So finally after 10 months, someone finally loves me enough to visit!! Clare arrived last Friday in one piece (kind of) and only mildly jetlagged.
First couple of days were filled with Hakkenden (Japanese Pub Food), Supermarkets, Inuyama castle, and Taco Yaki (Octopus Balls) at Asunaro. (there)
Sunday morning saw a too early start, and a trip to Tokyo!
We started by buying lunch, dumplings, salad, fried rice and biscuits (it was a lot more exotic than it sounds)and then jumped on the shinkansen.
Arrived in Tokyo and headed to Asakusa temple, to see a crowded shopping street, a big lantern, and a whole lot of people!!!
Afterwards we got waylaid by teenagers dressed as cartoon characters, an arcade and a change of plan! Originally we were to spend a night in a capsule hotel, but with Dave all snottied up with a cold, and Clare still a touch jetlagged, an executive decision was made to stay at a hotel in Roppongi.
After a quick pitstop to refuel, watch some Miss Japan and dump our bags, we headed to the big electronics area. After one shop though, we were all wowed out so pigged out on some curry and headed home. The evening was spent wandering around some pretty trees, a giant spider, an arcade and an english pub serving fish and chips. Mmmm
Monday saw us bidding a snotty and premature farewell to Dave as he headed home to a comfy bed, chicken soup and WiiTherapy. Clare and I, meanwhile tried our best to get some culture, but when the park turned out to be closed we gave up and spent the rest of the day shopping. After a good 4-5 hours of ooohing and aaahhhing, even my attention was waning.
And so .... We went to an Onsen. And not just any old onsen. Oh no! This is the Disney world of Onsens!!! You get to choose your Yukata, wander around an old Edo-Period type town while eating icecream (in your barefeet and yukata), shop for souvenirs, eat soba, drink beer, watch TV in reclining seats, and something else .... oh yeah, actually bathe!
All the extra novelties were fun, but the baths were just what we needed. Although, Clare was too damn chicken to walk through the foot bath. Granted, the bottom of the river did have bits of rocks sticking up for you to walk on. But it was supposed to be theraputic! Any hoo.. It was nice ...
All relaxed, clean and destressed, we headed off to find our room for the night, one of the few capsule hotels that accept women. 2 subway changes, much lonely planet consulting, too much walking up and down the same damn road, and one very helpful door man later, we found out that it had closed down. In fact the whole block had been demolished. So now all unrelaxed, unclean and undestressed, there was only one cure. A pitcher of Margaretas at TGI Fridays and a spacious very uncapsule like room at Hotel Ibis.
Tuesday saw ... wait for it ... More shopping!!! And a late afternoon Shinkansen home, via a Mount Fuji View, to our own beds (or thermorests) and a big ole pot of Chilli! More pics of "Jo and Clare's Excellent Tokyo Adventure"?
Hai!
PS. Just a quick note about how cool Japan is. We got off the Shinkansen at 6ish. It continued on to Osaka (another hour away). We went home to Inuyama. At about 7, I realised I'd left my phone on the train. By half 7 it had been located, and boxed to be posted back to me. I got it today!
