Kyushu June-July 2012

Kyushu

June 2012

Thursday & Friday, June 28 & 29:

You’d think that after all of our traveling, everything would go so smoothly and we wouldn’t forget anything, especially when we each have an itemized travel list.  As soon as we got on the plane to Fukuoka, I realized that I forgot our air cushions.  Fortunately, the aircraft was a Boeing and not an Airbus.  The flight was over 9 hours long.  It went quite quickly as long as they had a movie on.  They featured two Japanese movies, with subtitles that were hard to read as the screens were small and not bright enough..

We quickly went through immigration and customs.  We then exchanged our travelers checks into Yen.  The rate is really bad, about 78 Y to a dollar.

The hotel is quite nice, very near to the train station.  The have a very sophisticated key system.  Apparently, the have a RFID embedded in the plastic card key.  You need to pass it over a reader to go up in the elevator and just touch the reader with the key to enter the room.  It sure beats swiping or inserting the card method used at other hotels.

We ate dinner at an old fashioned curry place.  It was a bit too sweet for my taste but was ok.  JJ had a Katsu Don bowl.  I think she enjoyed the free Rankyo more.   Watching the lady cook was very entertaining.

In addition to forgetting the air cushions, I found that I also forgot my film canisters to hold my coins.  I do this to separate the many different denominations of Yen coins to make paying for items easier.  Oh well, back to the right pocket –left pocket system.

Using our home wireless network at the hotel is working out quite well.  I did this as JJ’s Ipad does not have an Ethernet port.  Plus, the wifi is secured.

Saturday:

I got up at about 4:30 a.m. Japan time.  This is great as it is 9:30 a.m. in Hawaii.

We enjoyed a Japanese buffet breakfast at the hotel (Hotel Green Annex 2).  The hotel staff helped us to forward our suitcases to Kumamoto.  We then walked to Post Office to mail a box to our friends in Kii Katsuura (BTW, what would cost about $50.00+ dollars to ship from Hawaii cost only about 1100 Yen to ship from Japan) then walked to the Yanagibashi Rego Market.  I thought it would be a short walk but it took us about ½ hour.  Got some dried Ika and caught a cab back so we could check out on time. 

I’m surprised that people talk to me in Japanese.  I am obviously dressed like a tourist, wearing slacks, a pullover type Aloha shirt, and a golf type cap that looks as though it were made of straw.  How you figgah?

We then caught the Shinkansen to Kumamoto.  We ate lunch soon after arriving, then caught a bus to our hotel.  The bus system here is complex.  I thought that all busses that pass the Kumamoto Train station, which is more on the outskirts of the city, would go through the Bus Center, which is in downtown Kumumoto.  But when we asked which bus we had to catch to our hotel, the lady said to wait near her and she would tell us which bus to catch.

They wouldn’t let us check in early so we walked around, looking for omiyage.

After checking in, I told JJ that it feels that we were here a long time, instead of only one full day.  It just seems that we’ve done so much.  As I’m writing this, I can see Kumamoto Castle out the window.  It’s such a beautiful building.

JJ is up at the Onsen.  I’m on my third Asahi.  Great stuff……The Asahi.

We ate dinner at an Izakaya.  Thanks to miscommunication, it came out to only 1330 Yen.  Our waiter canceled one of our dishes when we added a third dish.  But, the portions were so large that only two dishes was enough.  I should have realized we had a communication problem as when we entered, I asked the waiter if they had an English menu and he replied, “just a little”.

I am really exhausted right now.  It’s 12:26 a.m. in Hawaii (7:26 p.m. in Japan).  Good night.

Sunday:

It looks like rain today.  We got caught in a short squall yesterday but it wasn’t too bad.  We ate breakfast at the Hotel.  It seemed a little pricey but turned out to be pretty good.  They had a wide variety of food and the only things that would make it perfect was if they had fresh brewed coffee by the cup and bacon.

After we got back to our room, JJ tells me that she wants to a festival in Ukiha but doesn’t know if there is local transportation to the falls.  She tells me that she will check with the front desk if they have any information.  I quickly look up the train schedule in Hyperdia and see that the ideal train leaves in 40 minutes.  So I tell her that if she wants to go, let’s just take a chance and go.  If worse comes to worse, we can just catch the train back as we have a rail pass.

To save time, we catch a taxi to the JR Station.  We catch the Shinkansen to Kurume (oh how I love the speed), then a local train to Ukiha.  We ask the station agent if there is a bus to the festival.  He tells us that he thinks that the festival is canceled and shows us the bus schedule.  The busses are few and far between.  He tells us that a taxi will cost about 2500 Yen, one way,  and doesn’t know if they will wait for us.  He tells us that there is a bus terminal close by.  We thank him and decide to just walk around town, then catch the train back.  I told JJ that this is one of the things I wanted to do in Kyoto.  Just catch a train to a small town and explore it.  And, I added that everything happens for a reason.

We start walking, looking for a place to eat.  There are no people walking around, few cars driving around, and no place open for lunch.  It’s almost like walking through old, Hawi, Kohala, on a Sunday.  We see the bus stop that the agent told us about and ask a driver about the schedule to the falls.  He verifies that the buses are few and far between.

So we again start walking, looking for a place to eat.  We come across a store that sells snacks and beer.  We buy a beer for me, juice for JJ and ask the clerk if I can drink the beer outside, on the bench fronting their shop.  He tells us that I can drink the beer just around the corner.  As his English is as good as our Japanese, one of his customers explains to us what he is trying to say.

So we go around the corner, and there is a bar with people in it.  So we’re a little confused as I did not buy the beer from them so it’s hard just to in and drink my beer.  Then the lady who was translating for us comes in through a door that joins the two places and explains to the lady behind the counter that we were told to drink my beer there.  So as we’re sitting, drinking our cold ones, two of the guys there tries to start up a conversation.  We try but are not too successful.  Then the same guy from next door comes in and explains that we are from Hawaii and his grandmother was born in Hawaii and moved to Japan.  So they all start talking about how we came to see the festival at the falls and that we couldn’t find transportation.  So they start talking about driving us up.  I’m a little leery as I thought one of the guys drinking was going to take us up.  Turns out that the guy who sold us our drinks owns the place and he is the one who will take us.  We try to say no as we know that it is really an inconvenience for him and he also has to watch his store.  But the lady tells us that he would feel really good if we let him take us.  How could we say “:no”?

We get into his car and he tells us that it’s about a 20 minute drive.  When we reach the falls, he asks some guys at the festival if anyone speaks English as we came from Hawaii.  One guy says that he speaks a little and will act as our guide.  He take us up to the falls, which is not very big but is really beautiful, and calming.  He then takes us to a place where they are serving local somen, as part of the festival.  We order for us and try and tell him that we would like to order for him as well as Mr. S-----, the man who graciously brought us there.  He tells us no, just order for ourselves.  So we place our order and go to the place where we are to eat it.  We are seated around a circular basin, with water flowing around.  He tells us that when we get the somen noodles, we are to put it in the swirling water, then pick it up.  When the noodles are delivered, the lady brings some condiments of green onions, wasabi and yuzu paste, that we are to put in the sauce.  Wow, it was delicious.  It was the kind of flavor I love.  Simple, clean, pure.  I was a little worried about Mr. S----- having to wait for us but did not want to leave any of the somen left over as I didn’t want them to look down on us……not to mention the fantastic flavors.  So I ate it all.

On the drive back to town, he took us through some groves with grapes and persimmons.  At his shop, he reluctantly gave us his address and said that we don’t have to write him.  We declined his offer to drive us back to the train station.  As we walked toward a tower that I thought was the station, we realized that we had overshot the little alley that led to it, as I forgot the first rule of walking in a strange place, take pictures of the intersections so we can find our way back.

We see a little shop that seems open and no one is there.  So I shout “hello”.  A grumpy lady yells what we want (I think) and I tell that we are looking for the JR station.  Well, at least she points us in the right direction.  We end up turning before we were supposed to and end up on the other side of the track and station.  So now we have to walk all around until we come to a roadway that gets us back to the station.

