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Japan Part Deux

November 2023
Second trip to Tokyo! Read more
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  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    2
    Day 2

    We are in Tokyo

    November 17, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    Luckily the new QR code processes made immigration and customs a breeze. I was a wuss after being sick so we broke down and took a taxi. I rode in the back but Mr. Kimura our driver talked with me the whole time it took to get to the Super Hotel. Which he told me wasn’t a business hotel because it had an onsen bath.

    Safely inside we got our room 408 and a run down of how everything works including no welcome drink time, the bath hours, the pillow buffet (yeaaaah…) breakfast and how to use the keypad codes to get in our room and the hotel itself after hours.

    We have a small room. It’s workable though. Then I thought I’d lost my yen envelope money. Cue me freaking out…but we found it. Kyrie got her second wind and she and Greg went out convenience store hunting. They returned with drinks, tomato noodles and egg salad sandwiches. We were able to stay awake until 8pm then conked out.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    Day 1

    On our way

    November 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    Up at 3am. Mom was kind enough to spend the night and take us to the Myrtle Beach airport at 4 for our 5:30am flight. Easy jump to Atlanta but my stomach didn’t like the landing I guess. Lost the two granola bars I’d eaten for breakfast but I felt better after that.

    I think I’m just nervous about how I changed the seats around. I was able to get Greg more leg room and hoped the seat me and Kyrie would stay empty. They just announced a full flight. Key will just scoot over next to me and it should be fine as long as my stomach cooperates.

    Our flight was delayed slightly (about an hour so not bad.) Total flight time to Tokyo/Haneda is just under 15 hours. Woo-hoo! It’s long but getting on in Atlanta and stepping off in Japan makes it worth it.

    Until you add 8 screaming babies/children and a continuously upset stomach. Greg ended up switching seats with me about halfway through the flight so I’d be closer to the bathrooms. My body decided to hate me and I upchucked nothing for 15 hours.

    The stewardess was kind though and the people around me were understanding. But I don’t think any of us slept.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    Day 3

    November 18 (Sat)

    November 18, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    Sleep till almost 6 am! Greg and Kyrie went to the free breakfast and brought me back a croissant. The shops didn’t open until 10:30-11 so we relaxed a bit.

    We ventured out to get our bearings and hit a few shops. Kyrie hunted for souvenirs for her friends and teachers. Unfortunately my stomach is still being wonky so I headed back first.

    Later that evening I attended a special crossover event with characters from ‘Saiyuki’ and Sanrio. I had to book a time in advance and get a number. It’s always amazing to see how organized stuff is in Japan. Everyone in attendance lined up on the stairwell by their assigned number. Everyone just checked to see what they were supposed to stand and 5-10 people went into the shop at as time. No pushing, no yelling, no cutting, just a huge group of people waiting patiently for their turns. I was number 55 of 120. Everything was fine until my QR code failed to come up using the building’s free Internet. I’d left the traveling wifi hockey puck with Kyrie and Greg. But the people running the event were super patient and helpful and I was able to go in too.

    Greg, Kyrie and I met up at the front of the station and wandered home. Akihabara is PACKED! We have decided to venture out further in the city to see if we can escape the sheer crush of people. Dinner from Family Mart and back to the room around 9pm.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    1
    Day 4

    Nov 19 (Sun)

    November 19, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Up around 6. Had a good breakfast of karaage chicken, corn soup and rice. We took the train to Kichijoji to a flea market in the roof of the Parco department store. It was so fun! All the sellers put out blankets with all their things. Kyrie and I made out like bandits. Everyone was so kind and happy we were there. They gave us lots of discounts too. Kyrie got lots of stuffed animals. I had lots of strange conversations about the Japanese and English names of Pokémon.

    We got melon flavor ice cream at Baskin Robins on the way back to the station. After that we went to Nakano Broadway since it was on the way back to the hotel. We were a little early but got to wander. (I found a huge Cinnamonroll pillow…. We are using the fact our hotel pillows leave much to be desired to buy plushies, hehehe) Again we found lots good deals and did great until our legs about gave out.

    We took the train back and did our best to not bother anyone with our huge bags. People around us were complimentary of our manners…granted getting talked about without them realizing I understood them was a bit odd. Got a late lunch at Lawson. Then back to hotel to sort.

