A Ryokan Experience in Hakone

Our final day in Tokyo, we woke up and went to the hotel gym to work out and make sure to maximize our use of the beautiful hotel amenities. We departed from the lovely Andaz and set off for Hakone, a town a few hours from Tokyo famous for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji. There, we would be staying in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese guest house.

To get to Hakone, we had to take the JR train from Tokyo, switch to a local Hakone train and then take a bus. When we finally arrived at the Ryokan to check in, we removed our shoes and replaced them with indoor clogs, as is the Japanese custom when entering a home, Temple, etc. The weather was pretty lousy and we definitely weren't getting views of Mt. Fuji, so we decided to save site-seeing for the morning and to wait out the rain and fog by relaxing in the Ryokan.

After a man who spoke some English checked us in, a woman who spoke no English led us to our room. Along the way, she dramatically pointed out every fire exit. Thanks... In our room, I made the grave mistake of stepping up onto the tatami (finely weaved bamboo floor mat) with my clogs on. A big no-no. Our escort nonverbally instructed me to remove my shoes, which I did. This custom proved to be a source of some stress as I had much trouble remembering to do this each time we entered the room.

We were staying in a modern Ryokan, which was equipped with electricity, indoor plumbing and air conditioning. The large suite included an front room with 2 chairs facing a balcony with beautiful mountain views. To the left, was the bathroom, which contained special wooden shoes for use only in the bathroom. To the right, was a very big room divided by a temporary wall. In the first part, was a low wooden table with 2 backed cushions on the floor. This would be where we would eat our colorful and elaborate feasts of (vegetarian) traditional Japanese cuisine. Beyond the divider was an empty room with a closet. On the floor, they would later prepare our sleeping mats. She helped us don our yukata, a light kimono worn in summertime, which we wore for the next 20 hours (except to sleep).  [Hint: it’s wrapped left over right. The other way is reserved for the deceased.]

We explored the premises including engaging in our first onsen (Japanese hot spring) experience. During open hours, men and women use different onsen as people traditionally soak without clothes. Unsure of what to expect, we reviewed the onsen etiquette and braced ourselves for awkward nudity encounters. I felt a mix of relief and disappointment that I was alone in the women’s onsen. The onsen were in a picturesque, secluded area at the base of a mountain and beside a stream. The lush surroundings, sounds of chirping birds and flowing water, and the hot water in the onsen made a serene soaking experience.

We returned to our room for dinner. After a long and difficult discussion (that relied heavily on Google translate) with our maid, we finally felt assured that the kosher and vegetarian messages were successfully received. [Context: This is after much back and forth with an English-speaking booking agency, and having both emailed and hand delivered a paper detailing in both English and Japanese what kosher is and isn’t.]

We were served many, many, many Japanese dishes that were new to us in appearance, color, texture, and flavor. The food was fresh and flavorful and certainly interesting but we didn’t love most of it. Japanese food involves a lot of pickling, miso, and very soft tofu- none of which we especially enjoy. We were glad to experience it though. And we have discovered a deep appreciation for Japanese sweets, most of which include some form of matcha (green tea) and/or azuki beans.

After dinner, we went back to the onsen for our 30 minutes of “family bath” time. (Yes, Mussels, that’s really what they call it!) This meant that one onsen was reserved for us. I wanted the full Ryokan experience so I begged Josh to stay awake until 9pm for me!

In the morning, we were served an exquisite feast of vegetarian Japanese breakfast foods, most of which were different than anything I had ever tasted before and mind you it was a 100% plant-based meal. It was remarkable to me how differently relatively similar starting materials can be prepared. After breakfast, we slowly packed up, replaced our kimonos with western clothing, and went to check out, slipping our indoor shoes back on as we left our room.

The weather unfortunately hadn't clear up. We made the best of it and explored Hakone anyway. We first walked toward the station and tried Soba, a cold noodle soup where you put noodles in various broths and eat them in the different flavors. We both hated it and stayed way clear of soba (except as an ingredient in Hiroshima okonomiyaki) for the rest of the trip. Afterwards, we took a scenic train ride to a bus to see some Hakone highlights such as the big red gates and the water.

