Day 3 - Kyoto

The bus arrived earlier than scheduled, we were supposed to arrive at 6:00am, instead we arrived at Kyoto by 5:00 am. It was so cold that morning, I was shivering all over. We decided to take shelter inside the Kyoto Sta. and use their facilities to wash and freshen up. The iPhone said it was 9degreesC outside! Bbbrrrrrr!

Good thing (or bad) Ivy and I had to walk a good 3 blocks to get to the Nagomi Yuu Ryokan to keep our blood circulated. We took our time with the walk as I advised them earlier that we will probably arrive after 6:00am and get to the hotel by 7:00am. But it was still 5:45am! How to kill time? Eat! We went inside Lawson and perused the shelves for something to warm the tummy. Aaaah! Found some onigiris and hot coffee in can. Perfect for the chilly weather while we try to find our way to the Ryokan.

Caught at the end of a bite outside Lawson! It's sooo yummy, the filling was shrimp :)

Walking the narrow streets to our inn, we were careful not to make a ruckus with our trolley bags as the neighborhood was eerily quiet, we could even hear ourselves pant! After getting a little lost and disoriented, we finally arrived at the Ryokan around 6:30am. Good thing they have seats outside the reception where we could rest.

We were checked in by 7:00am but since we arrived early, the current guests still had not checked out so we decided to visit the temple nearest our ryokan, the Higashi-Honganji Temple.

Then we visited a beautiful garden Kikokutei, which was once part of the Honganji Temple. By now it was already 11am, time to head back and freshen up!!!

The ryokan was very cozy and clean...tiny but charming at the same time. The futons were very very comfortable, amazingly enough. After freshening up and unpacking a bit, we realized it was already close to 3:00 pm and we still haven't had lunch! We headed straight to Sukiya for the first time to try if they were truly better than Yoshinoya. They were!

After that filling meal, we headed to the second temple (5 pounds heavier), the Nishi-Honganji just a few minutes walk from Higashi-Honganji. This was once the main temple of the Shin Buddhism sect until it garnered a lot of power in the 1600's that a "rebel" group had broken away to build the Higashi-Honganji Temple.

We only had a few moments inside the temple as they close at 4:00pm. Such a cloudy afternoon and the breeze was really chilly. We were so hard-pressed to find some contrast in the landscape as well as some cloud details. But in any case, go pa rin!

Dinner was at the ryokan since we had a late lunch at Sukiya. My, my, the choices you have in Japan's convenience stores will blow you away! Thanks for dinner, Lawson Plus.

[Posted with iBlogger from iPhone]

The Dream

After Akihabara, we went back to Ueno Sta. to get our luggages from the coin lockers, then off to Tokyo Sta. we went. I was excited to see Tokyo Sta. because of its famed bricked facade which gives it a very retro look. Unfortunately, it was already dark so we couldn't capture its real beauty from the outside. Earlier today, we checked out of Asakusa Plaza Hotel and went straight to Ueno Station to put our luggages in coin lockers. So for Y500, we got the biggest locker and fit all of our bags in. Imagine if we had to drag our luggages to Harajuku and Akihabara?!? So we were thankful for this convenience!

Since we still had time before Max was supposed to leave for Isesaki and us, for Kyoto via the overnight bus, we decided it was time to eat! Dinner was at a third floor restaurant called Sushi-no-ya. We ordered the best sushi I've ever tasted so far! The sushi was so good that I even liked it with wasabi. Itadakimasu!

When we parted with Max after dinner, Ivy and I waited for our bus, The Dream, at platform 3. It departs at 10:00pm or 22:00 with or without us (the japanese are seldom late with time schedules) so we decided to start waiting at the platform by 9:00pm.

D waiting at the side of the bus platform.

The lighted board displays the time schedule of approaching buses and their respective destinations in English and Japanese. A bus arrives and another leaves every 10 minutes on the dot even if it's empty. Commuters are lined up on designated "waiting lanes" painted on the pavement like on the photo below.

We almost missed our ride because we lined up on the wrong Kyoto bus. Good thing D showed the tickets to the conductor and he immediately pointed us to the correct Kyoto bus (just behind the wrong one). Close call.

The Dream is a double decker bus and Ivy and i got to sit in the front row on the upper deck.

Now I don't have to mention anything about my snoring, do I? Was it just me? But I swear I did not hear anyone making any noise except for *ehem* you know who. Don't the Japanese snore?!?!

