Japan Trip - Day 11 (4th April 2010)

東京(Tokyo) – 新加坡(Singapore)

Today is our last day in Tokyo. We checked out from our hotel (Weekly Mansion Sugamo) and went to Metropolitan Hotel at Ikebukuro. We were taking the airport limousine from there so we went there to drop our bags. Then it was last minute shopping at Ikebukuro area before we left for the airport. 

The famous Capsule Machine

Our last lunch for this trip – Ramen.

While waiting to board our flight in Narita Airport, we saw a ANA Tarepanda Aeroplane. It's so adorable but we just couldn't get the perfect angle for a full plane view. (T _ T)

Look at the black "NOSE"

Guess Momo can't wait to go home too!

Last but no least, HOME SWEET HOME!!

Japan Trip - Day 10 (3rd April 2010)

高山(Takayama) – 東京(Tokyo)

Breakfast was served at the restaurant on the first floor. It was Japanese-style breakfast and we were each given a set which includes some special miso on a hoba leave. The miso tastes very good and the combination is something different which we have never tried before.

Breakfast

Miso on Hoba Leave

Chawamushi

After breakfast, we took a few pictures around the hotel compound before taking the hotel shuttle bus back to the train station. We deposited our bags and then walked to the Morning Markets (朝市). There are two morning markets at Takayama where both are must-go places – the Jinya-mae Market (陣屋朝市) in front of the Takayama Jinya, and the Miyagawa Market （宮川朝市）along the Miyagawa River in the old town. They start at 7am and ends around noon. At the morning markets, you can find fresh farm produce and also local crafts. The prices here are cheaper than the shops at the old town. I bought most of my souvenirs and gifts here.

Our plan today was to cover the Hida Folk Village (a substitute of Shirakawa-go as we do not have enough time). We took a bus from the Takayama Station. The Hida Folk Village (飛騨の里) is an open air museum exhibiting over 30 typical farmhouses and other traditional buildings from the Hida region, the mountainous district of Gifu Prefecture around Takayama. The museum's main attractions are a number of gassho-zukuri houses. The massive farmhouses with their steep, thatched roofs which look like praying hands ("gassho-zukuri") were moved here from the nearby Shirakawa-go region. 

In this Folk Village, you can also see that all buildings are carefully preserved. There are also display boards to describe the background behind each house.

Photos taken with Zarubobo

Typical Gassho-Zukuri Houses

After visiting the Folk Village, we went for lunch – another serving of Hida Beef. This time, we choose to try the Japanese-style hida beef. We ordered sukiyaki and yakiniku don. They were also delicious. 

Sukiyaki

Yakiniku Don

After lunch, we head back to the train station for our train back to Tokyo.

Japan Trip - Day 9 (2nd April 2010)

東京 (Tokyo) - 高山 (Takayama)

Today, we checked out from Weekly Mansion Sugamo as we are going to 高山 (Takayama) for a 2D1N trip.

We set off early to catch the 0803hrs Shinkansen to 名古屋 (Nagoya). From Nagoya, we have to connect the JR Hida limited express train to Takayama. The whole journey takes about 4 hours. The ride from Nagoya to Takayama was a scenic train ride. The train has wide windows so that passengers can enjoy the beautiful scenery during the 2 hours train ride. It was indeed beautiful.

Nagoya JR Station

On board "JR Hida Limited Express" to Takayama

Scenery along the way to Takayama

At 1309hrs, we finally arrived at Takayama – the place that I have longed to visit for a long time…Yeahhhhh!



The Takayama Tourist Information Booth is right outside the train station. We collected maps about the area before deciding where to go. As it was past lunchtime and our stomachs are complaining, we decided to have our lunch. We asked the staff for recommendations (Takayama is famous for their hida beef) and they gave us a map indicating restaurants that served hida beef. We deposited our bags at one of the nearby convenience store and headed out.

Takayama Tourist Information Booth

We were told that the restaurants stopped serving lunch after 1430hrs so we had to rush. We settled down at a French Restaurant called Le MiDi and ordered two 3-course set lunch. It is a small but nice restaurant. From where we sit, we could see the chef at work.

Le MIDI Bistro

Interior of Le MIDI Bistro

The starter was potato soup....... yummy! Next, the main course...... it was soooooooooo "(Speechless)". 

Priscellia's Set Lunch

Kathleen's Set Lunch

We tucked in and finished everything on the plate even the sauce (wahahahah!!!). After that, coffee and tea was served and the restaurant manager was so nice to give us complimentary sorbert…..yum yum.

This lunch is not cheap (about S$70 per person) but totally worth it. After a satisfying meal, we decided to go to the famous Old Town. I have seen a lot of documentary and pictures of the Old Town from TV/internet but nothing beats being here personally.

