Sapporo, Japan - Saturday
It's the last day of April and it's winter in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's islands - a sparsley populated wildnerness area (in contrast to the south) filled with active volcanoes and onsen (hot springs). The sun was shining in the seaport of Muroran on the southeast side of the island. Across the wide bay, a snow cloaked volcano stood sentinel. It seemed to be floating in air in the early morning mist.
It was a two hour drive to the capital city of Sapporo - only 1 1/4 hours by train but more expensive that way than the cruise line arranged shuttle bus (that's an anomaly). Trees were bare of leaves and the landscape was brown as we bused to Sapporo. Patches of snow lay in protected crevices here and there from a snow fall just three days ago. Mountains ring the area covered with white shawls of snow. Cherry trees are not expected to blossom until the middle of May, six weeks behind the south but we saw one maverick magnolia just starting to display a few petals.
The same happy and friendly spirit is prevalent with the people of Hokkaido and it is so lovely after the dour 'Vladivostockians'. I will miss the Japanese very much; with all our travels we have never encountered such a welcoming and helpful people.
The wind was keen in the morning as we set out on a walking tour of Sapporo. It's a clean and modern city with lots of department stores and restaurants, a wide boulevard - flower beds overflowed with multi-coloured pansies and the grass was green on the park-like median. Streetside vendors were selling corn-on-the-cob for 300 yen and it smelled marvelous.
I bought a bento box of mixed maki and tofu pockets in the basement of Mitsukoshi and found a bench in a corner where several elderly ladies sat to rest. They chattered at me in Japanese and smiled a welcome as I took out my chopsticks and tucked in to my sushi. Not able to understand each other, we did the usual head bobbing back and forth with lots of smiles.
One floor lower is devoted to sweets of all types - the most artistic and delicious looking pastries I've ever seen. There were sample plates at many of the stands and we tried them and relished them. I bought one little 'kiwi' shaped delicacy for later - made of green tea and bean paste, I believe.
Sweet-faced, aproned ladies at tea stands prepared and served us fresh green tea - macha, the powdered tea and some made from the fragrant green leaves. We sampled several with lots of bowing and unintelligible chatter accompanying it. When I purchased some to take home with us, they taught me how to make it - one soup spoon of the leaves to the small teapot which serves two in those tiny little handle free cups. Our purchases were wrapped with such care and we finished with more bowing and 'arrigatos' from both sides.
Hokkaido was our final Japanese destination. This was realised with sadness having decided Japan ranks in our top 5 countries of the world and it's number 1 with regards to the people. It was time to use up all the change we'd accumulated - the smallest bill in Japanese currency is 1000 yen ($10 US) so we'd accumulated quite a bit of change. We bought a half a dozen Sapporo beer and half a dozen of our favourite lemon drink, CC Lemon. We buried the beer in the bottom of our day pack and the crew didn't take notice of it when we returned to the ship.
Sayonara Japan!
Vladivostok - Thursday
Shocked out of sleep by the loud guttural voices of Russian longeshoremen, it was still dark and when I peered at my Indiglo watch through foggy eyes, it was only 3:15 am. I shuffled over to the patio door to close it and thankfully it muffled the gruff tones and I slid back into bed and immediately back to sleep.
Shocked awake for a second time; this time I ascertained it was 6:45am and it was a knock at the door that aroused us. Having lost an hour in the night with the clock moving forward, it was shaky legs that took us to the door - it was our passports being delivered. We needed to carry them with us in Vladivostok. I glanced out the window as the sky was slightly lightening to see two looming dark outlines of threatening grey battleships seemingly only inches away.
Fuel boats and rubbish barges slid up to our ship to service it and belched thick black acrid smoke, the smell of which seeped into our cabins aided by the keen wind. There was a real chill in the air and I wondered what winter must feel like here.
Vladivostok is a typical Russian city with its grey, stark badly-in-need-of-repair buildings, immense potholes in the roads crudely filled in with loose chunks of cement, ancient rusting oil-burning vehicles, old stubby-legged apple-cheeked women in babushkas, young blonde & redheaded girls with long legs, tight jeans and elegant cheekbones, smelly & choking smog coating the windows with a thick dull layer of greasy grime. But.....they are trying to progress - new highrises are starting to sprout, some of the intricately designed pre-communist regime buildings on the main shopping street are being sandblasted, a yacht club and sandy beach have been constructed (can't imagine it ever being warm enough to use the beach) and new Japanese cars and SUV's are starting to replace the decrepit jalopies. There is product on the shelves of the shops now - not like a few years ago.
As we walked out of the dock area and across the tracks of the Trans-Siberia Railway terminal, the wind sliced through our clothing as if snow was in the air. Trees were bare of foliage and not even budding yet. I think the city might be much more appealing when the trees are green. Young men in navy, heavy woolen uniforms with high peaked hats roam the streets in jovial groups. 'Ladies' boutiques are opening up selling the popular tight blue jeans and leather jackets. US dollars were not welcomed in the shops so we found a money changer who gave us 27 rubles to the US $ in order to buy a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka for 95 rubles (less than $4 US). Afraid the cruise line would confiscate our vodka, we came prepared with water bottles and transferred the alchohol into them.
Along the dock, merchants had set up stalls, selling the same old merchandise - Russian stacking dolls, army hats and medals, fur hats, flasks with USSR insignias, etc. It was a funny sight to see a lot of the little old cruise guys strolling the streets in their new black-fur, ear-flapped hats.