    Greg and I ventured out again around 5pm. It’s already super dark so it’s easy to forget it’s still early. One Ichigo daifuku sweet later I regained some strength. We exchanged money and went to Lashingbang, AmiAmi and I won a little plushie Mofusand on the first try at a crane machine. I got is hopelessly lost thanks to Google Maps pitching a fit. But we got back to the hotel unharmed.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    1
    Day 5

    Mon Nov 20 (Part 1)

    November 20, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Today we are planning to go to the Art Aquarium and Yanaka Cat Town in Ginza. So today is unofficially Catfish Day. Up around 7:15. Greg and Kyrie got breakfast downstairs while I planned out our travel route for the day. We headed for Ginza and arrived just before the Mitsukoshi department store where the aquarium was located. Because we were some of first in the employees all had to bow as we went by each section. We kept saying good morning back to everyone and by the time we got to the ninth floor all the employees were giggling along with us. The art aquarium was absolutely stunning and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. All the fish looked very healthy and well taken care of and no one touched any of the things they were not supposed to touch. I think that’s one of my favourite things about Japan stuff like this would never happen in the US because people don’t follow instructions.Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    11
    Day 5

    Nov 20, Mon (Part 2)

    November 20, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌬 63 °F

    After that we went to the Cat Town Yanaka Ginza. It was very reminiscent of where we used to live in Yoshida. It had a very homely feel. All the locals are very sweet even to the point of chastising me for not wearing a jacket… I keep trying to explain that it doesn’t feel that cold to me but it’s impossible because most people around us are dressed up like Eskimos. They were interesting things all around including sculptures of cats on top of the roofs to wish the visitors good luck. We bought some long donuts called cat tails. After walking down the Main Street we finally saw a cat at one of the temples it was up in the eaves of the roof. We ended up going into the temple and found a cemetery. Again the difference between a graveyard in the US and Japan is striking. They also had buckets with family crest on it that were used when people came to clean their family graves.

    Because it was still early we decided to go to Kameido to one of the Hobby Off stores. Between the three of us by the time we checked out we had pretty much filled up the entire counter with stuff. I was concerned we would run out of money but it ended up only costing us about $90.

    We had Linner (lunch/dinner) at Jonathan’s. We were served by a cat robot. I freaking love the cat robot…. After a short trip on the train we were back in Akihabara. Greg had some shops he wanted to see so Kyrie and I found our way back to the hotel all in our own, thanks to the fact there’s a huge sign on top of the building.

    Key and I hit the 7/Eleven for dinner supplies and then called it a night.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    Day 6

    Nov 21 (Tues)

    November 21, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Rough start this morning…this trip has been difficult trying to make sure everyone gets to do what they want in the short time we have. I’m being stretched in three different directions and I’m tired. Doesn’t help I’m still out of sorts from being ill on the plane for 15 straight hours… I want to try things we haven’t done/seen before, see things we loved again, experience cultural elements, and have fun. Yesterday I was useless after 3pm and lost half a day.

    Ok pity party over! Walked to a new station nearby called Okachimachi. Very cute and calm atmosphere. Arrived at Tokyo Station Character street at 9:30 after a quick stop at Tokyo Banana. We were the first in line for Kirby Cafe Petit. Getting a reservation for the actual Kirby Cafe in Tokyo Skytree is next to impossible so this was the next best thing. Kyrie got her Kirby Car Mouthful cake finally. I got to go to the first Mofusand Kitty shop next door. After a quick stop at the Pokémon Center we headed to Kitasenju to a new Hobby Off store. We are finding some really calm, pretty neighborhoods.

    We rested in the afternoon and I decided we were going to see the Tokyo Mega Illuminations at the Oi Horse Racetrack. I figured out how to register and purchase tickets online from the Japanese 7/Eleven online store, then hopped over to the physical store to pick up tickets. We took the train and then the monorail to the event space. It was blessedly uncrowded! We saw miniature horses and we pet one named Sakura (16 years old and super soft.) there were lots of interactive light shows and a collaboration with the anime “Uma Musume (Horse Girls)”

    It was busy heading back into Tokyo but we lucked out and ended up riding in one of the antique train cars. We got back to the hotel around 9:30, more or less. As we were laying down the J-Alert went off…The National system warned that North Korea had launched a missile that went off course and might hit Okinawa. Not the best thing to happen at bedtime, but we ended up falling asleep anyway. (The rocket fell into the ocean and no one was injured.)    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    Day 7

    Nov 22 (Wed)

    November 22, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    We took this morning easy. All of our feet are in bad shape but we plan to keep trying to do stuff. We headed out to Yodobashi Camera Daiso for some Souvenir shopping. On the way we had lunch at a tempura store. Then Kyrie and I went back to our other are we used to stay near the rabbit ear park. We had yet to find her sugar stars that suited her as much as the ones from that area’s grocery store. (Even though it was a two mile trek…) but we also found a Magicarp taiyaki so it was worth it.

