gregandnickunplugged

[gregandnickunplugged]

More Photos!

Snow falling in Hakuba:

The Olympics Were Here:

Ski conditions at Happo One:

Ohyokkuri, a local specialty:

The entrance to the Hiiragiya Ryokan in Kyoto:

Nick getting into the spirit of things:

The tokonoma in our room:

The feature dish:

Nick vs. Kaiseki:

A traditional Japanese breakfast the next morning:

Kiyomizu Temple Pagoda:

Otowa Waterfall from above:

Nick at Ryoanji:

The Rock Garden:

The Golden Pavilion (and two blokes):

The Golden Pavilion and its reflection:

The steeple phoenix:

Nijo Castle:

Nick enjoying okonomiyaki:

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 7

4:30 PM (Japan)

My final day in Japan has arrived. I slept in and then headed to Shinjuku again for some last-minute shopping. I still couldn't find any of Sanderson's works in translation no matter how many bookstores I checked but I can order those online so I'm not missing much. Actually, the greatest pleasure I've found is in the searching and seeing what else you might turn up along the way, rather than the finding of whatever you were looking for in the first place. In any event, if my search for those books didn't succeed my quest for a really good Japanese umbrella did; I still regret not bringing the one I had when I was living in Tokyo home with me. That thing lasted six months through wind and rain and I'll bet it would still be holding up nine years later if I still had it. In any event, I am now well-armored against the rains of California, if we have any this winter.

I returned to the hotel with my prize, packed up my things and took a taxi to Tokyo Station to catch the Narita Express. I had over half an hour until my train arrived so I got to indulge one more love of mine in Japan: train station bento. Let he who has never tried them get on with it already as soon as they have the opportunity. I ate tonkatsu while on the train to the airport and there's no comparison to the bento containing all the same ingredients one could buy in San Francisco's Nijiya Market, for example. The freshness and the flavor are outstanding.

I got through airport security in record time thanks to travelling first class; this is dangerous, a person could get used to this level of service... Having given myself stacks of time to kill in case things hadn't gone so smoothly I wandered around the airport for a while. There's a funny sort of culture shock to Narita as it's such a hub people briefly stop at on the way to other locations that it's a veritable United Nations of people, while still being within Japan. The Sundbergs will be stopping there for about twelve hours after their trip, I've got to get them a list of ideas and a 'how-to' on getting in and out of the city. Asakusa maybe? Having killed some time I settled down in United's lounge to wait for my flight to board. I called and talked to everyone in New Zealand and it sounds like they're all having a great time.

I settled myself onboard in my ridiculously comfortable chair and read more Twain, pausing to wave goodbye to Japan (okay, not literally) as we took off and passed over the coast and into the skies over the Pacific. I had a ginger chicken dinner and a sundae with butterscotch, then typed this entry out. I took a sleeping pill a few minutes ago so hopefully I'll manage to get a few hours in and wake up revitalized to a California morning.

Later, except not (California)

It turns out sleep was a bit longer in coming than I thought, owing to a long bout of turbulence. I whiled the time away by listening to United's J-Pop playlist and trying to do a running transcription of the lyrics so I could look up the songs later. You'd think they would print out a list somewhere or have the songs display on the screen but you would be wrong. By the time the music started looping, the conditions had calmed down and I was able to get to sleep surprisingly quickly given that I usually have difficulty doing so on a plane, even in fully reclining seats. See again what I said above about this being the sort of thing it's dangerous to get used to.

San Francisco was grey on arrival. Made it through baggage and customs quickly and was home a bit before noon, which means that I've arrived hours before I left. The wonders of crossing the date line going east instead of west. I'll have some concluding thoughts to put up soon but for now, it's time to relax and try to get back onto California time.

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 6

Sadly, it had to happen: We've left Kyoto and for most intents and purposes our trip is now finished. As I type this, Nick is on a plane to New Zealand to meet Mom and Dad and rejoin Hannah and I'm on my own for just a little while longer in Tokyo before I leave too.

But now's not the time for that because this was still an amazing day. We heard from Bill last night and made plans to meet him and Natalie for lunch in Tokyo before Nick's departure. Such an amazing coincidence for us all to be in Japan at the same time, isn't it? Because we would need to get in by a certain time, we didn't have any time for additional sightseeing in Kyoto this morning so it's a really good thing we fit all of the things in yesterday. Instead we woke up at seven again and enjoyed one last breakfast at Hiiragiya; mine today consisted of  inariage, hijiki with carrots, salted salmon and tofu topped with real wasabi, in addition to the usual rice, miso and pickles. Oh, and ume and tea served just before the meal as a palate-cleanser. It's something of an acquired taste but it also serves as a great wake-up method if you're still a little sleepy. We said our goodbyes to the staff of the inn, who left us each with a pair of lacquered chopsticks in a beautifully wrapped box as a going-away present. I really can't say enough times how magical our experience there has been and I wouldn't trade the past two days for anything.