In the later afternoon, the sun managed finally to burn through the smog but the wind didn't die down and it was still pretty cold. Vladivostok though looked so much more attractive as our ship sailed out of the harbour heading for Muroran, Japan on the north island of Hokkaido...the port to access Sapporo.
Busan (formerly Pusan), Korea - Tuesday
Our ship docked right near downtown on a beautiful clear and sunny day. We took a taxi to the fish market with our friends; it was only $5 ($1.25 each as opposed to the shuttle arranged by Princess at $5 per person).
The fish market differed from Tokyo's in that the smell greeted us as we climbed out of the cab - obviously not as fresh. This market was outside and there was a great array of fish and shellfish species, but it didn't seem to cater to the wholesale market. It appeared to be run totally by women which was how it originally started. Hours later it was very hot and the fish still laid out there and flies were landing.
A stroll around town landed us in a street that was petshop after petshop with dozens of puppies flirting with us and begging for adoption - all of them the small breeds. In between, were doggie boutiques withthe most wonderful choice of clothing for the pampered pooches and grooming parlours full of little dogs with curlers in their hair. I tried not to think of where the puppies were bred.....puppy farms? can't bear to think of it. At least when they are bought, they are treated wonderfully. They really love and spoil their pets.
Prices are generally high in Busan but we did find some retractible hiking poles for $10 each - at least $50 in Canada and up t$200.
We walked back to the ship eventually. It was getting really hot so we stayed in the shade.
The ship sailed at 5 pm.
An armada of fishing boats resting in Busan Harbour
Fishing nets
The fruit and vegetable market in Busan
This man was out of place here....the fish market is run by women.
Busan (aka Pusan), Korea
Train Crash
There was a horrendous rail crash in Osaka - yesterday I think. It feels so personal to us as we were in and out of Osaka several times until Friday. Don't have all the facts, but I think there were 45 dead, 400 +/- injured. I think they haven't had an accident of proportion for 40 or so years, so it's shocking. It seems that a corner was taken too fast - driver error - and it derailed and ploughed into a building. It wasn't the Shinkansen but a commuter train......we were on those too.
I've now heard the death toll is over 100 and they found the driver's body who was only 23 years old. It's so tragic.
Nagasaki - Monday
A picturesque city of less than half a million, its harbour ringed by mountains, Nagasaki is a sleepy town with a good tram system, friendly people and clean streets. The ship docked right in town only a block from a tram stop. A 500 yen day pass took us everywhere - up to the Peace Park and the A Bomb explosion site and museum, up the hills to shrines, temples and beautiful panoramic views and into the middle of the shopping district.
We found the A Bomb site and museum to be a bit repetitive after Hiroshima and it didn't affect us as emotionally. Doesn't that show how we become imune if we get used to attrocities? Frightening.
The ship was in port from 7 am to 6 pm - more than enough time to explore.
This memorial captured the horror.........
Kyoto / Sapphire Princess - Saturday
I woke up with a horrible headache. Maybe the mixing of sake and red wine last night wasn't a good idea. A Tylenol took care of it and I attacked the job of packing - why is it that dirty clothes seem to take up more room than clean ones?
Our negotiated taxi (12,000 yen) arrived at 10 am as arranged. A tiny girl who worked at the hotel, Matsumoto, helped us arrange the taxi by phoning and negotiating the price down from 20,000 yen. Tips are not accepted (we had people turn them down), so we put together a little gift bag of Canadian souvenirs and she accepted with a wide smile of delight.
Our driver, Mr. Okumura, spoke little English but managed to convey using his fingers that it would take one hour and 10 minutes to get to the pier - and it did! The ship wasn't supposed to start embarkation until noon but there was a lineup already and they were checking them in. We were in our cabin (B624) before noon. A beautiful little glass fronted balcony (whose door was to remain open for the next 19 days) with a table and two chairs, a lovely king sized bed where we could lie and see the view, an absolutely huge walk through closet. We'd be mighty comfortable. Just hope I don't get antsy on the interminable sea days.
This ship is H-U-G-E! we tried to tour it by starting at the top but didn't get all that far in a couple of hours. Beautifully but not too glitz-illy (is that a word?) appointed. Lots of little bars, a fabulous all around promenade deck with the old fashioned wooden chairs, lots of pools both indoor and out, lots of hot tubs too - a huge spa that we took a tour of, big big internet cafe, library with computer terminals too, 3 levels of shops and pursers desks. Restaurants everywhere - an Asian one, a SouthWest TexMex one, an Italian one, a steakhouse, the traditional International one, and Sabbatini's where you pay an additional $20 for the pleasure. Then there's the Lido Horizon buffet, a cappuccino bar, etc etc etc. The ship didn't seem all that big other than when you needed to get right from one end to the other - it was laid out that nothing ever seemed too far away. We decided as always, to not use the elevators but climb the stairs even if we huffed and puffed - good way of weight control. We were on deck 11 and sometimes after a meal, going from 6 to 11 was torturous.
Using the dine anytime choice, we started with the Pacific Moon Asian restaurant about 8 pm and had food as wonderful as I've ever had in my life - fabulous sushi, sashimi, potstickers / gyoza, stirfrys - yummy. Just the four of us tonight. Seems a lot of people have gone to bed already.
