[samtcy] Consolidated 2 Japan trips (Kansai + One Piece exhibition + Tokyo + Nagano)
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- Start date
486) One Piece film "Z" roadshow exhibition at Decks (Odaiba)
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489) retro looking shops at Decks. Guys should try going to the men's toilet on this level. Hubby say that there's some sort of peeing game on their urinals. Nothing interesting in the female toilet though. boo!
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489) retro looking shops at Decks. Guys should try going to the men's toilet on this level. Hubby say that there's some sort of peeing game on their urinals. Nothing interesting in the female toilet though. boo!
490)
491) Takoyaki food court. Many stalls specializing in takoyaki. At Decks (Odaiba)
492) Odaiba rainbow bridge. It was way too cold (and windy) for me to take my time in taking more shots of this bridge. Had to find somewhere to hide from the wind after taking this shot.
493) At Aquacity (Odaiba). I think it will also be only available until Jan 2013.
494) Headed back to Divercity to catch the evening Gundam Illumination show.
492) Odaiba rainbow bridge. It was way too cold (and windy) for me to take my time in taking more shots of this bridge. Had to find somewhere to hide from the wind after taking this shot.
493) At Aquacity (Odaiba). I think it will also be only available until Jan 2013.
494) Headed back to Divercity to catch the evening Gundam Illumination show.
Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 4: Yokohama
Today, we went to the Yokohama's Nissin Cup noodle museum with the family. I've already been to the Osaka branch back in July 2011 so this on is kinda more or less similar. Had fun customizing our own cup noodles. Most of the pics I took were with family (and vids) so not gonna be posting much pics for this day.
After the cup noodle museum, we headed across the road to the shopping mall to have lunch at the Sylvanian Families restaurant. The main courses comes with buffet spread. The buffet consists of hot snacks (pizza...etc), sandwiches, soups, salads, ice cream, cotton candy... There's also hourly show performance by the Sylvanian Rabbit and she will go around the tables taking photos with you. Even the guys (my hubby, my uncles...) enjoyed this meal and they had fun playing with making their own cotton candy.
After lunch, we headed for the Pokemon shop near the Minato Mirai train station, since 1 of my cousin is a fan. There was also a Jump shop opposite the Pokemon shop, so hubby and I went to explore the Jump shop instead.
Then we took the train back to Tokyo and we headed for Shinjuku for shopping at Tokyu Hands, Takashimaya and DonQuijote store. Didn't take any pics for this portion of the day since we were busy exploring the shops. heh.
497) Yokohama station. transit here for train to Minato Mirai station
498) Nissin Cup Noodle museum, 10mins walk from Minato Mirai station in Yokohama
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Today, we went to the Yokohama's Nissin Cup noodle museum with the family. I've already been to the Osaka branch back in July 2011 so this on is kinda more or less similar. Had fun customizing our own cup noodles. Most of the pics I took were with family (and vids) so not gonna be posting much pics for this day.
After the cup noodle museum, we headed across the road to the shopping mall to have lunch at the Sylvanian Families restaurant. The main courses comes with buffet spread. The buffet consists of hot snacks (pizza...etc), sandwiches, soups, salads, ice cream, cotton candy... There's also hourly show performance by the Sylvanian Rabbit and she will go around the tables taking photos with you. Even the guys (my hubby, my uncles...) enjoyed this meal and they had fun playing with making their own cotton candy.
After lunch, we headed for the Pokemon shop near the Minato Mirai train station, since 1 of my cousin is a fan. There was also a Jump shop opposite the Pokemon shop, so hubby and I went to explore the Jump shop instead.
Then we took the train back to Tokyo and we headed for Shinjuku for shopping at Tokyu Hands, Takashimaya and DonQuijote store. Didn't take any pics for this portion of the day since we were busy exploring the shops. heh.
