OK - I needed one full week to post my first blog. First and foremost, Japan is SUPER BIG AWESOME! We have had nothing short of a great time everywhere we have been. Currently we are in Sendai which is in southern Kyushu. The climate here is sub-tropical, so as you can imagine it is hot and muggy - feels great! Here are some short notes about our first 6 days...
Day 1 - Tokyo: arrived mid afternoon, took a train to downtown, sunset was at 17:30, got a little confused trying to find the Westin. Found the Westin, had dinner and stayed up as late as possible to adjust to Japan timezone (we were up for about 24hrs from the time we left Seattle).
Tokyo is insanely huge and crowded. Everyone is very orderly and polite, so even though you are surrounded by 30+ million people, it does not feel like it. Japanese beer is pretty good. All the girls are very fashionable - skirts, knee-highs, accessories, etc. Men are all in suits and look ready to get crazy on the weekend.
Day 2 - Tokyo: went to the Ginza district of Tokyo. Had an incredible lunch at a small restaurant. By the way, there are just as many small restaurants as there are residents in Tokyo...well, at least it feels that way. Met up with Ken Morinaka and went to a Tokyo Giants baseball game. On the way in they handed us plastic cups for our beers!!! Sorry Mariner fans, this game was much more fun. Chants, flags, banners, music, horns, drinking, eating, and the list can go on and on and on. The fans were super nice to us and loved to talk about Ichiro. Tarah even got some gifts from an older guy who was obviously hooped up on too much sake. Went to an Irish pub afterwards (Warrior Celt) that sat maybe a dozen people.
Day 3 - Tokyo: slept in for awhile (see above note about the Warrior Celt) and then went to the Grand Sumo Tournament 2009. Again, we hung out with Ken who is such a great guy and very knowledgeable about all things Japanese (at least more than us!). OK - the sumo match was one of the coolest sporting events I have ever been to. Fat, almost naked men trying to slap and push their opponent out of the ring (or on to the floor) is true entertainment. I could go on and on about this, but I digress (FYI - I took over 100 pictures, so obviously it sucked). We then met up with Maki and had a great dinner. We started off at the Manta (a little Okinawan restaurant that sat maybe 8) and had an appetizer and stiff drinks. We then went to a V.P.N. certified pizzeria (those of you that know me can appreciate this) that blew my mind. At one point we were speaking Japanese - Italian - English all at the same time. This pizzeria really impressed me. It remined me of Tutta Bella Columbia City in many ways. The food was excellent, the staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was incredible.
Day 4 - Okoyama: overnight stay after riding the bullet train (Shinkansen) for 4+ hours. Again, I can go on and on about the shinkansen (plush, fast, smooth, beers and smokes, etc.), but I digress. We stayed in a Ryokan and ate in downtown restaurant that specialized in yakitori. We decided to check out a little pub near our ryokan because they had the most unique "rainier beer" sign on the door that I had ever seen - of course, they had no idea what "rainier beer" was!!! Anyway, the bar had 3 tables and a little kitchen. We met 4 guys who live in Okayama and proceeded to hang out with them the rest of the evening. The really enjoyed speaking english and having us hang out in their local pub and vice versa.
Day 5 - Fukuoka/Hakata: this city was pretty damn cool. Live music and dance, tons of shopping, and very trendy. We decided to get a foot massage on the 14th floor of this very fashionable mall (yes it had 14 floors of shopping, including a toyota and nissan showroom that were on the 8th floor). The place had a rooftop deck that was very zen like and you felt like you were a million miles away from the city of 1+ million below). Ended the night at Genki sushi (apparently these all all over Japan - we have just 1 in Seattle). Slept at the Comfort Inn - same family as Best Western - I'm a little embarrassed because I have wanted to avoid all things western, but we Japan is currently celebrating a 5-day national holiday so rooms are pretty scarce. Hung out the next day wandering the Tinjin area (downtown Fukuoka), before getting back on the shinkansen.
Day 6 - Sendai: the train sped through vast agricultural areas as we headed deeper south in Kyushu. We decided to come this far south because it is so quiet and peaceful and we wanted a little rest point before heading back north (the population of Sendai is just over 100,000, so it is a little different than Tokyo - HA!). The shinkansen station is brand new and so is the hotel we are in (which had a trouser press, HD Flat screen, free internet, etc.). Apparently, this city is gearing up for a population explosion since a new train line is set to be completed in 2011. We ate at a local restaurant last evening and no one spoke any english - it was awesome. The local drink in these here parts is Shochu (made from grain/potato). Oh yeah, this city also has a large nuclear power plant. I guess this is the backwoods of Japan - if there is such a thing.
Until we meet again - "Daburu de kudasai!"
PS - this is my first blog post ever on any site - can you believe it?!?
To say that the Japanese train system is extensive is an understatement. It is a vast network of bullet trains, local trains, trams, monorails, and subways. My favorite is the bullet train or "shinkansen." The efficiency alone of these wonders is incomprehensible. When the train ticket shows a departure of 16:29 (4:29pm), the train leaves the station at the exact stroke of 14:29. Everyone is in line and ready to board with the Conductors assisting people on and off in an orderly fashion. There is a series of chimes and whistles and then the doors shut making an air-tight seal. Only one time has a shinkansen that we were on been late and it was only 2 minutes late at that (it was a relay shinkansen that connects to a major line). Anyway, these trains travel at over 200kmh and the ride is smoother than an airplane. The decor inside is extremely spacious and plush with hostesses selling food and drink. There are smoking cars, western-style toilets, internet connections, play areas for children, etc. We have ridden the shinkansen now about 10 times and will ride it many more times over the next week. So far we have been on the following trains:
The shinkansen is an incredible experience and our JR Rail Pass has been paid for several times over. There is nothing quite like listening to your music, drinking a beer, and eating some Japanese food while sitting in a plush chair made of bamboo wood cruising at almost 200mph as the japanese countryside rushes by. Welcome aboard!
