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.