Month: July 2024

We made it safely home! I’ve been up for 26 hours, but I’m trying to stay awake just a little longer to try to get back on a sleep schedule for this hemisphere.

It was a little tense checking in to our flight due to a communications issue between Air Canada (who we booked with) and ANA (the airline operating today’s flight). Fortunately we were plenty early for check-in, as that took almost an hour.

The flight from Tokyo to Chicago was magical, with Pokemon painted on the plane, Pokemon cups, Pokemon napkins, and Pokemon headrests. The flight attendants wore Pokemon aprons while serving. We were each given a little wooden Pokemon charm as a gift. We were seated in the far back row of the plane, but could still recline our seats. Before deplaning, the flight attendant asked Elizabeth if she wanted a picture with Eevee, the stuffed Pokemon that matches the one on the plane. We graciously accepted.

We ended up bringing home an extra checked bag and an extra carryon to carry all the stuff we purchased. Customs went fairly smoothly, even though we accidentally brought prohibited items with us (a banana and a soft-boiled egg we bought at the airport convenience store and intended to eat on the plane). However, we declared it and they took care of disposing of it.

We got our rental car at O’Hare. We decided to upgrade to a full sized SUV to carry the extra luggage and us comfortably. It was a Jeep Wagoneer with only 3,000 miles on it. Unfortunately, my GPS started routing me through back highways on the way home because I had “Avoid Toll Roads” selected. I corrected it after a few choice curse words and we were on our way. Traffic wasn’t awful for Chicago and Milwaukee.

The cats were happy to see us. Midna is laying by my leg as I type this, and I’ve already got hugs from Matcha and Winston.

I have a few reflections before I call it a night:

1. Japan is such a beautiful country. The mountains, the ocean, the countryside, the architecture, all gorgeous.

2. The people are amazing. They are quiet, kind, respectful, and organized. There are no “outbursts” between people who disagree on things. They mind their own business and do what they’re supposed to do.

3. The food is just as amazing as the people. I’ve not eaten this well for so little money in a long time. The flavors are strong and pleasant, and their knowledge of food science is unreal. They have ice cream that doesn’t melt, gelatin in a jiggly ball, fluffy jiggly pancakes and cheesecake, and so much more.

4. The public transportation system truly makes it unnecessary to own a car. It’s easy to navgate (despite a couple of missteps on our part). Two people with no knowledge of the language were able to navigate the trains on our own to get where we wanted to be. Traffic was not congested at all at 2:30 on a Wednesday afternoon as we drove to the airport.

5. The toilets… I really need to get one of those toilets. It felt barbaric using the one at O’Hare when I landed.

6. The culture is rich, a combination of ancient and modern. It reaches far and wide with the popular nature of video games and anime/manga across the world.

7. In-person retail is alive and well in Japan. There were many shopping malls and retail shops, and they were busy even when not in touristy areas. In my opinion, there are more Pokemon Centers than are necessary in Japan. They are to Pokemon as the Disney Store in the mall was to Walt Disney cartoons. The kids could have spent all day in them, but we were done after a few minutes.

8. I wish the Japanese would do for air travel what it did for trains, because 13 hours is way too long of a flight!

9. If we ever do it again, I would like to see more of the countryside and historical places in Japan. Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto were all awesome, but it was all very similar. Oh, and we would NOT go during summer.

10. Speaking of summer, it was supposed to be the rainy season, but only a handful of drops hit my skin the entire time we were there. It was hot as Hades, though.

This was our final day before heading back home. We packed our bags in the morning, checked out, and took the train to the only Pokémon Center in the region that we hadn’t seen yet. It was a long, hot, walk and I got a little cranky as I had suggested a cab. The mall was nice, and we had a smoothie to cool off before doing some shopping. We did take a cab back to the train station, and on the ride back Elizabeth noticed we were going the wrong way after a few stops. We backtracked to the previous station and got back on track.

We stopped at a restaurant that had a gluten free menu and the food was amazing, the best of our trip. They made their own rice flour and cooked over a wood fire.

Walking back to the hotel we found a nice pottery shop. We stopped in and the shopkeeper was so nice. She gave us iced tea, and after making some purchases gave us a gift of a ceramic box.

We took a large minivan cab to Haneda Airport. It was so cool riding through the Tokyo highways. Our luggage barely fit with all four of us but we made it! We got checked in to the airport hotel and found something to eat. The restaurant had a beautiful view of the runway and bay.

It’s now the next morning here. We are heading to breakfast and then will check in for our flight. My next post will probably be Friday.

It’s our last night in Asakusa as tomorrow night we’re staying at a hotel in the airport. We woke up this morning and took a walk along the Sumeda River. The weather felt cooler today as there were more clouds in the sky.

Elizabeth woke up not feeling great so I took a walk to the drugstore to get some Tylenol. She wore a mask most of the day, which is what most people in Japan do when they’re not feeling well.

After an hour or so she was feeling better. We went to TWO Pokemon Centers today. Both were in upscale shopping centers in different neighborhoods. We also had a banana split at a Sesame Street Cafe.

After dinner we walked the neighborhood looking for souvenirs before spending an hour doing Karaoke. Instead of singing in a bar in front of everyone, you get a private room with your group and drinks are included. We sang for an hour before coming back to the hotel for the night.

Diana and took an early walk to Senso-Ji temple. It was strange seeing it without the crowds. With the heat index well over 100 degrees, early morning or after sunset are the best time to do things.

