emd,

Thanks for the good wishes! No I didn't see AB on Osaka but we are really getting excited as flight time is getting close.

Will be in Hiroshima for the first time this trip and will definitely look for the okonomiyaki. Hope mother nature is kind to us and lets us see some cherry blossoms this time around.

When are you going back to Japan? The Inland Sea is calling you......, lol

Aloha!

Hawaii, there is a great and convneniet little place for okonomiyaki at the Hiroshima train station that I highly recommend to you. When you get ready to leave Hiroshima, you enter the train station and turn right, go immediately down the stairs and just as you would enter the rather large grocery store on the lower level, right next to the grocery store is a man's okonomiyaki stand. He and his wife run it, maybe 12 seats around his grill and a few small tables. I have had okonomiyaki there on both trips to Japan, and both of my kids still talk about how good it was. As we watched the AB episode last night my son said, "We need to go back to that little stand in the Hiroshima train station, that was SO good." And it is cheap. And the guy is really nice, he waited both times I ate there til I took a bite and then gave me a thumbs up to be sure I liked it. I really enjoyed eating there and then going in to the big grocery store to shop a bit as we waited for our trains back to Kyoto.

Try it, it's easy to find next to the grocery store. I think you'll like it, and you won't have to run around Hiroshima trying to find a place.

oh- no trips to Japan currently planned. Son starts college in 2009, and daughter is right behind him.

emd,

Thanks for the tip. We are staying right there at the Granvia in Hiroshima station so I will definitely try your oko stand and have one for you :)

Which ones did you try? Did you make up your own ingredients?

You tell him what you want- I just pointed. I think mine had an egg and bacon on top. It looks so weord but tastes so good. His sauce is good- some of the sauces are too heavy for me. Have one for me! And some sake too, you can buy it in that grocery store. That store will be convenient for items you might want for your room, etc. They have a pretty good selection of items and have a prepared food case like the dept. stores have.

HAwaii, are you all going to Miyako Odori?? Just realized that is April 1-30 in Kyoto.

Take a look at http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/kyo_np/...08benishidare/
it gives info on the Heian temple music concerts. We went to one 2 yrs ago - we're not big music buffs, but the music is played from a stage over the small lake and you walk around the lit up cherry blossoms - its quite magical. People of all ages go and many dress up in beautiful kimono (we only had our "trip clothes" but that was enough too).

Kyoto Heianjingu Shidare Zakura Concert: April 10 to 13 from 6:00 to 9:30pm
Night Music concert at Heianjingu with cherry blossoms.

Price: JPY2,000 / No seats. Walking around and enjoy music and cherry blossoms.

1st stage 6:40-7:20pm / 2nd stage 7:50-8:30pm

-April 10: Dragon Pipe(whistle, Japanese Old Instrument) by Hideki Togi

-April 11: Mongolia Music by Irana

-April 12: Classic Music by 6 violinists

-April 13: Guitar and Piano Pops and Jazz by nobuyuki Nakjima and Goro Ito

emd,

The closest we get to Kyoto is Kobe on this trip. I was thinking of doing a day trip to Kyoto for the Miyako Odori as I do remember your trip report when you and your daughter met bill for the evening. It is on our "to do " list.

We might try to squeeze in some Philosophers Path if the cherry blossoms are still there.

Getting really excited now....only 10 more days till blastoff!

Aloha!

A friend living in Tokyo (just outside Yamanote loop line) wrote an e-mail to me today. She says some cherry trees are in full bloom while others are still at 50 - 70 %, in the park near her house.

Domo kappasan.....love all the updates I can get.

Aloha!

Another friend of mine also from Tokyo has just written : Early blooming this year than usual. Can be at 30 % by this weekend. That means in Tokyo, Sakura can be at full blossom in a week / 10 days....

http://www.asahi.com/photonews/TKY200803260393.html

Ueno Park today. Sakura blossoms at 80%.

I missed the AB in Osaka, I will look for repeats. Okonomiyaki is my favorite Japanese food! We went to a very "hip" place in the Harajuku area two years ago while in Tokyo. It even impressed my 19 year old son! We ate on the patio and it was very pleasant.
http://www.sakuratei.co.jp/en/tenpo/index.html

I am on my way back for a few days in mid April so I think I will miss the Cherry Blossoms, but we will go on to Korea and I think they may be in bloom there as it sounds like the bloom is later in the year.

HT,
Hit the Tsukuji a bit too late to see most of the action this AM but still had a delicious brekkie of taraba uni don for Y2700 in Naka Ya. A lot of Sakura are already blooming more than 50% at the parks along the Seibu Ikebukuro line when our train went by them.

We were planning on a Ueno Park trip tomorrow but rains are forecasted. Those Ueno Park Sakura sure look pretty !!! Thanks Kappa.

Thanks all for the updates.....I want to be there right now :(

http://dailynews.yahoo.co.jp/photograph/pickup/

Another Ueno Park shot, a few hours ago after dark, lots of partiers.

HT,
It's a beautiful day !!! We're off to Ueno as soon as we pack the car.
Talk to you later.

I'm jealous bmt.....have a beautiful hanami in Ueno!

This morning Weatherchannel on tv showed the sakura blooming in Tokyo....

Shiba Kôen(park) on 28 March, with Tokyo Tower.

http://www.asahi.com/photonews/TKY200803280427.html