Thursday, December 31, 2015

Japan trip 11 Nov to 21 Nov 2015 日本之旅 - 十一月十一号至十一月二十一号

My daughter planned our Japan - Tokyo trip by herself. Main consideration was not to stress the two seniors. She had to ensure that we are physically capable to travel and will not be stretched to the limit . Taking taxi in Japan was expensive, so our Japan trip will have to rely on public transport; bus, metro and train. We took the SQ 634 to Japan -Tokyo Haneda International airport and returned by SQ 631. The flight to Tokyo took off at 14:05 hr. The flight took 7 hours and we landed at Haneda International airport at 21:40 hr (Japan time). Japan is one hour ahead of Singapore. Instead of rushing to Shinjuku in the late hour after 7 hours flight, we chose to check in the airport hotel, Royal Park Hotel for a night upon arrival. The Hotel was within walking distance from the arrival hall. Many airline crews also staying in Royal Park Hotel for convenience. We also booked the Royal Park Hotel for another night stay for our return flight because of early checking in (6.15 am). This was my second visit to Japan. My first visit to Japan- Hokkaido was many years back. Japan is the country that impressed me. The country is very clean even though you do not see many dust bins around. People are well discipline. They do throw things indiscriminately. The service staff are polite . They always smile and spoke softly to the customers. I really liked the unique hands free toilet design feature in the hotels. It is convenient, tidy and hygienic. It is a great invention!





                                                                                          Boarding pass

      

                                                                                            SQ634


                                                                              SQ 634 to Tokyo                                

                                                                                       Gate B8



11 Nov 2015 (Wed)
We took a taxi to Changi airport terminal 3 and checked in our flight SQ 634 early. Knowing that we will be having Japanese food for the next 11 days, we chose to have Chinese food for lunch at the airport before boarding. After arriving and settling down, we went to the airport tourist information counter to make some enquiry. We bought the Tokyo subway 3 days tickets for 1,500 yen per adult and another 2 days tickets for 1.200 yen per adult. These tickets enable the tourists to make multiple trips on the metro within a day. We will be staying in Shinjuku 新宿 for 3 days and move on to Hakone and lake Kawaguchiko then returning to Shinjuku for another two day before leaving Japan for home. We also explored the berth for airport limousine bus transport to hotel Sunroute Plaza Shijuku, our next hotel accommodation.We had salad for dinner at the airport Mos cafe before going to bed.


                                                                                   Haneda airport







                                                                             















                                                                                 Toilet bowl control panel

                                                                                    Auto cleansing toilet


                                                                                        Room 221


                                                                               Hotel drinks vending machine

12 Nov 2015 (Thurs)
We had breakfast at the Mos cafe before checking out of Royal Park Hotel and took the 11.20 am airport limousine bus to hotel Sunroute Plaza Shijuku. The limousine bus stopped right in front of the hotel drop off point. We were too early for checking in (3.00 pm) so we left our luggage with the hotel and went to Takashimaya Time Square for a walk. We bought our lunch bento set at the Takashimaya food square and then visited the Gyoen National Garden by MRT. We had our picnic there. We returned to the hotel in late afternoon. After settling down and a short break, we walked to the near by shopping mall, Lumine and stopped by at the Kobe Gyunta restaurant for dinner .We strolled the subway pedestrian's mall and had coffee at the Top House bakery and cafe.



                                                                                     Breakfast at Mos cafe

                                                                                         Nice coffee



                                                                                     Shinjuku street view


                                                                                       My dream car








                                                                                    Gyoen National Garden



                                                                                           Lunch bento set

                                                                              Gyoen National Garden
                           



















                                                                                            Optical illusion







                                                                                   JR Train ticketing machine

                                                                                   MRT

                                                                              Dinner at Takashimaya square
                                                                              Kobe Gyunta restaurant

                                                                                              Food was cooked
                                                                                              at the counter








                                                                                   Coffee after dinner



                                                                                 Shinjuku night scene






13 Nov 2015 (Fri)
We took the MRT Oedo line to Tsukiji Nippon Fish Port Market. This place was one of the tourists attraction. It was very crowded when we arrived. We tasted many local food along the way and also bought some dry sea food like small sliver fish and cuttle fish. We liked the road side ramen very much. It was one of the best ramen ( Japanese noodle) I had tasted so far in Japan. We had late lunch at the MUJI cafe. We shopped at the MUJI 无印良品 departmental mall and the forever popular Uni QLO fashion store. Dinner was at Yayoiken, an restaurant recommended by the trip advisor. It was value for money meal. The price ( 750 yen ) was reasonable and the food tasted good. The price was inclusive of free flow of rice and green tea.






