Tuesday 10th June 2025
DISNEYLAND – What an amazing day.

We arrived at Disneyland at about 11.30am. The crowds were okay and we were lucky as it wasn’t raining as forecast a few days ago. On the way to Disneyland we walked passed the Disneyland Resort, it was a magnificent building on the outside, I can just imagine the opulence inside. We then went straight to the entrance which was minus crowds today. We feel very lucky that the weather forecast improved a little and we thought it was okay to leave our visit to Monday as the weekends are supposedly packed. Once again, we were blown away by the colour  and detail of all the buildings. There were Disney characters everywher, talking to the children, signing autographs and posing for photos with the guests. It was amazing.

David had downloaded the Disney App which enabled us to check which performances/shows and rides had the least wait time. The most we saw on any activity was 160 mins (2 hrs 40 mins) which was way too long to just stand in a queue. So unfortunately we missed out on this one. We saw a few live performances, some animated ones, some singing and dancing, and some incredible rides with the most amazing audio-animatronics. Walt Disney created the most amazing characters and storries that brought to life make believe for adults and children alike. We experienced yet again another day where we feel so lucky to live the life we have. We are so fortunate to be able to experience all these wonderful things around Australia and the World.

We love how the Japanese are so in to their characters, they dressup and where hats, hMickey and Minnie headbands, and many other Disney characted headbands and hats. I joined in this time with some Minne Mouse ears and bow. My favourite show was the Mickey Mouse Club show which was a fantastic song and dance gala. My favourite ride was The Small World which had animatronics of characters from all over the world with the theme song “It’s a small world” playing as we rode around the river trail in a boat. This was a ride with sensory overload. It was so great. My next favourite was the Star Wars ride which was in a very small room, you were strapped into your seat wearing 3D glasses and with the assistance of digital screens we felt like we were in a spaceship flying through the galaxy. It was amazing. There was a parade during the day which was a spectacular display of characters and floats that went for about 30 mins. There was to be anothert one at 7.30pm but unfortunately the light drizzle that started about 4pm meat tthis was cancelled.

In the last 3 hours from about 6pm we kept finding rides/shows with 5-10 min wait times and went on or to a continuous stream of activities/rides. We were like little kids rushing off to the next one as soon as we finished the last. The night ended with a light show on the castle and a little fireworks display at 9pm. After this finished we followed the steeam of people back to the station. We tried to find somewhere for dinner but unfortunately all the kitchens closed at 9.30pm and we didn’t make it to the station shops until 9.35pm. So we caught the train to Tokyo Station, had dinner there (Soba noodles for DB and udon for me.) We then caught the next train to Otsuka and arrived home just after 11pm. Exhausted once again.

“Tokyo Disneyland is a 115-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside the United States and it opened on April 15, 1983.

The park has seven themed areas: the World Bazaar, Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Critter Country and Toontown. Many of these areas mirror those in the original Disneyland as they are based on American Disney films and fantasies. Fantasyland includes Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, based on Disney films and characters. The park is noted for its extensive open spaces to accommodate the large crowds that visit the park. In 2023, Tokyo Disneyland hosted 15.1 million visitors, making it the fourth-most visited theme park in the world and the second-most visited theme park in Asia.

Audio-Animatronics are mechatronic puppets, a form of robotics, created by Walt Disney Imagineering for use in shows and attractions at Disney theme parks. They are the source of the term “animatronics” and are known for their lifelike movements and synchronized sounds.
Definition: Audio-Animatronics are robots, typically figures of Disney characters or creatures, that move and make sounds, often speech or song.
Mechanism: They are controlled by radio or cables and use prerecorded movements and sounds rather than responding to external stimuli.
Early Examples: Some early Audio-Animatronics include a toy bird, a dancing man, and the figures in The Enchanted Tiki Room.
Walt Disney’s Influence: Walt Disney’s initial interest in animatronics was sparked by a mechanical bird, which he took apart to understand how it worked.
Modern Advancements: Disney continues to develop increasingly sophisticated Audio-Animatronics, with the A-1000 program focusing on creating high-fidelity figures. 

Animatronics are robots or figures, often designed to resemble living creatures, that are controlled by computers and motors to move in a lifelike way. They combine elements of robotics, electronics, and mechanics to create realistic movements and appearances. Animatronics are commonly used in entertainment, such as theme park attractions, films, and video games, to portray characters or create dynamic displays.

