Wednesday 30th July 2025
We got up and checked out of the hotel about 10.30am this morning.

We then went by train for another visit to Ueno. This time to the National Museum of Nature and Science for David and the Modern Art Gallery for me.

David rushed through 2 floors – the advanced technology section , 360° theatre and an animal section – he said it was great. I struggled to find the major part of the Gallery, so I just enjoyed the calligraphy in the Citizens art section and a rest in the cafe.

We met in the park at 12.30pm and were then on a schedule. We headed back to Amanek  Hotel Asakusa to collect our bags. At the station, we recharged our train cards, and I somehow lost mine between there and the hotel. Now that’s a bit stressful. I now have to find where to buy one and recharge the 2000Y again. Oops! Needless to say, I had a momentary meltdown. David, the ever calm soldier, kept his cool, and we went about getting to the station. I could buy a ticket, but the card is so much easier and was all linked, ready for the Shinkansen ride. We had allowed an extra hour at this stage to get to the Shinkansen at Shinagawa, so we should be okay. At Asakusa Station, I bought a PASMO card and recharged it, and off we went.

Asakusa-> Shinagawa by train
Shinagawa -> Shin-Osaka by Shinkansen
Shin-Osaka -> Kansai International Airport by train
Kansai -> Sydney by plane.

It is 541km from Asakusa, Tokyo to Osaka Airport, 7 hours by car but only about 4.5 hours by trin and shinkansen. Thank goodness for the bullet train.

All this whilst watching the tsunami alerts all along on the east coast of Japan from the 8. 8m earthquake in Russia. 

See you all soon!

National Museum of Nature and Science – Explore the wonders of the natural sciences.
Located in Ueno Park, the National Museum of Nature and Science is one of Japan’s biggest science museums. The museum is home to over 25,000 exhibits that explore everything including outer space, dinosaurs, Japanese ecosystems and even the world’s latest advances in technology.
The National Museum of Nature and Science is filled with authentic artifacts and interactive learning opportunities. The exhibits, created around the theme of “coexistence between the human race and nature,” help deepen our appreciation of the Earth, life, science and technology. They also encourage people to think about how humankind, the natural world, and science and technology should best relate to each other. Exhibits include the preserved remains of Hachiko and two famous pandas, a fragment of the Nantan meteorite that hit China in the 16th century, and much more.
One highlight of the museum is theatre 360, a 360-degree movie theatre in the round. There is also an exhibition room where you can investigate various physical phenomena hands-on, an indoor exhibition space for preschoolers with their parents, and a museum shop with dinosaurs and other natural science-related goods.

Tuesday 29th July 2025
We have had another partial rest day today until 3.30pm.

We then caught the train to Uena for a walk around the Shinobazuno Pond, with one section totally filled with lotus plants and flowers. It was very beautiful. In the middle was the Benten-jima Buddhist temple. The other section of the pond was water, with paddle and row boats available for hire. It was a very hot afternoon and the perspiration was rolling down my chest continuously. There were markets around the pond as well as a windchime boardwalk. After a loop of the pond, we headed into Ueno park where we saw the Ueno Toshogu Shrine. A magnificent golden shrine and pagoda near the zoo. We then walked towards the fountain which had everchanging fountain spouts. Then by this time it was 6pm, so we walked back via the National Museum of Nature and Science and the National Museum. Unfortunately, these were all closed.

It was very hot today. My perspiration levels were at an all time high.

We headed back to the hotel and then went out for a lovely dinner at an ICHIRAN Ramen restaurant in Asakusa, specialising in Tonkotsu ramen. It was delicious. David did think about dinner at the Skytree for our last night but unfortunately the buffet dinner was booked out and the ala carte was off the charts expensive. Maybe next time.

We followed dinner with a walk around the market alleys and Sensō-ji Temple that we had visited when we were here 6 weeks ago. Once again its 5 storey Pagoda and its night time viewing was still amazing. We then walked back to the hotel where we enjoyed a quiet drink on the rooftop with a view of the everchanging colours of the Skytree Tower.

A fitting end to a fantastic holiday.

Tomorrow, we will do a little sightseeing in the morning and then head back to Osaka to fly home tomorrow night.

