JAPAN 2019
Our trip would come to an end in the same city we started... Tokyo. We still had so many things to see.
Tokyo Again
February 12
We landed in Tokyo at Haneda airport, and take the Monorail to Hamamatsucho station, then we couldn't figure out how to get out of the Station, seriously, we spent 20 minutes trying to find an exit.
When we finally figured out how to get out of the station, it was a short walk to the Hotel Villa Fontaine in the Hamamatsucho district. We chose that area because it was a Monorail ride to the airport, and easy access to trains anywhere else we wanted to go in Tokyo. It was another small room hotel, but at least the bed was comfy.
After settling in and relaxing for a bit we went to a Japanese Tempura restaurant. We could tell by the pictures, but when we asked if they had an English menu the response was "No English, Japanese!". So we used our handy Google photo translate and made a pretty good choice of Shrimp tempura bowls. We even figured out how to order some extra tempura.
Back at the room, I planned out how we could take a bus from Tokyo Station and go see Mt Fuji. One of those locations where you could see Mt Fuji reflected in a lake, or go to a shrine and see this view...
2 hours on a bus would be so worth it. So we set our alarms and went to bed, ready to head out in the morning.
February 13
Instead it ended up being a really bad kidney stone pain night, so we bailed on taking train to Kawaguchiko Lake to view Mt Fuji. Instead of looking at the worlds most famous peak, we tried to get a prescription renewal at the pharmacy as my pain killers had run out. They wouldn't help us, as it turns out we needed a new prescription.
Our hotel receptionist booked us an appointment at the International Health Care Clinic which was one train station away. They were great, the staff and doctor spoke excellent English, and she gave me a new prescription that would last until we got home. The Nurse even walked us to the pharmacy so we wouldn't have any language issues. That was good, the pharmacist was 150 years old.
Fully medicated again, we walked over to the nearby Hama-Rikyu Gardens through all kinds of strange building complexes.
Underground walkways that allow you to avoid busy roadways, now, which way is out?
Smokers are separated from the public to keep cigarette butts off the ground and toxic smoke away from the general public.
Hama-Rikyu Garden has served many purposes over the centuries. It was originally built as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence and duck hunting grounds during the Edo Period (1603-1867), but later served as a strolling garden and as an imperial detached palace before eventually being opened to the public in its current form.
Several traditional structures add a touch of history to the park.
It is an oasis of a park set right in the middle of a busy city district.
The yellow colours of the rapeseed flowers and the pinks of the early cherry blossoms make this park a very special escape from the city just a short distance away.
This pine tree was planted in 1709 by one of the shogun during the refurbishment of the garden. Because of its size, it might look like it is a bundle of several pine trees, but in fact, these are the branches of one single pine tree planted at that time.
From the quiet serenity of the park, we are back in to the modern madness of the city as we walk back to our hotel.
That night we took the train to Shinjuku, the area where we stayed at the beginning of the trip. It's too bad the trips almost over, we finally got this train/subway system figured out. It looks crazy when you first see it, but after 3 weeks it's quite easy. I say easy, and then we get lost in the Shinjuku Station trying to get out.
With the delay in getting out of the train station, a long lineup at the Ichiran Ramen restaurant meant we wouldn't have time for dinner. So we grabbed some snacks at a Krispy Kreme donut store and headed for our destination...
The Robot Restaurant Show!!
if you thought the Neon lit streets of Shinjuku were crazy and overwhelming, you ain't seen nothing yet!
Before the show, there is a lounge area with a weird futuristic band playing. We would have sat and enjoyed it, but all the empty seats have reserved signs, after the hostess tells us there is no reserved seats?!?
The next few pictures may be hard for your brain to process, that's just the stairway down to the show floor.
The show floor consists of 3 rows of seats on either side of the room, so there is no bad seats, although being closer may make it hard to take it all in. Before the show starts and during intermissions, carts roll out selling you drinks, snacks and souvenirs.
Then it begins, apparently there is some story to the show about magical indigenous people, and Robotic overlords or some kind of crazy %&#@. Reality is, it's a lot of neon lights, drummers, guitars, loud music, singers, bright lights, smoke effects, lasers... and oh yeah... Robots.
Pretty sure that's a robot Mr. Kool Aid with a drum kit on his head
... and then it started getting weird. Some robots are pushed in, some robots have humans inside, some robots are driven with a remote control. How the robots fit into the story of the show is a little weird.
Somehow Kung Fu Panda and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became part of the good guys team. WTF?
Yes, a robot frog, Rhino beetle and lobster all tried to help. Did I mention it started getting weird? Then aliens with giant laser blasters fought a gigantic robotic snake.
