Day 1: Travelling
Flew out of Sydney airport very excited. Spent all day travelling and picked up our JR rail tickets from the Tokyo airport on arrival so we have now got free rail passes for any JR rail line (which is most except for some large urban subway networks). Arrived at the Shiba Park Hotel in Tokyo at about 8pm.
Day 2: Tokyo
We decided that a guided tour with an English speaking guide would help get our bearings and find out about where to go in Tokyo, what to expect, what were the customs of Japanese people etc before exploring on our own. The half-day bus tour was good for this. Met other travellers and saw some interesting Japanese cultural spots including; Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine and the Imperial Palace. Drove past the Diet Building (they call their parliament "Diet", has nothing to do with losing weight) and ended the tour in Ginsa, a well-known shopping district. Went to the Sony building and found an Irish pub underneath it to have lunch. Now the food bit before we go any further. Food was a very interesting and most times pleasurable experience. The coffee was excellent as long as you new what to order. Most restaurants and cafes had absolutely no English so we did a lot of pointing and asking "do you have an English menu?" Went back to the hotel then out again in early evening to forage for food. Went to 'Rappongi' a suburb of Tokyo that has good night life. Dropped in on a Japanese style fast food joint. You buy your food by selecting your dishes from a vending machine, get a ticket and give it to the waiter behind a bar style eating area where patrons sit on stools to eat. The food is quickly cooked and eaten even quickera. Mostly patronised by men going to or coming home from work.
Day 3: Tokyo
Got up early and headed for the fish markets. Very busy place. The biggest tuna you could imagine was being auctioned. Back on the subway to Palette Town, an entertainment/amusement area but it didn't open (like most things in Japan) until late morning. Got a ride on the ferris wheel though. Then by subway to Harajuku suburb, a trendy area frequented by teenagers (lots of fashion - mainly western). Checked out big shops at Shinjuku including Tokyu Hands. Jenny in the meantime has been looking for shoes to replace the old ones she is wearing which are worn out and very uncomfortable. Back to Hotel and a look at the Sojoji Temple which we kept putting off because it was so close to our hotel.
Day 4: Kyoto
Kyoto was probably our favourite city. Getting there was also an amazing experience as we had our first trip on a Shinkensen (bullet train). These bullet trains really do go fast. We travelled the 470kms from Tokyo to Kyoto in less than 3 hours even with a change at Osaka! A bonus on the trip was some spectacular views of Mount Fuji from the train. Jenny did some fancy investigation work and jagged a really posh hotel, The Hotel Granvia, in the Kyoto station complex for a very reasonable rate. Now don't think that a hotel in a train station is really crappy. This station complex was enormous. It had shops, restaurants, cafes, and heaps of other businesses and is a showpiece for Kyoto. It seams that a lot of things happen around the train stations. Considering that the Japanese rail system is probably the best in the world and is capable of moving the 120 plus million people around efficiently everyday, it is no wonder.
Kyoto is also home to Manga Comics and other cartoon characters including ASTRO BOY!!! Now all you young people would have no idea who this guy is but he was on TV alongside Kimba the white lion, Prince Planet and Roger Ramjet in the 70's. All train stations have tourist information centres as well so we got all the info needed to check out the city and headed off exploring.
Our first place we found was a temple called 'Sanjusangendo'. This temple is over 700 years old and has 1001 wooden statues 5' tall covered in gold leaf with a large principal image in the centre of the hall. There are 30 other images surrounding all these statues with significant reference to Japanese religion. We went to other temples and shrines and also walked through the Gion district which is a typical snapshot of traditional Japanese housing, very narrow streets with classical Japanese architecture. This area is also renowned for Geisha and even though we weren't expecting any, we came across several. These girls were also very happy to have their photo taken, especially with us.
Day 5: Kyoto
Second day in Kyoto started with a session in the hotel gym, laps of the 25m pool and then a big breakfast (choice of Japanese or European style) before heading off for more exploring. Went to the Tojo temple and its markets, then to the Fushifushimiinari-taisha shrine. This was good fun. We took an urban train two stops from Kyoto station to the shrine, walked to this place that was filled with pathways lined with bright orange toris (gateways). So we headed off walking through these toris (it was cold - about 5C) and got lost. Ended up in an urban area somewhere but eventually found our way back to a train station, one stop from our digs. That night we asked the Hotel Concierge for a really nice traditional Japanese restaurant in the Gion district which had a menu written in English. We went to this cute little place where we could watch the chef prepare the meals in front of us. It was a bit scary however when we looked at the choices. Dishes such as: soft-shelled turtle hot pot, parched ginkgo mut (we assumed it was dog - just kidding), squid preserved in salted entrails, salted and fermented entrails of sea cucumber, mullet roe, bracken starch dumpling or green lily bulb with plum. Needless to say we found food to our liking, with the help of the waitress who spent 12 months in Melbourne, and ate very well.