Shinobazu Pond is a large natural pond filled with lush greenery and rich cultural importance. The pond has three sections, a duck pond—populated by ducks and other local waterbirds—a lotus pond, and a boat pond. Sitting between the lotus and boat ponds is where you can rent out small paddle boats to admire the park from a different perspective. There are three different boats available for rent, row boats, pedal boats, and swan boats. The lotus flowers hit full bloom in July and August, but they only open between 7:00a.m. – 9:00a.m., so visit early to see them in all their glory. Oops, we missed that.

In the middle of the pond is an island called Benten-jima with a small temple dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten called Bentendo. As with many popular sightseeing spots in Japan, it is rumoured that if you cross the bridge to the island with your lover, that you are destined to part ways (other spots to apparently avoid include Tokyo Tower and the ferris wheel in Minatomirai).

Ueno Toshogu Shrine – An Edo period shrine that stood through wars and earthquakes. You will be greeted with a facade of gold as you walk towards the Ueno Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park. This gorgeous building is designated a Cultural Property of Japan for its resilience in surviving devastating wars and earthquakes since it was built in 1627. Thanks to a major renovation in 1651, the shrine has distinctive features from the Edo period (1603-1867). Pay attention to the gold leaf trimmings and intricate carvings. Most visitors come to the shrine to pray for good fortune, such as passing examinations, vocational success, longevity, and recovery from illness. Of course, you can also come to simply admire the characteristics of traditional Japanese architecture.

A little bit of interesting information on perspiration in Japan because everyone carries a little sweat towel or walks around with a little battery operated fan.
While perspiring in public in Japan is a natural bodily function, there’s a strong emphasis on cleanliness and discreetness in Japanese culture. It’s not necessarily “bad manners” to sweat, especially during Japan’s hot and humid summers, but how you manage it is key.

Here’s a breakdown:
– Minimizing visible sweat: Japanese people often use small towels or handkerchiefs to discreetly wipe away sweat from their face and neck. You’ll see many people carrying these, especially in summer. It’s considered good etiquette to have something to dab away sweat rather than letting it drip excessively.
– Body odour: While not directly about visible sweat, there’s a cultural sensitivity to body odour. Many Japanese people have fewer of the sweat glands that produce strong odours, and they are generally very conscious of personal hygiene. Using deodorant and maintaining good cleanliness is always appreciated.
– Oshibori (wet towels): When you’re given an oshibori (a warm or cold wet towel) in a restaurant, it’s primarily for wiping your hands before eating. While you might occasionally see Japanese people discreetly dab their faces with it in very casual settings, it’s generally considered impolite to use it to wipe sweat from your face or neck.
– Dressing for the weather: Wearing breathable, quick-drying fabrics and lighter colours can help manage sweat and contribute to a more comfortable experience for yourself and those around you.

In summary, it’s less about the act of perspiring itself and more about being mindful and discreet in managing it. Having a handkerchief or small towel on hand to gently wipe away sweat is a polite gesture in Japan.

Monday 28th July 2025
Well, this morning we either had to change hotels or get a car and move on. Decisions were a struggle. In the end at 10am, when we checked out of the hotel, we were homeless and plans were unknown. In the end we just booked another hotel. I thought it was just across the road but it turned out to be a few stations away. So on the train we got, arriving at the platform as a train was about to depart, we jumped on. Not David’s preferred option. He would usually miss that train, to ensure it was the correct one. Anyway, we should err with David’s caution as we travelled 2 stops in the wrong direction. So, back we went, it cost 150Y each. Oops! After getting to the hotel it was 11.45am, unable to check-in, we just left our bags there and headed out for the day.

Today’s outing was a big one. DisneySea. We weren’t sure what to expect. This was an hours train trip and then a troubled ticket purchase away. The online ticketing didn’t like our debit card, even though we had used it for DisneyLand tickets. After a lot of fussing, we finally had our tickets. By this time we needed lunch. We eventually entered DisneySea at about 2pm. Oh well, 2-9pm is still a mammoth day, so we are still happy.