                                                                                       cuttle fish stall


                                                                                   This man talked a lot but
                                                                                    I can't catch a word








                                                                                       Road side ramen stall



                                                                                         Stand to eat taste better


                                                                                      Father and son team

                                                                                            700 yen ramen

                                                                                     Too good to miss ramen










                                                                                 Tasting in small quantity




                                                                                            Lunch at Muji cafe


                                                                                           Uni QLO outlet

                                                                                       Value for money dinner



                                                                                      Yatoiken restaurant



                                                                                   Meal ordering machine


                                                             



14 Nov 2015 (Sat)
It was light drizzling in the morning. We visited another tourist attraction at the Senso-ji temple. We sampled the local food along the way. We went to Odaiba and visited the Aqua City building in the afternoon. Aqua City shopping mall was built on a man made island near the Tokyo Bay. Hilton Hotel and many up market luxury condominiums were built on this island. A Toyota City showcase was in the Aqua City. Many old, new and future cars were on display. We shopped at Daiso and had ramen in one of the eatery before going back to the hotel for rest.    


                                                                                    Senso-ji temple



                                                                                          Chest nut

















                                                                                         Green tea ice cream


                                                                                       Train to Aqua City








                                                                               Aqua City statue of Liberty
                                                                               behind uncle Pao





                                                                                          Hilton Hotel

                                                                                           Coffee break at Aqua City



                                                                                    Hilton Hotel at night




























                                                                                        Toyota Sai car









                                                                                   Dinner at Aqua City


                                                                                    Ramen






15 Nov 2015 (Sun)
We checked out of the Sunroute Plaza hotel in the morning. We left behind our big luggage with the Sunroute Plaza hotel and carried with us the small luggage. We will return to the Sunroute Plaza hotel 3 days later. We will stay in  Hakone for 2 days and 1 day in Lake Kawaguchiko. We walked 5 minutes in the light drizzle to the train station. The train tickets were pre-booked on line. We took the 8.30 am ( romance car ) train and arrived Hakone Yumoto at 10.00 am. After making enquiry at the tourist information counter at the train station, we took the private shuttle bus (100 yen per person) to our hotel Nanpusu 南风庄. The hotel was built next to the mountain with a stream running by its side. The environment was very quiet. As it was too early for checking in, we left out luggage with the hotel reception and and went for lunch and shopping. We bought the tourist bus ticket and took a bus to Gotemba premium outlet. The premium outlet sold most of the branded goods at discounted pricing. The premium outlet was the shoppers paradise. We managed to get some bargain hunting from the outlets, Gaps, Nike and Adidas. We checked in Nampusu  hotel officially at 6.30 pm and the went for the hotel onsen (Japanese hot spring bath) before our dinner. Dinner was set up and served in our room. We had a good serve of Shashimi (Japanese raw sea food). After dinner, a skillful senior uncle came in to set up the Japanese traditional bed, tatami for us.


                                                                                       Train (romance car)
                                                                                       to Hakone








                                                                                        Lunch at Hakone




                                                                                     Hakone fire station





                                                                                      Nanpusu hotel


                                                                                    View from our room



                                                                                    Dinner served in the room




                                                                                    Tatami bedding
                   



                                                                                         Hands free toilet




                                                                                      Gotemba premium outlet



                                                                                  Gotemba  Premium outlet










16 Nov 2015 (Mon)
We took the Hakone Tozan train from Yumoto train station to Gora and took the cable car to Togendai-ko. Along the route we can have a glimpse of Mount Fuji. But we can't have a full view of Mount Fuji on that day due to weather condition. Part of the mountain top was covered by clouds. We took a ferry from Togendai-ko to Hakone Macho-ko pier and then took a bus back to Yumoto. Once again we enjoyed the onsen in the hotel before dinner.


