pass in my jacket and we had to
go back to or hotel. Fortunately, we
still made the train on time.
Upon reaching Fujinomiya, JJ asked
the clerk at the bus station which bus to catch to Shiraito Falls. The lady said, “that one” and “hurry, it’s
leaving” in Japanese. We ran to the bus
and boarded. We looked for the ticket
dispenser and there is nothing in it.
The bus driver is softly yelling at us so I finally say “nihongo
wakarimasen”. We think he is saying just
sit down as no ticket is needed.
When we see a sign referring to the
falls, we start to get off and he tells us to wait for one more stop. Upon disembarking, he tells us that JJ can
pay for the two of us (I’m holding coins and JJ a 1000 Yen bill). He takes the bill from JJ and carefully picks
out the needed coins from my hand. He
was so unexpectedly patient with us and both of us were happily surprised.
There are two falls at the
site. The first one is Otodome Falls. It looked like a giant Rainbow Falls. We could clearly see two huge rainbows and
one smaller one.
The second, Shiraito Falls
was simply amazing. There was a main
fall and many “thread falls” to it’s right.
They did a really good job with the pathways, viewing areas and bridge.
We ate lunch at a restaurant in the
“park”. They specialized in Yaki
Soba. We split a dish of it and JJ also
ordered a Zenzai for dessert. I thought the
flavor if the Yaki Soba to be a little bright so sharing it was a good
thing. JJ thought it was a bit bland. How you figguh?
The bus driver that took us back to
the train station was also super nice and patient. JJ had to change a 1000 Yen bill to get the
right change for the fare. After
changing it, she grabbed the money and started to leave. The driver laughingly told her that she still
needs to pay for the ride. I guess this
town is the “Hilo” of Japan.
Both of us would highly recommend a
visit to Fujinomiya, especially if you enjoy taking pictures. It would be interesting to see the area in
the fall. Mount
Fuji is so majestic and beautiful.
What was interesting that on the train, you could spot the locals as
they never even gave Fujisan a glance. The tourists however, kept on looking at it
and tried to take as many pics as they could.
JJ might publish her own book, “the 7336 Views of Mount Fuji”
We (JJ) decided to eat dinner at
the train station as our hotel does not have a dinner restaurant. JJ completely enjoyed her Hamburger with
brown gravy/Shrimp combo and I enjoyed my pizza and beer combo. The crust was perfectly thin and crispy and
the flavor balanced. When I first saw
it, I thought that it would have been enough for me and JJ but I ate the whole
thing by myself. The restaurant seemed
to be family run and it turned out to be a good find.
Today exemplifies what a trip to Japan is all
about. Friendly people, good food and
fantastic scenery, all under the umbrella of Fujisan’s
magnificence. BTW, the sun did not set
behind Fujisan in the evening……sigh.
Saturday, April 11:
Stuff I remembered about Fujinomori:
·
We saw a vendor selling roasted chestnuts and
decided to buy a bag as JJ said that either someone told her or she ate some and
realized that the small ones are better tasting. As we are buying it, the man insists that we
try one. It was tasty and the shell was so soft that I could just eat it. When the man said he’ll sell us a second bag
50% off, we took the deal. Later, when
I’m telling JJ that I was so amazed that we could eat it unshelled, she laughs
and calls me “babe in the woods” as sample chestnuts are usually unshelled. It’s probably the first time in a while that
someone said I was naïve.
·
Someone asked about that rare pic of me and JJ
together. Here’s the story exactly as I
emailed it:
yes, that man was
amazing. jj and i had separated so i could take her pic from afar while
she was on the bridge. after i took her pic, this couple came to the area
and he was going to take a pic of his wife so i went back and asked if he
wanted me to take the pic of the two of them, which i did. much later, he sees me alone, taking another
pic and asks me if i wanted a pic taken of me, so i say ok.
as we were leaving much later, he sees me and jj together so he asks if we want
a pic together. the couple is from yokohama, their daughter got married in hawaii
and she lives in tokyo
with her husband. we gave them a couple of choc-macnut candy and they
were really happy.
·
While walking past some vendors, one of them was
telling us to take a look at her wares.