DisneySea during the school holidays was not as busy as we thought. Don’t get me wrong, it was packed and the queues for some rides were up to 70 min but the demographics was very different. Many families, as opposed to foreign tourists and school groups. It had a different atmosphere. Not quite as bubbly. Also the buildings were more sombre during the day. Again, don’t get me wrong, the attention to detail, the magnitude of all things was incredible. It was just different. I suppose they can’t just replicate DisneyLand, can they? We had a great day, walking all over the theme park, we managed to go on a number of rides. Some animatronics, others digital imagery, some on boats like the ghost train and others just fun. They were all themed around the water. Jumpin’ Jellyfish, Nemo, Rapunsel, Flounder’s Flying Fish Roller Coaster, and many more. The best ride we went on was the Peter Pan ride. It was a roller coaster with incredible 3D imagery, where you followed Peter Pan through Neverland in flight. It was fantastic.The most time we queued for was about 30mins, so that was pretty good. We saw a fantastic “Dreams take flight” which was a Mickey Dance show again. To attend the show you apply for tickets and are placed in a ballot. If you are lucky, you get to go. We were lucky for just this one. The costumes, props, singing and dancing were amazing. Unfortunately, we missed the late night show on the water, as we went to the Peter Pan ride which should have only taken 30mins, but the rabbit warren maze to get anywhere took us 30mins just to get to the ride. At least it was the best ride of the day. We stayed until the end at 9pm, then had to find our way out of the park which took about 30-40 mins. I wonder if they use thermal imagery to check that everyone was out before they shut the  gates.

Next was the crowded, long trip home which is always entertaining, the crowd is so civilised, no pushing or shoving, even when they can’t fit on the train. They just wait for the next one. I suppose that is because they know it will be there in 1-10 minutes time. We didn’t want to squash on the first one, so we waited and even managed a seat on 3 out of the 4 trains we had to catch home. We didn’t get home until 11pm to check-in to the hotel. So it was a mammoth, exhausting but amazing day once more.

Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort. It opened on 4 September 2001, at a cost of 335 billion yen. The Oriental Land Company owns the park, and licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company.

Welcome to Tokyo DisneySea, where imagination and adventure set sail! This is the world’s one-and-only Disney theme park themed to the sea. In just 15 minutes by train from Tokyo Station, you’ll find yourself transported into a completely different realm, featuring diverse attractions filled with a sense of adventure, discovery, and wonder. You can also enjoy entertainment that will captivate your imagination, and delight in relaxing meals paired with alcoholic beverages. This is one of the world’s largest theme parks that will bring joy to everyone, both children and adults alike.

Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure – Guests join Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the Lost Kids on an epic adventure through Never Land to rescue John from Captain Hook and his band of pirates. This attraction invites guests to board a boat for an immersive 3D experience.

Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival – This attraction takes guests on a romantic boat ride that leads to the annual Lantern Festival, where they experience Rapunzel’s “best day ever” as she falls in love with Flynn Rider and visits various locations featured in the film.

Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster – Ariel’s best friend, Flounder has come with all his flying fish friends. Everybody, line up and hop on for a soaring ride! Fly around the lagoon for a fun time.

The Magic Lamp Theatre – A magic show with the world’s “greatest” magician and the Genie. The “greatest magician in the world,” Shaban, presents his first solo performance without his partner, the popular Genie. So what happened to him? Find out as you take in this magical performance!

Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage – Set sail for adventure with Sindbad and Chandu! To find the greatest treasure of all, join Sindbad the sailor and his loyal tiger cub, Chandu. Believe and follow the “compass of your heart” and your journey will be true. The music was written by Disney songwriting legend Alan Menken.

Nemo & Friends SeaRider – Board a submersible and explore the vast ocean.
Boarding the SeaRider, a submersible that “shrinks” to the size of a fish, Guests will explore the wondrous world of marine life from the same point of view as Nemo and Dory. In addition to these characters, Guests have a chance to meet many of the other popular characters from Finding Dory including Destiny, the whale shark, and Hank, the octopus.

Sunday 27th July 2025
Yeehah! At last a rest day – I even slept in until 10am. After a little washing we just lounged around in the hotel room. Reading, chatting and chilling out. A big first for this trip.

At about 3pm, David found out that the Electric Town, was just a couple of stations away and they close the main street to traffic on a Sunday, and people come dressed in their favourite characters. So David decided he would like to go and have a look. As always, my FOMO had me on my way with him. Oh well! Almost a full day’s rest.

So at 4pm, we headed to the Akihabara Electric Town. We decided to walk the 2km to the town. Once we arrived, we walked through the streets with a million others. There are many foreign tourists amongst the Japanese. It was incredible, the big and small shops, the cafe maids and so many people. We went into a Gundam store with many amazing Gundam (transformers) on display. It was like another world. We then went into a Pachinko and Slot gaming room. These are vertical pinball machines, where you try to get the ball bearings into a slot to win upwards of 10,000Y. It was truly an incredible space to watch. Next stop was the Yodobashi electronics store, which was impressive. An enormous store, 7 levels and so many goods – from phones, TVs, cameras to make-up, toys and clothes. It truly was incredible.