Now I don’t know what the lesson is (remember I said to JJ that everything happens for a reason), but I am truly awed with the fact that over the years, two different people in Japan went out of their way to be nice to us, strangers from another country.  How lucky can we be? 

Well, lucky in some ways.  The auto focus on my primary lens, the 16-85 zoom, quit working.  It may have something to do with the two times I dropped my camera with it on when our grandsons and cousin Jean were visiting us, a few months ago.  Oh well, I used to have to manual focus before.

We went to the same Izakaya for dinner.  This time we had fried chicken and fried Tako.  It came to only 1250 Yen, with a large beer!  While sitting, we can see a sliver of a view of the street.  It’s a really great place to girl people watch.  Many people dress really casually, compared to Osaka or Kyoto….or Kii Katsuura for that matter.  We see many in jeans or shorts.  Some of the girls are really tall.

On the way out, we see the cook grilling some chicken wings and a musubi.  Well, we know what’s for dinner tomorrow night.

The hotel offers a free “happy noodle” at night.  In the poster, it looks like Ramen but unfortunately, we are already sleeping when they start serving.  Ah, the beginning burdens of old age.

Monday:

I need to buy some snacks to eat while waiting for JJ to get up and to have with my Asahi when JJ is at the Onsen upstairs.  I’ve been up for several hours, doing my morning routine of reading the Honolulu Start Advertiser and the Hawaii Trib on-line and checking emails….and working on my journal.

The weather has been pretty good so far.  We were warned of the summer heat and humidity by I am not bothered by it as it seems to me a lot like Hilo.  JJ on the other hand is slightly bothered by the humidity.  I brought walking shorts but doubt that I’m going to wear them.

They must have heard about my comment regarding fresh brewed coffee by the cup and bacon.  Well, at least they had the bacon.  I think I can eat there one more time before my taste buds get bored.

We spent the day looking around some covered shopping arcades.  It was an adventure just looking for a place to eat lunch.  We ate Ramen at a shop that had only one kind, Koteri Ramen.  I thought that the noodles had a poor texture and was a bit salty.  The broth however, was good.

We ate dinner at the same Izakaya.  This time, we tried the chicken wings and grilled musubi as well as the grilled tako.  The wings sure looked better last night as we were leaving.  They were a delicious looking golden and crispy looking.  Ours tonight was just brownish/grayish.  The musubi was dipped in a strong shoyu based sauce and was too over seasoned for me.  I don’t know if I can handle another meal there.  The food for the most part is good, well seasoned but same ole, same ole.

Bought some Pistachio Nuts from 7-11.  They were quite good so I bought a bigger bag after dinner.  They rival the really fresh stuff we used to buy at the L.A. Farmers Market.

Tuesday:

The plan today is to get up early so we can catch the train to Mount Aso.  Even JJ got up at 6:00.  I first got up at 12:00, thinking is was 5:00 a.m. here.  After I accidentally woke JJ up with the noise I was making, she told me what time it was.  Oops!  Luckily, I could go back to sleep.

After breakfast, we caught the train to Mt. Aso.  On the way there, the train starts reversing after a stop at a station.  While we were a bit worried, we didn’t panic as the conductor had asked us where we were headed.  After a short while, the train then proceeds to go back in the same direction.  I t seems as though they had to change tracks.

From the Aso train station, we caught a bus to the top.  At first, there was light rain.  As we got about half way up, clouds severely limited visibility.  I expected to break out of the clouds and see bright sunshine at any moment.  I even got my camera in movie mode so I could capture the moment that we broke through.  I could tell we were getting closer as the fare display was getting closer to 540 Yen, which was the fare to the top.  Finally, we reached the summit and all we saw was fog!

So we did a little shopping, ate a snack, and caught the bus down.  We decided to salvage the day by stopping at Musashizuka train station and walk to the Musashizuka Park.  JJ got the directions from Trip Advisor and boy was the directions off.  Good thing we stopped and asked for directions as we weren’t too far off course yet.

The park was very tranquil, although I could feel the hair on my neck rise when we were on the outside, just before entering the park.  After walking around, we stopped by a little souvenir shop and restaurant.  They didn’t have an English menu and a Japanese couple was trying to interpret for us.  We ended up getting what they were eating, a “Musashi Udon”.  It was pretty good but JJ’s highlight was eating two blueberry yogurt cones.

JJ is at the Onsen as I write this.  I’m now on my third Asahi.  We ate a very late lunch so we may just skip dinner and eat some peaches that we bought yesterday.  And maybe an Asahi or two….or three.

We skipped dinner and instead ate the fresh peaches that JJ bought.  Even with Kosher salt on it, it was too sweet and juicy for me.  JJ Enjoyed it, though.  For some reason, I wasn’t sleepy.  As I’m getting ready for bed at about 9:15, JJ tells me that I might as well stay up and try the “Singing Noodles” that the offers hotel offers free to their guests from 9:30 to 11:00 pm.  It was the best Ramen that I’ve eaten in Japan.  The noodles were cooked perfectly and were tasty.  If I were a night owl, I’d go back just before they close.  I asked JJ to wake me up tomorrow night if I’m sleeping.

Wednesday:

I got up at my usual time of about 3:30 a.m.  Listened to my audio book for 3 ea., ½ hour increments.  Finally decided to just get up.

We plan to catch the train to Shimonoseki, which is in Honshu.  It was a little tricky planning it on Hyperdia but I’m pretty confident that I got it right, the reason being that our rail pass is only good for Kyushu.

There are thunderstorms today.  Hope the weather is better up north.

I thought I had the train system all figured out, using Hyperdia.  Unfortunately, I forgot to check out the red print on the rules governing the rail pass.  It expressly forbids the use of it for the Shinkansen between Hakata and Kokura.  So we ended up paying about 4000 Yen more for the two of us.

The real bummer was that the market that JJ wanted to go to was closed today.  They are normally open 7 days a week.  We ended up shopping at a market close by that also featured products by the area vendors.  Overall, we much prefer to shop at Nishiki Market in Kyoto. 

This is the first time that I’ve met an uncaring taxi driver in Japan.  When we got to the market, it obviously looked closed but he just wanted to get on his way.  At first, I thought that he had dropped us off at the wrong place.  We had to walk in the rain to the other market so it was a good thing that we had our rain gear (UH logo, of course). 

All the restaurants featured either Fugu or Shrimp.  I was a bit disappointed as I really wanted to eat crab.  We ended up skipping lunch.

JJ decided to make another round of shopping.  I guess after all of the hassles in getting there, she was determined to buy something.  I decided to sit, wait and listen to my book.  After more than an hour, I figured that something was wrong so I decided to go look for her.  I see her at the next “alley” down, looking around.  When I get there, she asked me where I was.  I told her, “waiting for you, where we agreed to meet”.  She was waiting at the wrong place!  Well, everything happens for a reason, but I wonder what the reason was?

After we got back, we went to the underground plaza that JJ heard about.  We were surprised at the quantity and quality and low prices of the food there, as well as the size of the complex, all under the Kotsu Bus Terminal.  We bought fresh fruits and a quick lunch.  The grapes are so huge.  They even seem to have a wine like flavor, including the alcohol.

Time is really flying.  Hard to believe that we’ll be leaving in 3 days.  So far, it’s been ok but not as good as our trips to Kii Katsuura, Kyoto and Osaka.  Given a choice, I’d rather pay more for airfare and fly to the Kansai area.  I really don’t care to return to either Kyushu or Hokaido.

I decided to take a nap at 6:30 p.m. while JJ is at the Onsen.  She woke me up at about 9:30 and we went downstairs to eat “Singing (I call it Happy) Noodles” again.  It is very aptly named as when you leave, there is a big smile on your face!

Thursday:

Amazingly, I managed to get back to sleep after eating the Singing Noodles.  Got up at my usual 5:30 a.m. 