Sunday 15th June 2025
Well, when we parked our car in the empty carpark last night we were not expecting many people to join us but it was packed. Only about 8 spaces but they were full. The weather was atrocious. Wild wilds, torrential rain and over 100mm of rain fell overnight (by lunch time it was up to 157mm).

We woke early (5.30am) and thought it might be best to get on our way but the rain was so heavy we weren’t even sure which direction to go. We had planned to head towards Nagano (NW) but the rain radar showed a huge band of torrential rain where we were headed and on its way to us. There were also typhoon warnings (not sure where these were) so we decided to just hang out for a while. At about 8am we headed up to the roadside station about 10 mins away, the rain was still really heavy and flooded over half the road in some sections. We then just hung around in the car, watching the rain, doing a bit of computer stuff and all in all just having a rest. The valley fogged over and vision was quite poor, the rain teemed down and we were very grateful we weren’t in a tent. Although we have survived some downpours in our travels.

We had declared today a rest day. Hahaha!

At about 11am David decided it was time to head off, it was still very foggy, I don’t think he realised how poor the vision was but his thoughts were ‘we might drive out of the fog, it might just be in the valley’. And guess what? He was right. After about 30mins of drivinmg very slow with vision not much more than 30m ahead we drove out of the fog. It was still raining but this also improved over the next hour. The flow of rainwater in the Fuji River along the way was pumping. It was incredible. We stopped at a big ‘Michi no eki” which meads roadside station at about 11.30 as David has read that they have 10min showers for 300Y and it was true. All of a sudden I was feeling the lack of showers over the last 4 or 5 days. So we showered and they also have washing machines for 200Y, so we did a load of washing, and dried our towels in the dryer for 100Y. All in all, a good way to spend $10. Yeehah!

We enjoyed an okonomiyaki from a roadside stall for lunch and then headed on our way at about 2pm. On our way to our next stop for the night near Kofu, David found a Buddhist Temple. So much for our slow day. It closed at 5pm and as usual we were arriving at 4.45pm. As it was an impromptu stop, finding parking and navigating became problematic, especially as there was no English. Thank goodness for Google Translate. David sure has perserverence, I would have aborted the plan about 10 times but thankfully he does. The Minobusan Kuonji Temple was magnificent. Although closed, the gates were open and we were able to wander through the grounds of the most magnificent temple. As we walked through 3 monks walked around the grounds sounding a gong and chanting. We are not sure whether they were telling us the temple was closed or giving thanks for the day. As they didn’t shoo us away, we chose ignorance and enjoyed the magnificent grounds. The temples wre on a grand scale with many different buildings. The sun even peeked its head out from the clouds and we saw some blue sky. When we found the ‘287 steps of enlightenment’ we wished we had walked up from the bottom. They were a masterpiece in themselves. After about an hour of wandering round the grounds in almost solitude, only a couple of other tourists, we headed on our way again as our days chores were not yet complete.

Off to the grocery store which ended up being an epic task, about 2 hours. We then drove unfortunately in the dark through the alps, luckily we will drive through there again tomorrow. You could see the outline of the mountains in the dark.

We arrived at another large michi no eki, which luckilyu had 24 hour service, so we could have a late dinner as it is about 8.30pm by now. David is not sure if we will sleep here tonight as there is over 20 tru cks all with their engines running, a drive through just behind the parking, a service station and 24 hour shops. So maybe a little busy to get a good nights sleep but we will give it a good shot. Good night for now!

One of Yamanashi’s best kept secrets – Minobusan Kuonji Temple is a major temple in Yamanashi Prefecture . Located on Mt. Minobu , it’s overflowing with spiritual history.
Don’t Miss
• The 287 “steps of enlightenment” staircase
• Wild macaques living in the forest nearby
• Early morning prayer sessions at the main temple
A temple for devotees of the Nichiren sect
Just one of the dozens of temples on Mt. Minobu , Minobusan Kuonji Temple has a distinct atmosphere all its own. This 750-year-old temple is extremely important to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism.
Wander around the temple precincts and soak up the sights and sounds of this ancient and secluded place. Stroll along a mountain road covered in lush vegetation and bamboo as you listen to the chanting of devotees reciting the sutras. If you’re lucky, you might spot a family of wild Japanese macaques.”

