A Three Week Adventure in Eight Places
Nov 7th, 2016, 06:52 PM
#22
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Robbie, I enjoyed your report immensely. I liked the way you took the time to just wander around and take in the culture. I'm glad you liked the okonoyamaki pancakes. There used to be a great restaurant here south of Los Angeles where they gave you the ingredients, and you made the pancakes yourself on a grill at your table, but they closed recently. I guess I'll have to head back to Japan for some more.
It's so great that your hubs got better and was able to carry on. Also, it's so sweet that he was not keen on Japan, but he wanted to go to make you happy. So, what was his overall impression of Japan, compared to what he saw during the Vietnam War? How was it different, and was the trip better than expected, I hope, and if so, in what way?
It's so great that your hubs got better and was able to carry on. Also, it's so sweet that he was not keen on Japan, but he wanted to go to make you happy. So, what was his overall impression of Japan, compared to what he saw during the Vietnam War? How was it different, and was the trip better than expected, I hope, and if so, in what way?
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:25 PM
#23
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Thanks everyone for your positive feedback. Fred's cold got better but continued throughout the trip; he was a trooper nonetheless. The cold ended as soon as he got him. He led him to wonder if it was severe allergies, the kind that causes the locals to wear face masks. Fred saw Japan when he came into port during Viet Nam. As a cocky ship's physician he probably hit the bars with others of his rank, although he has not said same.
Nov 8th, 2016, 08:32 AM
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Fun to follow along.
Many similar experiences
The traditional leather craft you admired is called Inden. One of my favorite souveneirs frrom Japan Is a small pocket change purse I carry I still carry after 12 years. Here is a link to a short video on it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZ8hwCwB5M
Looking forward to next installment
Many similar experiences
The traditional leather craft you admired is called Inden. One of my favorite souveneirs frrom Japan Is a small pocket change purse I carry I still carry after 12 years. Here is a link to a short video on it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZ8hwCwB5M
Looking forward to next installment
Nov 9th, 2016, 06:28 AM
#25
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Thanks for the Inden link
Day 14 Kyoto
Fred's cold has not abated so we agreed to go to just one temple a day. Our bus journey took fifty minutes up into the hills above Kyoto. Sanzen-in Tempe is sheer peace and tranquility. The interior decor on walls and ceilings is graceful. I could imagine the shogun greeting dignitaries in the beautiful rooms. I found an elegant, unoccupied shrine room and meditated.
Shuheki-en garden was artistic splendor personified. I sat and sat, inspired, transfixed. When we returned by the charter bus I noticed that a few trees branches were announcing that autumn would arrive shortly.
Back in the heart of town, we made our way to the large department store Loft. Thus far I had I lived up to my reputation as a dedicated shopper when traveling abroad. Hence I was shopping for a large tote/gym bag to carry my new purchases. They had a huge selection, mission accomplished.
On to the Municipal Museum of Art. The small museum was featuring an exhibit of Jakuchi's work. Many (only) Japanese tourists were there admiring his work. He draws flowers and birds in a sketched style, rather whimsical.
After Mume's Happy Hour we returned to Gion Tanto for another satisfying raw seafood dinner.
Day 15 Kyoto
Our last day in Kyoto really was a grand ja mata to the city. We taxied to Daitokuju Temple complex, housing 22 sub-temples. The tour of Juko-in Temple was only in Japanese but the printed material in English allowed me to minimally follow along. My favorite mural, Four Arts of Chinese Gentleman Scholar were done by Eitoku Kano when just 24. I found them charming and executed with a beautiful flow. After this hour long tour we taxied to a sweet walking section of town near the Entokui-n Temple. We walked up and down the narrow lanes, enjoying the traditional architecture, poking in and out of shops. The photos outside one lunch place made us want to go in, so we did. We were seated upstairs surrounded by no less than 15 school kids all around age 16. Groups of girls at two tables, groups of boys at the other two tables. They were having fun yet well mannered. I've noticed that teenage girls in Japan are not given the advantage of wearing braces. As adults some attractive women are less so due to crooked teeth.