We cabbed to the station (not being able to show Nick around is a minor regret of mine, Kyoto Station is incredible) and hopped on a Hikari liner bound for Tokyo that left at 9. The trip was uneventful but it was nice to see the ocean a couple of times en route, which we didn't get to do previously owing to the path we took around the country. Nick typed up a blog entry of his own which I planned to post here but before I could he did it on his and Hannah's so in the interest of economy I'll simply supply a link. Here you go:

http://nickandhannahunplugged.tumblr.com/post/155462022882/nick-from-japan

We reached Tokyo Station and took a taxi back to the Grand Hyatt where Nick retrieved his bag and I dropped mine off, then we got another taxi to take us to Tonkatsu Maisen near Harajuku. We met Bill and Natalie (who is currently trying out being a blonde) who had just arrived in town yesterday. We were taken to a table and ordered our meals (as the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in breaded pork dishes) and then we started catching up, They sound like they've been having a great time and will be having even more fun in the days ahead, especially Natalie. We told them a bit about our experiences and Nick of course had lots of stories for them about his last two months, including stories he heard about Bill from Margie. The meal was of course excellent but it paled in comparison to the company. Afterwards we borrowed the use of Bill's driver to run Nick to Shibuya Station where we said our goodbyes to Bill and Nat, then I took Nick to the platform and waited to see him onto the Narita Express. It's been an amazing week and the time has really flown by. It was a bittersweet moment but I know he's on to other amazing adventures on his trip. It's been an absolute blast showing him around Japan and hopefully I'll have the opportunity to do it again some day.

After seeing Nick off I hopped on a JR train to Shinjuku and walked around there for a bit, checking out some stores that looked interesting when we were here earlier but were closed for the New Year's festivities. Then I returned to the hotel by subway, rested a bit, took advantage of their spa facility and headed out for a nice long stroll down memory lane in Azabu, then back the other way towards the Imperial Palace grounds. I had a bowl of ramen at a local establishment on the way down Sakurada Dori (spicy miso with garlic) and passed near the Shakaden hall from a Buddhist offshoot which looks like it belongs in Blade Runner or a similar sci-fi movie.

After that I returned to the hotel and turned in for my last night's sleep in Japan.

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 5

Well, today was a whirlwind tour and no mistake. We got up at seven in order to fit everything into the day. Our bedding was switched out and replaced with the table again and our breakfast was brought in at 7:30. I had the Japanese breakfast (rice, miso soup, tofu in a sweet sauce, fish cakes and dried fish, pickles and other vegetables like burdock root) while Nick had the western one. After that and a quick shower we both made sure we had our cameras and hit the streets, taking a train a couple stops south and walking to my favorite temple in Kyoto, Sanjusangendo.

Perhaps I should have saved the best for last since Nick told me later that it was his favorite of the day but the travel logistics just didn't really work out. In any event, words can't do complete justice to the temple and photography isn't permitted so I can't save a thousand words by just posting a picture. The temple gets its common name (it's properly named Rengeouin) from the thirty-three bays between the columns that support the roof. In the center is a massive statue of the thousand-armed Kannon and to each side are five hundred more human-scaled statues of the same, each one slightly differing in dress, face and ornamentation. Then there are twenty-eight statues of Buddhist guardian deities flanked by two native Japanese gods. The effect of walking down that long hall and seeing those thousand and one statues of Kannon looking down on you is out of this world. We got a special treat today as a monk was performing a service in front of the main image as we walked through. Our trip also happens to fall more or less between two major ceremonies at the temple, the New Year's festivity and Toshiya, a recreation of a famous archery contest once held at the temple, now celebrated as part of Coming of Age Day. That would be something to see, one day. Following our tour of the inside and the history of the temple as seen in the back hall, we looked around the grounds. Before leaving for our next stop I picked up charms for both myself and Nick.

Next we walked across the street to the Kyoto National Museum where some sort of event was going on in front of the annex. We went through the main collection which had an emphasis on rooster paintings and figures in preparation for Chinese New Year. We didn't spend too much time but I didn't want to miss it entirely since we were right there, and Nick got a good look at some of the amazing pieces they have. It was interesting hearing his own experiences of temples in India and recognizing some of the figures as being shared between the two cultures. Following that, we headed towards the famous Kiyomizu Temple but on the chaotic madness that is the streets leading up to the main gate we took a quick detour so I could find the gourd shop where I didn't purchase anything last time and correct that mistake. After a bit of turning around I found it and now I have a nice new drinking flask.

The temple itself has been undergoing renovations but they were mostly cleared up when we saw it, except for one area. The crowds were thick but we still got great views and it made for great people-watching. There were lots of kimono-clad girls and of course lots of families. Temple visits are a huge thing right after New Year's and we're still in the middle of that rush. We got some good pictures and we both picked omikuji... and both got misfortune. So I showed Nick the proper way of disposing of the bad luck and we moved on. But just to be extra safe, we waited in the line for the waterfall that gives the temple its name and washed our hands and drank some of its water to receive its blessings. There's a very Japanese mix of new and old there, as the metal cups on a long pole that one uses to take water from the fall are an old touch but the UV sterilizers that you put them back into after you're done are distinctly modern. Feeling suitably blessed, we found a taxi outside the temple and went to Ryoanji.

