Thanks to the timezone change, the 5 hour flight leaves Bangkok at midnight and arrives in Tokyo at 9AM. Somehow part of the night went missing, and who sleeps on such a short flight?

First good news, the hotel we are staying at is an Airport Limousine drop-off point.

Can't afford a Boutique Hotel in Japan, we are staying in the nice but boring corporate hotel in Shinjuku.

First Japanese meal should, of course be Sushi. The advantage is that you can usually sit at the bar and point at what you want.

Shinkjuku Ku, the area near Shinjuku Station is our base of operation.

First stop Shibuya

We went a bit crazy at TOKYU HANDS. 7 floors of Creative Life Store.

Ueno Park

Tokyo National Museum. The permanent exhibition takes you through a chronological history of japanese art, from 10000BC pottery to contemporary art.

Bought a Calligraphy set at the Museum Shop. First attempt at writing OZU (the phonetic prononciation of OZOUX) which happens to be the name of a rather famous Japanese film director. Signed with a kanji stamp we got made at Tokyu Hands.

More Japanese gadgets I couldn't resist.

Met some friends from Australia there.

Ghibli Museum

Met another friend in Roppongi. This is the only time we couldn't use our JR pass to get around, so of course I bought the wrong type of tickets for the subway.

Cute characters are everywhere. This one is, I think the little packet that keeps food fresh, found in a box of little apple cakes.

Shinkansen Bullet Train, Tokyo to Nagano in about 2h, top speed of 280kmh according to my GPS.

Staying in a traditional Ryokan, tatami and dried fish and pickled vegetables for breakfast

Our first traditional Japanese bath. Being outdoors in a hot thermal bath, while looking at snow falling on cedars is amazing

Menu from our traditional Japanese meal at the ryokan.

The famous japanese snow monkeys

Great packaging for these little pig-shaped cakes. the cherry jam was fine, but the green tea was bitter

Natasha made a very convincing Maiko (apprentice Geisha)

More shopping in Harajku, and some delicious apple cookies

Michael's is now a big shot Movie Director... Film was fantastic, I'll have to see it again with subtitles.

I must be spoiled, because I didn't find anything I really had to have in Akihabara...

Previews for this film were playing before Tekkon. Some sort of Geisha/Yakusa pulp fiction flick. I loved the ultra-colorful art direction

THE END