Dozed on and off through the cruise staff introductions and had a fairly early night - 11:30 pm, no that's not early - we're usually in bed by 10.
The Sapphire Princess
It's not such a bad life!
What more could we ask for?
Such serenity.....
Kyoto / Hiroshima - Friday
Sunshine again! how lucky can we get. We'd reserved the Shinkansen tickets to Hiroshima leaving Kyoto at 8:22 am and arriving at Hiroshima at 10:15 am. Fernie snoozed while I wrote and watched the moving scene. It was city after city for a while but we finally encountered some countryside between the myriad tunnels.
Hiroshima has a network of trams (street cars) leaving from right in front of the station every few minutes and it's only 150 yen to ride it. It took us right to the A Bomb Dome. This grim reminder of the horror of 60 years ago made for solemn behaviour and hushed tones. The twisted skeleton of this domed former government building remained standing though all around it was razed. The explosion took place just above it about 160 metres to the southeast.
Just across the Matoyusa River lies the Peace Memorial Park on a long narrow island. There are many monuments scattered through the park remembering August 6, 1945 but the Peace Museum really took us back to the nightmare. Scraps of clothing, charred lunch boxes and the stories of some of the victims, a lot of them children, personalized it and made it so terrifyingly real.
We retreated back to current day by visiting the commercial centre. The city has been rebuilt beautifully with a wide Parisienne-like avenue - the Peace Boulevard, lined with lots of trees and attractive buildings and it's only the dome that makes you believe that the bombing ever happened.
Hungry, we wove our way into the centre looking for Okonimura, three floors of funny little food stalls serving what we came for 'Hiroshima Yaki". The mini restaurants have stools along and around a huge stainless steel cooking surface with about eight inches of wooden shelf on the front for your dishes. Right in front of you, they start by making a sort of crepe, then mounding on top chopped veggies - cabbage, bean sprouts - then spices. After a couple of minutes, on go a pile of cooked noodles (soba or or udon) - we chose udon - the fat ones and some slices of lean bacon across the top and it all sizzles tantalizingly. Then it's flipped over. Now, the smell of the bacon emanates; an egg is dropped onto the grill, the yolk gently broken, turned over and added to the top of the heap - a sprinkle of green herbs and other stuff ?? then a generous dollop of a sweet brown sauce and finished with some red shoestring pickles, all the while cooking and the flavours mingling. We were each given a little lifter / cutting utensil and we could take small bits into our bowls as the rest remained grilling. It seemed to get more and more delicious the longer it cooked. We never thought that we would be able to finish the huge pancake but with a mug of (what else?) beer, it soon dimished.
It was a difficult walk back to the streetcar after such a feast but a shopping arcade with some great little shops, where we found a few gifts helped. Our Hikari train left Hiroshima at 3:10 pm and arrived one hour and 34 minutes later in Osaka, where we changed trains for Kyoto. They anounced that we were travelling at 285 km per hour - Wow! I thought the scenery was whizzing by. We had a good view of Himeji Castle as we pulled into the Himeji station. It was only a few blocks walk but we were just too darn tired.
Our UK friends left us a message to meet them at their hotel at 7 pm and it's just five minutes around the corner. As we entered their hotel, the Rihga Royal, it seemed we weren't in Japan (Kansas?) anymore; the hordes of caucasians - the cruise folk shocked us to the realization that we needed to transform ourselves from the grotty backpackers we'd been for the last nine days to one of these cud-chewing senior citizens. NO! please don't let it happen; I'm sure we'll find a middle route.
Our friends, J&R, appeared and we joyfully hugged and it felt as if we'd seen them only yesterday. We agreed that dinner at one of the little restaurants in the station would be preferable - pricewise and atmospherically - to the hotel. So we spent a pleasant evening catching up and parted about 10 pm, all of us exhausted.
'Hiroshima Yaki' ready to eat
The mini restaurants have stools along and around a huge stainless steel cooking surface with about eight inches of wooden shelf on the front for your dishes.
Hiroshima has been rebuilt beautifully........
A park filled with schoolchildren is adjacent to the Peace Memorial Park. One wonders if there was a similar scene on August 6, 1945
The A Bomb Dome a grim reminder of the horror of 60 years ago.
Observations and Impressions of Japan
Bicycles are used everywhere - right in the heart of the cities but they are obviously not allowed to be ridden on the roads. They share the narrow sidewalks with the pedestrians, navigating speedily around them haphazardly, often narrowly missing calamity. Sometimes we'd hear a tiny bell ring behind us warning their intentions but mostly we were surprised by the sudden veering around us - until we became aware and on guard. The bicyclists lock their bikes to pipes along the road edge of the sidewalks or at huge bike parking lots near the stations. The bicycles are not mountain bikes or racing bikes but the formal upright British style, often sporting a child carrier up front, sometimes surrounded by a windshield and sometimes there'll be another child seat in the rear. All ages rode them, young men in casual attire, older ladies, young women on their way to work in skirts and high heels, and the most dangerous of all, the men in navy suits, probably afraid of being late for work.
Men in Suits - The navy suit, maybe black or slate grey but always dark and never brown with a muted tie is the businessman's uniform. How amusing it was to watch a group of ten or so parting at the station one evening. Each would bow deeply to every other individual in turn and from a distance they looked like those little toy wooden water-drinking birds that sat on the edge of a glass, that I had as a child.
