Sunday 13th April 2014- Imperial Palace and lunch with friends

We left the Hotel around 0915 to get by underground to the Imperial Palace where we arrived just about ten am and in time to join the short queue.  The Palace was most impressive with the garden and fantastic gardens spread over several hundred acres in the middle of this city. After 2.5 hours looking around we then took the train to Takashimaya Department store to meet up with Noel ex Osaka colleagues and we went to a brilliant old Japanese restaurant where we enjoyed all sorts of specialities. A really excellent lunch with tatami matting and, no shoes.

After lunch we wandered through the back streets and to a old Kyoto style coffee and cake house where we continued our chats until about 16.30 when they had to leave back to Osaka and us to continue our walking through the fish market and then on to shops selling all sorts of clothing. The local girls seem to where either short miniskirts or short trousers and boots whilst it it also great to see many Japanese wearing their kimonos as a matter of course and walking around the shops, it adds a certain charm and when the man is in his traditional outfit what a wonderful couple they make.

We found a supermarket to purchase more bread to enable us to polish of the Boursan Cheese and also the rest of the Kirkland Bordeaux special wine whilst check out the location of our next Hotel and how we get there. There is also the small matter of sorting an checking 224 photos and videos and writing two days blog to be completed and also make a couple of Skype calls.

Saturday 12th April 2014- A good journey to Kyoto

We have a few miles to do today to get to Kyoto. We left nice and early and hit the Tomei Expressway and then the NEW Tomei Expressway and there was very little traffic on the motorways and much less than we expected. Our route took us South of Nagoya and via the large Sea Port where you could see hundreds of Toyota cars awaiting shipment and shortly afterwards there was a huge fun park. We stopped for a coffee and then about an hor later for some petrol, this little Nissan Note seems to conserve fuel well with ECO flashing lights if you push too hard on the GO pedal.

We arrived in Kyoto and found the Hotel after a short diversion but our looking on Google Earth helped us finds this newish hotel with Hotel rooms being very small. We parked in the car park, well actually there is room for about six cars but they have this mechanism which lifts the cars in to the air in a stack enabling them to store twenty four cars in the space of six. One hour later we were en route walking to Kyoto Station where we found a Travelex to cash in some T/C’s  and also a spaghetti lunch and then on walking around outside  the station and we came to the first cultural location an amazing building called the Higashi Honganji Temple which is the largest wooden structure in the world and most impressive it is.

By this time it was about 5pm and so we started slowly walking back to the Hotel and buying some bread to go with our cheese and wine which we planned for eating tonight.

It had been a long day and we were both tired and so did not action the blog or photos but watch a very old ‘Star Wars’ film on TV until we dropped off about 9.30 pm.

A good but tiring day

Friday 11th September 2014- On to Mount Fuji via Hakone

We were up quite early after a good night’s rest and raring to go. We all had an early breakfast our friends were also leaving early for Kyoto where they are meeting up with some other colleagues and then enjoy and onsen.

We headed down the coast in the direction of Hakone and by late morning after a couple of stops we arrived safely and walked a little bit around the lake. From there we talk the road to Gotemba, where we would stay later in the day, and then on to Mount Fuji and Lake Yamanaka and also Lake

Kawaguchi. We bought some salad stuff for lunch and parked by the side of Lake Yamanaka and then further North and around parts of Lake Kawaguchi before heading back to Gotemba. The sun was shining on the snow which covered a large part of Mount Fuji and it looked really beautiful.

The roads around this area were fairly quiet which was good as it meant we did not have traffic building up behind us as we make our way along at the approved speed limit which nobody else seems to observe here.

We arrived at the Hotel just before 17.00 and checked in and the first thing was a cup of tea and then a shower and out for dinner and we went to the nearest place which was a American Dennys restaurant chain and the food was not bad at all.

