Shochu!

One of the two attractions at the bottom of the mountain, the Kyushu Shochu Kan with over 300 varieties. The other place to go is a lovely Japanese garden you can see from the cable car. But I'm going to wait at the bus stop in the sun, listen to the hideously cheesy music on the loudspeakears and eat my ginger senbei.

What season?

It may be spring on the ground, but it's still winter up here! The cherry trees are covered in hoarfrost. The ride up is 10 minutes long, and one sharp-eyed passenger spotted two deer on the slope. Watching the scenery unfold as you go up is amazing. I think I was one of the few who didn't turn back right away - mine were the only tracks in the snow further up, and I only met guys clearing snow and the service men who came up with me.

Up, up and away

I'm happy to report that the onsen was great - I went again this morning. It's big enough that it doesn't feel crowded even with 20 or so people, and the outside rotenburo is smaller but lovely - sitting in a warm bath with cold drizzle falling through the wooden slats above.

After the bath I finished off my hot spring boiled eggs from the Sea Hell, checked out and left my case at the hotel, got my one day bus pass from the tourist office and had a coffee and doughnut at Mister Donut before taling the bus out to the Mt. Tsurumi Ropeway. The mountains look great, so looking forward to it.

Tonight's menu

Tofu and vegetables with inari, tamago (egg) and rolled sushi courtesy of the supermarket next to the station. With green tea, assuming the prehistoric hot water pot doesn't blow up, break down or set the room on fire. For my supposed luxury hotel of the trip, I'm not impressed. They've put me in a smoking room as well. The onsen had better be good, but I'll wait for a bit as a fraction of the population of China were on their way in when I got back from making my seat reservations for tomorrow.

What could be cuter than animals?

Animal sweets. Of course.

Obviously

Collagen marshmallows, to make you beautiful from the inside (Note: found in the in-hotel 100 yen shop). They were selling drinking collagen in the supermarket too, at the till where you normally find sweets.

Hell at night

Not even 7pm and it's dark already. Most places seem to shut at 5, but I'll head out and see what there is to be seen. Will get up early tomorrow and head up Mt. Tsurudake, then try a sand bath and maybe the aquarium.

Dragon Hell!

The Pond of Blood

Welcome to hell!

I'm in Beppu, town of the many hells! Some have been pretty tacky (the ones Rough Guide says to miss in particular) but a lot of fun and impressive too.

The one in the photo was closed and wasn't in the guidebook. Sounds awesome.

Lunch time

My healthy Tokkaido bentou from Shin-Osaka.

All change - going south

My next train, the Hikari Rail Star 553 to Kokura.

Because dogs need presents too

A display of presents for dogs and dog lunchboxes at Shin-Osaka station.

Farewell Kyoto

Early start today for the long trip to Kyushu. And the most dangerous part of the trip is now - getting my case down my homestay family's killer stairs. Dad knows what I mean...

Renunciation of worldly desires

I made it out of the 2-storey Chirimen Museum on Shijo-dori remarkably unscathed. It helped that most of the things were ormaments and I don't really do ornaments. Last stop was the 10th floor of the Isetan department store in Kyoto Station, where I was pleased to see my favourite shop Pyonya of the Moon (anything so long as it has a rabbit on it) doing well with a branch of the equally lovely Yumemiya next door. But I was out of money and time, so I bade them a fond farewell and went back to my homestay family for a final dinner together.

Temptation everywhere!

A second-hand kimono shop selling fabric, old kimonos and everything that goes with them. I would never have found it - it's off the main roads - without picking up a discount card for it in Shinpukan.

I don't think I really get kimono, obi and all the other trappings. The pricing seems random to me, but I'm sure there's logic behind it.

Bet you didn't know she wore glasses

More!

I also found Cocon, which was mostly restaurants but did have Arctus which was like a grown up George's from Shinpukan. Lots of cool imported stuff.

Cafe? Salon?