Eventually, we made our way back to the ryokan to pick up our luggage and on the way, we stumbled upon a magnificent Shinto Shrine. It was so ornately decorated, it seemed fake, like it fell out of Disney World.

We reversed the long trip,  taking a bus to the local train to the shinkansen (bullet train). Unfortunately, the JR pass we had pre-purchased does not cover the fastest trains, which were what I had used when calculating travel times for the itinerary so it was a longgggg and schleppy trip to Hiroshima. On the bright side, it's a good thing I had been collecting (read: hoarding) snacks along the way!

Shinto Shrine, Hakone

Shinto Shrine, Hakone

Arriving on Planet Asia: Tokyo Day 3 and 4

After the Robot Restaurant show we walked back to the Park Hyatt to pick up our luggage (and our framed photo). We took a cab to the Andaz, where we would spend our next 3 nights. The Andaz is beautiful! As far as service goes, it's a giant free-fall down from the Park Hyatt but we liked the decor much better and our room was larger and even more comfortable. On each side of the bed was a control panel for us each to control the shades, black out curtains, reading lamps, as well as various other light switches. The bathroom suite was incredible with a waterfall shower, a massive soaking tub and a changing area. The close provided plush hotel robes and traditional kimonos as well as slipper choices (open or closed toe). The view was different from the Park Hyatt view as we were in a different part of the city but from our room on the 50th floor, it was at least as impressive.

Shinkansen Arriving

We took our time in the morning to swim laps and enjoy the beautiful pools. Eventually, we took the train to Tokyo Station where we would catch a train to Nikko, a town a few hours from Tokyo. Before leaving the station, we had lunch at a vegan Ramen restaurant called T's TanTan on Kieyo Street. (Yes, the street is inside the station!) It was so delicious we ended up going back for a final lunch in Tokyo a few days later. In Nikko, we took a bus to see the Tosho-gu shrine. It was a bit schleppy since we didn't have that much time left to spend in Nikko but the workmanship was exquisite and the shrine is set in a hilly, woodsy area which was so pretty. Plus, we got to finally take the much awaited shinkansen (bullet train) that travel at speeds up to 200 mph.

Shinkansen Speeds captured on Waze

On our way back from Nikko, we "accidentally" sat in the green first class car. I reclined my chair, set up my foot rest and relaxed. Josh was pretty anxious the whole time that we would get caught so he didn't enjoy himself as much.

We went to bed "early" in preparation for our early morning at the fish market. We woke up at 3 am and booked it to Tsukiji Fish Market to have breakfast at the famous Sushi Dai restaurant. We were in line by 3:28 AM behind an American couple, who we chatted with for the next 2.5 hours until we were seated in the around 6 AM.

For a number of reasons including the value I place in cultural immersion and experience, I decided to try the real sushi. When we were seated, we handed our Kosher fish list (written in English and Japanese) to the sushi chef. On Josh's urging, I also typed a message to him on Google Translate: "I am vegetarian. This is my first time eating fish."

He looked at my phone and as the meaning of the message set in, his eyes got wide and he stared at me speechless for a moment before stuttering an exclamation of surprise. The chefs placed the first piece of sushi in front of each patron. I forced myself to take a bite and eventually swallow. The sushi chef noticed my extreme discomfort as I chewed and chewed endlessly and said "We can stop...." And then demanded, "STOP!" And I did. He made me a vegetarian roll, which was very different from any vegetarian sushi I've had in the States. For one, it was made with rice and not quinoa (tea room reference). It also contained tamago,which is a sweetened omelet. Josh loved the sushi and said it was the freshest, cleanest fish he had ever tasted.

After sushi breakfast, we wandered around the fish market before continuing on to our next line-waiting activity. We arrived at Kabukiza theater to watch a Kabuki style play. We waited for 2 hours until the ticket counter opened but they made it pleasant by providing fans and benches in the shade. We bought tickets to the first act of the play and rented English subtitle devices. We LOVED the play. When act I ended, I was sorry that we weren't staying for the rest of the play. The acting was so dramatic and the costumes were incredible.

