Final Japan/Guam thoughts!

So I know that I am a little slow on the Japan / Guam blogging. With the issues with the iPad and the moving directly after returning from Japan, then the holidays it has been literally crazytown here!  But I wanted to share some final thoughts on my fabulous 50^th birthday trip!

So the most difficult part of the trip for me was definitely the food. The shrimp/shellfish allergy makes food choices nearly impossible in an Asian country. I knew that. But I didn’t realize the extent of the language challenge would contribute to this. Explaining cross-contamination is difficult when there is a language barrier. I made do, but going forward any Asian trips that I take (and there WILL be more- looking at your South Korea) I will make sure to pack loads of snacks, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, etc. At least this gives me something to snack on while I walk around for two hours looking for a place to eat that won’t kill me!

The trip itself was harder due to the length of time it takes to get over there, and the jet lag. Jet lag is a real thing and although I have had multiple trips internationally before, Western Europe normally provides me with a one day jet lag and then I am good to go. Not so in Asia. It took weeks (literally) after I returned to the US before I slept through the night. Sigh….

There is also a difficulty with simply finding places. Often I find a shop or restaurant that I am interested in finding because it holds some interest to me (the chopstick store in Tokyo or perhaps the leather purse and shoe store in Rome). I want to visit these places and in Japan I found that the streets are more difficult to navigate. There may be street signs (sometimes) and if you find one, sometimes they are in Japanese only, or both English and Japanese. But I found it to be a bit more difficult; perhaps because many places are in the lower level or basement areas (due to the real estate shortage in Japan) and often times there are no signs pointing the way. Realize that going forward you would need more time to navigate.

All in all I loved the trip. Even with the food issues, my wonky back and my knee injury it was a great trip and I am so lucky to have been able to travel to Japan and to Guam to see family. Until next time (and I am looking at you, London)…….

Birdland- Tokyo Japan

So I am a little slow with the Japan blogging. Blame moving one week after vacation and then Christmas/ New Years right after that!  

I wanted to dedicate a blog post from my Japan trip to the chicken restaurant called Birdland. As you know, I have a life-threatening allergy to shrimp/shellfish. That makes Japan (and I assume all of Asia) difficult for me. It’s not as easy as just saying, “I can’t have shrimp”. I can’t have anything touching the shellfish (spoons, bowls, etc.). Food was difficult and frustrating in Japan.

I found Birdland in a guidebook while researching my Japan trip and I was intrigued. A restaurant in Tokyo that didn’t serve shellfish? What was that all about! I was determined to find this place and check it out. I headed out to the restaurant area (in the Ginza section of Tokyo) early one evening to have a real meal for once during this trip!

Note that things in Tokyo are a bit challenging to find. Many restaurants are in the lower levels of building that are offices or stores and often times there are no signs (or if there are they are in Japanese) to find things. Well I was determined to find this place come hell or high water! I wandered around for a bit until I found three young ladies in their early 20’s with their phones out. I took a chance and asked them if they spoke English and when they said “some”, I jumped at the chance. After showing them my guidebook and explaining where I was headed they plugged the restaurant in their phones and was able to locate it for me. They offered to walk me right to the door (!!!!) and while we were walking there one of the girls smiled back at me (I was following her) and said, “You picked a good place, the reviews on this are great and this is a very popular place!”  Well damn, I was just trying to find a place that wouldn’t kill me. My foodie friend Carrie would be so proud!

After they walked me down the steps to the door and I thanked them profusely I waited as the restaurant was not set to open for about 15 minutes (I think it was 5pm but since I hadn’t eaten lunch don’t judge me. I’m not 80). I sat down with the other locals to wait. When they opened I was asked if I had a reservation- damn did I need one? No, since it was just me and early then we were fine. I explained to the door dude (not really a host, not really a waiter, not really a concierge person) that I had an allergy (not my first rodeo after all). When he discovered I only speak English he found me a waiter who also spoke English. Yay!