I still wanted to get a couple more gifts. With unfailing energy one of the hostesses at Mume walked me to Gion Wabiza. What a great souvenir store. I bought just the right scarf for a friend and some Japanese slippers for my ten year old granddaughter.
Delighted with these purchases, I walked over to En for my 4 pm tea ceremony experience. Fred stayed in the room tending to his cold; he's sneezing less but his cough sounds awful. The ceremony master described the Zen underpinnings of the ceremony and demonstrated the rituals for preparing the tea. This was a pleasant 45 minutes of education and entertainment.
Promptly at six we arrived at Miyoshi, the beef kaiseki restaurant. No tourists here, very tiny English. Since your courses are determined by the price of the menu you order, little discussion is needed. The signature dish at this beef house is Lamboro tongue very thinly sliced, delicious. All the beef courses, some raw, some very rare, some grilled to perfection, were superb. Clearly we were among sophisticated diners, all sharing this leisurely repast under the hands of chef Ito San. This dining experience cost nearly as much as our diner at La Tour d'Argent in Paris. But then they don't put pockets in shrouds.
Day 16 Koyasan
We could only watch ten minutes of the last presidential debate before our taxi wisked us off to Kyoto station with maps, directions, bus stop names, instructions for taxi drivers, etc. I have stayed in more stunning suites/compounds in Bali, Northern India, Phuket ( to name a few spots) but nowhere have I experienced the extraordinary level of service provided by the hosts at the Mume Boutique Hotel. Each time we set out for a temple we were given a photo copy of the exterior of the temple, diagram of interior rooms or sub-temples and instructions to taxi driver to take us to our next destination. This same level of detail was given us in advance of heading out for a dinner or walk in a distant district. I anticipated responsive service based on email correspondence back at home. So I'd bought some sweet picture postcards of Pasadena historical sights to give each host upon departure. Several thorough searches of my luggage did not reveal the cards, so frustrating. My verbal expression of gratitude had to suffice.
To get to Koyasan requires several trains and a cable car up the steep mountainside. When boarding the cable car on its steep incline from the uneven steps outside, Fred fell trying to get the luggage inside. He experienced his fall an unfriendly reminder of his 781/2 years. We hopped a cab down a windy hill to Onsen Fukuchi-in, a ryokan adjoining the temple of the same name. The ryokan is grand, refined.The public spaces are filled with fine furnishings, lovely murals, areas to view the rock gardens, handsome statuary and more. Our room faces a tranquil rock garden. After a leisurely stroll around town we came back to our abode for dinner. The presentation of 20 something dishes was eye popping and delicious. Despite the fact that we usually don't like tofu, and all dishes served were vegetarian, many were tasty.
After dinner we read. I am reading An Artist of the Floating World by Kanuzo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day. This novel describes what it was like for some in the years immediately after the Japanese surrender. An interesting read.
Day 16 Koyasan
I set my alarm in time for 6 am chanting by the monks in the temple section of the ryokan. At least 70 people gathered in the shrine room. Unfortunately, I could not appreciate the musical nuances of the chanting despite my sophisticated hearing aids (I am severely hearing impaired). And just maybe my Occidential ears were more receptive to Gregorian chants. Nonetheless, the setting was inspiring, most attendees, including me, scooted forward to make an offering and prayer (mine for the well being of all sentient beings). Then, in my wool socks, wool jeans,turtle neck, cashmere pullover and parka (it is cold at Mt. Koya) I made my way back to our room for breakfast.
I was down to two pair of clean undies but washing clothing of any type is prohibited here, All washing must be sent out. I'll just wait until Hiroshima. After a breakfast we did not like, we set out on our ramble. I'm really captivated by Koyasan. Every roofline of every temple in this Swiss Alps meets Zen town feels sublime and harmonious. We walked for several hours inspired by the fluid architecture of the temples. And then before us was a huge pagoda, alas Konpon Daito (the great pagoda). A local guide was leading a group and walked over to us to suggest we pick up a fallen pine needle, this would bring us each good luck. Doing things to bring good luck or ward off bad luck holds an important place in the daily lives of many Japanese.