Well, 3 hours later, we were on our way back to the hotel, very tired yet again. After a little rest and then we headed out and enjoyed a lovely Thai meal followed by a crepe for dessert. Our rest day is done and dusted. Let’s see what unfolds for tomorrow. Your guess is as good as mine.

Akihabara (秋葉原), also called Akiba after a former local shrine, is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops and has also gained recognition as the centre of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture. Many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. On Sundays, Chuo Dori, the main street through the district, is closed to car traffic from 13:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October through March).
Akihabara has seen some redevelopment over the past years, which added some large, modern buildings to the mix of small to medium-sized shops and buildings. Most prominent among them is a huge Yodobashi electronics store just next to the station.

Electronics – Hundreds of electronics shops, ranging from tiny one-man stalls specialising in a particular electronic component to large electronics retailers, line the main Chuo Dori street and the crowded side streets around Akihabara. They offer everything from the newest computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones, electronics parts and home appliances to second-hand goods and electronic junk.

Otaku goods – The character of Akihabara has constantly changed over the decades and continues to do so. In recent decades, Akihabara has emerged as a centre of Japanese otaku and anime culture, and dozens of stores specialising in anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games and other collectibles have filled the spaces between the electronics retailers.

Maid Café – Welcome home, Masters and Princesses! If you’ve ever wondered what a maid cafe is, imagine stepping into a charming, carefully curated space where friendly cast dressed in maid uniforms greet you as if you’ve just returned home. Originating in Japan’s otaku culture, a maid cafe blends the cozy comfort of a coffee shop with playful, interactive elements drawn sometimes from anime, gaming, and pop culture.
At maid cafes, instead of a quick cup of coffee, you’ll find a world where cute gestures, friendly conversations, and a touch of fantasy elements make your visit feel like a lighthearted escape to lift you out of the everyday. It’s why we like to think of ourselves not as a typical cafe or restaurant, but as a unique theme park experience, centred around our beloved idols, our maids, who bring smiles and magic to every visit.
At a maid cafe, service goes beyond delivering drinks and desserts. Maids often perform small gestures or “spells” to “enhance” your meal (many of which were born in at-home cafe) and engage you in a way that feels personal and fun. The goal is to create an atmosphere of warmth, where everyone, from families with children to solo travelers, can relax, laugh, and enjoy a unique cultural experience they won’t soon forget.

Gundam (Japanese: ガンダムシリーズ, Hepburn: Gandamu Shirīzu; lit. Gundam Series) is a Japanese military science fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now a division of Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name “Gundam”.

Japan’s Favourite Pastime: Pachinko. Originating in Japan, pachinko is a type of mechanical ball game resembling pinball. While pinball uses a larger ball, Pachinko uses small steel balls rented to players by pachinko parlors such as MARUHAN. Over the last six decades, pachinko has become an integral part of Japanese culture and Japanese leisure. With approximately nine million players in 2016, pachinko is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Japan. The ¥21 trillion JPY pachinko industry employs over 240,000 people and accounts for nearly a third of Japan’s entertainment and leisure market. In other words, pachinko is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Japan.
The pachinko industry in Japan is, however, highly fragmented, with over 3,400 different operators. Parlours have various kinds of pachinko machines, letting customers select a machine according to their preferences or the day’s mood. There are a large number of small operators and a smaller number of large operators, of which MARUHAN is the largest.
The pachinko industry is closely supervised by the Japanese government and other regulatory authorities. Rules and regulations are regularly introduced to control operations and a clear distinction between pachinko and gambling, which is prohibited by Japanese law. Strict rules outlined in the Amusement Business Law govern the licensing of pachinko hall operators, payout ratios, and technical specifications of the machines. MARUHAN conforms to all regulations in every respect and, for this reason, is recognised as an industry leader.

Yodobashi Akiba in Akihabara is the ultimate shopping experience when it comes to electronics. It’s a fabulous place to hunt down almost anything related to gadgets and doodads, and you can spend an entire day in there – if the irritating music doesn’t drive you up the wall first. Here, you’ll find pretty much everything you can think of related to gadgets and electronics – we mean everything. From mobile phones to underwater cameras, film rolls to USB-chargeable handheld fans, ergonomic kettles to dozens of different electric shavers, this is the ultimate place to find reasonably-priced, well-made gadgets in the area. There’s even an Apple Store inside.
Exploring this 8-floor department store can be an overwhelming experience. If the sheer product density, crowds of shoppers, and fluorescent lights don’t get you, the endless replays of the Yodobashi theme song over the store speakers will. Head up to the restaurants on the top floor after shopping to fuel up.

