spring break fun

Wow! What a fun-filled and action packed spring break. Mum & Dad visited us for just over two weeks and we managed to fill every day with something new. They have now returned home for a rest!

We visited Takayama, a wonderful city in the mountains north of Nagoya. The old part of the city is preserved and enchanting to walk around, especially in the early evening as the light fades and the lanterns are lit. We stayed in an antique-filled traditional Japanese inn called Yamakyu. The owners spoke English and were very helpful and kind. We were served traditional Japanese country food in a dining room with low tables and floor seating. Our rooms were tatami mat with futons for sleeping. See our photos of Takayama.

Kyoto, wow what a fabulous place! So much to see, do, taste, hear, smell! What a joy to walk the streets and explore. We joined Johnnie Hillwalker on his five hour walking tour of some of Kyoto. An informative and enlightening adventure. One of our favourite experiences in Kyoto was the Walk of Philosophy or Philospher's Walk (Tetsugaku no michi), a scenic path that follows a cherry-tree lined canal. It's said to be named after a Kyoto University philosopher, Kitaro Nishida, who used it for his daily walk. It was beautiful. Another highlight was the lit gardens of the Kodaiji temple which we explored one evening. We stayed at Motonago, a traditional Japanese ryokan, where we enjoyed beautiful Kyoto food each evening served in a traditional manner in our rooms. It was a delightful experience. Motonago is also in a fabulous location (Higashiyama-ku) close to Gion and many temples. There is just so much to see in Kyoto - we will definitely go back! See our Kyoto photos here.

Sakura or Cherry Blossom time is so big in Japan and we enjoyed the blooms in many locations including Kyoto, Hakone, Kamakura, Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, and our very own Negishi Park and Sankeien Garden here in Yokohama. You really do have to see it to believe it!

Mum and Dad were amazed at the trains, the crowds and the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. We visited the Meiji Shrine and were fortunate to view several wedding processions in the short time we were there! Shibuya is always a sensory overload experience! The view from the New York Bar of the Park Hyatt is breathtaking - we indulged in cocktails and drinks and a light dinner one evening while enjoying the setting sun and the lights of Tokyo.

We spent a fabulous day in Hakone riding the trains, ropeways, pirate ships and buses. What a fun time to do the circular route taking in the Hakone Open Air Museum and the sulphur springs along the way!

All in all a great spring break! Follow all the links and see our photos!

A day out...

Last week during school midwinter "ski break", we took a day trip to Hakone. It is a very popular hot spring area south of Tokyo and Yokohama near Mt Fuji. We had fun catching trains, cable cars and riding the rope-way! We were blessed with beautiful clear blue skies and had wonderful views of Mt Fuji. You can see my photos of the day here. We visited the Hakone Open Air Museum - a wonderful art museum with amazing outdoor sculptures and indoor galleries, including a Picasso gallery. At Owakudani, a famous sulphur springs area we ate eggs that had been boiled in the sulphuric hot water springs. They are black and very yummy when peeled and eaten with salt!
We also visited Lake Ashi,a lake near Mount Hakone formed after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. A very pretty area with beautiful views of Mt Fuji. It was a long but very fun day. We hope to go back, stay overnight and have an "onsen" (hot spring) experience.