A couple of nights ago, I dreamt of my father.  The interesting thing is that for that moment, I felt so young, not like the old man I’m now.  Aren’t dreams wonderful?

This is our last full day in Kumamoto.  The plan was to get an all day bus pass and go to Shimada Museum where they have Musashi artifacts.  When we got there, the museum was closed as they were changing the exhibit.  Very disappointing.  We wonder, if the backbone of the museum is Musashi, why would they close down the whole museum to change the exhibit.  I’m sure that the Musashi portion is always the same.

So we caught the bus back to Kumamoto Castle and went to a place that replicated the streets of the Edo period.  We found quite a few things to buy there. We caught the Kumamoto Castle Loop Bus to go to the Castle itself.  It turns out that the bus was on a return trip.  So we figure, oh well, it’ll just take us longer.  Ha!  When it reaches the Kumamoto Train Station, the driver tells us that it’s the end of the line and we have to get out.  Loop?  How you figgah?

My summary of this trip is that meeting Mr. S---- and going to the Matsuri at the falls was the highlight.  Everything else is pretty much a disappointment, primarily because this island is not tourist friendly.  Even having a bus route map in English would be a BIG, BIG improvement.  The food too, for the most part, has been disappointing.  I even bought some sashimi at a market today and it was so bad, I didn’t even finish it. 

It would take a miracle for me to come back here.

Tomorrow, we hope to redo Mt. Aso, weather permitting.

Friday:

After breakfast, I checked with the front desk on the weather at Mt. Aso.  I was told that its rainy.  At first I had my doubts as to the accuracy as there were spots of blue that I could see.  However, when I checked my compass so I could look in the general vicinity of Aso, it was indeed overcast.

So we decided to go to Kumamoto Castle.  As soon as we got there, it started raining so we had to wait it out.

The ambience of the Castle is much better than the last time we saw it.  They have Samurai and Ninja in costume.  Some of them are really animated and they are all very friendly.  One of them even had a grandmother who came from Hawaii.  This is the second person this trip who told us that.  How you figgah?

Oh, and all of the Samurai were “Endo Samurai”.  One time, Laura (Judy's mom) was bragging to me that the Endo’s (her family) were Samurai.  So I told her that I didn’t know that there was such a thing as “Midget Samurai” (as everyone in her family is small).  She didn’t think it was funny.  HYF?

We ate lunch at the train station and it was really good.  JJ said that it was the best meal of the trip because of the Shave Ice that she had for dessert.

After a fast trip on the Shinkansen, oh how I love that speed, we managed to check in early at our hotel.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the internet to work.  We ended up changing rooms but this room is substantially smaller that the first one.  And, the air conditioning is not as cold.  But, as far as I’m concerned, it’s worth it.  It’s a good thing we forwarded our big luggage directly to the airport.  We have only one small carry-on and we can’t find a place to keep it out of the way.

We ate an early dinner at the JR station.  The prices of the food was really reasonable.  But, like most Japanese Steaks, the meat is so rich due to the marbling and my taste buds get overwhelmed.  Another thing is that they give a dipping sauce but do not season the meat with salt, so the flavor is not as satisfying.

While logging in our expenses, I noticed a charge from the Dormy Inn.  I remember JJ paying for it when we checked in so we double checked it.  We were charged an extra 3980 Yen for something, we don’t know what.  Hopefully we can clear this up with Japanican,the website that JJ booked our room through.  Good lesson though, Check charges before you leave.

Speaking of which, we learned another thing too late.  In Kumamoto, we were catching a cab to the train station to save time.  Today, we found out that the bus to the train station was so close to us and the waits are pretty short.  We could have saved at least 3000 Yen  by catching the bus.  Between that and the unknown charge at the Dormy Inn, it’s almost $100.00 U.S.

I was telling JJ over dinner that this trip is not really satisfying for me because I don’t have a sense of accomplishment.  I am as ignorant about getting around in Kumamoto as the day we got there.  What’s interesting about this is that I HATE SCHOOL, which is where we are supposed to learn things.  How you figgah?  I guess I love to learn but not from others.  Must be the genes, huh? 

JJ figured out what the charge was for.  We got charged twice for forwarding our baggage as I paid cash for the service.  Good thing I got a receipt.

Interesting observations:

• There are a lot of BIG PEOPLE here in Kyushu.  More than any other place we’ve seen in Japan.  Must be because of the port that allowed foreigners from Europe, China, Korea, etc. 
• We were warned about the heat and humidity during the summer months in Japan.  But, I find both conditions tolerable.  Funny thing is, although neither the heat nor the humidity bothers me, I sweat like a pig…do pigs sweat?  Anyway, I do sweat a lot when we’re outside walking, especially climbing stairs, but I do not feel uncomfortable.  Maybe the bald head helps to dissipate the heat.
• Lack of English Maps, menus, etc.  You would think that sister city pacts would benefit each other by making it easier for each city’s members to visit each other.  And using each other’s resources to interpret maps, directions to key tourist areas and places, etc.  Too simple?  Why is it that no one has thought of this?  The reason is probably that when our elected officials visit their Sister City, they do not have to get around on their own.  They are ferried around as the VIP’s that they are.  They simply cannot relate to problems their constituents face when traveling.  HYF?

Saturday:

Today is our last day in Japan.  How quickly the time has gone by.  The plan is to go to the Asahi Beer Factory, then to Minishima Market Street (aka the kitchen of Fukuoka), then to Yanagibashi Market where we found dried Ika when we first got here.

When we got to the Asahi factory, we found out that we would have to wait about 3 hours for a tour.  We don’t really know whether it was that’s when an English tour would begin or because the earlier tours were fully booked.  As JJ said, three strikes and it’s really the last trip to Fukuoka.

We did a combination of taxi, bus and walking to finish up our errands.  Had a pretty decent lunch at the train station.  We got to the airport extra early as we had nothing else to do.  We will have about a 5 hour wait.  It’s not too bad as hopefully, the last 3 hours will be in the A.N.A. lounge.

My summary of this trip is it was not as good as our best guided tours, but better or equal to than any other guided tour that we’ve been on.  However, if I include a cost factor, it’s better than any guided tour that we have been on.

If this were the first trip to Japan on our own, we’d probably never do it again.  It’s fortunate that we know better.

The lounge here at Fukuoka Airport is almost as bad as the one in Hawaii.  At least they have beer.  But no food.  The food on the plane is going to taste very good.  Or we may end up eating some of the Omiyage that JJ bought.

Until our next trip.

Japan April 2012

Japan

April 2012

Judy unexpectedly found some really low airfares to Japan ($625.00/Person, One Way from Hilo) so we decided to go if Tours by Charlie could get us rooms.  After a couple of days, Kaweo phoned and said that he was able to get the rooms but the room in Osaka would not be as convenient as the last time as the hotel was not immediately adjacent to the subway.

Monday/Tuesday, April 9/10:

I spent the morning nervously and anxiously getting ready to fly out.  Same ole, same ole, it’s always this way.  Also, I really have a hard time leaving the “little people” alone for such a length of time.  Due to a communications error, we will be gone for 12 days rather than the 10 that I wanted.  I think JJ did it on purpose.

The flight on Hawaiian was only about ½ full.  They served a curry chicken for lunch and a sandwich for a snack and the food doesn’t even come close to what JAL serves.  The flight attendants are nice and try to be gracious but in Japan, striving to be one’s best is so ingrained in the culture that HAL really comes up short.  But, the fares from Hilo on Hawaiian are so low that it makes flying on Hawaiian worthwhile.  Plus, the bonus miles of Pualani Platinum actually pays for the grandkids trips to the big island.

On HAL’s Japan flights, all drinks and movies are free.  I spent most of my time reading a book on the slide show software that I use for my shows.  Hopefully my next show will be better than what I’ve done in the past.  I got to see Red Tails and it was disappointing.  Too many computer generated scenes and I really had a hard time telling the difference between the black actors.

