10 Tips for Traveling in Japan

1. Japan Rail Pass: This is a huge cost savings if you’re planning on traveling by train which, in the land of the Shinkansen, I hope you are!  You have to obtain your voucher outside of the country and then exchange it for the pass at any JR customer service counter.  A lot of people will do it at the airport and ride the Narita Express into the city.  I exchanged mine in Yokohama since I activated mine later in the trip. But really, you could activate it for any date at the airport by specifying a specific future start date at the time of exchange.

2. You may have read #1 and went, “Pffpt, print out a voucher” in a high-pitched, making-fun-of-me tone of voice.  You’re going to JAPAN!  Why would you have to do something as low-tech as print out a voucher? Can’t you just show your smartphone?  Well, no.  Or at least, that’s not what the instructions for the pass direct you to do and really, it’s best to follow the rules when you’re in Japan.  Sometimes, things are done in a low-tech way that you may not expect in the land of Akihabra.  Having a printout is much preferred and honestly, I’d recommend printing out any confirmation emails/passes you may have.  It definitely helped me a few times when checking into hotels.

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Station gates.  In this particular station, the worker’s booth is on the right.  You can see a small walkway to the right of the green arrow turnstile.

3. How do you use the JR pass?  At every station, there will be multiple turnstiles/gates with green arrows/red Xs to indicate whether it’s an entrance or exit gate.  On one side, there will be a booth where the station worker is located.  There is a wider gate there used for strollers, wheelchairs, and…tourists!  Just hold up your JR pass and you will be waved through.  They could ask to check the pass, but that is pretty unusual.

4. Make seat reservations at the ticket counters outside the turnstile entrances.  This may sounds nerve-wracking if you don’t speak Japanese but pretty much every ticket counter staffer speaks what I call “train English” meaning the basics of a trip such as train number, origin/destination city, window/aisle, smoking/non-smoking can be covered in English.  It helps if you know which train you want which leads me to…

5. Hyperdia.  Download this app.  It will give you the best route by train/subway for wherever you want to go.  For the shinkansen, you can obtain your train type and number which helps you book your ticket.  What do I mean by train type?  There are three classes of Shinkansen: Express (Nozomi & Mizuho), Limited Express (Hikari & Sakura), and Local (Kodama).  The JR Pass does not cover Express trains.  I strongly recommend the Limited Express since there are a surprising amount of stops on the Kodama local train which makes those Shinkansen very slow moving “bullets.”  So, if you know you want the Hikari 515 from Tokyo to Kyoto leaving at 13:33, you can write down or point to that train when making a seat reservation which makes things a lot clearer.

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Hyperdia Screenshot: This can be accessed via the app or a web browser.  On this trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, I would want to make reservations on the Hikari 515 (second train listed) since the first train listed is a Nozomi.  Also, note that the app also tells you the departure and arrival platforms.

6. If you don’t make seat reservations (why!?), the unreserved seats are usually in cars 1-3 at the front of the train.  The overhead signs on the platform will indicate which cars are unreserved.  They will also indicate which cars are the Green cars (first class).  I have always bought regular (second-class) Shinkansen tickets and been very comfortable.

7. Other train tips: Buy a bento and a drink before boarding.  Some of the larger stations have incredible basement food halls in the adjacent large stores that are amazing.  The bento shops within the station are also tasty but the food hall quality is sublime!  When traveling South from Tokyo, try to get a seat on the right side of the train for view of Fuji on clear-skied days.  These tickets are usually the first to be booked.

8. So, I mentioned the Hyperdia app.  Other great apps include Google Translate, Japan Official Tourism App, and the Louis Vuitton City App for Tokyo (this is not as high-end as it sounds).  But how should you access these?  I’ve always used my own cellphone without a SIM card switch.  I have Sprint, which has great rates for overseas travel.  I usually pay $25/week for the high-speed data, but I could use the slower rate for free.  Text messages are also free.  The only high rate is for voice calls so if you are calling back home, use FaceTime or a similar app over a WiFi connection.  WhatsApp is also great if you have contacts that use it.  This tip isn’t meant to be an #ad for Sprint (although it’s great), but check out your carrier’s overseas plans before automatically assuming you need to purchase a Japan specific SIM card.

9. Within cities, buses are pretty great.  There may be a slight learning curve but the 5 minutes saves many minutes of walking.  Don’t get me wrong, I walk a LOT and love it but sometimes, you want to go a little faster.  The Kyoto bus system in particular is great since the subway is limited there.  But, if you have 3+ people in your group, taxis may be more economical and faster.

