Today involves mostly going back to Tokyo...

Checked out of the hotel fairly early in the morning, with Tracey again being “aided” by the robot assistant and me doing it the more traditional way with a human being. Perhaps I need to rephrase that. Never mind.

Trekked down towards the main road dragging the case and bags and played “guess which stop the bus will actually stop at” for about ten minutes, all the while heading into town. Eventually after a lot of sodding around being at the wrong stop at the wrong time we decided “to hell with it” and waited at the tram stop instead. We’d done lots of other methods of transport so why not add another. Anyway it was a heck of a lot easier to work out which ones stop where (they all stop at tram stops funnily enough) and most go to the bus/tram/train station. Super job – on we got and trammed (is that a verb?) off to Hiroshima Eki. Not sure it’s actually any faster going the other way as most of the traffic issues are at the Peace Park corner and we’d caught the tram way after that. Still, brought back memories of holidays in Blackpool if nothing else.

We’d tried at one point to get our reserved Shinkansen tickets yesterday (sorry - forgot to mention that!) but again they were only available from Shin Kobe to Tokyo. Booked what we could anyway so we knew the time of our train today already and there was no real rush. We hadn’t had breakfast so we availed ourselves of one of the cafés for coffee and stuff, to wit bread and garlic butter and a pastry.

Bought ourselves some ekiben (it’s a long journey back to Tokyo) and sake (of course) and then rocked up the platform in plenty of time to try and grab a seat before everyone piled on. I wonder how that worked out eh? Only 3 out of 8 cars for non-reserved tickets this time and since the platform was heaving with tourists (or locals taking bulging backpacks for a walk? No - tourists) our chances seemed rather slim.

And they were in fact slim to none.

All three cars absolutely jam packed to capacity with the aisles full of standing passengers too. Gave up even trying to look after a few minutes and took up our accustomed positions on the floor in hallway outside the carriage. Bit more difficult to get any sleep this time as we were wide awake and anyway we had to keep getting up to let people on and off as we were right next to the door. There was zero room. Still not sure why they can't run a bigger train occasionally that is accessible to JR Pass passengers.  

Personal Opinion Time (feel free to ignore this bit – it’s just a rant):  The JR Pass is both a blessing and a curse. As I’ve said, you don’t have to book a seat or even a ticket and can just turn up, flash your pass and climb aboard any train you fancy with a few exceptions e.g. Nozomi Shinkansen. This is great for travellers, especially if you don’t speak the language and it’s a relatively cheap way to see a lot of the country. Unfortunately with so many people trekking down to the same destination in that part of the network and no way to know how many are actually going to want to use any train at any time it’s no surprise that they get packed out. It must drive the locals crazy. And the JR Pass holders don’t have any choice because they can’t use the Nozomi services despite the fact that there are way more of them and the ones we saw were never remotely full. Anyway, it’s only half hour/forty minutes to Shin Kobe so suck it up petal. First world problems after all. (Rant over.)

Short change over at Shin Kobe later and we were soon in our reserved seats back to Tokyo, typing away, drinking small bottles of sake and nomming ekiben boxes. Could be worse eh?! (Could also have been famous last words: at the time we still weren’t convinced the luggage we’d sent ahead would be at our hotel.)

Arrived back in Tokyo after a four and a half hour Shinkansen journey. The first hour or so of which was standing room only. Did I already mention that? Might have done. Anyway.

Trawled back on the tube from Tokyo station to Shinyuku Gyoenmae Apa Hotel with our medium bag and several of the Daiso carriers. The train was rather busy and I’m not sure I’d recommend taking your luggage on the tube. Perhaps on the more parochial parts and outside rush hour. But not on the main part of the network in the middle of the day. Bad enough with one case and some carriers, glad we’d not got both cases (still worried though…)

Found the hotel fairly easily although it would have been even easier if we’d checked the best exit by which to leave the station. The video I’d watched about the tube network had mentioned that as a tip but we never really got it sussed.

Very friendly and patient girl on the desk (APA hotel staff were always incredibly helpful and friendly) checked us in and showed no signs of her undoubted internal despair at my further attempts to destroy the Japanese language one phrase at a time. Bit of tension on our part until she, entirely unbidden, said there was a piece of luggage waiting for us. Massive relief. I suppose we shouldn’t have worried really as it is Japan and things work, but living in the UK does knock optimism out of you a bit.

Seriously cannot recommend the Takkyubin service enough and will use it again later when we go to Hakone. Thanks for the advice Yuka and Philip - good call.

Reunited with all our luggage we decamped, showered (ourselves and most of the bathroom: there doesn't seem to be consistency in the shower/sink selector switches!) and then had a good old womble around Shinjuku, Shibuya and Kabukichō.

The last is a bit of an eye opener: a bit like Soho on steroids and coloured in with highlighting markers. Lots of “interesting” clubs and bars serving…well, take your pick really. We went looking for the famous Robot Restaurant that the marginal research I’d done presented as just the right side of completely insane. Found it ok. To be frank you can hardly miss it – there’s bloody great neon signs pointing to it everywhere. Stevie Wonder could find it in the dark with his eyes shut! However at 8000 yen (about £60 odd quid) a ticket without an undoubtedly expensive drink or any food we gave it a body swerve. Maybe next time and perhaps earlier in the trip when the budget would be healthier.

Did also come across a massive beer festival which looked promising but when it said Beer Festival it did mean BEER festival. Not sure any other beverage could have shouldered its way in without a heavily armed escort. Plus it was heaving and everyone was smoking. As an ex-smoker who can’t stand beer the overall offer wasn’t exactly the best fit. Looked fun though if you like the frothy stuff and can stand the fug.

Eventually back to base then out to find a (non-robot) restaurant near the hotel that looked appetising. Mooched around the back streets looking at every type of bar/restaurant known to mankind. We were really (surprise surprise) looking for okonomiyaki to try Tokyo style, mainly to confirm that when we had on the market last week was indeed it. Failed miserably. Did find the gay district though. Didn’t know there was one to be honest but if you’re interested, walking past “Campy Bar” should give you a bit of a clue.

More wombling and endless mind changing later we found something that looked right up our street, sat down and got a menu. Then Tracey realised it was a tonkatsu restaurant and she didn't fancy it after (the admittedly cold) tonkatsu she’d had as part of her Ekiben last week. Mostly because it wasn’t cooked to within an inch of becoming suitable for Timpsons to resole your boots. Muttering in Scottish, many apologies in Japanese to the staff and a temporary minor divorce.

Moved to another restaurant (carefully checking the menu this time) and ate massive bowls of ramen washed down, in Tracey's case, with a beer the size of a bucket. Ok it wasn’t the okonomiyaki we were initially looking for but it was bloody good. Ramen to get made at home then, especially with many sheets of nori to dip in it. Never thought that was a thing. It is now!

Yet another womble about a bit to work that off and then back to the hotel to fall asleep fully clothed on the bed about a second after we got in*.

* I got up later to change. I’m not a total skank!