We woke up this morning and had another breakfast that I didn’t stand a hope in hell of finishing.  Yet Kaoru’s Mum just kept bringing more and more out.  I wanted to eat it all, as it’s all so nice!

We went for a walk to the bank and to post some letters, and then stopped for a hot chocolate, and to reflect on the last couple of weeks.  What an adventure it has been!  We’ve had some really busy days, and done a lot, with lots of friends and family.  But now the holiday must come to an end, and I have to start earning money again to pay for it all!

Back at the house we re-packed our bags, to fit sponge bags in.  Both suitcases were about 26 kg, so we took some things out to put in our carry on bags (which luckily were pretty empty).  Fingers crossed we will be OK, as they are both just under 23, but on Cathay the limit is 20.  We had lunch and a chat, and passed the time before Kaoru’s Dad took us to the bus stop.

We woke up this morning half happy, half sad.  The holiday is rapidly coming to an end.  After a shower we went and had breakfast, packed our bags, and checked out of our room. We walked to the station and caught the next Shinkansen to Tokyo.  They run every 15 minutes so we weren’t waiting long!  We didn’t have reserved seats on this trip but managed to find a couple of seats next to each other.

I dozed off on the train, but Kaoru woke me up to see Mount Fuji.  I got a few shots of it on my camera, as we get quite close on the Shinkansen.  Then we had our real treat – as we pulled in to Yokohama, Dr Yellow was waiting on the platform!  It is considered very lucky to see Dr Yellow – it is a yellow Shinkansen that is responsible for inspecting the tracks and wires to ensure everything is running perfectly.  Kaoru has never seen it, and there it was, waiting at the platform!

We finally arrived in Tokyo, and caught the subway to Nishi-Kasai.  We had Mos Burger for lunch, and then walked to Kaoru’s parents house.  After some tea and a chat we went upstairs and I had some work to take care of, and Kaoru went to have some passport photos taken.  I also had about 500ml of wedding sake left over so had a crack at that.  We had dinner at home – the first meal I have eaten at this house!  We had gyoza, with rice and other vegetables.  We had a chat and I showed them photos of things we had done since we were last in Japan – some camping, photos of Kaoru driving the boat on the Tweed River, etc.  Then we rolled out our futon’s and went to bed.

We had a much needed sleep in today. Well, given how hard the mattress and pillow were, and all the noise outside our room, it wasn’t really sleep – but it was rest, nonetheless. We had breakfast at 9 and I went back to bed a bit longer.

We eventually got up and went to Toji shrine. It was beautiful with all the cherry blossoms and the 5 tier pegoda.  We had a good look around and grabandbed some lunch at a cafe, before going to mum and dad’s room about 115. Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen were already in there so we had a chat and then went downstairs to do our 140 tour of Nara.

It was about an 80 minute bus trip, on which the tour director (apparently) never stopped talking. Dad was the only one of us who didn’t sleep.  In Nara we were told that the deer are wild but friendly and that we can feed them if we want. We walked around the Todaiji Temple – the home of the largest Buddha in Japan. We walked around the grounds for a bit and then went to Kasuga shrine for more walking and sight seeing. Back on the bus we went to the souvenir shop for 15 minutes and then the bus brought us back to kyoto.

We arrived back just after 6, but dinner was booked for 8 as our eta was 730. So Kaoru and I went to mum and dad’s room for some sake and a chat.  We knocked on Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen’s door and got to the restaurant about 7.40 hoping they would seat us early.  They were very busy so we had to wait a bit, but were in before 8, nonetheless.

Tonights dinner was Kushiage – kind of like a shabu shabu (where you cook your self) but it was deep fried food.  So basically we went to a bar and picked a number of skewers, ranging from pork, to salmon to cheese, then dipped them in batter, covered them in breadcrumbs, and then cooked them in a deep frier in the middle of the table.  Delicious!  We took the drink package too, so for an extra 1000 yen we had unlimited drinks.  For dessert they had a chocolate fountain, with marshmallows, pefiterolls, ice cream….it was hard to know what to have next!

After dinner we said goodbye to Mum and Dad, and Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen, as we wouldn’t be seeing them again until back in Australia.  We walked back to our hotel in the cold, and turned the heating right up in our room when we got back to defrost!

We were woken by the alarm this morning. After breakfast and getting ready we walked to mum and dad’s hotel and met them in the lobby, to do our morning tour of kyoto. The day was very cold and my cold was at its peak, but I soldiered on through it. We went to a few temples and returned to the hotel about 130. We then went to a sushi train for lunch as we know Uncle Owen is fine with sushi.

Kaoru and I went back to our hotel and I had a much needed lay down. About 500 we went back to their hotel, via Aeon Plaza to buy a couple of scarves! We caught a couple of taxis to Kiyomizu dera for the night exhibition. The shrine was amazing lite up at night and we had some great views of kyoto too. We had some food from street vendors but not enough to keep us for the night. So we caught taxis back to the hotel and ended up at another sushi restaurant. I couldn’t eat all I had ordered, partially because of how bad I felt, and partially because of how much I had already eaten that night. Kaoru and I went back to our hotel and defrosted.

We went down for a cooked breakfast which was included in our room rate. There was a lot to choose from but I just stuck with noodles, soup and rice. Back in our room I had to do some more work and we left about 1000 to meet up with mum and dad, and Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen, who were catching the train in this morning.  We only had to wait about 5 minutes for them to arrive but it was too early for them to check in, so they put their bags in storage and off we went.

We walked through the train station to the bus terminal and hopped on a bus to the northern side of kyoto. We got off and walked a bit, stopping at a shop to buy Kaoru a wedding gift – she had previously talked about these combs that she liked, which keep your hair shiny, and given all she had done I thought she deserved a nice treat.

Finding lunch was tricky but eventually we found a place we could all eat at. We walked around the Yamato shrine grounds for a bit and then went to the kimono hire place. Kaoru and I walked around a bit more while the 4 oldies got dressed up in kimonos. We came back and picked them up, and found some cherry blossom trees to take photos under. Dad and I had a beer to keep us going. Then it was off to have a traditional tea ceremony.

Lots of people wanted to take photos of the 4 westerners in kimonos so it was slow going. But eventually we arrived and learnt about the ceremony and had some tea ourselves. Once that was over we had to walk back to have a pre-booked rickshaw ride. It was quite chilly and we appreciated the blanket the driver put over us! We had a very informative and enjoyable 20 minute ride through kyoto but then it was time to get back to the kimono hire place and change back to normal clothes.

We caught a bus back to the hotel and checked mum and dad and Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen in. Dad and I had some wedding sake – he was down to 500ml from the 2 litres he took about a week ago! Kaoru found a shabu shabu place for us to go to for dinner and made a booking, so off we went. It was a delicious feast. Then we said goodnight and Kaoru and I went back to our hotel.