Ah, finally my senior moment.  While setting up my laptop, I couldn’t find the adaptor (U.S grounded 3 prong to Japan 2 blade).  The hotel has a hard wired internet but no wireless.  We have the Ipad’s charger but no data plan as AT&T now requires us to have a domestic data plan before we can sign up for an international plan.  Fortunately, the hotel had an adaptor.  Whew.

Wednesday, April 11:

We had a buffet breakfast at the hotel.  It was quite a bargain for 950 Y each.  They had this neat coffee machine that makes great coffee.  It will instantly wake you up.  The food was quite good, having a nice variety of dishes.

The weather looked good so instead of looking around this area, JJ wanted to go to Osaka Castle to see the Cherry Blossoms.  When we got there, it started showering.  In spite of the dreary gray sky, the blossoms looked iridescent.  The showers and gray sky actually added to the serenity of the bloom.  The small crowds helped too.  Except for one Haole loudly talking on his cell phone.  Talk about the ugly American.

We ate lunch at one of the restaurants on the castle grounds.  I had shoyu ramen which was ok and JJ had a Soba dish that featured a Shiso broth.  Both could have used a bit more salt but have you ever noticed that Japanese restaurants rarely have salt at the table?

After catching the subway back to our hotel, JJ wanted to go to the visitor info center.  We finally gave up after getting lost in the underground shopping mall.  How ironic.  Plus, I was in major pain from a sore left foot.

Dinner was at an Izakaya near our hotel.  Our Japanese was just as good as our waitresses English.  We ended up with Maguro Sashimi which was exquisite, Karaage Tako which was a bit salty, chicken wings which was very salty and a Pizza which was a bit sweet (from tomatoes?”).  That, two teas and two beers came up to only 4000 Y.  I wonder if they have crab?

The hotel seems like a businessman’s hotel.  The neighborhood is slightly on the seedy side as we see “gentlemen’s clubs” in the area.  If this were in the U.S., we’d be apprehensive, but in Japan, never. 

It’s only 6:30 and I am TIRED.  It’s 11:30 back home so no wonder.  Well, it is now 7:09 so good night.

Thursday, April 12:

I’ve been up since 3:00 a.m.  Catching up with my audiobook, 11-23-63.  I think it’s one of Stephen King’s better works although my favorite is the Shawshank Redemption.  Earlier, sirens in the distance (sounded like it came from the train station) awoke me.  They kept on going and I was wondering what I should do.  Meanwhile, I kept on listening to see if the number or volume increases…..then I fell asleep.

The morning is bright and sunny and I assume that the sirens that I heard last night was just a minor, local problem.

After breakfast, we left early to go on a guided tour of Osaka.  Because we were to meet in front of the visitor info center at the Osaka JR station, the same info center that we got lost in trying to find it yesterday, we left an hour early.  Well, this time, we found it easily and were way too early. 

Our guide, Minako, spoke English very well and could be easily understood.  The tour had only 4 people.  We first toured the train station where we saw 5 of the 8 plazas.  Each one has a clock that symbolizes that particular plaza.  I was impressed the most with the water clock.  While at the station, I saw a young girl on the stairs adjacent to our escalator cleaning the hand rail.  I couldn’t help but think that if that were is the U.S., the girl would be riding on the escalator, sticking her arm out to clean the rail.

Minako said that the Umeda station is one of the most complicated stations in Osaka and we were told that even local people get confused.  She also said that one of the sections is called “alibi lane” as they have regional gifts from all over so husbands can tell their wives that they were on a business trip when they get together with their girlfiends.

We then went to Tennoji where we toured and had a light lunch.  After that we went to Namba where we saw more local sights and where the tour ended.  It was a total of 3 hours and was quite a bargain, considering that it included a light lunch and subway fares.

At this point, both JJ and I are aching.  JJ with her sore knees and me with a sprained ankle.  I don’t even remember spraining my ankle, which prob happened at Osaka Castle, yesterday.  Feeling our age.  This may end up to be a very relaxing trip if we both don’t recover soon.

We both enjoy the slower pace of Kyoto.  Osaka is such a bustling place that it almost feels as though it’s draining the energy from you.  Of course, our old folks aches probably adds to the aggravation.  I was telling JJ over dinner that this is the first time that I’ve experienced aches and now realize what she as well as Laura and Joe have been going through.  She said that my compassion will last as long as my sprained ankle.  Probably true…….no, make it true fac!  (not a typo, true fac!)

Friday, April 13:

We are still enjoying the coffee at our hotel’s breakfast buffet.  It’s goodness is probably because each cup uses freshly ground coffee as well as water temperature control.

We caught the subway to the Kuromon Ichiba Market where we did some omiyage shopping.  Found some Takenoko (cooked) so we’re pretty sure that it will pass U.S. Customs.  We asked if the Takenoko was from Japan or China and found out that some were from China.  Also bought my favorite Dried Ika. 

We then caught the subway to Tsuruhashi where Korea Town is.  When we got there, Korea Town was immediately at the subway exit.  This was far different from what we experienced in our last trip.  We tried scouting the area adjacent to the station but could not find where we were the last time.

JJ’s Hot rock Bi Bim Bop did not have any meat in it.  She said that Island Style in Las Vegas still has the best.  My Kal Bi Ribs was made from Pork Ribs.  It was a little too sweet for my tastes.

My ankle was feeling much better than yesterday but the pain started getting more severe so I finally took my 800 mg Ibuprofin and after a couple of hours, the pain completely disappeared.  It really feels great to be pain free.

We decided to revisit Osaka Castle and just sit under the Sakura bloom.  On our way there, this young Japanese guy starts talking to us.  He said that he had a little beer and seemed a little drunk.  He asks where we were going and we told him Osaka Castle.  He asks if he can follow us as he is unfamiliar with the area.  So as we are walking toward the exit, he starts to insist that we have to transfer to another subway line.  I show him Osaka Castle on the map so he finally agrees to listen to me.  Talk about “slide clutch”.

I guess we spent about an hour, just sitting and relaxing under the Sakura tree.

As how it’s been everyday, we got back to our hotel about 2:00 p.m.  After resting, we went out to dinner at about 5:30.  We decided to try someplace new so we asked the front desk.  They sent us to the arcade that had so many restaurants.  All of them were high energy, pushy with young girls and guys hawking their businesses and seemed to stress either cheap and plenty or top of the line.  We went to one place that did not have an English menu but we were told that the menu had a lot of pictures.  The girl said to go to the 2^nd floor.  We caught the elevator and hit #2.  We go out and the area was completely unlit and DARK.  There was a glass door that would not open.  Talk about getting freaked out.  Remember, I’m listening to a Stephen King Book.  We tried #3 but decided not to eat there as there were no normal sounds of people eating.  

Sometimes, JJ can be exasperating when it comes to eating.  She can be so particular and yet cannot make up her mind as to where or what she wants to eat.  It could be very trying for an impatient person.  Good thing I’m patient.

Finally, we decided to eat at a more quiet and normal place.  We ended up a curry restaurant.  It was a chain but the food was surprisingly good.  JJ really enjoyed their salad dressing and bought some for omiyage.

Saturday, April 14:

I’ m really getting tired of eating the same breakfast.  Today, we plan on catching the monorail to view more Sakura at Osaka Expo Park.  It’s overcast and cold outside so we figured that we should go to somewhere more sheltered.

It turned out the Expo Park is not sheltered.  No matter as the day turned out to be beautiful.  It was a very relaxing experience.  There were a lot of vendors and it was great just seeing all of the various products.  Most were pottery and dishes and we weren’t sure if some of the products were made by the people selling them or they were re-selling goods from China.

We bought food from a couple of food vendors and ate under the Sakura.  It’s amazing how many people were there, eating and drinking and yet, there was not even one obnoxious person.  What a great country Japan and it’s people are!

We then caught the subway to Namba so I could eat King Crab.  It turned out to be not quite as good as the last time.  Also, I ordered “Crab Guts” which looked like from a big crab in the picture.  In reality, it turned out to be a very small crab and the miso was not as good as the Dungeness that we eat back home at Happy Valley.