Saturday 14th June 2025
Well, the words of wisdom from David about taking it easy were not really in his vocabulary at all. This morning we were up at 6am and on our way by 6.50am from our little camp by Lake Yamanakako, both of us slept soundly, still lacking sleep but ok. David wanted to get to Hakone and find parking before all the weekend tourists arrived. which we did. We arrived at Motohakone at 8am. We decided to duck down to the the torii of Peace which is a large torii gate in the water. David had read that in busy times you can wait 2 hours to take a photo. Lucky for us there was only 2 groups of people before us. It was a lovely torii gate with a beautiful view.

We then headed back to the car for breakfast and purchased our Hakone Dayu Pass (5,000Y each) . David wasn’t sure if the pass would work out to be value for money but it was definitely very convenient rather than buying individual ticket. The pass included :-
・Hakone Tozan Railway
・Hakone Tozan Cable Car
・Hakone Ropeway
・Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
・Hakone Tozan Bus (designated areas)
・Odakyu Highway Bus (designated areas)
・Tokai Bus (designated areas)
・””KANKO SHISETSU-MEGURI””Bus (Tourist-Attraction Sightseeing Bus) （Hakone Tozan Bus

So we were on our way for today’s Broady tour by 9.30am. Our first stage was cruising Lake Ashi on a Pirate Ship. The ship was very decadent and had a golden lady at its bow. The sightseeing ship navigates Lake Ashi like a pirate ship! At present there are 3 different design pirate ships! The cruise was about 30mins. We then went directly to the Ropeway Gondola, which takes you to the Owakudani Valley with its sulphurous volcano, views of the active volcanic valley and a small shrine. Unfortunately the walk up to the volcano was fully booked as due to its current activity needed to be done with a guide.

We then went for a walk around the Gora Park which was a Western-style hillside botanical garden with a tea house, greenhouses & a central fountain. The flowers were spectacular, the colours and design of the gardens was amazing. You could also see the volcano smoking in the background.

Next stop was the Hakone Open-Air Museum which has over 100 masterpieces by the world masters of modern and contemporary art, including Rodin, Bourdelle, Miro and Moore, exhibited within 70,000 square metres of green garden. It was quite a diverse range of exhibits in a beautiful garden setting. It als has a collection of over 300 works by Pablo Picasso. It contains works employing a wide range of techniques, including painting, sculpture, tapestry, gemmail, and gold or silver objects. It was really interesting as well. We spent a few hours here and it reminded us a little of Mona in Hobart.

By now it is 4pm and we still have at least an hour to get back to the car, a train ride and a bus which took about 1.5hrs. Oh well, another big day out. Once again, we had to decide where to pull up for the night. We ended up in a little carpark near the torii gate from this morning. Hopefully we don;tget moved on. Only time will tell.

This torii gate, part of Hakone Shrine (箱根神社, Hakone Jinja), embodies a unique harmony between nature and spirituality. The Peace Torii, half-submerged in Lake Ashi, represents Japan’s dedication to peace and resilience and has become a symbol of calm reflection in the country’s cultural landscape.

‘Ropeway gondola” which was a long and leisurely ride offering lofty views of some of Japan’s most iconic scenery including the smoking and sulfurous Owakudani Valley, the calm waters of Lake Ashinoko and the grandeur of Mount Fuji (3,776 m). The 24-minute journey covers 4 kilometres, making it one of the world’s longest ropeway rides.

“The Black Egg – The culinary alchemy
The process of creating kuro-tamago is a blend of science and a dash of culinary magic. Fresh eggs are placed in wire baskets and submerged into the bubbling hot springs, rich in sulfur and iron. As the eggs cook, a chemical reaction occurs: The iron in the water reacts with the hydrogen sulfide gas, resulting in iron sulfide, which imparts the eggshells with their distinctive black hue. After about an hour, the eggs are retrieved, moved to a steam pot, and steamed for 15 minutes to finish the process. Despite its dark exterior, the inside of the black egg is surprisingly tender, smooth and white. The flavor is, well, eggy. And though the aroma is strong, the taste offers only a slight hint of sulfur.
According to local lore, eating one egg will add seven years to your life. You can only buy the black eggs in packs of five for the affordable price of ¥500. This might help explain why Japanese people live longer than everyone else. For the same price as a pint of beer you can add 35 extra years of life.”

Friday 13th June 2025
Well, we had a very early start this morning! I woke at 3.30am and checked to see if I could see Mt Fuji, then again at 4.15am as it was now light. And we were finally lucky again at 5.15am. Mt Fuji was just poking out the top of the clouds. I should have got out of bed to take a better photo but I could barely keep my eyes open. So, I didn’t and fell straight back to sleep. David dozed for a little while but then started researching the days adventure. We headed  off at about 9.30 on a drive beside Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Saiko, which was a very pretty dive. We went for a short walk on the nature trail and then drove to the first of three caves we were visiting today.