                                                                                           Train to Tozan




















                                                                               Mount Fuji top covered by clouds
       



                                                                                        Cable car ride

                                                                                   Hakone Gora park










                                                                                           Lunch






                                                                                         Uncle Pao


                                                                                           Queuing for ferry


                                                                               Ferry ride from Togendai-ko
                                                                               to Hakone Macho pier












                                                                                   Shashimi dinner










17 Nov 2015 (Tue)
We left Hakone Yumoto for Lake Kawaguchiko by bus. We contacted the lake hotel upon arrival. A bus from the lake hotel came to pick up our luggage at the bus station and we went straight to the Kachi Kachi Ropeway for cable car ride. At the mountain viewing galley, we can see  Mount Fuji from a distance and the town below. What a spectacular scene! We checked in the hotel at the 6.30 pm. and went for the hotel onsen before dinner.

                                                                                     Bus to Lake Kawaguchiko



                                                                                 Waiting for bus to
                                                                                 Lake Kawaguchiko




                                                                             Mount Fuji view from bus terminal




                                                                                         Bus terminal


                                                                                  Bus terminal to Lake Kawaguchiko








                                                                                            Lunch










                                                                                           Mount Fuji tip
                                                                                           obscured by clouds











                                                                                 Waiting for bus to hotel






                                                                                         Autumn scene


                                                                                        Lake Kawaguchiko



                                                                                        Our lake hotel

                                                                                       Our lake hotel entrance


                                                                                     hotel antique phone



                                                                                         Pao san


                                                                                  Japanese buffet dinner








                                                                                       Misty morning




                                                                                      Mount Fuji view
                                                                                      from bus terminal


                                                                             


18 Nov 2015 (Wed)
I went to the hotel onsen for the last time before breakfast. We took the hotel transport to the bus station and took the Koei Highway Express coach back to Shinjuku. We reached Sunroute Plaza hotel at noon. It was too early to check in so we left our luggage at the hotel reception and went for our lunch and shopping at Takashimaya time square.

                                                                                      Koei Highway express


                                                                                Koei Highway express
                                                                                arriving Shinjuku

                                                                             Lunch at Takashimaya square











19 Nov 2015 (Thurs)
We had breakfast at Gontran Cherrier Tokyo cafe. This was a popular french cafe with the local and the tourists. It served good french pastry and coffee. We wanted to visit the Imperial Palace but were rather disappointed. We realised it was closed for renovation when we reached there. We went for our next destination, the TMG no. 1 building. This building gave free access to the public. We took the shuttle lift to the 45th storey. We had commanding view of  the whole Tokyo city.


                                                                                      Popular French cafe


                                                                                 French pastry






                                                                           Tokyo city view from
                                                                           TMG building 45th storey













20 Nov 2015 (Fri)
We spent the whole day shopping at Takeya 本馆. This shopping mall consists of 3 blocks. A wide varieties of goods can be found here. Watches, cosmetic, health care products, sports attires, garments, shoes, electronic goods, home appliances, food stuff and many others.....



                                                                                        Lunch break






21 Nov 2015 (Sat)
After breakfast we went to Shibuya, The popular busy traffic junction with all directional crossing. The traffic lights will turn red at the same time to all the road junctions and pedestrians can cross the road simultaneously at any direction. We visited the Shrine before checking out of Sunroute Plaza hotel. There were not much shopping outlets at the airport, we decided to take the late 6.30 pm airport limousine bus so that we can have more time to shop at Shinjuku.




                                                                                        Shibuya crossing




                                                                                Shibuya smoking corner

                                                                                        Children outing




                                                                                     Shrine entrance









                                                                                   Lunch - Korean food













22 Nov 2015 (Sun)
Our return flight to Singapore was 8.15 am and we need to check in at 6.15 am. and staying at the airport hotel for a night had the advantage. After checking in we had breakfast in the airport departure hall  cafe and did some shopping before boarding SQ631. Balik Rumah - Going Home - 回家 !


      

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