Vacation in Asia (QR J, JL J, CX F)
Jan 31, 2014, 2:33 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
7. Sights of Beijing
As the sun had already gone down we decided to take a walk up Wangfujing road and find our recommended restaurant that serves good Peking duck. It had never really been our plan to enjoy the delicacy but the concierge was scandalized to hear this and we changed our plans.
Wangfujing road is pleasing to the eye and great fun to walk down... that is until you get approached by the friendly scam people. After reading about it in other trip reports, I found the idea of coming across these people remote, but it happened to us several times over the next few days, causing us great anger, and leading us to avoid the road altogether.
On several occasions we were approached by groups of two women who were remarkably friendly saying "hello, and welcome to China!" and who do everything in their power to get you to go have coffee with them (this later devolves into some sort of scam). This even happened to us in shopping centers where they sat down next to us in restaurants and said "how fun! Let us join you and we can practice English". Luckily we knew about the scam and after denying them several times watched how unfriendly they got and walked away. By the fifth time we started replying in French and that instantly repelled them.
As karma for all our unfriendliness to these thieves, we quickly got lost, and ended up reaching our restaurant at 21:30 after leaving the hotel two hours earlier. It was a fun walk though.
Siji Minfu is a really nice restaurant in Beijing with a severely extensive menu and speciality Peking duck that is prepared next to your table by the chef. The staff speak almost no English but they are kind and try to help, and the menu is in English with pictures to aid your decisions. We went back and ate there on our last night too.
As people who eat a lot of chinese food at home, as well as duck, we thought we would have this nailed. However, we struggled with the garnishes and preparation and our generous server put us out of our misery and helped us prepare the duck into wrapped bundles that tasted fantastic.
After a good night's rest we were up for our full day tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. We arranged this, and other trips, through Viator. Viator works through other tour groups but we used them in several countries and everything was excellently organized and never messed up.
After a short drive we arrived at Tiananmen Square where our guide gave us a quick run down of the place and what all the buildings were.
As the Forbidden City was directly attached to the Square, he also told us about it.
Chairman Mao
As with many things in China, there are three gates to enter the Forbidden City... one is for the Emperor, one for high officials, and one for the rest. Same with bridges, walkways etc...
Bridges into the city
We encountered the protective lions outside the city, and in several other places. The number of curls in their mane symbolizes the seniority of the official - with the Emperor's lions having 36 if I remember correctly. I'm sorry if I recall any facts incorrectly, or misstate anything, it's not intentional.
The male lion holds an orb and the female lion holds down a cub with her paw.
It was great to finally enter the Forbidden City... I have longed to do so since I watched the Last Emperor many years ago. It is vast with intricate art and rich culture.
Elevated entrance to stop ghosts (which are very small in China). These elevations are in many attractions in China.
Throne Room
Carved marble slab that took many years to be dragged across ancient China
After a few hours we were off and were dropped off for a quick tour of a silk factory. We were told all about silk worms and different types of silks, and then we were allowed to watch the ladies make silk thread, then sheets, then blankets etc. It was quite impressive, as was the shop afterwards.
After that we were off again, this time to a jade artisan, where we watched some skilled guys making jade figurines. The museum was fantastic and we purchased a few jade trinkets.
Followed by lunch...
After a tasty lunch we were off to the Great Wall. You can view the wall at several places, and we went to a section we could climb ourselves. There is also one with a cable car, which I would definitely recommend for unfit people! The steps of the wall are enormous - surely designed for a giant, and exhausting to climb! The wall is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen - and to think that it goes on for thousands of kilometers...
By now it was getting late and we headed back, but not before a quick stop at a tea house where we tasted some great teas, and purchased some too.
The next day we decided to go for a walk through the various local markets, then visit the parks and shrines of Beijing. What a fascinating and wonderful day it turned out to be.
Blood donation anyone?
If you've ever wondered what a bug, seahorse, giant scorpion or spider tastes as a snack, this market was the place to be. I would be hard pressed to even come near one of those snacks, never mind eat them...
Ugh...
Mobile butchery
The first stop was the Temple of Heaven, and the lovely park around it where people gathered to dance, sing, play musical instruments or chat...