Across a red lacquered pair of bridge gates a path beckoned. It turned out to be the Okunoin cemetery we had read about and wanted to visit. The long path that leads through the cemetery is lined by towering cedar trees, centuries old. Along the path we saw small statues wearing deep pink bibs. The bodhisattva Jizo is said to protect children in the afterlife and placed on the statues by parents who have lost children.
Following an indifferent lunch we came back to our lodging. I had a soak in the onsen and we both took a nap. Interestingly I was the only woman at both the ryokan onsens I visited, very private indeed. So much has been written about seeing Okunoin at night by lantern light that I didn't want to miss it. Yes, it was a bit mystical by lantern light and would have been more so for someone who had not seen it during the day. But I’m not sure it lived up to all the rave reviews TA writers accorded it.
By the time we got back to town, the town had literally closed down. There was only one restaurant open. Our dinners at Hanahishi were very good. I'm guessing that the other cafes in town close because most visitors stay in ryokan/temples where they take their dinner. We decided that the dinner we had the previous night was a worthwhile experience but thought we could find food more to our liking in town. We got lucky. Those pine needles must have helped.
Day 14 Kyoto
Fred's cold has not abated so we agreed to go to just one temple a day. Our bus journey took fifty minutes up into the hills above Kyoto. Sanzen-in Tempe is sheer peace and tranquility. The interior decor on walls and ceilings is graceful. I could imagine the shogun greeting dignitaries in the beautiful rooms. I found an elegant, unoccupied shrine room and meditated.
Shuheki-en garden was artistic splendor personified. I sat and sat, inspired, transfixed. When we returned by the charter bus I noticed that a few trees branches were announcing that autumn would arrive shortly.
Back in the heart of town, we made our way to the large department store Loft. Thus far I had I lived up to my reputation as a dedicated shopper when traveling abroad. Hence I was shopping for a large tote/gym bag to carry my new purchases. They had a huge selection, mission accomplished.
On to the Municipal Museum of Art. The small museum was featuring an exhibit of Jakuchi's work. Many (only) Japanese tourists were there admiring his work. He draws flowers and birds in a sketched style, rather whimsical.
After Mume's Happy Hour we returned to Gion Tanto for another satisfying raw seafood dinner.
Day 15 Kyoto
Our last day in Kyoto really was a grand ja mata to the city. We taxied to Daitokuju Temple complex, housing 22 sub-temples. The tour of Juko-in Temple was only in Japanese but the printed material in English allowed me to minimally follow along. My favorite mural, Four Arts of Chinese Gentleman Scholar were done by Eitoku Kano when just 24. I found them charming and executed with a beautiful flow. After this hour long tour we taxied to a sweet walking section of town near the Entokui-n Temple. We walked up and down the narrow lanes, enjoying the traditional architecture, poking in and out of shops. The photos outside one lunch place made us want to go in, so we did. We were seated upstairs surrounded by no less than 15 school kids all around age 16. Groups of girls at two tables, groups of boys at the other two tables. They were having fun yet well mannered. I've noticed that teenage girls in Japan are not given the advantage of wearing braces. As adults some attractive women are less so due to crooked teeth.
I still wanted to get a couple more gifts. With unfailing energy one of the hostesses at Mume walked me to Gion Wabiza. What a great souvenir store. I bought just the right scarf for a friend and some Japanese slippers for my ten year old granddaughter.
Delighted with these purchases, I walked over to En for my 4 pm tea ceremony experience. Fred stayed in the room tending to his cold; he's sneezing less but his cough sounds awful. The ceremony master described the Zen underpinnings of the ceremony and demonstrated the rituals for preparing the tea. This was a pleasant 45 minutes of education and entertainment.
Promptly at six we arrived at Miyoshi, the beef kaiseki restaurant. No tourists here, very tiny English. Since your courses are determined by the price of the menu you order, little discussion is needed. The signature dish at this beef house is Lamboro tongue very thinly sliced, delicious. All the beef courses, some raw, some very rare, some grilled to perfection, were superb. Clearly we were among sophisticated diners, all sharing this leisurely repast under the hands of chef Ito San. This dining experience cost nearly as much as our diner at La Tour d'Argent in Paris. But then they don't put pockets in shrouds.
