Japan
Travel Blog
DAY 1 -- HELLO FROM THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN AND THE HEATED TOILET SEAT
DAY 2 -- TOKYO -- SHRINES, MONET, KATSU AND A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE
DAY 3 -- TOKYO -- MISTAKES AND MUSEUMS
DAY 4 -- KAMAKURA -- A VERY FUJI FESTIVUS
DAY 5 -- TOKYO -- ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS BOO
DAY 6 -- TOKYO -- CHRISTMAS IN TOKYO (ALSO KNOWN AS MONDAY)
DAY 7 -- TOKYO -- SCRAMBLES – OF THE MIND AND OF SHIBUYA
DAY 8 -- ODAWARA CASTLE AND THE HAKONE CIRCUIT
DAY 9 -- SAYONARA, TOKYO; KONICHIWA, KYOTO
DAY 10 -- BEAUTIFUL, CROWDED KYOTO
DAY 11 -- BEAUTIFUL, COLD KYOTO
DAY 12 -- KYOTO -- NEW YEAR’S EVE – NISHIKI, A NAP AND NINJA LAUNDRY
DAY 13 -- KYOTO -- SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL INTO THE NEW YEAR – LITERALLY
DAY 14 -- EATING MY WORDS IN NARA
DAY 15 -- OITA -- A TRAVEL DAY AND NO TEMPLES
DAY 16 -- BEPPU -- TODAY I WENT TO HELL – SEVEN TIMES
DAY 17 -- FAREWELL BOO, HELLO HIROSHIMA
DAY 18 -- HIROSHIMA – NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING
DAY 20 -- HIROSHIMA TO HIMEJI TO OSAKA
DAY 21 -- OSAKA – MY LAST FULL DAY IN JAPAN
SLEEP AND EAT IN JAPAN
Hiroshima
Via Inn Prime Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi -- tiny but modern and efficient room in a great location
Kamakura
Antico Rondino Prosciutteria — Tasty panini in a cute setting
Kyoto
The OneFive Kyoto Shijo -- nice hotel. Not smack dab in the middle of downtown but very close and an excellent location for transit.
Kotono -- fun teppanyaki restauant near The OneFive
Kyoichi Honten -- Really delicious ramen not far from The OneFive
Oita
The Rembrandt Hotel -- old and somewhat shabby but clean. Wouldn't stay there again.
Osaka
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Osaka-Namba -- Tiny room but clean and convenient
Tokyo
Hotel Richmond -- nice hotel in the convenient and (relatively) quiet Asakusa district.
Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo -- Nice and spacious hotel near transit
Gyukatsu Motomura -- Delicious beef katsu restaurant. Cook your own meat on a clay grill. Several locations in Tokyo.