Japan 2024 with Mom

november - december 2024
  • Meredith Boos
  • Carol Hodges
Et 13-dags eventyr af Meredith & Carol Læs mere
  • Meredith Boos
  • Carol Hodges

Liste over lande

  • Japan Japan
  • Forenede Stater Forenede Stater
Kategorier
Verden rundt, Bytur, Familie, Grupperejse, Seværdigheder
  • 14,7krejste miles
Transportmidler
  • Flyvning14,0kkilometer
  • Gåture-kilometer
  • Vandring-kilometer
  • Cykel-kilometer
  • Motorcykel-kilometer
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometer
  • Bil-kilometer
  • Tog-kilometer
  • Bus-kilometer
  • Campingvogn-kilometer
  • Campingvogn-kilometer
  • 4x4-kilometer
  • Svømning-kilometer
  • Padling/Roning-kilometer
  • Motorbåd-kilometer
  • Sejlads-kilometer
  • Husbåd-kilometer
  • Færge-kilometer
  • Krydstogtskib-kilometer
  • Hest-kilometer
  • Skiløb-kilometer
  • At blaffe-kilometer
  • Cable car-kilometer
  • Helikopter-kilometer
  • Barfodet-kilometer
  • 17fodaftryk
  • 13dage
  • 240fotos
  • 5kan lide
  • And We’re Off…Again, Some More, etc

    20. november 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Everyone up and ready by 3:30 a.m. Mom arrived just before 4. Dad took a great pic of us leaving. By 4:30 a.m. we were waiting at gate B1 for our flight to Atlanta. Quick 1 hour flight to Atlanta the boarded our flight to Tokyo/Haneda.

    The winds were with us and shaved 3 hours off the flight time. So instead of 16 hours it was a quick 13 hour flight!
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  • Tokyo Arrival

    21. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Got into Haneda airport early at 1:15. We were off the plane and got our luggage picked up and went through customs without too much trouble, except my fingerprints wouldn’t scan.

    Took a taxi into town and embarrassed the poor driver when he charged us duo price instead of the flat rate.

    The Under the Railway hotel wasn’t joking when they chose their name. We are literally under the elevated train tracks. We can hear the trains going by but it’s not unbearable.

    Mom and I unpacked and Key and Greg went did foraging. After eating, all of us save Key went back out and wandered a bit.

    Back to the hotel and in bed by 7:30…
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  • So it’s 3:30a.m….

    22. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Jet Lag strikes again. We all tried to stay up. We wandered around the city, ate some lunch/dinner, but we were all dead to the world before 8pm last night…Poor Kyrie’s eyes were so bloodshot but look much better this morning. Plus the exchange rate is really in our favor so I’m sure that helps too.

    Anyway, to anyone who reads this, you CAN hear the trains. Eventually it’ll be white noise I hope. The front desk even supplies ear plugs. I wish it wasn’t quite so loud but it’s not bothering anyone it seems.

    We plan to leave around 9:15-9:30 am to go to Tower Records in Otomesando for the collaboration pop up cafe for the show “The Amazing Digital Circus.” Fingers crossed, their site says there are open spots. I couldn’t pre-register because I don’t have a Japanese phone number.

    We got in!! We spent too much money! It was delightfully strange! The food wasn’t really that good but the ambiance was great.

    After that we tried to find the Alice on Wednesday Store but we think it may have closed. We ended up in Harajuku at a store called Alice in Tinyroom but it wasn’t open until 2. We rode the train back. It’s that weird in between seasons time so all of the stores and trains are already being heated, even though it’s not that cold outside.

    A little Japanese lady dressed in traditional kimono, geta shoes and tabi socks got up from her seat for her stop. But before she left she tapped me on the shoulder and motioned got me to take her seat. Normally it’s the reverse! But it was a sweet interaction.

    Tried to rest when we got back. Greg and Mom went to the Don Quixote for souvenirs. After a bit, Kyrie came to my room and that was the end of my nap.

    After everyone regrouped we decided to go back to the shopping area in Akihabara to find another pillow. Gram stayed behind to chill. Against my better judgement I tried one of the crane machines. I got what I wanted (a Mofusand plush) FIRST TRY. It was bizarre. After a bit Kyrie and I headed back. Gram was “resting her eyes” something fierce so back to my room we go. I got to take a bath which helped with the aches.

    Greg brought back dinner and we had a nice time with everyone chatting and eating. After a bit Kyrie went to chill, Greg and Gram went out wandering so they wouldn’t fall asleep at 5:30pm and I worked on this entry!
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  • Saturday November 23

    23. november 2024, Japan ⋅ 🌬 57 °F

    Didn’t sleep well again and it finally caught up with me. Sick all night. I wanted to go to the Oi Racetrack for the big Flea market but nope…at least they have it tomorrow too. So fingers crossed…

    The others went out and ran around the area were at. Greg got them to the grocery and found Kyrie’s Christmas gift (knitted plush of a character from Final Fantasy 7) and I’m so glad he did. The plush was sold out everywhere!

    Still feeling yucky so turned in early.
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  • Flea Market!

    24. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    Up and out around 7. Had breakfast at Denny’s. So many pretty Christmas decorations are up. Went to the station then transferred to the monorail and arrived at Oi Racetrack (for horses) around 9. It wasn’t crowded but there were soooo many stalls it was overwhelming. And so much stuff was super nice and inexpensive. Kyrie bought a huge Gumi Pokémon plushie first thing. The lady got it in a bag but part of its tail was sticking out and we all got tickled about how it looked. Mom found lots of omiyage like fans, face masks, and other small cute things. I got a full set Nendoroid for $10. Kyrie got more plushies and bought me an awesome figure of Kenshin. Greg found lots of models he’d been looking for at really great prices. We made it through maybe one tenth of what was there. We left cause our hands were full and we thought it was late in the afternoon. But when we checked it was only 10:30. Jet lag stinks.