First cave wasthe Bat Cave, a short but interesting cave. It had very small tunnels which were caused by lava flow. We didn;’t see any bats there today.

Then we drove to the Wind and Ice Caves which were very cold, they both  had ice stalactites and stalagmites. It was also very interesting.

From here we went back to drive the southern side of both Lake Saiko and Kawaguchiko. It was a very nice drive although the wind had got up a bit rippling the water. We were lucky to catch a 5 second glimpse as we arrived at Lake Kawaguchiko.

Our next stop was Lake Yamanakako which had a different out look for Mt Fuji but unfortunately she was even more elusive today. There was too much cloud cover. e decided it was time for some exercise so enjoyed a 10km walk around the lake. It was a pleasant evening for a walk. The views were beautiful but once again, mt Fuji stayed hidden.  We are staying here tonight and will cross our fingers that we will get a better view of Mt Fuji tomorrow but unfortunately the weather forecast isn’tr very promising.

“The Saiko Bat Cave is located in the Aokigahara Jukai Forest at the southwest of Lake Saiko. The total extension is over 350 meters and is the largest in the lava cave at the foot of Mt.Fuji. It was created by the eruption of Mt.Fuji, which occurred from 864 to 866.”

The Fugaku Fuketsu Wind Cave is a lava cave surrounded by the abundant greenery of the Aokigahara Jukai forest near Mt. Fuji, and has been designated as a Japanese Natural Monument. This lateral-type cave, formed by the flow of lava, has a gentle slope and is easy to walk. It is 201 m long and 8.7 m high, and has an average temperature of 3℃. Even during the summer, it remains pleasantly cool inside. It was once used as a naturally refrigerated warehouse to store silkworm eggs when sericulture was flourishing in Japan.

12th June 2025
Well we slept okay for our first night in a camper at Jinbee Park on Lake Inba-numa. The bed is big enough and quite comfy. We were warm, not too hot and all would have been great except for the two Japanese men who decided to stand at our bedroom window and talk for 30 mins at 4am. All in all, besides that for our first night in the camper. We did a little more organising this morning and then headed on our way at about 10.

We are going to Mt Fuji today as i would like to sleep by one of the Lakes with Mt Fuji in view if she decides to grace us with her presence. It is said “that Mt. Fuji tends to be shy and only shows up on approximately 80 days a year, it is a mix of luck and planning to increase the chances to see her”. What will be our chance, who knows. The cloudy weather isn’t in our favour. Anyway we will gove it a try.

The drive was heading west and goes straight through the main part of Tokyo, passed the SkyTree and the Imperial Garden, albeit on a exxpressway. The speed limit got up to about 120kmh today. Although now we struggle to travel at that speed. oh well, slow and steady wins the race. It was a little busy through Tokyo but 10 mins out and we had green mountains and valleys to enjoy. We continued the drive west towards Chureito Pagoda, it never ceases to amaze me how David just gets in the car and drives in a foreign country, no anxiousness, even though he can’t read a lot of the signs. Thank goodness, most of the time to Mr Google.

We arrived at `the Chureito Pagoda at about 2.30pm and after finding the usual Private Parking (1,000Y) which is just in peoples driveways. We headed up to the Chureito Pagoda, stopping firstly at the Arakura Sengen Shrine and then followed the path and steps up further. Along the way we managed a little peep at the top of Mt Fuji as she came out of the clouds for a short while. Unfortunately we weren’t at the Pagoda for the traditional shot but we did see the peak. Yippee! We hiked up a bit further but decided not to go to the summit of Mt Arakura as this was another 300m up over 1km to a height of 1,180m and we still had places to go today. So we walked to the viewing platform and tried to wait out Mt Fuji, in hope of seeing her with te pagoda. Alas after about 30 mins we gave in, and descended back down to the car.

We then drove to Lake Kawaguchiko to decide if this was the best place to camp tonight. It was very buisy as this is where the tourist buses come and there is a beautiful garden and pathway  with the lake between the garden and Mt Fuji. We enjoyed a short walk and were lucky enough to get another short glipmpse of Mt Fuji.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a little clearer early, so we are hoping to get a better look if we are awake at daybreak.