As it was getting close to one, we stopped at the small café just outside the grounds for a bite first. I got a set meal of cold chasoba, tempura and rice while Nick had an ice cream. He's still a bit under the weather it seems. I also picked up some loose-leaf tea from the ladies selling it near the entrance, made from shiso and ume. We sampled some the last time I came here with Mom and Dad and now I got the opportunity to bring some back with me. The garden that is the centerpiece of Ryoanji is a wonderfully calming thing to observe, with its carefully raked pebbles and its 'islands' of moss and stone. The grounds themselves are also well worth strolling through and almost as soothing to the spirit. It's hard to imagine such a place of such peace within a city of over a million people but Kyoto has so many sites that manage it even amid the bustle.

After that we walked to Kinkakuji, the famed Golden Pavilion. On the way we both found ourselves wishing we had kept our ski hats on hand because it was cold and windy today. On the way I stopped in a liquor store and found that, wonder of wonders, they had more or less every blend I was thinking to look for along with a few I hadn't even heard of before. This after going into a store at Nishiki last night which had a placard specifically saying 'Sorry, we don't have X, Y and Z and we don't know when we will again, please don't ask us for it'. But I didn't have my credit card on me or as much cash as I'd need so I decided to go back to another branch close to Hiiragiya later on.

We were fortunate that the sun made a brief appearance through the clouds as we were ushered into the pavilion grounds, lighting up the building and setting off its gold foil beautifully as we took our photographs. Afterwards we took yet another calming stroll through its grounds. We found ourselves with just enough time to squeeze in Nijo Castle today (originally we planned to do it tomorrow morning before we left) so we took a taxi there and arrived ten minutes before they closed the main building to new visitors at 4. The nightingales were singing merrily as we walked through the castle of the Tokugawas, perhaps helped along somewhat by overly enthusiastic children visiting with their parents. Afterwards we wandered around the grounds and saw some amazing views of the city and the architecture of the castle walls and its gardens before they chased us out at closing time.

We decided to save our feet and cab back to the inn, where we made use of the Japanese bath in our room for a relaxing soak. After that we went out for dinner to a highly recommended okonomiyaki restaurant nearby. It's a dish that's somewhere between pizza and pancake and endlessly customizable in both the basic composition and the specific ingredients and it's something of a specialty in the greater Kansai region which includes Kyoto. Nick had a traditional type incorporating soba noodles and pork along with a sweet sauce while I had a thinner one with no noodles but with lots of negi (green onion) and beef. We also had the necessary sides of gyoza and beers (Kirin) to wash it all down with. It's not exactly the haute cuisine of the night before but it's one more thing I was able to expose Nick to and it was extremely tasty.

On the way back to the inn (meandering through some shops en route) I detoured to that liquor store branch and picked up an eighteen year Yamazaki that I love so much but is becoming impossible to find. I had the option of getting a twenty-five year but at roughly three thousand dollars that was just a bit much. Can't say I wasn't tempted though. Treasure in hand we returned to our room and then I set out again on my own to wander around just a bit more. I'm glad I did because while strolling along near the river I heard live music and went to check it out. A new artist was performing a public recital to celebrate the debut of her first single and gathered quite a crowd. I listened and chatted with some locals who were a bit surprised to see me hanging around for the whole set. Afterwards I bought one of those cds myself.

I returned to the room to type up the day's adventures before sleeping contentedly once again. I'll be sorry to leave this place tomorrow.

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 4

Kyoto, jewel of a city! But I get ahead of myself. Sorry, I'm just so happy to be writing from my favorite city in Japan.

So, our day started in Hakuba where the snow had stopped falling but the visibility up on the mountain didn't seem much improved. We packed up, ate another breakfast downstairs and set up a taxi to pick us up. Good thing we did because right as we left it started to rain and that wouldn't have been at all fun to walk through. We got to the station with plenty of time, which was good as the station became very crowded with other skiers like us wanting to leave; there aren't that many trains departing Hakuba on any given day. We took the local line to Matsumoto and were lucky enough to get on in time to get seats. The fact that it's a local line means that a number of people got on and off as we passed through towns on the way so it got more or less cramped depending on the exact leg of the journey. There was a delay at one of the stops which would plague us for the rest of our trip, costing us five minutes. Our tickets gave us about a ten minute window at each of our two transfers which under most circumstances would be more than sufficient (this is Japan after all) but today, it just wasn't.

Our late arrival in Matsumoto meant we had to dash for the next train. Fortunately the conductors were aware of the delay and there were several to help point us in the right direction and clear a path for us, so we got onto our express train bound for Nagoya. Unfortunately, that train also ran a little late so by the time we got to the transfer station, our next train was almost ready to leave and by the time we could work our way to the proper track, it was gone. I have the worst luck with Nagoya... thankfully shinkansen run constantly through there so we were able to get on another train stopping at Kyoto that left only eight minutes after our originally scheduled time. Thought about Dad as we passed through Gifu Prefecture on our route. We reached Kyoto around 3 PM and got a taxi to take us to our home for the next two nights, the Hiiragiya Ryokan.