While we were waiting to purchase tickets, Adam had sent me a link about pancakes in Tokyo. I did a little research and discovered that pancakes (or "hot cakes" as they sometimes call them) became a Tokyo sensation in 2013 and the city is still kind of obsessed with them. Obviously, for lunch, we went to Bridge, which is supposedly one of the best places to get pancakes in Tokyo. It was good but not the best thing I've ever tasted.

At that point, we had been touring for almost 12 hours and we were pretty tired. Unfortunately, at lunch they made us get drinks with our food (classic Japan) so we drank coffee, which was the 4th cup of caffeine for each of us. By the time we got back to the hotel, we weren't able to nap so we went to the pool, lounged, and did laps. Then, we each went to our assigned gendered changing rooms to relax in the massage chair. I promptly fell asleep in mine and woke up startled that the timed massage had long ended. I was still pretty out of it when I met Josh and stumbled back to our room. Good night.

Andaz View by Day

5 Storied Pagoda in Nikko

 

Sun Rising Over the Line for Sushi Dai

Sushi Dai

Vegetarian Sushi at Sushi Dai

Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo

Kabukiza Theater

Coffee Floats

View from Andaz by Night

Veg. Ramen at T's TanTan

Toshogu Shrine, Nikko

Famous 3 Monkeys, Toshogu Shrine, Nikko

Famous 3 Monkeys + Emily & Josh, Toshogu Shrine

 

Toshogu Shrine, Nikko 

Toshogu Shrine, Nikko

Arriving on Planet Asia, Day 2 in Tokyo

We slept soundly in our comfortable room in the lovely Park Hyatt. We checked out (our bill came to a whopping $2.50 for a phone call we didn't realize wasn't free) and stored our luggage for another day of intense exploring. This time, I silently committed to not overheat like a wimp.

We walked to Yoyogi Park to see the Meiji Shrine. Next to us observing the shrine was an American couple and I immediately felt a kinship. Reading the sign on how to show respect to the shrine, the man tossed a single coin. I turned to him and commented that the sign clearly said "coins" (plural) and that I didn't think a single coin would cut it. Everyone laughed at my hilarity and we started chatting with them. They bragged (okay, maybe they were just making conversation) that though they are from Idaho, they didn't have a long flight because they were coming from San Fransisco. I obviously informed them that I also wasn't coming from home but from New Zealand. Soon, they asked where in Tokyo we were staying and I told them the Park Hyatt. The conversation quickly ended, though I can't for the life of me figure out why. I guess I can concede that I came off a tad elite. 

We strolled through a cheap shopping area filled with costume stores (the Japanese seem to LOVE costumes) and other trinkets to a fancier shopping area that seemed to be the equivalent of 5th Avenue in NY. We passed the most incredible looking ice cream stop that I made Josh promise me we could return to later. We stopped for lunch at a Japanese restaurant and sat at a long counter. They gave us a single menu (which seems to be a trend here) to peruse. The food was pretty good - fresh, colorful, interesting, beautifully prepared, very different flavors, not really our taste. We both confirmed that we hate miso soup. The Japanese love it. Feeling accomplished that we ate a Japanese meal, and navigated a dining experience successfully, we strutted over to Shibuya to see the famed Shibuya crossing, the busiest intersection in the world. On recommendation from friends, we found the Starbucks and viewed from the 2nd floor windows, as the lights changed and the streets when from traffic flowing, to empty to masses of people flooding the streets from every direction and then empty again. We watched a few times and then caught the train back to Shinjuku for that special-looking ice cream. 

Literal Ice Cream Sandwich

And special it was! I can officially say that I ate my first ice cream sandwich. You may wonder what planet I am from that I have never had an ice cream sandwich before. Well, I have had ice cream sandwiched between cookies. Delicious. This, however, was an actual sandwich. They placed the ice cream between 2 pieces of brioche (and looked like a chocolate challah roll). Glad I tried it but please, never again . 

We then attempted for the 2nd time and successfully visited the Imperial Palace. The gardens were expansive and well manicured. We took a break from the heat and sat in the shade on the grass.