We then spent some time checking on out next Hotel as again the Satnav did not recognise the number so in the room after pouring over google maps we now have a pretty good idea where to go. Let’s see how we get on tomorrow but it is about a four hour drive minimum on the motorway tomorrow so an early start will take place.

Thursday 10th April 2014- Time to leave Tokyo

Well we had an early start but the Sat Nav could only take us to an area rather than a specific location as it would know appear that entering the telephone number is fine, but if it is not in the database then the satnav can only take you to the close area. So no problem leaving Tokyo on the Tomei expressway and we headed west via the Shuto and then the Tomei and eventually reached our first turn off as we were heading for the COSTCO Store at Zama which we discovered is  right next door to a major  manufacturing plant for Nissan.

We could not find the store and went in to a 7/11 store and as we started asking it was clear that we were not the first people to ask where to go. Ten minutes later we were there and parking. The store is very large and with an amazing choice of stuff and prices was so very low for many items. We purchased some wine, a Kirkland own brand Malbec from Argentina at just over 1000 yen per bottle or about £ 6.00. It’s usually at least £ 10.00 per bottle in Farnborough. Also the fantastic choice of meat is there no doubt for all the Americans leaving around the bases.

So we bought some wine and cheese and some other items and then turned south to Kamakura and again we had a telephone for the SAT NAV of a very old Hotel but again the Satnav said NO, so we ended up a littler lost but after following our instincts we made to the agreed meeting point on time.

We had a great stay meeting up with ex business colleagues for afternoons of light refreshment on their balcony overlooking the ocean and of course some wine was taken and then an excellent sashimi and sushi dinner before retiring to bed at around 10.30. We both wore ear plugs as the house is between a main road and a railway line but we had no problems sleeping and in fact woke early the next morning.

A really nice day 

Wednesday 9th April 2014- We are leaving Tokyo tomorrow

We are both feeling rather tired with all the walking for the past week whilst we are due to leave this Hotel tomorrow morning and so today was all about packing, collecting the hire car and generally getting sorted.

So this morning we packed up the two suitcases, one we will leave here, and generally clearing up ready for the off. By late morning all was complete and so we headed off by bus to Shinjuku Station for lunch which today was a shared pizza and later a coffee cake and iced tea before going to to the Nissan car hire location which is really not easy to find.

After twenty minutes searching this huge complex we found it and checked in and half an hour later we have our small Nissan Note car with a Japanese/English Satnav where the data entry is the telephone number of your destination, let’s hope this works. The Japanese lad who helped us check us in had good English but the girl who showed us to the car did not and so the education on the Satnav was limited. So in good faith we punched in the telephone number of the Hotel and up came a little box full of Japanese which apparently gave the details of the Hotel and so we said accept and off we went.

After the few minutes the screen showed a left turn coming up whilst telling us in English to do a U-Turn, damn and blast what to do, but we did the left turn and ten minutes later out of the blue appeared out Hotel, incredible.

The next thing was to figure out the car parking, so Noel went to the front desk and given limited instruction and a key which said car park 2 or (CP2) so this is a fully electronic car park where you drive in your car, then get out and it is whisked away to somewhere for storage. The only problem was the key entry system did not accept our entry and so Jen went to the front desk for help and returned with a female receptionist who clearly had not done this before either although she did have the benefit of reading Japanese.

Anyway ten minutes later the car was stored away somewhere and we returned to the room for an early dinner of left over bits and pieces which Jennifer made in to an acceptable concoction. Packing is now complete and one case stored in reception and the other in the car and a couple of small pieces to be put in the car tomorrow morning.

We are of to the Kamakura Peninsular tomorrow to stay overnight at a friend’s place whilst stopping en-route at a Japanese Costco store for some goodies, and it will be interesting to see the Japan Costco shop compared to the one in Farnborough.