I'm not sure I have the words to describe how amazing this place is. Despite being in downtown Kyoto there's a pervasive sense of tranquility here, like the outside world can't reach you. The covered entryway is lined with stone and as you climb the step up, you exchange your shoes for a pair of slippers before you enter the building, then take those off before entering your actual room with its tatami-covered floors. The oldest rooms here are over two hundred years old and the manager told us that six generations of her family have run this inn. Our room is one of the young ones at 'only' seventy years old in its current form. It used to serve as a room for tea ceremonies, which explains some of the architectural features in the room and the small garden immediately outside it. The main room is the sitting room during the day, the dining room during meals and the bedroom at night, with the table and cushions cleared away to make room for the futons. We also have a small room with western-style chairs, a bathroom with a western-style toilet (a bit of modernity amidst the tradition that I have no complaints about) and our own bath. All in all, it's magical.

After settling ourselves in and enjoying matcha, hojicha and traditional Japanese sweets as a welcoming meal, we headed out. Our original plan was to quickly visit the National Museum but by the time we were ready to head out it was past 4 PM so we wouldn't have time to enjoy any of it. Since it's right across from where we plan to start our day tomorrow, we'll just do it then and walk very fast to make up time. In lieu of our original plan we decided to walk around the area until it was time for dinner. Our meanderings eventually took us to a spot where we thought we might get dinner tomorrow but on the way we explored a number of Kyoto's delightful side-streets and also wandered through Nishiki Shoutengai, with its many local food stalls selling fruits and vegetables, sweets and sake, snacks, tablewear, cloth and everything else you could need around the house that's traditionally Kyoto-esque. There's also a large wing of newer retail stores on a separate axis that we wandered through for some time. On the way back after going through more side streets we found quite a surprise: A store in Japan dedicated to all things Tintin. Naturally we had to check this out and fortunately for us it was still open, if only just. They had the entire series translated into Japanese, in hard and soft cover version along with the original French and merchandise of all sorts. I picked up a Japanese copy of one of the books I remember being a favorite, which should be quite fun to read.

Dinner was brought to our room at 7:30 by a young woman named Chiho and consisted of a twelve course kaiseki. As much art as it is food, it almost felt sacrilegious to eat it and ruin the presentation. I'll post the menu that was given to us later rather than reproducing the entire thing here, but everything was incredible. While the individual courses were small, the overall effect was that of a very full meal, but not one that left you in a food coma afterwards, just perfectly content. The highlight was a dish that combined shrimp and eel, burdock root, kelp, sweet potato and fish paste. I'll have to post a picture of that too. Nick made a valiant effort but had to call it quits at the last few courses, ending with the sweetest melon I can ever remember tasting. I hope the culture isn't too much for him because he's going to get a lot more of it tomorrow.

I wasn't quite tired yet so after dinner I headed out again to walk around while Nick stayed in the room. I went looking for some places I remembered as being in the general vicinity, then decided that I might as well purchase the Japanese edition of the Murakami book I'm reading now rather than waiting to get back to Tokyo, so I stopped at a bookseller and found the complete set at six volumes, for the equivalent of about 14 USD. Have I mentioned yet that I love how almost all Japanese books are designed to be conveniently pocket-sized?

Purchase in hand, I returned to Hiiragiya to record this first day in Kyoto and then to enjoy an excellent sleep on traditional futon.

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 3

I was right, we did indeed sleep very well last night and we woke up to not only new-fallen snow but still-falling snow. We had breakfast at the hotel that was pretty good (eggs and bacon, a potato croquet, Yakult and an assortment of bread) and then went to the rental shop to exchange Nick's snowboard for a pair of skis. He's slowly moving back towards the Light Side.

That done we walked to the gondola and rode it up. The conditions were as close to a white out as I've ever skied in, with very limited visibility but the snow was a whole lot better than yesterday. Unfortunately the need to go slow took a good deal of the fun out of it. We did six runs including some we didn't do yesterday, then stopped at the Sun Terrace restaurant to grab a snack and wait to see if the conditions would clear up. We waited for around an hour and while there was about a five minute window where the conditions started to look up, they ultimately got worse to the point that we could barely see the start of the lift that was right outside the window. After that we decided to call it a day skiing-wise. It's a pity but we got some good views of the mountains yesterday and good snow today so between the two we had one great day. We returned out gear to the shop and headed out to find a lunch spot.

We passed by a place called Ohyokkuri, named after a regional specialty and decided to check it out. I'm very glad we did. The seating was traditional-style on a raised platform covered with tatami and it was very cozy. I had the special set menu consisting of soup with mountain vegetables, dumplings and pork (the special dish of the Hakuba area), a mix of white and purple rice (the latter also a local specialty) and pickles. Nick had karaage (fried chicken) and we both had a local malt beer to wash it all down with. Very tasty and cheap too.

