Yesterday I did some some exploring in Kyoto. There is another one of those covered markets near my hotel that sells local delicacies. I think Kay would have particularly enjoyed one of their specialities, a bright red whole baby octopus on a stick with a quail egg stuffed in the head for added flavor andContinue reading "Yet More Kyoto"
Last Day in Kyoto
Today I got up reasonably early and took a cab back down to the Gion District, not too far from where I was yesterday in the Geisha quarter. There is a huge Buddhist temple where you can purchase small strips of paper in tiny envelopes. You can pick the general kind of fortune you want:Continue reading "Last Day in Kyoto"
Leaving Kyoto, Kanazawa Here I Come
I checked out of my hotel in Kyoto and took the train to Kanazawa on the Sea of Japan. One of the little storefronts by the hotel had a pitcher plant in the window, something I'd never seen before. I grabbed a cab to Kyoto station. You can buy your tickets from a machine, butContinue reading "Leaving Kyoto, Kanazawa Here I Come"
Leaving Kanazawa, Headed for Tokyo
This is my last morning in Kanazawa. I packed a lot into yesterday and forgot that I was planning to take it easy. I started out with the breakfast buffet at the hotel, which has an interesting mix of Japanese and Western selections. One offering was a make-your-own sushi hand roll. You get a sheetContinue reading "Leaving Kanazawa, Headed for Tokyo"
Into Shibuya
Today I decided to get out of Shinjuku and see more of the city. It's a little more daunting than you might think. I really have some trepidation about using the Tokyo subway, and you would too if you saw the subway map. I wanted to see one of the animal cafes, but which kind?Continue reading "Into Shibuya"
Mind Blown in Shinjuku
Got up and packed in preparation for heading out to Tokyo on the Shinkansen. I picked up a bento box and a Suntory for the trip; this one was about 3 hours with a couple of stops. It arrived right on time, as they always do, and I settled in for the ride. Because IContinue reading "Mind Blown in Shinjuku"
Tokyo
I guess everyone traveling in a really foreign culture is going to misunderstand the local customs, and it was inevitable that I would do that eventually. How was I to know that it was considered bad form to yell at the waiter, “Garcon! More cappuccino, s'il vous plaît, vete, vete!” Actually, that wasn’t it; IContinue reading "Tokyo"
Tokyo to Kobe
It was time to decamp from Tokyo. I couldn't get a cab, so I took the subway to Tokyo station. It was a little daunting but not as bad as I thought it might be. I'm sitting in the station waiting to pick up the shinkansen for Kobe. Fun fact: this station serves 1.1 millionContinue reading "Tokyo to Kobe"
Kobe
I had one night (got there about 4 PM, check-in time) and part of one day in Kobe. Here was my cunning plan: my flight home, at least the first leg, leaves Kansai Airport in Osaka about 10 AM. That means I will have to be at the airport by 7 AM. Given my strugglesContinue reading "Kobe"
Unforseen Adventures at Osaka Kansai
After an interesting day in Kobe, around 3:00 PM I decided to head for the airport. They have a bus that goes direct, it was easy to get tickets and get on. Once in the bus and traveling on the highway to Osaka KIX, I could see Osaka Bay out one side and urban areasContinue reading "Unforseen Adventures at Osaka Kansai"
Samurai Shrink (formally Wandering Shrink) 