No photos today…

Tuesday 8th April 2014- Ginza and Roppongi visit

We were both a little tired from yesterday whilst Noel needed to do some paperwork and also check the finances for the next couple of weeks as cashing Travellers Cheques in Japan is not so easy and few banks liking to do and so you are left with Travelex or similar who are not everywhere in Japan. Jennifer did some washing in the machines in the Hotel and commented how cheap it was and by 13.00 we had just about completed our bits and pieces and were ready to leave.

Again we  too the bus to Shinjuku where first of all hunger hit us and so we


visited a small tempura restaurant and for 1150 yen each (about £7.00)  we both had the tempura on rice together with Misu soup and a some green tea, really excellent. Then on to Travelex and the girl recognised from the other day and handled the sale of the T/C much faster than last time. They will only accept you cashing 50000 yen per time and we will need quite a lot of yen for Hotels, Toll roads and fuel plus car hire, all to be paid in cash as this is more of a cash society than credit card.

From there on the Tokyo Metro to Ginza where we wandered around the shops for a while and purchased a few items for back home and then found a nice little coffee house. I mentioned the non-smoking in streets but for some strange reason they allow smoking in restaurants, not sure why this is. We continued walking around Ginza and then left on the metro again for Roppongi Cross, a well know night life area although we were a little early at 18.00 as it does not warm up until about 2030. However we decided to have a bite in Tony Roma’s rib and steak place and Jennifer had a really excellent filet, full of taste and really tender, knife really not needed. Noel had the half rack of ribs and together with a couple of Kirin beers we enjoyed the evening.

Then back on the metro and also the JR Yamanote line but by this time the place was humming and thousands of people either going to eat, or play or visit love Hotels etc.

Love Hotels are famous in Japan and come in all shapes and sizes from castles to space ships where you book a room for a couple of hours before going home to the wife, yes this is Japan style.

Anyway we arrived back at the Hotel in the efficient bus service and ready for a quiet night however it is 9.30 pm when I am completing this blog so not really an early night.

Monday 7th April- Tsujki Fish Market and our old Tokyo House

We departed to the local station and then took the train to the fish market. Most of the activity and auction at the market takes place at 05.00 in the morning but you wernt going to get us there that time of the day as late morning would do us. So we had a good look around the market and then all the little restaurants surrounding the place mostly selling sushi buts as it was still a little early and there were queues of around 20/30 people waiting for a very small restaurant we did not bother to stop.

We left the market and walked via a coffee shop to Shimbashi about a mile or so away and walked around the old station which has been reconstructed for heritage reasons after it was destroyed many years ago in the great fire following an earthquake. Then on to the new station where this a huge steam train standing, it has been there for many years but now it is partly surrounded by a smoking area. Japan now has strict laws about smoking in the street and basically it’s not allowed and so there are little shelters or similar where one can puff away and enjoy one’s cigarette along with several hundred other smokers.

We were a little peckish now and stopped for a bowl of noodles, done spaghetti style which was excellent. Two largish bowls of spaghetti and two drinks, not bad for £ 8.00.

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From there we went on several trains out to the place we used to live called Nakamashi with the nearest station being Kaminoge. We had both tried to find our old Tokyo house on Google earth but could never find it and thought that perhaps it had been demolished. We walked down from the station, it was partly familiar but it was in 1985/6 that we lived there so quite some years ago and don’t always remember the details. We gor a little worried and then low and behold we located our house which the brochure at the time called Plam Springs or Palm Springs as it should have been.  Its hasn’t changed very much except across the road which use to be smallholding’s are now flats and where the old Kirin brewery distribution plant used to be where Michael would always be there with the workers on their fork lift or doing their morning exercises has now gone and it’s all apartments.

Time to leave and we both fancied a cup of tea and we found a large bakery shop which sold tea where they bring the egg timer to time the tea being brewed and we then also cheated and had a slice of chocolate cake which was delicious. From there we took the bus up to Todoroki and the Kinokuya supermarket to stock up on some food for tonight and then on to Megero Station to connect with the Yamanote line to Shinjuku  and from their via another bakery to get some croissants for tomorrow morning back on the bust to our Hotel.