Of course no show is complete without a Triceratops fighting a dragon.
Then you got a brain reprieve and they had an intermission, before the dance section of the show began, which to be honest was one of the coolest parts of the show.
The final part of the show was the pander to the crowd part of the show, although the Australians were having their own little party singing Bruce Channel's "Hey Baby" song, with an entire section of the Japanese audience on the opposite side adding the "Ooh, Aah" section. Everyone is given light-sticks, and dancers and crazy robots themed to a "Fish Fight" close the show out...
it was all very weird, overwhelming, brain numbing, and kind of awesome in a way that only the Japanese can do.
Once the crazy show was over, we went back to Ichiran Ramen for a very late dinner, it's so much easier to order food when you've already struggled through the vending machine process once. We are Ichiran experts now.
We ended up catching the last train back to our hotel. Just like Vancouver's skytrain their transit system doesn't operate late at night after 1am. Seems to me that cities like Vancouver and Tokyo that have entertainment districts operating establishments that serve drinks until late at night, you should have a transit system that can get them home safely... maybe it's just a crazy idea I have. Or maybe they want to keep the capsule hotels busy with people that just stay the night?
Goodbye Shinjuku, my adrenaline filled brain will miss you
February 14
As you may know we are both Disney fanatics, we had just been to Disneyland/California Adventure a few months previous. However, Tokyo has a Disneyland/DisneySea theme park, and I was always curious how they would compare. We had 1 day, so we chose to go see DisneySea as it is a park we hadn't seen before, and Disneyland might be too similar to where we just were in LA.
Conveniently the train station near our hotel takes us right to the station where you can catch the Disney tram.
The Iconic Cinderella's castle at Tokyo Disneyland
When you get off at the DisneySea stop, you know you are at a Disney resort, but it's also very different. The centerpiece called Mediterranean Harbour feels like a Mediterranean village, complete with a Volcano hovering over the town.
Yes, that is a group of pigs on the bridge. It's very odd to see, but apparently the Japanese guests like to dress up the same as pairs or groups. Every where you look you see matching outfits, matching hats, it's all a little weird. I thought the matching family shirts in Disneyland California were odd, but this is a whole other level.
Instead of the Rivers of America canoes, they have gondolas here.
The Mysterious Island area is set beside and inside the Volcano.
Thinking we were being strategic we head straight to the most popular ride in the park for a Fastpass, The Journey to the Center of the Earth ride. The 1st Fastpass we get says to return at 21:25... the park closes at 22:00. After an hour you are allowed to get another Fastpass, but the rest of the popular rides ran out of Fastpasses. It's going to be a long day of lines. They really would benefit from moving to the phone app based MaxPass system like they have in California.
Another popular ride in this area is 20,000 leagues under the sea, where you explore an undersea world in small submarines, but they're not really submarines, and you're not really underwater, but it is well done.
Hidden throughout the park are a collection of Mickey based statues matching each of the areas themes, the hunt for Mickey was part of our fun for the day.
Mermaid Lagoon is the Ariel's Grotto of California Adventure, very bright and colourful, and very targeted towards the younger kids. Flounder's Flying Fish coaster did look cute though.
Lost River Delta is home to the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, it was closed for repairs :(
They also had what looked to be the coolest Roller Coaster in the park, Raging Spirits. It had a 360° loop so we went by there 3 times, and the lineup was never less than 2 hours, ugh! (you know it's a problem when they have free 3 hour lockers outside the ride)
With feet already getting tired, it was a nice break to sit down and have some lunch.
The next area is the Arabian Coast.
This was home to one of surprise favourite rides, Sinbad's Storybook Voyage, it's a little like 'It's a Small World' but with better music and an actual storyline.
After Sinbad rescues the Genie, they all live happily ever after...
Until he is swallowed by a whale... THE END.
I'm not completely sure how Stitch became Arabian, but I'll go with it.
We'll come back to Jasmine's Flying Carpets later, but first it's time for the Magic Lamp Theater and the World's Greatest Magic show. It was a 3D projected genie and live actor show, and it really wasn't the world's greatest magic show.
Next up was Port Discovery and the Aquatopia Synchronized boats, kind of like the Rollickin Roadsters at Carsland in LA, but less entertaining. It was still fun as you didn't know which way you were going to go.
One of the nice surprises was the Nemo & Friends SeaRider, expecting it to be like the Nemo ride at Disneyland, it was actually closer to Star Tours. You are seated in a Robot fish shaped submarine, and shrunk down to experience the sea disguised as a fish.