It's a cafe/deli/restaurant with a disco ball on the top floor of Shinpukan and it's delicious! Mixed deli starter, simmered pork and mixed mushroom donburi followed by yuzu chiffon cake, banana cake, vanilla ice cream and coffee.

Dammit, I want to live here and run tours.

So, still crazy after all these years

If you were wondering where all the crazy stuff was, it's here. Right next to the fabric shop in Village Vanguard.

NOTE: In case the pictures aren't clear, the middle one has bath bombs that give you a Super Mario figure, a plastic doughnut... or a breast or a poo. Or you have the USB stick dogs that, er, move. You know. I also got a Space Invaders ice cube tray for himself.

Fabric overdose

This shop with fabric, ribbon and trimmings was right next door.

Okay, I'll buy that one.

These were all in the window of a Diesel shop in Shinpukan on Karasuma-dori. Loving it.

No, not that either.

I really don't think so. Not even here.

Another fine day today

It's raining again, but I've had my reserved seats changed, found where all the places I want to go are thanks to the tourist information office (plus some more!) and a quilting exhibit in a department store. Now to make the most of my 'extra' day!

NOTE: I was still being an idiot. The quilting exhibit didn't start until April 1. But I found plenty of other stuff...

Me time

I managed to destroy my lovely bag made of Ise indigo fabric before I left Zurich, so I need something sub-laptop bag size. And I have some prize money from the ITI J-Net translation competition. And it's gorgeous and I've always wanted something from Raak. Win all round!

Yet more proof that I am an idiot

I don't leave Kyoto tomorrow. My hotel reservation in Beppu isn't until Thursday. I had the train times written down under the wrong day in my itinerary.

Need to be at the station at 8:30 tomorrow to change my seat reservations. But before that, I'll do as Tamiho jokingly suggested and check my flight details.

Let's go to see the sea marshmallows!

That's what it says. I don't need to make any of this up.

Guess who I found!

Like Ninen-zaka isn't tempting enough as it is!

Yay!

The Fureaikan was open! And they had a kumihimo lobster!

Fabric heaven

Made it to the Nishijin Textile Center in the middle of their kimono fashion show!

Fruity?

A fruit and veg low calorie Kit-Kat in the 100 yen shop. No, I wasn't tempted.

Dessert Uji style

Uji is famed for its green tea, here made into a chiffon cake. I also got some insanely good green tea chocolate at the same shop I got some tea for Dad, and although I only got 3 pieces because it was so expensive I would have got more if I'd tasted it then...

Lunch in Kyoto

Today was a dead loss in terms of sightseeing, but a win in other ways. I was taken along to my homestay family's granddaughter's primary school gymnastics show, then had lunch with my homestay mom, went shopping with her for dinner (managed to pick up some amazing origami paper in the 100 yen shop in the supermarket) then did a bit of planning before dinner with the whole family.

Today was a bank holiday, so many museums that are normally closed on a Monday will have opened today and be closed tomorrow, my last day in Kyoto. I probably won't get to see the Fureaikan Museum of Traditional Arts, which was top of my list.

But never mind. Tomorrow is my oyster. And my wash day.

Next!

Taken from the platform as I waited for the bullet train from Nagoya to Kyoto. Not enough time!

Had a fantastic meal and chat with a teacher from my Japanese school and a far too short catch up with Dawn and Simon. Now arriving in Kyoto to stay with the Mizutanis!

And healthier than most economies too

Thursday, Friday, happy days

Thursday got off to a late start due to an enjoyable breakfast with my host's husband after he came back from dropping their sons off at the creche, and spending some time on the computer planning routes. I really wish this phone had data for that and maps.