497) Yokohama station. transit here for train to Minato Mirai station
498) Nissin Cup Noodle museum, 10mins walk from Minato Mirai station in Yokohama
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511) Sylvanian Families restaurant inside the World Porters shopping mall (opposite the Cup Noodle Museum)
512) Inside
513) Order a main course (I ordered this omu rice) and it comes with free buffet spread (hot snacks/salads/soups/dessert)
514) My cousin's children main course (yes, it also includes the buffet spread)
515) Buffet corner
512) Inside
513) Order a main course (I ordered this omu rice) and it comes with free buffet spread (hot snacks/salads/soups/dessert)
514) My cousin's children main course (yes, it also includes the buffet spread)
515) Buffet corner
526) After lunch, we headed over to the Pokemon shop in a shopping mall near Minato Mirai station.
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529) The choc biscuits on the top rack (shown in this pic) is nice.
530) Pokemon macaroni
---End of Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 4-----
Coming up next, Day 5 (Tokyo to Nagano Yudanaka)
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529) The choc biscuits on the top rack (shown in this pic) is nice.
530) Pokemon macaroni
---End of Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 4-----
Coming up next, Day 5 (Tokyo to Nagano Yudanaka)
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Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 5: Tokyo to Yudanaka (transit at Nagano)
Today's the 1st time most of my family is going to take the bullet train (and see some snow) therefore it's an exciting day for them.
Early in the morning, we had to leave our hotel at Odaiba early to try to catch an early Shinkansen from Tokyo station to Nagano. And then from Nagano, we had to transfer to the Nagaden line for a Ltd Exp train to reach Yudanaka.
Luckily our Yudanaka's hotel's staff came to meet us and helped us transfer all our luggages to the hotel while we went to take the bus to Shiga Kogen...where we spent a nice afternoon playing with snow (and snow fights).
531) Took this Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano station. Boarded at 0836 and arrived at 1018am at Nagano (102mins).
532)
533) At the Nagano station of Nagaden line. The greyish train is the slower local line. The reddish train is the faster limited express train.
534) The Ltd Exp Nagaden train we took from Nagano to Yudanaka.
Boarded at 1046 and arrived at 1134 (46mins journey, 1230yen).
Today's the 1st time most of my family is going to take the bullet train (and see some snow) therefore it's an exciting day for them.
Early in the morning, we had to leave our hotel at Odaiba early to try to catch an early Shinkansen from Tokyo station to Nagano. And then from Nagano, we had to transfer to the Nagaden line for a Ltd Exp train to reach Yudanaka.
Luckily our Yudanaka's hotel's staff came to meet us and helped us transfer all our luggages to the hotel while we went to take the bus to Shiga Kogen...where we spent a nice afternoon playing with snow (and snow fights).
531) Took this Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano station. Boarded at 0836 and arrived at 1018am at Nagano (102mins).
532)
533) At the Nagano station of Nagaden line. The greyish train is the slower local line. The reddish train is the faster limited express train.
534) The Ltd Exp Nagaden train we took from Nagano to Yudanaka.
Boarded at 1046 and arrived at 1134 (46mins journey, 1230yen).
535) Inside the train. And nope, there's no toilet onboard the train.
536) My cousins, hubby, uncle and aunt busy taking photos of the panoramic view at the front of the train. The train driver compartment is just above us.
537) Somewhere between Nagano to Yudanaka station
538) Train staff selling some train souvenirs onboard the train.
536) My cousins, hubby, uncle and aunt busy taking photos of the panoramic view at the front of the train. The train driver compartment is just above us.
537) Somewhere between Nagano to Yudanaka station
538) Train staff selling some train souvenirs onboard the train.
539) Random view out of bus window...on our way from Yudanaka station towards Shiga Kogen. The ride takes about 30mins and costs 730yen. We only went to the lower part of Shiga Kogen.
540) The lovely view out of the restaurant window where we had our lunch at Shiga Kogen.
541) Lunchtime. Pork cutlet with sauce on rice.
542) Still looking out of the restaurant window...
543) Exterior of the building where we had our lunch. After lunch, many of my cousins and aunts were so excited seeing snow for the first time that we just started playing with snow at the building's carpark and driveway. See the bags on the ground? We just dumped our bags and off to play with snow. Haha.
