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Tokyo

Tokyo

東京

Kyoto

Kyoto

京都

Osaka

Osaka

大阪

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

広島

Saijo

Saijo

西条

Hakone

Hakone

箱根

Tashirojima (Cat Island)

Tashirojima

田代島 (Cat Island)

Sendai

Sendai

仙台

Morioka

Morioka

盛岡

Aomori

Aomori

青森

Hakodate

Hakodate

函館

Hirosaki

Hirosaki

弘前

Nikko

Nikko

日光

Yokohama

Yokohama

横浜

Welcome to our Japan blog

Sitting at Heathrow before we left for our first trip 2017, I wrote a summary for the Facebook page...

"Two slightly dazed Brits go to Japan for three weeks and womble about. Includes constant photos of food and occasional swearing!" I think that still stands. 

Japan is phenomenal. Really. Just phenomenal. 

Although we always did our research before we left, we learnt a load over the weeks. Given that these days we struggle to remember what happened last Wednesday, this site is really for us to get it all down in writing while it's still relatively fresh in our minds. You know the sort of things..what was good, what we'd change next time, any travel and language tips. If it proves useful to anyone else then...Bonus!

Sushi, Tsukiji Market
Sushi, Tsukiji Market
Gion, Kyoto
Gion, Kyoto
Kaminarimon, Asakusa
Kaminarimon, Asakusa
Genbaku (Atomic Bomb) Dome, Hiroshima
Genbaku (Atomic Bomb) Dome, Hiroshima
Ueno Park, Tokyo
Ueno Park, Tokyo
Miura Anjin Memorial, Nihombashi, Tokyo
Miura Anjin Memorial, Nihombashi, Tokyo
Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo
Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo
Nebuta-Warasse Museum, Aomori
Nebuta-Warasse Museum, Aomori
Shinkansen at Shin Kobe Eki, Kobe
Shinkansen at Shin Kobe Eki, Kobe
Ueno Park, Ueno, Tokyo
Ueno Park, Ueno, Tokyo
Modelling Yukata in Toji Market, Kyoto
Modelling Yukata in Toji Market, Kyoto
Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo
Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo
Textiles in Okadaya, Shibuya
Textiles in Okadaya, Shibuya
Working Virtual Boy, Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo
Working Virtual Boy, Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo
Cappuccino Shiki Kissaten, Morioka
Cappuccino Shiki Kissaten, Morioka
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji, Tokyo
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji, Tokyo
O-bansho Guardhouse, Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo
O-bansho Guardhouse, Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo
Tamadare Falls, Hakone
Tamadare Falls, Hakone
Shōwa Daibutsu, Aomori
Shōwa Daibutsu, Aomori
Miura Anjin Memorial, Nihombashi, Tokyo

Miura Anjin Memorial, Nihombashi, Tokyo

Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo

Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo

Nebuta-Warasse Museum, Aomori

Nebuta-Warasse Museum, Aomori

Shinkansen at Shin Kobe Eki, Kobe

Shinkansen at Shin Kobe Eki, Kobe

Ueno Park, Ueno, Tokyo

Ueno Park, Ueno, Tokyo

Modelling Yukata in Toji Market, Kyoto

Modelling Yukata in Toji Market, Kyoto

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo

Textiles in Okadaya, Shibuya

Textiles in Okadaya, Shibuya

Working Virtual Boy, Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo

Working Virtual Boy, Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo

Cappuccino Shiki Kissaten, Morioka

Cappuccino Shiki Kissaten, Morioka

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji, Tokyo

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji, Tokyo

O-bansho Guardhouse, Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo

O-bansho Guardhouse, Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo

Tamadare Falls, Hakone

Tamadare Falls, Hakone

Shōwa Daibutsu, Aomori

Shōwa Daibutsu, Aomori

Breakfast with Melon Soda, Gusto, Asakusa
With Harita San & Siosake San, Aomori
Outside Sensō-ji, Asakusa
Shima no Eki, Tashirojima
Yakitori Restaurant, Asakusa
Wih Hiroshi San, Cappuccino Shiki, Morioka
Kyo Restaurant, Kyoto
Tōshō-gū Shrine, Nikkō
At Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G
Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo
With Kyoko San, Kamoizumi Brewery, Saijo
Sendai Castle Zunda Shop
Pronto Cafe, Hakodate
First Ever Okonomiyaki, Asakusa Nakemise Dori

The Adventures of Pochi, Uisuki and Daiou

Pochi belongs to one of the students at school. He was a bit of a last minute "Mascot" idea in 2017 but we took him everywhere in Japan and he was very well behaved. So much so that, when he wasn't available for 2018, we invited his friends Uisuki and Daiou (Whiskey and Rhubarb).

Pochi and Uisuki like Melon Soda and Sake. Daoiu prefers Beer and Iced Coffee. All of them, however, like meeting people.

Actually, in all honestly, if you are learning the language of a country you can do far worse as a conversation starter/ice breaker than asking people to pose with small stuffed toys. I handed them over and trotted out 「僕の子供のために写真を取ってもいいですか」("May I take a picture for my kids") quite a bit and so they made a lot of new friends :-)

Top travel tip.

Breakfast with Melon Soda, Gusto, Asakusa
With Harita San & Siosake San, Aomori
Outside Sensō-ji, Asakusa
Shima no Eki, Tashirojima
Yakitori Restaurant, Asakusa
Wih Hiroshi San, Cappuccino Shiki, Morioka
Kyo Restaurant, Kyoto
Tōshō-gū Shrine, Nikkō
At Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G
Super Potato, Akihabara, Tokyo
With Kyoko San, Kamoizumi Brewery, Saijo
Sendai Castle Zunda Shop
Pronto Cafe, Hakodate
First Ever Okonomiyaki, Asakusa Nakemise Dori