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Not covered by the JR Pass! But very convenient so you should use!

10. Tokyo subway.  There are a few different lines.  The JR pass works for the JR subway/local trains, the most famous being the circular Yamanote line.  There are a few other Tokyo lines that will not work with the JR pass.  Most will have the Blue M in their signs.  For these, you can either pay cash fares (which Hyperdia will tell you!) or if you are spending a few days in Tokyo, it may be worth buying a rechargeable Passmo or Suica card to just throw a few thousand yen on so you can just tap the card at the gate and keep moving.

 

Sisters in Japan, Day 13: Atsugi and Sayonara

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Fuji-san (way in the distance) and I!

After almost two weeks, it was time to go.  I was definitely sad.  I really liked living in Japan and this trip reinforced what a cool country this is.  I was also going to miss my sister!  But I am always happy that I get these chances to see family and cool places so I didn’t stay down for long!

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Beautiful day in Atsugi!
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Bun Bun!

Plus, we had carbs for breakfast at Bun Bun, the bakery I had heard about my entire trip. I love the name so much!  We bought several pastries and headed out for a quick trip to Sankeien Garden in Yokohama.

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Wisteria! And ducks!

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Sankeien garden is located on the former grounds of a wealthy silk merchant’s house.  It’s been a public park (with an entrance fee) since 1906.  SMS and I had been there before for a sakura photo shoot.  I was hoping that there would be some wisteria out, since I think it is such a beautiful flower.  Unfortunately, it was azalea season.  Who likes azaleas?!  Not me.  Brady, good soul that she is, tried to defend azaleas.  Blergh, nice try sister.

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Screenshot from markschlocker.com  Amazing photography!  Highly recommend!

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We had a Bun Bun picnic, pushed LR around (such a different meaning for a baby in a stroller vs a person in general, haha), and saw a wedding couple photoshoot.  It was a beautiful day and made leaving even harder.

But alas, I have a life to get back to so after a great morning walk in the park, Brady dropped me off at Yokohama station.  I took the Narita Express to the airport since I had my JR pass although the YCAT buses are also a great option.  I bought my last train bento, which was a tasty assortment!

I hung out in the United Lounge until boarding time.  I cut it close (of course) to mail postcards (dumb) but what could be better than starting off a long-haul flight slightly clammy with sweat from running to the gate?  A lot of things.  A lot of things are better than that.

Sisters in Japan, Day 12: Jogasaki Coast and Atsugi

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Sister, sister!  We woke up to another overcast day.  We wanted to walk along the Jogasaki Coast because the shoreline is spectacular.

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Early morning balcony view

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Looking down the street from K’s House (to the right if you’re facing the hostel)
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We parked in the starred parking lot and walked along the coastline within the circle, more or less.

We didn’t have a lot of time so we decided to hit the paved trail by the suspension bridge and lighthouse. First, we headed left and I walked on the shoreline rocks for a bit.  Then we went back to the path, crossed the bridge, and went to the top of the lighthouse.  We were there for about an hour.  We were rained on once, but that’s when we escaped to the lighthouse.  The clouds were very dramatic, so it was just as pretty as when I went before on a sunnier day.

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After our walk, we got in the car.  I wanted to stop at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami.  I had seen several posters advertising the exhibit Thirty-six Views of Mt Fuji, a famous collection of woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849).  Once again, we took a completely ridiculous route that consisted of steep uphills with two-way traffic on roads that were, at best, 1.5 lanes wide.

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Heeelllllpppp!!!!

The museum was a gem!  Its size is quite manageable.  It seems that there is usually a stellar special exhibit with a few rooms of exquisite permanently displayed crafts, mostly statues and ceramics.  There is a full-size Noh theatre where performances are held, as well as a famous golden tea room (replica) used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1586 to really wow the emperor (paraphrase).  The museum would also have spectacular views on a sunny day.  Our visit was during a time of cloud and fog, so we missed out on that.

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The most famous image.  Although this photo confuses me- did I take a picture of a print in the gift shop or is this the one?  Since the explanatory placard was my next photo, I think it’s real?
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I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

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Traditional Noh theatre in the Museum
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The Golden Teahouse

We were kind of rushed because Brady wanted to get back for the base open house, which we kind of missed partially due to timing and partially due to the lower-than-usual turnout due to the weather.   But someone special was home waiting for us…

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I missed you!!