The three door story again
After we were done at the park we took a taxi to the Beijing Zoo, primarily to see the Pandas. We ended up enjoying the other animals just as much!
A lesser panda
A fox
A tiger ... incidentally I have never heard a tiger roar before until that day.
Polar bear and his tyre
We noticed that the sun was starting to get low on the horizon, and considering it was our last day in Beijing, we still wanted to see Beihei and the White Pogoda. Once again we jumped into a taxi and twenty minutes later we were there...
snow park outside Beihei
The park is beautiful and filled with people and small kids playing. The lake was mostly frozen over and we thought it must be quite a sight in summer.
The exquisite and ancient 9-dragon wall... there are 3 in Beijing.
The white pogoda
As the sun had already gone down we decided to take a walk up Wangfujing road and find our recommended restaurant that serves good Peking duck. It had never really been our plan to enjoy the delicacy but the concierge was scandalized to hear this and we changed our plans.
Wangfujing road is pleasing to the eye and great fun to walk down... that is until you get approached by the friendly scam people. After reading about it in other trip reports, I found the idea of coming across these people remote, but it happened to us several times over the next few days, causing us great anger, and leading us to avoid the road altogether.
On several occasions we were approached by groups of two women who were remarkably friendly saying "hello, and welcome to China!" and who do everything in their power to get you to go have coffee with them (this later devolves into some sort of scam). This even happened to us in shopping centers where they sat down next to us in restaurants and said "how fun! Let us join you and we can practice English". Luckily we knew about the scam and after denying them several times watched how unfriendly they got and walked away. By the fifth time we started replying in French and that instantly repelled them.
As karma for all our unfriendliness to these thieves, we quickly got lost, and ended up reaching our restaurant at 21:30 after leaving the hotel two hours earlier. It was a fun walk though.
Siji Minfu is a really nice restaurant in Beijing with a severely extensive menu and speciality Peking duck that is prepared next to your table by the chef. The staff speak almost no English but they are kind and try to help, and the menu is in English with pictures to aid your decisions. We went back and ate there on our last night too.
As people who eat a lot of chinese food at home, as well as duck, we thought we would have this nailed. However, we struggled with the garnishes and preparation and our generous server put us out of our misery and helped us prepare the duck into wrapped bundles that tasted fantastic.
After a good night's rest we were up for our full day tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. We arranged this, and other trips, through Viator. Viator works through other tour groups but we used them in several countries and everything was excellently organized and never messed up.
After a short drive we arrived at Tiananmen Square where our guide gave us a quick run down of the place and what all the buildings were.
As the Forbidden City was directly attached to the Square, he also told us about it.
Chairman Mao
As with many things in China, there are three gates to enter the Forbidden City... one is for the Emperor, one for high officials, and one for the rest. Same with bridges, walkways etc...
Bridges into the city
We encountered the protective lions outside the city, and in several other places. The number of curls in their mane symbolizes the seniority of the official - with the Emperor's lions having 36 if I remember correctly. I'm sorry if I recall any facts incorrectly, or misstate anything, it's not intentional.
The male lion holds an orb and the female lion holds down a cub with her paw.
It was great to finally enter the Forbidden City... I have longed to do so since I watched the Last Emperor many years ago. It is vast with intricate art and rich culture.
Elevated entrance to stop ghosts (which are very small in China). These elevations are in many attractions in China.
Throne Room
Carved marble slab that took many years to be dragged across ancient China
After a few hours we were off and were dropped off for a quick tour of a silk factory. We were told all about silk worms and different types of silks, and then we were allowed to watch the ladies make silk thread, then sheets, then blankets etc. It was quite impressive, as was the shop afterwards.
After that we were off again, this time to a jade artisan, where we watched some skilled guys making jade figurines. The museum was fantastic and we purchased a few jade trinkets.
Followed by lunch...
After a tasty lunch we were off to the Great Wall. You can view the wall at several places, and we went to a section we could climb ourselves. There is also one with a cable car, which I would definitely recommend for unfit people! The steps of the wall are enormous - surely designed for a giant, and exhausting to climb! The wall is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen - and to think that it goes on for thousands of kilometers...
By now it was getting late and we headed back, but not before a quick stop at a tea house where we tasted some great teas, and purchased some too.