There's always time for Disney snacks, like nautical themed steam buns.
The last area of DisneySea is the American Waterfront area. Part Cape Cod, part New York Harbour.
It was a nice part of the park to be in for sunset.
It's still the Tower of Terror here in Tokyo, it hasn't become the Guardians of the Galaxy escape. The story is a little different, but the ride looks very similar. I say looks similar, because the line to get in was almost 3 hours, and I don't have that kind of time to stand around looking at Disney Twinsies in a lineup.
Toy Story Mania is hugely popular in California, and it's no different here.
Once it gets dark, the park lights up with a whole new look.
After dark Mount Prometheus has a very loud eruption at key times of the night. Thundering explosion sounds, fire spewing in the air, it's quite the sight to see. It's not the easiest thing to take a picture of though.
The Lost River Delta also looks very different at night, dark and creepy, but the lineups aren't any shorter.
I told you we'd get back to Jasmine's flying carpet... if only I was 50 years younger, I could appreciate this ride.
We found a secret path to go inside the Mermaid Lagoon, it wasn't really a secret path, we just completely missed it earlier. Full of spinning teacups and other vomit inducing rides.
If you have seen the Fantasmic show at Disneyland or Disney World, you know how great it is with video projected onto water and giant robotic dragons defeated by arm waving characters riding on boats... it's just as good here.
The Fireworks show on the other hand isn't quite as spectacular as in the US Disney parks.
Just before the park closes, it was finally time to use our Fast Pass. The Journey to the Center of the Earth ride was fun, as you work your way deeper into the Earth, and then just as the ride starts to crank up the speed to make it exciting, the ride ends.
"Expectations of thrills are a lot lower here than in North America"
Dave Warfield 2019
Then it was back to the Mediterranean Harbour, and time to head home as the park closes at 10:00pm. Lucky thing since their transit system doesn't run very late. Such a great day to experience a Japanese twist on the Disney experience. Even if it was near freezing by the time we left, although it would have been pretty cool to have it snowing in DisneySea.
In train instructions on how to be a better Instagrammer
February 15
Our last day in Japan, and I woke up to take my favourite photo of the entire trip (Sorry if this picture grosses you out). First thing in the morning I passed 2 stones and all my pain was gone!
Pain free with no meds for the first time in a long time, we packed up, headed to the Hamamatsucho train station and dropped our luggage in lockers so we could go explore for the day before heading to the airport.
My last manhole cover photo... I promise
We took the train to Yanesen Old town in the northeastern region of Tokyo. Yanesen comprises the areas of Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi (taking the first letters of each name), each dotted with shrines, temples and small shops. Because the areas escaped World War II bombings, they have retained their original charm. A perfect place to buy some baked goods and people watch for a while.
They definitely love their cats and dogs in this area, there are stores dedicated to just cats. We see a lady walking her little dog in a diaper. When it stops and starts kicking up dirt on the side of the road, I said to Norine "We all know that's a dog with a full diaper", luckily the lady probably didn't speak English.
This bronze Dog and Man is the famous Hachiko statue. In 1924, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University, brought Hachiko to live in Shibuya, Tokyo, as his pet. Hachiko would meet Ueno at Shibuya Station every day after his commute home. This continued until May 21, 1925, when Ueno died of a cerebral hemorrhage while at work. From then until his death on March 8, 1935, Hachiko would return to Shibuya Station every day to await Ueno's return. The dog is still considered an example of loyalty in Japanese culture.
From the shopping area we walked through the temple area.
Kokozan Daienji Temple is famous for its monument stone dedicated to Osen, a beautiful girl who used to work in a tea house and was a model of Suzuki Harunobu, a renowned ukiyo-e artist of the 1760s. It is unclear when exactly it was established, but documents go back to the late 17th century.
Zensho-an Temple has a large collection of Japanese yurei paintings, which are normally exhibited in August, the traditional month of spirits and ghosts. These paintings were most probably kept by families during the Edo period also to ward off evil.
A young girl stopped and asked us if we needed help, then told us about all the different places we could walk to. She was on her way to work, but took the time to point us in many directions. We chose to walk to Ueno Park which she suggested.
Seriously, the absolute last manhole cover
At first we were really disappointed, as it seemed very run down, there was a protest going on, or an evangelist prayer session, not completely sure, but there was a lot of yelling involved. Once you got away from that part of the park, there was fountains, trees covered in Cherry Blossoms, and a pathway to another shrine.
Nobody knows how old Gojo Tenjinsha Shrine is. An ancient document mentioned about this shrine in 1486. It's entry way of many red Torii gates is impressive though.