    We got back to the hotel, no problems and we’re hanging out in Gram and Kyrie’s room. Unfortunately, there seemed to be some sort of altercation outside. This hotel is set up that there are three rooms with a small corridor behind each main door. Evidently Graham and Kyrie‘s neighbors were asked to leave and we’re not sure if it was because they were being obnoxious or if they just missed the checkout time but the pair of them we’re having a full on shouting, yelling, screaming, crying debate in the hall. Then the guy tried to get into our room he rattled the handle knocked and even said, can you open the door? Thank goodness Greg was there and had the good sense to say no. It was quite jarring.

    I tried to eat some lunch, but it didn’t sit with me very well, so I headed back to our room. Greg and Key went out again and found some deals.
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  • Shibuya Scramble

    25. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Went to Shibuya today. There was a indie game store/cafe in the new Gigo arcade. On the way we saw some posters for the new Japanese Vshojo girls. We found cafe without too much trouble. She was very excited to find things from Delta Rune, Undertale and others…they even had a Pyramid Head plush.

    After that we tried to go to the Mandarake store. We found a few things, but the staff were so rude and almost knocked Gram over. They didn’t even acknowledge what happened. So we left pretty quick.

    We had really good tempura for lunch.

    Later that day we went to Yodobashi Camera. I’m still not doing that great, so today we took it a bit easier.
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  • Temple Ginko and Ikebukuro

    26. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    We decided to visit the Asakura Kannon Temple to see the big ginko tree we’ve taken pictures with over the years. We thought it wouldn’t be too crowded in the morning…not quite. It was packed but we got through the back streets to the temple.

    We then headed to Ikebukuro to visit some areas is not had a chance to get back to over the years. We were bad foreigners and ate at McDonald’s. Kyrie was excited to get the special Pokémon donuts from Mister Donut. After that we killed time at the arcade waiting for Book Off to open…so drum game!

    We continued to Sunshine 60 to look for Gram’s Ghibli planner with no luck at the Acorn Democracy store. I ended up ordering it online. We walked back on another quieter route to Otsuka Station.

    Greg and I went out later in the evening to look for Vtuber stuff. I took a shower and we watched a program on JR Shikoku train routes that ran through Ehime from Matsuyama to Uwajima.
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  • Lucky Cat Temple

    27. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Today we went to Gotoku-ji Temple. It’s famous for being the birth place of the manekineko Lucky Cat. A lord was caught in a sudden storm and the temple cat waved him inside. Just as Lord Ii got inside a huge bolt of lightning struck where he’d been standing. After that he patronized the temple and the cat was designed as an incantation of the Goddess of Mercy.

    It took about an hour to get to the temple. It was stunning. It was also filled with tourists…but still very much worth the visit. While we were in (the wrong) line another couple gave us one of their tickets as they weren’t allowed to get two of any item available. We got a small cat statue for us and one for Gram as well as an enma plaque for Kyrie. We rested in the garden and Kyrie drew our kitties, even our two that have passed on. A huge raven flew up and showed off for us from the rafters of the temple. Luckily it waited to poop until it moved past.

    We had Jonathan’s for lunch. There we saw our favorite robo-cat waiter. Kyrie was sweet enough to get me a key chain of the robo-cat too! Afterwards we rested. Then Key and Greg went out again around 4.
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  • Good Boy God Oinusama

    28. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Today we travelled to Kameido-Tenjin Shrine. It’s famous for its wisteria frames, arched red bridges over multiple ponds and one other thing…The Good Boy God.

    Like many big shrines in Japan, Kameido-Tenjin is also home to several lesser shrines called setsumatsusha, including one dedicated to the water goddess Benzaiten and another of a sacred bull statue that is said to possess healing properties. However, there is another little god at the back of the great shrine, hidden in the corner but not quite forgotten.

    Known as Oinusama, the enshrined statue appears to be that of a dog, not unlike those standing guard at the entrances of most Japanese shrines. Covered with salt from head to paw, he may look like he’s freezing in the cold snow of winter, but locals believe that rubbing salt onto him will make one’s wishes come true, especially if they wish to be cured of some disease.

    While the origin of this good-boy god is barely known even to the priests of Kameido, it’s been theorized that a small shrine once stood on the premises and was lost to an air raid during World War II, Oinusama being one of the pair of guardian dog statues at its entrance. When the war ended, the statue was found among the rubble, damaged beyond repair and was placed in the corner of the shrine. Over time, people considered it a minor deity and even built a miniature shrine to honor him.

    After our quest to find Oinusama we visited the Hobby Off Store. Finally we rested up for our adventure to TeamLabs Borderless art exhibit in Asabudai Hills this evening.
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  • Greg made a Vader squidMy fish was a octopi IronmouseGram's was a gorgeous rare Kentucky Tang

    Borderless さまよい

    28. november 2024, Japan ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Wander, Explore, and Discover in One Continuous Borderless World

    teamLab Borderless is a world of artworks without boundaries, a museum without a map created by art collective teamLab.

    Artworks move out of rooms, relate to other works, influence each other, and at times intermingle, without boundaries. Through this group of works, one continuous world without boundaries is created. (Yeah, didn’t really dig the lack of maps…)

    Immerse your body in borderless art. Wander, explore with intention, discover, and create a world with others.

    In Sketch Ocean various fish drawn by everyone swim around in this ocean.

    Color in a fish on the paper provided and see the picture you have colored swim out into the ocean in front of you together with fish drawn by other people. If you touch the fish, they will swim away. You can also feed the fish by touching the food bags.

    Sometimes, the fish leave the room, transcend the boundaries between artworks, and begin to swim.
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