There is a large U-shaped bar area and in the center is the cooking area. There are also tables and chairs for larger parties but all the action is at the bar. So the bar I was brought to. You get one waiter/cook type person per party and he is your “contact “ for the meal. There was an extensive menu in Japanese but there was an English menu if you ask for it. I chose to get their all –inclusive meal, which includes several courses of tiny chicken dishes. All chicken, all the time! There were some salad/veggie type sides. I am not sure what they were but after confirming they had not touched any shellfish we were on our way.

I don't remember what this was but I recall I didn't like it

The all inclusive menu

This? Amazing!

I can honestly say that because of my limited food options this was the best meal I had in Japan. It was not cheap (I think it was about $68 for one) but it was a cool setting, great food and it didn’t kill me. Win Win for everyone!

November 30- Kyoto

November 30, my last day in Kyoto and my last full day in Japan.

Today there were two specific items that were on my list to see - Japan "must sees" if you will. So as normal I headed out early. 

First up? The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. This is a famous bamboo forest grove located in the outskirts of Kyoto. Thanks to my fabulous JR pass, I am able to take the JR train out there at no additional cost. I love that JR pass!  

Note- most of the trains in Japan have the announcements and signs in English as well as Japanese. Either in the verbal announcements or the signs on the train itself (often both). The JR train to the Saga- Arashiyama stop does not have that. The announcements and the signs are only in Japanese. You need to find a seat where you can watch out the window so you know what stop to get off on. Luckily I figured that out quickly!

The actual bamboo forest is about a 10-15 minute walk from the train stop. Easy to find, but you have to pay attention because you walk from the train station through some residential areas. It does give you a nice glimpse of the residential homes of the locals, which is always nice. 

Words cannot accurately describe the bamboo forest. It was short in total "walking time", but so peaceful, calm and well, Zen. I loved it. I could have stayed there all day. And as I was walking through the forest, who drives by on bicycles? The Couple My Age from yesterday! No kidding. As they drive by on their rented bikes, the man of The Couple My Age shouts out "Hey Boston!

 How you doing?". You can't make this stuff up, kids!   :)

After spending some time at the forest, I wanted to then travel to the Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine. This is another famous "must see" in Japan and you might recognize the signature red shrine gates often seen in tourist guides. Again, the JR pass paid for itself, as I took the JR train from the Saga- Arashiyama stop back to Kyoto station, then changed trains to go to the Inari train stop. All under the Jr pass. Did I mention how glad I was to have this thing??

For as calm and peaceful as the Arashiyama bamboo grove was, that was the complete opposite of the Fushimi Inari shrine. But also, by that time it was well past the 10 am hour and people were out and about. Throngs of people. Many, many people. With children. And old folks. And children.  Sigh...

But again it was worth it. So very impressive, and the steps throughout the shrine leading up to Mt. Imari under those shrine gates really are amazing. Although crowded, I highly recommend that you visit here if you are able. I was so glad that I didn't miss this and even though it is outside of the city proper it is worth the trip. 

Yeah, I climbed those steps!

As this was my last day in Japan, and I was going to fly back home tomorrow I wanted to spend the remainder of the day just wandering. I headed back on the train to the Kyoto station and after a brief rest at the hotel went back to hang out around the hotel area. There is not really much around the Kyoto station area, but there is a huge mall in the station proper. I wanted to grab a few more trinkets (mostly some food /tea souvenirs). I had a few more gifts to buy and wanted to just wander around. Having the mall inside the station was great as by now it was getting quite cold outside and on and off cold rain sprinkles. I spent some time in the mall area shopping and people watching. 

And then this happened. I stopped at a cafe in the mall for a cup of tea and some kind of pastry. I figured that this of all things wouldn't kill me. As I was sitting down enjoying my meal, the elderly ladies in the next table struck up a conversation. Now, their English was good but still it was not their first language. So I was not getting everything that was said but we chatted on an off about them, me and where I was from. Boston? Harvard University!!  Sigh.....