I replied with my normal “nihongo wakarimasen”. JJ said that the lady seemed to be taken
aback and seemed to be telling her neighbor “what did he say?” and that she may
have thought that I was swearing at her.
JJ said that maybe I should say “gomenasai, nihongo wakarimasen” I don’t know if I could be that polite. One of my quirks is to use as few words as
possible when answering.
Staying at Dormy Inn is ruining my normal sleep pattern as I
am staying up late every night to enjoy the “singing noodles”. I’m pretty sure that last nights chef was
also working the front desk earlier. He
might even be the manager.
Today’s plan is to stay in Mishima and explore the town. They are supposed to be known for their
Unagi.
We first walked to Rakujuen
Park which is a very
large park. We saw only a portion of it
as the path we took quickly took us out of the park. It was disappointing as there were zero
Sakura and the lakes and ponds were almost completely dried up.
Upon leaving the park, we walked along the Genbe-Gawa River. It was quite picturesque and very tranquil. It was completely restored and stocked with
fire flies and it’s too bad we are a month early to see them.
We then tried to find the statue of the puppy who symbolizes
filial piety as the pup and siblings cared for their sick mother until she
died. Although the site was shown on the
“tourist map”, we had a hard time finding it and only accidentally stumbled
across it when I saw a vivid pink Sakura tree that I wanted to take a picture
of.
We then walked to see the Mishima Cherry Tree at a
temple. The most interesting thing I saw
was an old Austin
that was waiting for a wedded couple.
The Sakura, ponds and bridges also made for good photo ops.
Lunch was at an Unagi Restaurant across the street. Of course, JJ ordered her Unagi and I a
tempura dish. Both of us enjoyed the
lunch and what really made it special was that the cook was smiling and really
looked like he was enjoying himself.
We spent the rest of the afternoon looking for two more
recommended sites. The first was a
stream where the water is so pure, it is one of the only places where the
Baikamo plant can grow. It was so small
that we didn’t realize we were there until JJ asked a Japanese tourist. The watering system made for great photos. And no, I don’t know what makes the Baikamo
plant so special other than it can grow in only the purest of waters. Japanese equivalent to the “miner’s canary”?
The last stop was Rysen-En
Garden. We had the hardest time finding it and when
we did, it was disappointing. There were
zero flower blooms although the Koi were magnificent and watching some workmen
trim and wrap trees was interesting.
Upon leaving, I told JJ that it was a good thing that it was free.
Overall, I would not recommend this town for visitors during
the spring. It would be interesting to
see it again in the fall or in May when the fire flies are supposed to be
abundant. Mishima, as in all other towns
who try and cater to tourists, also lacks a good system of “cookie crumbs” and
signage to help tourists get around, especially while walking. While the recommended walking path was
clearly marked on the tourist map, there was a complete lack of references on
the ground. It would have been nice to
see a Sakura petal painted on the ground every 50 feet or so.
BTW, even in Japan,
they don’t always get things perfect.
The faucet in our room is so far away from the sink that whenever we
wash our hands, we have to be extra careful as the water ends up all over the
sink. Or perhaps, they used non-Japanese
workers.
Tomorrow is another travel day and we head out to
Kawaguchiko.
Sunday, April 13:
Wow, what a travel day!
We had four trains to catch to finally reach Kawaguchiko. Some portions were stressful due to very
short times between transfers but we finally got here ok.
The last leg was on a private railway that was not covered by
our rail pass. If this were not Japan, I would
have thought that they were cheating us as the first agent asked JJ which
tickets she wanted to purchase, the 600 Yen or 1200 Yen. We opted to the more expensive one to catch
the next train out. However, as we were
going to the train, another agent told us we had to pay 300 Yen more for each
of us, if we wanted to get on the next train.
I don’t know if we’ll ever figure that one out.
We got to our hotel about an hour early and they wouldn’t let
us check in. My first impression was
“are they really open”? The place was
dark and even the souvenir store in the lobby was closed. We left our bags and looked for a place to
eat lunch. The first restaurant we came
to only served Tempura or Soba. We both
chose the Cold Soba and found out that it came with two Shrimp Tempura and
Tempura veggies. The Soba sauce was a
tad too sweet for me but I still managed to eat everything, plus a huge bottle
of Yibesu beer.
