Japanese Lessons Learnt

This the the last post for this blog, I promise. I thought I would impart some of the wisdom he and I have learnt over our last couple of Japanese trips, some are serious, some not so.

People sit next to each other when eating and drinking in bars and restaurants.

There is no stigma at all about eating or drinking on one's own.

Don't stay in business district and expect awesome nightlife.

Lots of feminine looking men who aren't actually feminine.

99% Japanese men are clean shaven.

Okonomiyaki is revitalizing, and moves.

Kids in any language are awesome.

Japanese toilets leave you squeaky clean.

There are lots of toilets in Japan.

There aren't many hand driers or paper towels to dry your hands in toilets, because Japanese people mostly carry round a little flannel sized towel with them for this purpose.

Typhoons although the same as hurricanes are not as worrying to friends and family back home, or indeed locals, or news channels.

When there is a typhoon due, do as the the locals do, go shopping.

Japanese rail network is reasonably easy to navigate.

You can walk for what feels like miles navigating between metro stations, so plan your exits ahead of time, Google is really helpful for this.

Some signs/adverts don't translate.

Amazon Fire Stick (or other similar devices) are really portable and handy for rainy days.

Salad dressing sachets are in the bottom of the salad here!

Sake is much nicer that I expected.

I can never get enough oom pah pah.

Trains can be sexy.

Health food shops are different in Japan, if you need supplements take enough with you.

Japanese bottled and tap water can give one a funny tummy, but some supermarkets sell Evian... in Disney bottles, it is not easy to find European water, and yes, I know this sounds so uppity and English, I don't care, it makes a difference.

The Revolut card is really bloody useful... no fees, and if you got the exchange rate right you end up saving a lot of money! Load them up before you go, and use them like a debit card.

Compression socks can be sexy.

They don't like Trump in Japan either!

One very rarely pays the bill at the table, unless the restaurant is really smart, you need to take it to the cashier.

Never tip.

My husband's sense of direction gets a bit rubbish when he is tired.

I have actually enjoyed writing this blog, I really hipe you have enjoyed reading it.

Day 13 - Last Full Day in Tokyo!

Last full Day and Now The Sun Decides to show its face!

After the debacle of yesterday the Spy is feeling a lot better today thank you 😌 So off we go into Tokyo, just for a walk around really, it is so lovely to enjoy the city in the sunshine, so different to what we have experienced over the last couple of weeks.

Find our way to a place called Don Quixote, we remembered it from last time, it is a cross between a supermarket, souvenir place, kids toy shop, sports shop, off license and sex shop. An hilarious jumble and completely in your face. Here are some of the more adult things on sale, we didn't get any in case you were wondering!

 

Did buy some bags of Kit Kats though (strawberry, green tea, raspberry, dark chocolate, crème brulee, Yokohama's Limited Edition, that kind of thing) the most popular chocolate in Japan, Tokyo has a Kit Kat flagship store, and each area of the city seems to have its own special flavour.

Saw another lost in translation advert on the Metro today... no idea what this is all about.

And another couple of awesome Metro signs, one which is obvious, but funny.

And one I only noticed today, which I presume only applies to Neo from The Matrix (sorry it is blurred, it is only available as you are going up or down escalators).

Had lunch at the most awesome Teddy's Bigger Burgers over near Harajuku (an Hawaiian chain don't you know!) we both remember having our first meal in Tokyo there when we were here two years ago after 23 hours of flights (don't ask) and a spot of light shopping. It didn't disappoint, the most delicious tender burger, fries, fried chicken and a chicken terriyaki burger and fries for the husband.

My last post on this blog is going to be a lessons learnt, and one of them Ilya reminded me of today is, although the transport system is quite clear to work out, navigating round the stations when walking can take a while, as they cover such a great distance, for instance, this is the map for Shibuya station and the area it covers.

And its 16 exits!