Day 16 Koyasan
We could only watch ten minutes of the last presidential debate before our taxi wisked us off to Kyoto station with maps, directions, bus stop names, instructions for taxi drivers, etc. I have stayed in more stunning suites/compounds in Bali, Northern India, Phuket ( to name a few spots) but nowhere have I experienced the extraordinary level of service provided by the hosts at the Mume Boutique Hotel. Each time we set out for a temple we were given a photo copy of the exterior of the temple, diagram of interior rooms or sub-temples and instructions to taxi driver to take us to our next destination. This same level of detail was given us in advance of heading out for a dinner or walk in a distant district. I anticipated responsive service based on email correspondence back at home. So I'd bought some sweet picture postcards of Pasadena historical sights to give each host upon departure. Several thorough searches of my luggage did not reveal the cards, so frustrating. My verbal expression of gratitude had to suffice.
To get to Koyasan requires several trains and a cable car up the steep mountainside. When boarding the cable car on its steep incline from the uneven steps outside, Fred fell trying to get the luggage inside. He experienced his fall an unfriendly reminder of his 781/2 years. We hopped a cab down a windy hill to Onsen Fukuchi-in, a ryokan adjoining the temple of the same name. The ryokan is grand, refined.The public spaces are filled with fine furnishings, lovely murals, areas to view the rock gardens, handsome statuary and more. Our room faces a tranquil rock garden. After a leisurely stroll around town we came back to our abode for dinner. The presentation of 20 something dishes was eye popping and delicious. Despite the fact that we usually don't like tofu, and all dishes served were vegetarian, many were tasty.
After dinner we read. I am reading An Artist of the Floating World by Kanuzo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day. This novel describes what it was like for some in the years immediately after the Japanese surrender. An interesting read.
Day 16 Koyasan
I set my alarm in time for 6 am chanting by the monks in the temple section of the ryokan. At least 70 people gathered in the shrine room. Unfortunately, I could not appreciate the musical nuances of the chanting despite my sophisticated hearing aids (I am severely hearing impaired). And just maybe my Occidential ears were more receptive to Gregorian chants. Nonetheless, the setting was inspiring, most attendees, including me, scooted forward to make an offering and prayer (mine for the well being of all sentient beings). Then, in my wool socks, wool jeans,turtle neck, cashmere pullover and parka (it is cold at Mt. Koya) I made my way back to our room for breakfast.
I was down to two pair of clean undies but washing clothing of any type is prohibited here, All washing must be sent out. I'll just wait until Hiroshima. After a breakfast we did not like, we set out on our ramble. I'm really captivated by Koyasan. Every roofline of every temple in this Swiss Alps meets Zen town feels sublime and harmonious. We walked for several hours inspired by the fluid architecture of the temples. And then before us was a huge pagoda, alas Konpon Daito (the great pagoda). A local guide was leading a group and walked over to us to suggest we pick up a fallen pine needle, this would bring us each good luck. Doing things to bring good luck or ward off bad luck holds an important place in the daily lives of many Japanese.
Across a red lacquered pair of bridge gates a path beckoned. It turned out to be the Okunoin cemetery we had read about and wanted to visit. The long path that leads through the cemetery is lined by towering cedar trees, centuries old. Along the path we saw small statues wearing deep pink bibs. The bodhisattva Jizo is said to protect children in the afterlife and placed on the statues by parents who have lost children.
Following an indifferent lunch we came back to our lodging. I had a soak in the onsen and we both took a nap. Interestingly I was the only woman at both the ryokan onsens I visited, very private indeed. So much has been written about seeing Okunoin at night by lantern light that I didn't want to miss it. Yes, it was a bit mystical by lantern light and would have been more so for someone who had not seen it during the day. But I’m not sure it lived up to all the rave reviews TA writers accorded it.
By the time we got back to town, the town had literally closed down. There was only one restaurant open. Our dinners at Hanahishi were very good. I'm guessing that the other cafes in town close because most visitors stay in ryokan/temples where they take their dinner. We decided that the dinner we had the previous night was a worthwhile experience but thought we could find food more to our liking in town. We got lucky. Those pine needles must have helped.