The next day we decided to go for a walk through the various local markets, then visit the parks and shrines of Beijing. What a fascinating and wonderful day it turned out to be.
Blood donation anyone?
If you've ever wondered what a bug, seahorse, giant scorpion or spider tastes as a snack, this market was the place to be. I would be hard pressed to even come near one of those snacks, never mind eat them...
Ugh...
Mobile butchery
The first stop was the Temple of Heaven, and the lovely park around it where people gathered to dance, sing, play musical instruments or chat...
The three door story again
After we were done at the park we took a taxi to the Beijing Zoo, primarily to see the Pandas. We ended up enjoying the other animals just as much!
A lesser panda
A fox
A tiger ... incidentally I have never heard a tiger roar before until that day.
Polar bear and his tyre
We noticed that the sun was starting to get low on the horizon, and considering it was our last day in Beijing, we still wanted to see Beihei and the White Pogoda. Once again we jumped into a taxi and twenty minutes later we were there...
snow park outside Beihei
The park is beautiful and filled with people and small kids playing. The lake was mostly frozen over and we thought it must be quite a sight in summer.
The exquisite and ancient 9-dragon wall... there are 3 in Beijing.
The white pogoda
Jan 31, 2014, 2:35 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
Thanks Eric
It was amazing, and I'm sorry we didn't stay longer.
Hmm... thanks Moondog... well the tour group asked us what class we want and we said business. Perhaps they made some $$ on the side 
I asked for seats as far back as possible, so they somehow managed to book them for me. The food could definitely use some improvement!
It seems that you were in VIP (or sightseeing) class, which is actually somewhat cheaper than normal business class for some reason (I've never been able to get one of those 5 seats myself).
You're right that the train food is god awful. People never seem to believe me about this until they experience it first hand.
You're right that the train food is god awful. People never seem to believe me about this until they experience it first hand.
I asked for seats as far back as possible, so they somehow managed to book them for me. The food could definitely use some improvement!
Jan 31, 2014, 3:30 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
8. PEK-NRT on Japan Airlines business class on 787-800
The next day we were up early for our early morning flight from Beijing to Tokyo. Our transfer got us to the airport within the hour, and we had decided to arrive early in case there were any problems with our Avios booking.
Beijing airport is really modern and beautiful...
And problems there were....! Its funny when you hand your passport to the check-in agent and lots of frowning starts. Turns out BA didn't match my award and my ticket. We had two seats on the plane booked but they couldn't access the ticket. The JAL agents then said that we had been moved to the afternoon flight (8 hours from then) unless we contacted BA and fixed it.
The problem is who does one call when its 6am in Beijing? After searching several time zones we found out that Australia would be open, and thankfully we got the tickets matched by a friendly Australian BA agent. Never mind that this took over 90 minutes to fix and cost a fortune in international calls. The BA agent was very competent and apologetic for what she called "a really ridiculous error" on BA's part. Enough said.
This delay cost us our window seats which was a real pity considering it was my first 787 flight ever. It also left us with 15 minutes to board the plane after we'd cleared customs, meaning that we missed out on our lounge experience too.
Flustered, but glad to be aboard, we entered a really great business class cabin and the friendliest cabin crew so far.
The weather outside was abysmal and the captain told us to expect turbulence for the whole flight. Excellent news...
The amenity kit was 'portable' for this flight, and the flight attendant came round with a basket filled with amenities that we could select from. I took earplugs, but didn't use them on this quick 3 hour flight.
Lining up
After a pretty smooth takeoff, I could see nothing out the windows for a full fifteen minutes. After a while we reached above the clouds and enjoyed a relatively smooth flight with some occasional small bumps.
Wine List...
- Champagne (don't recall the type unfortunately)
- White Wine : Louis Max Macon Villagers 2011 (Bourgogne)
- Red Wine : Louis Max cote de Nuits Villages Rouge 2011
- Japanese Shochu : Imo Shochu/Mugi Shochu
Japanese Menu
Zensai
- Crabmeat Mayonnaise salad
- Baked Miso flavoured spinach mackerel
- Simmered prawn/salmon rolled with kelp
Kobachi
- Marinated Jellyfish and cucumber
Noodles
- Japanese Noodles "soba"
Dainomono
- Pork bowl with sorachi sauce from Hokkaido
- Beef and Egg bowl with sorachi sauce from Hokkaido
Miso Soup
Ice cream
Western Menu
Fresh Fruit
Main Dish
- Fresh Omelette
- Scrambled Egg with Ricotta Cheese
Fresh Salad
Bread
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ice Cream
Appetizer and champagne
Western meal for one of us...
