北国の秋 - Autumn in Northern Japan

[rbjhan]

Having been to Sapporo a couple of times I am certainly enjoying your TR and the photos. Thanks and please keep posting the photos.

They're great.

Thanks!
Sapporo to me feels a bit like Fukuoka, proper big city sufficiently away from Tokyo/Osaka, a good base to explore the surrounding area. But somehow I didn't love the city itself? No idea why really...maybe I should go again in winter...

 

[Hvr]

.maybe I should go again in winter...

The Snow and Ice festival is simply amazing. I first went to visit a university friend who came to Australia for study, and we've caught up a few times since.

 

[rbjhan]

The Snow and Ice festival is simply amazing. I first went to visit a university friend who came to Australia for study, and we've caught up a few times since.

I've been thinking about a winter Hokkaido trip for a long time.
Want to go see Kushiro, Lake Akan and Mashu, drift ice in Abashiri, etc...hesitant as I heard weather is unpredictable and transport frequently interrupted...

 

[craven morehead]

Then you obviously haven't @rbjhan other one on Spain and Japan - great writing style and enjoyable TR

Still struggling to catch up

 

[rbjhan]

Hotel Metropolitan Morioka was directly connected to JR Morioka Station, ideal for a short stay.


Even though the room was quite small, it felt much better than Comfort Hotel Hakodate. Maybe it was the lighting, or something else? cough3liftscough…


View was not half bad

 

[rbjhan]

Dinner was the famous Morioka Reimen (cold noodles).

 

[rbjhan]

Morioka was smaller than I thought, not much to see...but a good base for visiting Tohoku transport wise.

 

[rbjhan]

Akita Shinkasen (the red one) separates from Tohoku Shinkansen here in Morioka


This being Japan, of course there were signs to direct passengers to the right place!


Akita Shinkansen is a so called mini Shinkansen, 2+2 seating in Y.

 

[rbjhan]

Kakunodate 角館 is called the little Kyoto of Tohoku....to be honest, I've been to quite a few "little Kyoto of xx_", they were nothing like the real Kyoto


The town is famous for its Samurai houses.

 

[rbjhan]

Lunch was a combo of famous local dishes Inaniwa Udon and Oyakodon with Akita chicken.

 

[rbjhan]

Every other shop in Morioka station was selling the reimen...


There are actually 3 types of noodles in Morioka, reimen, jajamen and wanko soba.
If I'm going there again I'll try the other two

 

[rbjhan]

Finally back to Tokyo!
As usual booked a business hotel in Ginza, Daiwa Roynet in Ginza Ichome.
Reasonable size




Bathroom was spacious


This hotel was very good, but prices had gone up quite a bit...back then it was about 11k Yen per night, I haven't seen anything near that number in a while...

 

[rbjhan]

Ginza at night

 

[rbjhan]

Nothing much to report in Tokyo....shopping and eating basically

Oden and Udon


Café Tsujiri


Yayoiken


Japanese style uni (sea urchin) pasta

 

[rbjhan]

Bistro Simba
A great little gem near Ginza...Nobody spoke English though, luckily the chef was in France for 10 years, so my french was put to good use.

 

[k_sheep]

I like the way you travel!

Dang I just want to eat all those things too.

 

[rbjhan]

Time to go home again

Still one day left on the JR Pass, so I took the NEX - this was actually my first time on NEX ha ha. Normally I took the Keisei bus or Access Narita bus, only 1000 Yen!


But of course NEX was more comfortable.

 

[rbjhan]

I like the way you travel!

Dang I just want to eat all those things too.

Thanks!
Oh I love Japanese food, but even if you don't, there are so many other choices in cities like Tokyo. In Japan my main problem is why can't I have 6 meals a day!

 

[rbjhan]

Qantas lounge in T2S
Very quiet in the evening.


Nice shower

Food was sad though...

 

[rbjhan]

NRT - BNE
That was my first time on the refurbished A330 iirc




Beef curry don


Breakfast


Approaching Brisbane