Bex, Binkz and Tin's Voyage around Japan continued...
Day 9
That night before Binkz decided to stay at the hostel to rest up after our Fujisan ordeal whilst Tin and I go to Shibuya to meet up with Derrick and his friends for some clubbing!! We took the first train back to the hostel hehe.
It's a Sunday!! So we go to Harajuku again to try and spot some cosplayers. There weren't as many as I expected though... and they generally keep to themselves and stay in groups. If you ask them they'll willingly let you (especially foreigners I noticed) to take pictures.
Although Harajuku is full of small stores that may design their own wares and sell their own individual styled clothes, again the key to finding good stores is the wander off the beaten track. However the small main street from Harajuku station is the best and quickest way to experience the area.
Don't forget to try some of their famous crepes! As well as small stores Harajuku also houses some big brands and shopping complexes. We found some interesting art there by a Japanese artist bearing the male reproductive organ with the name 'Tin' written all over the wall. We all LOLed. (p.s. i spotted it first!)
We wonder around Yoyogi Park, they enshrined the last Meiji Emperor and Emperess of Japan. It's the largest park in Tokyo. A very peaceful place to wander around to get away from busy Tokyo.
That night the hostel is having a party - Wii Olympics! We met and made many friends from around the world ^^ including some Aussies!!! YYYYAAAAAAAYY
Day 10
I think I'm missing some events and days... meh It's our last full day!! Mostly we pack and send stuff off home.
Binkz and I go to Asakusa - the traditional heart of Tokyo. We go crazy buying stuff.
Second destination - Nagoya
Day 11
We wander around Shinjuku trying to find our bus... we went all over Shinjuku with all our luggage...Binkz and Tin got VERY sweaty. In the end we had to call the bus office to get directions.
In actual fact we were supposed to go to their office - and then they would lead us to where the bus was. Pity that kind of information wasn't written on the website -____-"
I do believe it was a 5hour trip to Nagoya. We arrive at night at Nagoya Station to find our ryokan. Again Binkz and I share a Japanese style room this time and Tin gets his own room.
Day 12
We go to Noritake Garden - it's the first western style porcelain brand in Japan. Very expensive stuff. I wanted to go make my own plate... but I was the only one so we didn't. The garden was pretty ^^
Next we try to find the Robot museum...but it turns out it was closed down at the beginning of the year... tough luck =(
So we move on and go back to Nagoya station. There are towers where we can see the rest of Nagoya. Unfortunately the top level was dominated by shops, so we went into a high class looking cafe to enjoy the view. The food was great! and very enjoyable with the view.
Afterwards to go to Nagoya Castle to meet up with Kylie (ICS student in Gifu). Nagoya castle was a very important political centre back in the day, lots of famous historical figures lived there. The most distinctive feature of the castle is the golden dolphins - thought to protect something or other.
Then I lead the others to the shopping area in Nagoya starting with a certain temple. I try to find some Nagoya food... there's sooo much food that can only be eaten in Nagoya - but I wasn't successful.
That night Tin went to meet up with his Japanese friend whilst Binkz and I go to watch a movie and take our first sticker photos of the trip!
When we first walked into the cinema it was a small room with ads in it... we were terribly confused. Until i decided to walk further in the the massive ad of the wall opened up. It was in fact the automatic doors to the actualy cinema -___-" Ahhh silly us.
Day 13
We take the fastest bullet train in Japan to Kyoto!! Our ears popped and our mobiles didn't get reception on our phone sometimes we were going so fast XD.
As soon as we get off the heat hits us. The kansai area, that is area around Kyoto is hotter in summer and colder in winter because the area is surrounded by mountains. There are also no onsen (hot springs) in the area.
The station is very large and impressive, as soon as you leave the station you can see Kyoto Tower. T'was a beautiful day. We walk to our accomodation K's House Kyoto - another youth hostel. This time all three of us share a room.
The hostel was very clean and pretty, there were many living room spaces for people to hang around in. We had to pay for our internet - it was free in Tokyo.
There are literally hundreds of shrines in Kyoto, first up was Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.
It features two foxes that protect...something or other. But this shrine is famous because many people donate torii gates hoping their wishes will come true. So there's a lot of them, it's the place where Memoirs of a Geisha was filmed - you know the tunnel of red shrine gates?
Very impressive. The reverse side of the gates have the names of the family or company that donated the gate.
The shrine grounds are absolutely massive and involved much walking so be prepared. Of course you don't have to walk all the shrine paths.
Finding our way to and from places in Kyoto is challenging, Kyoto-ites tend to use buses - make sure you catch it in the right direcction >.<
Late afternoon we find ourselves going up Kyoto tower for a good look at the old capital of Japan. The viewing telescopes are free!! Our fun is interrupted once again by rain. Luckily come night time the rain diminishes so we see a beautiful night scene of Kyoto.
Day 14
We start the day with a buffet breakfast at our hostel... yuuuummmmm.
I signed up to a program by WAKJapan (http://www.wakjapan.com/index.html) where locals show you various cultural aspects unique to Japan. I signed up to tea ceremony. When I got there there were some kind of journalists doing a piece on the company doing these things for foreigners, so they came with me to observe how they teach me about the way of tea.
I'm shown to a room where they've set a carpet aside so that western noobs like me can sit freely rather than Japanese style (it's painful >_<). The lady hosting the tea ceremony first explained the history of the way of tea and how it developed. Then the various meanings of certain settings before she gave me some sweets.
That is the proper way to enjoy tea XD . I watched her clean her instruments with slow, precise care before whisking the powdered tea. It was very delicious to me. Most people find powdered tea bitter - but with the after taste of the sweets she gave me it was beautiful.
She then let me make some tea - I wasn't very good cos the whisking requires moving your wrists really fast =S.
I meet up with Binkz and Tin and we go to the Golden Pavilion together - we took long way around on the bus cos we took it on the wrong side... such a waste of time.
The Pavilion is on the World Heritage list so it costs a few hundred yen to see it. The grounds are quite big, the garden is very pretty and would be peaceful if not for all the tourists ^^
The Golden Pavilion itself is quite impressive - so bright *_*
Binkz and Tin took soooo many photos - so by the time that was over it was about 4:30pm. I get off the bus to see Tenryuji - it has a pretty garden and a nice bamboo forest - but I was stupid and didn't go to see it properly. I missed out one of the icons of Kyoto!
The shops outside this shrine were very pretty - colourful and cultural... I could've spent ages there!
Can't remember what we did that night...
Day 15
We start the day late visiting some sort of temple that has some sort of cultural heritage we didn't understand... Again we went the long way around so a lot of time was wasted.
On our bus trip back we visit the Heian Shrine - another period in Japanese history.
The main feature of the shrine features the most massive torii gate you've ever seen O.o
That night we walk around Gion trying to search for wandering Geisha and Maiko - but I do believe we missed the sunset deadline. However the streets we walked on were very traditional and pretty and Oriental.
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