Bicycles and scooters are the favourite form of transit.
Smoking businessmen on the Shinkansen platform at Kyoto Station.
Tokyo to Kyoto - Thursday
The rain had eradicated the smog and we woke to a clear sunny day. Afraid of a repeat of yesterday's subway squash when we were carrying luggage, we left by 7 am and found the subways manageable with bags. So we had breakfast at Tokyo Station, very reasonably - three breakfast specials offered A. Noodle Soup, B. Bacon & Eggs, C. Sandwich of tomato, lettuce, cilantro and some sort of sausage that looked like pate, all on a long bun. All came with yogurt and coffee or tea for a bit over 600 yen. Fernie had B of course and I had C.
I tried to change our 10 am Shinkansen Hikari tickets to the 9 am but all non-smoking was sold out and I couldn't imagine 2 1/2 hours in a smoke-filled carriage. The wait was pleasurable because we found a comfy waiting room where we read our English language newspapers. I was on watch for Mount Fuji because the sky was cornflower blue and clean of visible smog. Our first sight of it was a disappointment because a fluffy white cloud hugged the peak but as we travelled further around the famous mountain, the cloud disbersed and displayed the full glory of Mount Fuji in the sparkling sunshine. WOW! It was difficult taking photos as the train moved so fast. I think I got a few pictures of telephone poles.
The ride north was shorter by six minutes. It took two hours and 37 minutes. I think there must have been a couple less stops.
When checking back in at the New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto, I was so pleased that they had noted on our reservation that a taxi was reserved for us on Saturday to take us to the pier. Sadly, we are not used to such efficient personal service. Our room this time - #808 - faced south, the back side where they are building a new wing at least as big as the current hotel. We missed the roar of the Shinkansen and the clatter of the multitude of criss-crossing tracks. It was just too peaceful.
We bought subway day passes and headed to Nijo Castle - Shogun territory. Vast grounds and rambling buildings. It felt so good taking off our shoes and walking around in stocking feet - a requisite of entry. Our bruised and blistered feet welcomed it. The worn wooden floors were built to 'creak' so as to warn of anyone approaching. It was amusing to watch other visitors try to beat the system - tippy toeing or sliding, to no avail. When a whole class of schoolchildren traversed it, they created an orchestra of musical squeaks. The castle grounds with the traditional gardens were a bit unkempt but almost more beautiful as a result - more natural. There were so many colours - the red of Japanese Maple, white of the dogwood and plum, pink of the Katsura and pink dogwood, varied colours in the vast arrays of azaleas and camellias, and greens of all shades.
Hopped on to the subway to the Gion district to check out the shops. The craft centre was overpriced and we enjoyed the little independent kiosks more. After trotting around for a couple of hours with a Starbucks break in the middle, we had only bought one little thing. The shopping is not that great. Took the subway back to Kyoto Station and went for dinner in the little conveyor belt sushi bar I had been lusting after for almost a week. I promised Fernie that we could go to a noodle bar after. How I wish we had one of these at home - right in Coquitlam. Sitting there and watching all the artistic little dishes sail by is my idea of dining heaven. At 120 yen a dish, you could eat a feast for not much money. One dish held 5 tuna maki or 5 cucumber maki, 2 nigiri of various types and there were many other odd bits to choose from. I guess I should be ashamed to admit I had eight dishes...........Fernie (the Sushi hater) even had six. He found some tempura prawn nigiri that he had 3 dishes of and some tofu pockets and a couple of other things and he found it not too bad with a large beer to wash it down.
We dropped a message to our UK friends, J&R, at their hotel - the Rihga Royal as they'd be arriving late that night. We timed it walking back to our hotel - five minutes door to door.
Tantalizing sushi plates whizzing by asking to be chosen!
Front window of a 'conveyor belt' sushi restaurant. Only 120 yen a plate - about $1.20 US
The Kamo River in the centre of Kyoto on a sunny Sunday evening. The buildings to the left are mostly restaurants and clubs which are fronted on Pontocho Alley.
Nijo gardens
Nijo lantern
Nijo Castle garden
Nijo Castle
I was on watch for Mount Fuji because the sky was cornflower blue and clean of visible smog. Our first sight of it was a disappointment because a fluffy white cloud hugged the peak but as we travelled further around the famous mountain, the cloud disbersed and displayed the full glory of Mount Fuji in the sparkling sunshine. WOW! It was difficult taking photos as the train moved so fast. I think I got a few pictures of telephone poles.
Tokyo - Wednesday
We woke to hear there's a new pope, a German from Munich - Joseph Ratzinger who's 78 years old and an extreme conservative. He's Benedictus XVI. I can't feel the relevance of it at all.