A satisfying but tiring day again and we have walked a lot over the last few days but well worth it.. Dinner tonight was a chicken and ham salad followed by apple slice and some very unfrozen ice cream.

Sunday 6th April- Harajuku, Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park

After a late night the previous evening we decided to be a little later getting up this morning before heading of by bus to Shinjuku Station and then Yamonote Line to the young people’s area of Tokyo called Harajuku.

Here the young, including us, hang out and walk around the  many shops selling all sorts of clothing from high fashion to the cheap stuff whilst stuffing themselves on ice cream and many other weight gaining pleasures. We walked around this part of town for a couple of hours absorbing culture and noise before heading over to the Mejei Shrine. We arrived at the entrance and there was a show going on with drummers and dancers which we watched for about 15 minutes then headed in to the very busy park. We started walking to the shrine but it started to rain quite heavily so we diverted to the loos and restaurant and enjoyed an excellent beef noodle soup. The rain had eased  little and we walked past this huge array of French wine barrels which had been placed there some years as part of an offering from the French to the Meiji shrine staff, not sure if the casks still have wine in but doubt it.

From there we headed in to the Yoyogi Park area and watched the rock’ an’ roll male dancers doing their thing for a while then continued in to the park where many Japanese were enjoying the day under the apple blossom. They bring a large groundsheet then sit on it and eat and drink the day away together with Karaoke and finally they fold up the groundsheet with all the leftovers in it and hand to the park attendants. All very well organised.

Then back on the train to the Hotel after having walked at least five or six miles and our feet were aching but still we stopped in the supermarket for some chicken breasts, potatoes and veggies and a bottle of Bordeaux wine and then headed to the room for dinner. We tried to see if the Bahrain F1 GP would be on and it was but at midnight Tokyo time so we forgot that. Noel did some sorting of photos and some blogging and thence to bed and were both very tired.. 

Saturday 5th April 2014- Shinjuku Station, The Imperial Palace and Friends

A few thousand people

You will have seen my occasion mention of Shinjuku Station and I thought I would comment further about this enormous building. The Station is probably double the size of Weybridge town and is a combination of Railway Station, Department Store and a multitude of restaurants. It is in fact the largest and busiest railway station in the world and about 3.6 million people pass through it each day, that was the figure a couple of years ago, and so it is probably a little higher now. So if you can imagine taking all the people for England's six biggest towns and asking them to walk through one station then you can imagine how large this place is. It has over 200 exits and about 15 train companies operate though it and with about a couple of hundred small places to eat it is one very massive and very busy place to be. Even the locals get lost here and so for us foreigners it can be a little challenging.

Add a few more in to the mix

 Anyway on Saturday morning following a recommendation from a friend we decided to go the Imperial Palace where they had opened some of the gardens which are not normally open to the public and it was a good idea until we got there and found that about half the population of Shinjuku Station had the same idea and there were thousands upon thousands of people waiting to get in to the garden. We dutifully joined the masses where we had to wait for about two hours either standing still or shuffling forward a little at a time until we reached the security gate where they did a quick and imperfect pat down, oh well.

After two hours wait we got in

Of course the garden were very crowded so as to make good photos difficult to obtain and of course you could not leave the approved route or you will be shot.
So we hiked around the garden for a while and then headed back to the Isetan Store to purchase some gifts for the friends we were visiting later in the day.
Leaving the Hotel at 1530 we took the Marunouchi Line to Shinjuku Station, yes again, and then looked for the JR Chuo line to our destination but there are so many platforms and fast and slow and rapid and express trains you have to get the correct one or you will miss your stop. As we looked a little lost a couple of people tried to help us, perhaps more to practise their English but frankly most of them had less idea where to go than us. Anyway we found the right train and we arrived at our destination and then spent a pleasant afternoon and evening catching and what we have all been up to over the past few years. At 10.30 we decided
to leave as we were a little tired and so back the same way to Shinjuku Station again where we caught almost the last train back to the station near out Hotel. A lovely day out.

