The Hobbit Hole XXXIV - But better than rain or rippling streams...

[SuziQ]

I’ll send you some links that I have from our trip.

[TalonDJ]

Cool, thanks.

I did find this site a while back that has all kinds of info on where to find Japanese castles and info about each one.

[SuziQ]

Here's a link to the Japan Guide website . Lots of info there. You can Google the Tokyo subway map, I believe! Also check out JR Railways Romance Trains. They go from Shinjuku station, and out to places like Inoshima Island, to catch the local train up to Hase to see the Great Buddha, and down into the mountains to Hakone, and the Great Cedar Road, and Lake Ashi, and other interesting destinations. Those are the trains that have reserve seating, nice comfy chairs, and even 'flight attendants' who come around with trays of snacks, etc. Of course, you can bring your own food, if you like.

But you know about those trains because didn't you and your friends go to Hase when you were there, a few years ago?

[SuziQ]

That site showing the castles is neat! Oh, and I realized that the place we went to before seeing the Buddha was Kamakura. That’s where we walked across the causeway to Inoshima Island. The best money we spent that day was the 350 yen for the “Escalator”. Took us all the way up to the top of the island, with stops along the way to see the various shrines. It was a beautiful walk back down, too!

[TalonDJ]

We did not hit Hase but we did go to Kamakura. Did not see the Buddha though, or walk across to the island. I was not thinking of going there again but maybe we will since there is stuff I missed and it is so close to Tokyo.

[Corin Stormhands]

This should not be taken the wrong way, but if it were to rain I would no longer have the dilemma of having to go to the grocery store, cook dinner, help Luke with homework ~and~ work on the building.

I’m just sayin’ is all.

(have I mentioned that Not Valerie is out of town?)

[2Jedismom]

We’re baking cookies for the fire-fighters.

Never Forget.

[SuziQ]

Oh, the walk to the island, from the train station, is very nice and the Shrines are so peaceful. There are cats everywhere, too, just hanging out. We did that first, then went back over to Kamakura, had lunch, then got on the train out to the Great Buddha. It's not that far a walk from the station to the Shrine. We came back to Kamakura and did some shopping. That's where I got my nice teapot and the cups; some matching some a different pattern.

After all that walking, the trip back to Tokyo on the nice comfortable train was great! I think we got the brochures for both the Hakone and Kamakura trips from the JR Romance train counter at the Shinjuku station.

While y'all are there, try to get to the Tokyo Edo museum. It has some excellent exhibits from medieval Edo up to modern times. There is also a 'crafts' district close to the museum. It consists of some small local craftsmen in workshops above their homes. Some make the geta,(wooden sandals), and some make the tabi, the socks with the extra toe section for wearing with the geta. We went to a store in that area that sold table scarves, prints, note cards and calendars using the old block print designs from the late 1800's. My friend had a booklet that had all kinds of info like that in it. I'll find out where she got it.

Another great place to shop was Kappabashi. It had antique shops, and it's the place in Tokyo for restaurant and kitchen supplies.

A fun place to eat was in the basement of the Takashimaya Department store, just across the road from Shinjuku. There were all kinds of food vendors there, and it was like a giant takee-outee place! There are a couple of restaurants on one of the upper floors, as well. Of course you HAVE to go to one of the conveyor belt sushi places for lunch one day! And for the sheer cheesy, touristy thing to do, you gotta go to Tokyo Tower!

[SuziQ]

To heck with whether or not it is raining! Forget the shed and grocery store, open a couple of cans of soup, then watch Luke do his homework from the comfort of your couch.

See, dilemma solved! ;o)

[Corin Stormhands]

I’m ~almost~ there.

The grocery story is a bit of a necessity. Mrs. didn’t shop afore she left me.

With any luck, Luke will have already done his homework. He’s going to a nayber’s after school. Yesterday he was all done when I picked him up.

[TalonDJ]

Last time we hit a lot of restaurants but did not do any of the moving sushi ones. That would be fun.
Thanks for the shopping tips. That will be a big part of this trip. I used google maps satalite view to find the street in Kyoto where I got some bowls and cups in the hope of finding the store and getting more than the two sets I got last time. There were a ton of little pottery shops in Kyoto near various temples. Geta eh? That would be nifty, I will have to get some. Got to hit Akihabara for anime goodies too. And the Studio Ghibli museum if we can. They were not open when I was there last time. I also missed Tokyo tower due to some bad directions last time; though my friends made it there without me. It was kinda fun wandering around looking for it. I thought I had followed the directions but ended up many miles away. When I stopped and asked this elderly couple about it (she was in a kimono and everything ^.^ ) the response I got was. “Oh, Tokyo Towa?” *surprised look* “That way” *pointing* “Verray faa!”
hehe I felt pretty dumb. The info desk lady at the hotel spoke good english but was apparently not so good with directions.

[SuziQ]

Clare and her friends went to Studio Ghibli; they enjoyed it immensely. They also liked Akihabara. One of the places my friend and I went to was Kichi Joji. It had several little shops with pottery along a covered shopping street. It was also where we went to the sushi place!

[Lil'freeper]

I'm home - and there's no place that I'm happier than at home.

I streamed the Petraeus hearings today on C-SPAN at work, the whole time offering up prayers on behalf of that courageous man and the service men and women he serves.

I'm glad you have traditions like that for the boys; that kind of thing is so important.

[SuziQ]

I haven't watched any of it. I figured it was better for my mental health not to look at, or listen to, any of the Democrats today. ;o)

Rosie and I are meeting for lunch tomorrow! Just talked to her on the phone! I'm charging the battery for my camera so I'll be taking some pictures.

[Lil'freeper]

I’m glad Rosie made it ok! Be sure to give her hugs from all of us! Kai Thx!

[g'nad]

cookies for fire-fighters...pies for deadguys...

yer a good woman. :-)

Mrsnad

[SuziQ]

Will do!

[Corin Stormhands]

it’s too quiet in here...

obviously, Rosie is the one that does all the talking...

[SuziQ]

obviously, Rosie is the one that does all the talking...

I'll tell her that we miss her and she needs to hurry back. ;o)

[SuziQ]

But I think it’s gonna require moving to American Samoa.

It's safe now! ;o)