A cool and cloudy morning and we noticed the locals all carrying rolled umbrellas, a clue to an anticipated change of weather. We always tote our tiny travel umbrellas so no worries and we carried on with our plans. We took the subway to Shinbashi and transferred to a new line the "Yurikamome" line. It took us across the Rainbow Bridge to Tokyo Bay; the views enroute of the skyline, the futuristic skyscrapers, and the port are spectacular even though it was all veiled by the suffocating smog. I've been feeling 'deja-vu' since arriving in Tokyo with the multi-level center-of-the-city highways criss-crossing in a tangle of concrete - it must have been the backdrop for the film "Blade Runner"
Boarding the subway at our Aoyama-Itchome station at 8:30am was something of an adventure. I've read many times of this but nothing really prepares you. The train pulled in absolutely full and we, first in line, would have waited for the next one, but the mass of flesh behind us just pushed us aboard. The metaphor "like a can of sardines" is not apt in this case - those little fish reside in comfort comparatively. We were amid an impersonal, asexual orgy of humanity - an oxymoron I suppose. There was no air space between bodies and there was no need to hold on even if you could because the surrounding mound of flesh held you in place. I'd heard that this can lead to some sexual groping but at my age obviously not a worry. I kept my hand firmly on my money belt. Just when we thought we couldn't possibly move an inch another huge push like a powerful wave, compacted us even more. Throughout all this not a word was spoken, not a grunt nor a complaint could be heard except for Fernie audibly fighting off his claustrophobia and me giggling, as usual.
Tolyo Bay / Odaiba is an entertainment complex built on reclaimed land. There are two posh hotels, the Meridien and the Nikko, the Fuji TV building - unusually designed, a Statue of Liberty knock-off, several huge shopping and dining complexes surrounded by promenades, museums, a humungous ferris wheel, a beach and miles of walking paths. Other than some packs of school children, we were the only ones there; it was dead. It makes me wonder why anyone would want to stay in the hotels there when they could be in the center of town?
We took the JR train back to Tokyo Station - love that rail pass - and found a restaurant in the vicinity where I could have my sushi and Fernie his noodles. The rain held off until after lunch and then let loose, so we dropped the idea of taking a boat tour of the harbour and river, choosing instead to go to the department stores of Ikebukuro. The food floors fascinated us once again and we sampled some 'green tea' cookies that locals were lining up for.
The rain didn't abate, so at 3 pm we went back to our hotel for an early nap and to rest our weary feet. A couple of hours later, the rain had stopped and we ventured over to Shibuya where a mass of flashing neon reflected like strobe lights in the wet pavements. Gangs of ultra fashionable youth jammed the narrow winding alleyways laughing and jostling playfully in a non-threatening manner as we shouldered our way through them. We sauntered up to "Love Hotel Hill" where small gaudy theme hotels offer rooms for 'rest' or to 'stay'. To 'rest' was often about 4000 yen while to 'stay' about 7500 yen. I would love to have seen some of the rooms which are apparently even more exotic in decor than the exterior of the hotels. Sex shops, strip shows and gentlemens' clubs share Dogen-Zaka hill.
Shibuya is on the JR Yamanote line, so we hopped aboard to Shinjuku Station which is the busiest in the world, with about two million people going through there every day. There are a mass of huge awe-inspiring skyscrapers on the west side of the station many of them government offices. But the east side with its colourful neon, shops, restaurants, theatres and clubs drew us more. It's a maze of narrow alleys with lanterns designating Japanese restaurants, flashing lights and hordes of people. There's a red-light district complete with peep shows, sex shops and more love hotels. Shinjuku was what I expected Ginza to be and it is now considered the secondary heart of the city. All in all Shinjuku is a most stimulating area. Back on the circular Yamanote route south to Ginza but it was a let down after the lights and action of Shinjuku.
We had dinner in snack breaks tonight - we shared a seafood pizza and beer in Shinjuku and took Subway sandwiches back to our hotel which we washed down with chilled sake.
......a comfy kimono, a cup of green tea - such Zen!
Ginza and the famous Ginza-yon-chome crossing supposedly the most photographed and busiest corner in the world but as this photo shows, it's not all that busy. It was a let down after the lights and action of Shinjuku.
Shinjuku about two million people pass through every day - the east side with its colourful neon, shops, restaurants, theatres and clubs is a maze of narrow alleys.
Yummy!
....is this New York? no it's Daiba, a resort island in Tokyo Bay with the Rainbow Bridge in the background. A thick murky smog shrouds the city.
Tokyo - Tuesday
We awoke to sunshine again - thank goodness that weather forecast that I posted before we left home was wrong. We tried the hotel buffet breakfast which was a mixture of Japanese delicacies which was my choice and American favourites - Fernie's choice. I had some fermented soybeans, Japanese pickles and cold grilled salmon. Fernie had sausage and eggs (boring). 945 yen which was a pretty good price.
We were on the subway at 7:35 am on the way to Tsukiji, squashed in tightly with the hundreds of clones - businessmen in navy suits. Fernie had no place to hold on and when the train lurched, he went flying. What was really funny is that all down the car, men were reading their folded-in-half newspapers, legs only inches apart and not holding on and they had no problem staying in one spot while the train jerked about. I'm sure the people around Fernie were thinking 'stupid tourist' but they gave no sign of disapproval or of even noticing him. Half of them were plugged in to their Ipods, those against walls seemed to be sleeping standing up and some of them leaned their forehead on the glass doors with eyes closed - all was very quiet other than the rumble of the train and my giggling after seeing Fernie stumble much like Basil Fawlty.