Nov 9th, 2016, 01:52 PM
#26
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Gosh, I hope Fred was not too bruised or pained by his fall. I found the steep access and exit slopes to the cable car tricky too and I gripped onto Pete for dear life, poor Pete having to handle the luggage on his own!
Nov 10th, 2016, 05:57 AM
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The kindness and interest in their guests at Hotel Mume goes beyond anywhere else I have ever stayed. Can't wait to stay with them again next spring during Cherry Blossom season in Kyoto.
Really enjoying your trip report!
Really enjoying your trip report!
Nov 10th, 2016, 04:39 PM
#31
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Thanks Bob and hi to Karen.
Day 17 Hiroshima
We woke early. The desk attendant said she would call us a taxi but would not vouch for its reliability. It showed up and we arrived at the cable car station in ample time. This turned out to be our most arduous and intricate train day yet. It took five different trains and four and a half hours to get to Hiroshima. We missed one train that only gave us six minutes to get from one track to another. Problem was the second track was up two flights of stairs across the station then down two flights of stairs. Fortunately there was another train in 15 minutes and our overall journey was not affected. No time to stop for train station food but a hostess wheeled some food and drink possibilities down the aisle on the final train to Hiroshima. Some coffee and beef tongue jerkey revived me.
The ANA Crowne Plaza is just what needed, a modern hotel with firm beds. It is only a three block walk to the Memorial Peace Park. The Atomic Dome bisecting one oath was not the huge monolith I was expecting but a concrete oval structure no more than 20 feet high (my guess). It's simplicity conveyed everything. Further down the path I choked up at the memorial to all the children who perished on August 6th and the days after.The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum connected me to the horror of the atomic blast. As I looked at photo after photo of the devastation caused I felt sick in my gut. Why did the US chose this solution? Why did the residents ignore the warnings of the blast and evacuate? Disbelief? Patriotism? I was not feeling kindly toward our choice. My mind was spinning: where in the reprehensible acts of inhumanity does Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and the other camps fit? And Stalin's annihilation of his own people? Or our destabilization of bad governments that usher in monsters like Pol Pot? I needed to get off my soapbox. A G and T at the lobby did help. But it could not, and should not, mitigate the intensity of my pain over that rather innocuous looking mushroom cloud.
A few blocks from the hotel, on a side street, is the Paris Bistro. Silly me, I asked the hostess in French for a menu in English. Of course she only spoke Japanese. The food was a pleasant break from the usual fare. We shared an order of grilled squid and eggplant in assembly sauce and grilled lamb. Both delicious. Wine terrible, immediately replaced by beer
Day 18 Miyajima
We lightened our load by sending a suitcase and tote ahead to our Tokyo hotel. Even with one suitcase Fred was not keen on taking a subway and then a bus to get from our hotel to the ferry terminal for Miyajima. We didn't do our homework so were not expecting such a long taxi ride
or big fare ($56.70 but who's counting? Packed in like sardines, the ferry ride was just a few minutes. Too early to check into our hotel, the nice folks at the Miyajima Seaside Hotel picked up our bag from near the pier so we could walk around hands free until check-in time.
Omotesando is the main shopping street and so crowded I had to shuffle along instead of walk. Soon we were able to turn left onto Maibiya Street, less crowded and more enjoyable for browsing the shops. I found a handsomely painted sake carafe with cups, something we'll enjoy using at home. Leaving the shop Fred thought I said something critical of him and he retorted, describing my personality in a way that really stung. At lunch I told him how hurt I was by his comments. After explanations and exculpations he finally "got" my upset and apologized. This our only major discord.
Standing in the Sea of Japan is Itsukushima Shrine, harmony in vermilion, breathtaking against the green forested hills. I breathed it in with the fresh sea air. We climbed many, many stairs to arrive at the entry gate to Daishoin Temple. To me the shrine rooms were not commensurate with the importance of the temple. We had planned to return to town center by way of a walk through Momijiidani Park. After a few minutes of the uphill climb through this forest Fred was pooped. We took a horizontal route back to where a hotel van took us to our lodging.