So we chat on and on about things and the elderly lady (who I later find out is 83 years old- I would have guessed 65) wants to know where I was staying in Kyoto. I tell her across the street at the Kyoto Tower hotel (for it's convenience). She gets very animated and provides me with her name, address and local telephone number. She is going to write to me and if I come back to Japan I have to stay with her at her house as her guest. Because I shouldn't stay in a hotel!  Yeah, that really happened. Apparently this lady is a musician and has played some type of harp/guitar thing (I didn't catch that part) and she has traveled all over the world for 50 years. She insists that we keep in touch and that if I come back I am to let her know. She was adorable. And do I know if she will write to me or if she meant what she said? No idea. But that kids, is why we travel. For experiences like that!  

November 29- Kyoto part 2

Part 2 of November 29th!

After a rest at the the hotel, I started out again in the afternoon for the Southern Higashiyama area of the city. Now the main reason for this (although there are many other things to see here) is the Gion area of Kyoto. You may recognize it as the Giesha area of the old city. I know, it's touristy. But hell, I am not coming to Kyoto and NOT checking this place out!

Again, took the subway from Kyoto Station and transferred to the correct line and got off near the Gion district. My map said the area I was looking for wasn't too far away but like everything else in Japan I have found that to be all relative. Some streets don't have street names, some only have them in Japanese and you kind of have to wing it. After all, wandering is part of the fun.

There is a main street in Gion which is called Shimbashi and it is said to be the most beautiful street in Japan and possible in all of Asia. This is the place I wanted to see, because this was the area with all the old time tea houses and Geisha were located back in the day. I did wander around a bit and saw some cool things before stumbling upon Shimbashi. It was lovely. By this time it was late afternoon and the light was stunning on all these old buildings and walkways and bridges. Apparently young people also take what I can only assume are engagement pictures along these paths and just like in Moscow, I have random pictures of strangers in their wedding gear. Don't judge.

During my walk along this stretch of the city I also stumbled upon this shop - from the outside it looked more like a museum. Once I went in and chatted with the shop owner (who spoke really good English) I realized that it was a shop and not a musuem. It was called WAGlass, and the artist (who apparently is famous) takes old, antique kimono which can't be worn anymore and/or are in rough shape and creates art by fusing the pieces in between glass. They then make plates, coasters and stuff for sale. It was incredible. Each piece is an original and yes, I did spend money there. I bought a lovely small plate for my curio cabinet. No pictures of the piece i bought as she wrapped it all up for me to take home. I'll edit this with a pic once I get home.

The afternoon wore down as I wandered along the city and through the neighborhood, just walking and watching people. All in all, a lovely day that made me really enjoy this ancient city of Kyoto!

November 29- Kyoto

First full day in Kyoto! I headed out early this morning because the day was full with a lot of walking and temple-touring. First stop/ The Northern Higashiyana area of the city. This is the area in the mountainous region where there are several lovely temples and gardens to explore. I managed to figure out that for 600 Yen (about $6USD) I can get an all day subway pass. I am a big fan of those passes for several reasons. First is that you don't have to worry about carrying small change and always buying separate tickets. Second (and probably most important) is that when you are new to a city you are going to make mistakes. Take the wrong train, take the wrong exit, you name it. With an all day subway pass it allows for mistakes. You just roll with it!

First stop? Nansen-Ji temple. I took the subway line to the Keage exit and apparently I was riding along with about 150 of my new high school aged boys heading to school. I wanted to asked them if the snazzy jackets with the big "H" emblem stood for Hogwarts. I didn't. But I wanted to!

On to the temple. Hogwarts boys and I separated at the exit of the subway and I headed down the main street following the signs (and my map) towards the temple. You basically walk down the street and then go right and up another hill to the entrance of the temple grounds. Now it was super early in the morning (about 8ish) and that made all the difference. The place was super quiet and except for a few Aisan tourists I had the place to myself. Which was good because not long after the tour buses showed up!  The entrance to the temple grounds is free, but the entrance to the temple gardens (which opened at 8:40) was 500 Yen. I waited with some other folks for the garden to open and chatted up a couple about my age sitting near me. They wanted to know where I was from (America) and more specifically where (Boston- it's way easier than explaining Providence). Everyone apparently in Japan knows Boston- Harvard University and Good Will Hunting. I kid you not.