One change of subway line and we were at Tsukiji in no time. We couldn't believe the traffic of funny little motorized pallet carts, push carts and scooters around the vast market. They even had traffic police with white gloves organizing the chaos. The speed of the vehicles and their ability to zig and zag made it a hilarious spectacle that seemed to be perfectly choreographed. We, however, not being part of the dance, stumbled, jumped and slid clumsily - narrowly missing disaster as we entered the slimy floored market. A male bastion, testosterone surging as we watched the cleavers haul huge tuna and fling them as if they were a feather. Shellfish of all kinds - huge scallops, oysters, clams and many I didn't recognize, fish of all sizes, tuna, swordfish, halibut, squid, octopus and then incongruously what appeared to be huge hunks of beef. I pointed and gestured with shrugs and the fish merchant pointed above to a picture of a whale. There was a pile of yellowish blubber beside it - that should have given me a clue. What was amazing, as we stood there, blood flowing at our feet, there was no fishy odour - it was all so fresh! Some of the huge tuna were frozen solid, obviously flash frozen in the fishing boats as soon as they're caught.
Surrounding the market were stalls selling produce, knives and other utensils, dried seafood and fresh fish. An occasional noodle kiosk with 3 or 4 seats were particularly popular with the market workers on their break. It's really hard to express the excitement that we felt by being part of the scene for one morning - an unforgettable experience. Also, our appetites were sharpened and I absolutely had to have sushi for lunch.
Ginza is only a short walk away and we wandered up past the kabuki theatre and encountered the first department store, Mitsukoshi. We went in and decided to start from the bottom and found two levels of food floors, reminiscent of Harrods in London, who have a small kiosk in Mitsukoshi's food area. The bento boxes, exotic salads and other delights, all with calories noted, tantalized our taste buds even more but there was nowhere to sit - it was purely takeout and anyway when I looked at my watch it was only 10:30am. After a bit of general browsing at jewelry and kimonos, we ambled up to one of the most photographed and busiest corners in the world - the Ginza-yon-chome crossing. Adding to the number of photos taken there, I tried to capture it's immensity but needed a much wider angle lens to do it justice. The Sony Building is at this corner and there's a showroom of all their latest electronic gadgets and everything is hands on with of course the obligatory store at the end. I fell madly in love with AIBO, a little robotic dog who responded to me so sweetly. I found myself tickling him behind his ears. He'd pick up a bone, chase a ball and wag his tail but the best was the way he expressed affection by his movements. However 198,000 yen - approx $2000 US - stopped me from adopting him.
It was almost noon when we left there and we were really hungry so we went back to Mitsukoshi and tried the restaurant on the 8th floor. The patrons were mostly well-dressed elderly ladies out for a day of shopping and lunch. I had a wonderful sushi bento tray, green tea, 3 pieces nigiri, 3 maki, some pickled vegetables, hot radish, soup, cold buckwheat noodles and honeydew melon. A chilled bottle of sake and some rice crackers completed the repast. Fernie's meal was pretty exotic too but no sushi and he had beer instead of sake.
After lunch and a quick peek at a couple more department stores - Wako, Hankyu and Seibu, we took a short walk over to the Imperial Palace gardens. The palace itself is off limits as the royal family reside there and they only open it to the public twice a year.
Having the JR railpasses was really handy in Tokyo as the JR Yamanote Line runs all around the city - so from Tokyo Station, we travelled up to Akihabara, the discount electronic centre known as 'Electric City'. The shops are all around the station and under the tracks, so we didn't have to walk far which was good as our feet were starting to ache. The prices are not at all good - much better at home - but we didn't intend to purchase anything anyway.
Back on the Yamanote train to Ueno. Ueno Park, right beside the station holds the Tokyo Zoo and museums galore, which I would visit on a rainy day if we had the time. The cherry trees are huge and beautifully shaped but the blossoming just finished. Mimes and other buskers attracted crowds throughout the park. At the south end of the park, to the east under the railroad tracks is the Ameyoko market. 'Ame' comes from two sources - the first meaning candy and that was what was sold originally; secondly, post WWII American black market goods were sold. Yoko means alley. Supposedly bargain goods can be found but we thought it a high priced bazaar.
Feet pounding, legs aching - 4:30pm. We;d been out for nine hours and it was time for a siesta (is there a Japanese word for that?) The JR from Ueno to Shibuya took about half an hour and we transferred to the subway for two stops back to our hotel area. An hour and a half revived us and we walked south to Roppongi, an area of nightclubs, gentlemen's clubs, western restaurants and youth. Colourful, noisy and the Tokyo Tower beautifully lit up at the end of the street, but we couldn't find a cheap enough Japanese restaurant, other than a sushi bar and F did not want sushi.
We came all the way back to Akasaka to the 'Charcoal Grill' a yakitori cafe which was a change of pace. Five skewers each, a salad of chives and dried shrimp, a partially boiled egg in cold broth that you just chugged down like an oyster, sake for me and the end of a perfect day.
Tokyo Tower - 333m tall - higher than the Eiffel Tower. Taken from Roppongi, a colourful and noisy area of nightclubs, gentlemen's clubs, western restaurants and youth.
At the south end of Ueno Park, to the east under the railroad tracks is the Ameyoko market. 'Ame' comes from two sources - the first meaning candy and that was what was sold originally; secondly, post WWII American black market goods were sold. Yoko means alley. Supposedly bargain goods can be found but we thought it a high priced bazaar.
Ueno Park.....did they copy our totem poles? the traditional Thunderbird of the Canadian First Nations has been joined by lion, giraffe, monkey, crocodile and elephant......
The Emperor and his family live in the Imperial Palace. Public access is only allowed twice a year at New Year and on the Emperor's birthday.