Right, I have written this ahead of our last night of this awesome adventure, we are off to find the concept Amazon Bar, where apparently they tailor a drink according to questions you answer on a survey, we saw it last week and it only opened this week for 10 days... might go for some more oom pah pah too. Laters taters...

…some time later, well, the next day, at the airport.

Awesome last night, like our greatest hits of Tokyo... left the hotel, into a beautiful evening, clear sky and the sun going down.

Headed towards the Amazon Bar, however there was a queue around the block.

A note on queuing... You think we love it in the UK, over here it seems to be all some people do, they are so patient, sometimes you see (what I am sure are not really superfluous) queues in the street, forming a really long line which breaks at a pedestrian crossing, for instance, and then carries on after that, when they are able to, the lovely folks move across the gap to patiently stay in the queue further down the street. We really should have asked what they were waiting for, it seemed so random!

Back to last night shenanigans... we headed to our favourite Oom Pah Pah place, the Ginza Lion Sapporo Beer Hall, unfortunately we hadn't eaten yet so didn't try one of these beauties.

But we did have a lovely couple of beers.

Then off to our Korean place for a delicious barbecue dinner (it was so tasty last time we stumbled upon it!).

Unfortunately they were busy, and we initially thought they were being really rude, until the girl who so kindly looked after us last time recognised us and came over with a great welcome, explained they were currently packed out and would we possibly be able to come back in a couple of hours? Of course, not a problem, a few more drinks on empty stomachs will be fine...

So off we tottered, and remembered a place which was almost round the corner, Bar High Five... the 13^th best bar in the world, with the 12^th best cocktail maker, apparently.

We have a little history with this place, tried to find it two years ago, couldn't. Tried earlier this adventure... it was closed. However tonight it was open and it was like all our cocktail dreams come true. I mean, how can you go wrong with all these spirits?

There is no drinks menu, they ask you some questions, like what flavours you prefer, base spirit, shape of glass that kind of thing, so we were saying things like yuzu with a vodka base, want something which tastes like Christmas.

So good.

3 cocktails later, we head off for dinner at Cobau, and because we were a little tipsy, we didn't really savour it, we were done in 40 minutes! But it was so damned good. Melt in the mouth meat, delicious salads, kimchi, bibimbap (rice, veg and egg in a stone bowl which is so hot it cooks the ingredients, apart from the rice obviously). We were sat there which such smiles on our faces. Like a couple of pigs in... well you get the idea.

We got them to call back to the cocktail place to warn them we were returning (they don't take reservations, but did say they would save us a couple of good seats if we rang a bit ahead) and headed back for a nightcap... or two.

Ilya chose something which sounded so gay, amaretto, floral bitters with no citrus, and he said it was like heaven in a glass.

Watched him trying several times to take this photo.

The last for this part of this blog...

...Apart from this one he took in a taxi in Hiroshima, as he was obsessed with the doily style seat covers

Off to board now, I will add in photos and upload this when I get home, it is all ready, just need to pack up.

Home safe by the way :).

Day 12 - Return To Tokyo

Up early to get the Shinkansen back to Tokyo for out last couple of nights, looking forward to a big gay night this evening, we have both added some gentle men's bars to the mutual Google Map, as we have never experienced this side of the city.

However, slight problem, the Spy feels really ill again 😟 really bad stomach cramps. So I make sure we have plenty of water, and we get all packed up and off to the station, we pre-booked our seats for this one.

Get to Tokyo and he is still feeling really bad after a very uncomfortable train ride, look forward to being able to have a nap in the hotel, which is also a Courtyard Marriott, like in Osaka, and he has made sure we have the same kind of room etc.

Only for us to be shown to a postage stamp with a bed in it. Oh but there is also the tiniest table and a chair as well.

Reception say it is what we reserved. Mmm... He is too ill to fight, so we make sure we can get another room tomorrow, and ask them to remove the extraneous furniture. I then move the tiny bed away from the wall and turn it around, so the head is under the window, maneuvering our cases so at least we can both get in and out of it without disturbing the other.