Last night was sleeping on the futon on the floor.  But I woke up feeling quite gooind, so my back is getting used to it!  I went down for breakfast, which was rice, little sausages, soup, and sweet egg stuff (tamagoyaki).  After a shower, Kaoru and I walked to the train station  to go to Tokyo, and then got on the Shinkansen for Kyoto.

While waiting to board we started talking to a man and his daughter that were also waiting in line.  The man lives in Seoul, and his daughter in LA.  From what I could gather he was in shipping, and hass travelled a long way around the world, including Melbourne.  We were surprised to hear he was 95 years old!  I wouldn’t have picked him as over 80.  He was very friendly.

We found our seats, and I caught up on a few things – what else is there to do for 2 hours, while travelling at 300km/hr! We enjoyed some Strawberries and Cream Kit Kat’s that Aunty Lynette left behind with Kaoru, and some other sweets and drinks.

After a couple of hours we arrived in Kyoto and as we had some time before we could check in we had some lunch. Then we walked to the skydeck at the station building, which involved a single escalator from the 7th to the 11th floors. We had some nice views of the city but were tired from carrying heavy bags around. So we made our way to the hotel.

We got to the hotel just after 230 but check in wasn’t until 300 – so we had to wait in the lobby for a bit. Eventually we checked in and went to our room. It wasn’t as nice as our last hotel but better than the Washington. Although the mattress was very hard and the pillow not much better.

We relaxed for a bit and then decided to get a feel for the area.  We caught a train to the northern side of kyoto so Kaoru could buy some cards. We had a hot drink and relaxed for a bit and then started to walk back to our hotel, via the bank as the exchange rate was looking quite good! It took us over an hour to walk back, through lots of small streets and alleys, so we really got to enjoy the area.

We stopped at the supermarket to get some bento boxes for dinner, which we ate in our room. I had a bit of work to take care of so did that while we watched some tv.

Kaoru woke up early to see Julia, Andrew and Ella off – they were booked on a 650 bus. She then did a load of washing. I got up, had a shower and we went to breakfast at Excelsior.

On the way back I paid the bill while there was no line. Then we had to do that job we always hate – packing. It took us a while and at the end I reckon my bag would be about 30kg. Luckily this wasn’t our pack to go home. We put our bags with the bell Captain and went to the lounge to wait for our 1230 bus to Disneyland.  We got a few snacks for the trip, and boarded.  After having already gone to Disneyland, and been thoroughly annoyed at it, hearing the song playing for the entire bus trip was extremely annoying.  But after an hour or so we got there, and then caught a taxi to Kaoru’s parents house.  All up ~2000 yen, whereas a taxi from the hotel would have been > 6000 yen, and given the weight of our bags, we didn’t want to walk with them!

After a cup of tea and a catch up, we went for a walk to the bank, and to sort a few things out.  The 4 of us went to the usual sushi train place for dinner, and as always, it was hard to stop because it was soooo good!  Back at Kaoru’s parents, we packed our bags for Kyoto (as we only wanted to bring small bags and not our suitcases) and went to bed.

This was another casual starting day.  We woke up and got ready, and then Kaoru and I enjoyed a snack and tea in the lounge.  We went back to our room a bit after 11, and were joined by Julia, Andrew, Ella and James, for Ella’s 4th birthday party.  In our room, before our very eyes, James underwent the transformation to Akimbo.  I don’t think I have known a drag queen before!

We met up with Brett and Naomi, who were a little taken aback too!  Then made our way to the “Alice in Wonderland” restaurant for Ella’s birthday party.  Kozue (with Yukari and Minami) turned up not long after us, and so did a friend of Julia’s with her 4 year old.  The food wasn’t anything fantastic, but the themed restaurant was a bit of fun.

After paying the bill, Kaoru and I went to Meiji Shrine as it’s a special place to us (the first place Kaoru took me when we first met).  On the walk back home we decided a massage was in order, as we were, after all, on our honeymoon!  So Kaoru found a place near our hotel and we went there.

75 minutes later, I had had a relaxing sleep and had been tortured!  The pressure they were using was very firm, and the harder they pushed, the more tense I because.  So I don’t know if it was doing more good or bad, but it was time where we were alone together, and had nothing to think about.

Back at our room, James wasn’t there yet (I had given him my card as we didn’t know how long we would be, and his stuff was in there to get changed back to James for his flight home).  So Kaoru and I went up to the lounge for a couple of drinks and think about dinner.

We went back to our room about 6.00 and James arrived not long after.  He showered and transformed from Akimbo back to James, and the 3 of us had a couple of sake’s and a good chat.  Whilst we had spent the last week together, we hadn’t spent a lot of time with just the 3 of us, so it was good to get to know him a bit better.  I gave him a travel pack of sake, and we put him on the 7.50 bus to the airport.  I had received a message from Julia that they were having an early night, and would be at the hotel for a 6.50 bus tomorrow, so now Kaoru and I were going to spend our first night alone together!

So for our honeymoon dinner, we went to a restaurant on the 29th floor of a building across from our hotel.  We ate a caeser salad, a tofu course similar to one of those from our dinner with Kaoru’s and my parents, and….wait for it…..whale bacon!  It was quite interesting – very similar to a ham (funnily enough).  But we were both quite tired, especially as we were so relaxed from our massages, so we got some dessert from the convenience store in the hotel and retired.

Today was a late-ish start.  Kaoru and I had breakfast in our room and then went up to the lounge for a bit.  Around 11.30 we met Brett and Naomi, Julia, Andrew, Ella and Simon in the lobby to go out for sushi.  Simon was yet to experience real Japanese sushi, and as this was his last time, I had planned it for his lunch today.  All of us except Kaoru and Naomi went to the same place Michael, Leila, Kaoru and I had gone to on our first night in Shinjuku and had a feast.

Just after 12, we had to leave and get back to the lobby of the hotel, where we caught the 12.30 bus to Disneyland!  We were all excited about having a fun-filled day with some rides and shows.  I had previously booked us all on the bus, due to leave the park at 10.50 to come home.  So we were set for a long day.

It took about an hour to get there, and we got our passes out and in we went.  With a group of 9, there was no way we were going to all do what we wanted, so we split up in to two groups, and set a meeting point for 7.30, with the intention of watching the parade and fireworks together, and then going home.  So Brett, Naomi, Kaoru, Simon and I headed off together.  We didn’t have much of a plan, but wanted to start by orientating ourselves.  But we were in for a disapointment right from the first *real* line we saw – 230 minutes waiting time!  It took a while for that to process in our minds – nearly 4 hours!  It would pretty much be the only ride we would do for the day.