............... we were really hungry so we went back to the Mitsukoshi department store and tried the restaurant on the 8th floor.
Tsukiji Fish Market - there was shellfish of all kinds - huge scallops, oysters, clams and many I didn't recognize, fish of all sizes, tuna, swordfish, halibut, squid, octopus in pristine surroundings with no fishy smell.
Amidst the seafood, incongruously laid what looked like huge hunks of beef. I pointed and gestured with shrugs and the fish merchant pointed above to a picture of a whale. There was a pile of yellowish blubber beside it - that should have given me a clue.
We tried the hotel buffet breakfast which was a mixture of Japanese delicacies and American favourites. I had some fermented soybeans, Japanese pickles and cold grilled salmon - 945 yen which was a pretty good price.
Kyoto to Tokyo - Monday
Woke up at 6 am again to a sunny day again but the smog is choking thick. We packed a fold-up bag with just what we'd need in Tokyo for three days. The hotel gladly stored our two large suitcases until our return on Thursday.
At the station, I found a pharmacy and bought 1800 yen worth of foot remedies. We had reserved seats on the Shinkansen to Tokyo - the Hikari Express. It only differs from the Nozomi in that it stops at five stations enroute. Still it was only a two hour and 43 minute journey and was so fast, so smooth and so comfortable that I wondered how much better it could be travelling in the 'green cars' - first class. City after city, a little countryside between with hillsides a mosaic of colour - evergreens, deciduous trees in their spring pale green shade and the ubiquitous katsura (cherry) interspersed. Rice paddies in backyards, industry and smog that got as thick as smoke the further north we travelled. I had anticipated a lovely view of Mount Fuji but the mountains were cloaked with the fetid air. No wonder so many locals wore surgical masks. We could feel our chests get tighter, so we figured we should curtail any strenuous exercise. That would also help my feet. A lot of shallow coughing could be heard all around.
How do they do it? leave and arrive right on the minute? We had a 12:43 arrival as printed on our tickets, not a minute before or after. Before we left the Tokyo Station, we reserved seats on the fast Hikari train back to Kyoto for Thursday, April 21. Our hotel was a subway ride away so we searched for the Marinouchi line and connected with the Ginza line to Aoyama-Itchome station in Akasaka. The Tokyo subway system is no way as simple as Kyoto's. It has so many interconnecting lines and JR lines and other railway company lines - an amazing network of tunnels.
It took us a while to find the Asia Centre Hotel. I had printed out a map of the hotel's location from the web but I couldn't find it - yikes! Eventually with the help of two young women who had a bit of English, a desire to help and a cellphone, we found it tucked away on a side street. Our expectations were not high as the Asia Centre is designated a 'budget' business hotel at a bargain price of 14,700 yen a night for one of their better twin rooms in the new building. In a city where 50,000 yen a night is not unusual, we did very well. What a surprise! We had an extremely pleasant though small room with all the amenities including kimonos, comfortable beds and as much bottled water as you want. Internet access is 100 yen for ten minutes and the onsite restaurant served delicious meals for the cheapest prices I've seen in Japan. Seared tuna and rice for 600 yen; curried shrimp for 800 yen; decent red wine for 500 yen/glass. After lunch we did a walking tour with the help of my guide book through Akasaka, an area of consulates and upscale though small apartments (approximately 350 square feet advertised at 18,000,000 yen which I thought was pretty low), florists, pet facilities for grooming, boarding and doggie clothing, coffee shops, and reasonably priced restaurants. We stopped at Caffe Veloce for coffee and tea when we saw the cheap prices - 230 yen for a cafe au lait and 160 yen for tea.
It was quite a coincidence that Debby from Israel would be in Tokyo at the Asia Center Hotel at the same time as us. It was almost a year ago that we chatted on the World Travel Forum about our anticipated trips to Japan, not realizing that we'd be there at the same time. So we met for dinner in the cafe at our hotel and talked non-stop for two hours, sharing our experiences so far in Japan as well as just getting to know each other. A very amicable meeting of like-minded people.
We had intended to walk down to Roppongi after dinner but after two glasses of wine, an early night seemed the best option especially as we wanted to go to the Tsukiji Fish Market early the next morning.
It was quite a coincidence that Debby from Israel would be in Tokyo at the Asia Center Hotel at the same time as us. It was almost a year ago that we chatted on the World Travel Forum about our anticipated trips to Japan, not realizing that we'd be there at the same time. So we met for dinner in the cafe at our hotel and talked non-stop for two hours, sharing our experiences so far in Japan as well as just getting to know each other. A very amicable meeting of like-minded people.
We had reserved seats on the Shinkansen to Tokyo - the Hikari Express. It only differs from the Nozomi in that it stops at five stations enroute. Still it was only a two hour and 43 minute journey and was so fast, so smooth and so comfortable
....the trains are so easy to use with the signs changing to English every couple of minutes
Kyoto/Nara - Sunday
We're definitely making it a habit - we got up again at 6 am. Once again a glorious day, even warmer - I'd guess at about 23 degrees C in the afternoon. We got on the slow train to Nara leaving at 7:47 am to the second and arrived an hour later. I'd venture that the Japan Railways is the most efficient and cleanest railway system in the world. Train announcements are made in English as well as Japanese. Making it very easy to navigate, the name of the next station and an arrow is clearly written on each station in Romanji as well as Kanji.
