Blossoms, bullet train and beyond: exploring Japan by Land and Sea.

[Pushka]

Agree! But they are quite expensive. I ran out of time but if you have a chance to, try their white strawberries. My fav is their pineapples, the best I’ve tasted, I’ve no idea where they source that from, Okinawa perhaps?

Interesting. So those white strawberries are nice? We'd never touch those in Australia. Okinawa sounds about right for the tropical fruits. And yes, not this stop but in Tokyo I had so much pineapple and citrus.

 

[Pushka]

Oh, I know what's going on. They have left the mantle on - the sort of mesentery that holds some of the soft bits and anchors it all to the shell. Wouldn't see that here - just the meat, please. But still poorly presented.

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I was a little bit sick in my mouth reading that.

So the place where I bought the knives from was founded in 1560 with 18 generations. The oldest knife makers in Japan and possibly the world. Explains the 00000000000 yen then.

 

[SuePa]

Scallops? Most miserable I've ever seen - even if they have the roe on. Yuk.

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They look as though they've been skidded across a dirty floor!

 

[Pushka]

They look as though they've been skidded across a dirty floor!

If there's one thing I've noticed about Japan it's the cleanliness. So even if they've skidded across the floor it won't be dirty.

 

[drron]

Lets see how it is after room service gets there


Scallops? Most miserable I've ever seen - even if they have the roe on. Yuk.

View attachment 439414.

I much prefer Tassie Scallops to the Hokkaido ones that are famous. They were much better in a scallop pie though.

 

[jukebox333]

If there's one thing I've noticed about Japan it's the cleanliness. So even if they've skidded across the floor it won't be dirty.

This! The cleanest escalators in the world! Even the ones around Tokyo station look like they were installed last weekend.

 

[cosi]

If there's one thing I've noticed about Japan it's the cleanliness. So even if they've skidded across the floor it won't be dirty.

Especially the toilets at Tokyo Railway Station during peak hour in the morning and in the evening - the cleanest public toilets anywhere in the world.

 

[Quickstatus]

- the cleanest public toilets anywhere in the world.

I've heard cruise ship loos are cleaner?

 

[Pushka]

I've heard cruise ship loos are cleaner?

They have to be because of Noro virus. There's an attendant standing in the bathrooms on occasions. And foot press door openings to avoid hand touchy stuff. If not there's a paper towel dispenser and bin by the door to use.

Way too tired to post last night. Will update on Kyoto and Osaka later today.

 

[Pushka]

Ok. I need to get updated.

On Monday after visiting Nishiki market and buying some rather extravagant knives, I wanted to visit Gion because, well, everyone does. I had visions of it being a beautiful experience. Ha. I really understand why tourism has become out of control, and I understand why resident must get totally fed up with the lot of us. Maybe it was because we got slightly lost so ended up walking so much, but by the time we found the tourist hordes it had all become rather unpalatable. I loved seeing the Japanese young couples looking absolutely beautiful in their kimonos but I did not feel the desire to take photos of them. I wasn't so exactly enamoured of the western et al tourists who had hired their kimonos and were walking down the street. The kimonos are beautiful. But well, I might try on a kimono at a private dinner but never walk down the street in one. I just don't feel comfortable. Consequences? No photos and we really didn't stay there long at all. That's ok though

It had been a long day so we ended with a glass of red we'd bought at 7/11, found a good local restaurant and ended the night. We had a big day the next day. Tuesday.

 

[Pushka]

Tuesday . Was it only yesterday? We had organised a tour guide with ToursByLocals for Tuesday and Wednesday. The first day was visiting local Kyoto highlights. The second (today) was Nara and Osaka.

Started the day at 8.30am where Tomoe met us at the hotel. Then we hired a taxi (our cost) to Nijo -Jo castle. This is the place where Samuri conducted their business, rather like a hotel. There is a fascinating security system built into the floorboards in exterior areas, that are small metal 'twigs'. When walked on above they sound like a contact noise of birds chirping. Tomoe explained all the various antechambers, paintings and symbols on the wall. We were there very early, but when we left an hour later the crowds would have meant we just wouldn't have seen over people's head and it would have taken a longer time to circle the grounds.