Yes, LR was home and so excited to see his Mom.  He also thinks his favorite aunt is pretty cool.  We headed out for sushi where we had a delicious feast, as evidenced by our stack of plates!  It was sisters and LR time because Ricardo had gone into Tokyo to hang out with some visiting pilot friends.

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Srsly, this kid falls asleep everywhere…what is he, a baby?!

After sushi, we walked home where our wild and crazy night continued…

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I’m awake!  Let’s party!

Sisters in Japan, Day 11: Ito and the Jogasaki Coast

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K’s House with another ryokan (now museum?) next door

After a leisurely morning, Brady and I headed off for the Jogasaki Coast.  While the trip was originally supposed to be a family affair, Ricardo stayed back with LR so it was sister! time!

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Our room

We eventually made it after driving high up in the mountains (and fog!), which is not a route that I’d particularly recommend.  We stayed at K’s House Ito Onsen.  It’s a budget hostel in a former ryokan/onsen and it is super cool.  The reviews for the place are great and well-deserved.  There is a small onset facility on site, but we also went to a larger onsen in the Hotel Dankoen where we had a discounted pass.  This was very cool because there was an outside onsen that provides a nice contrast between the cool night air and hot water of the baths.

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Drink machine in the Hotel Dankoen!  Liquid courage for getting naked!

On the way to the Hotel Dankoen, I stopped by a walk-up sake window because why not? It provided an experience that helped make up for the one I missed out on when the drive-thru daiquiri placed was closed in Louisiana during SMS and my Deep South road trip.

After the onsen, we went out to dinner at a restaurant that was delicious.  It was also a little more expensive than we were looking for but the town was pretty dead and not much was open.  The food was quite good.

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Balcony view from our room

Although the day wasn’t as jam-packed as the prior, it was awesome!  Brady and I got to have a ton of quality time in the most beautiful setting.  I love the Jogasaki Coast and highly recommend it.  Given how affordable and amazing K’s House was, I’d probably spend 2-3 nights there as a home base for exploring more of the peninsula.

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Screenshot of the Hotel Dankoen Guide Map- go to the hotel site for a .pdf!

 

Sisters in Japan, Day 10: Kanazawa and Yokohama

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I started my day with coffee at Curio Espresso and from there, I was on the move!  The day would feature the cool city of Kanazawa during a West Coast morning and the evening would feature my old East Coast stomping grounds of Yokohama with a Baystars baseball game followed by beers at the Thrash Zone.

The coffee shop was cute and very English-friendly.  I spoke with an Australian woman who was also leaving that day.  She was quite nice and it’s always nice to have a companionable cup of coffee rather than silently sip, waiting for the caffeine to hit.

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Quiet times at Omicho Market
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Crab and salmon roe bowl

After coffee, I decided to get a seafood bowl (don) at Omicho Market, a large covered market with over 200 stalls, mostly groceries/food.  Kanazawa is known as a foodie city and, since it’s on the coast, as a place with great seafood.  After walking for a bit, I picked a restaurant that wasn’t super busy but looked like it had a few regulars.  The breakfast was delicious and was similar to the delicious bowls I had in Hokkaido a few years back.

After my breakfast, I went to two shops.  The first was Mari-ya with its incredible assortment of threaded goods.  The most eye-catching are the kaga temari, embroidered handballs that are exquisite.

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After Mari-ya, I went a few doors down to 大樋焼本家窯元・九代目大樋勘兵衛.  I know.  I’m sorry.  What does that even say?!?  Well, thanks to Google translate, I can tell you that it’s a shop of Otsuki Yakimoto and the ninth generation family potter Oiso Kanbei.  I also remember this from the little handout I got but to summarize, this shop features a distinctive Kanazawa form where the vessels are hand-formed rather than on the wheel. I made some hand-formed pottery in second grade and, despite how well-loved my 10-lb Christmas ornament and super-ugly coffee mug are by my parents, these Japanese artisans are on a whole other level.

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Otsuki Yakimoto family pottery, ninth generation Oiso Kanbei
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Even shopping bags have a raincoat!  Tea seating area in background.

The woman inside was super-welcoming and had a handheld translator which didn’t work all that well but was a really thoughtful things to have.  Once she saw that I was going to buy a few things, she offered to make me tea.  They have a small open tea room in the back so it made for a unique shopping experience.  After I bought my two cups and one bowl, she packaged it up beautifully, including a plastic cover over the paper bag since it was raining outside.  Although the amount of packaging waste that results is eye-popping, it is also amazing how detail and contingency-oriented the process is.

