Japan Nov 2010 - Tokyo

Tokyo is next! The capital city of Japan.

We took a shinkazen back to Tokyo and start to hunt for our hostel - Weekly Mansion Ueno. It is a simple one, affordable priced and good location. Compared to the one we stayed in Osaka, this is slightly smaller and run down. Tokyo isn't a cheap city, so this is still within expectation.

Another nice bento at train station

Ueno is a pretty nice place to stay. A shopping district with many small stuff to explore. Ueno consist of cultural places, museums, arts, zoo, urban shopping, etc.

Ueno map

This shop is somewhat unique. You pay 1000yen, he will drop all sorts of candy and cookie into the bag! Its random! I remember watching this in travel documentary. But seeing it in life is equally fun!

1000yen candy shop

Met up with a colleague who also stayed in the same hotel for dinner together! Ramen is always the choice! 

The next day, we headed to Meiji Shrine!

Map and simple explanation of Meiji Shrine

Barrels of wine

French wine

Bourgogne Wine collection - Friendship between France and Japan

It must have been a popular family portrait destination. Look at those lovely girls!

It is also a popular wedding ceremony place! We witness like 3 couples during our hour long stay around the shrine.

Wedding couple in their traditional costumes

After Meiji Shrine, we walked around Shinjuku and Harajuku. These are very places with younger crowd. And on the way, I bought oden. Oden is like Singapore's yong tau foo, but it is available in ALL convenience stores and it tastes lovely! 

Since this oden treat, I am hooked on Oden. I had it EVERY night. It's not cheap, its about 300yen for 3 items, SGD$5.00.

Crepes are Harajuku's specialty with its young crowd. How can we not try one? As usual, I had chocolate banana, always my favourite combination. Its about 500yen each, SGD$8.00.

Never go wrong with Choco Banana

Dinner at Shinjuku is a problem. Not that it is lack of restaurants, there is TOO MANY restaurants to choose from. Sadly, the one we chose didn't taste very well. 

I had my Oden again, anyway. :) 

Next day, rise and shine, we had to Tsukiji market! It was a walk from the metro station, but nothing difficult with the comprehensive road signs. Check out the logo at the road sign! You can't get lost even if you can't understand english, japanese or chinese!

Tsukiji market is famous in Tokyo for its fresh seafood. Its a must visit, though I may or not may go back. It isn't cheap. These are the 3 very popular stores for satisfying the taste bud. 

It took the 4 of us very long to decide if we want to queue. After struggling, we decide that we should at least try. Here we go!

I want this!!

Really fresh!

Best I ever had. 

It cost me 2500yen, about SGD$50 for these. But it is the best I ever had.

After that, we tried to figure out how to we get close to catch glimpse of Mount Fuji without going all the way to Hakone. We randomly checked with train station managers, and we got suggestion to go to Lake Kawaguchiko.

We first have to travel to Shinjuku station where we take a train to Otsuki.

At Otsuki station, take the train location at the next station (get off the station and walk like 2 mins). We reached the railroad that is supposed to bring us nearest to Mt Fuji.

Road map of stations to Lake Kawaguchiku

Very cute train

Lake Kawaguchiku - 河口湖

From the cable car

We took normal trains, change trains and trains and ended up in a small town. Walked a little following the road signs to Lake Kawaguchiku. From there, there is a cable car to bring you up, and take a peek at Mt Fuji (if the clouds do not crowd around it, which unfortunately happens during the trip).

Breathtaking view from the top

A flyer on the cable ride. This is how it should look like. :) 

Mt Fuji is supposed to be at my back! But the clouds.... sigh....

 We stayed for a while, and left after the cold was too much and we need to catch a train back.

Good bye Lake Kawaguchiko!

Our last full day in Tokyo is spent in Disneyland.

Disney is self explanatory. So just short fireworks here. :)

Last day, we just do our last minute shopping in Ueno.

Japan - a place I'll revisit, anytime. (given enough budget)

Japan Nov 2010 - Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe

This is over-due for many months. But well, its better to be late than never. So here it is! I went to Japan in Nov  2010 with my colleague. We've got free air ticket and so, here we go! :)

On United Airlines to Narita Airport

It was not a flattering flight for travel, given that it wasted the entire day on traveling with a 6 hour flight and a 4 hour bullet train to Osaka. We exchanged for the Japan Rail (JR) Pass which we paid in Singapore, then exchange for it at Narita Airport.