We skipped that and joined a 40-odd minute line to do the tea cup ride.  Simon came in with Kaoru and I and we (foolishly) let him steer.  So by the time we came off that, we were feeling pretty ill from all the spinning.  We went for something a little more sedate – “It’s a Small World”.  This also had a short line (~25 minutes).  As we walked around the park more, we were seeing these crazy long lines (210 minutes, 250 minutes, etc), and could not believe that people would join them.  Naomi made the call that it was definately NOT the happiest place on earth!

We had some food, and managed to pick up a ride or two, before watching the light parade.  A rope barrier went through the park making it impossible to get from one side to the other, while a convoy of lit up vehicles went through.  So we watched that, before going across and trying a few of the rides one more time to see if the lines were shorter.  We were able to do a couple, and Kaoru, Naomi and I got on the last run of the Merry-Go-Round before the park closed.  So we slowly made our way to the gate, knowing the bus wasn’t coming for a while.

At the start of the day it was very warm, and I was holding the park map up to keep the sun off my head.  By the end it was freezing cold, and luckily I had my Uniglo top that I had bought the night of the cruise to put on.

We caught our shuttle bus back to the hotel, and Julia and the gang went back to their place.  Brett, Naomi, Simon and I found a bar to have some farewell drinks at, while Kaoru had a bath and went to bed.  A lot of the bars were closed or closing, and those that were open were full of smokers.  But eventually we found a cocktail bar which was a bit more expensive, but quite nice, and we knocked back a few drinks there.  We walked back to the hotel, said goodbye to Simon (as he was off to Singapore tomorrow early morning) and went to bed.

It was raining today. But plans had been made and must be executed! Kaoru took Naomi shopping for the day so they left about 10.00. Brett, Simon, James and I left at a slightly more respectable 1030, and caught the train to Shibuya, so they could see the 5 way intersection. We went up to Starbucks and managed to get a seat to enjoy a drink. It was even crazier with all the umbrellas up!

But we had to leave and head off to the Suntory brewery! We met Kenichi at the station and caught a courtesy shuttle bus to the brewery.  We were taken for about a 45 minute tour of the brewery, none of which we understood, and then enjoyed a couple of glasses of beer.  The first was their premium, and the second was a more seasonal drink (which we didn’t like as much).  We got a few photos, and then caught the bus back to the train station, where Kenichi left to go home and spend the afternoon with his family.  And we went to Shinjuku to celebrate my bucks 🙂

We opted for a pub crawl.  Given the bars were all smokey, we needed some fresh air between each of them!  So we spent the next few hours in and out of bars, nibbling on food and drinking beer.  After a couple of hours of this, Kaoru called me to say she and Naomi were back.  So we decided to head back and get the girls and make plans for the rest of the night (dinner, etc).

The 6 of us went out for a drink first (Brett, Naomi, Simon, James, Kaoru and I), and then James went home for some rest.  It was about 8.00 by now, and Kaoru managed to make a booking for us at a Shabu Shabu restaurant – something none of the others had done before.  So we made our way through the underground tunnels of Shinjuku (to keep out of the rain) and enjoyed a 2 hour eating and drinking fest for ~$55 each!  Everybody enjoyed the food, and the experience, and we definately over-ate, but it was all included so we had to get our moneys worth!

On the way home we went to Brett and Simon’s favourite bar – Pronto – for a night cap.  It had been a long and enjoyable day, and we were happy to go to bed by the end!

This was a Kaoru guided tour day. Mum and Dad, and Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen left about 8am for the next part of their holiday. The rest of us (12) met in the lobby at 10 to do some Tokyo sightseeing.

First up was Tsukiji. We had a good look around but because it is a very busy place we were concerned with Ella. It’s more of a wholesalers market, not a pedestrian market.  Once out we caught a train to Asakusa and decided we needed an hour to look around separately. Simon came with us which gave him the chance for a more personal guide, and we ate a few different snacks. The time went really quickly though, and when we met up with everybody we heard they didn’t all make it to the end, unfortunately.  But when Julie, David and Aunty Lynette did it on the Tokyo tour they only had 20 minutes, so at least they got more of a look this time.

We then caught the train to Euno to see the Cherry Blossoms. It was amazing to see the difference from when we were there with Michael and Leila last week. The tree that was amazing for us last time was now green with leaves and the ones that were just buds now were in full bloom. And it felt like every person in Tokyo was there to look at it! After walking for a bit we had a beer (Brett found a place to buy them) and then I took Brett, Naomi and Simon to Akihabara. I wanted to take them to the maid Cafe that we went to with Michael and Leila but the 15 minute “sample” is only valid on weekdays. So we skipped that and went to a cafe for a beer. Back at the hotel Brett and I met up in the Luxe lounge for a drink and to get some work done. We met Aunty Lynette and Kaoru up in the lounge but then they left for dinner. Brett, Naomi, Simon and I went for dinner at a Ramen noodle shop. We left and had a drink, and then I went back to go to bed.

We woke to an alarm this morning. After breakfast we went downstairs and met up with everybody for an 8am departure. Dad had all the tickets so it was a day off for Kaoru. Michael and Liela left this morning for the rest of their holiday but the rest of us were keen for some sightseeing. Kaoru and I, Brett and Naomi, Mum and Dad, Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen, Simon, Tony Mak, Julia, Andrew and Ella, James, Aunty Lynette, Julie and David.

The first drive was about 90 minutes which took us to the Mount Fuji Visitors Centre. There was snow along the way and David got to throw his first (of many) snow ball. I slept for a lot of the trip there. Back on the bus we drove to the First Station of Mount Fuji, where we had about 20 minutes to look around – plenty of time to build a snowman! We took lots of photos and everybody was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Then we started the drive to Hakone.

En route we stopped for lunch, and talked about catching the Shinkansen back home. We would have to buy tickets but it would be Davids only time. Once I realized it was the same for Simon and Naomi I was convinced. But that wasn’t until later. We made a few stops along the way, mostly for views of Fuji. Once at Hakone we hopped on a boat on Lake Ashi. The Pirate ship Kaoru and I went on last time was there but not part of the trip. We then caught the rope way up a nearby mountain which had a shrine on top so Kaoru and I could pray. Aunty Lynette is scared of heights but bravely rode the ropeway with us. We had some amazing views of Fuji and the Pacific Ocean.

Back down the mountain we got back on the bus which took us to Odawara station where Kaoru and I, Brett and Naomi, Aunty Lynette, Julie and David, and Simon, got off and caught the Shinkansen back to Shinagawa and then local train to Shinjuku. Kaoru took us to a few places and then went back to the hotel to meet the others (who stayed on the bus and had made it back about 45 minutes later) and take James for a massage. I walked Julie and Aunty Lynette to the cheap alcohol shop so they could buy some to take home. While they browsed I took David back to his room and left him there to bathe.