Takayama is a small town and it is not as commercialized as Kyoto. There are foreign tourists but not much and thus it is very peaceful and relaxing. The Old Town is very well preserved and beautiful. I love it here. We took our time, stroll through the street and visited every interesting shop that we passed by.

Takayama Old Town

Exterior of shops

Old Traditional Miso Paste Shop

At Takayama, you will notice this famous souvenir which you can find at almost everywhere – Sarubobo (さるぼぼ) or monkey doll in Japanese. It is a red faceless doll and it is said that this is a Japanese amulet which was made by grandmothers for their grandchildren as a charm for good things. The Sarubobo is associated with three wishes: protection from bad things, a happy home and a good match, and having an easy delivery on birth. The original color is red but now it comes in many different colors and the meaning is different, depending on the color. There is even a Hello Kitty Sarubobo!

Zarubobo

We decided to head over to the ryokan which we booked our 2D1N stay – Hagi Takayama (萩高山) at around 5pm. So we went back to the train station and called the ryokan for pickup arrangement. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by an English-speaking hotel guide who brought us round the hotel for a simple tour. We even get to choose our personal yukata….Interesting!

After checking into our room, our guide even brought us hot towels and made us green tea – “Japan Hour” was the first thought that came to our mind. 

As our dinner will be served at 6.30pm, we changed into our very own selected Yukata and headed to the onsen (温泉) or Japanese hot spring bath.

Us in Yukata

Our booking at Hagi Takayama costs about S$200+ and it comes with dinner and breakfast for two. We selected shabu shabu for dinner and also made an additional order of hida beef steak. When we returned to our room after the onsen, our dinner was already there. It was a huge spread and really sumptous and fantastic!! 

Our dinner set

Shabu Shabu

Hida Beef Steak

We really enjoyed ourselves. After dinner, a staff came to clear the table and made our bed for us. We chatted briefly with her using our limited Japanese. She was really friendly. Then it was zzzz time…..

Hagi Takayama Ryokan (萩高山) website : http://www.takayama-kh.co.jp/

Japan Trip - Day 8 (01 April 2010)

東京(Tokyo) – 浅草(Asakusa) and 上野(Ueno)

Today, we slept in and woke up late, partly because we are tired and also because we had to wait for the Reception to open at 9am to change our towels. We had not changed for the last 2 days as we left early. ( > _ < )

Our first stop today is 浅草 (Asakusa) for our favourite 天丼 (tendon – prawn tempura on rice) at 大黑家. Yah..... Momo is going to Asakusa.

When we reached Asakusa, we realised that the main shop (总店) was closed and we went over to queued at the branch (分店) just round the corner. After an hour’s wait, it was finally our turn. YEH!! Kath ordered the set which comes with 4 prawns and Pris order 2 prawns + 1 kakiage (mixed seafood tempura). This is really delicious. We tried it during our last trip in 2008 so that’s why we waited patiently though the queue was long.

After lunch, we shopped at the Nakamise for some souvenirs. We also ate 2 local snacks that we liked – fried sweet bean paste pastry and dango in soya powder (Pris’s favourite).

You can see nice full bloomed sakura around Nakamise. They are really beautiful. You simply cannot get enough of seeing the lovely flower.

After shopping at Nakamise, before heading back to Asakusa subway station, we made a brief stop at a nearby bridge to take pictures of 桜 (sakura or cherry blossom) at the Sumida River.

After Asakusa, we went to Ueno for sakura viewing at 上野公園. It was full bloom. The best viewing time for sakura. People were everywhere; having picnic, strolling in the park and taking pictures of the sakura. If time permits, we can have a picnic there too and enjoy the sakura slowly. However, the crowd was a little too much and please remember both Kath and me dislike crowd. For the sake of taking nice photos, we have to bear with the slow walking and the 'fighting' of photo spots.

We then moved on to Ameyoko. It is best known for seafood and okashi with unbelieveable cheap price. The only regret is we are not staying in Japan for long because the Otoro was really fresh and cheap. It is really interesting to even just look at the way they do their shouting promotion and competition. Although this is my first time to Ameyoko, I now understand why Pris and Kath never get enough of this 1 way street.

As time is running late, we hurried back to our apartment to leave all the purchases before heading to Shinjuku and to meet Pris and Kath's 日本語の先生。It's been 1 and a half year since Kutsuma-sensei returned back to Japan. However, I have it amazing that this is actually the 2nd time they meet each other in Tokyo. Kutsuma-sensei brought us to a typical japanese 居酒屋 (Izakaya) for 焼き鳥 (Yakitori) which both of them preferred.

We all had an enjoyable night with all the good old memories flashing back, especially for Kutsuma-sensei - how she misses Singapore. As we need to set off early the next morning to 高山 (Takayama), we bid sensei goodbye and headed home with the same feeling - 来てよかった。