After that we headed back to the hotel to relax and take advantage of the bath, with the same mineral waters of the local onsen but without the same charm. Still, it was incredibly relaxing after a cold morning. I also went out and got some local plum brandy to take home and I got Nick a present of a kitschy nunchaku that he was playing with last night at the souvenir store. I regret that decision already.

Before dinner we headed next door to Bar Cross for drinks. The place was located in the basement of the neighboring hotel and had a bit of a rock and roll theme. I practiced my Japanese on our bartender while he practiced his English on me. Very nice and friendly and he treated the two of us to some of the local sake, along with our drinks. Nick started with a Corona and I started with umeshu ,then we both had the new Yamazaki without an age statement (me straight up, Nick on the rocks). Fun time.

We had our dinner at Sharaku which was quite nice. We split a starter plate of local beef, then I had udon noodles and Nick had spicy tuna sushi. After that, Nick headed back to the room and I took one last walk around before we both turned it. Tomorrow, Kyoto!

[gregandnickunplugged]

Photos!

Nick in Roppongi

The Mitsuoka Orochi

Sunset in Roppongi

Dinner at Toraji

Nick's Karamiso Ramen

My Yuzu Shio Ramen

Shuugetsu

New Years at Sensouji

Akihabara

Whisky at the American Grill

Kobe Beef

A View from the Chuo Line

Skiing at Happo One

Nick at the Recovery Bar

Beers at the Recovery Bar

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 2

We got up early today so we'd have plenty of time to reach Shinjuku before our train to Hakuba departed. Nick left a bag at the hotel since I have one more day's reservation later, the same day he has to leave. Got a coffee at the station and another melon bread for breakfast while we waited on the platform. Our car was crowded mostly with other foreigners like us bound for Hakuba and the ski slopes, especially lots of Australians.

It's quite an experience to pass through the suburbs of Tokyo and to realize just how enormous the city is. Then you pass into the countryside and marvel at how green almost everything is. Of course, I can tell you from personal experience that the reason it's so pretty is that during the summer it never. stops. raining. Okay, maybe it does occasionally stop but when the average state is rain, the times when it isn't pouring don't stand out as much in the memory. The trip left us with four hours to kill, which I whittled away with a mix of Murakami and Mark Twian and occasionally trying to catch pictures of picturesque sights outside the window.

We arrived in Hakuba around 11:30; to my everlasting shock and horror the train was a whole two or three minutes late. What's this world coming to?! Actually getting to the hotel took quite a while as neither of us really felt like walking there from the station (it was close enough but slightly uphill over unfamiliar terrain and we've done lots of walking and have still more in store in Kyoto) and there were very few taxis. As we found out later, there's a bus terminal quite close to our hotel that has a regular service we could have made use of. File that one away for Wednesday. Our hotel is something of a step down from our last accommodations but almost anything would be. Still, it's comfortable enough and within walking distance of absolutely everywhere we might ever want to go. We took a shuttle to the slopes today but as we realized later, we needn't have bothered because we can walk from the hotel to the base in less time than it takes the shuttle to navigate the several intermediate stops at car parks and other hotels.

Such things aside, we had the easiest time ever renting skis at a place right next to the hotel (and we're not starved for options) and I got us a 'wow, you can actually speak Japanese' discount over the already reasonable rate for a two-day rental. We headed to the slopes in the redundant shuttle and picked up a two-day pass. We had the option of buying a half-day and consecutive full-day but as it turned out the price was the same to just buy a two-day. Oh, and for slopes with Olympic pedigree the price was extremely reasonable. If we had more time here we could get a pass to cover the entire Hakuba Valley region and it would still be a steal but we got tickets to just cover the Happo-One slopes. Timing-wise we didn't have too long on the slopes but better to get part of a day in, test out our rental gear and get a feel for the runs than not, right? We caught a quick bite at the mid-mountain rest area where the gondola drops you off (I think Nick was attracted to the Corona Terrace name) which wasn't anywhere near as good as what something like Squaw can offer but we'd had a long day so far and found the slope food to be perfectly satisfactory.

Our first run was... not entirely promising. There wasn't much active snowfall but the high winds on the peak were murder on visibility and the slope could charitably be described as icy. A more fair description would be 'icy, with patches of almost exposed dirt and deep moguls that had delusions that they were solid rock rather than snow'. So our legs were feeling it just a little bit after that run. Fortunately things got much better with the next couple runs on lower slopes where there was some more fresh(ish) snow, the moguls were a good deal forgiving and the winds greatly reduced. On one of those runs we were treated to the sight of a Japanese man with a very 80's hairstyle skiing in a tuxedo jacket, white gloves included. The lifts started closing at 3:40 and not being familiar with the slopes (and the lower parts of the mountain being kind of bare) we decided to take the gondola back down as well. Which seems to have been the popular option as there was quite a queue of people doing the same thing. Oh, and something noteworthy about the gondolas here: They're quite small, more like little pods that can seat four to six people (two to a bench comfortably, or three if you're very friendly) and the lift staff take your equipment from you when you board it and place it on the outside racks, then hand it back to you at the other end. Other fun things: The chairlifts don't slow down when they get close to the area where you board them like they usually do back home, so they tend to whack you in the back of the legs and force you to sit down unless you get the positioning just right. Also, the slope has a lift that runs two sets of chairs at once for a true 'quad' lift. I'll try to snap a picture tomorrow.

