Archive of posts from April 2023
Tokyo - Day 17 Today was our last full day in Japan. We started off marching around Ginza looking for a tea place that served before noon. We failed. Five kilometres later we hit a bakery in a high end department store and sat in their roof garden. Afterwards we took a tour of the Imperial Palace. Then we hit the tea house followed by High Five, a bar recommended by old friend, Rick Himes. So good. One last dinner and a long train to a hotel by Narita airport. Great trip.
23 April 2023 | travel
Japan - Day 20 - Tokyo Our final day in Tokyo with a visit to the Imperial Palace and Ippudo for tea.
21 April 2023 | travel
Tokyo - Day 17 Today was our last full day in Japan. We started off marching around Ginza looking for a tea place that served before noon. We failed. Five kilometres later we hit a bakery in a high end department store and sat in their roof garden. Afterwards we took a tour of the Imperial Palace. Then we hit the tea house followed by High Five, a bar recommended by old friend, Rick Himes. So good. One last dinner and a long train to a hotel by Narita airport. Great trip.
21 April 2023 | travel
Tokyo - Day 16 After an amazing breakfast in our ryokan, we drove to Fukushima to return our car and take the Shinkansen to Tokyo. We are staying near Ginza and Tokyo Station. We spent the day eating and shopping. We had lunch at a happy pancake place, it was good, but not amazing. We also visited the Pokémon Centre for old time sake. We had drinks by Tokyo Station and Okonomiyaki for dinner. We felt good about the whole rental car experience and would recommend it. Tokyo sure feels busy compared to up north.
21 April 2023 | travel
Japan - Day 19 - Tokyo Back to Tokyo and a mooch around the Ginza area.
20 April 2023 | travel
Zao Onsen - Day 15 we woke early to hear the monk’s prayers. It was very peaceful. We checked out and Angela and Owen walked down the 2,400 steps of the mountain. I drove to the bottom and walked ‘up’ to meet them at the famous pagoda. It was pretty magical. Then we drove to a ski/spa town called Zao Onsen. It is very dead out of ski season. However, found amazing ramen for lunch and our ryokan had the most amazing dinner. This alone was worth coming. To top it off, we visited one of the three public baths and relaxed at the hotels baths as well. A quiet, but good day.
20 April 2023 | travel
Tokyo - Day 16 After an amazing breakfast in our ryokan, we drove to Fukushima to return our car and take the Shinkansen to Tokyo. We are staying near Ginza and Tokyo Station. We spent the day eating and shopping. We had lunch at a happy pancake place, it was good, but not amazing. We also visited the Pokémon Centre for old time sake. We had drinks by Tokyo Station and Okonomiyaki for dinner. We felt good about the whole rental car experience and would recommend it. Tokyo sure feels busy compared to up north.
20 April 2023 | travel
Japan - Day 18 - Zao Onsen We walked down from Dewasanzan-jinja Shrine and headed to Zao Onsen.
19 April 2023 | travel
Zao Onsen - Day 15 we woke early to hear the monk’s prayers. It was very peaceful. We checked out and Angela and Owen walked down the 2,400 steps of the mountain. I drove to the bottom and walked ‘up’ to meet them at the famous pagoda. It was pretty magical. Then we drove to a ski/spa town called Zao Onsen. It is very dead out of ski season. However, found amazing ramen for lunch and our ryokan had the most amazing dinner. This alone was worth coming. To top it off, we visited one of the three public baths and relaxed at the hotels baths as well. A quiet, but good day.
19 April 2023 | travel
Dewasanzan-jinja Shrine - Day 14 we left Akita this morning and made a few stops on the way to Dewasanzan-jinja Shrine. The first stop was Mototaki Waterfall. It was fairly small, but in a lovely cedar forest. Then we saw Jūroku Rakan Iwa, 16 Buddhas carved into volcanic road near Sakata. They were done by monks to thank the local fishermen. And finally to the very large set of temples and shrines on Mt Haguro. We are staying at a pilgrims building that is enormous, but there is only one other family here, from Texas. When in Japan, you have to try a few ryokans and temples!
19 April 2023 | travel
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