Japan TR (include JL & CX F review)

[boomy]

Thnx boomy very helpful we are staying at the Hilton shinjuku next week. Have stayed there many times before but never tried the restaurants. Would it be rude to ask ballpark cost for the dinner?

Like most good restaurants in Tokyo, this one is not cheap either but unlike most hotel restaurants I've tried over the years, this one doesn't compromise on quality.
Dinner will cost you anything between ¥10,000-20,000 per person depends on what you order.
I'm sure there are better value restaurants in the area but this one is good option on a rainy day or if arriving late to the hotel and don't feel like going out.
Here is an example of set menu that cost ¥15,000.

 

[boomy]

 

[JohnSydney2000]

Hi boomy and hhello to the missus. Loving your continuing trip reports. Your food photos are gorgeous - you seem to have all the major food groups covered.
Your Conrad photos have brought back 12 years of good memories.
Happy travels! John.

 

[boomy]

Day 5
Today we took the train from Shinjuku station to Hakone. It's 85 minutes ride to a town famous for sightseeing and hot springs.
Our train

We were hoping to do a river cruise and enjoy the views of Mount Fuji which is not far from there but unfortunately it started raining when we arrived so had to abandon plan A and move to plan B - relaxation at one of the many Onsens in the area.
We chose a traditional Japanese outdoor Onsen called Tenzan.

The Onsens in Japan usually have public area with shops and restaurants followed by separate men and women public baths (can be outdoor or indoor). Some Onsens also offer private baths for couples or families for additional fee.
Our Onsen had only outdoor public baths so it meant we had to separate. While the missus is a huge fan of these kind of public baths, I don't feel very comfortable sharing the pools with other naked men and children. It was especially awkward at first when everyone was looking at the only western man there who seems out of place.
The reason I didn't feel comfortable at first was only because of my western education but I fully respect other cultures and always do my best to adapt. One thing I really hate is when western tourists visit other countries and start criticising the local customs instead of accepting them as they are.
Back to the Onsen, after a while I didn't care anymore and simply enjoyed the cold weather mixed with rain while relaxing in the hot pools.
For obvious reasons I couldn't take any photos inside so I'll upload some from Tenzan website which give a good idea of how it looks like.

 

[boomy]

After we returned to Tokyo we went to check out the nightlife in Shinjuku.

This is the entertainment and red-light district of Tokyo, known as Kabukicho.

Although the area is full of bars, clubs and love motels, it's clean and safe for everyone to visit and is recommended to go there one night to see a different part of Tokyo.

 

[boomy]

We had reservations at the Robot Restaurant.

This "restaurant" was built at a staggering cost of ¥10 billion! ($100 million).
tickets costs ¥7,000 which include the entry fee, one alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drink and bento box. It's recommended to pre-book as it's a popular place. We booked online through Viator.
The name of the place is misleading a bit because no one goes there for the food. In fact it's recommended to eat something before going there because the bento box given inside as part of the ticket is pretty bad.
They ask everyone to arrive 30 minutes before the show to enjoy complementary drink in the futuristic lounge while listening to robots playing live music.


The kitsch is so over the top that it just blows your mind. While I'm not a big fan of sci-fi I must admit this place is really cool!
The guests tonight were an interesting mix of people. From the nerds wearing Star Wars t-shirts who probably felt like they were in heaven to the serious looking businessmen wearing suites who didn't seem to belong there at all.

 

[boomy]

Later we went a few floors down to the basement and were shown to out assigned seats for the show.

First start with cabaret style performance.

 

[boomy]

Then come the robots.

 

[boomy]

Giant female robots driven by the girls.


This show that can be seen only in Japan is supposed to be so ridiculous and extravagant that it's actually fun to watch.

 

[amaroo]

We spotted these in Shinjuku in 2012 http://www.australianfrequentflyer....g-kong-tokyo-day-trip-44095-2.html#post704380 ... always wondered what they were. Now I know!

 

[Timtammi]

Thanks for the menu info boomy and pics much appreciated. Looks awesome

 

[JohnK]

Very nice trip report boomy.

Lots of interesting photos. I'd love to visit Japan but it won't be anytime soon.

 

[garee]

Great TR...loving it

 

[boomy]

Day 5
Today we leave Tokyo and take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima.
Love the look of the Japanese bullet trains.

We reserved seats in the normal economy class which was comfortable enough with plenty legroom.

The seat also offers generous recline for comfortable resting.
This is how the first class cabin looks like.

I bought bento box for lunch onboard.


It was really nice, hard to believe food sold on the train can taste so good.
After a long ride that started at 11.20am and included connection in Osaka, we finally arrived in Hiroshima at 4.26pm.

 

[boomy]

Sheraton Hiroshima
The first building we saw once we stepped out from Hiroshima station was the Sheraton. Located just outside the station it's perfect especially for people who travel with luggage.
At check in we received upgrade to club room on the top floor. Room was nice and bright with open views of the city.

It was late afternoon already so we went to have a drink in the executive lounge before going out to explore the city.

I had these Australian wines in Korean Sheratons before. An interesting choice of wine that is not popular at all in Aussie hotels.

 

[boomy]

Hiroshima is a small city and it's very simple to get around using the local trams. It takes only 10 minutes to get from the train station to the city centre and ticket cost less then $2.

Unlike it's dark history, Hiroshima is now a modern city, like any other city in Japan. I was glad to start our tour from the city centre which has a really good vibe of small and friendly town. Going through the shopping streets, eating at the local restaurants and drinking at whisky bars I almost forgot the real reason to why we came here in the first place and it just shows how well the Japanese managed to rebuild a city that was completely wiped out 70 years ago.

 

[boomy]

One of the undercover shopping streets.

We found this interesting shop who seems to sell everything from cheap food to luxury good and discounted prices.

This is one example - Dom Perignon 2004 sold at $150AU, bargain!

 

[boomy]

For dinner we tried the famous local dish - Okonomiyaki. There are many restaurants who sell it in the city, we went to Okonomi-Mura just because it has good reviews online.

Okonomiyaki is made like pancake with egg, pork, cabbage, spring onion and also an option to add all kinds of seafood inside.
This is how it looks like before.

And after (cut in half shared with the missus).

Different Okonomiyaki stations in one place.

It's a must try cheap and delicious meal when visiting Hiroshima (it can be also found in Osaka in a slightly different version).
We finished the night at a small underground whisky bar we found on the way, sampling some fine Japanese single malts.

 

[Cynicor]

Your first night there sounds exactly like mine! Same okonomiyaki place and all!

 

[Fiches Mouser]

This is how the first class cabin looks like.

I just have to quickly hijack your excellent TR to throw in my shot of the Shinkansen's 'Gran Class' seat from the last time I did Tokyo–Kyoto.

Never seen a train seat like this before.



I'm very much enjoying living vicariously through you, boomy. Awesome TR.