Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
SmithfamilyOz
- Blog
-
Location Date Oceania 1498518000 Asia 
1493766000 North America 1483401600 Europe 1443826800 South America 1403478000 -
Location Date Nozawa Onsen 1428102000 Tokyo
1427500800
Friday - March 27
We all met at Fratelli in town for a quick pizza dinner before we jumped into taxis to the airport. The kids were super excited (as were we all) and a quick check in and we were at the gate ready to board our plane for Tokyo.
Saturday – March 28th
A 9 hour flight later and we landed in Narita. Such a surprise so see Sam Sharpe and Scott on our plane (small world). We shipped our ski bag to Nozawa Onsen via the Black Cat courier – such a great deal - $18 and it would go straight to our lodge two days later.
We caught the Narita Express to Tokyo station then a taxi to our hotel, the Mercure Ginza. We'd stayed here last time we were in Tokyo and loved its location and the fact that it had interconnecting rooms (there are not many families with 3 kids in Japan). Unfortunately, they did not have the room ready for an early check in so we went for a walk around Ginza. Ginza never ceases to amaze with its high end shops and beautiful department stores (the food halls are amazing!).
We found a cute little Ramen restaurant and re-fueled on noodles and chicken katsu. It was great to see the kids enjoying the local food (chicken katsu always a favourite!).
We headed back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep. After some well needed sleep we walked around the shops of Ginza (the Uniqlo shop is great) before catching a cab to our favourite Tokyo restaurant - GonPachi.
Gonpachi is an "old style" wooden restaurant that apparently inspired a set on the Kill Bill movie. In any case, it has great atmosphere and yummy yakitori and sushi dishes. We’d been last time and again it didn’t disappoint – it is Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) in Tokyo and everyone seems to be very happy that Spring is here.
We had a delicious meal then back to the hotel to rest – a busy first day!
Sunday – March 29
Sunday was a day to visit the Ghibli Museum. The Ghibli Studio is an animation studio based on the works of Hayao Miyazaki and they have made some our favourite movies (Our Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Ponyo being examples). The Ghibli Museum is in Mitaka which is in the outskirts of Tokyo. Subway to Shinjuku and then JR to Mitaka and we were walking in the glorious sunshine passed Cherry Blossoms next to stream on our way to the Museum.
And what a museum it is. Wonderful details and amazing exhibits, it shows the art behind handmade animation. The colours and detail of the animation cells are spectacular. The museum shares the whimsy of the movies and the kids (and Leigh and I) loved it. Highlights included the Cat Bus, the short film about the sumo wrestling mice, the Iron Giant on the terrace and naturally the big fella himself, Totoro. Eleanor was very excited to get her Totoro and is now carrying it everywhere.
It was clouding over so we headed back to Tokyo via the JR Rapid line. It was now after 1 so we had our fill of Ramen again and then went back to the hotel for some quiet time (and to see how Australia was going in the World Cup cricket final!).
It had stated to rain lightly so we decided against seeing the Cherry Blossoms in the evening and rather did some more shopping (cool kids clothes at the GAP) and then to a local Teppanyaki restaurant. (amazing “white tuna”, waygu steak and seared foie gras). Kids were beginning to lose it so we went back to the hotel and to bed.
Monday – March 30
The next day dawned fine and sunny so we decided to make the most of it and headed out early to Chidorifaguchi to see the Cherry Blossoms. We’d been told that we were very lucky and that today was the best day to see them. The cherry blossoms bloom for approximately 7 days and it heralds the beginning of Spring for the Japanese (sakura). The usual way to enjoy them is to Hanami (picnic) in the parks with family and friends. Chidorifaguchhi is a spectacular place to see the Cherry Blossoms as they cascade into the moat that surrounds the Imperial Palace. We wandered through the tree promenade and did what everyone else was doing which was taking photos!
The Cherry Blossoms were spectacular – pinks and whites – such a serene and peaceful picture you can see why the Japanese revere them.
It was time for us to catch our Shinkansen to Nozawa Onsen so we headed back to the hotel, checked out and walked to Tokyo station. We were on the new Shinkansen (Hakutaka) which only began operation 2 weeks earlier. The shinkansen are a marvel – so fast and easy. We boarded the Hakutaka and relaxed for our 90 minute trip to Iiyama and then our 20min bus to Nozawa. It amazing to think that in the morning we’d been walking through a forest of Cherry Blossoms and less than 3 hours later we were in the snow of Nozawa!.