I exchanged my voucher for the JR Rail Pass at Shibuya, then went to book my seats for travelling to Nagoya the next day, plus my crazy overnight route back from Nagasaki to Narita. By the time all that was done there wasn't much time before I was due at an agency for lunch, so I parked myself in a cafe and did some emailing, managing to trash the phone battery in the process. I got badly lost in Shiro-Kanedai, and the battery died as I was explaining to the agency that I'd be late - a great show all round. I finally got there and they loved the chocolates and double-sided business cards, and I ended up having a very nice lunch and chat with the boss.

I had had some vague intention of going on the Big O hubless and spokeless ferris wheel and the Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster at Tokyo Dome, or else looking for craft kits in Shibuya or Shinjuku, but once again there wasn't time before heading out to Chiba for 6pm.

In Chiba I met up with a translator I'd been working with for the last two weeks on a particularly large project. We ate at an Indian restaurant which was quite nice but the state of the waiter's jacket might have made you leave before you found that out - it looked like he had rolled in curry. I headed back at 8pm and got off at Suidobashi just after 9pm, hurrying across the road to Tokyo Dome as the guidebook said it was open until 10, but unfortunately that was the area and not the rides. Foiled! I made my way back to Meguro for my last night in Tokyo.

I was far enough over my jet lag that I slept through my host leaving the the next morning, so we resorted to saying goodbye over email. After breakfast with her husband I went back to the station with my cases and headed towards Yokohama to get to Kamakura, where I had a fantastic lunch and stroll up to Hachiman-Jingu with my friend and her little girl. I was sorely tempted to just keep on going to the giant buddha and Enoshima, but Nagoya beckoned.

The bullet train was on time as always, and I transferred to the Chuo Line to get to the Iidas' for the evening. We had a wonderful meal and great chat, and I was sorry I had to leave the next morning. But the whole trip has been and I think will be like that. There's only so much you can pack into 2.5 weeks.

You might want to rethink that name

Cake!

Very yummy sakura and mattcha rolls and coffee! Wish I lived nearer...

Vive le dimanche!

Yes, I know it's Friday. But I've just had this amazing ham and poached egg sandwich at Cafe Vivement Dimanche in Kamakura! Coffee and sakura roll to follow!

The evening before and morning after

Wednesday afternoon was spent with the handmade/craft shops guide I had bought before coming out. I got to Naka-Meguro, diverted to Book Off for a very successful search for issues of Tsubasa and XXX-Holic, and two Asian Kung-Fu Generation CDs as well. Those who know me know my amazing map-reading skills. As in amazingly bad. It didn't help that there was no mention of which exit to take at Daikanyama, or that most of the shops and some of the landmarks in Ebisu were (no longer?) there at all.

Call the Swiss!

Yo-yo macaroon? Looks like a Luxemburgerli to me...

To a certain person

I'm not trying to wind you up, honest!

Yokohama

I don't know if it's the jet lag, but Yokohama isn't appealing to me. Best thing so far has been the hit of sea air in this park. Maybe I've just been to all the wrong places. Onwards to Chinatown.

No prizes for guessing where I'm going

Batteries and mattcha latte acquired. Memory stick reformatted after several photos showed blue screen of death and "File Error". Hopefully now good for over 1,200 photos at 3M!

Plan B

This morning did not go to plan. I had switched the camera to 3M in case I ever want to print, but 22 photos were taking up 75% of my 2G card. The batteries died before I could get the photos off. The backup batteries were flat. I decided to trash (reformat)the card after getting new AAs.

Headed out at 9:00 and got lost in about 5mins. Got on a bus I thought was going to Naka-Meguro and ended up at Shibuya instead. Decided this was an omen and went straight to Yokohama instead of following one of my shopping guides around the area I'm staying in. Might do it tomorrow.

Even getting the train wasn't without its challenges. I kept asking the poor guard if I had the right ticket for the limited express on platform 3 while he tried to tell me it was on platform 2. Jet lag, I hope.

And JR are holding a contest to name the next bullet train! That's the poster for it outside Shibuya station.