On our extremely easy walk back to the hotel we found a neat place called the Recovery Bar that we thought might be a good spot for dinner or at least a drink. We deposited our ski equipment at the hotel and finally checked into our room properly, as it hadn't been ready when we first arrived. This region is known for its hot springs so after a long day of travel and a bit of skiing (or boarding, in Nick's case) there was nothing for it but to find an onsen. I hadn't been to one since my trip with Joe immediately after graduating college, so more than ten years. There were plenty to choose from but the coolest was located in another hotel and when I called to inquire I found out that it's reserved for guests past 5 PM. Fortunately, there was another one close to us that wasn't attached to a hotel called Sato no Yu  After having to return to the hotel to pick up some more change (tickets were machine-vended, it didn't accept bills and we didn't have enough in coins) we finally went in. The experience was quite refreshing, though I suspect it's one Nick won't be keen on repeating tomorrow. Something about the 'traditional Japanese experience' not agreeing with his delicate modesty.

Afterwards we headed for the Recovery Bar to grab a bite to eat as their food menu looked really good. After finding a spot to sit (it was very crowded) Nick went to order only to find that they don't take cards and I'd left my larger bills back at the hotel when I went back to get more change for the onsen, thinking I wouldn't need it. So we left unable to order and while pondering our options we stopped at a sports bar that looked interesting, except that their food looked unimpressive so we decided to give it a pass even though it had live sports while the Recovery Bar didn't. We also found an izakaya at the hotel right next to ours that looked quite good but they were booked for the evening (we made reservations for tomorrow). The third try was clearly not the charm tonight, but it might be tomorrow. So we found an ATM at the bus terminal, grabbed some hard cash and headed back to our first choice. It was still booming (almost entirely with Aussies, who run the place in fact) but we managed to snag a corner booth to ourselves so it all worked out well in the end. Nick had a fancy hamburger, I had a fish burger and we both had a couple pints of Sapporo and a leisurely opportunity to talk and relax. After that we meandered back to our rooms, stopping at a couple of shops along the way. I suspect we'll sleep well tonight.

[gregandnickunplugged]

January 1

Well, it's been a whole day in 2017 so far and I can't imagine many better ways to have spent it. We slept in after our late night, getting up around nine. I sort of slept in fits and starts, jet lag and all that. But when I got up I was revved up and ready to go. We had breakfast at the hotel and Nick decided he wanted time to rest up today, the first real opportunity he's had to take a full day off in two months. The poor boy, all that traveling in exotic locales... Anyhow, the bottom line was that he worked out and relaxed and got caught up on his emails and such and so didn't join me in Akihabara like we'd initially talked about. He did leave the option open but gave me a call later on telling me he wouldn't be coming. So it turns out last night's train ride was his only exposure to Tokyo's 'electric town' and that's no substitute for seeing it the daylight. Well, nothing for it but for me to enjoy myself. It's a Mecca for geeks and I definitely had a good time. I found a particular restaurant inside the JR station that I used to frequent where I had a snack, then hit the streets.

The place is crowded and booming as ever. While the weather seems to have kept performers off the streets in Shinjuku and Harajuku, it's not the case in Akiba where people can still be found dressed up in all sorts of costumes to attract passers-by into the many stores. I went around to various spots and found myself a copy of a recent game (set in a fantastic version of Tokyo, actually) that I could have ordered online but getting it in person is so much cheaper. Other than that I just looked around and marveled at the sights. I might come back again on my last day to shop some more when I don't have to worry about hauling a suitcase across all of central Honshu.

I had lunch at a maid café, one of those 'do it once so I can say I did' experiences that I somehow managed to not fit in when I was living here. The singing was a lot of fun and I actually recognized one of the tunes, the rest I'm hopelessly out of date on but at least I could understand most of them.

I headed back to the hotel to meet Nick and freshen up for our big dinner. I rocked the Tommy G jacket, which fit right into trendy Tokyo. We stopped on the way at Shinjuku Station to get Nick's rail pass and I got our tickets for both tomorrow (the one straight-shot to Hakuba from Tokyo, leaving at 7:30) and Wednesday, so we don't have to worry about scheduling things. It will mean we're traveling most of that day and will only have one real day in Kyoto but we'll make do. After that we walked to the Park Hyatt, which isn't as prominent from the street as you might think, certainly not as much as the one we're at, though the view from the former is far more spectacular.

Ah yes, what can one say about the American Bar and Grill that hasn't been said a million times since the film Lost in Translation made it so famous? Well, from Nick's reaction to the view of Tokyo spreading out as far as the eye can see in three hundred and sixty degrees, words aren't necessary. We started off with a tasting of Japanese single malt whiskies (Migayikyo and Yoichi were set, Nick picked Hakshu for his third while I had Yamazaki), then followed up with the most amazing dinner. Nick started with a ceasar salad and I had pumpkin soup, then both of us had the Kobe beef. They offered sauces but really, adding anything to that meat seems just wrong, it's that exquisite on its own. And on top of the meal, we had live jazz playing for about half the evening. Simply magical!