 

 

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Dutch elements in the main gate to Oyama shrine.

Next, I went to the Oyama shrine.  It has a really pretty garden, which was especially vivid due to the rain/sprinkles.  There were a few school children groups so I got a few enthusiastic “Hellos!” from the daring.

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Kenroku-en
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Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en is considered one of the top three gardens in Japan and even though I had been there before, it seemed worth walking through it again.

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Higashiyama Chaya Street
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Two women in Higashiyama.  They were posing for photos for anyone who asked.

Time was starting to run out so what’s the solution?  A few more stops!  I took the bus over to the Higashiyama Chaya district, which was absolutely beautiful.  I only had time for a 15 minute walk, which was just enough to make me really go back for a more leisurely stay!  If I hadn’t had to make the Baystars game, I definitely would have pushed off my return.  But it was better than nothing and also a cool reminder that there’s always more to see.

I also stopped into the Fukumitsuya sake shop.  The brewery is just outside of town and, if you plan things a little more ahead of time than I, you can make a reservation for a tour.  Another thing for next time!

So, I was starting to cut it close.  I decided to take a taxi so I could stop in Omicho one more time to buy a mochi panda t-shirt for SMS.  I know, completely ridiculous.  It was a lot busier around lunchtime, so it was fun to see it more bustling.

I actually got to the train station early and almost made a slightly faster train but, unfortunately, the train was only reserved seating and thanks to the guy in front of me who bumbled with his wallet for several minutes (seconds), I didn’t make a reservation in time.  As a side note, it is a total pet peeve of mine when someone gets to the front of a really long line and then acts surprised when it’s time to pay, show a passport, etc.  Get ready people!  It makes everything go more smoothly!

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Never fear! I caught the train I had originally planned on so I got to Yokohama on time.  On the train, I enjoyed a delicious train bento that had a plastic insert explaining what all the little dishes were.  Bonus!

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Go Baystars!
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Baseball cheerleaders and mascot!
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Foul ball safety officer
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New friend!
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My littlest tomodachi.  I love the ear pro!

After arriving in Shin-Yokohama, I hopped on the subway to the Baystars stadium.  The were playing the Hanshin Tigers.  Brady, Ricardo, LR, and I had the best time.  We bought noisemakers bats, had some beers, and made friends with our neighbors.  It was the best!

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No posers!
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Thrash Zone IPA, baby-style

Afterwards, I brought Ricardo and Brady to The Thrash Zone, a small bar that specializes in IPAs and playing heavy metal vinyl.  We had another beer, spoke to a few Americans (whaaaat?  What are they doing there?), and then caught the train home back to Atsugi.

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Tiger Super Fan!

Sisters in Japan, Day 9: teamLab and Kanazawa

Day 9 started out on the drizzly side.  After waking up and saying goodbye to Ricardo and Brady, I headed out to teamLab Borderless in Odaiba.  SMS and I had seen an exhibit in Palo Alto and thought it was pretty cool.  I had slight regrets in pre-purchasing my tickets since I now thought I’d rather get to Kanazawa earlier but the money was spent and off I went.

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Tile peacock

When I got there, there were hundreds of tomodachis already in line.  There was an employee holding a multilingual “End of the line” sign far from the entrance, which was simultaneously helpful and depressing.  Eventually, I got into the exhibit which was really crowded.  This is in contrast to the fake! news! website which features solo visitors only!  Of course, I wasn’t really expecting to be on my own.  It’s popular and very cool.  I do think that once you’ve seen one exhibit, that’s kind of enough since essentially, a large part of the exhibit consists of fancy light projector effects.

Part of my meh reaction to the exhibit is that I really had not allowed myself enough time since I had picked the time I wanted to leave for Kanazawa.  I wanted to arrive mid-afternoon so I could see a sight or two before closing.  I took a crazy tight schedule of two subways to Tokyo station and just made the shinkansen.  Running was involved, which always makes me feel like a crazed tourist godzilla but it’s an acceptable trade-off at times.

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Kanazawa was overcast and beautiful.  I saw one of the few sakura trees still in bloom, since the area is cooler than the East Coast around Tokyo.  I bought a bus pass and headed over to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.  When searching #kanazawa, I had seen pictures on Instagram of Leandro Erlich’s “The Swimming Pool” and I had to see it!

