This is all you need for a smooth trip…
Your JR ticket, an iPod and a brewski…
Travel Tools
Big Pink Dot
Kenzo Tange is a Japanese architect that has designed many buildings including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Complex in Shinjuku.
He also designed the Yoyogi Stadium and Metropolitan Gym in Shibuya next door to NHK’s studios.
What he DIDN’T design was that big pink dot that’s the mascot of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup tournament that was being hosted there.
Dun get that dot confused with this pink dot…
Lunch!
Ramen is practically a religion in Japan. And I’m a convert. I understand the obsession about finding the best ramen shop (while sampling many along the way). It’s truly a delicious quest for the best.
This is a picture of my favorite ramen shop in Shinjuku. I can’t tell you what street it’s on but I can point it out on a map or tell you where it is.
It’s across the street from a Citibank. How appropriate!
This was lunch today, from a famous ramen shop, Menya Musashi, on the other side of Shinjuku Station.
mmmmmmmm. And worth the 55 minute wait!
Ghibli Museum
The first time I went to Japan, I wanted to visit the Ghibli Museum but didn’t have the time or tickets. You need to buy them in advance from JTB travel agencies in the states before you arrive in Japan.
Ghibli is a museum devoted to the works of Miyazaki Hayao. They don’t allow photos inside but they do allow pictures outside. This is the outside of the building. What’s that on the roof?
It even has its own buses to bring you there from the Mitaka JR Station. かわいい
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Yamanote
The last train of the night arrives at Shinagawa station and I’m there to start my journey back to Minami-Senju and sleep.
Funny thing though, all the other lines that start from a Yamanote stop will wait for the last Yamanote to arrive before it leaves.
It’s funny only because I live in San Francisco and MUNI never does this, ever.
“Fuji-San”!
I’m on the Shinkansen heading back to Tokyo. Yea!
And to the New Koyo. No comment.
The train is about two hours into the journey. Suddenly around the bend looking out the left side of the train,
“Fuji-San! Fuji-San desu“!
Fuji is a notoriously shy mountain; it’s usually hidden behind cloud cover. But not today. Everyone in my car rushed to the windows, whipped open their phones and started taking pictures.
I felt absolutely ancient taking pictures with my camera…
Dotonbori and Den Den town
Needed a long sleeve shirt to fight off the cold. Went to Den Den town to go shop at Muji. Great store, BTW.
Wanted to putter and see Gilco Man. Off to Dotenbori.
Got hungry. Ate at Ramen Stand. They had these platforms with tatami and little tables. You sat on the tatami that are on the platform. Slurp.
Got thirsty. Went to Kirin Beer Restaurant. Had a sampler.
Like I need instructions on how to drink beer…
Got tired. Went back to Kyoto on the limited train. Sleepy time.
On to Osaka
After the Palace, we took a bus to the Nishiki market. It’s a big flea market that’s held on the grounds of the temple monthly. There was a LOT of cool stuff there that I could never bring back to the US. But if I move over there, I know where I will be getting a lot of furnishings from…
Then we decide to take a bus to Kyoto Station. It took forever to get there but it got us there in an hour. Kyoto Station is a really neat building that has a performance stage, two malls, restaurants, theatres and oh yeah, a big JR station.
On a whim, since we both have JR passes, we decide to go to Osaka. I mean, since we were in a train station, we should take the train, ne?
At least it made sense then…
Kyoto Imperial Palace
After waking from my shochu & sento enhanced slumber, the rain stopped and I made it out to the Imperial Palace. I ran into a fellow traveller from the New Koyo in line to enter. We tried to contact each other when we got to Kyoto, but was difficult since we were staying in different places.
Kyoto was the capital until the late 1800s when the seat of government was moved to Tokyo. The palace is still here and it’s now used for enthronement ceremonies.
It was impressive. Especially the gardens. Like my backyard could look like this!
Rain and Foilage
Today (Monday) is Japan’s Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday.
Everything official was closed but everyone was out to enjoy the scenery that Kyoto is famous for.
I went to a famous soba restaurant that has been around for about 300 years in the same location. Yummy but pricey…
After lunch, I took a stroll in the Eastern part of Kyoto in the big park and toured some temples.
And as soon as I left, the skies opened up. Rain and rain and rain.
When I got back to J-Hoppers, there wasn’t a lot to do because it was raining. Myself and two others wound up going to a Sento (public bath), grabbing dinner and ending the evening with shochu and beer at 0300.
That’s not good because I have to get up early on Tuesday to visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Getting up early….brrrrrr.
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