For dinner, Kaoru and I went out with Julia, Andrew, Ella and James for Okonomiyaki. It wasn’t very good though and having to wait about 30 minutes (despite being told we wouldn’t be waiting long) didn’t help. Eventually we left and went to bed.

Wedding Day!

It was a drizzly day, so not the sunny, beautiful day we were hoping for.  But it wasn’t going to get us down.  Kaoru left for Harijuku a bit before 8.  I had a slightly later start and left a bit before 9.  The first train was too full so I had to wait for the second one to get me from Shinjuku to Harijuku.  When I arrived at the venue, Kaoru’s Mum and Aunts were just arriving in taxis.  So I said hello to them, and then went in.  I was taken to the brides room, where Kaoru was having make up done.  Here I got out of my clothes and in to a robe, at which point I was offered breakfast.  I had eaten in the room but still tried a bit of what was on offer.

Then it was time to get dressed.  It took about 5 minutes to get all the layers on me.  Kaoru was ready not long after, and the photographer came in to get a few snaps off.  Then it was off for more photos.  I was taught how to walk (chest out, hands clenched, and in front of Kaoru) and we went past the reception room (where guests were gathering).  A few people noticed us, and I could hear the “Oh wow – isn’t she lovely”, but we weren’t allowed to see them yet.  A few photos were taken, and we were then taken to the front of the temple for even more.  It was obvious we wouldn’t be using the gardens and having the walk we were hoping for.

Next we were taken to a room and informed that Kaoru’s father hadn’t arrived yet.  But not long after our families were brought in for the formal “introduction”.  Dad did this for our family, and Kaoru’s father did his family – except he forgot the names of his daughters and grandchildren!  This lightened the air in the room a lot as we were all laughing, and Kaoru’s Aunties stood up and introduced themselves!

More photos were taken, and then everybody left to go in to the shrine.  Finally it was our turn.  We were led in by some japanese music, and the banging of the big drum in the shrine.  It was a slow walk, but finally we were in the shrine and ready to start.  The ceremony proceeded normally – we drank the sake, although Kaoru was unable to lift the cup up high enough with the weight of her Kimono.  My throat was quite dry so I was thankful to get some fluids in there.  Then it was time for me to read the vows.  This was the real test, as I had left parts of it in Hiragana, but I did have to cheat and read my translation for a lot of it.  I knew I made a few mistakes along the way, but nobody minded (half the people wouldn’t have noticed!).

After turning the leaf, everybody clapped at the right time with us, which was impressive, as I had only briefed the “Westerners” on it the previous night!  The final drinking of sake occurred (with the parents as well) and we walked out of the shrine through the guests on my side, so they all got a close look at us both dressed up.  We had to go to the photographers room to get some more photos done (why they couldn’t have done these photos when we were in that room earlier, I’ll never know!).

Then it was off to the Brides room so Kaoru could change Kimonos, remove her wig, have her hair done, and make up touched up.  Finally she was ready and it was off to the reception.  We greeted everybody at the door as they came in and took their seats.  Then we went to our seats, and it was time to start the proceedings.  Kozue, as MC, got it underway, and I gave my first welcome address.  Because Kaoru was translating it, I followed my planned words very strictly.  Next was opening the sake barrel, so we had to walk up to the other end of the room, and I called all the kids down to help us.  Ella was a bit upset, but eventually was happy to go up with Kaoru.  I explained to everybody what we needed them to do, and it went great.

Back at our seat, the meal started being served.  Kaoru had trouble eating, but I enjoyed it all!  Various groups of people came up to us to have their photo taken, so there was lots of smiling happening all day.  It was a very formal affair – not so much a party but very regal.  We never got to walk around and greet all of our guests as it was too hard for Kaoru to get up.  I was so hot that at some stage I had to go outside for some fresh air.  There were a lot of layers on, and because I was still sick, it didn’t help.

Sadly the reception part of the day had to finish, and the farewell address was given by Dad, Kaoru’s Dad, and then me.  We said farewell and thank you to each of our guests, and it was off to the Brides room to get changed.  We were then brought some dinner – basically we received all the courses from the main meal *all over again*!  Kaoru hadn’t had much of a chance to eat during the day, but I tried to eat everything.  So while she enjoyed the opportunity to eat, I struggled to get much more in.  But enjoyed revisiting my favourite dishes.  We paid the bill (the really scary part!) and then caught a taxi back to the hotel.  We decided against walking as we had 8 litres of sake (from the barrel we broke), 2 large bunches of flowers from Mio, and our other stuff.

We managed to meet up with Michael and Leila and say goodbye to them (as they leave the next morning), and I gave them a bottle of sake to keep them going.  

We wanted to go to Meiji Jingu shrine but unfortunately they were closed by now.  So instead we went up to the lounge where Mum, Dad, Aunty Linda, Julie and David were.  After Aunty Linda left, I called Aunty Lynette and told her to come up as Naomi (as Brett and Naomi weren’t going to join us – they were out with Simon).  About 9.00 Aunty Lynette saw a glitter at the front desk.  James, Andrew and Ella had found us.  So we invited them in and said to make the most of it as we have to pay for visitors!

After a couple of drinks and some snacks we were kicked out for closing time.  So Andrew, James and Ella came back to our room for a quick sake. and then left.  Finally we were able to sit down alone and reflect on our wonderful wedding day.

The day before…

Everybody was here – no more hoping there would be no flight delays, or working out times to meet and greet people.  But that doesn’t mean there’s time for rest – too many things to see and do!

Kaoru took Julia, Ella and James shopping for the day, to get some things for Ella.  Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen went out with some friends of theirs.  Brett and Naomi had a “recovery” day.  I took Mum and Dad, Julia and David, Aunty Lynette, Michael and Leila and Andrew on a Sake Brewery tour.  It took us about an hour by multiple trains to get there, and I was still under the weather, but we got there OK.  From the train station I followed my maps on my phone to get to the location, which was about a 15 minute walk, and we made it with about 10 minutes to spare, so perfect timing!  The “PA to the GM” (I think) spoke English, so she took us on a tour, pretty much reading completely from notes.  There were some beautiful gardens and buildings, and we learnt a bit about the process too.  At the end we were given 3 sake’s to taste.

We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant on the premises.  They did a set course menu so we didn’t have to think about what everything was.  A few beers and sake with it made for another enjoyable meal.  It was then a 15 minute walk to the station, and hour or so train trip back to Shinjuku.

We all (except Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen) met in the lobby and caught taxis to Gonpachi for our feast there.  We had been eating so much over the last week that we didn’t eat a lot.  Just worked our way through the Appetisers, and ordered seconds of the ones we liked.  We caught taxis back to the hotel and called it a night.