Japanese for the other...
Dessert
After a tasty meal we settled back and relaxed for the duration of the flight. We caught a heavy tailwind and despite the zig-zag route we landed 45 minutes early.
The descent and landing were windy and turbulent but something told me that the 787 really does handle turbulence better than other planes. It might be totally unfair to say so and perhaps I was caught up in the madness of my first 787 flight, but the flight did feel different to that of a 777 or 737. The plane is smaller than I thought it would be but I was hugely impressed with all the small improvements Boeing made, including the bathroom. I can't wait to fly it again. As for JAL... what magnificent staff. They were so helpful and polite, and what a tribute to their nation.
The next day we were up early for our early morning flight from Beijing to Tokyo. Our transfer got us to the airport within the hour, and we had decided to arrive early in case there were any problems with our Avios booking.
Beijing airport is really modern and beautiful...
And problems there were....! Its funny when you hand your passport to the check-in agent and lots of frowning starts. Turns out BA didn't match my award and my ticket. We had two seats on the plane booked but they couldn't access the ticket. The JAL agents then said that we had been moved to the afternoon flight (8 hours from then) unless we contacted BA and fixed it.
The problem is who does one call when its 6am in Beijing? After searching several time zones we found out that Australia would be open, and thankfully we got the tickets matched by a friendly Australian BA agent. Never mind that this took over 90 minutes to fix and cost a fortune in international calls. The BA agent was very competent and apologetic for what she called "a really ridiculous error" on BA's part. Enough said.
This delay cost us our window seats which was a real pity considering it was my first 787 flight ever. It also left us with 15 minutes to board the plane after we'd cleared customs, meaning that we missed out on our lounge experience too.
Flustered, but glad to be aboard, we entered a really great business class cabin and the friendliest cabin crew so far.
The weather outside was abysmal and the captain told us to expect turbulence for the whole flight. Excellent news...
The amenity kit was 'portable' for this flight, and the flight attendant came round with a basket filled with amenities that we could select from. I took earplugs, but didn't use them on this quick 3 hour flight.
Lining up
After a pretty smooth takeoff, I could see nothing out the windows for a full fifteen minutes. After a while we reached above the clouds and enjoyed a relatively smooth flight with some occasional small bumps.
Wine List...
- Champagne (don't recall the type unfortunately)
- White Wine : Louis Max Macon Villagers 2011 (Bourgogne)
- Red Wine : Louis Max cote de Nuits Villages Rouge 2011
- Japanese Shochu : Imo Shochu/Mugi Shochu
Japanese Menu
Zensai
- Crabmeat Mayonnaise salad
- Baked Miso flavoured spinach mackerel
- Simmered prawn/salmon rolled with kelp
Kobachi
- Marinated Jellyfish and cucumber
Noodles
- Japanese Noodles "soba"
Dainomono
- Pork bowl with sorachi sauce from Hokkaido
- Beef and Egg bowl with sorachi sauce from Hokkaido
Miso Soup
Ice cream
Western Menu
Fresh Fruit
Main Dish
- Fresh Omelette
- Scrambled Egg with Ricotta Cheese
Fresh Salad
Bread
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ice Cream
Appetizer and champagne
Western meal for one of us...
Japanese for the other...
Dessert
After a tasty meal we settled back and relaxed for the duration of the flight. We caught a heavy tailwind and despite the zig-zag route we landed 45 minutes early.
The descent and landing were windy and turbulent but something told me that the 787 really does handle turbulence better than other planes. It might be totally unfair to say so and perhaps I was caught up in the madness of my first 787 flight, but the flight did feel different to that of a 777 or 737. The plane is smaller than I thought it would be but I was hugely impressed with all the small improvements Boeing made, including the bathroom. I can't wait to fly it again. As for JAL... what magnificent staff. They were so helpful and polite, and what a tribute to their nation.