We swapped seats after a while because D started sweating bullets and it was cooler beside the window. The bus stopped every two hours at rest stations for passengers needing a bathroom break, a drink, or a smoke. I thought that I wasn't going to fall asleep but all that walking did the job :)

Oh well, goodnight! See you in Kyoto!!!!

[Posted with iBlogger from iPhone]

Super Akihabara

We visited Akihabara to take a look at Tokyo's techno central -- but really, we went there for our late lunch and to escape the hustle and bustle of the playground called, Harajuku. Lunch was good at Seizeria, a Western style resto with good food at a good price.

Max ordered the carbonara while D and I shared the pasta and pizza. Best of all, drinks were refillable from Colas to juices to beer to cappuccinos!

Spinach and garlic pasta

After that, we entered one of the area's biggest stores, Yodobashi Camera, and Ivy and I ultimately got hooked on all the photo paper choices that were available, from Y300 for a pack of 50 sheets 4x6 to Y12,000 for a pack of 12 sheets A3 photopaper! It's a photographer's dream to have these many choices and so readily available! Not only do they have paper, they sell photo matting of different sizes, wedding albums, portfolio albums and so on, and so forth. Everything I might think I need (but don't have the money to buy hehe).

I also got to hold and try some Canon lenses i would never have imagined of even seeing for real.

But the best surprise of the night was something that involved the Nintendo DS.

Earlier we saw this small group of four young men and a lady by the side of the street with a sign that reads something like "Pokemon Challenge". They were just standing there, looking down at their DS-es, clustered behind a beat up cardboard invitation. So we thought that was a bit out of the box but paid them no mind.

Then, before leaving for the Ueno station, we saw a cordoned off part of the side walk beside the mall with a huge Dragon Quest IX banner hanging on one of the mall's pillar. There was a large group of about 40 people -- boys, men in suits, women, etc. -- standing, sitting, leaning or in whatever position they might find comfortable but just staring (playing) with their Nintendo DS consoles. No idle chatter, no girlish giggles nor boys kidding around. This was serious business. It's a quest!

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Day 2 - Harajuku

Early morning breakfast was at McDonald's and D couldn't stop marveling about his Mega Sausage McMuffin with Egg meal. It was indeed, yummy and huge! No penny pinching, you get what you paid for.

D might want to post a photo of his Mega McMuffin here.

We then rode the subway to Harajuku station...it was quite far as the subway ride took time. I wonder what we'll see there....

Among the places in Tokyo worth visiting, I'm most excited about seeing Harajuku. You can read all about the diversity of people and fashion in this popular street. But nothing can prepare you for what you will see if you go for the Harajuku experience. The people are fascinating! Their fashion ensembles are not mere statements, but more like works of art! and the crowd, it's like people are following a concert. I've never taken street photos as varied as the ones we took in Harajuku, i'm so excited to review them.

Some scenes around Harajuku Station going to the Meiji Shrine:

Takeshita Street is another popular place to be seen in. Clothing shops are everywhere, even some dedicated to a certain look (i.e. goth, lolita, etc.) Be sure to stay at the left side of the street!

don't you dare...

One of the many creperias in the area...but after a hearty breakfast, i can't na, just can't. At this point, we had just gotten through Tekeshita Dori and are now on Meiji Dori which leads to the Meiji Shrine.

The paper building. Max pointed out how this H&M building looks like it was made out of Japanese paper. Beautiful architecture along Meiji Dori.

We walked until the end of this road, stopped, peopled watched

[people shots here!]

then continued UP the pedestrian crossing to see the Tokyo Stadium then finally enter Meiji Shrine.

D and I at one of the shrine's entrances.

What we missed though were the cosplayers. We were so tired because we went out the wrong exit in Yoyogi Park and had to waaaaaaalk back to where we started: Takeshita Street.

With that, we just had to skip the rest of Harajuku st. and get some lunch in our next stop, Akihabara.

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The rest of the 1st day

I don't exactly remember how we were able to go to Odaiba but it involved getting a little *ehem* lost, riding the subway then transferring to a monorail. The monorail view was amazing! I can't quite capture it on camera because I suck but i'm sure you can use your imagination :)

Shinkansen! So so lucky to get this photo considering they were moving fast...and so were we!

(well, just moving, but not as fast)

city view and a traffic build up

Impressive Bridge! It's called the Rainbow Bridge and it lights up beautifully at night. Our monorail made a big U-turn towards the bridge and before we knew it, we were soaring over the Sumida river and crossing it.

We're almost at our stop!