Well, as I knew, today was not looking good from the start… 🙂

Kaoru got up, saw Julie off (who wasn’t very good either), and saw Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen arrive.  They went in to Mum and Dad’s room.  Then she had to go off for some wedding things.  I got up and had a shower, and gave Simon a call to arrange breakfast.  So he came to my hotel and I took him to the cafe we had been to previously.  We then walked in to Shinjuku station, and caught a train to Harijuku – I wanted to show Simon the walk he would be doing on Thursday, to the wedding place, as he has to get there early and will be by himself.

We continued the walk down Takeshita street, and then turned around, and went back to Shinjuku.  Kaoru was in the lobby waiting for James, as we knew he would be there soon.  I arranged to meet Simon again at 5.30, and went up to get some sleep.  Not long after, Kaoru brought James in to the room, so I met him.  He dropped his bags off and then he and Kaoru went out for a bit.  They returned to the room as James was tired, so he had a sleep on the couch and Kaoru enjoyed some peaceful time.

At 3.30 Kaoru and I made a booking at the Korean BBQ for us all, and then she went to meet Leila so they could get their nails done.  I came back to the hotel, and as James was still sleeping, went up to the lounge for some peaceful time and snacks!  I went back to the room about 5 and had a bit of a chat to James – started to get to know him.  Then went downstairs to meet Brett and Naomi at 5.45.  Simon also met me down there, so while Brett and Naomi got checked in and sorted, Simon and I went to my room, and had a Beer with James.  We then all met downstairs for Korean BBQ dinner (Brett, Naomi, Mum and Dad, Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen, Aunty Lynette, Simon and I).  No Kaoru, so I had to do the ordering / arranging of things.

Brett, Naomi, Simon and I went out for a couple of drinks, to show Naomi some of Shinjuku.  By complete coincidence, Kaoru walked past the pub we were in, saw us, and came in!  So we stayed for another round, but were then ready to call it a night.

It was a planned later start today so I got to spend the morning with my wife! We had breakfast in the room and after dealing with some work stuff I practiced saying my vows for the wedding. We went up to the lounge and had tea and some cake but only for about 15 minutes. We met Mum, Julie,  Aunty Lynette and David at the lobby at 11. Dad was out at golf.

Michael and Liela were waiting for us at the bakery and we got on a train for Yokohama. We walked through China town,  led by Kaoru with her flag, and got to a yum cha restaurant. We made good use of the “all you can eat”!  We then left and walked out of Chinatown and caught a bus to the cup noodle museum. This had a history of cup noodles and David got to design his own packet,  pick the contents and have it sealed.

We had to rush out at the end and made the bus with about 1 minute to spare. It took us to the station, and we comfortably made a train which took us all the way to Shimbashi.  We were there about 30 minutes early so we walked to the locomotive to show David.  Then it was off to dinner and for us all to meet Ken (Dad’s friend from Japan).  When Ken booked the table, he put us on a set menu so we didn’t have to think about food.  We were also on a drink menu, so it was unlimited drinks for 2 hours.  And did me make the most of that!!!

We caught a train back to the hotel and I went to see if Simon had arrived (staying in a different hotel).  He hadn’t checked in, so I left a message with my phone number and went to the 45th floor to meet up with Michael, Leila and Kaoru.  It was very smokey and drinks were very expencive so we gave it a miss and went to Mum and Dad’s room, where we continued drinking and making quite a bit of noise – I’m surprised we didn’t get a call from reception!  Simon arrived not long after and started working on catching up to us.

We left about midnight and I thought I should show Simon Shinjuku.  So Michael and Leila, Julie, Simon and I “hit the town”.  We went to a few small bars, getting a drink in each, and had a fantastic time.  Then we ended up in a bar with 2 hours free drinks (for a cover charge) and made the most of that.  We then walked home and got back quite late, knowing we weren’t going to be too good tomorrow!

This morning Kaoru woke up and took Dad to the train station to buy all their Shinkansen tickets, and also Suica tickets for everybody.  They were unable to get David’s as they need ID, since he is getting a childs one.

We then all met at 10.00 to start the days activities.  Michael was feeling better today so joined us.  Mum had brought an Australia flag and gave that to Kaoru – our Tour Director!  We started by getting David’s ticket, and then caught the train to Harijuku.  We walked down the main street, stopping at the Daiso on the way.  We then took everybody to the wedding place so they would be able to find it when they come on the wedding day.  Back to the main street, we continued to the end, stopping at several shops along the way.

Then it was off to Kiddy Land for David and Julie to do some playing and shopping.  Kaoru and I found a restaurant that we could all eat at which was just a meat restaurant, so we all had hamburg steaks.  After lunch I took David back to Kiddy Land for a bit more playing while everybody else finished up.  We walked through Ometosando, and caught a train to Ginza.  A bit of a walk through Ginza, and David was getting bored – and I had some things to do.  So the two of us went back to the hotel while Kaoru looked after the “mob” and took them to a few more places, and then came back themselves.

Everybody came to our room and we all had some champagne.  Then we dispersed and got ready for the night, Leila came over, and we all went to Mum and Dad’s room for some more champagne.  Then Mum and Dad, Michael and Leila and Kaoru and I went for dinner, while Julie, Aunty Lynette and David did their own thing.  This was a special dinner Kaoru had organised, where Mum and Dad get to meet Otosan (they had already met Okasan at our Australian wedding).  Michael and Leila had their own special dinner in a separate area.  It was a tofu restaurant, which had me (and Mum!) a bit worried.

We arrived at the restaurant and were taken to our rooms.  They were amazing!  The whole restaurant was very Japanesey – totami mats, low doors, the style of the walls, the music…it was beautiful!  And Mum and I had completely different thoughts of tofu when we left!  Everything was so delicious (except for one dish, which Kaoru didn’t touch and Mum only got through half).  The night went very well – Kaoru was busy translating all evening and did a fantastic job (as always).  Both sets of parents were able to see how much the other loves us both, and to express how thankful they were for the support from the other.

After saying goodbye (and picking Michael and Leila up from their room), I went to Mum and Dad’s room for a Lemoncello while Kaoru had a relaxing bath.  We wanted to go to the 45th floor bar but it closes at 11 so we were a bit late.

The mayhem begins…

Mum and Dad, Julie and David, and Aunty Lynette arrived this morning.  We didn’t know what time they would be getting in, but knew it was early, so I was waiting in the lobby at 7.00 while Kaoru got ready.  Then she came down and I went upstairs to shower and have breakfast.  Not long after Kaoru called and said they were here and on their way up.  Next thing I knew, the room had us all, plus suit cases – thank god we weren’t in the Washington Hotel!

We got towels so everybody could have a shower, and then we finally managed to hit town and go for some breakfast.  We went to the cafe across the road as Kaoru and I had enjoyed it previously.  Then Kaoru took Julie to a chemist to get a face mask as the smoke was bothering her, and I took everybody else up the Government Building for the scenic view of Tokyo.  Julie and Kaoru eventually joined us, and we left around 10.45.  We met Leila under the clock at First Kitchen, while Kaoru ran ahead to buy our tickets for the day.  Michael was feeling under the weather – he had a few flu symptoms yesterday – so decided to give it a miss.  Then we met up at the train station.  We had about 15 minutes before the train left, but we wanted to be early so we could sit together.  Finally we were on our way to Fujisawa.