540) The lovely view out of the restaurant window where we had our lunch at Shiga Kogen.
541) Lunchtime. Pork cutlet with sauce on rice.
542) Still looking out of the restaurant window...
543) Exterior of the building where we had our lunch. After lunch, many of my cousins and aunts were so excited seeing snow for the first time that we just started playing with snow at the building's carpark and driveway. See the bags on the ground? We just dumped our bags and off to play with snow. Haha.
After we are done with playing with the snow at Shiga Kogen, we took the bus back to Yudanaka, and then checked in to our ryokan for the night.
578) Lobby of our ryokan (Yorozuya Annex Yurakuan)
579) Selecting our Yukata
580) Our room. 18900yen, inclusive dinner and breakfast.
581) View from the room
578) Lobby of our ryokan (Yorozuya Annex Yurakuan)
579) Selecting our Yukata
580) Our room. 18900yen, inclusive dinner and breakfast.
581) View from the room
587) A type of veg called Nozawana. A type of specialty veg of Nagano prefecture (usually from Nozawa area). In the following days of my trip in Nagano, we came across this veg pretty often.
588) Hmm...forgot what is this...
589) Miso soup
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591) Cold soba
588) Hmm...forgot what is this...
589) Miso soup
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591) Cold soba
592) After dinner, head back to our room and watch tv. I love how detailed the japanese weather forecasts are.
593) Supper. Time to eat my Nissin cup noodle (to make space for my luggage bag)
594)
595) Yum! (I chose Seafood flavour)
----End of Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 5----
Coming up next, Day 6 (Yudanaka to Nagano + Snow monkey)
593) Supper. Time to eat my Nissin cup noodle (to make space for my luggage bag)
594)
595) Yum! (I chose Seafood flavour)
----End of Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 5----
Coming up next, Day 6 (Yudanaka to Nagano + Snow monkey)
Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 6: Yudanaka to Nagano (+ Snow monkeys #1)
Our hotel dropped us at the entrance of the Snow monkey trek in the morning and thus began our long walk to the snow monkey hotspring area. By the way, hubby and I will be returning to this place to see snow monkeys again 4 days from this day (see Trip 6 Day 10).
It was raining so the trek was muddy and slippery. Even though the signage at the entrance states it takes only 25mins....but it took us like 50mins. Anyway, the Japanese tend to walk very fast (yes, even their old folks walk faster than me), so whatever duration the Japanese say a walk will take, for us slowpoke Singaporeans who aren't used to hiking, just mentally double the duration.
After that long walk, we finally arrived at the entrance of the monkey park. Had to pay 500yen for admission. There's some lockers, a toilet, and a small souvenir shop there.
Since the hotel transport is going to pick us up again (and we took a long time walking), so we didn't have much time at the monkey park itself. Only spent slighly below 1hr here taking photos of the monkeys. Well, luckily for me, I could look forward to my 2nd trip here in 4 days' time so I wasn't too disappointed.
We then had to make the long walk back to the trek entrance to meet up with the hotel van to shuttle us to the Yudanaka train station.
Most hotels at Yudanaka usually don't provide transport back from the monkey park so if that's the case, you will have to walk even much further to the main road (about 10mins walk) and board the bus from Kanbayashi guchi bus stop. The bus here are very infrequent (about 1 bus per hour) so remember to check the bus schedules before you go monkey park. There's also virtually no cab around so don't need to think about taking cab even though the train station is only about 15mins bus ride away.
From Yudanaka station, we then took the Nagaden Ltd Exp train back to Nagano. At Nagano, hubby and I said goodbye to our family since they will be heading back to Tokyo whereas we will be continuing our trip at Nagano.
We checked in to our hotel at Nagano (Chisun Grand Nagano, about 7mins walk from Nagano station) to deposit our bags and then headed back out to catch a bus (10mins journey) from the bus stop in front of Nagano train station to get to Zenko-ji Temple.