JJ is getting much better at figuring out directions, even at Umeda Station.  Just when we start to figure things out, we leave.  How you figguh?

Earlier in the trip, I was telling JJ that it’s better to stay near a small station, like we did the last time.  But now, I think staying near a large station is better as there are a lot more eating places nearby.

We ate dinner at the Izakaya restaurant for the 3^rd time.  We asked them to use less salt for the Karaage Tako and it came out perfect.  We also had a cooked Moyashi dish which was fantastic.  And of course, the usual double serving of Maguro.  The sashimi has been exquisite.  It’s texture is not the firm one like we are used to in Hawaii.  But it is also not mushy.  It has a soft, buttery texture and great flavor while not being the super oily, strong flavored fish that is the usual Japanese fare.

Sunday, April 15:

The great coffee makes us keep on returning for breakfast.  We then forwarded our baggage and caught the Special Rapid Service train to Kyoto.  It actually cost more to forward our bags than our train fare (3100 Y for 3 bags vs 1200Y for 2 people).  It’s a good thing we forwarded the bags.  We ended up standing for the whole trip to Kyoto, about 30 minutes.  It might have been better to catch a train that made more stops as it would be less desirable for most people and more likely have open seats.

After reaching our hotel, we had our carry on luggage stored and caught the hotel shuttle to the Westin Miyako.  Then a cab to the Silver Pavilion and onto the Philosophers Path.  The Sakura was in full bloom and the day was sunny but it was not as enjoyable as it just wasn’t as serene as Osaka.  The difference was that over here, everyone is walking while in Osaka, most people were sitting, eating and drinking with friends.

We walked all the way to the Westin Miyako and caught the shuttle back to the New Miyako.  It’s a good thing that I exercise daily. Even then, my muscles ache and burn.  I really need to lose weight.  I plan to lose 15 lbs. before our next trip.  I also plan on walking more at home, carrying a backpack.  The stationary bike is ok, but I guess you just can’t beat real world walking, with a load.

Monday, April 16:

We ate breakfast at the Amici.  It seemed as though the owner had the look that we were familiar but could not quite place us (we ate there every morning during our last visit in December).

We then caught a cab to Kiyomizudera Temple.  It paled in comparison to the fall colors and was somewhat disappointing.  After that, we ate lunch at a Udon restaurant that we ate at about a year and a half ago.  Ownership must have changed as they no longer had the curry udon that I was looking forward to.  We both enjoyed their Soba dishes.

After walking to the main street, we decided to catch the bus back to our hotel instead of the subway.  It turned out to be much easier and probably faster.

One observation of Kyoto compared to Osaka is that food in Osaka is more expensive but transportation is much cheaper and easier to get around.  Osaka’s subway system is much more comprehensive and you can go to any tourist destination via subway.  In Kyoto, you need to rely more on cabs and the bus.

This evening, we went on the Gion Walking tour.  It was well worth the 1000 Y ea.  We even got to see a couple of Geiko and Maiko.  The tour was huge, 20+ people.  Got some nice night shots.

After that, we walked to Maruyama Park.  Only one Sakura was lit up and unfortunately, my photo could not capture the magnificence of the tree (I think it has to do with the auto white balance for you techi photographers).  We had planned on catching a cab back to the hotel but at the last minute, we saw a bus headed for the Kyoto train Station.  JJ bravely ran and stuck her hand in the door, just as it was closing.  Fortunately, the door reopened and we got on.  Cost us only 460 Y instead of 1500 Y for a cab that it cost us this morning.  It is now 10:15 and well past my bedtime.  Wow, we walked so much today that the bottom of my feet still ache.  It’s hard to believe that I could run around barefoot a scant 60 years ago!

Tuesday, April 17:

Overslept a little as I got up at about 6:00 a.m.  I decided to try the Aikido Rhythm Dance and stretching to see if it’ll help relieve my aches while walking.  Funny thing is that my legs will start aching, then the pain will go away.  I’m hoping that the stretching will eliminate the initial pain while walking.

While waiting for JJ to get up, I finally got my laptop to act as a WIFI hotspot so JJ’s Ipad can connect to the “net”.  Isn’t Google the greatest invention?  Man, you can learn anything on it.  Well, almost anything.  My euphoria was short lived as there is an intermittent problem and the connection is “iffy”.  All the related info sez to reset the router but no where does it tell you how when using a laptop as a hotspot.  I guess Win XP is just too obsolete.

We caught the hotel’s shuttle to the Westin Miyako again.  From there, we walked to the Heian Temple.  It is so peaceful there that you forget that you are in a large city.  We spent some time just sitting and eating ice cream.  Judy also enjoyed a Zenzai dish.  The ice cream was a bit too sweet for me so I ordered a green tea to clean out my pallet.  Unfortunately, it was a SWEEETENED green tea.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?

We then caught the bus to Nishiki Market.  As we had misplaced the bus rout map, I had to go by memory of the number of turns.  Miraculously, we ended up right where we were supposed to.  We started of by looking for a place to eat lunch.  When we finally found a place with an English menu, the food was, shall we say, “different”.  Besides dishes like smoked duck, they also had “cock” something on Pasta.  Now I don’t know if they meant chicken or ?, but I wasn’t about to take a chance.

We ate lunch at a Sushi Restaurant in Nishiki.  The Tekamaki was excellent as was the beer.  It was surprisingly filling.

Caught the bus again back to our hotel.  We are getting quite good at this.

Wed, April 18

We will be trying to catch the bus to Ninaaji Temple where they have their own variety of Sakura.  We then hope to catch the train to Arashiyama.

The bus ride to Ninnaji was terrible.  We got on at the beginning of the trip and were one of the last ones to board.  Big mistake as we had to stand the whole trip.  At every stop, we thought that no way could any more people board but get on they did.  Finally, toward the end of the trip, no more people could board.  It was so hot in the bus and I was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

The weather today started off a bit nippy but got really warm, almost like Hawaii.

Ninnaji was really nice.  It was like we were rewarded after the bus ride.  The blooms were full and the garden was very tranquil.  After walking around, we sat for a while, drinking our cold tea and juice.  Catching the train to Arashiyama was not as straight forward as we thought as we had to make a transfer.  The train was very small, consisting of only one car.  Instead of buying tickets, we paid an attendant at the train station upon exiting the gate.

Arashiyama was a big disappointment as the blooms were over and very sparse.  We just stayed for a short while and caught the train back to Kyoto.

I think that the curry beef that I had for lunch did not agree with my system.  Even after dinner tonight, my stomach felt like a slight burning.  I ended up sleeping really early after taking some Mylanta.  Sometimes, the English translation leaves a lot to be desired.  The menu had “beef curry” and “beef curry with tools”.  How you Figguh?

Tomorrow is our last full day.  We plan on catching the train to Uji to buy tea.  They are famous for their tea.  One tea that I have not seen in Japan is Habucha.  I wonder why?

Overall, I enjoy the vibrant Fall colors much, much more than the Spring Sakura blooms.  And yet, the tranquility of just sitting and enjoying the Sakura blooms is nice too.  But I guess that because the fall colors are so varied, I prefer them.

The days are going by so fast.  But I miss our “little people” and I miss the challenge of making my boxes.  It will be nice to be back home again.

I was telling JJ that our next trip to Japan, I want to go to somewhere new.  Perhaps, going to different cities for 2 to 3 days, then moving on.

BTW, we are seeing lots and lots of Takenoko.  And huge ones too!  How I wish I could bring it back to Hawaii.

Thursday, April 19:

Woke up early as usual feeling like my old self again.  I even finished the Stephen King book.  It was quite enjoyable and not the typical King genre.

We caught the train to Uji.  Had one anxious moment as both of us were daydreaming and not paying attention to the station announcement.  But, we managed to get off at Uji as planned.

As we walked to the park, we passed by a little store that sold bento.  When the lady spoke to us, I replied with my normal “nihongo wakarimasen”.  She then told JJ that I said that very well.