We changed trains and caught one to Kamakura, where we walked around the streets (sampling food and beer along the way) and took the family to their first temple.  We then walked back to the train station.  With all the stops, this took us about 2 hours, so we were a little bit behind schedule, but it wasn’t a problem.  The train out was very crowded, and we didn’t even get on the first one as it was too full.  Kaoru made the call that we would have to skip the second stop because it would be too hard for us to get back on the train, so we went to Enoshima instead.  We walked across to the island, most of the way up the steps to the shrine, took photos, and then walked back.  We got on the train to Fujisawa, but a different line, which meant we were on the start instead of the middle.  This saved us having to try to squeeze on to an existing train.

At Fujisawa, Kaoru, Leila and Julie went to the chemist, while the rest of us waited.  Then it was off to “our restaurant” – the one we always go to in Fujisawa.  They were thrilled to have us there, and had made individual placemats for us with our names, and Congratulations on our Wedding.  The food was great, saki fantastic and company wonderful.  After dinner Kaoru, Julie and David went to the supermarket to buy some food while we took our time to leave and met them at the train station.  Then we got back to Shinjuku, checked everybody in, and went to bed.

OK, maybe I’m not invincible.  Kaoru woke up early this morning and did a load of washing, and then met Michael to buy their Shinkansen tickets for when they leave Tokyo.  She came back to the room, and I was still fast asleep.  She eventually asked if I was OK, and told me it was 8.45.  Not a big sleep in, but god knows I needed it!

I had a few work issues to deal with so took care of them.  Kaoru met Michael and Leila and took them to the Shinjuku government tower for a birds eye view of Tokyo.  I ended up back in the Luxe Lounge for some food and cold drinks (with my laptop).  Eventually I had things finished, and via Pindrop, the telephone and Skype, managed to find the guys in the shopping centre.

The rest of the morning was spend with the girls shopping and Michael and I twiddling our thumbs.  We then went to MOS burger for lunch – for those of you who have been there, you’ll know why we enjoyed that so much!

After lunch it was more shopping, and then off to Shibuya to see the busy intersection, and also the 109 building, for a quick tour.  We wanted to go to the Starbucks to watch the busy intersection, but couldn’t get a seat, so took photos and left.  We found a pub and had a beer.  Then it was off to Mio’s.

We caught a train and taxi to Mio’s house.  Kozue was already there with Yukari and Minami (because it was a public holiday), and once we had introduced Michael and Leila, it was straight to the food table.  Mio brought dish after dish to the table, and it was an extremely enjoyable evening.  Some time after 7.00, Kenichi arrived – he had been playing Tennis so couldn’t come earlier.  Mio’s bar was in full swing, and there was a point that Leila had a red wine, white wine, beer, saki and Mojito on the go at once!  So a very enjoyable evening.

We left about 10.00, after a great evening.  A taxi took us to the hotel, dropping Michael and Leila off on the way.  As early as it felt, it was good to finish early for a change!

Kaoru was awake around 5.00 this morning with wedding things on her mind.  So we were up quite early.  Michael and Leila were doing a Mt Fuji / Hakone tour today so we weren’t seeing them until this evening.  We went for breakfast at a cafe across the road and started getting our bearings.  Then Kaoru went to see whether she could use the washing machine at a nearby hotel (as our one doesn’t have washing facilities), and I went back to the room to practice writing my name in Katakana, and organise some other things.

We went to the Luxe Lounge on the 34th level of the hotel – this is something that comes with the room we are staying in, and has snacks, tea, etc.  So it was just working from a different environment.  Then at 11.00 we left and started the days activities.  We walked around Shinjuku and found a wedding book (for people to write their names and messages in), and then caught a train to Harajuku.  We went to the Daiso and bought an umbrella (as it was raining today), a clothes hanger and pegs, a couple of bowls and spoons (so we could have breakfast in the room).  Then we went for lunch at a nearby restaurant.

After lunch, it was off to the wedding venue for a 1.00 meeting.  The afternoon was spent seeing a number of people – the co-ordinater, photographer, florist, reception planner, room planner, music….with 5 minutes or so between each person.  So it took until after 5.00.  Kaoru told me that this was the same process that has happened each time she has been there.  They obviously want to spend lots of your time so it makes the cost more justified!  I’d rather just pay somebody and let them do what they do best!  At least I managed to work on my speach and other things while we were there, and Kaoru just translated relevant parts to me.  We also had to sign our vows, which meant I had to write my name in Katakana.  I had been practicing this for a while – it even had to be done with a brush pen!  Hopefully it came out OK.

We finally got back to the hotel and went to the Luxe Lounge for a drink and some food.  Michael and Leila were on their way home from Hakone, and came to the hotel once they were ready.  They came up to our room where we had a beer and admired the view, and they told us about their day.  Then it was out to Korean BBQ for dinner – something I always enjoy, so we had to share it with them.

There was a 45 minute wait so we left our name and number at the door, and went to the “Kirin Club” (a bar chain) for a drink.  They called us about 20 minutes later, so we finished up and went back to the restaurant and enjoyed another fantastic meal.  After paying we walked around Shinjuku for a while and then to a convenience store for dessert, and said good night.

I don’t know how I’m going to do this – the alarm went off at 2.45 this morning, and it’s now after 11.00 tonight.  We’ve had a few days worth of adventures today, so here goes…

After a quick shower, we met Michael and Leila downstairs at our hotel about 3.15, to get a quick breakfast at the Lawsons.  We then hopped in a taxi for the fish market.  We arrived there around 4.00, and it took us about 10 minutes to find the entrance we had to go to.  At one point we saw another couple running past us – we knew there were limited places, so we started running too!  It was turning in to the Amazing Race!  We found the entrance and were given our green bibs, indicating we were amongst the first 60 people to arrive.  The next 60 were given blue bibs, and the last was handed out before 4.30.  I’m sure there were more people outside who were rejected because it was full.  We then waited until 5.20, at which point we were taken through to the main floor to see the fish inspection and a few auctions.  We had no idea what was going on, but it was still an amazing experience!  We were on the floor for about 15 minutes and saw several fish go in that time.

We walked around the market for a bit, and found a sushi restaurant.  There was a long line out the front, so Kaoru went for a wander and found another one just around the corner (that was *sure* to be just as good, but with a shorter line), so we moved to it.  After about 20 minutes, we were finally eating breakfast number 2 – about 4.5 hours after waking up.