Eventually, made our way to the delightfully named Piss Alley and experienced a totally different side of Tokyo! We walked through the alleys, where apparently you can order the most revolting delicacies such as a still-beating frog heart. We tried to stop in a tiny bar for a drink but were smothered in cigarette smoke in each one we tried so we selected a nearby restaurant above the alley for mojitos. In preparation for what lie ahead, I requested from the waiter "a very strong mojito," He laughed but the drink still tasted void of alcohol. 

We then went to the Robot Restaurant for a Robot Show that we had heard so much about. It was certainly the nuttiest "theater" experience. I cannot even come close to describing it. There were colorful lights, scattered music selections, wild costumes, ridiculous English phrases said in thick Japanese accents, and of course, robots. Josh and I watched in utter shock and alarm.

Robot Restaurant

Robot Restaurant

Robot Restaurant

Robot Restaurant

When we walked back to the hotel through the lit up streets, we saw a completely different Tokyo than the one we were in when we started our day. Tokyo sure keeps surprising us!

First Japanese meal 

Piss Alley

Shibuya Crossing

Arriving on planet Asia, Day 1 in Tokyo

I left Christchurch at the crack of dawn- nay, well before dawn. After dropping off the rental car, Adam and I said our goodbyes at the airport and then flew our separate ways. I flew to Auckland and there, my travels underwent a major shift from backpacking with brother to luxury with lover.

NZ to Tokyo

Josh, in all his points genius, booked me business class from Auckland to Tokyo so I got my first taste of comfort when I avoided a wait by checking into my flight in the special-people section. They gave me a pass to get passed the passport control lines. With all my extra minutes to spare before my flight, I went to the lounge for a morning snack that could be mistaken for breakfast.

The 10-hour flight was fine except I got really sick but then I took a nap and was okay afterwards. Otherwise, I watched movies, read, and picked at the meals they served to me on white linen. After landing in Tokyo, I had to contain my excitement because I wouldn't be seeing Josh for several hours until his flight from NY landed. I watched a movie on my phone (don't worry, Dad - it was on WiFi), wandered the airport, found an ATM, got directions to the hotel... and waited and waited and waited. FINALLY, Josh arrived (34 minutes later than scheduled) and cleared customs. I ran through the "do not cross this line" area to greet him. We both smelled gross from the planes but it was really nice anyway.

We changed our JR (Japan Rail) reservation for a pass and took the 2-hour train ride to the Park Hyatt Tokyo. By the time we got there, we were completely exhausted and barely appreciated the terrifically helpful staff with impressive English skills, the grand lobby on some ridiculously high floor, or the beautiful room with out-of-this-world views of the city. I took my first barefoot shower in a month. It was glorious.

Let me pause here to tell you about the hotel that we eventually did come to love. First, the toilets. There are 2 types of toilets in Japan - squat toilets and Western toilets. The squat toilet is basically a hole in the ground that looks like a buried, horizontal urinal. The Western toilet, which of course is what the Park Hyatt has, looks like a toilet that you find in the States but with a panel on the side that makes it do tricks. For instance, when you approach the toilet, an eye sees you and opens the seat. Then you sit down and enjoy the heated toilet seat that relaxes your tush. Finally, after your business is complete, there is a menu of spray options that you can choose from (or skip) to clean yourself. You can manipulate the pressure and position so it's perfectly customized before you turn off the spray and turn on the air to dry. Many public toilets also have a flush noise option to give you more privacy. Finally, you select from full or partial flush for water conservation. Don't worry if you're so overwhelmed by the toilets that you forget to flush. The toilet recognizes your disappearance and will flush and close the seat behind you. A toilet is surely an attraction worth seeing in its own right.

The service and hospitality was seriously first class. For our honeymoon, the hotel gifted us a bottle of champagne (classic) and a framed photo (a first). They actually had a photographer (or man with a camera who probably was not especially talented) take photos of us in the hotel and then they printed, framed and wrapped one for us! The staff was also extremely attentive. There was an employee waiting around every corner to escort or assist us. At the pool, we asked a question about the fitness center class schedule and the woman literally ran (at the pool, tisk tisk) to get us a schedule so we wouldn't have to wait an extra moment.

When I awoke from a full and restful night's sleep, we ordered our complementary room service cappuccinos. Minutes later, our coffees arrived and the server apologized for the wait. WHAT?!? We set out to explore Tokyo.

