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Pivot East: Japan
  • Wolpertinger Wanderings
  • Wolpertinger Wanderings

Pivot East: Japan

Ein Abenteuer von Wolpertinger Wanderings mit offenem Ende Weiterlesen
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  • Beginn der Reise
    30. März 2026
    Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    In Transit

    30. März in den USA ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    This is our first trip to Japan, husband's pick. He's always been interested in Japan since he was a kid (thanks Godzilla and Ultraman). So we're of to do the Golden Route plus Kanazawa and Takayama. Hopefully we'll see some cherry blossoms. Doesn't look good as bloom was early.

    We departed Philly early. Due to the TSA issues, we got there before security opened by about forty-six minutes. Big line. Once they opened though, it went pretty quickly. Thirty-six minutes with supplemental screening (me). That used to be the norm at terminal D.

    Nice flight. Full. I got to gate check my carry on through to Tokyo so yay.

    On our arrival in Chicago there were fire engines and police everywhere on the runway. I wondered, hmm what are they here for? Our plane. I felt like we were Jake and Elwood Blues making a triumphant return. No. Turns out something was wrong, not sure what.

    O'Hare itself is crazy, crowded, and chaotic. It was a nice connection, no mad dash like usual in Frankfurt. We had some famous Chicago cheesecake, which was just okay. Now settled in and gate keeping hydrated.

    The flight is 13.5 hours or so, so see you over there.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    1

    Tokyo Arrival/First Meal

    31. März in Japan ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    After a long flight we managed to get through immigration and customs easily and quickly, thanks to the fact we had registered ahead of time with Visit Japan web. Highly recommend, but don't forget to download the QR code.

    The airport scramble: pick up Sim card, install it, purchase IC card for trains, etc went smoothly.

    Taking the train, well not so smooth. I ran it through Google maps etc, but on the ground... not flawless. We accidentally get off the train thinking it was the wrong one, but a nice train policeman helped us out.

    Found our place in a building in Asakusa, small of course, but clean and convenient. Great toilet.

    Then we went to a small restaurant a few blocks away to eat. Tonkatsu, which is breaded, fried pork (yes, like schnitzel for the few who've read our Germany trips), with miso soup, shredded cabbage, and rice for me. Pork with ginger and all the rest of the same for Steve.

    And yes, the cherry blossoms are just barely holding on. Real ones,I got the first picture on our way to the apartment.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    1

    Senso-ji by night

    31. März in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    The videos show this temple, and the shopping street that goes with it, as always packed during the day. It was pretty lively after eight at night.

    Fast facts on Senso-ji

    Oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo 628 founding, 645 official recognition.

    Founded when two fishermen pulled a golden statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva of mercy from the nearby Sumida River, and subsequently dedicated to her. Included is a paint of the event from Nakamise shopping street.

    Three large gates, an impressive main worship hall, a five story pagoda, as well as all the other things you'd find in a temple here. Note the places to get fortunes (if they're bad you can tie them up and try again), buy talisman,etc. Just wanted to point them out since they might be unfamiliar.

    Also: the giant sandals of the temple guardians. I only took a picture of one.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Asakusa sites and Sumida Park

    31. März in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Going on thirty hours with no sleep, but a few more pictures of Asakusa on a rainy night.

    Including:

    the Aashi beer building, a very muddy Sumida Park, the Sumida River, Tokyo Skytree wreathed in clouds, and just around.

    Excuse the brevity of my posts, very different than my usual wordy discourse . I'm doing this sans laptop and it's irksome.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    23

    Shinjuku and breakfast

    1. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Off to the other side of Tokyo today, despite the promise of rain. Sakura viewing is the main objective, to see the cherry blossoms before they fall. That looks imminent.

    So two trains, including having to leave one station, walk a couple minutes outside to a different company's line. Breakfast at a chain coffee shop that offers a little coffee set: toast/roll and egg or red bean paste. A quick walk to see Godzilla at the Gracery Hotel / Toho Theater because I have no desire to see the area at night, despite the lights and action. Yes,I am an old grouch.

    Oh, and the giant 3D cat billboard.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Shinjuku Gyoen Garden

    1. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    This area was originally the Edo residence of a Naito family daimyo (for lack of an easier explanation, a territorial warrior ruler similar to a European feudal lord). The land was granted by the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu for the family's required home in the new Tokugawa capital. It entered into imperial control shortly after the Meiji Restoration, and became a garden. It was opened to the public in 1906. After incurring significant damage in WW II, it was redesigned and contracted in size in 1949.