The JR pass is like a card which you can redeem tickets for bullet trains and for local lines, we just need to show the pass to get entry. So this are our Narita Express tickets to Shinagawa then from there, we take another bullet train to Osaka. The whole trip takes about 4-5 hours. (The lady at the JR ticketing advised us to transit at Shinagawa. Shinjuku station is way too complicated, especially so for tourist who just landed.)

And here is our Nozomi Train to Shin-Osaka

With us being hungry, we just grabbed a Bento at Shinagawa Interchange, but it proved to taste rather nice! (Note: The portion is huge for ladies)

Bento at 970yen! (~SGD15)

Then a 3-hour ride to Osaka. Far! But seems like a lot of commuters do travel this far.

Being first time traveling via Japan's railway system, there bound to be hit and misses. Some trains do not stop at each stations, and they marked them with triangles and circles for direction indication at the trains and at the platform. And soon after our bullet train reached Osaka, we had our first missed. The commuters are kind to help, but still, we ended up on a train to Universal Studios station.

Universal Studios is near a port, which is so chilly that we had to unpack luggage for our jackets (unglamly) at the station to keep ourselves warm. Still, we managed a picture!

Cold and chilly in Universal Studio Station, Osaka

By the time we reached our hotel, it was past 11pm. The hotel lobby closes at 12mn! We stayed at Hotel Chuo Oasis. It is a really nice clean hotel for the price we paid. Spacious, new, friendly, clean! A short walk from train station. Everything about it is nice!

It's definitely much needed rest for the entire day of various transportation.

The very next day, we headed for our Day 1 of Osaka! Our itinerary is to cover Osaka castle in the morning. Followed by Osaka Aquarium. And at night, a stroll through Dotombori.

So here goes the Osaka Castle!

The entrance ticket costs 600 yen (~SGD$10). It includes a museum walk, a historical screening, and the scenic view at the top floor.

Up next, we head to Osaka Aquarium. Pictures ahead!

The entrance fee, including the ferry tour, is at 2900yen (~SGD$50). It worth going, I say.

We headed for Dotombori for dinner.

This bowl of Ramen is heavenly. The best I had in the entire trip!

The Ramen cost 750yen(~SGD$12). But it is heavenly!! A stroll around Dotombori and back to hotel with hot crepes!

Up next, Kyoto!

We took an one hour shinkansen (bullet train) to this traditional old town - Kyoto. Itinerary of the day includes Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kinkakuji and Gion.

We did not read very much into these places, except knowing that Kinkakuji is a golden temple (They have the silver version too) and Gion is a popular Geisha area.

So we start of with Fushimi Inari Shrine. It's pretty easy getting there. After taking the shinkansen to Kyoto, take their local line to Inari Station. Just outside Inari station, you will catch the Fushimi Inari Shrine. :)

We naively though it wasn't too difficult to climb when all the elderly surpassed us. GOSH! It was so wrong! By the time we made it up, we were so warm from the climbing. *sweats*

A nice filling lunch. At 1150yen. (~SGD18).

After which, we took a train back to Kyoto station, where to took a bus to Kinkakuji!

Gion wasn't very interesting. Its more like a shopping street. No Geisha spotted. :(  Thats a day trip for Kyoto. Bye Kyoto.

Next day - Kobe!
We were having hopes this will turn out nice. But it was a little disappointing.

We went to Kobe specifically for the Arima Onsen hot bath. But well, it was living up to our expectations.

We did go to the hot bath. But its nothing fascinating. I have not been to the one at Hakone, but I am sure it'll be better in Hakone.

Being a little bored, we took a cable car to the healing forest of Arima. Nice scenic though.

A nice cone of ice-cream before leaving Kobe

Took a classic Japanese dinner in a restaurant with no customers. =_=''' Everything tastes nice is Japan. Yes, literally everything!

Bye Kobe

The day is still early and we went to Dotombori!

Heavenly food

And to Tokyo, we go! 

Good bye, Hotel Chuo Oasis. You served really well. And if I'm coming back to Osaka again, I will be back for you! :)

A little bit more on Hotel Chuo Oasis, they do have computers on their lobby of which internet access is available. Wifi is not strong in the room, but is strong in the lobby. The computers at the lobby closes at about 12mn. I do have work emails to reply urgently (in fact, I still remember the details of the project) in wee hours of the night, the only inconvenience is that I need to get my phone out to the lobby to use their wifi. It doesn't bother me much though. Coffee and tea is provided at lobby in the morning. It doesn't bother me that breakfast was not available since their convenience stores sells wonderful breakfast stuff.