We travelled 185km from Lake Inba-numa Narita to Lake Kawaguchi, Mt Fuji, via Chureito Pagoda. Tolls 4710Y.

“The Chureito Pagoda (忠霊塔, Chūreitō) is a five storied pagoda on the mountainside overlooking Fujiyoshida City and Mount Fuji off in the distance. The pagoda is part of the Arakura Sengen Shrine and was built as a peace memorial in 1963 nearly 400 steps up the mountain from the shrine’s main buildings.
The location offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji in combination with the pagoda, especially during the cherry blossom season in mid April when there are hundreds of trees in bloom and during the autumn color season which usually takes place in the first half of November. The spot is particularly popular among photographers as it allows for some wonderfully stereotypical shots of Japan.”

“Mt Fuji – Spiritual site, cultural icon and geographical wonder
Standing at 3,776 meters, Mt. Fuji is the tallest peak in Japan, the result of volcanic activity that began approximately 100,000 years ago. Today, Mt. Fuji and the surrounding area are a popular recreational destination for hiking, camping and relaxation.
A geographical wonder – Formed approximately 100,000 years ago, repeated volcanic eruptions gradually transformed Mt. Fuji into the largest mountain in Japan, at 3,776 meters tall. The last eruption in 1707 lasted for 16 days, with volcanic ash reaching as far as Tokyo. Volcanic activity is also responsible for creating Hoeizan (one of Fuji’s secondary peaks), the five lakes at the mountain’s base, and numerous caves near Aokigahara Forest. The area is also blessed with many mineral-rich hot springs, making the region a paradise for both outdoor recreation and relaxation.”

“Lake Kawaguchi is located in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in southern Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, Japan. It is the second largest of the Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface area, and is located at the lowest elevation.
Surface elevation: 833 m
Area: 6.13 km²
Fish: Rainbow trout”

Wednesday 11th June 2025
Today we have packed up from the APA Hotel in Shinsaibashi, Tokyo and we caught 2 trains to Keisei-Narita Station which took 1 hr 40 mins. We were then collected by Japan Campers at about 1.30pm who drove us to their depot, gave us detailed instructions for the camper, went over the body with a fine tooth comb as the repair costs are expensive. Minato was great. David spoke to some people who were dropping off the same camper as us from New Zealand who have just spent 2 months travelling. They didn’t kill eachother and had a great time. By this time it was 4pm and we still needed to find somewhere to stay tonight. We ended up going to the grocery store on the way to a lovely little park on Lake Inba-numa about 30km west of Narita. A free parking lott with a toilet. We were parked with another couple from France who had the same van as us and were returning it tomorrow after 3 months on the road. We got a few tips from them.

We then walked to the local Ramen Restaurant only 350m away and enjoyed a lovely meal. We entertained the guests with our naivety and language skills. We tried some new dishes tonight. David ordered Chicken stir-fry with cashews, shallots and watercress, and I ordered Stir fry shreeded pork and cabbage with miso sauce, this was just like our black bean sauce at home. They were both lovey dishes.

We then walked back home to get the camper organised. This was a little time consuming but we will sort it out slowly over the next few days.

I will keep moving forward from today. I will let you know when I get a chance to do the photos for the last 2 days of Tokyo so you can go back and have a look. Sorry for the delay.

Sunday 8th June 2025
Wow! What a day!

David made a last minute purchase last night to go to a live local baseball game at the Tokyo Dome between the Giants and Rakuten. He couldn’t purchase them through the team site and went through a third party called Viagogo. He thought he was getting a bargain. 4,976Y per ticket but after he paid for them it had a service fee of 6,112Y plus 611Y tax. So the tickets went from 9,952Y to 16,675Y and because he was in a flap because the tickets were going to time out he used Paypal which uses the worst exchange rate we have had yet at 89Y to AU$1 so the tickets cost $187.Oops! David was feeling ripped off and a little apprehensive as the tickets have to be picked up from a post office. It was all feeling a little dodgy. Will we or will we not get to go to the baseball. Well it all worked out okay. We picked the tickets up from the post office without any problem. We were still hoping they would be okay when we got to the venue. We joined the stream of fans walking to the Tokyo Dome.