After disembarking from the train, we had a quick look around the place. There's an expansive deck in front of a mall called AquaCity where you can have an uninterrupted view of the Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline. Yakatabune ("boat with roof") boats also dot the water but I read that more of these sightseeing boats appear at night complete with food and karaoke even if November is their slowest month. Unfortunately, we won't be staying at Odaiba until nightfall :(

Sights outside AquaCity

The AquaCity Deck. Majority of the big malls in Odaiba have decks like this to take advantage of the stellar view across the river.

A few Yakatabune boats.

Fuji Television Station

A small scale replica of the Statue of Liberty.

Large scale Marsian replicas

A line of pet accessories shops, cafes and salon along this avenue.

This photo is for my friend Karenina, the cat whisperer.

Hey, whaddya know! there really were puppies dining. We should go here Chuck.

We had lunch in Odaiba and ordered japanese curry in AquaCity's food court. I also bought Hokkaido ice cream for the three of us by myself, ivy took a video as proof. And as an inexperienced videographer, i failed to get closer to D so you wouldn't really hear him say, " Matcha-Icho, (points to a yellow ice cream cone)-Futatsu." Gomenasai! But he got our orders and they were delicious!

I regret that I did not finish this plate of Breaded pork with Japanese curry. But but but... I was still stuffed from that KFC breakfast!

I got the green tea flavored ice cream, Max here and D got the pumpkin flavored one. The pumpkin was better :)

Tokyo Tower was our next destination after spending the early afternoon in Odaiba. It was a good experience going up the tower and a great view of Tokyo. The photos we took weren't really that great as the lights illuminating the tower were reflecting on the windows and our lenses creating this blue haze. Nonetheless, what a sight this Tokyo is, really.

It was pretty hard to look for a good (meaning cheap) place to eat in the area so we decided to have dinner back in Asakusa.

I let the Marsians have their time together seeing how they missed each other's company. They're so sweet! I'm almost jealous. :p Here they are canoodling in the subway, shameless!

And so we're back in Asakusa! We went into an alley just at the back of the hotel where we found this old Ramen house. We all ordered Cha Shu Ramen and Gyoza, haiiiii oishi! oishi desu!!!

Max taught us how to eat ramen! You need to eat the noodles as fast as you can as taking too long would make the noodles expand and lose its texture. You can drink the soup after if you want. Don't forget to eat noisily!

Goodnight! Busog na masyado!

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Sichigosan & a Wedding

Yoyogi Park near Harajuku St., in Shibuya was a blessing in twos for us today.

First, we were able to see and take pictures of Japanese children aged 3, 5 and 7 in their traditional Japanese formal wears and some in Western style clothes as well. The Sichi-Go-San Festival, which literally means "seven-five-three", is celebrated on the 15th of November for boys turning three and five, and for girls turning three and seven.

Oh my delight at seeing little girls wearing kimonos complete with hair ornaments and little boys wearing their haori jackets and hakama pants. What a blessing indeed!

A three year old girl wearing a beautiful dress of purple and pink flowers.

A three (3) year old boy in Western style formal wear with Mom.

It really was not that hot as the wind was blowing chilly air...but the sun was up and happy today!

Brother and sister heading up to the temple.

Now the girl here just turned seven (7) because at seven years of age, a girl could now wear an Obi. Did you notice the difference between the three year old's dress and this one's?

Mom and daughter both in traditional Japanese formal attire -- a lovely kimono! :)

Now I remember this girl as a head turner! We saw her and her family pass by in front of us earlier when we were resting in front of the Adidas store on the way to Yoyogi Park, and now here. D has a better photo than I do but I just want to show you their elaborate hair ornaments. Her older sister is equally stunning. Her features suggest that she's not pure Japanese or not Japanese at all, as we also saw boys and girls of different nationalities celebrating the festival.

At the entrance of the shrine, there were stalls lining up the side of the road and the biggest, most beautiful Chrysanthemums were on display. The flowers were so lovely, they were as big as my head, probably. Some bonsai plants were on display as well but the Chrysanthemums stole the show.

Finally we reached the temple, and man, was it packed! Even Monchichi was there entertaining the kids. Cameras everywhere! It's quite possible that there were more cameras than balloons at the Meiji temple grounds.

Oh no! Bye bye balloon!

I will then give the space to D's traditional Japanese Wedding photos...

I always hoped I could chance upon this event when i started planning our Japan trip -- we were able to witness and shoot part of a traditional japanese wedding! Wooohoo!

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