We walked around the markets a bit more, and then caught a train to the palace.  Kaoru and I had been there before, but not Michael and Leila.  So we took a few photos.  There was a section of the car park that was closed off (I should point out there was not a single car in the car park).  Kaoru asked the security guard why, and she was told “because it’s not 9.00 yet”!  Can’t argue with that logic!

Back to the train station, past the park which was full of homeless people.  They looked like felled trees, under the “bonsai pines” – pine trees that had been beautifully manicured.  We got on a train to Ueno (I’m sure we stopped for some morning tea somewhere around here), and walked around there.  We saw our first Cherry Blossom tree which was beautiful.  There were several that weren’t in bloom yet, but a couple were covered in pink buds.  We then went to a museum which had a full size model of a few houses from the Edo period.  We asked for the English guided tour, which had an elderly gentlemen walking us through the exhibits and explaining a bit about it, which was great (and gave Kaoru a good rest!).  On our way out, he gave us some oragami constructions – the girls got little boxes, and the boys got spinny toys on a toothpick.

Another train station (or two) and we arrived at Asakusa.  We opened up there with a Mr Donut (those who have read my previous blog entries would know about that place!).  Then we wandered around and saw the plastic food you can buy.  I was blown away by a double-double cheese burger, for over AU$700!  Michael and Kaoru looked at some knives but weren’t good enough value for money so no purchases were made.  We then managed to find our lunch spot for the day.

Kaoru and I had previously been to this lunch spot.  It was an Okonomeyaki restaurant where you cook your own.  It was a fantastic atmosphere, and we enjoyed our first beer for the day, despite being going for 9.5 hours!  It was great to sit down and enjoy (more) food in such a relaxed place.  We got a table as soon as we arrived, but within 15 minutes we could see a queue forming outside, so we just arrived in time!

After lunch, it was off to Akihabara.  We arrived at a different train station to what I’m used to (we were on Tokyo Metro, not JR) so I didn’t have my bearings at all.  Eventually we found the JR station, and then the main part of Electric City.  I had spent a bit of time on the internet, and taking several photos during the day, so my phone battery was down to ~30%.  Because it was ~1 year old, I wasn’t getting a good battery life, so I wanted to buy *something*.  I saw a solar powered pack, but ended up buying a 5200 maH pack for ~$35.  And as soon as we were out of the store and I plugged it in, it started charging my phone, so it came pre-charged, which was a bonus!  We then went to a “Maid Cafe”, because that’s what you do in Akihabara.  There was literally no line (2 people in front of us), but for some reason we were kept waiting for about 15 minutes.  Finally we were greeted with “Hello Master and Princess”, and taken to a table.  There are several different plans you can choose at these cafe’s, but we didn’t have a lot of time so took the most basic – which mean no cover charge, and we could only stay for 15 minutes.  We were taken to our table by a young girl dressed in….well, I don’t know how you could describe it, other than a Maid’s uniform!  We placed our orders and were amused by what was going on around us – single girls / guys / couples being entertained by these ladies.  Eventually our drinks arrived, but it wasn’t as easy as that to start them.  Leila’s was first (a coffee).  She wanted milk in it, but had to do a “cute” hand signal and make some squeaking sound when she wanted the maid to stop pouring milk!  Then Michael had an iced coffee, and had to pick what picture he wanted drawn in it.  He let the maid decide, and obviously her favourite is the cat face, as that’s what was drawn.  My hot caramel was the same, although I elected a dog face.  Kaoru’s hot chocolate was served as it was.

After paying, we went back to the streets of Akihabara, and Leila and Michael had a look for some more gadgets, while I had to do a little bit of work in a cafe.  Then we met up, and boarded a train for Shinagawa.  Being in such a familiar place again was good.  However I had hoped we would get to go back to the hotel before the evenings activity, and get a jacket, so I was feeling a little cold.  We stopped at the Uni glo and I bought a thermal skivvy to put under my shirt and jumper to help stay warm.  We then power walked to the pier, and boarded our boat for the dinner cruise Kaoru had organised.

This cruise was superb!  We were treated with (another) magnificent feast of sashimi, and Tempura, and all we could drink – and after such a long day, we could drink quite a bit!  After cruising up the river a bit, we anchored with a fantastic view of Tokyo Skytree and took some photos.  Then we cruised back and ate and drank some more, before finally pulling in to dock.  We walked to Shinagawa station, and boarded a train for Shinjuku station, where we said good night to Michael and Leila, and we then walked to the Washington Hotel to get our bags.  Then we had to take them to Keio Plaza Hotel, where we are staying for the rest of the Tokyo leg of the trip.  We were finally up in our room about 11.00, exhausted, and extremely happy after a very busy and enjoyable day.

Once again Kaoru was up with the sparrows and in the bath.  I got up about 7.00 and had a shower, and then decided a 5 minute soak wouldn’t go astray.  We met Michael and Leila for breakfast at 7.30, which was the usual feast.

We went to our room and packed up, and met again just before 9, to catch the free shuttle to Nikko town at 9.05.  In town we walked around the (open) shops for a bit, and then made our way down to the train station to catch a 9.40 train out of Nikko.  We had a 16 minute changeover en-route, and were then on our way back to Shinjuku. Had a call from Dave along the way – a problem with his DNS entries that I had changed on my way out the door on Friday to come to Japan.  So a lot of the trip was passed by me trying to fix that.

Once we arrived in Shinjuku we walked to Michael and Leila’s “house” for the next 10 (or so) days.  It was a nice little apartment in Shinjuku, and close to the station, as well as our hotel.  They got their bearings, and then we went for lunch.  Kaoru had found a “taco rice” place in Shinjuku, which was the other side of the Washington Hotel (where we were staying, and all our bags were, so gave Michael and Leila a good sense of direction).  Lunch was really nice – it was kind of like a taco, but with rice instead of a shell.  It looked large but went down very easily.

We walked back to the Washington Hotel, and Kaoru and I checked in, and got all our bags out of storage.  Michael and Leila then walked backto their house, and Kaoru and I went to our room.  I had some work to do (setting up email on a temporary computer for Brett, as his decided to shit itself), and the hour we had went very quickly.  We then had to leave to meet up with Michael and Leila for our next activity – massages!

Kaoru had found a place and booked us for a 4.00 massage, for an hour.  So we turned up and filled in the forms, and went with our masseuses.  I have had a few massages in Tokyo before but none quite like this!  There was a lot of manipulation, and moving me around throughout.  It wasn’t as relaxing as previous ones.  But after all the walking we had been doing the last couple of days, I was happy to see what it does.

After the massage Kaoru and Leila went to buy some items from the chemist.  I’m seeing things through new eyes having Michael and Leila there, as they are noticing things that used to surprise me – like how noisy the chemist is!  We then walked in to the Pachinko parlour “for the experience”.  As expected, it was extremely noisy, and smokey.  We walked around in awe for about 5 minutes, and then left.