Now to experience a Japanese chemist... trying to explain where the pain is was painful in itself, we ended up with some kind of granular antacid, thought we would give it a go, back to the hotel for a nap for an hour, while I tried to find out what to do, translated some different stuff and when he was up again, back to the chemist, only to be told it is only available here on prescription, so paracetemol it is then!

Poor Spy.

I am not the most patient nurse, especially when this was the second time he has been unwell on this adventure. I did try my best though. And after me grabbing a quick bite to eat, we headed back for the night.

So much for gay night! But at least he slept through the night.

Day 11 - Harry Potter Tastic

Today was the Spy's day, he loves Harry Potter, you might not expect that from a Spy, but hey, he likes to buck the trend.

Asked whether he prefers Harry Potter or Totoro, here was the answer... "Harry Potter is who you want to be, Totoro is who you want to spend time with".

Genuinely, his very thought out answer.

Headed to Universal Studios Japan, which was only 30 minutes on a train from where we were staying, however, we forgot to take into account rush hour. The metro carriages were the most crowded I have seen, but everyone was so calm, as I supposed they were used to it, at least it wasn't hot, and there was one thing, there was no way you could fall over. I think I may have been so close to the woman in front of me that I made her pregnant though.

Here we were at the top of the escalator, you get a little feel for the numbers, and I get the feeling this was the end of it.

Got to the park, got in the queue, cursed ourselves for not buying tickets through the hotel, got through the gate and ran for the Harry Potter stuff. Queued again for the ride, didn't take long at all, he started getting a bit nervous as there were signs saying the car moved a lot and wasn't for people with a weak stomach, and let's face it, the Spy is a wuss when it comes to rides. He told me though that it has won worldwide attraction of the year for the last 5 years, I get the feeling that was more for him than me.

It was amazing. A proper 3D experience, it felt like you were playing quidditch, flying after dragons, speeding across the lake and over the school. So clever, and we were both really chuffed to experience it. It is hard to explain how exhilarated we both felt afterwards, although he didn't want to go again!

Here are some photos of the castle, and around Hogsmead. It really is an immersive experience.

I wanted to go on some more rides, however, it was made extremely clear to me I would have to go on my own, and by the time we came out of the Harry Potter stuff all the queues for rides were at least 90 minutes, which I didn't really see the point of doing on my own, especially as I would have been in the singles queue. I stropped, and we headed to get some express tickets, however they had already sold out.

Definitely the shortest ever visit I have had to a theme park!

Back to the city and another sign which I have no idea the meaning of.

And a really strange combination for a cafe!

After a little mince around a bit more of Osaka (Ilya bought a little plant) we spent a lovely hour or so drinking beer and looking at the world go by at a bar in Shin-Osaka station, it really is a great country for people watching.

Last night in Osaka, and although we didn't get to see as much of the city as we wanted, we had our final evening meal of delicious Okanamiyaki, in a little place called Kyo-Chabana, a commuter place which we had walked past several times before even realising it was there, such tasty food, and I tried sparkling Sake for the first time, am going to be looking in to getting some when we get home.

Spooky moving food... love it

Back to Tokyo in the morning for the last couple of nights before home, this time has gone so quickly.

Day 10 – Yay no more Super Typhoon Lan so off to Hiroshima

This is my blog for day 10. 

What about days 8 and 9 I hear no one ask?

Apart from my darling Sazzle who did actually check, thank you 😃.

Well... day 8 was a (kind of) planned lazy hotel day, we usually have one of these when we are on a long holiday, but this was forced a bit as we had been warned about travelling due to the incoming Typhoon Lan, also The Spy wasn't feeling too good, so I dosed him up on ibuprofen and lemsips, I wrote my blog about Nara, and we watched Series 1 of Stranger Things on Netflix :).