It's an urban sprawl between Kyoto and Nara but the villages look prosperous and attractive with blossoming trees and spring flowers tucked in randomly between the houses. It's strange to see TV antennas on the roofs and even stranger to see satellite dishes attached to them - I don't understand the redundancy. Some towns give the appearance of being more affluent than others with the majority of houses topped with temple style tile roofs. An elderly (that means older than us) couple elegantly attired in stylish hiking outfits - she in purple and he in a forest green, with hiking boots, Tilly hats, day packs and carrying retractible poles, waved and smiled at us as they got off the train as if to say "Welcome to our country". Mature ladies in kimonas and obis delicately maneuvered their way aboard, speaking in modulated voices and using a minimum of movement. A large group of what I'd guess were cadets went from car to car filling seats. Spotlessly dressed and groomed, they behaved admirably despite being young males around puberty.
It was early Sunday morning when we arrived in Nara and a few shopkeepers were sweeping and washing the sidewalks and starting to roll up their awnings. We'd occasionally get a 'Ohayo gozaimass' - good morning and we'd nod and smile unsure of our pronounciation.
Nara is laid out on a grid (unusual for Japan) and we headed uphill to Nara Park, luckily passing a just-opened tourist info bureau. The gentleman (and I don't use the term loosely - I would never call Japanese males anything else) behind the counter drew out a walking tour for us and sent us on our way with maps and brochures warning us of the large herd of tame deer (shika) we'd encounter running loose. They are considered "messengers of the Gods" and they receive the utmost respect and care.
The Kofuku-ji has 2 pagodas - a three tiered one and a five tiered one which is the second tallest in the country - Kyoto's To-ji is taller by a couple of inches. This is where we first encountered the shika. Vendors were selling shika snacks, so no wonder they were so tame. We of course had to join in the custom and the shika soon pursued us relentlessly.
Through the Torii (gates to a shrine) and up into the forest - sparsely treed and no undergrowth and 1000 shika. Being Sunday, families were starting to arrive en-masse, souvenir and snack stands were ready to satisfy their needs. Through Nandai-mon, a large gate containing 2 huge fierce-looking wooden warriors, Todai-ji lied ahead, an enormous hall which from a distance somehow reminded me of the Taj Mahal - don't ask me why - probably the immensity and the awe it struck. It contained a massive bronze Buddha, the world's largest bronze Buddha image. Behind it is a large pole with a hole through it at the base. If you can squeeze through it, you'll achieve Nirvana. Well after watching a tiny Japanese woman get stuck, I realized I'd have to find some other way.
A further climb uphill to two halls with a panoramic view of Nara, but of course the smog muddied the vista. All the steps made me think of the Sacred Valley in Peru. I guess they were all trying to get closer to the heavens when they built their places of worship. Unlike Peru, there was no lack of oxygen and climbing was easy. By the time we completed our walking circuit, my nasty shoes had rubbed yesterday's blisters off and my feet were bleeding. I was in agony, but I'll not let that stop me no matter what Fernie says. He accuses me of 'overdoing it' but will I ever set foot here again?
We did try some interesting snacks in our circuit - trouble is I don't know what we were eating - some little deep-fried balls that were shrimp maybe? some potato concoction, some strange looking veggie pancakes and our stand by drinks - Pocari Sweat an CC Lemon.
Took the fast train back to Kyoto - 45 minutes this time and we were back in our hotel at 2:45. We do love the JR passes! While soaking my aching feet in the tub, Fernie had made me tea and scones from the bakery and after an hour siesta I painfully squeezed my feet back into my shoes having first padded and bandaged them. Oh how I wish I had my hiking boots with me.
We took the subway to the Higashayama / Gion area (230 yen/each) and meandered along the narrow curving crazy-paved lanes, the ancient buildings holding pricey restaurants and galleries. Not a noodle house or a conveyor sushi restaurant to be found. Long flights of stone steps eventually led us up to Kyomizu-dera and we were just in time to see the sun setting and the twilight view of Kyoto's skyline - the Kyoto Tower standing out clearly. Only just there and the police called up for us to come down (I think) - they were closing the area off for the night. It was a long walk back down and up to the subway and I quietly suffered my painful feet. It's not that I'm stoic but I didn't want to hear any 'I told you so's'
Stopping for dinner in a little cafe, Fernie ordered me two cold sakes as a painkiller and sedative while he stuck to his trusty beer. The sake did the trick. I had a rice and tempura dish and Fernie (what else?) a noodle and stuff in soup concoction. The drinks and the long day made for exhaustion and when we got to our room, just time for tea, a shower and lights out at 10 pm.
I don't know what we were eating - some little deep-fried balls that were shrimp - maybe?
Photographers patiently waiting for the perfect picture.
A traditional wedding at Todai-ji
Baby after baptism, held by Grandma
Drinking water from the sacred fountains using wooden goblets attached to the end of long stems
Behind the huge Buddha - a large pole with a hole through it at the base. If you can squeeze through it, you'll achieve Nirvana. After watching a tiny Japanese woman get stuck, I realized I'd have to find some other way.
Great Buddha Vairocana - World's largest bronze Buddha image at Todai-ji in Nara
Lighting incense sticks outside Todai-ji
Todai-ji - an enormous hall that contains the world's largest bronze Buddha image.
