The slight inconvenience had saved us quite a fare bit of money and it was worth the trouble. The link gave information with regard to buying travel mileage. ( https://mainlymiles.com/ )
Our Japan trip itinerary was as follows:
Singapore - Kular Lumpur (transit) - Tokyo (Ueno - Sugamo - ) - Sendai (Shiogama - Matsushima 松岛 )- Aomori - Hirazumi (Geibikei gorge) - Tokyo - ( Yokohama ) - Singapore
2 Oct 2018 (Tuesday)
We had early dinner (TGM Japanese Korean Cusine) at the Singapore Changi international Airport after checking in the Malaysia Airline MH620 departing 1635 hr for Kular Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). We collected our luggage at the KLIA arrival hall and checked in Japan Airline Business Class counter at the same airport departure hall for JL0724 departing 2250 hr to Japan Tokyo Narita International Airport. After getting our boarding pass, we proceeded to the Plaza Premium First for meals and took a bath before departure. The business Class seats had more space and leg rooms as compared to the premium economy / economy class. The seats in the Business Class can be fully reclined. But too bad I can't sleep as it had passed my usual sleeping time.
for business class passenger
boarding pass
cabin
cup noddle
landing
3 Oct 2018 (Wednesday)
Arrived at Tokyo Narita International airport early in the morning. We settled all the train tickets that required for the trip before leaving the airport. We had purchased the 5 days tourists train tickets package. The tourists train tickets which allowed multiple travels for 5 days by trains which also included traveling on the Shinkansen. For traveling on the Shinkansen with reserved seat we had to pre- booked the tickets with the help of the train station officer. One important point to note was that the date and time on the Shinkansen ticket must be observed. Any error will make the ticket invalid.
We took the high speed limited stopping train from the airport to Ueno station and pulled our luggage to the Centurion hotel which was with walking distance from the train station. As it was too early to check in, we deposited our luggage at the hotel and took the train to walk around at Nippori and had lunch.
Dinner was at the restaurant that next to our hotel.
to Ueno
speed train
this sign
Tokyo - Ueno station
station
hotel
train carriage
near hotel
restaurant
next to hotel
go with food
4 Oct 2018(Thursday)
After breakfast, we took the train to Sugamo. The place where many seniors and tourists went there for shopping and food. I observed that the Japanese seniors were very healthy and independent. Some even went outing on their own. This could be due to having regular exercise and healthy food. The Japanese seniors also dressed up neatly and fashionably.
to Sugamo
Sugamo
5 Oct 2018 (Friday)
Checked out of Centurion hotel early morning and to travel light we deposited some luggage with the hotel for the returning stay. We took the 8.02 am Shinkansen bullet train to Sendai. We deposited our luggage at the Hotel Monterey and went for breakfast at the Doutor cafe. We then took the train to Shiogama and then booked the ferry ride to Matsushima island 松岛. We had Shushi for lunch. Dinner was Sendai popular cow tongue meal at the restaurant near the Hotel Monterey. The cow tongue was very chewy not to my liking.
to Sendai
Monterey
at Sendai
& sandwich
Sendai station
provided by the hotel
6 Oct 2018 (Saturday)
Checked out of Hotel Monterey and took the Senkansen to Shin - Aomori 新青森. After deposited our luggage at the Sunroute Aomori Hotel , we visited the Apple Factory and then took a stroll at the marina. We had simple lunch at the Aomori train station restaurant. We took a bus to the cable car station 山丽驿。For dinner, we had deep fried pork chop rice and deep fried oyster rice at the super mart restaurant.
cticket to Shin-
Aomori
station restaurant
cable car station
bus station
pork chop set
oyster set
from the hotel
from the hotel
7 Oct 2018 (Sunday)
Checked out of Sunroute Aomori hotel and took the train to Morioka and then transferred to the Shinkansen to Hiraizumi 平泉. Checked in to Onsen Hotel 平泉驿. We had hot spring bath before our Japanese cuisine dinner at the hotel restaurant .
Shinkansen
train station
8 Oct 2018 (Monday)
After taking the hotel breakfast, we took the train to Ichinoseki , a train station near the Geibikie George. We bought the boat tickets and took a ride at the George. After lunch at Ichinosekie, we took the train back to Hiraizumi and walked around for the scenery and also visited the tourists attraction, the Choson-ji temple.
entrance/ boat ticket
George
from Aomori
building seldom
seen in Japan
9 Oct 2018 (Tuesday)
Checked out hotel early morning at 7.30 am for the 8.00 am train from Hiraizumi to Tohoku station and then transferred to the Shinkansen heading back to Tokyo, Ueno. In was too early to check in to Centurion hotel. We dropped in our luggage at the hotel and took the train to Ebisu for the popular Ramen at Afuri. We did our shopping at Takaya (Uneo - Okachimachi station) the whole afternoon. Dinner was having yakitori (barbecue stick) at the Torikizoku restaurant.
Shinkansen
10 Oct 2018 (Wednesday)
We had alfresco breakfast in the hotel attached out door bath area that facilitated with coffee table and chairs before heading to Yokohama for a day visit. We visited the Yokohama Chinatown (Motomachi - Chokagai) - 元町- 中华街. Coincidentally, it was a double tens day (tenth of October) , the local Chinese celebrated the Taiwan National day. There were lion dances and procession activity in Yokohama Chinatown. We had Chinese food for lunch.
alfresco breakfast
China town
lunch
National Day
11 Oct 2018 (Thursday)
Took the train to Akihara (秋叶原）and shopping at Yodobashi - Akiba was a very big shopping mall. The mall had a wide range of variety goods from electronic products to electrical appliances to household items and fashion apparel.
toilet are clean and
well maintained
hotel - Dinner
dessert
12 Oct 2028 (Friday)
We checked out of the Centurion hotel after breakfast. And left our luggage at the hotel for last minute shopping around the vicinity. We collected our luggage after lunch at the Lotteria cafe. We took the limited stop fast train to Narita airport. After getting our boarding passes, we went straight to the Sakura First Class lounge for our meal. We took the flight JL 711 to Singapore.
train to airport
lounge
Premium
lounge
seating
control
panel
seating
dinner