    Since the sun sets here at 4:30 we decided to go to Tokyo Tower to see lights and things. Kyrie led most of the way. It was a little crowded but after getting a stamped coin, a grape Fanta and a strawberry/vanilla soft serve I was in much better spirits. They had an event going for CLAMP’s Manga Tokyo Babylon and X 1999, but it was a pre-register thing. It saved me a lot of money not realizing it was happening honestly. Those were some of the first manga I ever read….and now I feel old. Although we caught a new anime on this evening called ‘Konyaku Haki Sareta Reijou wo Hirotta Ore ga, Ikenai Koto wo Oshiekomu’ that looks promising.

    Tomorrow we will brave the Hanazono Tori-no-Ichi Festival.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    Day 8

    Nov 23 (Thu) HAPPY THANKSGIVING

    November 23, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Happy Thanksgiving!! I’m grateful for my loving family, my husband’s patience and enthusiasm, my daughter’s sense of humor and easygoing attitude, my extended family at home taking care of my furbabies and for all the wonderful experiences and kind people we’ve met on our trip. It has never been more evident to me how important it is to attempt to speak in a foreign language while in other countries. Every single time any of us even tried to speak, people just lit up.

    This morning we went to Hanazono Shrine to the Tori-no-Ichi Festival. People sell decorated rakes to bring good fortune to whoever buys them. The ads small signs and stickers as “service freebies” to increase where the luck is directed. The first stall Kyrie and Greg went to ignored them. I was taking pictures so I wasn’t with them at the beginning, but after a bit it was obvious. So we left. We found something at one stall then saw a super cute rake with a blue kitty on it. We asked prices but the particular owner of the stall wasn’t there but as soon as we apologized in Japanese the two neighboring stalls sprang into action. From then on it was a group effort. The stall owner happened to have studied English in New York when he was in high school. They gave us a big discount and kept adding and adding things to our rake for family harmony, safety and success, traveling mercies, and even fire safety. Then the neighbor stalls pitched in too! They even did the wood claps and chants for us that are usually reserved for big spenders. It was such a great experience…and a great thing does Kyrie to experience. We will treasure our rake forever.

    We went fairly early in the morning to the shrine so it wasn’t super busy. We dropped Kyrie back at the hotel then headed into Ueno to find some last day souvenirs.

    For early Thanksgiving dinner we had KFC, hahahaha. Turkey isn’t really a thing here. We wandered a bit more and then back to PACK. Kyrie and I procured late dinner from Lawson on our side of the street and the other side of the street so we could find Greg proper sustenance of chicken Katsu with curry noodles.

    We got everything (mostly) to fit!! Sadly that means we have to go home tomorrow….    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Part Deux
    1
    Day 9

    Nov 24 (Fri) Going Home

    November 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Up at 7 am. Not sure any of us slept well. Everything loaded up, got everyone clean and headed down s a little before 10. We had our luggage stores and went to the Tokyo Pokémon Center DX in the Takashimaya Department store in Nihonbashi. All three of us did a lucky pull. We found (and I stupidly put back) a chunky Pikachu. But before we could find it again another lady got him. Sigh.

    Headed back to the hotel and got lunch at 7/Eleven. Then we found the Ehime store…It was like living there all over again with stuff from Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama City and mikan everywhere.

    Our taxi was half an hour late…grr. He tried to make up part of the time but traffic was bad. Truck-kun almost hit us and after that i just closed my eyes. At the airport check in was easy. None of our bags were overweight. I found the pharmacy and hope to sleep (medically if necessary) on the plane. Key and I had soft serve ice cream while we waited at our gate. I’m a little nervous about catching our connection in Atlanta but we will do the best we can. I’m sad to leave Japan but at least I’ll get to go back in April with mom….

    It’s been a great trip, despite some hiccups, and I know we will try to plan to return together again soon.    Read more

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