After lunch, we walked along the shores of Lake Kawaguchiko. The Zen like quiet was suddenly broken by a
bunch of “Village Idiots” on their bikes.
They were truly Harley wannabes, except instead of a nice low rumble,
they sounded like a bunch of angry bees……hey, wannabes sounded like angry
bees. I asked JJ to shoot a video of
them, which we will include in our slideshow.
There must have been about 4 to 6 separate gangs.
As we were walking and looking for a place to eat dinner, I
started thinking that eating might be a problem as there was only the Somen
place and a couple of Ice Cream places.
As we got away from the lake and toward town, things looked a
bit more promising. The first restaurant
we came to, I only saw “Endo”. Turns out
to be “Alladin’s Indo” which featured Indian food. We kept on walking.
We finally found three places. The first was like a Zippys, the second a
Ramen shop and the third a Chinese restaurant.
All three had good menus at super reasonable prices and are all about a
10 minute walk from our hotel.
When we got back to our hotel, there were three guys in
uniform in front. As we approached, one
of them asked if we were checking in.
After we confirmed this, he looked up our name and walked us
inside. Upon reaching the front desk, we
were told that our bags were already in our room. We paid only about $125.00/night for this
fabulous hotel. We inquired about breakfast
and it was about 2100 Yen/person. We
decided to try it tomorrow.
After checking in, the clerk explained everything to us
including nearby restaurants. Then he
had someone escort us to our room and he in turn explained to us everything we
needed to know about the room, Yukata, etc.
Talk about the royal treatment.
The room is smaller than our room at the Hokke Club in Kyoto but larger than the
Dormy Inn in Mishima. It also does not
have a Toto type toilet. Arggghh. Cold seat!
JJ is in the Onsen now enjoying the view of Fujisan
and I’m in the room, working on my journal and enjoying my view of “Asahi-san”.
We walked to town and ate at the Zippy’s like
restaurant. The food was so cheap and
the menu varied. JJ ordered a spaghetti
with meat sauce and eggplant, an apple pie with vanilla ice cream and I ordered
a Canadian Beef Patty with a beer. We
both enjoyed our meal and I thought that the hash brown that came with my
dinner to be outstanding. The must have
fried it in beef fat as the flavor was really special and the texture was also
just perfectly crisp on the outside. All
that came up to only 2317Yen.
Well, time for a bath, another Asahi and hit the sack. It’s been a long day.
Monday:
This place, although boasts great views of Fujisan,
is a bit frustrating. We see a lot of
foreign tourists but things are very confusing, especially the busses. Besides the retro tourist bus, there are at
least two other that ply the same route.
The fares all seem about the same although the tourist one seems to
accept a two day pass that is offered.
At least in Kyoto,
they pass out a comprehensive route map that details what the day pass is good
for as well as using the bus system without a pass.
I got up early and got some really awesome pics of the lake
and Fujisan.
The water was glasslike and really pretty. Only a few people were out at that hour.
After the buffet breakfast at the hotel, which was not worth
the 2000+ Yen each, we caught the bus to the ropeway. When we reached the top, clouds covered the peak of Fujisan.
We waited, and waited and waited but the clouds never broke.
We finally left and caught the bus to the opposite
shore. The view was the same, yet
different. We shopped at the Oishi Traditional
Craft Center
and purchased a few items. They even had
umbrellas that sold for 15000 to 20000 Yen each. Beautiful yet………..
Took another long walk where no one else ventured and again
got some great pics. On the way back, we
saw a bistro and went in. We were the
only customers there. I ordered a curry
beef with rice and beer and JJ ordered a hamburger and blueberry pie and apple
juice. We were so hungry that we
remembered to take pictures after much of the food was eaten. We both enjoyed every bit of the lunch. JJ tried to explain to the owner that they
should consider moving their sign as we had walked past it earlier and never
even noticed the restaurant’s sign.
Don’t know if she understood, though.
We notice that there are a lot of Chinese tourist here. They even have a Chinese announcement on the
train.