Feb 2, 2014, 7:02 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: WAS (DCA, BWI, IAD)
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 114
Great report OP. Just returned from Beijing and Tokyo and also flew JAL 787 business just this past Monday morning. Great airline and amazing aircraft. Also had my first experience on the 787 and enjoyed it with JL. Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Feb 3, 2014, 3:35 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Great report! I must find an excuse to fly QR sometime soon.
Interesting to see the business-class rail report for Shanghai to Beijing. How much did your ticket cost you, out of curiosity?
Interesting to see the business-class rail report for Shanghai to Beijing. How much did your ticket cost you, out of curiosity?
Feb 3, 2014, 6:29 am
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,057
business costs 1780, first is 950, and second is 550. VIP class costs a little less than business. I usually do second class and set up office in the dining car.
Feb 4, 2014, 3:28 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
9. Conrad Tokyo
After clearing immigration, we caught the NEX into Tokyo. The train was fast and clean and provided great comfort for the short journey into the city. Despite this, Narita is out of the way and more difficult to get to than Haneda, so we'll be flying into Haneda from now on if its possible.
Bring your pets along!
After a short connecting subway ride, we arrived at our station and sought out the Conrad Tokyo. I booked us a night at the Conrad months ago when they had a 50% off on a suite special. Unfortunately our itinerary changed and they were kind enough to move the date for us despite it being against the terms. I tried to extend our stay at the Conrad but the special had passed, and moving to a normal room was as bad as changing hotels. We therefore stayed for one night in the Conrad and for the duration of the trip in the Capitol Hotel.
The lobby of the hotel is about 30 stories up, so every room above that is provided with a fantastic view of Tokyo. The staff are friendly and helpful, but this is a trait that is generally present in abundance in the Japanese... they were just the nicest people and we loved the country.
So after checking in we made our way up to our King Suite...
Wall above the bed
View from the room
That night we turned in early and enjoyed the night view of Tokyo and steady stream of planes landing at Haneda in the distance. We loved the hotel and would liked to have stayed for longer.
After clearing immigration, we caught the NEX into Tokyo. The train was fast and clean and provided great comfort for the short journey into the city. Despite this, Narita is out of the way and more difficult to get to than Haneda, so we'll be flying into Haneda from now on if its possible.
Bring your pets along!
After a short connecting subway ride, we arrived at our station and sought out the Conrad Tokyo. I booked us a night at the Conrad months ago when they had a 50% off on a suite special. Unfortunately our itinerary changed and they were kind enough to move the date for us despite it being against the terms. I tried to extend our stay at the Conrad but the special had passed, and moving to a normal room was as bad as changing hotels. We therefore stayed for one night in the Conrad and for the duration of the trip in the Capitol Hotel.
The lobby of the hotel is about 30 stories up, so every room above that is provided with a fantastic view of Tokyo. The staff are friendly and helpful, but this is a trait that is generally present in abundance in the Japanese... they were just the nicest people and we loved the country.
So after checking in we made our way up to our King Suite...
Wall above the bed
View from the room
That night we turned in early and enjoyed the night view of Tokyo and steady stream of planes landing at Haneda in the distance. We loved the hotel and would liked to have stayed for longer.
Feb 4, 2014, 3:37 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
10. Capitol Hotel Tokyo
I found the Capitol Hotel through Tripadvisor. We normally try to stay in the top 10 hotels in any city by using Tripadvisor, and while it has sometimes been a failure, it often works. We caught a taxi from the Conrad and about fifteen minutes later arrived on the other side of the city. Its a quieter part of town but the hotel is literally on top of a subway station, so getting around is very convenient.
Check-in was a breeze and we then went up to our room which has a lot of tasteful Japanese elements, as well as club privileges.
View from the Room
View from the Club Lounge
The Club was a nice place to chill out. Although it closed quite early at 21:30, we enjoyed our time there. There was always a wide selection of food and cakes, as well as beverages. The lounge was tranquil and allowed for uninterrupted trip reporting
It's a great hotel with good prices. The staff were always looking to lend a hand and the rooms are spacious and luxurious. Some people complain about the location, but I've already addressed that and feel its a non-issue.