So all the way to the park, we are looking for a place to eat.  Finally when we get there, we’re sitting down and soaking up the ambience, I tell JJ, “should I go back and buy the bento?”.  So, I walk back to town, about a 15-20 minute walk.  Picked up the bento and soft drinks and went back to the park.  JJ was just starting to get worrisome.  Lesson learned, pick up bento before we get to parks, temples, etc.  It is so much more relaxing and enjoyable to eat outdoors, either under the Sakura (or Fall colors) or listening to the sounds of a river.

On the way back to the train station, we had planned to go to the tea store that we went to in December.  Arggh!  They were closed.  We ended up at another place where they were also really nice and accommodating.

Both of us were tired so we decided not to go to Gion to look for Geiko and Maiko.  We ended up packing instead.  So here we are, charging up our electronics for our trip home.

The warm weather has really made this trip more tiring.  Plus, we are dressing better so to better fit in.  We can imagine how taxing it must be during the summer months.

We check out by noon tomorrow and the shuttle picks us up at 3:45 p.m.  We plan on going to Nishiki Market for more shopping and eat lunch.

We’ll eat dinner at the A.N.A. lounge.  I’ll definitely drink less beer while waiting for our flight.  Don’t want to get sick like the last time.

Friday, Apr 20:

We spent the day at Nishiki Market where we bought more Soybean Tea, roasted green tea and some konbu.

We ate lunch at a place called Paris 21 e.  It was upstairs of a business on the Teramachi Arcade.  It turned out to be quite a bargain for about 1500 Y each.  The lunch included salad, the main dish, dessert and after meal soft drink.  The meat was a bit chewy but very tasty.  What was most surprising was that the French Fries was super tasty.  I asked the waiter if it came from Japan and he said he would check.  When he came back, he said it was from the United States.  Shocking.  I guess it was a combination of cooking method and seasoning.

We are now at the A.N.A. lounge at KIX.  Unfortunately, they are not refilling things as we are probably the last flight of the night.  When we got here, they were already out of the soups and low on the Danish pastries.

JJ is next to me and already planning our next trip.  I don’t know if I mentioned this before but being on our own is much more tiring than being on a tour.  The reason is that on a tour, you spend a lot of time on the bus traveling so you get a lot of time to rest.  On your own, you spend more time actively doing things and also, you get to walk around and visit sites more thoroughly. 

Another thing that made this trip more tiring is the weather.  It’s been very warm, with the temps in the high 60’s.  Not really great temp for walking, dressed in a long sleeved shirt.  Maybe next time it’ll be back to jeans and t-shirt.  But I end this trip being thankful for the opportunity, health and a great traveling partner…..it would have been perfect if it were 2 days shorter.

Epilog:

Soon after we came home, Judy’s brother told her about $600.00 airfare to Japan, ROUND TRIP!  Unfortunately, it ends in September.  So, I guess we’ll be going during the summer months, when it’s hot and humid.  But how can we not go at those prices!

Bon Voyage!

State Incentives to Movie Studios, Etc.

Perhaps I'm being a bit over simplistic, but whenever i hear about the State of Hawaii handing out incentives to movie studios, etc.to film in Hawaii, I always wonder at the logic of it all.  When I watch "CSI Miami", it doesn't make me want to visit Florida.  How you figguh?

Getting Old is Rough

We are old enough to start messing up and young enough to know it.  Argh!!

This past weekend, we were in Kona to attend a wedding.  After checking in, we went to our room.  It was a deluxe ocean view instead of an ocean front that we enjoy.  So I went back down and explained the situation..  I'm told that they could move us a bit closer but no ocean front room was available.  Ok, so we move.  As JJ doesn't have any of the paperwork, we have no way of contesting the situation.  Lesson, always bring documents, even for a local trip.

The next morning, I try to make hot tea but can't get the percolator to work.  Resetting the GFI outlet and the GFI on the plug does not help.  Nada.  Later, the maid asks if  we are Filipino.  We say no.  Then she asks if we want more coffee.  I say no but can she check the percolator.

When we see her later, she tells me that it works fine, just press on the white switch.  So when I try it again, I realize that I plugged in the hair drier instead of the percolator.  How you figguh?

PS:  Also, we got a call from the front desk at about 2:00 p.m. that our reservation was only for one night.  JJ tell them that she is quite sure that she made it for two nights as we came for a wedding and decided to come over one day earlier.  After checking, they called and said that they made an error.  Whew!  Got to bring those documents!  When we got home and checked the paperwork, it was for deluxe ocean view.

Hawaiian Airlines

We love Hawaiian Airlines.  They have a great mileage program that is very flexible with no blacked out dates.  They even allow you to pay for your trip with a combination of miles and dollars (each way).  Having either one of their charge cards makes it easier to rack up those miles and makes sharing miles possible.

I finally reached Pualani Platinum.  Along with a letter stating that I am allowed three checked in bags for free, they sent me two baggage tags.  How you figguh?

Japan December 2011 Journal

Link to slideshow
http://www.photodex.com/share/ljakahi/a688cmg4

Japan December 2011

Thursday, Dec. 1

Got off to a high blood pressure start.  While going thru the TSA line, I realized that I did not have my camera.  Went back to the Hawaiian counter and they greeted me with a “you can’t take this on the plane”, holding up my bag of foot and hand warmers.  Being more concerned with my camera, I told them to keep it.  They didn’t notice my forgotten camera so I checked with the guys out at the curb.  They said that they didn’t see anything so we then called Kiku.  It was still in her car.  It’s tough being a senior.  I hope this is the last of the senior moment type story.

The Hawaiian flight was good but no comparison to JAL.  There were quite a few empty seats scattered throughout the plane.  The main dish was ok but the sandwich served just before we landed was a laugh.  Not even mustard or mayo in it although the box was nicely wrapped in a cloth, Japanese style.  Judy folded hers nicely and I told her that it was not meant to be kept (women!).  Anyway, when the steward came by to pick up the rubbish, he left both cloths.  At least JJ didn’t say “I told you so”.

I think the biggest difference between HAL and JAL is the level of service and the quality of the food.  On JAL, they are constantly going around the cabin, offering tea or water.  Hawaiian, less so.  On JAL, the food always has beautiful presentation and is a delight to eat.  Hawaiian, less so.  Surprisingly, most of the passengers were Japanese nationals.  Still, just for the Pualani benefits, we’d still fly on “Hawaiian.  Speaking of which, when I showed my Pualani Gold card to the flight attention to order my beer, he said that all drinks were free on that flight.

While waiting in the Customs line, we started talking to this lady in front of us.  Turns out that besides teaching Yoga(?) in the U.S., she is also a writer.  She just published a book based on her grandmothers life in Okinawa.  It’s called “Mahataa” which is also her grandmothers last name.  She knows of no one else with this last name.  The book is for sale on Amazon.

Friday, December 02, 2011

We used the MK Skygate shuttle to get to Kyoto as they would drop us off at our hotel, eliminating the two block walk in the cold for only 500 yen more, each.  Only drawback is we had to make sure that we made the reservations two days ahead.  They wouldn’t take a three day ahead reservation.

Dinner at a restaurant in the train station was really cheap (about 700 Y ea.).  But, the portions were small and the pork in JJ’s dinner was tough.

The walk outside showed the temperatures to be cool but comfortable.  The trees outside the hotel that were orange last year are still green.  The good news being that it will probably be warmer this year than last year, the bad news being less fall colors.

Saturday, Dec 3

We both awoke before 8:00 a.m. so hopefully, we will adjust to the time change quickly.  We went to the train station for breakfast and found a nice sit down restaurant with an Italian motif.  It was surprisingly reasonable, food was good and coffee not too bad.  The real surprise was that it was the same place that we had dinner the first night.

We spent the rest of the day at a the Aeon shopping complex next to our hotel.  Now, neither Judy or I are shoppers.  But, we still enjoyed walking around and trying on stuff.  I was looking for a golf type cap to keep my head warm but the ones that I liked were too expensive, $50.00 plus.  Now I wish I accepted the golf cap that our David offered to me before.