Finally made it back to our hotel. We practiced our usual afternoon ritual of
onsen and Asahi-san and then went out for dinner. Tonight, we went to a ramen shop. Although the noodles were cooked perfectly
and the dashi delicious, it was too much for the both of us.
Before dinner, we saw the sun setting and thought that we’d
get some great sunset pics of Fujisan. It turned out like the time we watched the
sun set behind Maunakea. A little
pinkish tinge then pau. Nothing like the
beautiful red-oranges of Kona or the SW United States.
Just Remembered:
·
JJ got a good video of a “dust devil”. She noticed some rubbish swirling and it
moved on to the lake, where she recorded it.
Tuesday, April 15:
We ate breakfast at a local Franchise called “Gusto”. Breakfast, with fresh ground coffee, was
under 1000 Yen. The cheap breakfast at
Amici in Kyoto
is expensive compare to this!
We caught the bus to Saiko Lake. The bus had only a few passengers. BTW, it was a regular city bus and our retro bus
pass was acceptable. The air was visibly
more clear as we got close to Lake
Saiko. There were many patches of snow on the ground
so we expected the temps to be low.
Once we arrived, we were surprised at how warm it was. Jackets were not needed. The “old village” (Saiko Iyashi no Sato
Nemba) was a real nice experience. There
were many craft shops and the view of Fujisan
was breathtaking. The view a hundred
years ago, before we started polluting our nest, must have been really
fantastic. Fujisan
is interesting, it always looks the same, yet each time it looks
different. It’s symmetry is amazing.
While walking through one of the craft shops, I told JJ that
it’s interesting that when we were younger, we couldn’t afford many of the nick
knacks we see in the craft shops. And
now that we can afford these things, we are trying to downsize and get rid of
the nick knacks that we collected over the years. How you figgah?
We ate lunch at one of the restaurants in the village. I enjoyed a Curry Udon with beef and JJ a
Miso Soup Udon. She capped her lunch
with a fruit cup/mochi/kinako/gelatin dessert.
I almost forgot, she had a pre-lunch dessert of blueberry ice cream.
We were shocked when we alighted the bus to return to
Kawaguchiko as it was packed. We had to
stand all the way back, holding on to our cameras, handbags and shopping
bags. And because we were standing and unable
to look out of the windows, it was almost a miracle that JJ noticed when our
stop arrived.
We dropped off our shopping bags at our hotel, and went back
out to “Music Box Forest” (still don’t know why they named it that). While in our room, we were debating whether
to take all our cold weather gear or not.
We both decided to go with a moderate amount of cold weather gear and
it’s a good thing that we did. It was
WINDY. Even the lake had whitecaps. The winds must have been blowing at least 30
mph. I even had to wear my thermo
mittens.
We got some really good pics, including one of a boat that
had large lettering on it, “Boat House Hawaii”.
On the way to the bus stop, we visited a craft fair and saw a craftsman
with remarkable woodworking skills. He
had full scale replicas of a motorcycle, bicycles and other things. He was truly an artist using wood as his
medium.
We found out today that the bus pass is good for the three
bus lines that we saw, making it a very good value. I guess that when we ever return in the fall,
we will be much wiser.
It’s interesting. Both
JJ and I don’t think or feel that we’re old.
But young people keep offering us their seats so we must look older than
we feel. And it’s good to know that many
of the younger generation, still revere the elderly.
Tomorrow, it’s back to Kyoto.
Wednesday, April 15:
I think we may have had several
“dust devils” last night. A rumbling
like a freight train awoke me at about midnight. Brief silence then I could hear the wind
really blowing and howling through the slivers of space between the
windows. This happened several times
throughout the early morning. I got up
once and looked out the window but could not see anything unusual. Of course, there are all buildings around us
and it would be impossible to see wind patterns.
We again ate breakfast at
Gusto’s and we can’t see how they can stay in business. The food is really cheap, the portions
generous and the service always great.
Even if they charged 300 Yen per cup of coffee, it would still be a
bargain as the quality of the fresh ground coffee is so good.
After we checked out and were
waiting for the hotel shuttle to take us to the train station, we saw a tour
group from Singapore. At first, I thought that they were a Hawaii tour as many of them looked like local, Hawaii, Japanese.