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A different way of hanging out in the pool!
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It really looks like a normal small pool.
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View from the bottom!
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Am I swimming through the water or jumping around like an IG influencer?!?!

It’s a really neat installation of a limestone pool with a glass bottom over a room painted aquamarine.  It’s a very playful way of tweaking assumptions of what we think we see in common objects and what they actually may be.

The whole museum was quite cool.  There are only a few exhibits but that allowed me to focus on them rather than have many go by in a blur.  There was a love exhibit that consisted of paintings that looked all the world like neon signs.

An added museum bonus goes to lockers that, while mandatory for larger bags, have a refundable Y100 charge.  Travel tip for people with hand luggage in Japan- lockers are everywhere and are awesome to avoid lugging bags around.  Even light bags can be heavy!  Just have several Y100 coins in your change purse!

After the museum closed, I walked back to the bus stop and headed towards my capsule hotel.  I had made an online reservation, which I feel is the way to go!  Especially since capsule hotels for women are not as common.

The capsule was clean and, since this was only my second time staying in one, a really unique experience!  I was given a goodie bag of towels and pajamas for my stay.

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Towels and pajamas. There are also toiletries in the bathroom, including single-use toothbrushes. A person doesn’t have to bring a thing!

Now, it was time to plan for dinner.  Kanazawa is known for being a foodie town, so I wanted to have something delicious.  I found an amazing sushi place online, but the it was small and I felt it was unlikely I’d get a seat.  Then I found Iwashigumi, a restaurant specializing in sardines.  This sounded so niche and quintessentially Japanese (focusing on one thing and doing it really well), that I decided I was in even though my familiarity with sardines is limited to Caesar salad dressing and occasional forays into trying to up my Omega-3 intake by queasily eating small fillets.

I walked down the 157 towards the river.  The restaurant had the type of wooden slated door, which always seems like such a commitment when I enter that I almost chickened out.  But I went in, sat down, and ended up having the most incredible dining experience!

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Door on the left

There were two main people I interacted with, an older man and older woman who worked there.  They didn’t speak English and I hardly speak Japanese so there wasn’t a lot of verbal conversation, but we still communicated with each other throughout the night.  It was an atmosphere of such warm hospitality that I felt at ease and at home.  I loved it!

There was an English menu, which was very helpful.  I decided to go all in and get the extended tasting menu.  I was hungry and I felt that I was in for a singular experience.  I wasn’t wrong!

The first three courses were a sardine salad with assorted sashimi, followed by a sardine croquette.  Next was a larger sardine served whole.  Given the size, there was a good amount of fish to eat.  I did not eat the whole thing- the head stayed!

After that was a sardine chawanmushi, which was delicious!  It’s one of my favorite dishes.  Sardines in wonton-like wrappers were next, with a sardine “meatball” tofu soup to follow.  Finally, the savory dishes ended with assorted sushi.

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The last dish was a little ice cream sandwich.  I do not think it had sardines in it but, given the theme, who knows!?  It did taste like fairly straight-forward vanilla.  During the dinner, I had sake served in a small pitcher shaped like a fugu.  It was very cute.

Afterwards, the chef gave me a little goodie bag with a box of sardine prep mix to cook at home.   I have instructions and I’m saving it to cook for SMS.  I’m not sure if it’s curry, soup, etc at this point but one of these nights, we’ll find out!  I also filled out my address and several weeks later, I received a postcard.  It was such a wonderful experience and I would recommend the restaurant to anyone (other than vegetarians!). It was such a warm, kind-hearted vibe that I absolutely loved the place!

On my walk home, I walked past Mariya, a shop my Dad had told me about.  The temari balls were beautiful and I resolved to go the next day when the shop was open.

Sisters in Japan, Day 7: Ginza, Naka-Meguro, Shibuya, Shinjuku

Secret Sake Bar in Japan- Moto! Locals only but also welcoming! Forget the Golden Gai and come here!

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Japanese breakfast at the New Sanno!

Picking up where I left off, I woke up after a great Easter with family and friends to…room service!  I had a list of food I wanted to eat while in Japan and the New Sanno Japanese breakfast tray was on it- salmon, rice, miso, tamago (egg), pickles, and green tea.  It’s delicious!  In case you are interested, other items on my to-eat list included onigiri (rice balls).  Actually, that’s about it for specifics- New Sanno breakfast and onigiri.  Of course I had other general ideas (yakitori, sushi, ramen, pickled veg) but I only had two specific things I had to get.

