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Lost In Translation? Tokyo
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Lost In Translation? Tokyo

12 months after the earthquake and our unfortunately abandoned trip we're off on a family trip to see Tokyo. Looking forward to culture and Kawaii (cuteness). Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 1, 2012
    Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    An early start

    June 1, 2012 in England ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Waking early or at the wrong time is likely to be a theme of this trip I fear given the distance and time change. Anyhow, an 0500 alarm and we were on the way to Heathrow at 6. Bit early for the X26 so a taxi this time. Following a long domestic debate we are experimenting with travelling only with hand luggage ..... let's see how that goes.

    Into the airport and settling down for bacon rolls and toast by 0700 and onto the plane for an on time take off at 0855. Then another breakfast is offered .... probably a food overload now.

    Time for a snooze and then lunch (or is it an early dinner?).    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    An early arrival

    June 2, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Saturday AM. Tokyo is 8 hours ahead of the UK so at 2015 UK time and 0415 Tokyo time we landed around 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Our hand luggage only decision meant we were out of the airport in a record 15 minutes or so (and most of that was walking from the gate to the terminal). However, as we'd landed early the first train was not until 0517 so not much of a time saving unfortunately.

    Into town on the Tokyo monorail to Hammamatsucho and switch to the famous Yamonote line 1 stop to Shinbashi. Checked into hotel (we'd booked from the previous night) and time for a few. hours of sleep.

    Up and out at 1pm for a wander round the local area. We headed for Ginza which is just a few minutes walk from Shinbashi where we are staying. Careful navigation took us to a big toy store first ... cue Emma being very excited. Awwww cute Totoro plush toys (what do you mean you haven't seen "My Neighbour Totoro"? A few hundred yen later we moved on to other shops including the massive and very smart Mitsukoshi. After this and a few other shops we gradually worked our way back towards the hotel checking out some small restaurants around and under the railway arches of Yurokochi JR station for some eating options for later in the week.

    With jet lag hitting us we didn't really have the energy for a restaurant meal and discarding McDonalds as just too safe we ventured into the local Lawsons (like 7-11) for some instant noodles (well at least it was Japanese food!).

    Time for b ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    Temple Run

    June 3, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Jet Lag is a very tiring experience when you should be asleep but the Tokyo time says you should be awake. Despite this we made ourself wake up and went on a visit to Asakusa where you get a glimpse of old japan and see Senso-Ji shrine. The Shrine has quite a few structures but the main feature is a golden statue of Kannon which dates back to AD 628. There are so many people who make this journey to the temple, especially on a Sunday, and they leave prayers and wishes and light candles. On the walk up to the temple you go through a shopping street which sells everything from the touristy treats to the various types of crafts as well as lots of snacks (pancake with bean paste baked inside), Needless to say we passed on the snacks.

    After having seen the shrine and walked through the gardens we did a tour around the old town and sampled some lunch from one of the cafes - a bit pricey and food was OK - but you have to try the local fayre. We were pleased we didn't order the dish that our neighbouring diner received - there was definitely something moving on the top of it.

    Once we had taken in all that Asakusa had to offer we went by subway to Harajuku. This is a bustling shopping area and place where the Harajuku girls come dressed up at the weekend - though there weren't many for us to see. Before we went shopping we walked through tree-lined avenues to another shrine - Meiji-Shrine. This is Tokyo's grandest shrine and was built-in 1920 and rebuilt after the WWII bombings in 1958. It is a very peaceful place in amongst all the hustle and bustle of tokyo a stark contrast to the shrine in the morning. We also saw a number of weddings which were taking place at the shrine. The bride and groom, dressed in traditional dress, were walked through the shrine in a formal procession to be blessed at the temple.

    We then walked back to the shopping district and made our way to Alison & Emma's mecca KIDDYLAND. This is 3 floors of cuteness and includes a whole floor of Snoopy stuff and Hello Kitty. We spent a lot of time deciding what to buy but managed to be fairly conservative.

    Paul's choice for dinner - a Ramen restaurant he had visited on his previous trip. There we had big bowls of noodles in a soup with pork. Very tasty and welcoming at the end of a days sightseeing.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    A day in the mountains

    June 4, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After another jet-lagged night fighting sleep we woke up late. We had planned to take a trip out of Tokyo to the mountains and so had to make a quick exit from the hotel in order to make the train in time.

    Paul navigated his way through Shinjuku station, which is the busiest in the world, to find the ticket booth and the train - called the Odakyu line which runs both commuter trains and the prestige Romance express. A day pass, called the Hakone Freepass covers the train journey we were about to take plus all the local transport through the day.

     The journey took us through the suburbs of Tokyo south to a place called Hakone-Yumoto. This is the gateway to the Hakone mountain area widely used as a holiday destination by the locals. We didn't stop long here - only time enough to catch a two-car mountain train which slowly winds through the forest, reversing direction a couple of times just to get up to its destination Gora. We stopped at Gora for a quick bite to eat - the guide book had said there is nothing particular to see there and so we wandered on to the next form of transport; a funicular railway up the first part of the Sounzan mountain and from there quickly onto the Hakone Ropeway, a cable car with spectacular views of the mountain and its surroundings.