We returned to the hotel after that and I packed up for tomorrow's early departure before getting down to updating this blog. So far 2017 has been an incredible year!

[gregandnickunplugged]

December 31

5:30 PM

I'm typing up the early activities of the day while chilling back in the hotel before we head out to ring in the new year because I know I'll be in no shape to do any such thing after we get back. Might as well set it down before my brain resembles swiss cheese.

So, got up around 7:30 having slept quite well. Nick wanted to take advantage of having a gym to get a workout in and relax, so I headed out on a mission. Made my way back to Shinjuku on a mission to find a particular convenience store with a very particular item, having struck out several times yesterday. After about an hour of wandering around, I struck gold and once again enjoyed Hokkaido Melon Cream Pan. While in the area I also looked around the Kinokuniya building where I remembered the store where I bought the best umbrella I've ever owned. It was still there but closed today. Well, wasn't planning on buying one until the last day anyhow.

Got back to the hotel and called the folks, who just got back from Mama's on Maui. Then we headed out for a trip to Shibuya and Harajuku because there's no way I can't show Nick both those places. We got there and I got to see the look on Nick's face as he saw the crossing in front of Shibuya Station for the first time. It really has to be seen to be believed. We also paid our respects to the statue of Hachiko (nicely done up in holiday attire) and then wandered around the area at random, stopping anywhere interesting. Nick went into some shoe stores but didn't purchase anything. I wonder if they have his size? And we spotted a pet shop on a side street and I had to go in. Some I'd have adopted the kittens in a heatbeat if it were an option.

After that we went on foot to Harajuku because the areas are right next door (relatively speaking) and it's scenic. We passed Yoyogi Park on the way. Sadly the bridge near the station was empty; usually in the summer you'll find people dressed outlandishly there posing for the cameras and showing off their fashions but I suppose this isn't the season for it. Though speaking of showing off, Hamasaki Ayumi has definitely got something going on because we passed a dozen cars plastered with images of her all in a row. I looked it up later and it turns out she's got a live performance tonight at Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

Harajuku was funky as ever. We walked Takeshita Street and Nick said it reminded him of where he's been as far as the crowds go, except that nobody was pushing or shoving. We did some more wandering about, checking out cool side streets and shops on the way. Nick wanted to check out a store that sells nice Japanese-made jeans but it turns out they're closed today like so many other places. We stopped for lunch at Oreryuu Shio Ramen, which as the name indicates specializes in ramen with salted broth. Nick got spicy miso (always bucking the trend, but I can't argue with his choice!) and I got yuzu shio, which I've never had before and was vegetable heavy, with a light and tart broth. Yummy! We also had beers and a side of gyoza. I'm glad I was able to introduce Nick to both proper ramen and the quintessentially Japanese restaurant at the same time; small, long wait to get a seat (of which there aren't many) and absolutely worth every minute of it.

At around 3:30 we walked back along Omotesando until we hit its station and from there it was a short hop back to Roppongi. I stopped at a local bookseller on the way for a few minutes while Nick went ahead. Saw a Japanese poster for the premier of Doctor Strange in Japan (1/27) which I'd just seen and a Japanese translation of an American book I've picked up but not read called United States of Japan. It's an alternate history like Man in the High Castle which I have a copy of (the premise and cover sold me) but haven't read. I'd do that this trip if I wasn't so absorbed in Murakami's 1Q84. Rather cool cover art on the Japanese edition though.

Back at the hotel we decided to hit the spa for a good soak after a long afternoon of walking. which felt great. Typed this up before we headed out for the evening.

Much later (10 PM the next day in fact)

Well, I was right to type up the above section before leaving (and probably should have posted it then) because I was definitely in no state to do it this morning. Anyways, we took the subway to Daimon where we were going to transfer to another line that would take us all the way to Asakusa where we were going to ring in the new year. I saw on the way that there was a delay on that line so I suggested we change it up and take a JR train to the nearest station and then walk the rest of the way. We did this, transferring lines at Akihabara (which would be Nick's only exposure to that spot, more tomorrow) before ending up at Asakusabashi. Then we walked the rest of the way to Sensouji. Nick found a terraced path along the Sumida River that we were able to take most of the way, which was very scenic. We got a great view of the Tokyo Skytree on the way. I'll have to add pictures of everything later.