What an exciting day. We had great seats. Gate 20, Bay 6, Row 40, seat 408 and 409. What a great view. The atmosphere was amazing. I had a chat with the lady next to me who was a Giant fan and really excited that I was from Australia and was going to my first ever baseball game in Tokyo. She was really friendly and a very vocal fan. She sang with the fanatics the whole game. It was a real learning curve as we tried to work out the intricacies of the game, the score board and what was really going on. Boy did we have a great day. I didn’t realise how hard it was to score a run. The giants scored the first run of the game in the 4th innings. The next score came in the 8th innings when the Giants had all bases loaded and had 3 No Balls and 2 strikes and the guy hit a HOME RUN which meant they scored 4 runs giving them a total 5 runs to nil. It was so exciting, the fans went wild and the ones behind us gave us a scarf to cheer with. It was so much fun. We made friends beside us and behind. They were so friendly. We stayed and watched the presentation chatting with our new friends. The Japanese are so polite even when cheering for their teams.  They only change when their team is batting. So they take turns.

After the game, we left with the crowd and walked towards the Imperial Palace. By this time it was after 5pm and by the time we got to the Palace it was closed. So we walked to our next destination for the day – the Kabukiza Theatre. We thought this was going to be a traditional dance and acting show but it turned out to just be a play. We didn’t think we would need the tablet with subtitles as it was only supposed to be a 24min ‘Single Act’ but in hindsight we should have got them. Oh well! You live and learn. It was a little disappointing, although it was a beautiful theatre. It ended up going for an hour and started at 7.30pm, and it was a snippet of the whole show.

We then had some Ramen for dinner in a nearby restaurant. I had a new Ramen today it was called Tonkotsu which is made with an intensely porky, opaque pale broth with a sticky-lipped intensity and the rich, buttery texture of light cream. It was very yummy.

We then left for home, did some groceries near our hotel and finally arrived home again after 11pm. Exhausted once again. It is amazing even at that time the guests are still heading up to the communal spa.  Maybe we will get their tonight.  We were still getting stuff done until after 1am and I still didn’t get my photos done for yesterday or today.

We were really hoping for an early night as we are heading to Disneyland tomorrow. Of well! It will be a late start again tomorrow but that is also OK as we would like to see Disneyland under lights as well.

“Tokyo Dome A vast stadium and entertainment complex in central Tokyo. Most famous as a baseball stadium and home of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, Tokyo Dome is a versatile leisure complex offering an array of venues for fun and relaxation.”

“Kabuki-za in Ginza is the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional kabuki drama form.
Performances are exclusively run by Shochiku, in which the Kabuki-za Theatrical Corporation is the largest shareholder. They are nearly every day, and tickets are sold for individual acts as well as for each play in its entirety. As is the case for most kabuki venues, programs are organized monthly: each month there is a given set of plays and dances that make up the afternoon performance, and a different set comprising the evening show. These are repeated on a nearly daily schedule for three to four weeks, with the new month bringing a new program.”

Saturday 7th June 2025
What a huge day, yet again!
We were out and about for 12 hours. Firstly, we headed to the Sensō-ji – a buddhist temple near Asakusa Station. There was the usual throng of people sightseeing especially as it was Saturday. We walked down Nakamise Shopping Street (a street of souvenir and food stalls) to the Temple and spent a couple of hours wandering around. We then enjoyed some street food for lunch.

We followed this with a  walk down to the Sumida River where we joined a river cruise to the Hamarikyu Gardens where we walked some more, enjoying a leisurely stroll with a lot less people. The gardens were lovely with flowers and manicured trees, a teahouse and a few bridges to cross.

David had then wanted to walk over the Rainbow Bridge but by this stage it was after 4pm so we decided to catch the train over instead. This was an interesting experience as it was a driverless train and by standing at the front of the train you could see the tracks and it felt a bit like being on a rollercoaster. We alighted at Daiba and walked to the Aqua City Shopping Centre where we could see the Rainbow Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. We went for a walk through the shopping centre and decided we would have dinner here and wait until after the sun set so we could see the Rainbow bridge in the dark. So after a shopping centre dinner which wasn’t too bad (the pictures didn’t quite resemble the meal but we did have a few veges) we enjoyed the view of the colourful bridge. We then went down to the Diver City Plaza about 500m away with its Unicorn Gundam – another huge transformer.

Now any normal tourist would head home now, but not on Broady Tours, we caught the train back over the Rainbow Bridge to the Skytree Tower. The plan was to go to the Galleria, 450m up the tower but unfortunately the last tickets were sold just before we arrived there at 8.35pm. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. So instead we decided to walk back to the Sensō-ji Temple as we always love to see some of the sights by day and night. Once again this didn’t disappoint. After a walk around the temple enjoying the difference the illumination brought to the buildings we finally headed home. A very big day out.