However, Lan didn't arrive until Day 9, when we learned the really important lesson about Japanese people, what happens when there is a deadly typhoon coming your way on a Sunday? Go shopping of course! There are quite a few shopping centres (malls for my less European friends) in what we would call office blocks (again, things built and spread vertically, great use of space). And we had a bit of cabin fever... Ilya had wanted to travel to Koyasan, but as most trains were cancelled and it was absolutely bucketing it down, we just joined the rest of the locals. When in Osaka!

On to Day 10 when we were back to the plan... off on the Barbra Streisand train (Shinkansen) to Hiroshima, then a local train to Miyajimaguchi and a short ferry to Miyajima (this was on The Spy's list as it is another World Heritage site, the second of this trip, getting the culture all packed in).

I wasn't that fussed, until I saw it looked like the island in Jurassic Park!

Oh and for a change, it wasn't raining... at all!

The ferry kindly took us past the Torii Gate which looks like it is floating on the water. And kind of indicates you are in for something special, so I stopped my stroppy child face, and put on my “this looks interesting” face.

There is actually a lot to do, and as is our way, we spent this first visit just wandering and getting a feel for the place, seeing if we liked it. We did. The first of the shrines you see is next to this beautiful 5 storey pagoda.

It doesn't look like much, but the Senjokaku shrine (Hall Of One Thousand Tatami Mats) which is still unfinished (they gave up when the warlord it was dedicated to died after 11 years of work), was initially built for the monthly chanting of sutras, but the there are some really interesting pieces of traditional art, including this sexy clock thing (really I have no idea, just making it up!).

And this dragon (my first of the holiday, I have to say I am quite disappointing with the availability of dragons on offer, I mean real ones obviously).

But for me, the most beautiful aspect, was this view. You can see why this place was chosen as a place for reflection.

Took a little stroll down to the floating Itsukushima Shrine, which again is so peaceful, and made me feel very thoughful, you some more great views of the Torii gate from here.

As well as of the island's virgin (not that kind!) forest.

And here are two very non-Kardashian (as in we are terrible at taking selfies) tourists.

After vowing to come back again, we took a little trip amongst the tourist shops, tried a couple of the local maple leaf (style) cakes (yummy when fresh and warm, bit cloying when not), Ilya met his Japanese hero Totoro again

We took the ferry back to Miyajimaguchi, and then the train to Hiroshima. Starving, we found another okonomiyaki place in the station, which has a shopping centre aptly named Asse, we have no idea what this place was called, but it was packed full of locals, there were only a couple of other white faces in there, it was perfect, bustling, noisy, and the food was so good.

Time for a serious bit. We visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the first part is the remains of the building (Atomic Bomb Dome) which was almost directly below where the blast happened. The Japanese people have chosen to keep the remains of the building forever as a reminder of the first ever time a nuclear device has been used against people, and of the devastation war causes.

The memorial spreads over quite an area and you walk through it like a park, however each part guides to to reflect on another effect of war, such as the Children's memorial.

The cenotaph, which frames the Atomic Dome.

And the Peace Bell.

However the most affecting part for me, was the groups of Japanese school children doing one of those godawful surveys they force kids to do when they are on trips. This survey was questions about our thoughts on Peace and War, and they asked so politely, in very broken English, where we were from, and to write down our own thoughts on Peace and War, and then they offered a beautiful little origami stork as a thank you. I have to say, this struck me as the most perfect place for this, and I adore kids so much, I was so moved by their courage in doing this in a clearly difficult language to complete strangers, I may have shed a few tears.

Finally after we were approached by the third group of kids, we had our photos taken with them. A really positive end to an extremely poignant memorial.

  

Headed back to the station on a tram, like in my spiritual home of Manchester, took bloody ages though, could have walked quicker.

Found a new team to (not) support, after adopting the South Carolina Gamecocks afew years ago (Go Cocks!) I have now taken on the Horoshima Carp, baseball champions extraordinaire. Mainly because I thought their merchandise was cute... actually that is the only reason.

Then back to Osaka on the Shinkansen :).