Quick record of the last few days. Haven't been able to blog because we stayed in a modern hotel in Matsumoto and of course this meant that we couldn't get wifi access. But Matsumoto ended up another great part of the trip..the Castle on the first afternoon, out to a museum of block prints and a wasabe farm the next day, and a day trip to Kamikochi up in the mountins on our last day. Also tried soba noodles the first night followed by Italian Japanese style at...

A bit of exercise today cycling around Lake kawaguchi. Fujisan hid for most of the day, but we did get some good looks from our window at the beginning and end of the day, so I think we should consider ourselves lucky. Stopped for a picnic lunch and a coffee that took ages to come....another place run solo, so we had to wait for 2 orders of pizza and pasta to be made before our coffee was done...not into multiple tasking. A nice place to hang out anyhow (which...

Our last day in Tokyo was spent taking in sashimi at Tsukishima Markets, visiting the Omiya Bonsai Museum in the northern part of greater Tokyo and seeing the modern and traditional at Marunouchi - the Imperial Palace and afternoon tea on Nakadori Avenue. However the highlight was dinner at a Japanese restaurant down the road from Sawanoya Ryokan in Shinobazu Dori. Although we can't speak Japanese and the waitress and chef couldn't speak english, we ended up ha...

We hired bicycles for the day, but the rain got in the way of using them too much. At least they broke the back of the walking to and from Ueno Park. We left them near Ueno Station and walked the rest of the day. Before leaving them we visited Tokyo National Museum, lots of interesting painting and other art from earlier Japanese times. Then on to Kappabashi Dori for a spot of kitchen shopping....lots of wooden bowls, knives, cups etc to choose from. A late...

Since the last entry we have left Miyajima with an early start to fit in a visit to Hiroshima Peace Park before catching 2 shinkanzens (change trains in Shin-Osaka) to Tokyo. Peace Park was more moving than we expected. We only had time to see the dome and visit the memorial to those who died, but pleased we did even this short visit. Then on to the big city via a view of Mount Fuji. It hits you in the eye suddenly as you come out of a tunnel and is a lot clo...