After breakfast, I headed to Shibuya and the Hatchiko statue to meet up with Hillary and her Mom.  It was time for a day of shopping!  Our first stop was Ginza so we got back on the metro.  Ginza has a lot of high end shops and cool architecture, similar to Omotesandō.  I had a specific destination in mind though- Dover Street Market Ginza.  It is a multi-level high-end store that is a shop/temple/museum to high fashion.  It is super cool.  The displays themselves are very high-concept and arty, some incorporating the clothes and some there for art’s sake alone.

We took the escalator to the top and worked our way down through the levels.  I thought the clothes by Sacai were really cool but alas, I am not the size for haute couture in Japan.  So, we went next door- to Uniqlo, where all the poor fatties can buy clothes.  Hooray!

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This ant is too big for Dover Street and is on his way to Uniqlo!

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After Ginza shopping, I decided to change it up so we took the train to Naka-Meguro, with its beautiful canals, small boutiques, and little cafes.  We walked into a few shops.  I bought a hat that I really like.  We went to a small cafe named Mother Esta, which featured a lot of produce on the menu.  We each ordered different sets- salad, curry, and fish.  Each was plated beautifully and everyone agreed the food was delicious.

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Shibuya Crossing

We headed back to Shibuya to get Hillary and Barbara back to their hotel, but of course I pushed the agenda a bit and took them to Loft.  It is a wonderful store and a highly recommend a stop.  The stationary/pens, beauty department, and kitchen gadgets are extra binge-worthy.  I think both of them were a little jet-lagged by the end but we had a great day and it was so fun to see a college friend in a completely new setting.

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I headed back to the New Sanno and met up with Brady.  We decided to head to Shinjuku to try a Yakitori place I follow on Instagram and to try and find the sake bar recommended by my Kyoto bar friends.  I am so glad we went to Shinjuku!  I had only been once before when I was making a beeline for the Robot Restaurant.  This time, we had different destinations in mind and, at a slower pace, got to appreciate how cool the place is.

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We passed the Robot Restaurant though!

I am still old-school in that I like reading blogs and articles while trip-planing but Instagram can be helpful, too.  Not so much for primary research but more for onesie-twosie things that pop up.  Right before the Japan trip, I had somehow come across Garakuta-na, Nishi Shinjuku on Instagram (@garakuta_nishisinjuku) and started following them.  There is an energetic, enthusiastic vibe to the page so I thought it would be a fun place to go.

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Adult Melon Float- ordered in honor of SMS and yes, there were ice cubes in it!

Well, thank goodness for Instagram because I never would have made it to the place otherwise.  The building was easy to find and the restaurant was located on 4F.  The elevator opens straight into the restaurant and on the way up, fliers for restaurants on the different floors are on the wall.  Both the 3F and 4F restaurants mentioned their English menus but I think the vertical stacking of restaurants is still very intimidating.  It prevents a person from being able to scope out the scene from street level.  Instead, you’re just deposited into the middle of the action.  I realize that this is just how it is in Japan and it’s something to take in stride- it’s definitely out of my comfort zone though!

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Little Rickey is young enough and cute enough that the “No Outside Food” rule is waived.

The staff was really nice and we were seated right away.  There was a foodie tour group at a community table for a little while, but it was otherwise filled with Japanese people.  The English menu was very good, but we ordered using our limited Japanese and pointing.  I tried showing the Instagram to a few of the waiters but they look confused.  I wonder if the page just exists for marketing rather than something all the staff follow and post to?  Or maybe my attempts at showing that I was an avid fan of their establishment were not very clear?  This seems somewhat-to-very likely.

We ordered several yakitori.  My go-to’s are the chicken thigh with leek and the tsukune (chicken meatball).  There are a LOT of organ meats and cartilage so this is one menu that I try to order off of rather than say “Surprise me/Give me your recommendation” (or “Osusume” in Japanese).  There’s also the funny “Mother-child” dish that features chicken and an egg.  Ricardo joined us for awhile and then Brady and I split off to find Moto, the standup sake bar that had come so highly recommended.

Moto was challenging to find, mostly because our Maps program was one building off. Then, when it was on the right building, it was opposite of where the entrance was.  Honestly, I think I just overcomplicated it (whhaattt?) because I had been told it was really hard to find.  We eventually found it on the BF1 level.