    Today, its famous for its cherry trees, and also contains an English traditional park garden, a Japanese traditional garden, French formal garden and a greenhouse

    We arrived just before opening to find a decent sized line because it's a popular place for Sakura (cherry blossom) viewing.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    2

    Harajuku

    1. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Next up was Harajuku, after two stops and long walk. Stop one was the Godzilla store, which to Steve's disappointment was a tiny corner section of one large open floor of a mall. After that, the walk towards Harajuku. Second stop, lunch which was beef bowls with rice and beef tail soup.

    Finally, Harajuku, mainly Takeshita Street which was ground zero for Japanese youth culture a while back, featuring Kawaii style- that cuteness aesthetic, and the Lolita look. Now, it's like a lot of places that become a thing: Gatlinburg Tennesse, South Street in Philadelphia in the late 1980s, any beach boardwalk. Lots of gawkers and kitschy over priced shops. And mobs of people. Still, it was bright and energetic.

    We also stopped in at the Sailor Moon store for our oldest daughter. Like the Godzilla store, it was s tiny corner area. Some nice stuff.

    Sadly, I didn't get my enormous multicolored cotton candy because I was so full from lunch, and it was raining so hard. Not to mention, who knows what all that sugar would do to someone my age.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Meiji Shrine

    1. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    This is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji (of the Meiji Restoration) and his wife, Empress Shoken. It has extensive grounds, but was raining so hard we didn't spend as much time exploring as we normally would have. Also, as with most shrines, photography is restricted in many places.

    Built in 1920, it was damaged in World War Two, and rebuilt in 1958.

    Also at the end, the chocolate baumkuchen we had afterwards. Yes, German cake in Japan.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Fancy, Bougie Flower Tea

    1. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    I saw this place on you tube, and I'm a sucker. For more money than I want to admit, we made reservations at a place called Haute Couture Brunch. Problem was, we couldn't find it because Google maps kept trying to send up through the back of the building it was in, never naming the building. I figured it out when we were close to 45 minutes late. They still seated us so yay.

    Why does late tea get its own post? Well, it was SUPER CUTE. That's why. We liked almost everything.

    Menu was as follows...
    SAVORY
    Abalone with silken yuba jelly
    Broccoli and cheese potage
    Crispy shrimp spring roll
    Sea urchin flan
    Wagyu steak with seasoned rice and cheese sauce

    SWEET
    Fluffy Shimaenaga and strawberry parfait (with shimaenaga being a cute little bird on top of the parfait)
    Mousse au praise
    Chocolate cream puff
    Strawberry red bean soup
    Strawberry verrine

    Sakura tea

    It was the flan we weren't crazy about    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Shinjuku by night

    1. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 52 °F

    Someone, not me, wanted to see Shinjuku at night, so up we went by train. Went out the wrong station exit so had to walk around the massive station outside in the rain.

    It was pouring, mobbed, cold, and Someone looked around, saying, " This is terrible, let's leave."

    So we did. No drunken booze up. No aggressive touts, no red light district.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    32

    Senso-ji by Day

    2. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 48 °F

    First, some administrative tasks, aka shopping for things we need, that we will need like a suitcase. First stop the legendary Don Quixote. It was okay. Breakfast same as yesterday. Finally got a suitcase at a little store on the far side of the temple.

    We visited first, walked around the famous Nakimise shopping street and only bought two little filled fried buns, chocolate and curry.

    Details of the temple in a previous post...

    And I'm throwing a lunch picture in for good measure. Curry, one pork, one minced meat. It was good, but next ti.e going hotter.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Art and Anime

    2. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    After lunch we headed off to the Sumida Hokusai museum. Best known in the US for the Great Wave of Kamakura, he was a prolific artist in different media. He published several drawing manuals with figures of exquisite detail. You can find copies of them in many popular works of his time. Only one place to take a picture, so I did.

    Next we went down to Akihabara, originally famous for electronics, now also mecca for geeks and nerds of all things anime, manga and such like. Also home to the famous maid cafes. There are also game centers covering floors of large buildings with video games, crane games, and gachapon machines. Very over stimulating. Also, the only anime I like is old so...

