Our home base in Tokyo was Shinjuku. Shopping there was top notch and it was very convenient transit wise to get to other places. A great free thing to do in the area was the observation floor at the Metropolitan Government Building. The day we went was cloudy but it was still nice to get a bird's eye view.
Mascots were here, there, and everywhere in Japan. Here's the Mins with two from a flower festival.
We went to an all you can eat, make your own, okonomiyaki place. The Mins made one with veggies and corn.
One of the highlights of our trip was eating sukiyaki. The wagyu beef, though not pictured here, was out of this world! G's friend speaks Japanese and made a reservation for us in advance.
Our first time taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) was to Hakone. It is a small town that is known for its hot springs resorts and views of Mount Fuji. It also has a circuit with five modes of transportation. The first mode was an electric train up a hill.
Between modes of transport are attractions, shops, and restaurants. We had soba noodles at Gora Station.
This was one of the views after the first ropeway.
The second ropeway took us even higher, and over a quarry.
After taking a boat and a bus, we walked around town and then spent time at our ryokan. The hospitality was excellent and we had an onsen all to ourselves. Can you see the Mins relaxing on top of the water spout?
Hakone was a lovely retreat for us to rest and recharge. Next up...Kyoto!
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