Hakone Ni Ikimasu

Hi All.

Making our way to Hakone tomorrow. Hot springs here I come.

Tonight I had to replace the backpack that I was using. It died a horrible death involving Mt Misen at Miyajima. Got a better one for when we go up Fuji-san. Had some sai-ramen (seems to consist mostly of cabbage) from a little roadside place. Very nice. Wish we had the like back home. I'm going to miss $7 meals at restraunts...

On the first night we stayed in Hiroshima, we went and had lunch at a tempura restraunt. OMG! So yummy. All you people who go to Go Sushi and think you know what tempura is all about, you know nothing. Nothing at all. The batter is so crisp and light. It's like it is coated in rice bubbles or something.

And the miso soup here , beats anything I have every had back home. Havn't tried sushi yet, but mark my words we will. Especially I have seen places where sushi is 100 yen a plate ($1!).

So off to Hakone to get some good soaking. Might check out the public baths while I'm there ^.^

I'm rather addicted now. If the accommodation had a public bath, I seem to be more inclined to use it than the one in my room (well, have you seen the size of them? They're tiny!)

That's all for now. Have to finish laundry...

Oh! Todays steps = 25600 steps.

Currently Reading: NOTHING - Books back in Tokyo!!!
Mood: Normal

Miyajima - Japan's Twilight Zone.

Hi all.

Am sending email from phone, so forgive abrns.

We r staying in Miyajima 4 2nite so we can get some good pics of the
huge tori gates & the town w/other ppl. A bit erie @ night, every1
goes back 2 Hiroshima b4 the ferries stop running, so very few ppl
about, like twilight zone. I was going 2 go out with the others & take
fotos 2 but 2 tired. Why? Mt Misen. 530 meters of it. Although nothing
compared 2 Fuji (worried expression). So about 2 hit the bed, here's 2
hoping that it will b a better sleep than last night...

Ja ne

- Grover

Ofuro: An Experience.

Hi All.

 

I decided to bite the bullet and went to a public bath. As in naked. With other men.

 

First up some back story. When we were staying in Kyoto, I went down to the hotel's public bath a couple of times. By concidence, I managed to get the whole bath to myself on both occasions (really, really good. The best thing for a long hot day of sighseeing). I want a bath just like it at home now.

 

This time though, it nearly approaches arm wrestling trying to get time in the shower here at Osaka. So I thought "Stuff it" and made my way to the Ofuro.

 

I locked up my shoes in a locker at the entrance, paid the lady inside the door 350 yen, went to the changing area, put all my clothes in another locker and went into the bath area.

 

There were three other people in there and contray to all the travel guides that I have read, I wasn't suddenly the focus of attention or conversation. Nor was I particulary stared at, everyone else was busy with the business of getting clean.

 

What you do:

 

First off you claim a spot along the wall where you have hot and cold water taps, and douse yourself with some hot water. Then you go and step into a anti-microbe (reading the hiragana) bath for a minute or so. Then you can get to the business of getting yourself clean. Once you have scrubbed yourself to your heart's content (in my case about 15 minutes - I love nice long hot showers), rinse yourself throughly. Then you can get in the soaking baths. As you may know, Japanese baths have two temperaures: hot and scalding. My preference is to sit in the hot one for a bit then get out and then splash myself with some cold water. Repeat a couple of times and you will feel super clean - and a little lightheaded.

 

I suggest you try it at least once as you won't believe how clean you feel afterwards...

 

Ja ne

 

- Grover

 

 

Last Night In Oksaka

Hi All.

 

Had a quiet day today.

 

Visited Shinsaibashi again today. Bought a yukata this afternoon ^.^

 

Oh! Were able to get into Round One, an amusement centre chain in Japan. I wish that we had something like this back home. It had about 7 floors of arcade games, then pool tables, soccer games, tennis games, golf, boxing, shooting and on the roof there was some pitching machines for baseball batting. Very cool. We spend 3 hours there.

 

We leave for Hiroshima tomorrow.

 

We are going out soom to have some proper okonomiyake.

 

Ja ne

 

- Grover

Himeji Castle

Hi All.

We visited nearby Himeji castle today, it was about 40 minutes on the shinkansen (kodoma line).

The castle is famous because it is one of the few remaining castles in it's origional form. Amazing on the inside. When we had a look at Osaka, it was very modern on the inside because it has been rebuilt so many times. But Himeji is exactly what you would imagine the inside of a traditional castle would be like. Highly recommended.

There were plans to go to Universal Studio land, but we have been on the go for 5 days now and I think we all need a quiet day. Because then we are off to Hiroshima on the day after.

We had a lunch at a udon noodle place. I had a set meal, it was quite good. Although if we had just turned the next corner, we would have hit a whole street of restruants. D'oh! >.<

Today's Pedometer Count: 21100.