On our way home from dinner we ran into more Geisha.
Day 6: Nara
Nara, alongside Kyoto, was once the capital city of Japan back in the feudal days where the lords used Samurai to fight their battles and control the power of the land. Much of the architecture of this period is still standing in Kyoto and Nara as these two cities were not heavily bombed in WW2. We took a JR local train to Nara from Kyoto, caught a taxi to our hotel which was really close to most of the sights and headed off. At the hotel we rang ahead to the tourist information centre and booked a free English speaking guide. Because Nara is a popular place for tourists these guides work everyday. They are in fact University students who are usually studying English and love volunteering for this job because they can brush up on their English language skills (and their strine). In this section you will see photos of Kofuku-jk temple, the Todai-jk temple, the largest wooden building in the world, and the Kasugataisha shrine. Back at the hotel we tried something adventurous and asked the front desk for directions to a laundry. We were given a map and off we went getting lost of course because the street corners don't all have signs and signs could be in Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji or a mixture so sometimes we could read the street signs but others we had no idea. We were approached by a kind Japanese gent on his way home from work on his bicycle who was very eager to help us but after two laps of the same block we said thanks but no thanks. We did find the laundry eventually but gave up and went home defeated after realising all instructions were in Japanese. Undeterred, we went into the Nara shopping area which was a real cultural sight and found a nice little restaurant and managed to order some great tasting tucker and we washed this down with the waiters Saki suggestion. '
Day 7&8: Kiyoshi and Mitsuko home stay
On this day we went back to Kyoto and caught another bullet train down to Shin-Shimoneski. This city is on the lower end of Honshu and is the gateway to Kyushu. Here we met up with Kiyoshi, a teacher from Ube High School and the original teacher who liaised with Kotara High School to have student visits between the two schools. Kiyoshi was an excellent host and spoilt us in every way. Kiyoshi took us straight to the fish markets to sample some very fresh Japanese food. I tried the sushi and between Kiyoshi and I we ate fresh squid, tuna, eel, and whale. Yes whale, and all uncooked of course -that's what I mean about fresh! Jenny opted for deep fried prawn cutlets (which we cold - what a wimp) and we washed these delicacies down with the local misu soup. Then we went to the lookout with views of the bridge connecting Honshu to the southern island of Kyushu.
Once back at Kiyoshi's home we were introduced to his wife, Mitsuko, who had prepared a banquet of Japanese delicacies. This experience was in our top ten most memorable. It was not only a fantastic gastronomic experience but also a great way of learning what the unusual foods were that we saw regularly in cafes and restaurants and also the art of eating Japanese food, great fun. Lots of beer and Saki flowed that night also.
On day two with Kiyoshi we went off exploring again this time to Yamaguchi to look at a temple and we sampled some very nice green tea made up by the waitress in front of us. It had to be whisked with a wooden brush. Then we went to Hagi on the West coast. This town has its streets laid out as they were 400 years ago when Samurai ruled Japan. Hagi is also famous for the birth place of Yoshida who at the age of 28 led a revolution in Japan in the 1850's that undid the Feudal Samurai system. We had some tasty Soba noodles and tempura for lunch (with miso of course) at a popular travellers diner. Kiyoshi then introduced us to the Japanese Onsen or hot baths. These baths are a big part of the Japanese lifestyle and can be found everywhere. Most baths are heated by underground hot springs but some are heated by other power sources or a mix of natural and manmade. Sometimes cold water is added as the hot springs are too hot. The public baths we went to is one of Kiyoshi's favourites. All baths are pretty much male or female only but you can get family or private baths. So Kiyoshi and I headed for the mens baths and Jenny the womens. There were 7 different baths and a sauna to loo around in. Each bath was slightly different. There was a large indoor bath, 3 smaller baths on the east covered open area, a bath with bubbles (like a spa), a deep bath and a bath like a bed where you lie flat. There was then a very large outdoor bath surrounded by natural rocks, gardens and water cascading into the pool. Two other baths were smaller round tubs for one person only.