    Still, an interesting place to go.    Weiterlesen

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    Yasukuni Shrine

    2. April in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Yasukuni Shrine was established 1869 by Emperor Meiji to honor those in service to Japan who were killed in the Boshin War (1868-1869). Now, it's a shrine to commemorate all Japanese who served in wars including mobilized civilians, residents of Okinawa, and victims of Soviet gulags. Its considered a controversial site as 1066 WWII war criminals are enshrined here, including 14 Class A offenders.

    A lot of people were here to view cherry blossoms. There's also a museum but it was closed. Statue is of Omuru Masujiro, credited with modernizing Japan's navy.    Weiterlesen

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    Ueno Park

    3. April in Japan ⋅ 🌙 52 °F

    Ueno Park, including the statue of Saigo Takamori, "the last true samurai". Takamori was an early leader in the Meiji Restoration, but later believed the government was betraying the country so joined the Satsuma Rebellion. He was killed in 1877.

    Somehow, we forgot to visit the pond. Maybe it was the Sakura whiskey highball in a can I had with our cutlets at lunch. They were minced meat, ham, and potato, by the way.    Weiterlesen

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    Tokyo National Museum

    3. April in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Shortened day today due to the observance of Holy Friday, when we went back to our apartment mid day for a time of quiet and contemplation.

    That aside, we making a dry run to Tokyo Station to find the shinkansen gates for our trip to Osaka. Yes, a time waster as we didn't get lost like we have been, and getting to the gates was easier than the videos portray.

    Next, the National Museum Japanese collection. Unfortunately part of the upper floor was closed. Nice pieces, including a temporary exhibition on Christian art from Nagasaki in the 1500s. Included in this were many figurines of Kannon, bodhisattva of Mercy, who stood in as a representation of Theotokos/ Virgin Mary. The artifacts were seized during the persecutions of the Tokugawa period.

    The sword blade and and separate hilt were said to have been used to kill demons in Kyoto.

    There were some amazing things you couldn't photograph and I didn't.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender
    11

    Tokyo Skytree

    3. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    Tokyo Skytree, tallest broadcasting tower in the world and third or fourth tallest structure. Great views, but hideously crowded especially getting back down. We did get to see Mount Fuji by sunset. Views are from the 450 meter /1476 ft deck and the 350 meter/ 1148 feet deck. Also a few through the glass floor at 345 meters.

    Last, a few boats on the Sumida River.    Weiterlesen

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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanReisender

    Shitennoji

    4. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Back on track. Literally, we left for Osaka on an early shinkansen. Too cloudy to see Mount Fuji. It was a rainy, chilly day, which got worse weather wise.

    Arrived, dropped bags, looked around, ate then went to Shitennoji Temple. It was the first state sponsored Buddhist temple in Japan, founded by Prince Shotoku in 593 AD. The stone tori gate erected in 1294 is the oldest standing gate in Japan. There are amazing Buddha statues and beautiful, gentle-pale toned frescoes in some of the buildings, but taking photos is prohibited so there are only outside pictures.

    We also got a chocolate filled fish cookie. Fish shaped, not flavored. And a picture of a nice manhole cover for good measure.    Weiterlesen

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    Lunch Interlude

    4. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    We had our first Osaka specialty, okonomiyaki. It's a savory pancake containing a wheat batter, cabbage, and a variety of other things, based on the diner's or chef's choice, cooked on a flat grill. We had one of those with squid, pork belly, shrimp and octopus topped with whatever sauce, spicy mayonnaise and bonito flakes. We also had an order of yakisoba with rge same ingredients.

    Both good, we'll have to try and learn to make it.    Weiterlesen

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    Dotonbori by Day

    4. April in Japan ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    Osaka is called the kitchen of Japan, and people come here to eat. One of the draws is Dontobori, filled with restaurants, food stands, and shops.

    The official mascot these days for the area is Kuidaore Taro. A doll with a red jacket, bow tie and large mouth, symbolizing the city of kuidore- eat until you drop.

    As to the other weird figure, the scary looking baby thing with big feet, that's Billiken, who we'll get back to later.    Weiterlesen

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    Osaka Castle Park

    5. April in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Just the park, not the museum inside, even the castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi is an interesting historical figure, a man who rose from the peasant class to all but unite and rule Japan. He passed this near impregnable fortress to his son, who lost it to Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa dynasty.

    Beautiful grounds and impressive structure. The story behind its power, and its loss is a good one.

    And another interesting manhole cover, the mascot of the Osaka Expo.    Weiterlesen

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