Iwaso was my first choice of ryokans on Miyajima but I did not book it in the first six hours it became available for our date. I'm actually glad to be staying at the Seaside Resort instead. We are on the fourth floor of this ryokan. From our balcony we look out at the sea, watching the sea birds do acrobatics above and the wild deer forage for food below. There was no better way to relax than soaking in this view with cold sake. Showered and kimono clad we were ready for dinner. Yet surprised by the bountiful offerings, beautifully presented and flavorful. Later Fred read and I watched ice skating finals.
Day 19 to Tokyo
We took a train to Hiroshima Station and then two long bullet trains to Tokyo.We broke up our time in Tokyo because we thought the frenetic energy of Tokyo would be too much for six and a half days straight. We also liked the idea of staying in a different area. We also liked the idea of ending with a splurge at the Park Hyatt. The scenery out the window did not hold my attention except for one eye popping futuristic building and some bucolic scenes close to Tokyo. So I worked some seduki puzzles and then resumed reading Hiroshima by John Hersey, a journalistic account I'd picked up at the Hiroshima Museum shop.
I hadn't realized how much of the day our travel would entail, six hours. But once esconced in our room at the Park Hyatt Tokyo all weariness dissipated. Wow. From the 43rd floor our city view included the Tokyo Tower front and center. The gigantic room (certainly by Japanese standards), conveniences, layout and amenities were world class. This was a worthy splurge.
We walked two blocks to the Washington Hotel and had a very tasty Chinese
dinner at Serari Geihenkan. To top off our evening we had a drink at the famous New York Bar. Many of the sequences of the film Lost in Translation were made here. Although Fred still has a
roaring chest cold, he is not a complainer and has suffered this eight day ordeal silently.
Day 20 Tokyo
I woke early and was planning some possible activities for our last two days while Fred slept in. Checking his email, he noted a reminder from ANA to check in tonight for our 00:02 flight tomorrow. No Fred there's some mistake. Ya, Robbie we’ve made a big mistake. Just as I was ready to pat myself on the back for getting these ff BC tickets, arranging nine hotels and coordinated train travel, I came face to face with reality. How could two overeducated (19 years combined beyond BA degrees) seniors be unable to figure which day 12:01 referred to?
The hotel graciously allowed us to cancel our second night. We checked out, stowed our luggage and decided to meander through Shijnuku. We wandered for several hours. Sheer luck landed us at Kabe no Ana Pasta. How did they learn to make pesto spaghetti with calamari like that? Is he from Camoglli? After more walking it began to sprinkle. Back at the New York Bar we began our extended sake tasting. One was so good we hoped to buy it at Haneda's Duty Free.
The Chinese food warranted an encore so we headed back there for a light dinner. We talked about what was most memorable for each of us during this sojourn. Highlights for me were the festival in Takayama, kaiseki lunch at Roan Kukunoi, the morning with the famous calligrapher Mr. Ibata and being in Koyasan for two days. What I liked least was Nara and its attractions and our room at the ryokan in Koyasan.
Day 21 Flight to LAX
It has been a very enjoyable and fulfilling trip. We both feel that the demands of the trip, at least the way I constructed it, required more stamina than we could comfortably muster and this made the trip feel more difficult than any previous travel experience. We were surprised since we each walk an hour or more a day at home. All that said, I am returning home with some wonderful memories.
Thank you all for your help beforehand and for coming along with me on this journey.
Sayonara.
Robbie
Day 17 Hiroshima
We woke early. The desk attendant said she would call us a taxi but would not vouch for its reliability. It showed up and we arrived at the cable car station in ample time. This turned out to be our most arduous and intricate train day yet. It took five different trains and four and a half hours to get to Hiroshima. We missed one train that only gave us six minutes to get from one track to another. Problem was the second track was up two flights of stairs across the station then down two flights of stairs. Fortunately there was another train in 15 minutes and our overall journey was not affected. No time to stop for train station food but a hostess wheeled some food and drink possibilities down the aisle on the final train to Hiroshima. Some coffee and beef tongue jerkey revived me.