Friday 4th April- It didn't rain until late.

Rain was promised for today, just like yesterday, and so we planned a day of looking inside shops etc and low and behold when we awoke there were some grey patched but by late morning the sun was out and our umbrellas and hats and outerwear was packed in the soft rucksack as we were to warm. Not anticipating this Noel had left his sunglasses in the Hotel and so by late morning at great expense Yen 1000 or £ 5.50 he had a new pair from the makedo shop by the side of Shinjuku station.
However on leaving the Hotel this morning we explored a supermarket and said thats where we will buy tonights dinner as they had a good choice of food.These shops are fascinating to wander around but better things were to come when we entered the Isetan Department Store and went downstairs to their food hall which is absolutely amazing in the choice of food from sushi to just about everything available and packed to perfection. Even the wine section had some good wines at prices lower than New Zealand. We even saw a Cloudy Bay white wine for about £ 12.00 when it is around 15% more in NZ, and it has to get here.

After leaving the food floor a cup of coffee was needed and then on to the Kinokuniya for map hunting and this time we were more successful and jennifer was able to get the road map she needed for our road trip which starts towards the end of next week.
We continued our walk in the warm sunny weather towards Shinjuku Station and the exchanged some travellers cheques and then found a station restaurant, one of perhaps several hundred restaurant which operate in small to large spaces and so with tummies full of spaghetti we headed for Akihabara the electronics area of Tokyo.

As you will see from the photos, there are numerous shops offering every type of camera, mobile phone to TVs and washing machines and of course lots of young girls dressed in some amazing outfits to try and pull the punters to their store. So a cup of iced tea later and then an ice cream, to top it off, we took the Yamanote line back to to Shinjuku.
The JR Yamanote line is a bit like the circle line in London and just goes round and round some of the main areas of central Tokyo. We had also purchased out 'SUICA' card, a bit like the 'Oyster Card' for £18.00 each which is the maximum you can put on the card we understand from the JR salesman.
On returning to Shinjuku Station we visited the Odakyu Department store food section which was great and we purchased a box of sushi, some salads and a bottle of Chardonnay to take home for dinner. We were quite tired of walking by now and cheated by taking a taxi back to the Hotel and then a shower and dinner which was really excellent.
We had also bought  box of strawberries which were also extremely good and then on to some blogging.

 A really good day for us although a little tired but after all we are not so young and also not recovered for the four hour time change. Now looking forward to tomorrow.

3rd April 2014- First day in Tokyo

We both awoke early after a good night’s sleep on the low hanging bed, it’s about 14 inches of the floor and so low compared to other beds we have been on. We breakfasted on yoghurt and muesli and banana and of course generous helping of tea. By 10.00 having sorted the suitcases we were ready to go on the long walk we had planned even though it was raining quite hard.

A long walk down the main road in the direction of Shinjuku Station, and a stop in the Kinokuniya Book shop to buy some maps, and then stopping here and there for photo opportunities. We came across a small historic house which had no doubt been there for many years which was surrounded by high rise. This often happens when elder folk do not want to sell their property and although builders offer amazing amounts of money they do not want to move and the government protects their rights. 

We passed the Isetan main department store where in 1985 we had to purchase school uniforms for both Michael and Joanne and they cost a fortune then so god knows what they cost now.

We eventually came across Shinjuku Station where we checked out the location of the car rental company and it took us about 30 minutes to find the place in this massive complex where several million people a day transit. It’s quite a big change for Mangonui New Zealand with its 385 residents compared to the 15 million in Tokyo, 30 million if you also count Yokohama and Kawasaki areas as well, so the place is rather teeming with people. Food and drink prices seem very low compared to what we remembered and cheaper for coffee than Weybridge or Mangonui. We were also looking for the Citibank to change some Japanese Yen travellers cheques only to find that on 1^st April they had stopped this service but they did recommend the Travelex office behind the station and so we trudged through the rain until we located it but only to find they restrict the amount you can take to Yen 50K per person per day, so we will have to go back several times to ensure we have enough cash for our needs.

