Japan pt 1: Tokyo and Kyoto

We arrived later than expected into Japan as our first flight was delayed and we missed our connection. So we grabbed some food in the Shanghai airport while we waited for our new flight, but it wasn't long until we were touching down in Tokyo!

On day one we went to a little cafe for breakfast that did veggie plates and rice balls, and then it was into the city to explore. We went to Akihabra, or electric town, which has tons of tech, video game and anime stores. We bought some fun headphones and a crepe and looked around some of the shops. 

We also went to visit a bunny cafe!

On day two, we went to the Shibuya scramble, one of the busiest crossings in the world. It was mainly busy with tourists taking photos, but all the light up billboards around the place were pretty iconic. We also went to visit the Hachiko statue of the most loyal dog who waited for his owner outside the station for nine years. 

We then went to the Pokemon centre to look at all the Pokemon and other Nintendo merch. And then we went for a walk towards the park and stumbled across a night market. We bought a cheesy corn dog and walked aorund the other stalls. There are no trash cans in Japan, but every 20 stands or so, there's a stand specifically for sorting out your rubbish into the correct recycling bins. 

It was then on to the Meiji Jingu park and shrine. It was a big park, and in the middle of the trees was a long path that led up to a five level pagoda and big shrine. 

We also got some sweet and soy sauce rice dumplings to tide us over until dinner.

Day was our first day trip out of the city. We caught a series of local trains into the Nikko national park. We arrived in the small town and walked through the street of shops and cafes overlooked by the huge misty hills. I bought a matcha custard filled monkey taiyaki to start the day. 

There was a pretty red bridge we walked by at the entrance to the park area, and then it was on to a little trail towards the shrines. We passed several temples, a trail of bells where you could ring them and make a wish and a giant bell with a roof. Mitchell also rubbed the bunny statue for good luck. 

After visiting the temples, we then went for a walk into the wilderness on the other side of the river. We walked through trees and along stepped paths and got some great views over the town. I also got bit by a leech, but it was a nice walk none-the-less. 

To refuel after our walk, we went to a cafe and got some sandwiches and a tasting plate of cheesecakes. 

 On day four, we had a reservation at a vegan sushi cafe and it was very good. They also had a list of  other vegan restaurants across Japan, so we made good use of that over the next few weeks. 

We went to Shinjuku, the shopping district to see the Godzilla head and walk around the area. We also visited a matcha cafe which was a tiny place where you sat at the bar and watched one guy make the one things on the menu: matcha. It was very cute and we enjoyed the experience a lot. 

After our matcha, we went to see the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden which had some ponds and trees and flowers, and buildings poking over the top. 

Day five was another day trip and this time we went to Hakone. We got the train and then a bus and then a boat! The pirate ship took across the lake and while we kept our eyes out for Mt Fuji, he did not appear that day. 

We got onto a cable car that took us up into the mountains and across sulphur steam vents. 

Day 5 trip to hakone 

Train to hakone 

Boat, cable car 

No views of fuji

Steam vents 

Cable car 

Gate in the forest and by the river 

Ice cream 

Back to tokyo

Vegan ramen 

Shopping 

Day 6 

Went to find Totoro 

Miyazaki clock 

Ginza walk through 

Back to akihabra 

Bought Mitchell a suit 

Arcades with pros 

Met Adam for dinner 

Day 1 

Bakery breakfast 

Train to Kyoto 

Saw mt Fuji 

Checked into cute hostel 

Blueberry cafe 

Nishi market and won a soot sprite 

did some work 

Day 2

Bus ginjuku temple 

Impromptu hike

Strawberry mochi and messy ice cream 

Philosophers path 

Bunny shrine 

Cafe with floor seats 

Geisha district 

Vegan small plates 

Jiggly pancakes 

Day 3 

Summer Palace Park 

Ramen at the market and trying to buy jacket 

Fushi gates 

Tour guide and we took a secret bamboo path and saw shrines 

Day 4. 

Arayshima bamboo 

Bamboo walk 

Park with views 

Park through to the river 

Miffy sandwiches 

Matcha and mochi 

Second bamboo walk and found another grove 

Vegan izakuma for dinner 

Day 5 

Rainy day 

Bagels 

Applied for jobs 

Walked through the food market 

Italian for dinner 

Strawberries 

Bagels in the laundry place 

Train to Osaka