We got to Asakusa and Sensouji around 8:30 or so and had a look around. It was already thronging with people but most of the shops in the massive arcade in front of the temple were closed for the holiday. This includes the ice cream place with its very Japanese flavor options (and the pods they prepare it from) but a couple stalls were still open. Also there were a huge number of stands in front of the temple itself, selling the expected assortment of takoyaki, yakitori, yakisoba, drinks and sweets. We took in the sights and then went to look for a place to get dinner. We found a restaurant called Shuugetsu (Autumn Moon) specializing in tempura close to the temple, along one of the side streets. There was a line outside the door and a very long wait for two of the dozen seats. We waited about an hour and a half all told and wound up being one of the last ones admitted. Their big draw was no doubt the combination of location and the promise of toshikoshi (the soba noodles one traditionally eats on New Year's Eve) so close to the temple. The wait was long and extremely chilly but the food was worth it. By the time we got out it was almost 11:30 and the police had set up cordons to direct the flow of traffic. We found a spot to the side of the temple where we got a view without being in the thick of things ourselves. The actual ringing in of the new year was almost anti-climactic compared to what one may be used to. The temple bell rang a hundred and eight times before (a significant number in Buddhism) and the crowd counted down from ten but there were no fireworks or other big visual spectacle. In its own way that was quite nice, a relatively subdued welcome to the year. Nick and I ducked out the side quickly while the Tokyo locals made their first visits to the temple in 2017 literally as soon as possible. We got lucky, found a cab almost immediately and took it back to the hotel where we immediately went to bed.

Happy 2017!

[gregandnickunplugged]

December 30

Morning (8:15 AM)

Typing this up on the flight over. The flight can't have been more comfortable. There was some turbulence early on but that was good, it kept me from drifting to sleep and I was aiming for the 'shock to the system' approach, staying up as late as possible to get on local time. Though it can't be mentioned enough that  getting used to Japan's time zone when you're on California or Hawaii time is 'fun'. Nick is hopefully going to have an easier time of it than me as he's only a few hours off in a different direction, but he's got a longer and rougher day of travel. Finalized some ideas for this evening in Tokyo that we can play by ear depending on how tired we are. There's so much I'd like to do and so little time...

Evening (11 PM)

And there's the first real day done and what a day it was! Due to a Clouseau moment of epic proportions, Nick turned out to be landing at Haneda while I landed at Narita. Oops. Well, at least he had relatively easy access to the city that way. So I got my rail pass and just made the next express train to the city and we worked out to meet at the hotel instead. Getting from Tokyo Station to Roppongi Station took a few transfers but for only 170 yen I can't complain. I got to the room to find a very relaxed Nick, having enjoyed his first hot shower in three weeks. I like the moustache he's got going, very Martin Freeman's Watson-esque. So I took a shower as well to unwind after a long day on a plane, a train and a succession of subway cars, then we hit the town.

Fist we headed to my old stomping grounds in Azabu-Juuban. Getting my bearings again took a while but I finally found some familiar landmarks. Some of what I remember is still here like the mansion on the small hill but others have gone. There's now a very small Aston Martin dealership where my regular convenience store used to be of all things, and the kushiyaki restaurant I was hoping to grab some small bites at was gone as well. Still, found my old apartment complex and it felt like I was coming home in a sense. We went to Tokyo Tower to see it but didn't enter it. Instead we headed out to find a neat bar we'd both heard of named Bar Gen Yamamoto. Unfortunately it was booked solid for the night, apparently. So we wandered around a bit as I refreshed myself with the area and realized how much nicer Roppongi has gotten since I was here last. Then we hopped on a subway car towards Shinjuku.

We wandered around there for a bit as well and I tried finding some musicians playing near the station like I remember being there in the summer, but apparently the cold keeps them away. Can't blame them, it is rather chilly. After trying and failing to find a particular sobaya I used to frequent, we went to the Takashimaya Time's Square department store and checked out its three floors of restaurants until we found Toraji, a yakiniku restaurant with a short waiting list. As luck would have it, we wound up with a small room all to ourselves. We got some beers (draught, unlabeled but I suspect it was Asahi Super Dry), rice and a chef's premium assortment plus some kalbi-style rib meat. You grill it all yourself and it wound up being a perfect way to start things off.

After that we roamed about some more as I refamiliarized myself with (a very small part of) Shinjuku and Nick got to catch a feeling for the nightlife. On our way back to the station a leisurely detour saw us run into a street performer doing magic tricks. He was very good at working the crowd and kept inviting the audience closer and closer as he pulled still more seemingly-impossible tricks. What fun to see! We got back to the hotel and crashed in short order, though I've stayed up a bit longer to write this while everything is fresh in my head. It's so amazing to be back here and to have Nick with me!

[gregandnickunplugged]

December 29

The journey begins today! Thanks to the wonder of time zones I'm effectively loaning this day out to get it back when I return, but let's not think about that today. So excited to be back in Japan after nine years and to show Nick around. He and Hannah have had such an amazing trip so far, I hope I'll be able to give him something really special for the next week.

Leaving Maui was sad but exciting at the same time and the flight and transfer couldn't have been easier. Waiting in the departure lounge in Honolulu for my flight to Narita. One odd thing I noticed, the duty-free store here sells baijiu (a Chinese liquor that I swear is repurposed industrial solvent) along with some premium whiskies but not a one of the latter is Japanese. Well, we'll just have to do something about that once we're actually in Japan.

Ah, there's the announcement. See you on the other side!