We also had a bath each night at Kiyoshi's place, a Japanese tradition and well worth the effort especially in winter as it warmed you up before bed. It was Sunday night so we went out for dinner to a nice place in town that was recommended to Mitsuko. We ended up having 7 courses. When we got home Jenny and I gave Kiyoshi and Mitsuko some Aussie presents including the boomerang I made from a black wattle tree branch that was blown over on the KHS grounds during the storm that hit Newcastle the day I came down for the job interview.
Day 9: Hiroshima
Day 10: Hiroshima
We left Ube after visiting Ube High School. We were introduced to the entire school staff and I was asked say hello. I put on my best Japanese and said a traditional first time greeting which I can only presume everyone understood. After a chat with the school principal, Kiyoshi drove us to the train station for our journey to Hiroshima. Thank you again Kiyoshi and Mitsuko for your generosity and friendship.
Caught a taxi to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, very close to Peace Park where the memorial to those who had died in the bombing of Hiroshima in WW2 is located. Went through the museum and took pictures of the peace dome. A very interesting and numbing experience however we had two little hiccups that day. Jenny went to the ladies room at the memorial museum to powder her nose and found only eastern toilets (just a hole in the floor where you have to squat) and as she prepared for this awkward manoeuvre she dropped her brand new camera into the toilet-woops!!!! We went back to the hotel to dry the camera out and have some lunch. Jenny had corn soup, I had minestrone which didn't agree with me. That evening, as we sat down for dinner (once again in the hotel dining room) I felt very ill, went outside for fresh air and passed out. Of course Jenny thought I was dead, but I soon came-to and proceeded to vomit all over the entrance of the Crowne Plaza Hotel much to the consternation of the staff. A very helpful taxi driver and the concierge were able to help Jenny (I was unable to move without throwing up and creating an even larger pool of vomit on the ground) get me in an ambulance and off to the hospital. This was an unexpected tour site that we hadn't put into our itinerary but a great place to go if you want to talk to someone about how sick you are when they have absolutely no idea what your are saying, and vice versa. Anyway, I was fine after completely emptying my stomach and also after having an anti-vomit drip run through me. We were discharged and home by about midnight. Next day I was fine so off to Mirajima Island to see the shrine, probably one of Japan's most famous. We took a JR train and ferry (all part of our JR ticket) and had a great day looking at the shrine and wandering through the tourist trap, buying bits and pieces and looking at the food. My stomach was not up to it but I would have loved to taste the BBQ oysters, they smelt fantastic.
We came back to Hiroshima and used the tram to get around the town, went through some shopping areas and came back to one for a Thai dinner where the restaurant overlooked the shops, very tasty. Also had a swim and short workout in the hotel gym to keep our bodies trim and in shape for the skiing we are both getting excited about.
Day 11: Ryoken at Naruko
With the help of Kiyoshi we had pre-booked a Ryokan that was in an out of the way place and very traditional at the tiny town of Naruko Onsen. This village was north of Tokyo and a good stop off for our travels north to the snow. Leaving Hiroshima we took the Shinkensen again changing at Osaka then Tokyo and arriving at Furokowa. We then took a local train, single track, one carriage, one man operated train to Naruko. Getting out at Naruko you could smell the sulphur from the natural springs. We were at the base of the mountain range divideding Honshu from east to west and it was covered in snow. The Ryokan hosts were expecting us and came down to the station to pick us up. The Inn has been in business for 400 years and still has the elements of the Japanese style of living from this time. We had a fantastic experience, one that Jenny and I rate high on our top 10 highlights. Ryokans provide guests with accomodation, dinner, breakfast and baths. Once settled into our room Jenny and I headed for the private or family bath in the hills armed with a couple of beers. The bath was a short walk up a snow covered track. Once in the bath house, you left your shoes at the door, stepped into the main floor and took all your clothes off leaving them in a basket, had a shower and stepped outside into the bath. The bath was positioned in such a way that you had complete privacy but were in the snow covered forest and hills with glimpses of steam coming out of the ground. It was also a full moon so quite a fantastic experience sitting their after travelling all day soaking our bodies and sipping on cold beer in the snow at -5C. Because the bath was private you had to make a booking, but there was virtually no-one else staying at the Ryokan so we snuck back up the hill for another soak after dinner-sensational!