Saturday 26th July 2025
I felt an earthquake during the night at about 3am. So did David. It just felt like the car rocking again.

A couple of statistics
In the past 30 days, Kozaki has had 942 quakes of magnitudes up to 4.9 within up to 100 km distance:
– 3 quakes above magnitude 4
– 28 quakes between magnitude 3 and 4
– 69 quakes between magnitude 2 and 3
– 842 quakes below magnitude 2 that people normally don’t feel.

Today we will head to the beach to see Stuart Patterson from Avoca. He is here working for 7 weeks over the Japanese summer school holiday break. He works every day for 7 weeks. He is about an hour south east of Kozaki. On the way we stopped under a tree, in a farmland area to pack our bags and get ready to drop the car off. We then drove to see Stuart at the beach. It cost 1,000Y to park and then private bar/cafes had spruikers trying to give you special parking places, they then charge another 1,000Y but with your parking spot you also can go into their bar/cafe. We didn’t understand this to start with but decided to go further to where we were instructed when the initial payment was paid. We walked the beach and found Stuart patrolling at the water’s edge. The beachgoers only swim out a little way and they all have floats. If they go out more than 20m they get whistled in. We spent about 90mins chatting with Stuart and then headed on our way to Japan Campers. On the way we had to wash the car. This proved more difficult than we expected. All the car wash places were either autowash which we didn’t fit in or serviced carwash 5,000Y. We called in to a car wash we thought was self-serve and were directed to what we thought was the self serve. It turned out to be an auto-wash, the attendant said we would fit, so DB thought the carwash must rise to accommodate higher vehicles. WRONG! It must have hit the sunroof, as it only washed the front half of the car and returned to base. Oops! Hopefully there was no damage to the car. The young man apologised and we were happy to just continue as time was running out. Japanese being Japanese, he wouldn’t let us leave without refunding our 500Y.

We then continued on our way towards Japan Campers and I found a carwash a little out of the way, but I thought it was self-serve. It was successful. So after 40 mins washing the car we were on our way to deliver the camper. Sadly, our time in the camper is over for this trip.

Minato checked the camper and only charged us 3,000Y for the inside cleaning (total cleaning could have cost between 8,000-15,000Y), so the effort of cleaning the camper was worth it. We also weren’t charged 2 x 1,000Y for linen washing. The extra 3 days cost 3 x 11,000Y. So this came out of the 100,000Y bond we had already paid.

Next stop, free shuttle to Narita station, then two trains to our new home at APA Asukasabashi. After a quick shower we were on our way again to the Tembo Deck (350m) of the Tokyo Skytree Tower. Unfortunately tickets to the Gallery at 450m had sold out. I was surprised as it was before lunch when I bought them. Minato told us that there were fireworks near where we were staying tonight, so that was why they had sold out as the fireworks were at the Skytree and on the Sumida River between 7pm and 8.30pm. We had decided to walk to the Skytree as we thought the trains would be a nightmare. It should have only been a 40 min walk and we had 37mins before our scheduled timeslot of 8.30pm. Bad decision. The streets were worse. We didn’t really know where the fireworks were to be held but they were right in our path. It was madness on the streets with about 1 million people trying to watch the fireworks. We had to dodge and weave through the people and then head away from the river to continue. The GPS was struggling and I ended up sending us the wrong way for a little while. As always, David worked out we were headed in the wrong direction and we changed course. We were about 1km from the Skytree when we were stopped by a road block across the bridge by police controlling the crowds. They couldn’t indicate how long before the road would be opened but it didn’t matter which bridge we tried as they were all closed. Even the subway stations nearby were closed. It was now 9pm and we still were trying to get to the Skytree, well overdue for our booking. We eventually got to a subway station that we could enter, caught the train 2 stops and arrived at the Skytree at 9.20pm. We weren’t sure if they would let us in, but it was worth a try. It wasn’t a problem, they did and we had 40 mins to enjoy the most amazing view of the city from 350m. It was the most spectacular view and had an amazing vibe. It was a long way down and the view was incredible in every direction. The city is so large, with the beautiful river running through it. The roads and bridges also looked amazing. It was worth the money and I would have loved to watch the fireworks from here or have dinner up there just enjoying the view. Maybe, next time. At 10pm we were all ushered out and we still had to try to find dinner – we ended up having kebabs at 10.45pm. We then caught the Metro back to the hotel and were totally exhausted. We made the decision to try and extend our stay for an extra night so we could have a sleep in. Thankfully, that was possible and we were off to bed after midnight, totally smashed.