This trip, we tried to emulate dressing like Harold and June S.  We were on a tour with them and were impressed with how they dressed.  They actually looked like native Japanese in their dress.  Well, I guess it works as people seem surprised when they find out that we don’t speak Japanese.

Because we didn’t want to go out later for dinner, we picked up some food to go from the train station.  My choices was a little disappointing as the shoyu in the blackened sashimi was too mild.  I tried JJ’s chicken wings but thought it was a bit too sweet for my tastes.  The crowd in the store really made it unenjoyable to shop.

Sunday, Dec 4

We found out that Miyako Hotel had a free shuttle to the Westin Miyako which is pretty close to the Path of Philosophers.  From there, we got a taxi to the silver pavilion which is the start of the “Path”. 

After the leisurely stroll, we caught a taxi to the City Hall where they had a huge flea market.  It was disappointing in that people were just selling old clothes and toys.

We then went to the Nishiki Market where we got some omiyage and stuff for ourselves like tea.  The crowd was terrible.  Some places, we could barely walk.

Traffic near our hotel was really gridlocked.  We finally made it back but it was too early for dinner.  So we went back to our hotel instead of eating dinner.  Big mistake.  When we went back at about 5:30, everyplace in the Ramen area had huge lines.  So we ended up eating at a somen place.  It was ok but not great.

The crowds we encountered today was quite exhausting.  Really makes us appreciate Hilo.

So far, we’ve been really lucky as far as the weather is concerned.  It’s been cool but not cold.  We do need a jacket but as least the temps has been stable enough where we don’t get hot and have to remove and carry our jackets. 

Another good think is that many places (except at Nishiki) will accept charge cards.  Our Credit Union Visa charges only a 1% foreign transaction fee.  The downside of this is that it tends to make us forget how weak the dollar is.

Today, we’ve caught cabs to avoid the hassles and waiting for the city buses.  The fare were quite reasonable, spending less than 3500 Y for the day.

It’s not even 8:00 p.m. and I no longer can stay awake.

Monday, Dec 5

Today, we plan to go to Kurama, which is a local holiday destination.  It is 5:00 a.m. and JJ is still sleeping.  She got up briefly to find and put on her earplugs.  So here I sit, working on this journal, drinking hot tea and eating rice crackers.

My laptop is on it’s last legs.  I tried running it through both virus and spyware checkers.  It is still very slow and even when typing, the letters do not immediately appear after hitting the keys.  I was going to get another Thinkpad but after some research, I pretty much decided on Asus.  It got a good review on consumers.  It’s like a souped up Ipad2, with a 128 G solid state hard drive.  It may even replace our desktop, which is over 5 years old.

While getting our rail passes, I inadvertently left my brand new golf cap behind.  Lo and behold, someone turned it in to lost and found…..ONLY IN JAPAN. 

We went to Kurana and did the onsen thing.  To me, it wasn’t hot enough.  What made me get out was that I was getting wrinkled toes.  It is a great place to visit, although it is a bit “touristy”.  We didn’t even bother to look at the shops in town.  We had lunch at a little shop and the soup base for the Odon was really tasty.  One thing I noticed in Japan is that the broths are a lot better than what is available in Hawaii restaurants.  However, the noodles that I used to buy for my daily Saimin was a lot more flavorful than the noodles in Japan.

To maximize our time, we decided to go to Tofukuji Temple.  Argggg, we just missed the closing time.  We did get to see a peek and the fall colors were brilliant.  Hopefully, we’ll get another chance to visit. 

Tuesday, Dec 6

Our pace so far has been very relaxing which is making the trip enjoyable.  Funny thing about catching trains and the subway.  Thinking about the transfers, etc. is stressful.  But when we actually do it, it is not that hard.  Hmm, last time I said that, we got lost!

What bothers me the most at the end of the day is that the bottom of my feet hurt.  I tried gel insoles and finer textured socks that have helped not eliminated the problem.  I told JJ that maybe I need to go around barefoot more to toughen up the bottom of my feet.  When I was a kid, I could walk on gravel, rocks, etc. and not feel anything.

Our plan today is to go to Arashiyama.  We hope to go out on the river on these little boats that they rent and enjoy the fall colors from the water.

We enjoyed a relaxing day at Arashiyama.  We were the only ones to rent the row boat.  Luckily, we had our air seats so we didn’t get cold sitting on the boat seats.  While the fall colors were present, the lack of a bright sun and a haze in the air kinda muted the brilliance that we are used to.  Never the less, it was quite magnificent.  We just took our time and enjoyed peaceful scenery.

We had dinner at the food court at the Aeon complex.  It was really great as there were no crowds, the food was good and we didn’t feel rushed.  We ended dinner with Gellato.  We hope to go back tomorrow night so I can try curry.

Wednesday, Dec 7

We caught the train to Tokufuji to see the fall colors.  So far, the fall colors are not as prolific and as vivid as last year.  We are probably a couple of weeks too late and the haze in the air prevents the sun from shining brightly.

We then went on the the town of Uji.  It was quite nice but we didn’t get to see everything we wanted to.  We would definitely go back again.

Uji is noted for its tea.  We went to a shop to buy some and we were pleasantly surprised to see the owner blend his own Gen Mai Cha, one of my favorites.  His wife made us some and it was quite delicious.

After we came back, we revisited a pet store at the Aeon Mall.  I took a good look at what the puppies and kittens cost and would you believe Ten Thousand PLUS Yen!  At that rate, Big Bunny would be worth a lot of Yen in Japan.

We leave tomorrow for Kii.  We hope to spend two days doing nothing but hanging around the hotel and Onsen.  We are also meeting our friends, the Miya....’s for dinner on the second night.  It should be interesting due to the language barrier.

The exchange rate is really bad.  Cashing $500.00 in travelers checks gets us only about 380 Yen.

Thursday, Dec 8

We got up extra early so we could eat breakfast at our fav breakfast place.  They recognize us now and have met us with an enthusiastic greeting for several mornings.

While paying for the breakfast, the owner was going to give me more discount coupons but I told her that we were leaving for Kii Katsuura.  She then gave me a little trinket for Judy.

When we were leaving, we gave her some macadamia nut candy and a Hawaii calendar.  They were quite happy.  We were very fortunate in that they really treated us well each morning, even serving a second cup of coffee.

We got to the train station early and had to wait about 45 minutes for our train.  It’s a good thing that we got on the first car as it wasn’t long before the doors closed and we were on our way.  It’s going to be about a 4 hour train ride to Kii Katsuura.

We almost got off at the wrong train station as our train was running late.  When we finally got to Kii Katsuura, Mrs. Miya.... and her daughter, Keiko, were waiting for us.  What a pleasant surprise.  They then took us out for lunch and Mr. Miya.... replaced Mrs. Miya.....  He and his daughter insisted on being our tour guides tomorrow.

After lunch, they took us to their store where we talked for a while.  Mrs. M started taking out so much stuff for us and wouldn’t stop, even after I showed her the famous Japanese X (arms crossed in an x pattern).  They are just too generous.  Mr. Miya... said that they considered us like family.  It’s hard to believe but there really is a bond between us that is hard to explain.

After they dropped us off at the ferry to go to our hotel, they patiently waited until we left and waved good bye.  We are truly fortunate to have met people like them.

It is so peaceful here in our room.  It looks like it rained today and when looking towards the mountains, we can see fingers of mist in the forest.

The Miya....’s gave us some Tomatoes and oranges for a snack.  The tomatoes are so flavorful and I eat them with only kosher salt.  The oranges are sweet and juicy and not the candy like sugary sweet that I don’t care for.

Friday, Dec 9

After breakfast, we met Mr. Miya... and his daughter Keiko.  We asked if we could go to their shop first as we wanted to give them our Omiyage.  They really seemed to like the boxes that I made and we didn’t even get to the Kona coffee, Trader Joes coffee and macnut candies that we brought.

