diveintothehighwind

[diveintothehighwind]

wasabi kitkat is a lie

it’s just white choco kitkat with light green food coloring 😑

[diveintothehighwind]

Tokyo - Day 8

Just shopped and ate last day before leaving.

Bought lots of makeup and had counter sushi course at Umi located in Roppongi.

Can’t find these kinds of flavors back in the states.

Went back to Character Street one more time before having lunch (oyakodon and udon with dipping sauce) before boarding NEX train to Narita.

That concludes my last trip for 2023 👋🗾

[diveintothehighwind]

Kawagoe - Day 7

Nothing really that big to see here. Lots of old buildings and cafés and food and souvenir shops.

Most were closed or either open late and close by sundown.

At least got to see Toki no Kane (it’s smaller than I thought) that OnoKen, IshiKai and Soma Saito visited.

Finally had sukiyaki at this long-established restaurant, Sukitei Yoshitora, and it was delicious.

Then had some matcha ice cream with mochi afterward 😋

[diveintothehighwind]

Tokyo - Day 6

Shopping in Ginza (really worth it right now with the yen rate and tax refund) and visited Character Street.

The sukiyaki restaurant we went to five years ago is no longer there, I think 😢 but we still had some good udon before going to a play at the Kabuki-za.

Story was Kamakura Sandaiki.

Visited both the DX store and the one at Character Street. Didn’t go into the café. Place was fully booked all the way till 4 PM.

Anyways, I think I bought everything I wanted to (including a phone strap today) so just the Narita airport left.

Still looking for Umbreon pokédoll keychain but doubt I’ll find it before I leave 🙁 oh well

[diveintothehighwind]

Tokyo - Day 5

Went to Shinjuku (3D kitty right outside the station), then Shibuya.

So many nice clothes that I was too overwhelmed to buy any 😅

New Gojira film is out so had to take a pic of the two of them yelling at each other next to a theater 😂

Had okonomiyaki for dinner. Tried cooking it ourselves on our second trip to Japan, had no idea what we were doing so best to leave it to the staff to help you.

No waiting line for Shibuya PKMN center but the Xmas limited goods were already running out. Hope the Nihombashi branch or the one at the character goods street still has some tmwr.

[diveintothehighwind]

Tokyo - Day 4

Afternoon tea at the Asakusa View Hotel.

View was spectacular even tho it was cloudy. Tea set leaves much to be deserved (too much sweet > savory) but overall, was nice.

Next stop, Asakusa Nekoen.

Everyone was sleeping by the time we got there and most were pretty distant and uninterested with interacting with strangers

But still managed to play with one of the black kitties.

And this is Rin-chan. She looks grumpy but she warmed up to me once I offered her tons of chin scritches and bum pats 🥰

Finally went up Tokyo Tower after visiting here…4 times already??

SkyTree has more activity but it’s prettier here.

[diveintothehighwind]

Yokohama - Day 3

Gonna stay here next time. Did not have enough time to check out everything I wanted to (including the cup noodle museum and a few others)

Since it’s Saturday and very warm, saw a lot of families take their kids out.

Red Brick Warehouse was crowded as hell

There was a market + music festival near Yamashita Park

Chinatown was more of a tourist attraction than a real Chinatown (none of the fortune tellers speak Chinese).

Maybe it’s just the restaurant we ate at but taste is not even close to authentic HK food.

My fruit tea didn’t have tea but cream in it. Not pleased.

Had to wait an hour to ride the Cosmo Clock 21 but the view was worth it.

Couldn’t go to pkmn center this time, tho. Needed a ticket for a certain time to get in at a certain time and the line was long. Next time then.

[diveintothehighwind]

Tokyo - Day 1 & 2

Forgot how confusing the metro could be with its lines being owned by different companies 😓

And finally had vegetables 🥬 last night! 😭 Didn’t know how much I missed Chinese food until I actually ate it (tho it was Taiwanese)

Tokyo Dome mostly has kids attraction (and a long line for a Conan shop)

Koishikawa Park will be prettier in the spring

Ginza is mad expensive so thank god for Uniqlo

I bought so much stuff there. As I thought, I can only wear eastern style clothes, American apparel just doesn’t suit me anymore 😭

Finally, watching anime live here is still as strange as ever but oh so fun 😄

Visited 2 Pokemon stores so far: Sapporo, New Chitose airport (they’re small)

Going to visit 5 more next: Nihombashi, Maranouchi, Yokohama, Shibuya, Narita airport

[diveintothehighwind]

Sapporo - Day 3

Went to Nakajima park. Still haven’t adjusted to the time yet.

Watching more news here than I do back home. Yesterday, an old man went on a crazy spree: burnt down his own apartment, shot into a hospital and then took two hostages at a post office before finally getting arrested.

Atm, there was even a report on a lady throwing a fit in a convenience store cuz she wasn’t allowed to use the staff only toilet…wild.

Had curry soup today. Missing vegetables and fruits.

[diveintothehighwind]

Sapporo - Day 1 & 2

Slightly colder up here.

Saw a lot of people (mostly high school kids) gathering at Odori Park and Tanukikoji Shopping street walking around in costumes. Most of them wear the same thing though: cat or bunny ears, maids, angel or devils, swat or police outfits, a few kigurumi. More emphasis on the cute > horror.

Some guys wore skirts.

Police out and about, just like Shibuya.

Hokkaido University campus was beautiful and quite old. A nice old man who’s an alumni and graduated around 1972 (?) directed us to Gingko Ave.

Then went to Kitakoro, a library that seems to have been converted to a café.

The cream puff was good 👍

And I bought a 🦀 hat

[diveintothehighwind]

Noboribetsu - Day 3

The Date Jidai Village was super fun.

Haven’t had fun at an amusement park in ages.

The oiran show was my favorite. And the ninja house was the best attraction, followed by the cat goblin house.

Also saw some Touken Ranbu cosplayers so that was a plus.

[diveintothehighwind]

Noboribetsu - Day 2

The air is so clean here even with the smell of sulphur

And I ate too much

Pumpkin tart was the best of the set, rarely get to eat something with that much genuine pumpkin flavor in it

[diveintothehighwind]

Noboribetsu - Day 1

In the land of demons, tomorrow I march straight into the hell’s valley (and getting a 🦶 bath)

The yukimushi swarm is crazy but the baths made up for it (fruit milk~ 💖)

Finally, got to see some real momiji and took a photo with the cutest mascot here 😆 (i want to take him home 🥺)

[diveintothehighwind]

Hakodate - Day 2

Asaichi probably cleanest fish market I’ve been to

Also visited Hijikata’s memorial grave…国広、兼さん…やったよ…

jpn talk shows really discuss everything and there are more of those than news

still too warm for Kosetsuen to be seen in full autumn 🍁 mode, sad

also, never trusting gps at night, always go walk the main roads back to lodgings

[diveintothehighwind]

Hakodate - Day 1

Warmer than expected

Lots of students traveling + out on field trips

Drinks seemed to be served with cups half filled

Would like to see Goryokaku in spring 🌸

Ropeway is closed for inspection, will come next time to see that 🌅

In the meantime, am quite satisified with this view from our private bath

Also, found them while waiting for flight at Haneda 😊