The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is one of Tokyo’s most famous and historic summer fireworks displays, dating back to the Edo period. Approximately 20,000 fireworks were launched from two locations along the Sumida River, near Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree, between 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM. It’s a huge event that attracts a large crowd of spectators, many dressed in traditional yukata, enjoying the festive atmosphere.
The Sumida River Fireworks Festival typically attracts a massive crowd. While the exact official attendance figures for last night (July 26, 2025) might not be fully tallied yet, it is consistently reported that nearly one million spectators gather along the Sumida River to witness this event.
It’s one of Tokyo’s most popular summer events, so large crowds are always expected.

Tokyo Skytree
Your TOKYO SKYTREE adventure begins in the Tembo Shuttle (elevator). This high-speed elevator takes you to the Tembo Deck in under a minute, climbing 350 metres at 600 metres per minute. The ride isn’t just fast—it’s magical. Seasonal decorations inspired by spring, summer, fall, and winter make the journey a visual treat. Dynamic visuals on the ceiling and doors track your ascent to 350 metres, adding to the excitement.
Get your camera ready as soon as the doors close—this is an experience you won’t want to miss!
The Tokyo SKYTREE Tembo Deck at 350m (located on the 350th, 345th, and 340th floors) is the lower observation deck of the two available. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of Tokyo through its glass floors and explore its variety of restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, and a commemorative photo corner.
The Tembo Gallery at 450m, located on the 445th and 450th floors, is the Tokyo SKYTREE’s upper observation deck and the highest point accessible to visitors. A spiral walkway leads you to Sorakara Point at an incredible 451.2 meters above the city, where various events are hosted.
The SKYTREE Archives feature videos and images documenting the evolution of Tokyo’s landscapes, people, and culture over the years. This visual timeline highlights the city’s major transformations while a high-definition digital telescope provides breathtaking views of present-day Tokyo.

Friday 25th July 2025
This morning we woke up early to very warm weather today. The expected high temperature was to be 35-37°C. We had planned to start a hike to Mt Bandai starting at 7am to avoid the heat. The hike started from 1200m elevation to the summit at 1821m but we were not sure if we should do it because there were heat stroke warnings. After much deliberation and checking what the temperature would be at elevation, we decided to start and see what develops. It turned out to be a great hike to Mt Bandai summit. It was in the shade of the forest and then lower foliage most of the way. At the entrance there was an aggressive bear warning, which had I not seen it on someone’s hiking notes in 2020, I would have been more worried. Knowing it had been there for so long I thought it was just keeping you aware. That is until about 30mins into the walk when a man coming down the mountain said he had just seen a black bear run into the bushes. He said excitedly “Kumar, kumar” which means black bear. We also saw some old claw marks in a tree across the trail making it seem more real. Time for another decision, should we continue. We decided to catch up to a couple of Japanese men about 50m in front, to have more people  together. We had a chat with them and they didn’t seem too concerned, so we continued. Was his good or not, we were not sure.

It was a lovely walk through the white birch tree forest with the occasional view back down the mountain. We came to some old mountain huts with a sulphur hot spring which were now derelict. We kept going up the mountain, it was a continuous uphill climb for 4km going up 600m in elevation. A big day out! We came to a little shop about 30 mins from the top with expansive views of the area, it was beautiful. The last 30mins was a lot steeper and a bit of climbing over rocks but with the extra effort we were rewarded with 360° views. Rice paddies, farmland, mountains, some snow capped and others bare. It was the most spectacular view once again. It was also like a dragonfly park, they were swarming around the mountain top. All  this and it was only 10am. Almost on schedule. I don’t know how I will feel when we can’t manage these hikes one day. I truly will miss that moment after a hard climb reaching the top to such beauty. Hopefully I have a little more time to enjoy them.