I found the Capitol Hotel through Tripadvisor. We normally try to stay in the top 10 hotels in any city by using Tripadvisor, and while it has sometimes been a failure, it often works. We caught a taxi from the Conrad and about fifteen minutes later arrived on the other side of the city. Its a quieter part of town but the hotel is literally on top of a subway station, so getting around is very convenient.
Check-in was a breeze and we then went up to our room which has a lot of tasteful Japanese elements, as well as club privileges.
View from the Room
View from the Club Lounge
The Club was a nice place to chill out. Although it closed quite early at 21:30, we enjoyed our time there. There was always a wide selection of food and cakes, as well as beverages. The lounge was tranquil and allowed for uninterrupted trip reporting
It's a great hotel with good prices. The staff were always looking to lend a hand and the rooms are spacious and luxurious. Some people complain about the location, but I've already addressed that and feel its a non-issue.
Feb 4, 2014, 4:29 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
11. Sights of Tokyo
Tokyo is such a fantastic city. I can't begin to describe what a great experience it was for us, and I'd recommend it to anyone who'd truly like to visit a great city.
We were very excited to get up the next morning because we had booked a tour to the Sumo Wrestling tournament. We were also lucky, because the tournament is only held a few times a year, and we also witnessed the semi-finals.
Ladies at the bus station... although traditional Japanese dress makes for great photos, it's very rare and we hardly saw any women dressed like this.
Handprints of Sumo champions in the subway station
Sumo is much bigger in Japan than I thought it would be. There were large crowds, an electric atmosphere, and at times anger/despair/hysteria.
outside the arena
Opening ceremony (we attended the most senior division primarily)
Banners announcing sponsors (each flag represents a large sum of money and the winner may take home the sum of it after winning the bout)
Prior to a bout - we watched many (at least 25)
The final for the day - one of them was at the highest rank of Yokozuna
Stats for the final match
Fan vendor at the tournament
Walking to dinner afterwards
Entrance to the restaurant
A delicious meal - though in a stroke of exceedingly bad luck the fish was yellowtail, which is my only allergy. So it was rice for dinner that night!
The next day we went shopping around the city...
Outside of Rappongi Hills
Other areas of Tokyo
Deluxe fruit basket... this will cost you a hundred times less in South Africa...
The products of skilled bakers
Some takeaway Sushi for dinner
The next day was big as we had booked a trip to Mount Fuji. After being picked up at our hotel, our bus exited the city for the 90 minute drive. We had a charming tour guide who explained much to us and continuously told us how lucky we were regarding the weather and how it allowed us uncommonly good views of the giant mountain.
Route for the day
View from afar
Checking the skies to see what our flying friends are up to...
Getting closer
At the base of the mountain... this was unfortunately as far as we could go due to a snow storm the previous evening. Normally one can go up higher.
Slightly disappointed, we headed off for lunch which was very tasty...
After that we went for a ferry ride over Lake Ashi which was scenically stunning, though the temperature nosedived and was close to zero.
Pirate ship tour alongside us
This was followed by a cable car ride up Mount Komagatake which had a great view of the surrounding area. The cable car takes a few minutes to get to the stop. There is a shrine on the summit that can be visited too.
Although it turned out to be a fantastic mountain to visit, it was coldest I have ever been in my life, to the point that I was worried my nose would suffer from frostbite. Every bit of water on the mountain had turned to ice and the warm cable car was a reprieve.
After a full day tour we then headed to the train station to catch the Shinkansen high speed train back to Tokyo.
At approximately 330 kph, I was impressed by the speed of the train as well as how clean, comfortable and warm it was. The return journey to Tokyo was complete within 40 minutes.
The next day (our last day) we decided to head over to a Japanese Onsen to experience some of their hot springs. We preceded this by visiting some temples prior to this and walking through some local markets.
Arriving at the Onsen
After checking in and choosing appropriate Japanese attire, you enter an area filled with restaurants, massage areas, resting areas and even an attached hotel. Everything you do in an Onsen is charged to your wristband and then to your account which is settled when you check out. If you go to the hot springs, you enter another area and strip down before washing yourself and entering the hot spring. Its not easy being around dozens of naked guys but after a while you relax. The water is extremely warm and settling into one outside while the temperature is close to freezing is one of the most satisfying feelings you can imagine. I would really recommend a visit to an Onsen if you want a peaceful relaxing day.
