Japan with a child - Disney, robots, zoos, miniature cities, samurai parks, and a festival (belated)

[Matt_01]

Time to leave Tokyo and head North to something a little more rural, Kinugawa Onsen. The town is a 2-3 hours north of Tokyo by train and the trains are not frequent and is not completely covered by the JR pass. Rather than use the JR we just purchased tickets on the Tobu line and used the express service, it was just easier.







We left the luggage at the accomodation and went out.

 

[Matt_01]

We walked to Tobu World Square. There was a free bus but that runs at specific times and we missed it.


Stopped for a snack at the local grocery store.


Tobu World Square is a miniature village but a whole lot bigger, if you are in the area it is well worth a visit.

 

[Matt_01]

More of the not so miniature village.

 

[Matt_01]

We caught the bus most of the way back to Kinugawa and the walked back via the more scenic route and through town.

 

[Matt_01]

This time the accommodation would be more traditional at the Kinugawa Onsen San-rakun an up market Ryokan. Check in is quite formal, we were escorted to a lounge are, offered green tea, advised of the house rules and key timings for dinner and breakfast, and select a yukata (there were many of them) to wear during your stay.

It is an excellent place to stay however the price is by no means the cheapest but like most Ryokan all meals are included.

 

[Matt_01]

After settling in it was time to go for a soak, no pictures of that. When MrsM and MissM returned MissM took great delight in telling me that everyone was naked, even the old ladies, she found this very amusing.

Dinner is served in the room and was excellent.








MissM was also chuffed that we all had to sleep on the floor.

 

[Matt_01]

After Breakfast


We caught the bus to Edo Wonderland, a recreated 17th village, there are a few shows on that we went to, did not understand a word of what was going on however it was still entertaining. When we arrived it was raining and MrsM made the comment “I feel like I am in the movie the Last Samurai".

 

[Matt_01]

More of Edo World









This is the outside shot of the Ninja House when walking through it is like being in a real 3D optical illusion the floor walls all look square but they are not MrsM said that place made her feel woozy.



There is also a maze that is interesting after a while we worked out the some of the walls could move and were like hidden doors, some of which would open from one side and others from both sides. The object is to get to the center and back out. Along the way there are exit signs if you get completely lost. I thought we had photos of this but maybe we didn't take any.

 

[Matt_01]

Back at the accommodation time for another soak and then we waited for dinner to arrive. Again it was excellent.

 

[OZDUCK]

That food is glorious to look at. If it tasted half as good as it looked it must
have been fantastic.

 

[Matt_01]

Off to the Takayama Autumn Festival and that is a bit of a hike as you basically go back to the outer suburbs of Tokyo transfer back to the JR lines at Omiya (Saitama) then to Toyama change again to Takayama, so a day full of travel and trains. When ever possible I will try and get reserved seating on the Shinkansen in the last row that way you can store your luggage behind the seats. The Japanese tend not to travel with luggage on trains and use luggage forwarding.

We were leaving early so no flash breakfast today vending machines and station shops would have to do.

 

[Denali]

Loving this report, many thanks!

 

[Matt_01]

That food is glorious to look at. If it tasted half as good as it looked it must
have been fantastic.

It was excellent. We were concerned that MissM wouldn't eat it but she did, so I did have to go to on a 7/11 run.

 

[Matt_01]

After a long train travel day we arrived at Takamaya in the late afternoon and headed to another Ryokan. This time a little different and as the festival was on we had to accept the surge pricing but still nowhere near the cost of the one we came from.


After a soak we went to the dinner hall.

 

[Matt_01]

After dinner we went off to the night festival. Most of the photos are taken either before the floats arrived and after they were set up. The Takayama Autumn and Spring Festivals are major festivals and the crowds swell and taking photos is near on impossible.

 

[Matt_01]

The next day, breakfast was ok to good but MrsM forgot her phone so there is no photos photos of it. Off to the day festival wandering around the new and old town with festival activities along the way.

 

[Matt_01]

More

This is the garage for one of the floats

 

[Matt_01]

and the last lot of photos of Takayama


Dinner

 

[Matt_01]

Next stop Osaka and a few surrounding places. We were staying at the Osaka Hilton


I had arranged for some Champagne to be at the room on arrival and then the hotel provided some additional 'free stuff' including fruit, biscuits and chocolates.

Someone was most interested in the 'free stuff'

Before long a certain person had tasted most of the chocolates but she promises it was not her, 'Mum did it'. Mum was at the shops but apparently snuck back in when I was not looking took a bit out of each one and went out again . The items in the box were chocolates and jelly the black sand was sugar

The lounge

After dinner we just took MissM to a nearby toyshop.

 

[Matt_01]

The next day it was off to some super sized observation wheel and the aquarium.

Heading to the aquarium


The aquarium is very good you catch the escalator to the top then meander down through different themed displays and the centre piece is a massive aquarium with whale sharks.