After a chat at the top to the guys we talked to earlier who were from Iwaki, we headed back down the mountain, as we still have more plans for today. The trek down was okay. After the first 30mins of steep slope, we passed a huge group of children from a badminton club, maybe 30 boys and girls on a team building exercise. We also chatted with a couple of young families, one with about a 3 year old boy. The young ones were happy to have a chat with their English more than older people. We reached the bottom at 12pm, enjoyed a little lunch and then headed on our way again. As always ‘Broady Tours’ is a bootcamp holiday on steroids. Hehehe!

The plan was to head to the Nasu Ropeway just north of Nikko which was a few hours drive away. Here we would take the ropeway up to 1600m and go for a walk up there, hopefully to the summit of Mt Chausu, it was a 200m elevation loop climb which should take about 90 mins. After about 30mins–one minute it was sunny, the next we drove into a rain storm and found out that the ropeway had been closed to upward travel for the rest of the day due to approaching thunderstorms. So that foiled this afternoon’s plan. We stopped for a rest to decide what to do. We decided to continue on to Nikko (probably the wrong decision), a further distance south to the Kegon Falls. This involved a drive along a road – Route 120 – with 48 hairpins and beautiful scenery through the forest. Whilst researching before the holidays, this sounded like a great adventure but I didn’t know we would be doing so many scenic drives just like this was to be. Anyway, we continued and enjoyed the drive, saw a few monkeys, met a local lady at the lookout halfway who was excited to meet Australians, and she asked to take our photo for her to keep. We made it to Kegon Falls but just a little too late. We were able to see the Falls which were spectacular. An almost 100m drop with many other little falls halfway down with a powerful force of water. They truly were beautiful. Unfortunately we were too late for the elevator down to the bottom and that was the only way to get there, so we had to be happy with the initial viewing.

We then headed on the remaining half of the hairpins back to Nikko, drove through the town, passed a red bridge and the temple on our way further south. The aim was to get as far south as possible to one of three service centres that had a shower. We had been sponge bathing for a week now and it was time for a decent shower. We made it to the Grand Terrace Michi-no-eki at about 8pm for a well earned shower in the convenience store. The best 200Y yet. Then we had some dinner and continued another hour south to Kozaki. An hour north of Tokyo. We travelled a lot on the tollway today, just to get some distance under our belt. Maybe about 6500Y worth. Eek! There is still more to go yet. It was now 10pm and time for sleep, but not before I book a hotel and car hire for the rest of the trip. I was in a really bad Libran mood and with David comatose from his big day driving, I was struggling with where was the best place to stay. I looked up cars as well and no-one except an unknown company would do the one way hire from Tokyo to Osaka without an excessive one-way fee of $900.

David forced himself awake to help me, the car isn’t booked but at least we have somewhere to stay in Tokyo tomorrow night. Today we drove a long way – 413km plus an 8km hike and a scenic drive to Nikko. A very big day. We are now only an hour from Stuart Paterson or Japan Campers. We will decide tomorrow which direction we take.

Mount Bandai – Prominent volcano that last erupted in 1888
Mt Bandai is a 1816 metre tall volcano overlooking Aizu-Wakamatsu in western Fukushima Prefecture. One of the 100 famous mountains of Japan, it used to have a conical shape, which earned it the nickname Aizu-Fuji due to its resemblance to Mount Fuji. However in 1888, one of the most powerful eruptions in recent history drastically changed Mount Bandai’s shape and formed the Urabandai area behind the mountain.
Visitors can approach the mountain via the Bandaisan Gold Line, a sightseeing road which leads up the southwestern side of the mountain, before descending down into the Urabandai highlands. The road is a popular destination in late October when the fall foliage turns the slopes bright orange and yellow.

Kegon Waterfall – Nikko’s most famous waterfall
The almost 100 metre tall Kegon Waterfall (華厳の滝, Kegon no taki) is the most famous of Nikko’s waterfalls. It is even ranked as one of Japan’s three most beautiful falls, along with Nachi Waterfall in Wakayama Prefecture and Fukuroda Waterfall in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Kegon Waterfall is the only exit for the waters of Lake Chuzenji. It can be seen from a free observation platform that is easily accessible on foot, as well as from a paid platform at the base of the falls. The paid platform is accessed via a 100 metre deep elevator and offers more impressive views. The sight of the waterfall in combination with Lake Chuzenji can be enjoyed from Akechidaira Observatory, which is accessible by ropeway from Akechidaira Plateau.
Kegon Waterfall is also a popular autumn color spot. The trees around the waterfall are usually most colourful from mid to late October. In the winter the waterfall is impressive as well when it freezes almost completely solid.