“Senso-ji is the oldest temple in Tokyo.
Known throughout Japan, it is the temple of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Sho Kanzeon Bosatsu),
who embodies the mercy of all Buddhas. This important centre of religious faith draws 30 million worshippers every year.” https://www.senso-ji.jp/english/

“Nakamise Shopping Street, Asakusa
Nakamise is the most famous shopping street in Asakusa. The street runs for 250 meters on the main approach to Sensoji Temple and is lined on both sides with shops selling traditional souvenirs, snacks, and sweets.” https://www.asakusastation.com/nakamise-shopping-street-asakusa/

“Hama Rikyu (浜離宮, Hama Rikyū), is a large, attractive landscape garden in central Tokyo. Located alongside Tokyo Bay, Hama Rikyu features seawater ponds which change level with the tides, and a teahouse on an island where visitors can rest and enjoy the scenery. The traditionally styled garden stands in stark contrast to the skyscrapers of the adjacent Shiodome district.”

“The Rainbow Bridge Tokyo’s most colorful crossing
The supporting towers of the bridge have been painted white, but they are lit up at night in rainbow colors in December, giving the bridge its nickname—it is officially known as the Tokyo Bay Connector Bridge. The bridge and its views are quite beautiful even when illuminated in regular lights during the rest of the year.”

“The Statue of Liberty first appeared in Odaiba in 1998, borrowed from France as part of a one-year celebration commemorating Japan’s relationship with France.”

“This splendid reproduction of the Unicorn Gundam stands out. Almost 20 metres of metal expertly assembled to reproduce one of the most iconic 70s/80s robots.”

RULES OF THE SPA
Precautions when using the large bath
1. We strictly prohibit the entry of gang members.
2. We strictly prohibit the entry of people with tattoos. However, tattoos can be covered with stickers designated by our company (up to two stickers, 10 x 12 cm in size).
3. Please refrain from entering if you are feeling unwell or have been drinking alcohol.
4. Please take care of your cash, valuables, and keys at your own risk.
5. Please be sure to rinse your body with water or shower before bathing.
6. Please be aware that the bath area is very slippery.
7. Do not put towels or hair in the bathtub.
8. Do not bring food, drink, laundry, pets, or dangerous objects into the bath area.
9. Staff members conduct patrols of the facility. During these inspections, we may ask you to confirm your room number and name.
10. Due to cleaning and security reasons, the bath area is not open outside of business hours.
11. If you violate the above, we will not be held responsible for any trouble that may arise. Furthermore, if necessary for operational reasons, we may refuse you entry, ask you to leave, or report you to the police

Friday 6th June 2025

Happy birthday Gavin!!

Well I am on to David’s special quotes of the day. For anyone that has been following our travel’s he comes out with some doozies. Today’s was when I was trying to take a selfie. I said “I am not very good at taking selfies”. His reply was “I don’t like selfies, we are too ugly. Oops, I had better re-phrase that. I am too ugly”.

Today we started with a slow morning due to turning the light out a 1am after our late arrival at home after the World Expo adventure. David spent the first part of the morning booking our ride on our first Shinkansen (bullet train) between Osaka and Tokyo. This was a little complex requiring your IC card (like our Opal Card) and credit card to be linked to the booking. As he was doping this for the first time, each time he searched for a train he realised he needed something else. Unfortunately, with these additional time delays in the booking process we had to delay our departure an extra hour so we could still get a window seat to see Mt Fuji as we travelled passed. Anyway, I love his ability to navigate all these processeswith relative ease.

We left for the station at 11am check-out time and walked 9 minutes to the Midosuji line, caught a very crowded train, had a chat with a Japanese man who thought we were from New Zealand. We then alighted at Shin-Osaka station followed the signs which were only about a 5 minute walk to the Shinkansen terminal. This was very crowded with many people taking large suitcases. We found this interesting as we thought this posed a problem. Lucky us, we were still travelling with minimal luggage. Yay! We found a 7eleven and bought our usual sushi for the train ride. One of the only types of trains that you can eat and drink.

The train setup is as good as China. Well labelled for which platform, area to stand for which train, carriage and seat row. I assume it is because they need to get many people on and off the trains quickly to keep them to schedule. The process was seamless. Yay, David! We boarded the train for the 2.5 hour ride (6h 7m – 498 km by car) from Osaka to Tokyo.