So The Couple My Age and I enter the temple gardens and he proceeded to tell "Boston" that I needed to remove my shoes, get slippered (yep, Boston can read- the sign was in English) and that this is a very famous temple garden. I can't even tell you how serene and lovely this place was. I took pictures of course but it doesn't do it justice.

After touring the gardens I retrieved my shoes and headed to the front area of the temple again (where I entered). That's when I saw the throng of Hogwarts boys (apparently they do field trips in Japan too?) as well as the tour buses showing up. Time to move on...

Next on the list is the Path of Philosophy (or the Philospher's Path). This is an incredible, pedestrian only path that winds up the mountain area and towards the other "big" temple, Ginkaku-Ji. The path was I have to say one of my favorite walks in Japan. I mean, of course I have to stop and rest because my back pain gets worse the longer I walk. But still, it's awesome and I can totally understand the "zen and reflective" nature of this.

The Ginkaku-Ji temple is another big tourist draw and by the time I got up there it was really crowded. It was lovely and I enjoyed it but honestly I enjoyed Nansen-Ji more. I then walked back down the Path of Philosophy, heading to the subway station where I came in from. All in all, the walk up to the top temple (Ginkaku-Ji) was about 2 miles or so I am guessing. Maybe 3. I'm terrible with distance. But I knew that since it was getting close to lunchtime, the crowds were getting worse and my back was killing me it was time for my mid day rest. I had a big afternoon planned and I needed to rest up for that!

November 28th- Kyoto

The next leg of the journey? Kyoto!  I checked out of the Tokyo Marriott and walked back to the Shinegawa station to catch the JR bullet train to Kyoto. I had reservations on the 9:40 am train and got to the station in plenty of time. The Japanese really know how to do train travel. The trains leave at exactly the designated time. Your ticket has a car number and seat number (if you reserved a seat, like I did) and when you get to the platform (which by the way is crazy clean), you like up under the sign designated for your car #. It's all just so efficient and neat. Also, people actually queue to enter the train. No pushing and shoving done here. Are you listening, NYC???

The train ride to Kyoto was about 2 hours and change. I'd say 2 hours, 20 minutes (I wasn't timing it). Once arriving at the Kyoto Station, be prepared for another massive train station that houses the JR lines (the bullet trains), regional trains, the subway, a shopping mall and restaurants. All in all it was about 11 floors or more. It's overwhelming.

My hotel was said to be located directly across the street from the station, and it was. The main (central) gate (they call them gates and not exits) leads right out to the bus walkway area and the hotel was directly across the street. On top of it sits the Kyoto Tower, which is kind of like rocket ship thingy on top of the building. It has a lookout where you can get views of the city.


My room was not quite ready to check in, so I waited about 20 minutes. No worries, I would rather wait a few and drop off my bags and freshen up first. The room itself was tiny (which I expected based on reviews) but clean and all that I need. I mean, we all can't stay in the Marriott all the time!

After a few minutes, I headed out into the city. It was nearly noon by now and I wanted to start off at a temple that was very close to the hotel. The Higashi Hogan-Ji temple is about 1/2 mile walk from the hotel. It is a large temple complex that is free to get into, with several old gates on the sides of the complex. The main hall area is a large building where you can enter (once you remove your shoes) and reflect and honor those before you. I wasn't able to take pictures in the hall but I can tell you that it was lovely and calm and serene. The floor was bamboo (I think) under our feet and gave such a "homey" feel to it, even with it's massive size.

From there, I headed out again to find the  Nishiki Market. This outdoor (but covered) market area has it's said 130 some odd shops and supposedly has been a working market since around the 14th century. There are all kinds of food stalls as well as some souvenirs but the main draw is the seafood. You know, basically my own private hell. Sigh...

I did grab some matcha chocolates for gifts and some postcards as well as some non-lethal cookies. Spent about an hour here and honestly I could have spent more time but it was super crowded and I was getting a bit of closed in feeling.  So I headed back out again.