Park Hyatt Cappuccinos

We navigated the trains to the Asakusa area and walked through shuk (market)-like narrow streets until we ended up at the Sanso-ji Shrine. We admired the shrine and I stopped for a Matcha (green tea) and bean ice pop. It was actually pretty good but more importantly a super refreshing reprieve from the oppressive heat and humidity. We watched the Shinto rituals people performed including washing one's hands and mouth at a fountain, burning incense, tossing coins into a receptacle, clapping twice and saying a short prayer.

Sansoji Shrine

We journeyed on through a mostly residential area to the highly recommended Edo museum to learn about the Edo period. It was unfortunate that it wasn't until the end of our visit that we discovered that Edo was the former name of Tokyo. That would have helped. The museum was alright. The exhibits were interactive and varied but the explanations were lacking context so we didn't come away learning much. The air conditioning was terrific though!

We weakly stumbled along through the brutal heat to a vegan Indian cafe for a refueling. I pause here to offer my deepest gratitude to Google. Translate and Maps are lifesavers in Japan; [I highly recommend renting a personal WiFi device so that you always have access to your trusty companion.] After lunch and Japanese tea (basically every restaurant requires that you order both a food dish and a drink in order to sit down) we set off, walking through a charming little park along a stream to take the train to Tokyo Station.

A little too weary to go back outside and also because the train stations in Japan are insane combinations of train stations, shopping malls, food courts, and entire neighborhoods, we first wandered along the vast underground streets inside the station. There were tons of shops and restaurants that we couldn't possibly see them all in an entire day. Eventually, we surfaced and made our first attempt to see the Imperial Palace and gardens. Unfortunately, as we arrived at the outer gardens, we depleted our water supply and I was feeling so overheated and miserable that Josh suggested we turn around and save the Imperial Palace for another day. In an extraordinarily unlikely weak moment, I acquiesced and we gave up on the palace, just meters away.

Back at the hotel, we rode the elevator up endlessly until we reached the lobby, then took another 2 elevators through a a strange fancy multi-leveled maze to reach the spa, where we planned to cool off in the pool. I did not expect the gorgeous views of Tokyo that the pool offered. It was pretty incredible. The perfect end to a great first day.

Sansoji

View from Park Hyatt Room

View from Park Hyatt Room 

Finishing Strong: Kaikoura, Christchurch & Akaroa

The drive from Hanmer to Kaikoura was another stunning one. It's impossible to get sick of the views here.The weather was promising to clear up but even with our late (8am) start, it was still rainy in Kaikoura. We drove out to the peninsula, hiked up the hill and walked along the cliff for beautiful views of the sea and tons of seals.

Kaikoura

Seal Nursery in Kaikoura 

Seal Pup in Kaikoura

Afterwards, we loaded into our trusty car, which we call "the Pony" or sometimes "Rhino") and drove North about 25 minutes to a little path called Ohau stream/waterfall walkway. And it was the HIGHLIGHT of my day! After a short walk through the forest, we arrived at a waterfall which doubles as a seal nursery!!! There were heaps of seal pups splashing and playing in the water, climbing on rocks, barking, sparring, flinging sticks, etc. - learning all the needed life skills. I suddenly became very interested in what I previously considered lazy, boring animals. The seal pups were absolutely delightful!

We talked to a park volunteer and learned that seals can actually be dangerous if you get in their way. Even the babies can bite off a finger. I didn't need to bother them and test their teeth; just watching dozens of seal pups enjoy themselves was extremely satisfying! Once we got too cold to keep watching them (I would never have gotten bored of them), we boarded out trusty steed and drove South down the East coast to Christchurch.

We booked a room in the Dorset House, a charming, Victorian built in 1871 and (as everything in Christchurch) refurbished in 2012. After settling in, we went for a jog in the nearby Hagley park and botanical gardens. After stopping at the i-Site for information about Christchurch, we ran down tree-lined paths, through a beautifully smelling rose garden, crossing streams on cute little bridges, returning to Dorset house feeling great.