Breakfast of champions

Can you tell I'm in a house with small children? This is my breakfast, left for me by Dad as he took the kids to creche.

Passengers are requested not to sleep on the floor

No joke - it`s in the SAS flight safety video. Makes you wonder what class of passenger they get...

The flight from Zurich to Copenhagen was fine, in a thin plane which had two seats each side of a very narrow aisle, apart from the man beside me who would alternately nearly smack me in the face with his elbow while tearing pages out of magazines and stuffing them down the front of his sweater, breathe out open-mouthed making a humming noise, and adjust his privates conspicously. I hoped he was not going to Tokyo.

Copenhagen airport is very nice, and has a Lego shop with Lego Star Wars t-shirts! I could only see kid sizes. I sat and read my guidebooks until it was time to board the Tokyo flight. It was packed solid and my neighbour couldn`t operate the in-flight entertainment, kept hitting the call bell by mistake and tried to take a used hot towel from the attendent collecting them. The meals were okay and seats pretty comfortable. I watched New Moon until the vampire came back in, at which point it got pretty boring and I listened to music and tried to doze through my neighbour getting changed and repacked in her seat.

Tokyo was an incredible 20 degrees when we landed, and I made my way through immigation and customs without problems. There were several adorable sniffer labradors on constant patrol, and I was asked if I lived in Japan for some reason (as the customs guy was flicking through my passport with the embarcation card stapled to it). I found the post office and got my phone, stopped for a drink, then on to the Keisei line to Ueno and then out by subway to Kami-Meguro where my friend lives.

We got back to hers and I told her about the Niagara Curry House featured in the English-language Asahi paper that weekend, and it turns out she brings her kids there all the time! We went and had what she tells me is an average curry, but it`s all good for me. Photos are here!

After we got back to her house we chatted until she went to pick her sons up from the creche about 5:00, and I went for a lie down. Woke up at 10:00 as the boys were being put to bed. Went back to sleep and woke up very early indeed - it`s now just gone 7:00am and people are moving. Time to get washed and dressed and hit Tokyo!

I'm here!

Just a quick one to say I arrived safely and am now at Hanae's. More tomorrow when I have a proper keyboard!

Early one Swiss morning

I got an early train this morning to get to the airport on time, buying a ticket for the first time in ages - probably since I got the post-9am pass last November.

I've never seen Monday morning commuters so cheerful. Talking, laughing, slapping each other on the back... one man even jumped down the stairs to catch a friend as they got off.

I must be missing something!

Ready, steady, go!

Well, the day has finally rolled around! I have checked in online and have the case mostly ready to go, half full of presents and half full of clothes. I normally spend weeks working myself up before I go to Japan, which has not been the case this time as the last two weeks have been stupidly busy - I learned a certain amount, mainly not to overestimate how much I can do and that working with hard copy documents with complex formatting is far worse than I even thought it was.

We almost got there with the flat in the UK. It should take another day to pack the last few boxes, seal them and really be ready to have the movers come. I will try again after I get back. Other things that did not get done were me registering - still stuck in a Catch-22 situation for that but got some help from people in himself's office - and getting back into my smaller jeans. Oh well, I tend to walk all the time in Japan. And eat a lot. Well, hopefully it won't get any worse.

In good news, I got the provisional pass on my MA (need to wait for final approval from the exam board) and I won the ITI Japanese Network translation competition 2010 in the novice (less than 3 years in the business) category! Not so good news is that my homestay father in Japan has been diagnosed with lung cancer. He sounds in good spirits and is writing in his usual almost impeccable English so I hope he's going to be all right.

It's still cold in Zurich and snowed heavily last weekend. Himself built a snowman which is still standing despite a substantial thaw, although he has lost an eye and his nose and is listing badly. Weather forecast for Tokyo is around 14 with scattered showers.

I will be renting a phone in Japan as usual, so will put up some updates and photos here! And really should try to put more here generally. But it will have to be added to that eternal list...