It was only 5.45, but we started looking for an Izakaya for dinner.  We needed an early night as tomorrow will be an early start.  Eventually we found one, which had touch screen ordering from the tables.  The drinks were going down too well, and the food was nice and simple, in small serves.  So we stayed for a while, but eventually had to call it a night.

On the way home, we stopped at a convenience store and got dessert.  We said good night, and went our separate ways for the night.  Kaoru and I re-packed our bags, and called it a night about 9.30….with an alarm set for 2.45…

As tempting as a hot bath was this morning I decided to go with just a normal shower. Kaoru was naturally up early and in the bath by 6! We then met up for breakfast at 8 o’clock. This was a traditional Japanese breakfast with several plates of food, and took us nearly 45 minutes to finish. Back to our rooms to clean teeth and we were leaving for the days adventure about 9.

The person at the ryoken desk told Kaoru there was a free shuttle to town where we could get a discount all day bus ticket. So we rushed out to get the shuttle but after 5 minutes it hadn’t arrived. Another person from the ryoken then drove us in their own shuttle, which was great! When Kaoru got the ticket she paid 1000 yen instead of 2000 yen. She had to give our names and they were checked against a list… So an offer only available to people staying at certain places.

We caught the bus to the ropeway and had a hot drink to defrost. The view from the top was fantastic and I played around with some photospheres and panoramic shots. We could see the lake Kaoru and I stayed at last time we were here.

It was then back to the bus which took us to the lake. We went to the Kegon falls lookout and took more shots. Then it was time for some lunch. While walking we came across some monkies. They were quite cute too watch as they walked on the footpath. But when there were 8 or 9 of them following us it was a bit concerning… especially when they took a swipe at your leg!

We found a place for lunch and then caught a bus back to Nikko town. Our next destination was another shrine further up the mountain. We were wondering about the path a bit as it was covered in snow in places and had some fallen trees on it. But we went on and were rewarded with some great views. We found a shrine that was under renovation – however there was a hole in the covering attached to the scaffolding so people could still drop their money in to pray. So we did, and it was my first for this trip.

A bit more walking and we were back to town. After some photos of the red bridge we found a “pub”…I use the term loosely – it was more like a small shop that had food,  ice cream and beer. So after a wind down drink we waddled back to the Ryoken about 530, ready to relax for the night.

Kaoru and I had a bath and we all meet up foot dinner at 630. For a bit of fun we all wore our yukatas (kimonos) to dinner. Again we had an amazing feast of 10 or so different things. We were back to our rooms about 8, happy and tired after a long enjoyable day.

The 4 of us slept very toasty with the wood stove going all night. Kaoru was putting more wood in during the evening which kept it going. Kaoru had her usual early start to the day and Michael, Leila and I woke around 730 and made our way to the main house for breakfast. Okasan made her usual feast and it took about 45 minutes to get through it! Then it was time for Michael and I to get to work…Otosan had some wood that needed splitting and his knee has been bad. So we were obviously wrapped at being able to help out. So we brought the hydraulic splitter round the back where the wood was already cut to length, and got to work. Because of Michaels experience cutting wood with an axe, he was great at being able to finish the bits up. Then we came across some that were too long for the splitter. So I got the chain saw to do the first split of them and Michael did the other 2 cuts to make them thin enough.

After a shower, we said goodbye to Okasan, and Otosan drove the 4 of us to the train station. We grabbed some food and hopped on the 1200 train for Nikko. We had to change en-route and arrived about 145. We then caught a taxi to our accommodation. Our rooms were complete totami rooms! They looked awesome! But we didn’t  have long until things were closing so we had to make a move. We went to the Toshogu Shrine-a place Kaoru and I had been to before but it was still great to see again. We spent about 90 minutes there, looking at the 3 wise monkeys, being prayed for in the shrine and all the other things to do inside.

Back at our Ryoken, we all came in to our room and had some nibbles and drinks. Then it was time for Onsen! There are two large ones here -a men’s and a ladies. I found the water too hot so didn’t stay for too long. But then it was time for dinner…

This was an amazing feast! Photos possibly to follow if I remember… It was shabu shabu, with more extras than you could poke a stick at! I couldn’t finish everything but it was all delicious!

Walking up to our rooms Michael was talking about being ready for bed…I think we were all thinking the same thing. Then we saw it was only 830! We looked in the shop for a bit and said goodnight. Then Kaoru went for her bath as she didn’t to when I did before dinner.

We started today with the alarm at 730…well, that was the intention. People leaving their room at 600 meant we were woken up quite early. After a shower and packing our day packs, we headed downstairs to check out. After waiting over 5 minutes for the lift, I used the phone on the floor and called reception. They said there was a problem and to catch the staff lift.

Michael and Leila were already downstairs. We put our suit cases in the storage room and walked to Shinjuku station. We bought Suica for Michael and Leila, and got some breakfast, and then went to catch the 920 train to Nasu. After a short train change we arrived about 12, and got in a taxi. We met Kaoru’s parents at a restaurant for lunch. Then Otosan dropped us at the farm place where we walked around and had some food. It took us about 30 minutes to walk to their house, but at least we didn’t have any bags to carry!

We sat and talked for a bit and then all had baths before Okasan served a spectacular feast. Beer, saki and champagne accompanied chicken, sushi, potato stew and salad. We had some great laughs and Kaoru did a fantastic job of translating for us all. There was more food than we could possibly eat but we had a good crack at it. Then we went up to the other house to make our beds and unwind. Kaoru taught Leila how to assemble the oragami sakura balls. Michael and I thought we would be helping best by keeping out of the way.

It’s been a long time between posts…but this trip warrants a blog…

About 1230 in the morning, Michael, Leila and I boarded a plane for Hong Kong….we got a little bit of interrupted sleep on the way and landed on time. After a couple hours we boarded the plane to Tokyo. A movie and a couple drinks later we landed. We power walked to immigration to get ahead of as many people as possible. It was a good thing too, as it meant we only had to wait about 15 minutes. 5 minutes later the line behind us was over twice as long!

Once we had our bags we caught the airport limuousine to Shinjuku, where Kaoru was waiting for us at the Washington hotel. So we checked in and relaxed for 10 minutes, and then it was time for our first night out.

We were quite hungry and it was 545 so we went to a sushi train. As expected it was ab delicious and the 4 of us ate for <au$40, including a bottle ok saki! We walked around Shinjuku and had trouble dragging Leila out of Don Quiote… but then we were off to what Kaoru referred to as an “awkward” place – Robot Restaurant! It was an amazing show which included a bento box (not very nice).

After the show we walked back to our hotel. Leila and Kaoru both went to their rooms and Michael and I went for one last drink to wrap up a long and enjoyable day.