As we are walking through Ueno park (the nicer part), we discover a row of street meat vendors, little Shish Kebabs of assorted things. Octopus, squid, squid tops, quid bottoms, assorted shellfish. Norine tells me I should try some, but I'm pretty sure this is how you get crabs.
Shinobazuno Pond is a nice quiet pond within a surrounding marshy park known for its lotus plants, migratory birds and swan shaped peddle boats. There is even a couple Buddhist temples, just in case the park wasn't tranquil enough.
At the far end of the pond is a fancy new food vendor truck, curious to see what they are selling we get closer, only to discover it's not a food vendor. It's a rolling Lottery ticket sales bus, they take their lottery serious here.
From a nice tranquil park, we suddenly find ourselves in the Ameyoko and Ueno Naka shopping district. It's mayhem, people are everywhere, men are standing on boxes yelling at passerbys about their great products. Everything from Fish stalls to high end runners to arcades, there is hundreds of shops all selling something we don't want or need.
As we are walking along we are stopped by a news crew and asked if we could answer some questions. Why were we here on Ameyoko street, what stores did we go in, what pictures did we last take. I explained to them about the Taito arcades, because I used to work in the games business. I wasn't sure how long it would continue when they found out I worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the 90's.
Escaping the yelling and the madness, we jumped on a train to the Ariake district. Formerly part of the Tokyo harbour and a landfill, Ariake is a new modern futuristic and spacious city area. They recovered the swamp area, and converted it into wide concourses and walkways. As we walked the length of it there is hardly anyone around.
It's not really a manhole cover, so it doesn't count
The area is full of very modern and unique buildings, probably none as modern as the Fuji TV building, with it's suspended Spherical observation deck (Hachitama).
There really was very few people around the entire time excluding a few joggers, until you got to far end and saw the giant Gundam. Then suddenly there was people everywhere, all taking selfies of course. In front of the Diver City shopping center stands a life-size Unicorn Gundam statue, all lit up and watching over the park area.
As a nice promotional surprise, just to his right is a life size version of the Transformer Bumble-Bee from the latest Hollywood explosion fest. If you are into Japanese Robots from comics, anime and live action films, this is the place to be... and it's hopping with very happy customers walking away with bags full of Gundam themed souvenirs.
Just past the entrance to the mall is the smallest Illumination display in Japan, along with views of the Rainbow Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. That's right, you didn't know the Statue of Liberty was in Tokyo harbour?
We went in to the mall to take a look around, and maybe grab a snack. All of a sudden there is a giant crowd and a big commotion, apparently some K-Pop Boy band was doing a live show and question period in the Mall. How exciting!
We went into Starbucks and saw what truly gives you a sense of the nature of the Japanese people. A Girl in Starbucks leaves her luggage and her purse on a bench in Starbucks while she goes out to watch the boy band. Her purse is wide open, there is nobody at the bench guarding it, and she is not worried, and nobody is skulking around to try and steal from it. If you dropped a ¥500 bill, someone will chase after you to give it back. If you leave a tip, a waiter or staff will follow you to tell you that you overpaid. That's just the culture of their people.
Sadly our time in Japan is almost over, so we head back to the Monorail station to pick up our luggage from the lockers and head to the airport for our flight back home.
This last tip is really important, make sure to mail back your pocket WiFi in the provided envelope, before you go through airport security. Once you go through security there is no more mailboxes. Just for safety reasons I took a picture in case there was any issues with the company... there wasn't.
We had some extra time after checking in to our flight to wander around the shops of Haneda airport. The Japanese really like their Kit Kats, so many crazy flavours.
Why did I include this picture of Haribo Gummy Bears? Well, because it made me laugh out loud in the store. If you want to know why, click this link for Haribo Reviews on Amazon.
February 15
With the time changes, even after a 9 hour flight we arrive back home again on the same day we left. It's great to get away, but it's always nice to come back home.
Our souvenir tea pot was waiting for us when we arrived, and we brought home a few more souvenirs for the Christmas Travel Tree.
Japan is an amazing country steeped in History and Tradition. It was incredible to see the combination of such a modern technological culture mixed with such old traditions. If we go back again, we would get away from the cities and mass population and spend way more time in the country and small towns, especially now that we have seen their biggest of cities.
We definitely checked off a big item off our bucket List, and even with a few hiccups of health along the way it was a wonderful adventure. We averaged about 10km a day walking around the sights (except for the 2 days of Kidney Stones), which is probably good, because I brought a whole bunch of those crazy Kit Kats home.
