Ok, last night before departure in the morning - non-foodies, turn the page. We had a wonderful dinner, but had trouble finding the restaurant, even with Google Maps GPS it was tough, I asked a couple of nice young ladies (who spoke flawless English, btw), and they helped us find it. Down this alley, around the corner, etc. anyway, Kaiseki again, and quite tasty. Last pic - those baby eel eyes are just staring at you, "don’t eat me"!

As always, these things just seem to go too fast, I’m a little depressed that it’s coming to an end. But we’re back on the road in less than 2 months, so stay tuned!

Our departure tomorrow is at the exact four-week mark of this trip - and it occurred to me a few days ago, that we haven’t turned a TV on, anywhere along the way, for a single moment. Really quite glorious. (other than the missed hockey, of course)

Well, ladies and gents, we’ve zoomed by the sixteenth pole, and are just about at the end of this one. This is our last full day, tomorrow we take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo in the afternoon, and board a red-eye flight home. Odd that we take off from Tokyo approx 9:00 PM Wednesday, fly all night, and land at approx 9:00 AM Wednesday - so we arrive 12 hours before we left.

Beautiful Kyoto setting & bamboo forest.

Beautiful kimonos and octopus on a stick.

just...around

We’ve taken the shinkansen from Hakone to Kyoto. Whereas Tokyo is massive and teeming and tech-forward, Kyoto seems older and more restrained, drenched in tradition and history. Beautiful Shinto shrines and wonderful gardens.

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The Japanese have figured out that they can do quite well by appealing to different demographics. In this case “Flavor” vs “No Flavor.”

On the way back down the other side of the mountain, the funicular had a certain turn of the century feel to it, like a train or San Francisco cable car.

As the cable car (they call it a “rope-way”) ascended, we got further and further up into the clouds. Last pic became....optimistic.

So. Enough talk about food and bathrooms. We did a circle tour of Hakone National Park area, first leg by bus, then a cruise up Lake Ashi (on a very understated vessel), then various cable cars and funiculars back to our starting point.

There is no bath or shower within each room, but there is the same mineral bath setup attached to each room, with the same sit-on-a-rock shower/shampoo station, but it’s very small and cramped. The thing is, all these mineral baths, with their required shower rituals first, are OUTSIDE. And it’s been in the mid-to-high 30’s for our few days here. So for the mineral baths, the just-before and just-after moments are COLD! Apparently the natives just regard it as part and parcel of the “back to nature” thing.

Then after an 8-course dinner served in the room, guests normally head for the private mineral baths. First, one showers and shampoos and rinses off while sitting on the rocks (standing is considered déclassé for reasons I wouldn’t dream of understanding). Then one soaks in the hot geothermal mineral water for as long as one can stand it. No pictures of naked people to follow. You’re welcome.

Most Japanese style inns, called ryokans, are largely the same design - this is our room. You’ll notice a curious absence - beds. Meals are served in the room at the low table in the middle, then the table descends flush with the floor and futons are brought out, placed on the floor and arranged with sheets and quilts. I was a little skeptical at first, but it was actually quite comfortable!

So, we have left Tokyo, taken the shinkansen (bullet train) to Hakone, a National Park area in Japan. We had great views of Mt. Fuji on the way, and are told we’re lucky, as she is almost always hidden by clouds.

We went to a famous sushiya in Tokyo last night. I call the toro “Wagyu fish”. We will not be discussing $$. *ahem*

We signed up for a “street food” tour for several hours around lunchtime today. Wonderful stuff at little hole-in-the-wall places, organized by a local who knows her stuff.

Ending with matcha tea, served in the traditional manner.

Asahi is one of the biggest beer brewing companies in Japan, and their headquarters (left) is designed to look like a big glass of beer, with foam at the top. They wanted to add a giant flame alongside, when the Olympics were here, but neighboring buildings objected to the design and blockage of their views. So they compromised & installed the flame, but sideways.

At a major Shinto shrine, with incense & purification rituals.

Otani is everywhere. If you have to ask, you need to do some baseball homework. 😜⚾️

Kiyosumi Garden, in Tokyo.

That incredibly marbled raw beef on the right is, yes, Wagyu. Of course, all that fat is the main reason for the flavor. Then again, the last pic is crab brains. (make mine a small portion)

Our hotel room view this morning. And yes, just to the right of the tower, is the frequently cloud-covered Mount Fuji, quite clear.

So, greetings from Tokyo! We flew out of Hong Kong this afternoon, and have just dragged ourselves into our small but comfy room in Tokyo. Japan is, if memory serves, #67 on the ol’ “countries visited” checklist. We hope there are (and I’m planning for) many more to come!

You know it’s a fancy-schmantzy joint if they have a sterling silver holder designed to fit the bottled water.

Our dinner at Nobu in Hong Kong. Non-foodies....proceed to next post.