We power-strolled through town, stopped at an Indian restaurant for dinner, and then continued on to explore. We found a whole lot of construction and ruins from the terrible 2011 earthquake. The next morning, we explored the rather lousy Canterbury museum. Then, dashed for a quick bite at a burger place that turned out to be a perfect find with really interesting and awesome vegetarian "burgers"! In the afternoon, we went for a walking tour and learned all about the history of Christchurch, the earthquake, and the reconstruction plans. The tourgroup was just us and a nice couple from UK (Brexit jokes, English imperialism jokes, etc.) so it was fairly customized.

Christchurch Dyslexia Garden

The city is badly damaged buthas been rebuilding at a pretty fast rate this past year. They have spent a fortune preserving and repairing their oldest buildings to maintain the original look of some of the city's historic (relative term) charm. We visited a fancy English style perp school that had a Harry Potter feel. We walked past a garden devoted to raising awareness about dyslexia, which we both appreciated. The tour continued, showing us the battered, the restored and the new. The 2 post-quake highlights: (a) the city is now covered in impressive street art and (b) the transitional cathedral, made of cardboard, concrete and shipping containers (which cost $7 million NZD). Eventually, we stopped at memorial, which I found pretty powerful, of empty chairs dedicated to the 185 lives lost in the earthquake.

Christchurch Earthquake Memorial

After the tour, we stopped at a cafe in the ReStart mall (made of colorful shipping containers) to warm up with hot chocolate. We stayed until closing and begrudgingly accepted (okay, we begged) free and tasty White Chocolate and Apricot muffins - perks of everything closing at 5pm! On our way back to our hostel, we stopped at a hotel and pretending to be guests, requested and received tiny toothpaste tubes. Loving the free things!

For dinner, we hit up a little place called Thai Container, and is actually in a shipping container. The friendly (though contained) man recommended that we head up Dyers Pass for terrific night views of the city. The driving was tough (narrow, windy, dark roads), as was the navigation (dead ends, construction zones, broken traffic lights) but eventually we made it. The stars were beautiful but and the views of the city were pretty nice. However, the highlight of the evening was on our way back to town when we stopped at Pak 'n Save, the New Zealand Costco-Walmart fusion super market. It was awesome!

Driving to Akaroa

Akaroa Harbour Cruise

In the morning, we drove to Akaroa, a French coastal town at the end of the Banks Peninsula - 90 magnificent minutes from Christchurch. We found a hostel, explored the town and made our way toward the harbor for a nature cruise. The boat ride in the heart of an ancient volcano was absolutely stunning! In addition to the blue-green sea, green mountainous terrain, cliffs, caves, and waterfalls, we also saw tiny dolphins, seals, albatross, and a really cool pidgin.

After the boat ride, I went for a walk up the mountain and inland for really pretty views of farmland and a higher perspective of the sea. Later, we made dinner and went next door for a beer. We watched The Dictator in the lounge, cracking up the entire time. The nice thing about knowing the movie so well is that we would start laughing when the scene changed in anticipation of the hilarity ahead.

Akaroa Harbour Cruise

Akaroa Harbour Cruise

She Chocolat in Governor's Bay

We started our final day in New Zealand with a seaside run. The hostel kicked us out of our room so after showering, we got dressed in the freezing cold courtyard. It was also filthy and an all around horrible hostel. We drove the Banks Peninsula, stopping along the way to admire the scenery and walk around. We drove out to Okains Bay, where there was a pretty little beach and cave surrounded by cliffs. Then we drove through the mountains to Little Akaloa for more beautiful views of the farmland and sea before continuing on the beautiful Summit Road back to the main "highway." [Note: "highway" is used loosely in NZ.] We stopped in a tiny town called Little River for lunch and then continued on to Birdlings Flat, where we went for a challenging stroll along a rock beach. Then, we drove through Governor's Bay, stopping at She Chocolat for beautiful views and the second most decadent hot chocolate (the most decadent I've had was in NYC), and then drove through the port "city" [again, a term used loosely] of Lyttelton before returning to Christchurch.

It has been a FANTASTIC trip and I feel so filled with gratitude to have had this opportunity. Now, off to meet my honey!!! I love you, Josh! Can't wait!

Birdlings Flat, NZ

Akaroa

Akaroa