    At the half way point of the Ropeway is an opportunity to stop and see the remaining volcanic activity at Owakaduni with hot sulphur vents and springs. A strong smell of sulphur hung in the air and the hot springs are also used to cook a local delicacy - black eggs. So, after a bracing stroll up to the springs and back we headed for the second part of the ropeway this time heading down the other side of the hill to Lake Ashi and a boat trip with a difference. A pirate ship. Yes really. Boat trips across the lake are run with modern boats built as pirate ships; there doesn't seem to be any reason for this.

    The scenery from the boat was beautiful - the lake is 11km in circumference and so pretty large and is very good for fishing black bream and trout. On a good day you get a beautiful reflection of Mount Fuji - it wasn't a good day so we were not given that sight. The trip takes 1/2 hour and after getting off Paul's tour guide skills kicked in and he navigated the bus network to take us on a bus trip back up the mountains to a little station to get the mountain train again back up to Gora and then back down the mountain again.

    We got our train back to Tokyo and were glad of the rest the hour long journey gave us. Once back at Shinjuku we were placed right back in amongst the commuters going back home and to get their dinner. We walked round a station food court seeing if there was anything that took our fancy. Amazing that most of the restaurants made you pay up front at the entrance via a ticket machine and then you are seated and given your food. As it was all in japanese we gave this a miss and went to Shibuya to see if we could find something we could understand more. This is the home of the famous crossing - you stand at the crossing and once the green man shows up you cross with a thousand other pedestrians. Amazing !! We went away from the crowds a little bit and found the TGI Fridays that Paul had eaten in previously - we were very happy - especially Emma who could eventually eat chicken fingers and fries instead of noodles.

    After our dinner we made our way back to the station and took in the colourful sight of the crossing again - still busy even though it was 9pm. We eventually got back to our hotel 13 hours after we left - a beautiful day full of sights and the beautiful peaceful mountains. We can understand why so many make the day trip there.

    We need to recharge our batteries now - so hoping sleep will come a little easier tonight. It certainly should.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    Swan Lake

    June 5, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Our day starts a bit later today - sleep again doesn't come the easiest - we certainly resemble the characters in the film Lost in Translation. So we take it easy this morning and have breakfast and update our blog.

    Our itinerary today is to head for Ueno - so we take the subway and our first stop when we get out of the station is to see Ameyoko Arcade. This is street market whose stalls are part of the railway arches. As you step into the market it is full of people, smells, chatter and lots of food and general things to buy. We took a walk down to the end seeing the fresh fish for sale, dried foods and lots of fruit and vegetables.We decided to have lunch here at one of the little cafes - the waitress had an understanding of English so she could help us with the pictures - this translated in to whether the buns had pork in or not. We seemed to understand each other and ordered some japanese style tapas and it was tasty and very filling.

    Once we had eaten we walked up into Ueno Park and walked around. This is Tokyo's oldest park and has temples and lily pond lakes and a boating lake. All with the backdrop of high-rise buildings. There are also long tree lined paths which would be beautiful with the cherry blossom when it is out. We were persuaded by Emma to take a Swan Boat out onto the lake and see the park from a different perspective. The park is very busy with people visiting the temples and sights. It is also home to the children's Zoo but we decided to visit one of the many museums instead - The National Science Museum which is a lovely building and houses a rooftop herb garden and 6 floors of general exhibits including dinosaurs and technology. We stayed until closing time 5pm - and to announce the closing of the museum the tannoy played Auld Lang Syne!! Bizzare.

    To get to our teatime destination we took the subway 1 stop to Suehirocho at the north end of Electric Town. From coming out of the station you see bright lights, and multi-story buildings all housing the latest in electronics. We took a stroll down the main street and Paul found another branch of the noodle restaurant we had eaten in a couple of days ago. We had our dinner there - drawing back the curtain at the entrance to reveal a tiny room which you sit at the bar to eat your Ramen. The guys are all friendly and helpful and it is a bustling place - even if it does only sit 15 people.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    A big clock, an island and a pork cutlet

    June 6, 2012 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    A clever spot from somebody's online blog led us to the first stop of the day just in time. Outside the Nippon TV Tower in Shimbashi is a huge clock designed by our old friend Hayao Miyazaki, director of Totoro and Spirited Away. Several times a day this animated clock comes to life (and therefore doesn't show up so well in photos). Afterwards a short walk took us to the Yurikamome line station in Shimbashi. This line is a monorail connecting to Odaiba Island - an artificial construction built on some defensive islands from the1850s, themselves artificial.

    Odaiba Island is home to lots of malls plus attractions such as a Toyota showroom, a marine park, a huge ferris wheel and (closed at the moment) a multi-storey games arcade. A couple of hours mooching round the shops here was enough although we must mention the unbelievable pinkness of Hello Kitty Kawaii Paradise.