We are on the Shinkansen ,
headed for Kyoto. We are so familiar with Kyoto that it is almost like going home. I’m getting a bit tired of the food here in Japan. I guess that Izakaya foods are always
basically the same. We will have to
expand our dining horizons soon.
Finally got to Kyoto at about 3:00. Traveling days are restful physically, but
having to think about all those transfers is mentally exhausting. The sky on the way in was a dismal gray and
is a bit depressing after enjoying all the days of beautiful blue.
We purchased a bento on the
train and it was so sweet, too sweet for me.
But it was great to get some food into our tummies.
We are both enjoying our
afternoon break with JJ at the onsen and me with Asahi-san.
I think a re-visit to
Kawaguchiko in the fall would be a really nice trip because I enjoy the vivid
reds, oranges and yellows of fall over the Sakura bloom. I would definitely skip Mishima and use the
time to explore the Kawaguchiko area more fully. JJ is thinking of moving our next spring trip
back a few weeks so we have a better chance of seeing the Sakura in the
mountainous areas as well as the Lavender blooms. Did I ever tell you that
purple is my favorite color?
The one regret I have this trip
is not dressing up like a fierce samurai warrior in the “old village”. I later realized that it would have been a
great pic for my “okinawan ninja”.
At the Kawaguchiko station, I
saw this haole guy try to get past the agent before our boarding time to take a
picture of an incoming train. I guess
this being a small station, they don’t want people wandering around the
tracks. So he comes back and tells his
guide that the agent is like a “zombie”, just following rules. I was so tempted to tell him that if he
doesn’t like the culture and it’s rules, he should just stay home. Btw, he wasn’t American as he had a British
accent.
The Dormy Inn is so
impressive. Our stored bags were already
in our room when we checked in. The DI
Kyoto remains our absolute favorite hotel, anywhere.
The manager of the izakaya told
us that they were temporarily shutting down for about a month (I guess he
recognized us as regulars). They will
reopen in July, after our trip in June. After
dinner, (yes, I know what I said earlier but we didn’t want to walk too far) we
decided to look around in the area. Keep
in mind that we’ve being staying in the area for years but never ventured from
the main street.
We came across a giant store
called “Yodobashi”. It’s an amazing
complex. They have cameras (all famous
name brands) and accessories, camera bags, binoculars, telescopes, microscopes,
luggage, name brand watches, tv’s, clothing, supermarket, restaurants, you name
it, they got it.
I’m looking for a new camera
bag and they had hundreds. I need to go
back.
We saw a 3D TV demo and it was
amazing. Even the regular TVs were so
clear and sharp as compared to the U.S. televisions.
Thursday, April 17:
The breakfast at our hotel was
good but not a great as the other times that we’ve stayed here. It could be because the atmosphere feels
different as clientele has changed from Japanese businessman to more foreigners
(Europeans and Chinese). Darn all my
good reviews on Trip Advisor! Sometimes,
these haole people just talk a little too loud and the Chinese always speak
loudly with a lot of exuberance.
Today is supposed to be a
Sakura viewing, then a shopping day at Nishiki Market. We purchased a one day bus pass. On the way to the garden, a lady much older
than us got on board. I offered her my
seat and she was very grateful.
Immediately, this haole guy in front of us offers me his seat and
explains that he was not familiar with local customs and did not want to insult
anyone. After I sat down and thanked
him, we started talking. He is from Italy on a two
month vacation before he starts looking for a job as he just graduated. He went on to tell us that he lost his JR
Rail Pass in Tokyo so he had to catch an
overnight bus from Tokyo to Kyoto.
He was quite an interesting fellow.
Later, I felt a little guilty in not offering him a “loan” if he needed
help. A couple of hundred dollars would
not make much of a dent in our lives (if he never returned it) but it sure
would have helped his moral, even if he turned down the offer. That’s the trouble with being old, you just
don’t think fast enough (good intentions but slow minds).
The garden we visited is way,
way out of town, although just barely within the bus “one day pass”
limits. Looking at the bus route map, it
looked as though if we caught the regular city bus to its terminus, then we
could walk the rest of the way.