The ANA Crowne Plaza is just what needed, a modern hotel with firm beds. It is only a three block walk to the Memorial Peace Park. The Atomic Dome bisecting one oath was not the huge monolith I was expecting but a concrete oval structure no more than 20 feet high (my guess). It's simplicity conveyed everything. Further down the path I choked up at the memorial to all the children who perished on August 6th and the days after.The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum connected me to the horror of the atomic blast. As I looked at photo after photo of the devastation caused I felt sick in my gut. Why did the US chose this solution? Why did the residents ignore the warnings of the blast and evacuate? Disbelief? Patriotism? I was not feeling kindly toward our choice. My mind was spinning: where in the reprehensible acts of inhumanity does Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and the other camps fit? And Stalin's annihilation of his own people? Or our destabilization of bad governments that usher in monsters like Pol Pot? I needed to get off my soapbox. A G and T at the lobby did help. But it could not, and should not, mitigate the intensity of my pain over that rather innocuous looking mushroom cloud.
A few blocks from the hotel, on a side street, is the Paris Bistro. Silly me, I asked the hostess in French for a menu in English. Of course she only spoke Japanese. The food was a pleasant break from the usual fare. We shared an order of grilled squid and eggplant in assembly sauce and grilled lamb. Both delicious. Wine terrible, immediately replaced by beer
Day 18 Miyajima
We lightened our load by sending a suitcase and tote ahead to our Tokyo hotel. Even with one suitcase Fred was not keen on taking a subway and then a bus to get from our hotel to the ferry terminal for Miyajima. We didn't do our homework so were not expecting such a long taxi ride
or big fare ($56.70 but who's counting? Packed in like sardines, the ferry ride was just a few minutes. Too early to check into our hotel, the nice folks at the Miyajima Seaside Hotel picked up our bag from near the pier so we could walk around hands free until check-in time.
Omotesando is the main shopping street and so crowded I had to shuffle along instead of walk. Soon we were able to turn left onto Maibiya Street, less crowded and more enjoyable for browsing the shops. I found a handsomely painted sake carafe with cups, something we'll enjoy using at home. Leaving the shop Fred thought I said something critical of him and he retorted, describing my personality in a way that really stung. At lunch I told him how hurt I was by his comments. After explanations and exculpations he finally "got" my upset and apologized. This our only major discord.
Standing in the Sea of Japan is Itsukushima Shrine, harmony in vermilion, breathtaking against the green forested hills. I breathed it in with the fresh sea air. We climbed many, many stairs to arrive at the entry gate to Daishoin Temple. To me the shrine rooms were not commensurate with the importance of the temple. We had planned to return to town center by way of a walk through Momijiidani Park. After a few minutes of the uphill climb through this forest Fred was pooped. We took a horizontal route back to where a hotel van took us to our lodging.
Iwaso was my first choice of ryokans on Miyajima but I did not book it in the first six hours it became available for our date. I'm actually glad to be staying at the Seaside Resort instead. We are on the fourth floor of this ryokan. From our balcony we look out at the sea, watching the sea birds do acrobatics above and the wild deer forage for food below. There was no better way to relax than soaking in this view with cold sake. Showered and kimono clad we were ready for dinner. Yet surprised by the bountiful offerings, beautifully presented and flavorful. Later Fred read and I watched ice skating finals.
Day 19 to Tokyo
We took a train to Hiroshima Station and then two long bullet trains to Tokyo.We broke up our time in Tokyo because we thought the frenetic energy of Tokyo would be too much for six and a half days straight. We also liked the idea of staying in a different area. We also liked the idea of ending with a splurge at the Park Hyatt. The scenery out the window did not hold my attention except for one eye popping futuristic building and some bucolic scenes close to Tokyo. So I worked some seduki puzzles and then resumed reading Hiroshima by John Hersey, a journalistic account I'd picked up at the Hiroshima Museum shop.
I hadn't realized how much of the day our travel would entail, six hours. But once esconced in our room at the Park Hyatt Tokyo all weariness dissipated. Wow. From the 43rd floor our city view included the Tokyo Tower front and center. The gigantic room (certainly by Japanese standards), conveniences, layout and amenities were world class. This was a worthy splurge.