We enjoyed varied scenery, from little houses, densely populated in some areas, rice paddies, farms, solar farms, some small mountains and a few cities. Unfortunately the clear blue skies are starting to cloud over so we might not get to see Mt Fuji peak. Oh well, we have a few days to get this opportunity. Fingers crossed for us. We did manage to see Mt Fuji through the clouds but only for a short time. On arrival at Tokyo Station it took us a little while to find our way to the JR Line to catch the loop line to our hotel at Otsuka-Tokyo. This was about 30mins from the main Tokyo Station.

We arrived at Otsuka and our hotel is only 2 mins up the road, with restaurants and supermarkets also close by. The hotel was lovely, our room is about the same size as they all are but they serve their purpose. We headed out for dinner after a little rest, some grocery shopping and home for an almost early night.

Thursday 5th June, 2025
What a day of exhaustion at the 2025 World Expo!

The theme of 2025 World expo is Designing Future Society for Our Lives.
Sub themes are Saving Lives, Empowering Lives and Connecting Lives.

We started out a little late. Leaving for the train station at about 10.45am. We skipped one train by walking 1.1km to the 2nd train as the first train was only 2 stops. We are always happy fopr a little extra exercise, although today it was probably unnecessary as there was lots of walking already planned.

We treally didn’t know what to expect except that we were in for a big day of crowds and queues. It definitely didn’t disappoint in that regards. We lucked in with the train, David’s research about how to get there and which gate to enter via was very beneficial, it worked like a dream. We made it to our assigned 12pm gate entry and queue by 11.40am. A little sunshine and organised queues, followed by bag screening like the airport, before entering at about 12:10pm. Well the numbers were as expected, last week there was a day with 162,000 people so we knew what we were in for. The people were queued everywher, for the pavillions, for food, for the toilets and the vending machines. It was a day of queueing and crowds. David’s favourite!

We started with a lap around the top of a wooden platform, the largest timber construction ever built. It was an amazing walk where we saw from above the incredible structures of the pavillions for many of the 160 countries exhibiting at this years World Expo.

After almost completing our lap of the top, we ducked down to try and visit the Australian Pavillion. This had about an hour wait time but the girl at the entrance said that Australians went through the reservation gates whch meanty we went straight through. This was great, we entered into the eucalypt tree forest and felt like we were back home. After this we watched a video presentation which was like the best of the best tourist destinations in Australia, to which we had been to many of them. Some of these included – The Whitsunday Island, Mossmann Gorge, Great Barrier Reef and a few more. It showed how beautiful and diverse a country we live in and I am sure will encourage many to visit.

The next pavillion we went to was the UAE. The theme here was ‘Earth to Ether’ and focussed on sustainability. Next was the mobility Pavillion which had some robots to aid mobility, one in particular was to guide blind people. This was followed by the German Pavillion which was focussed on ‘Presenting Circular Solutions’ trying to keep resources in thcycle for as long as possible.

We then managed to get in to what we thought was the 5pm time for the USA Pavillion which had about a 2 hour wait time. It turned out that it was the 6pm timeslot, so we sat in the queue, thankfully in the shade for 50 minutes. The USA theme was ‘Imagine what we can create together’. It had many posters about Space and AI.

We had a rest and some dinner then headed to the light show which had been cancelled so we headed towards the Future City, on the way we managed to get in to the Netherlands Pavillion. This was all about ‘Working with Nature’, as a nation we learned shift our approach from resistance to harmony. We learned to embrace water, designing our lives around its natural rhythms. We allowed rivers tto flood safely, storing water, fostering balance between water and land. This evolution reflects a deeper relationshipwith water – one of co-existence, living side by side with nature. I found this pavillion really interesting.

By this time it was now 8.30pm. We walked all the way to the other side to the Future City pavillion which was unfortunately closed, we also missed Tech World which was another pavillion David was interested to visit. We were also at the West Gate. We needed to exit at the East Gate to catch the train home, so off we go on the long walk back.

We finally made it to the East Gate exit and joined many, many people. We were like cattle being mustered towards the gate, as we moved forward slowly along the long path to the station. It was cleverly done as we kept moving in the most orderly fashion for about 30-40 minutes. no -one pushed or ran into anyone and we even managed to get on the first train when we arrived on the platform. By this stage we were exhausted. A 30 minute train ride followed by another 10 minute walk and we were home. We walked about 16km today over the 11 hour day.

It was a very exhausting but interesting day!

https://www.expo2025