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I should know this, but don’t. I’ve been travelling with my wife in J on SQ and am in Japan at the moment. I have just noticed that my travel agent put my Kris Flyer number on the reservation, not my Velocity one as I wished, so I haven’t been credited with the rather large number of SCs for my...

Me and Roslyn in Irish pub Kyoto

View from the Keio Plaza Shinjuku. Tokyo Gherkin features.

Book the Cook Lobster Thermidor. Delicious.

Setting out, not so shabby.

One of the seven courses at Dominique Bouchet. Magnifique.

The very attractive village, Oshino Hakkai and where Fuji should be behind it.

Fifth station Mt Fuji. Bugger.

Shinto festival at Asakusa

My wife in a juvenile part of the bamboo grove.

We have eaten a fair bit of Japanese food on this trip, and do so back home, but it’s more the ridiculous cost at our hotels which turns us off. We should search out local restaurants at night, but after long days, it’s just something we can’t be bothered with.

A lot of walking today, around 15,000 steps. This must be doing us good. Yesterday I spoke about the offer of the hotel’s tour desk to take us to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove for $100 each, with the “tour” comprising a return local train ticket and someone to guide us through a super obvious and...

Thanks for the comments guys. A mini update. As expected Royal Host was fantastic. Think good pub food, with turf and surf and the works. We got out with two courses each and drinks for under $40. Go there if in Kyoto. No Michelin stars, but good enough. We were the only euros in there too...

So do I. Firstly, rain is predicted, which I reckon would make the experience better and reduce the number. Secondly, I’m trying to get my wife out of the hotel at 7am. She’s using the “have to wash my hair” line. We shall see.

Yes, that was what I was hoping for, but alas heavy cloud all day. So farewell to Tokyo. I doubt we will return because we have too many other places to visit, but if we find ourselves there again, we will be better prepared and will enjoy the experience I’m sure. Before leaving, off to...

Day three: Fuji and surrounds. We have a pretty good batting record against the weather gods recently. Saw Vesuvius on a bright sunny day, a cloud not to be seen; got to the observatory on Jungfrau on the first clear day for a week; climbed to 4000m in Nepal to see the clouds clear at sunrise...

Okay, second full day in Tokyo. As I said earlier, we booked a full day bus tour. Well bus and a lot of walking. After talking about 25k steps yesterday, it’s over 18k today. But we both feel well. I don’t think I mentioned it, but I’m nearly 68 and my wife 69, so no spring chickens. First stop...

6-14 is the forecast. Not so bad.

We will be picking up a 7 day JR ticket on Monday (green class, of course). I knew of that Suica pass but as it was going to be needed for two days at most (now one) I didn’t bother.

Oh, one major negative. Station staff were unhelpful. When I asked which platform to go to I was given a terse “platform 2” when there were several platforms 2. People who saw us puzzled and confused, on the other hand, were wonderful, with a couple even walking with us until we were on the...