BTW, Mr. Miya... picked us up in a Turbo Volvo station wagon.  The car really moves and he drives like he enjoys curvy roads.  When I asked Keiko if her father likes to drive fast, she said yes and that he used to own a BMW before.

They took us to the upper part of Nachi Falls, where we didn’t reach the last time after we used us our legs climbing the Cedar lined “one million steps” (I don’t know what the real name is).  We then went to Kumano.  There we way things that we would never have found on our own.  The air there was even more clear than that of Kii Katsuura.  Viewing the typhoon damage was really something.  What was especially impressionable was the amount of clean up that was done.  If that were the U.S., they would still be waiting for Federal disaster relief.  In some places, you could see that the water reached above the roads as there was debris about 10 feet higher than the roadway.  There was a HUGE Torii.   It is the largest that we have ever seen.

They took us lunch to a little Ramen place.  The dashii was so delicious that I finished up what JJ left behind.

After getting back to Kii Katsuura, we went to their store where we talked story and took some pictures.  Mrs. Miya...’s business neighbor even sang a song for us.  The Miya... ladies have a lot of exuberance and just seem so happy and full of life.

After a quick Onsen dip, we met them for dinner.  Unfortunately, because of their business, the Mrs. had to work.  We enjoyed a sushi dinner.  The chef even gave us a sample of Kumano Beef.  It was seared and served on sushi rice.  It’s flavor was buttery and it was really delicious.

We are back at Nakanoshima Hotel now and JJ is back at the Onsen.  We are really thankful that we made the trip to Kii Katsuura.  The Miya...’s really showed us what the Aloha spirit is all about.  Although we do not speak the same language, amazingly our hearts still manage to communicate.  To give you a better idea of the kind of people they are, when they drop us off at the shuttle boat that takes us to Nakanoshima Hotel, they will wait in the cold windy dock until the boat leaves.  Only after they wave and we are on our way do they leave.

For our friends Les and June, we hope they can make it here and enjoy the pilgrimage hiking trails in this area.  The clean, clear, crisp air and wonderful greenery will surely impress them.

The days are really flying by.  The pace has been slow enough where we still have a lot of energy left.  Tomorrow we leave for Osaka.  The Miya...’s gave us so many things that we forwarded one of our bags to Osaka.

Some interesting things we learned about the Miya...’s:

·        Mr. Miya... moved here from Tokyo.

·        They honeymooned in Hawaii.

·        Mr. Miya... loves fast cars.  He even had a “Nissan Starbird” or something like that.

·        He used to be a dental technician.

Saturday, Dec 10

Here we are on the Super Kuroshio Express.  After treating us to coffee at a local coffee shop, The Miya...’s saw us off at the train station   We all had a good laugh as Mrs. M went and bought Japan coffee for us to take home.  It was a bottle of Nescafe Instant coffee.  Mr. M said that it is probably a special Japan blend.  Mrs. M keeps on buying stuff for us so we finally told her that we were going to tie up her hands.  While we were in Kii Katsuura, we hardly spent any money.  They would even send us back to the hotel with beer, juice, snacks and water.

The family is just unreal.  The even bought train tickets so they could help us carry our bags and see us off at the train platform.  We hope that we get a chance to reciprocate when they come to Hawaii.  Their last words to us were of thanking us for visiting them.

Osaka is a bit more complicated than Kyoto to get around as there is no central train/subway station.  We did a walk around the hotel area and there are lots of small restaurants in the area, which is good.  The trains stations, while convenient, has large crowds that need to be contended with.  Personally, I don’t like waiting for my meals.

Sunday, Dec 11

The buffet breakfast was pretty good.  Also, for the first time in Japan, I tasted really good bacon.  It’s funny that in the U.S., we don’t think of Ramada Hotels as being a quality place.  But here in Japan, it’s quite nice.

We caught the subway to Osaka Castle.  The grounds were quite nice.  We then caught the subway to “Korea Town”.  We walked and walked, trying to find a Korean restaurant.  We finally gave up as many places were closed.  On the way back to the subway station, we got lucky.  We decided to go down an alley and when we reached the end, there was a narrow covered shopping area, like a mini-Nishiki market but with shops selling mostly merchandise instead of food.  We found a small Korean restaurant.  They didn’t have an English menu or speak English but a customer acted as our interpreter. 

I feel drained already.  I think that I am still on Hawaiian time (it’s 9:30 p.m.  there now).  I guess it’s good for when we go back home.

After a few beers, I got my second wind.  I talked JJ into going to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan where they have xmas lights.  It was an easy trip on the subway with only one change of line each way.  Besides the lights, we also saw a juggler who was quite entertaining.  On the way back, we stopped at a McDonalds where I got a cheeseburger.  It was surprisingly good and had a mayo/wasabi dressing.

Monday, Dec 13

We went to Kurishiki via subway, Shinkansen and local train.  One thing about Osaka, it really forced us to learn the subway and train system, which is great.  Kurashiki is a nice town.  Many historical places and it seems like there is a lot more to see.  We did look at this trip to Osaka as a primer so it’ll be good when we come back again.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Japan for about 12 days now.  The time just flew by and we still have a lot of energy.  The pace that we kept was really good but don’t get me wrong, it will be great to be home again.  I miss our “Little People” and our warm waterbed.  We’re looking forward to spending time with Cole and Reyn at Waikoloa.  Then the xmas parties at the Muneno’s and Jakahi’s in Honolulu.  Then the beginning of 2012 and to wonder about all of the good things that will happen. 

For me and JJ, we are still amazed with the Miyazaki family and how they think about us and do so much for us.  And even though we don’t really know that much about each other, there seems so be a very deep bond between us.  “How you figguh?” 

But when we really think about it, we have really been blessed with friends who always think about us and who really treats us well.  To all of you, if you get this journal, you now know how much we value and appreciate your friendship.

This trip has been one of my favorites.  We learned more about friendship and also the joy of learning and seeing new things.  Life is good.  Let there is peace on earth and goodwill toward our fellow men and “little people”.

Tuesday, Dec 13

Our last day this year in Japan.  We had a super leisurely breakfast, then did our final packing and checked out.

We got directions to Dotomburi and Doguyasuji shopping district from the hotel’s concierge who spoke English reasonably well.  So we caught the subway and proceeded with our last adventure.  The hardest part of that trip was finding our way out of the subway station.  It was HUGE.  They even had a Starbucks, which JJ tried and said that it was stronger than what is sold in the U.S.

We finally got to the area that is noted for selling restaurant and kitchen goods.  It was spectacular.  They had everything from signs to lights.  JJ bought a couple of small items but this area alone makes us want to come back.

We the walked to Dotomburi where there is famous restaurant called Kani Doraku.  I thought that we should catch a cab as it looked like a long walk on the map.  When we got into a cab, the driver told us that it was so close that we should just cross the street and walk.  It turned out that he was right.  We ended up a famous crab restaurant.  We both had steamed King Crab for about $30.00 ea.  While the portions were small, it was super delicious.  Well worth the money.  As we were leaving the area, I noticed a Ramen stand across the street that had Kim Chee.  Can’t wait for our next trip.  I told JJ that I’d like to spend more time in Osaka on our next trip.

When we got back to the hotel and retrieved our bags, the consierge remembered us and asked how was our trip to Doyo……  Later on, she even got a couple of guys to help us with our bags to the cab.  Besides a very friendly and helpful staff, the Ramada is in a great location as the subway exit goes right into the airport.

After checking in, the lady told us that we could go to the ANA Lounge.  So we had dinner first at a Tonkatsu Restaurant.  Big mistake.  The pork was not seasoned and the food quickly became “boring” as the only flavor was from the sauce.  Worst 2500 yen meal we ever had.

At the lounge, we found sushi, soup, snacks, juice and BEER.  They sure know how to treat their elite customers.

What an enjoyable trip it has been.  The time has flown.  But time always flies when you’re having a good time…..or when you get older.  For all of you who read this, I leave you with my parting words:  “LIVE LIFE”. 

Have a great day.  And call us whenever you want to get together.  We look forward to bettering our friendship.