I next headed back to the Kyoto Station and it's array of shops and restaurants. I was looking for a place that had several tiny restaurants in one area that all carry different types of ramen. I found it, however not one place could accommodate my allergy. It was frustrating and I am not going to comment any more on that. Food for me in Japan is very challenging and it's sad, because it's not that I am not an adventurous eater (I would try the stuff)- it's that it will kill me. And although I do like a good itinerary- I didn't want to have dying on my list. Sigh...

Rest of the evening was spent just walking around and getting my bearings, finding the post office and mailing post cards as well as checking out some of the shops around the station for further reference. Just a side note, I have found an out 4 different Starbucks in a several block radius. Not sure what that is about.

Tomorrow? Heading out for my first full day in Kyoto!!

November 27 Tokyo!

November 27--- Tokyo- Another full day in Tokyo.

Tried to get out early again today. After breakfast I went to the Shinagawa station near the hotel and wanted to exchange my Kyoto bullet train tickets from 8:10 am to the 9:40 train. I was afraid that I wouldn't get to eat breakfast if I took the earlier train and I needed to get the reservations for the trip back on the first. Mission accomplished.

From there I headed to the Imperial Palace Grounds. Since this is Sunday there was less people on the subway (at least at 7:45 am) and the palace grounds themselves were not busy-yet. I managed to get there around 8:30 am and the gates don't open until 9 am. But since it was quiet I was able to take some pictures and wander a bit. Today was less sunny and also more cool than the other two days and I thought it might rain later. The Imperial Palace Grounds are another massive complex and smack dab in the middle of the city. The complex had all kids of remains of the stone walls with moats as well as several gardens. It really is quite lovely and I think in the spring with the flowers in bloom it would be magnificent.

It took me a while to walk around the complex, as there were hills and steep areas to climb. I didn't see everything but what I did see was lovely. You can't actually go into the palace (at least that is what I understood from the guard and his limited English- but it might have been because it was Sunday).  The highlight was probably the stone bridge which I am sure you have seen in pictures. I managed to get several shots of the bridge before the bus load of Aisan tourists showed up.

After I exited the complex (at the other end of the gate than where I entered- there are several gates), I took the subway to the Tokyo Tower area. The Tokyo Tower is a replica of the Eiffel Tower and I honestly am not sure what the deal is with that. I do know that there is a super steep hill you have to walk up to get to the tower area and it is very touristy in side. But that's cool. After that walk up the hill, I was paying to go up the elevator to the top. It was 900 yen (about $9 USD) to take the trip up to the top so that you can take pictures. I did take pictures. However, I neglected to recall that I really don't like heights. And so I got as close to the "edge" of the window as I was able to. No judgement.

After taking the elevator down to the lower level again (yay!), I found a place amongst the cafes and "fast food" type eateries where I could have something to eat and not die. It was basically a rice/beef bowl. It was delicious. And again, I didn't die. So there's that.

Heading out to the street level again, I headed back to the Marriott for my mid-day rest. It waas well past lunchtime and since I had my non lethal lunch at the tower it was time for a rest. I did stop at the basement food area outside the Shinegawa station to grab some bottles of whiskey for Don. They had smaller bottles and I picked up a few for him as a gift. Who knew that Japanese Whiskey was a thing? I sure didn't.

After a rest, I headed back out again. This time to the Shinjuku area of the city where there was a massive department store and with it, a basement food area that is said to be very famous. I found it no problem. The department store was very high end, but the food basement was incredible! I mean, most of the stuff they had there would kill me in 10 minutes or less but it was amazing! I bought some tea as well as some rice crackers that the women assured me had not touched any shellfish. They since there wasn't anything Japanese that I could eat there, I found a french type bakery which sold ham/cheese sandwich on a baguette. Dinner.   You do what you can. A quick stop for ice cream as well as I headed to the station and it was a complete meal. I also picked up a fabulous eclair for the snack at the hotel with a cup of tea. By this time it was dark, and starting to rain. It was that damp, raw rain and I was getting chilled. I decided to call it an early night- and headed back to the Marriott to pack for the train tomorrow and also eat my eclair!  It sounds like I didn't do that much today but I really did. I find that everything takes a little longer as it is difficult to find places- I seem to get turned around easily here.

Tomorrow? Kyoto!