After Zenko-ji, we headed back to Nagano train station area to find some food (my 1st meal of the day since I skipped breakfast at the Yudanaka hotel)
to buy back to our hotel for early dinner.
Since the previous 5 days were really hectic (we woke up really early and slept past midnight every day) we dozed off while watching tv...and then next thing I know, it was nearly midnight. Haha... we napped for nearly 6hrs straight!! Time to head out to nearby convenience store for some supper...
596) The start of the long long walk (took about 50mins for my group) to get to the monkey park deep in the forest.
597) Still walking... note the muddy path since it was drizzling.
4 days later (day 10), I would be taking a pic at this exact same spot to compare the weather conditions of my 2 trips. Will post the comparison pic on my day 10 entry.
598) After walking about 45mins on the forest path...finally the trees cleared and we see this view. From here, we had to continue walking about 2mins down the path, and up a long flight of stairs, and walk another 2mins before we could reach the entrance to the monkey park.
599) The stairs...
600) After reaching the top of the stairs, remember to take a pic of this lovely view.
Our hotel dropped us at the entrance of the Snow monkey trek in the morning and thus began our long walk to the snow monkey hotspring area. By the way, hubby and I will be returning to this place to see snow monkeys again 4 days from this day (see Trip 6 Day 10).
It was raining so the trek was muddy and slippery. Even though the signage at the entrance states it takes only 25mins....but it took us like 50mins. Anyway, the Japanese tend to walk very fast (yes, even their old folks walk faster than me), so whatever duration the Japanese say a walk will take, for us slowpoke Singaporeans who aren't used to hiking, just mentally double the duration.
After that long walk, we finally arrived at the entrance of the monkey park. Had to pay 500yen for admission. There's some lockers, a toilet, and a small souvenir shop there.
Since the hotel transport is going to pick us up again (and we took a long time walking), so we didn't have much time at the monkey park itself. Only spent slighly below 1hr here taking photos of the monkeys. Well, luckily for me, I could look forward to my 2nd trip here in 4 days' time so I wasn't too disappointed.
We then had to make the long walk back to the trek entrance to meet up with the hotel van to shuttle us to the Yudanaka train station.
Most hotels at Yudanaka usually don't provide transport back from the monkey park so if that's the case, you will have to walk even much further to the main road (about 10mins walk) and board the bus from Kanbayashi guchi bus stop. The bus here are very infrequent (about 1 bus per hour) so remember to check the bus schedules before you go monkey park. There's also virtually no cab around so don't need to think about taking cab even though the train station is only about 15mins bus ride away.
From Yudanaka station, we then took the Nagaden Ltd Exp train back to Nagano. At Nagano, hubby and I said goodbye to our family since they will be heading back to Tokyo whereas we will be continuing our trip at Nagano.
We checked in to our hotel at Nagano (Chisun Grand Nagano, about 7mins walk from Nagano station) to deposit our bags and then headed back out to catch a bus (10mins journey) from the bus stop in front of Nagano train station to get to Zenko-ji Temple.
After Zenko-ji, we headed back to Nagano train station area to find some food (my 1st meal of the day since I skipped breakfast at the Yudanaka hotel)
to buy back to our hotel for early dinner.
Since the previous 5 days were really hectic (we woke up really early and slept past midnight every day) we dozed off while watching tv...and then next thing I know, it was nearly midnight. Haha... we napped for nearly 6hrs straight!! Time to head out to nearby convenience store for some supper...
596) The start of the long long walk (took about 50mins for my group) to get to the monkey park deep in the forest.
597) Still walking... note the muddy path since it was drizzling.
4 days later (day 10), I would be taking a pic at this exact same spot to compare the weather conditions of my 2 trips. Will post the comparison pic on my day 10 entry.
598) After walking about 45mins on the forest path...finally the trees cleared and we see this view. From here, we had to continue walking about 2mins down the path, and up a long flight of stairs, and walk another 2mins before we could reach the entrance to the monkey park.
599) The stairs...
600) After reaching the top of the stairs, remember to take a pic of this lovely view.
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