Day 12: Hakodate
Next day we went downstairs to the male and female baths and had a soak whilst the hosts prepared our breakfast in our room. Back for brekkie (fabulous) and off to Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. Got back to Furukowas for Shinkensen to the end of the line at Hachinohe. From here it was JR rapid train which was a deisal train travelling at sililar speeds to our Countrylink service. This train travels to Hokkaido and under the Tsugura Straits by tunnel, the longest train tunnel in the world (I think????) Anyway, 20minutes later we were in Hokkaido and by 4pm we reached Hakodate. The hotel was directly across the road from the station so we dumped our bags and caught a bus to the Hakodate Ropeway, a cable car that takes you to the top of a mountain for views of the city. Very cold up the top, especially when you took your gloves off to take a picture so we came back down and went to dinner at Hakodate Beer. This joint serves a selection of local beer for you to taste (Hakodate is famous for its beer) and we had this with seafood paella.
Day 13: Heading to the snow
We checked out of Hakodate at 6:30 and caught the rapid train to a place named Oshamambe. From here it was back to local, one carriage, one line, one manned transport through the wilderness. There was snow everywhere and quite thick, lots of tunnels and also structures to prevent landslides from covering the tracks. We arrived at Kutchan and found an ATM to get some yen, stocked up on food at the supermarket and got a lift from the Freshwater Appartments people (they were Aussies) who took us via the ski hire centre then to our digs where we relaxed with beers overlooking the ski slopes.
Days 14 to 20: Snow
Basically, we had an absolute blast during our stay in the snow. It snowed every day. We skied on fresh powder snow every day. The snow stayed light and fluffy all day, every day. We caught the first lift evry day and came home early, between 2 and 3pm each day and kicked back for the afternoon before dinner and an early night. Here is a brief description of each day.
Early start, conditions great, sunny and cool -8C. Jenny finished early and went for a swim. Chris home 3pm after black runs on top peaks. out to "A-Bu-Cha" restaurant for hotpot and rice and beer.Early start, walked to Gondola, 12th in line. Ideal conditions, sun shining after 40cm snow overnight. Booked lessons for tomorrow. Internet cafe and beers in the arvo.Chris 7th in line at gondola, fresh tracks for 1st hour. Jenny, sore knee so rested till 10am when lesson started. Lessons were excellent, Jenny getting good style therefore knee not hurting, Chris in the trees and deep powder. Met some great folk in both classes (mix of Oz, NZ, poms). Skied together rest of the day. Out to Japanese restaurant for Ramin.repeat of yesterday, lessons then skied together. Guiness at Paddy McGinty's Irish pub then chilli prawn pizza at another cafe.Lots of snow overnight and still snowing so not great conditions. Cold, -18, jenny had lesson, chris off into the powder up the top. Home early, out for lunch then watched some movies at home.Booked a buffet breakfast. Extremely cold today, -20C. Skied one run then headed for coffee in the huts on the mountain. Did this a couple of times then called it quits. Went into Kutchan for supplies. Came home and cooked up yummy dinner based on Soba noodles.Last day of skiing. Great day but cold. Ski and cofee, ski and coffe. Pretty hard to take but someone has to do it. Jenny did a couple of big black runs today and knees are good now that she has good style. Chris in the trees and off-piste most of the day. Recoverede at home with ice cold Asaki (see pic) before going to Kabuki restaurant for authentic Okonomiyaki and Tappanyaki. Our favourite eatery on the mountain. Back home to polish off the last of our duty free Contreau and Baileys. Jenny turned hers into a smoothey with the addition of the piles of snow on the balcony ledge.
The following pictures are a selection of shots taken in front of the thermometer half way up the hill outside one of the restaurants.
Day 21 & 22: Sapporo Snow Festival
Back on the train to Sapporo, capital of Hakkaido. Arrived in Sapporo to colder conditions than on the ski slopes. Checked into our hotel and headed for the figures carved out of snow or ice. heavy snow falling, hard to see sculptures. Back to hotel for Onsen on top floor. had two baths, one indoor, one outdoor. Back out to Susukino district with ice sculptures before ramen dinner at little joint in Ramen Lane. Home for another bath. Chris had good soak and long chat with a bunch of blokes whilst Jenny dipped her toe in and retreated as it was farrrr too busy.
Next day went to snow sculptures again with no snow this time. Chris pigged out on a variety of food stalls offering international quisine. Bought Kezzas melting moment present.(hope you like it Kez). Yeh, and the hotel had an ice bar out on the footpath so we had some warm red wine (not as good as Carribou).
Day 23: The long treck home
On this day we were to do the train, planes and automobiles bit all day and night to get home. Started with a big breakfast at the hotel then home. Taxi to the station, train to the airport, flight to Tokyo domestic airport, bus to Narita international airport, 6hr wait for 7:30pm flight to Sydney(kept awake all night with crying children), train to central, train to Broadmeadow, Alex picked us up to arrive home in sweltering, humid summer heat.