When we left the money shop the rain was getting worse and so we cheated and popped in to the KFC for lunch, crazy KFC when in Japan! But needs must.

A GOOD KFC lunch

  The next step was to find the Tourist Information Office in the Government office zone which we eventually did find and took some good information away for our later use and we got outside the building and the rain was getting worse so we slipped in to the Hyatt Regency for a break and then took a taxi back to our Hotel.

For dinner tonight we went to a local small restaurant where you purchase the food in advance using a machine which then gives you a ticket which is then passed to the guy behind the counter. All rather confusing for the first time but one of the staff did come  and show us so this will hep us for next time. We both had Miso soup and then Jennifer had the fried Pork and rice bowl and Noel the fried Beef and rice bowl, all quite filling for only £ 6.00 for the two of us. So we went extravagant and had two large Asahi beers which cost another £ 6.00. Not bad £ 12.00 for a filling dinner for two,

Then a slow walk back via the side streets and to catch up with the photos and blogging.

Forgot to mention that some of the younger womens fashion is quite amazing so hope to have some photos soon to be taken on the sly.

Wednesday 2nd April 2014- Look out Tokyo here we come.

Another early morning starting with a cup of tea and banana each at around 0645 then a shower and check out and over to the Air New Zealand check in desk for 0730. There is extra security now following the disappearance of the Malaysian Aircraft but to be fair we got through security Ok and was in the lounge in time for another tea and some croissants before boarding. The flight seemed full, certainly every seat in business was full, and the food was ok but the service we felt was a little on slow side, Virgin Upper is faster. 

The flight is ten and half hours to Narita Airport where we landed at 16.20 local and then through immigration and Customs which was quite quick and then we put our excess luggage, all the camping equipment, to the Yamato delivery people and then on to the two hour journey on the limousine bus to Shinjuku station. 

From the station to the Hotel by Taxi took ten minutes and we arrived at about 19.30 and checked in and went to the room which is very nice. We are staying at Citadines Apart Hotel and the room has a small kitchen but still well equipped. We popped next door to the 7/11 shop for some milk and then our first cup of tea. We had also purchased some snacks which we quickly devoured and then in bed by 9.30 pm which is the equivalent of 2.30 am New Zealand time.

And so to sleep.

Tuesday 1st April 2014- Time to Pack and Leave

We had packed all the bags on Monday and loaded the car and at 0800 we left Mangonui in the mist and headed south. This Cable Bay area is a long way from normal civilisation and the locals joke about as saying we are an hour from the nearest roundabout and two hours from the nearest traffic light!

It took us longer to reach Auckland than planned primarily due to the deep mist which slowed us down for about the first 90 minutes and then it started clearing. It’s a pleasant drive and then you reach the motorway on the outskirts of Auckland and then cross the famous bridge and then on to the Airport. We stopped at a burger joint near the Airport as it was about 14.00 and did not want to leave it much later as we only had toast for breakfast at around 7.15 am.

We checked in the Airport Novatel which was ideal for us as we only needed to walk across the road and directly in to the departure terminal, two minutes from Hotel to check-in. After obtaining our room at the hotel we took the rental car back to USAVE Car Rental and they have been very good and would re-use.

An afternoon walk through the terminal to see layout and then a light sleep in the Hotel for an hour as we were both a little tired and tomorrow will be a long day. We were not really hungry and although we looked in the Hotel restaurant it would have been expensive for when we don’t want much so we returned across the road to the terminal and found a sandwich joint and a coke, much cheaper and all we needed. The Novatel is a nice Hotel with really comfortable beds and they did not vibrate unlike the one in the maisonette when if a heavy lorry went by the floor vibrated.

And so to sleep.