    We made our way to Shinjuku via the Rinkan JR line (getting on and off the island is pretty expensive public transport wise - 360 Yen rather than the usual 160 or 190 Yen journey) for a visit to the viewing gallery on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building passing by a few other huge office buildings on the way. The view from the 45th floor shows just how far Tokyo sprawls out to the horizon in every direction. On a good day it is possible to see Mount Fuji but this wasn't to be a good day for us.

    After the giddy heights of Tokyo we followed the guide book to the Shinjuku NS building (I don't know what NS stands for). Inside is the world's biggest pendulum clock and on the 29th floor a range of restaurants catering for all different food types. Almost plumping for a plate of pasta we walked further around the floor to find what looked like a Tonkatsu restaurant - Tonkatsu Ise. Tonkatsu is meat, usually pork or chicken, deep fried in panco breadcrumbs. I'd been looking for one of these all week. With a rudimentary english menu all three of us picked a selection - pork for me, chicken for Emma and a mixed selection of both plus prawn for Alison. It was absolutely delicious - oishi! helped along by the Asahi (Alison) and Sake (Paul).

    Back home then via the bright lights in the main shopping streets of Shinjuku for a well earned rest.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    Giant Buddha and Great Kannon

    June 7, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Another day, another day trip; this time to the Pacific coastal area of Kamakura and Enoshima. Kamakura is know for its huge number of temples (which we didn't go to look at) and Enoshima for being a seaside destination (which we did look at).

    Trains run direct to Kamakura from our local station Shimbashi but that would be just too easy! We took a fast train on the Ito line to Totsuka and then switched to the local Tokaido line to Kamakura, There, we bought the local "Kamakura Free Pass - an all day travel ticket and switched to the charming little Enoden line to our first stop Hase. This is the location for another temple area including the famous Giant Buddha (11m tall) and the Great Kannon temple.

    A 15 minute walk from the station led us to the Giant Buddha, proper name - daibutsu. This Buddha was completed in 1252 and once was housed in a hall until a tsunami washed it away in 1495! It is hard to believe this as it is 11.4m tall and cast in bronze but it is true Paul and Emma went inside the Buddha whilst I helped some lovely Japanese year 7 children with their English project - V sweet!!

    A short stroll back from the Great Buddha along their high street stopping at a beautiful japanese gift shop on the way. We followed the crowds to the Great Kannon. And yes there were many people visiting this temple and we did wonder why. Paying 300 yen entrance we started to see why. There were the most beautiful manicured gardens Japanese style and also a hydrangea festival too. We climbed the steps to see a 9m tall gold leaf statue which is said to have been washed up from the sea in the early 8th century. This statue represents the Buddha goddess of mercy and compassion. To the left of the statue is a beautiful view across the bay and town with our first view of the Pacific Ocean. It was a very beautiful place to visit and well worth the detour.

    So Then it was off on the Enoden line again, this time to Enoshima, a seaside resort on the coast of the Pacific overlooked (except on a cloudy day) by Mount Fuji.

    After lunch a special treat for Alison and Emma - a trip on a monorail; the Shonan monorail is one of the very few in the world where the train is suspended from the monorail rather than running on top of it (the picture makes it clearer!). They were unsurprisingly unimpressed ("what do you mean we now have to get on it to go back to where we started").

    Finally for the day trip the Enoden line took us back to Kamakura and it was back to Shibuya for dinner by way of the Shonan Shinuku line.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreLost In Translation? TokyoTraveler

    Royality and Rilakuma

    June 8, 2012 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    After a quiet morning we left the hotel to walk to the Imperial Palace via Hibiya park. We also wanted to catch on the way the procession of Sanno. The festival or Matsuri is an expression of the Shinto religion and the summer festival is there to try to circumvent plagues and pests of the crops. They are part of the old Edo period when farming was mainstay. There were many colourful parts to the procession with horses and flowers and plants.

    Once we had viewed this we walked past the imperial palace. Closely guarded by the imperial household agency you can't get very close and no visitors are allowed inside apart from around Xmas time and new year. We wanted to visit the gardens but these seem guarded too so we gave that a miss.

    Tokyo station is a short walk away and so we walked there in search of some lunch and a little shopping opportunity for Emma. Tokyo station was built in 1914 and has survived earthquakes bombings and fire. It is now undergoing a 13 billion yen facelift. We entered the station and visited Kitchen Street. This an area of the station which has numerous restaurants of all kinds and caters for visitors and office workers both at lunch and on the way home for dinner. We found a lovely Katsu restaurant and again had TonKatsu with Pork. Lovely.

    Also part of the station is Tokyo Character street. Here is everything Kawaii or cute and Emma was in her element and soon had Daddy's credit card working. Mummy was fairly happy with a mini snoopy town too. Great stuff.

    A 10 min walk from the station you get to Ginza which is not far from our hotel. We made a stop at the Sony Building which showcases the latest gadgets and accessories from Sony. A couple of other shops later - Itoya 9 floors of stationery including beautiful Japanese wares and Toy Park - we made our way home.

    We tried Japanese fast food this evening from Hanamaru. udon noodles and Katsu. We tried it but food wasnt as great as our expectations. Definitely lost in translation.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 10, 2012
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