Did we love Tokyo? More than you can imagine.
Tokyo is such a fantastic city. I can't begin to describe what a great experience it was for us, and I'd recommend it to anyone who'd truly like to visit a great city.
We were very excited to get up the next morning because we had booked a tour to the Sumo Wrestling tournament. We were also lucky, because the tournament is only held a few times a year, and we also witnessed the semi-finals.
Ladies at the bus station... although traditional Japanese dress makes for great photos, it's very rare and we hardly saw any women dressed like this.
Handprints of Sumo champions in the subway station
Sumo is much bigger in Japan than I thought it would be. There were large crowds, an electric atmosphere, and at times anger/despair/hysteria.
outside the arena
Opening ceremony (we attended the most senior division primarily)
Banners announcing sponsors (each flag represents a large sum of money and the winner may take home the sum of it after winning the bout)
Prior to a bout - we watched many (at least 25)
The final for the day - one of them was at the highest rank of Yokozuna
Stats for the final match
Fan vendor at the tournament
Walking to dinner afterwards
Entrance to the restaurant
A delicious meal - though in a stroke of exceedingly bad luck the fish was yellowtail, which is my only allergy. So it was rice for dinner that night!
The next day we went shopping around the city...
Outside of Rappongi Hills
Other areas of Tokyo
Deluxe fruit basket... this will cost you a hundred times less in South Africa...
The products of skilled bakers
Some takeaway Sushi for dinner
The next day was big as we had booked a trip to Mount Fuji. After being picked up at our hotel, our bus exited the city for the 90 minute drive. We had a charming tour guide who explained much to us and continuously told us how lucky we were regarding the weather and how it allowed us uncommonly good views of the giant mountain.
Route for the day
View from afar
Checking the skies to see what our flying friends are up to...
Getting closer
At the base of the mountain... this was unfortunately as far as we could go due to a snow storm the previous evening. Normally one can go up higher.
Slightly disappointed, we headed off for lunch which was very tasty...
After that we went for a ferry ride over Lake Ashi which was scenically stunning, though the temperature nosedived and was close to zero.
Pirate ship tour alongside us
This was followed by a cable car ride up Mount Komagatake which had a great view of the surrounding area. The cable car takes a few minutes to get to the stop. There is a shrine on the summit that can be visited too.
Although it turned out to be a fantastic mountain to visit, it was coldest I have ever been in my life, to the point that I was worried my nose would suffer from frostbite. Every bit of water on the mountain had turned to ice and the warm cable car was a reprieve.
After a full day tour we then headed to the train station to catch the Shinkansen high speed train back to Tokyo.
At approximately 330 kph, I was impressed by the speed of the train as well as how clean, comfortable and warm it was. The return journey to Tokyo was complete within 40 minutes.
The next day (our last day) we decided to head over to a Japanese Onsen to experience some of their hot springs. We preceded this by visiting some temples prior to this and walking through some local markets.
Arriving at the Onsen
After checking in and choosing appropriate Japanese attire, you enter an area filled with restaurants, massage areas, resting areas and even an attached hotel. Everything you do in an Onsen is charged to your wristband and then to your account which is settled when you check out. If you go to the hot springs, you enter another area and strip down before washing yourself and entering the hot spring. Its not easy being around dozens of naked guys but after a while you relax. The water is extremely warm and settling into one outside while the temperature is close to freezing is one of the most satisfying feelings you can imagine. I would really recommend a visit to an Onsen if you want a peaceful relaxing day.
Did we love Tokyo? More than you can imagine.
Feb 4, 2014, 4:32 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, BA, QR
Posts: 363
Thanks mad_atta for the comments, I'm sure you won't regret it. I see Moondog answered your question (the price is in Chinese Yuan)
Feb 4, 2014, 12:40 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
Very nice TR. Excellent photos!
We've used Viator before and had very good luck for tours and transfers.
Out of curiosity, why did you go to Tokyo and Peking and not concentrate on either Japan or China?
What section of the Wall did you climb? According to Mao, you're now a great man!
We've used Viator before and had very good luck for tours and transfers.
Out of curiosity, why did you go to Tokyo and Peking and not concentrate on either Japan or China?
What section of the Wall did you climb? According to Mao, you're now a great man!