Also, quick note on what I learned about the Golden Gai.  I had thought it was a different place entirely because there are several stations along the Yamanote line that have an alley of bars underneath the elevated tracks.  It has a gritty, get-it-done feel towards drinking with fairly bare bone establishments.  When I learned the actual Golden Gai was in Shinjuku, I wanted to walk by it.  Honest opinion?  While it is cool with its compact, vibrant bar scene, it felt a little over-touristy, aka, really high cover charges (Y600-Y700 so really, not that bad but a little opportunistic).  Many bars in Tokyo have cover charges, but tend to be a little cheaper unless the establishment is really nice.

Ok, back to Moto.  Brady and I showed up and while it looked full, the patrons moved a little closer together and voila, room for two more!  It was a tiny stand-up establishment with a U-shaped bar enclosing the bartenders and sake bottles in the middle.  There was a Y300 cover charge and, as a “complimentary” treat, an onion salad.  I liked it, Brady only liked it in a small quantity.  There was an English menu and one bartender whose English was quite good.  We each tried two different sakes during our time there, which was limited by the fact that they were closing.  It was a weekday, which means a lot of places seem to close in coordination with the train schedules, which allows people a better chance of catching the last train home.  I highly recommend Moto as the patrons were welcoming, the different sakes were great, the bartenders knowledgeable, and the onion salad to die for.  Haha, the last one is a joke.

Sisters in Japan, Day 3: Osaka

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Today was an exciting day because it was the first Shinkansen ride for the entire M-R clan!  We left about 9 o’clock after that lil’ diva LR took for-ever to get ready. Seriously, good thing he was the last to shower because there would have been no hot water for the rest of us.

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Haha. I am so funny. I managed to get a quick workout in while we were getting ready and then we took a multi-train trip from Sagami-otsuka (Atsugi NAF) to Yokohama, Yokohama to Shin-Yokohama, Shin-Yokohama to Shin-Osaka (Shinkansen!), and then Shin-Osaka-Osaka-Nishikujō-Universal City.

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The hotel is nice and right outside the station and amusement park. It is an awesome location! After settling in and feeding the newest little Griffindor, we headed out to the Dotonbori/Nanba area.

We walked around and took in all the neon signs, sounds, and smells of Osaka. Osaka is known as Japan’s kitchen and there is so much good food!

We wandered around until I, at least, was starting to reach mild hangriness, despite a quick takoyaki break.  We went into a small Izakaya off of a side alley and got a great set dinner!

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We headed back to the hotel after briefly discussing moving onto a bar. But we needed a rest. Our mega-Harry Potter day was the next day and we had to be at our peak!

Winding down in Japan…

My last 10 days in Japan felt like a blur of work, friends and food.  All the apartment stuff was over although there was still a lot to do for checking out.  When checking out, a person gets a 2 page hospital check-out sheet and a one page base check out sheet.  It feels like a demented scavenger hunt.  It’s not exactly a waste of time but it definitely feels like bad timing since things are already stressful and the check-out process adds what feels like hundreds of “to-do’s” to an already very long list.  In short, call the “whambulance.”
Flowers from my MLC colleagues- it made my day!

There were a lot of highlights though.  On Tuesday the 11th, I went out with a few of the MLC’s from the case referral office and had a wonderful izakaya dinner with Kazu-san, Yumiko-san, Muchiko-san and Lasonya.  We had such a fun time and the food was excellent- lots of delicious fried chicken! 

Hotaru Cheese Tofu

 

Friday was pretty mellow with a low-key dinner at Hotaru on my own.  I ordered the cheese tofu, which is soft tofu, gorgonzola cheese, cream combined with figs and honey on top.  It is amazing. So, so delicious.  The portion size was generous for one person but since that was my dinner and I’m not a quitter, I got it done.

On Saturday, I had a pretty full day that started with a few hours of work, Body Pump and then heading out to Yokohama.  I went shopping in Yokohama since I had our apartment deposit money that I preferred to spend rather than lose money converting it back into dollars.  When I got there, it was 98 yen for each dollar and now it is 125 yen for each dollar.  So rather than lose 20% of the value, I bought a few things I had my eye on like a new wallet and birkenstocks.  I also went to Flying Tiger in Yokohama where I bought a replacement tacky jewelry holder for the one I received from Mom a few Christmas’ ago that had chipped due to an ill-advised fall from the dresser to the floor.  So, yes, money well-spent!  I did check the prices to make sure that it was a deal and I wasn’t buying something that was way higher-priced in Japan vs the US.  