We walked two blocks to the Washington Hotel and had a very tasty Chinese
dinner at Serari Geihenkan. To top off our evening we had a drink at the famous New York Bar. Many of the sequences of the film Lost in Translation were made here. Although Fred still has a
roaring chest cold, he is not a complainer and has suffered this eight day ordeal silently.
Day 20 Tokyo
I woke early and was planning some possible activities for our last two days while Fred slept in. Checking his email, he noted a reminder from ANA to check in tonight for our 00:02 flight tomorrow. No Fred there's some mistake. Ya, Robbie we’ve made a big mistake. Just as I was ready to pat myself on the back for getting these ff BC tickets, arranging nine hotels and coordinated train travel, I came face to face with reality. How could two overeducated (19 years combined beyond BA degrees) seniors be unable to figure which day 12:01 referred to?
The hotel graciously allowed us to cancel our second night. We checked out, stowed our luggage and decided to meander through Shijnuku. We wandered for several hours. Sheer luck landed us at Kabe no Ana Pasta. How did they learn to make pesto spaghetti with calamari like that? Is he from Camoglli? After more walking it began to sprinkle. Back at the New York Bar we began our extended sake tasting. One was so good we hoped to buy it at Haneda's Duty Free.
The Chinese food warranted an encore so we headed back there for a light dinner. We talked about what was most memorable for each of us during this sojourn. Highlights for me were the festival in Takayama, kaiseki lunch at Roan Kukunoi, the morning with the famous calligrapher Mr. Ibata and being in Koyasan for two days. What I liked least was Nara and its attractions and our room at the ryokan in Koyasan.
Day 21 Flight to LAX
It has been a very enjoyable and fulfilling trip. We both feel that the demands of the trip, at least the way I constructed it, required more stamina than we could comfortably muster and this made the trip feel more difficult than any previous travel experience. We were surprised since we each walk an hour or more a day at home. All that said, I am returning home with some wonderful memories.
Thank you all for your help beforehand and for coming along with me on this journey.
Sayonara.
Robbie
Nov 11th, 2016, 06:37 AM
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Robbie make a mistake.. not likely.. must have been fred's oversight...??
we are looking forward to our 2nd japan trip in april/may. have noted several of your restaurant choices.
happy holidays to you both.
bob
we are looking forward to our 2nd japan trip in april/may. have noted several of your restaurant choices.
happy holidays to you both.
bob
Nov 11th, 2016, 08:47 AM
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I won't lecture you on your reaction to the Children's Memorial as the results of that terrible day speak for themselves. Fortunately, I felt the Peace Museum does at least a reasonable job of speaking to the atrocities committed by Japan that ultimately led to that decision, including the rape of Nanking, the invasion of Manchuria, the sneak attack bombing at Pearl Harbor and the Bataan death march.
Nov 11th, 2016, 09:14 AM
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Scary error on the flight but so glad it all worked out.
I greatly appreciate you taking us along on your journey. Cheryl and I would love to go back to Japan for sakura and reading your report makes me want it even more.
I greatly appreciate you taking us along on your journey. Cheryl and I would love to go back to Japan for sakura and reading your report makes me want it even more.
Nov 11th, 2016, 05:55 PM
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Wonderful report of a wonderful trip. Thank you for all the detail. I must respond to your comment on the poor teeth of otherwise beautiful Japanese women. You are obviously curious and sensitive to cultural difference (impressive reading list!) so thought you might be interested to know that crooked teeth are a sign of beauty in Japan. The term is "yaeba" and cosmetic dentistry is often performed to produce crossed or snaggled teeth. Googling it will yield a lot of info but here's a link to a 2016 online article: http://xpatnation.com/yaeba-would-yo...rage-in-japan/
Thank again for a great TR.
Thank again for a great TR.
Nov 12th, 2016, 05:12 AM
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Minnbeef - interesting that you mentioned that the peace museum shows events leading up to the bombing. We were just there and did not see any mention of Japan's role in the war and events leading up to the bombing. But I just realized that a whole section was closed as they are renovating one building. It is interesting to point out that the building was dedicated as a world heritage site on December 7th - Pearl Harbor Day.