A taxi and our next stop was the Golden Temple. Kinkaku-ji. The sun was out, the crowds were high but there were some many vantage points to capture its beauty. The top room of the three level structure is all gold leaf.




But also beautiful were the surrounding gardens all beautifully manicured.

 

[Pushka]

Why not have a collection?






Thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful area but we had so much more to see so off we went.

Our next stop was an additional one. This area had later blooming Cherry blossoms and so had opened up for special viewing. Were we in? Tomoe asked? Heck yes. So onto an ancient train and off we went. And this place delivered the blossoms. It's normally deserted but today even the locals were out in force but the weather was threatening storms, as predicted.



This area has the rare Green cherry blossoms. They were just starting to bloom.













And then the storm hit.

 

[Pushka]

So we hurried off as we still had so much to do. I can't remember how we got there but our next stop was to see a Zen Buddhist Monastery and enjoy a lunch at their restaurant Shigetsu which has a Michelin star? And, ah, it was also vegan.

We had to walk through the Monastery landscape to arrive at the Restaurant which was fully booked. Tomoe had booked it months ago.

As a kindness we were provided with slightly elevated chairs .

And so it was delivered.




The aubergine to the right - the round dish, was superb. I enjoyed the kale with a dressing that tasted like horseradish, the miso, the rice, the pickles. The strawberries and oranges were excellent. But, I'm not a vegan and I don't think I like anything white, other than rice. But the experience was worth it.



We then went into the Zen gardens which are also UNESCO protected. The care that the ground keepers, monks I'm thinking, give the gardens is obvious. And then you get some stupid Insta fool tranping over the roped off gravel trying to get the 'shot'. Both Tomoe and I started calling out to get off the garden at the same time

These gravel paths represent ocean waves.

 

[Pushka]

We simply enjoyed the serenity despite the instas. But we knew we were on the way to - Arashiyma Bamboo Forest. Serenity must wait.

The gardens were simply wonderful with spring blooms. MrP was taking forever with his photos.

 

[Pushka]

We could see the crowds building ahead. And hear the clacking of the bamboo as the winds had picked up. Fabulous sensations of nature at work despite the crush of humanity.

 

[Pushka]

So get this. Our friends in Melbourne whom we have trouble catching up with in Melbourne are also in Japan. On an escorted tour. They arrived two days ago. And Kyoto. And are just 800 metres away from where we are. We are catching up for dinner. Go figure as they say.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Your and Mr P's photos are stunning. Loving the trip with you (and friends.)

 

[RooFlyer]

My itinerary for my next visit. Right here.

 

[drron]

A shame that over tourism curtails activities for the "good" tourist. We did an Expedition cruise around Japan in cherry blossom season 2016. All excursions were included. One day we were taken to Ritsurin Koen which was the 4th of the Big 4 gardens that we have been to It was a beautiful day and many couple and families having their wedding photos taken. We asked if we could take pictures and the answer was always yes. But what blew me away was that twice we were asked to join the family photo. You couldn't refuse.

 

[Pushka]

So. We managed a dinner at the dreadfully tourist spot of Pontocho Alley which was were the friends wanted to see. We've never been serviced so little food for dinner. I had one tempura carrot, and a skewer of chicken. Entree size 1 portion. The others didn't have much more. Lucky the plum wine was acceptable. Anyway, back at the room now.

Right. Still not done with yesterday. We then caught a train I think to Fushimi Inara Shrine. Very impressive - crowds. But the area was stunning. And more steps. 1000 Tori gates.







It was actually possible to get photos clear of people. But oh my, the instas who block masses of people too polite to move forward. Well. We eventually weren't polite.

This was the end of Day 1 with the guide. We set off back to Kyoto station then on an underground back to our station. We were rather weary, we are averaging over 20,000 steps a day since we arrived under a week ago.

Tomorrow, a trip to Nara and Osaka by train.