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I also wandered over to the Red Brick warehouse area which was great because the weather was gorgeous.  I bought a wallet at sot and walked towards the water where there were a lot of cos-play/Steampunk teenagers out in their finest attire.  Oh, and four Disney Princesses.

 
The princesses from afar.  I’m sure Elsa was the favorite

After shopping, I headed back to Yokosuka to see Pitch Perfect 2 with Adam, Jen and Amanda.  It was awesome because we went out for dinner afterwards at Giovanna’s followed by an hour of karaoke.  It was the perfect way to end a night after seeing a movie about acapella!

Good-bye Mr. Pinks!

Sunday started with the huge highlight of selling our car!!!  The buyer came out of nowhere and was trying to buy in a hurry since she was deploying on Tuesday.  I was more than happy to help and they said yes to the car!  I was going to do the LTO run but they ended up taking the car themselves on Monday so I knocked the appropriate amount off the price.  SMS and I were just super happy to sell it and we made a slight amount off of it!

The olive tree in the outdoor garden at Farm to You, my favorite Kamakura restaurant

But, back to Sunday!  I went to Kamakura for some more shopping.  On the way, I walked through Verney Park where there was a fun local festival and I bought some delicious fried treats.  In Kamakura, I had tea at the Farm to You restaurant where I hung out in the beautiful outdoor patio garden area. Then I made my way over to Zushi for another farewell BBQ (but not for me).   It was a lot of fun and I went out to Matchpoint afterwards with Stephanie and Alaina where there was more delicious food to be had.  It was an awesome weekend and then it was time to start my last work week in Japan.

Tokyo Weekend!

This past weekend was a Tokyo bonanza!  SMS and I spent a lot of time, walked a lot of miles and have a continued appreciation for our awesome neighboring city.

Friday started off locally with a delicious BBQ dinner at our friends’ house.  We had amazing burgers with a huge spread of fixings.  We were a little late since I got off work and then prepped a few salads.  I made an avocado cucumber salad, a Caprese salad and a olive oil pan-cooked potato/garlic/ginan (gingko nut) salad on partially wilted rocket greens.  They were all pretty awesome and overall, we had a fantastic dinner.  The company was also great and it was so much fun to hang out with such good friends.

Yemenote Line, for real!
Our awesome team!  This is as close as we got to being on the Yamanote train all day!

The next day was an epic Tokyo adventure.  SMS and I got to Horinouchi Station at 0600.  We were on our way to Tokyo to participate in the 2015 Yamathon!  It’s an event where teams circle Tokyo by following the Yamanote line, checking into all 29 stations by taking team photos in front of each one. A team can go clockwise or counter-clockwise and it is an amazing way to see the city.  We went clockwise and joined up with another team of friends so in total, there were 8 of us circling the city.  

The Stowaways!

We ended up being inadvertent stowaways on the overnight train from Southern Japan as it made its way through Yokohama station.  Hyperdia told us to get on but no one else seemed to although we found out later that two acquaintances of ours did the same thing.  Since we didn’t have beds on the sleeper train, we were stowaways!

Scenes from Tokyo- the bottom right is from a long 1.5m tunnel we walked through near Shinjuku.  We felt like
the Ninja Turtles!
More cool things in Tokyo

The weather was absolutely perfect and there were several things throughout Tokyo that caught my eye.  It was a pretty cool day and definitely a little tiring by the end.  We had several stops throughout the day including City Bakery in Shinagawa and a lunchtime stop at a combini for an on-the-fly picnic.  We also came across several serendipitous finds- the Shinjuku Godzilla and the Owl Cafe!

Running away from the Shinjuku Godzilla.  No one else seems concerned.
Cool things in Tokyo: gnome with a tall hat, a smile-y restaurant, pretty flowers and the Owl Cafe!

On Sunday, we headed over to our friend’s house in Zushi for a delicious brunch.  There were several delicious baked goods, an egg dish and awesome sweet & savory crepes made by our friend Adam.  It was another great group of people and I’m so happy we’re getting so much friend time in before we go.

TY Harbor.  Not the best night shots but an absolutely fantastic place!

After a few hours, we headed up to Tokyo where we met up with some friends for Jenn’s birthday dinner.  It was at TY Harbor Brewery Restaurant and it was delicious!  It was very English friendly and the food and drinks were so good.  The venue was gorgeous.  All the windows were open and it was so spacious and airy, perfect for the clear, warm evening.  We had a great time and were pretty stuffed by the end.  I highly recommend the restaurant if you’re ever in Shinagawa on a beautiful evening.