Afterwards we took a rush hour train to Shibuya Scramble crossing and visited another Pokemon center and Nintendo Store. I’m thinking that soon we will treated like royalty there since we’ve done so much business with them this trip.

We also stopped at a large Don Quijote store in Shabuya. It’s a big department store with food, medicine, clothing and electronics.

After that we went to a ramen place I found on line that had gluten free options. Everyone loved the food! I’m getting adept with chopsticks and have mastered the slurp.

We took the train back home to rest during the mid-day heat. Dinner was KFC, the traditional Japanese Christmas food. The original recipe tasted the same as in the US.

After sunset Diana and I strolled through some shops and got some souvenirs and a new suitcase to haul our Pokémon stuff home in. Now back at the hotel and ready to sleep.

Diana and I woke up early and decided to ride the Osaka Loop Line around the city. We exited halfway through the ride to see the 2nd tallest building in Japan and a park, but the park was closed. When we returned the kids were up and we took the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Along the ride we could see Mount Fuji through the haze.

It was quite an adventure working our way through the Tokyo subway with all our luggage, but we made it to the hotel. This was the hottest day so far, with highs of 99 degrees and heat index over 110. The hotel room is beautiful, with two bedrooms and a large kitchen/dining room area. There’s a washer/dryer combo in the room. It was nice having everyone in the same space.

While Diana and I did some laundry and rested, Elizabeth and Augusto went to a Tanabata festival about a mile from the hotel. They enjoyed the food and shopping, although they were very hot.

After sunset, we headed to Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world. The kids went to the Pokemon Center and other shops, while we went up the Sky tower. It was extremely busy, but the views were spectacular. The line to get down in the elevator was much longer than the line to get up.

We got a little turned around on the way back. The train stations can be very confusing. We made it back around 9:45.

Diana and woke up at 4 am and headed out to see Osaka Castle before the crowds woke up. The train stations and streets were eerily empty that early on Saturday. We took a while to find the Osaka Loop Line but it was a smooth ride once we did. We took a stroll through the park and then started the climb to the castle. Lots of older people were walking and running, and many were walking dogs. At the top, people were doing morning exercise. We heard shouting nearby and realized there was a group of people sword fighting in a building near the castle.

We walked down to a different station and took a subway back to the hotel. By then the kids were awake. We decided to go to Kyoto. We went to the Pokemon Center there (of course) and to Nishiki Market. We had beef tempura skewers and a crepe ice cream cone. Then more shopping before heading back to the hotel.

We decided on 7-eleven for dinner and ate in our room. We went to bed early. It’s our last day – tomorrow we ride the bullet train to Tokyo for the rest of our trip.

After waking up we headed back to Dotonbori. I had seen a classic NeoGeo video game system, one of only a few classic systems that I don’t own. The price I saw was 9480 yen (about $60). When I got back to the store I noticed a second tag on it that said 50,000 yen! The smaller amount must have been the original price. I ended up not getting it!

We walked around Dotonbori with the kids, getting a jacket for me from UniqLo, a Japanese clothing store. Elizabeth found another Pokémon Center. Diana and I split off from the kids and took a cab to GenjiSoba restaurant, which is highly rated for its gluten free Soba and tempura. It took us a bit to find the restaurant in the tiny alley where he dropped us off. Like the cafe yesterday, this was a small place with seating for about 10-12 people. The food was great and the service was amazing. We sat next to a group from California that included someone with celiac who chose it for the same reason. They helped us navigate the options.

We took the train to Umeda station and walked in the intense heat to the Umeda Sky Building to ride the escalator between the towers and visit the observation deck. We had beautiful views of Osaka.

On the way back we got turned around in the underground maze that exists between the train station and the hotel. I swear we’ve taken a different route every time (not by choice). By the time we got close to the hotel we were exhausted. We picked up dinner at 7-eleven and met the kids in our room to eat. I started having back spasms so decided to call it a day. I soaked in a hot bath to loosen up my muscles before going to bed around 7.

Between the extra walking, carrying things around for hours, and standing / keeping my balance on the train, I’m using muscles I haven’t used in a while so I’m getting sore at night. It’s definitely worth it though. This has been an amazing experience so far. One more day in Osaka and then off to Tokyo for the rest of the trip.

We took the train to the Osaka Aquarium. It was super hot and sunny. After a short wait we got in to the air conditioning and enjoyed the exhibits. Had a Ramune flavored ice cream for a snack. Stopped at the shopping center and got a hat to keep the sun off my scalp. Diana found one too. We went to a nice cafe that had gluten free options, which is hard to find here.

The kids then took a trip to Kyoto on their own while we took a nap at the hotel. After resting Diana and I went to Dotonbori for more shopping! Osaka is really beautiful at night.

Only 16,000 steps today thanks to the trains!

Day 2. Bus – Express train – Bullet train – local train – 8 block walk to the hotel in 88 degrees and humid. All while carrying luggage.

Checked in to the hotel, then walked to the Pokémon store, Nintendo store, and a few other stores.

Breakfast was in the hotel, dinner was a bento box on the train, dinner was at a Korean restaurant. I had Waygu beef Bulgagi.

We’re exhausted but having a good time!

This is the face of a girl returning to Japan after over a year. This time, she’s not going alone. She’s part of a party of four. We were too busy surviving checkpoints, moving walkways, trains, and shuttle busses to take more pictures, but I hope to get some this week to share. Heading to Osaka today.