Nagoya castle

We had a quiet final morning in Tsumago with a walk in town after breakfast, then took the train to Nagoya.
Nagoya Castle was badly damaged in WWII and is being restored, so it's not open. But a 17thLue lisää
Nakasendo route

Dinner at Ryokan Fujioto

Dinner was fantastic - 9 different local dishes introduced by our sweet Japanese server with a lot of smiling, bowing and some follow-up questions from us.
When we were planning this trip, I was aLue lisää
Nakasendo (Magome to Tsumago)

Took an hour long train to Nagatsugawa and a 15 minute taxi in Megome. After dropping the bags for transport to the town we will stay at for the night, we started on the 6 mile hike through theLue lisää
Ryokan Fujioto

This ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) is beautiful, with wood everywhere and a gorgeous common garden. We immediately took showers in the singke bathroom for the whole inn. It's a huge room that youLue lisää
Nakasendo from Magome to Tsumago

Amazing experience walking an ancient postal route between Japanese villages. Of course it was over 95 degrees so we all looked like death at the end
Train ride with my boy

Tobira Onsen

A private bus full of senior citizens took us 45 minutes up into the mountains to the baths. We were asked to leave our shoes at the door and use their slippers (took them a bit to find their biggestLue lisää
Matsumoto Castle

After a peaceful train ride out of Tokyo through rolling hills and into low, jagged green mountains, we came to Matsumoto. After a lunchbox ramen and gyoza we toured the largest castle in Japan, aLue lisää
SAMURI PARTY

Alex is mad because people are making him smile for a picture which he hates.
Samurai Museum

Deb at the Samurai Museum

Deb is engrossed in an explanation of samurai swords
Uobei Sushi restaurant

Tsukiji Fish Market

Yum!
Yokohama DeNA BayStars v Yakult Swallows

Yokohama is about an hour south of Tokyo, but it seems like it takes an hour to get places within Tokyo, so I find the whole distance thing here a bit confusing.
The stadium is small - about 30kLue lisää
Asakusa & Odaiba

After the hotel breakfast this morning we headed out to Asakusa to the Senso-ji temple. The neighborhood is older and very quaint, and the approach to the shrine is full of touristy shops with lots ofLue lisää
Deb with a giant brown bear

Deb waited in line to get this picture. Apparently this brown bear is a big deal
BEAR GANG PARTY

BEAR GANG
Harajuku

Went to lunch at a great gyoza place in Harajuku, Alex was particularly happy with that choice.
After we went to Takeshita-dori, the main locus of teen fashion & culture in Tokyo. The boys wereLue lisää
Shibuya & Meiji

Breakfast on the 17th floor of the hotel was a great way to start, followed by a celebrity sighting in the way out. Exiting the elevator we saw a Jason Momoa lookalike but bigger (7 feet tall dudesLue lisää
Tokyo - Robot Restaurant

Went up to Tokyo and were glad to meet up with Chris and Alex, not-so-fresh off the plane.
I have no words for the Robot Restaurant. Except...not really a restaurant.
Had a solid bowl of ramen andLue lisää
Enoshima Island

We were up at the crack of dawn. Packed up the bag and left it in the hotel for the morning. We had yummy Western breakfast at a place called bills close to Shichirigahama station (they don't refillLue lisää
Alex and dad head out

Alex and Dad are on the plane now... our turn for the long flight
ENOSHIMA SUSHI PARTY

Sushi
Sushi in Enoshima

Toby was craving sushi, so I searched Google maps for the closest sushi restaurant to Enoshima station and came up with Masa Sushi.
About 5 minutes walk from the station we came to a building thatLue lisää
Kamakura afternoon

After lunch we walked to Hokoku-ji Temple (small but beautiful) and then on to Sugimotodera Temple, which was founded in 734. The original steps are still there, but so worn they have built new onesLue lisää
MatkaajaSupposed to be 108 on Friday and 110 on Saturday. You are in a temperate climate!
MatkaajaIt's about 10°F hotter here than normal, about the same as Dallas. I guess it's just a tough summer all over.