We all met at Fratelli in town for a quick pizza dinner before we jumped into taxis to the airport. The kids were super excited (as were we all) and a quick check in and we were at the gate ready to board our plane for Tokyo.
Saturday – March 28th
A 9 hour flight later and we landed in Narita. Such a surprise so see Sam Sharpe and Scott on our plane (small world). We shipped our ski bag to Nozawa Onsen via the Black Cat courier – such a great deal - $18 and it would go straight to our lodge two days later.
We caught the Narita Express to Tokyo station then a taxi to our hotel, the Mercure Ginza. We'd stayed here last time we were in Tokyo and loved its location and the fact that it had interconnecting rooms (there are not many families with 3 kids in Japan). Unfortunately, they did not have the room ready for an early check in so we went for a walk around Ginza. Ginza never ceases to amaze with its high end shops and beautiful department stores (the food halls are amazing!).
We found a cute little Ramen restaurant and re-fueled on noodles and chicken katsu. It was great to see the kids enjoying the local food (chicken katsu always a favourite!).
We headed back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep. After some well needed sleep we walked around the shops of Ginza (the Uniqlo shop is great) before catching a cab to our favourite Tokyo restaurant - GonPachi.
Gonpachi is an "old style" wooden restaurant that apparently inspired a set on the Kill Bill movie. In any case, it has great atmosphere and yummy yakitori and sushi dishes. We’d been last time and again it didn’t disappoint – it is Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) in Tokyo and everyone seems to be very happy that Spring is here.
We had a delicious meal then back to the hotel to rest – a busy first day!
Sunday – March 29
Sunday was a day to visit the Ghibli Museum. The Ghibli Studio is an animation studio based on the works of Hayao Miyazaki and they have made some our favourite movies (Our Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Ponyo being examples). The Ghibli Museum is in Mitaka which is in the outskirts of Tokyo. Subway to Shinjuku and then JR to Mitaka and we were walking in the glorious sunshine passed Cherry Blossoms next to stream on our way to the Museum.
And what a museum it is. Wonderful details and amazing exhibits, it shows the art behind handmade animation. The colours and detail of the animation cells are spectacular. The museum shares the whimsy of the movies and the kids (and Leigh and I) loved it. Highlights included the Cat Bus, the short film about the sumo wrestling mice, the Iron Giant on the terrace and naturally the big fella himself, Totoro. Eleanor was very excited to get her Totoro and is now carrying it everywhere.
It was clouding over so we headed back to Tokyo via the JR Rapid line. It was now after 1 so we had our fill of Ramen again and then went back to the hotel for some quiet time (and to see how Australia was going in the World Cup cricket final!).
It had stated to rain lightly so we decided against seeing the Cherry Blossoms in the evening and rather did some more shopping (cool kids clothes at the GAP) and then to a local Teppanyaki restaurant. (amazing “white tuna”, waygu steak and seared foie gras). Kids were beginning to lose it so we went back to the hotel and to bed.
Monday – March 30
The next day dawned fine and sunny so we decided to make the most of it and headed out early to Chidorifaguchi to see the Cherry Blossoms. We’d been told that we were very lucky and that today was the best day to see them. The cherry blossoms bloom for approximately 7 days and it heralds the beginning of Spring for the Japanese (sakura). The usual way to enjoy them is to Hanami (picnic) in the parks with family and friends. Chidorifaguchhi is a spectacular place to see the Cherry Blossoms as they cascade into the moat that surrounds the Imperial Palace. We wandered through the tree promenade and did what everyone else was doing which was taking photos!
The Cherry Blossoms were spectacular – pinks and whites – such a serene and peaceful picture you can see why the Japanese revere them.
It was time for us to catch our Shinkansen to Nozawa Onsen so we headed back to the hotel, checked out and walked to Tokyo station. We were on the new Shinkansen (Hakutaka) which only began operation 2 weeks earlier. The shinkansen are a marvel – so fast and easy. We boarded the Hakutaka and relaxed for our 90 minute trip to Iiyama and then our 20min bus to Nozawa. It amazing to think that in the morning we’d been walking through a forest of Cherry Blossoms and less than 3 hours later we were in the snow of Nozawa!.
- comments
UngleDungan Sounds amazing guys. I've got a challenge for you. In Japan, What is an "inu"?
James Masselos Mmmm Chicken Katsu in Ginza.....that's the remedy to solve those "hotel room not ready" early trip blues. We needed the black cat courier in a place like Cuiaba
Mum and Dad Great to read what you have been doing and to see the photos. They have given us a real picture of Tokyo and the Spring. Excellent job. Now enjoy the snow!