Fortunately, when we reached the end, JJ asked about bus M-1 which we
couldn’t find on the bus route map. The
driver told her to go across the street and lo and behold, there was a bus
route and time for M-1. After a short
wait, we got on the bus and rode, and rode, and rode. No way was it walking distance. It was then I realized that the bus route map
may not be necessarily to scale. Did I
ever mention that it’s hard being a senior?
Talk about not hitting on all eight cylinders. Good thing my sense of logic is getting
better (or so I think but then again, I am a senior).
The garden was beautiful. It is clearly the best Sakura bloom we saw
this whole trip. We often enjoyed just sitting,
watching the petals fall and just enjoying the ambience. I was telling JJ that the people here are
lucky as even though they may live in a bustling city like Kyoto, they can escape the big city madness
in an area so close by. I could just
feel all the peaceful energy around us, with the low murmur of people
connecting with each other.
On the return trip by bus, we
planned to stop at Nishiki Market, shop, then catch the subway back to our
hotel. Everything worked out well until
we got to Kyoto
as the bus was so crowded, we couldn’t make it to the front of the bus in time
to get off. But at least we got to
Nishiki. As usually, It was packed and
not that much fun. It’s almost like we
are locals now. Get there, shop, then
get out. No gawking, taking pics, etc.
Finally got back to our
hotel. Usual afternoon stuff of onsen
and Asahi-san. Since the izakaya will be
closed when we are here in June, we plan to eat there again tonight.
The days have gone by so
fast. I don’t know whether it’s because
we had so much fun or because we are older, but it sure feels like a whiz, bang
trip. If it wasn’t for our “little
people”, I’d stay here at least two weeks per trip. Two of them, depend on me so much for company
and comfort that I feel a little guilty when we leave them home. But, I suppose that JJ enjoys and appreciates
my company more. How you figguh?
Friday, April 18:
We again enjoyed the buffet
breakfast this morning. Things today
will be a little more hectic than planned as last night, I convinced JJ to go
for a massage instead of packing. Thus,
we are a little behind schedule.
We decided to go back to
Nishiki for lunch at a fishmarket/restaurant that we went to before. We enjoyed a Tekamaki plate and an Unagi
sushi. JJ said she was still hungry but
my taste buds were fully happy and satisfied.
While
walking out, I spotted the very same handbag that JJ bought at the Oishi
Traditional Craftshop in Kawaguchiko, for 700 Yen less. HYF?
We also got to learn the subway
system a little better so we had much less walking.
Had a little curveball
yesterday as MK Shuttle wanted to pick us up at 2:15 instead of 4:30 for our
9:30 flight. I asked them to pick us up
later but they said that it was not possible.
We ended up canceling the reservation once we could confirm seats on the
regular airport shuttle.
So instead of a pickup at our
hotel, we will have to catch a cab to the bus depot first. I asked the desk clerk to write a note to the
cab driver that we are sorry for the short ride so to please keep the change
from the 1000 Yen (last time we did this, several years ago, the cab driver was
not to happy when he learned how short the ride was and was a bit happier when
I told him to keep the change).
After the front desk called for
a cab, they took a while to arrive. The
driver didn’t show us any attitude when he found out how short the ride was and
he was very happy with the “tip” and a bar of
chocolate/Macnut candy.
Last unpleasant surprise was
that Hawaiian Platinum customers can no longer use the ANA lounge. Hawaiian is the only airline that takes away
perks from their best customers. I guess
they save the best for their “super elite” customers.
We ended up staying outside and
going to a restaurant downstairs. We
looked around for a place that both of us would enjoy. We finally found a place that had unagi and
crab Chirashi. This is the first time
that I ate crab that was unpalatable.
Someone decided to exercise too much poetic license in the seasoning of
it and made it sweet. I just could not
eat it. However, it did not bother JJ at
all. I tried to make chazuke with the
rice and even it had a slight, sweet flavor.
After the disappointing dinner,
I really appreciated our in flight meal of Loco Moco. It’s been a great trip. Until our next one, Sayonara!
Checkout my slideshow at:
http://www.photodex.com/share/ljakahi
