Trip Report *COMPLETED* I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river, and I'm almost there!

Introduction

We've only been back from Japan since Saturday night but I am just itching to get started on this report! We had an absolutely AMAZING trip and I'm not ready to let it go, and writing my TR is one way for me to delay the inevitable return back to "the real world." This was the longest vacation I've ever taken, and like any long trip-or any new experience, for that matter-there were ups and downs, good moments and not-so-good moments. There were mistakes, mishaps, mountains, and monkeys. Yes, monkeys! There were surprises and there was DRAMMA!* There were things we will do differently next time we visit Japan, and believe me, we knew less than halfway through the trip that there WILL be a next time someday!

In case you missed the PTR, here it is: Bee's Big Birthday! There you can read about the cast, the general plans, and the reasons for planning this particular trip.

Now about the title: It's a reference to this song from The Princess and the Frog:

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I have been kind of obsessed with this song lately and I found myself singing it in my head repeatedly during the trip. You'll see why soon!

So, if you're ready for a journey halfway around the world, thousands of photos, and Double Disney bookends, keep reading!

EDIT: The Tokyo Disney stuff starts here.

*I've mentioned it in previous TRs, but I like to spell "dramma" the Italian way because I'm an opera singer and what's more DRAMMAtic than Italian opera?? So please don't think I'm an idiot (for that reason anyway )!

 

[Spash007]

That's awesome they had your bottle. I don't think I could handle that long of a flight, but if I decide I can, you've sold me on JAL!

 

[bee]

There is nothing worse than a migraine, especially when traveling. I get about 2 a month so I have meds- I was at the beach once when one hit and had forgot to pack them. Thankfully my doc called me in some there but it was brutal waiting. Fiorocet is great, if I get a really stubborn one I have a Tripitan I can take but they knock me out for hours so I hate taking them and only do if it is severe. I hope it went away and stayed away for you the rest of the trip!

Oh no! Luckily the headache and vomiting didn't come back, but *SPOILER ALERT* I still had some nausea and upset stomach for a few days. It's hard to say if it was leftover from the migraine or related to jet lag, change in diet, etc.

I enlarged the photo on my iPad and I think I have an answer for curious minds - the slippers on the left may have been previously worn, as I saw the sign on them said these have been disinfected for your use (or something similar - I don’t feel like scrolling back up to see) and I would assume the pairs on the right, being wrapped in plastic, had had no previous wearers

Good catch! I didn't notice that!

@bee I’m happy for you that you got your bottle back - yes, it is only a “thing” but things can have sentimental value that really make us sad when we lose them

Absolutely!

That's awesome they had your bottle. I don't think I could handle that long of a flight, but if I decide I can, you've sold me on JAL!

They were wonderful! Honestly the flight wasn't as bad as I was expecting. There were plenty of things to break it up, like meal service, and plenty of entertainment provided, although next time I have a long flight like that I may bring some movies or TV shows of my own choice downloaded to my device. And if you can sleep away part of it, even better.

 

[bee]

Day 5, cont.

We found the Starbucks and the luggage area, and I approached and once again said hello and asked, "Do you speak English?" The staff member indicated just a little, and I explained what had happened as best as I could. He picked up the phone to make a call, when I heard M call my name. A JAL employee was standing next to her, WITH MY BOTTLE IN HAND!!! I thanked the man who had initially helped me and went back to M and the other employee. My bottle had a tag around it with my seat number on it so that when I came back looking for it they could easily find it!! I just had to sign that I had received it, and we were on our way!

I was still a bit nauseated and now very thirsty, so we had our first vending machine experience of the trip. If you don't know, there are a TON of vending machine in Japan, and they are EVERYWHERE. This video does a good job of explaining this phenomenon:



In this little section of the airport alone there were at least 5-6 different machines.

I got a sports drink and a coffee beverage.

The canned coffee was surprisingly good. It can't compare to fresh coffee or espresso of course, but it was better than the premade Starbucks or DD drinks you can buy in the grocery store.

Soon S texted us that she and J had landed so we went upstairs to the domestic arrivals area to meet them. While we waited we looked in the Pokemon store:

Before we knew it were were reunited! M and S have been friends for more than half of their lives; in fact S is one of the few non-family people who has known M longer than I have and still keeps in touch. And I have known S nearly as long since M and I have been together almost twelve years. But J? M and I only met him on the day of their wedding, and they moved to Japan shortly after so this was literally the second day we had ever seen him! Will we all get along under the circumstances? Keep reading...

The three of them were hungry so we found an udon place in the airport. I wasn't hungry since I was still feeling bad from the morning's events, so I asked M if I could just have a few bites of whatever she got. When we walked up to the restaurant S and J left their luggage outside. M and I did the same but felt weird about it. In the US I would never leave my luggage unattended anywhere, because it could get stolen, but ESPECIALLY in an airport for obvious reasons. But in Japan, it didn't matter!

M ordered udon with eggs and got some self-serve vegetable tempura for the top.

I just had a few bites, but this was REALLY GOOD. This was my next pleasant surprise for Japan (of many): you can trust airport food! M said she ordered by pointing and didn't even have to say anything. We would discover this to be very normal. Most restaurants, especially in larger cities, had menus with big pictures of everything, and were in 3+ languages.

In the restaurant:

After lunch we headed toward the train station, which was literally right next to the terminal. WHY CAN'T AMERICAN CITIES GET IT TOGETHER TO HAVE GREAT TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM AIRPORTS???

S and J let us borrow two Pasmo cards, which are durable cards that you put money on for paying train and bus fares. They are good for most transportation needs throughout Japan, including heavy rail, subway, local buses, etc. You can also use them to pay at some stores and restaurants, although we never did.

I haven't talked much about money yet. Occasionally I will mention how many yen we paid for something. You can pretty much move the decimal point two places to the left to go from ten dollars, so 1000 yen=$10. The conversion rate is such that the dollar is slightly stronger, so it will actually be a little less than $10, but it's better to think you are spending a little more than you actually are than the other way around.

M and I each added 5000 yen (about $50) to our cards. Then we tapped in to get on the train to Kyoto!

Up next: More lost items! More confusion!

 

[Rista1313]

I like how the vending machine says "Rescue" You are rescuing the drinks!

 

[CinderMama]

Following along and enjoying so far! The vending machine video was really very interesting!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

I would have dropped my jaw at the amount of toiletries they offer. They certainly are not stingy. As for the electric toilet, yes please. I would so love a heated toilet seat, especially with the sub freezing temperatures that are coming in the next couple of days. How is it that we don't have toilets like that here?
The service seemed to have been amazing, and I did guess correctly that the airline would have your bottle. Glad you got it back. Losing something with sentimental value stinks even if it is something as simple as a water bottle.

 

[bee]

I like how the vending machine says "Rescue" You are rescuing the drinks!

I didn't even notice that! Haha!

Following along and enjoying so far! The vending machine video was really very interesting!

Welcome!

I would have dropped my jaw at the amount of toiletries they offer. They certainly are not stingy. As for the electric toilet, yes please. I would so love a heated toilet seat, especially with the sub freezing temperatures that are coming in the next couple of days. How is it that we don't have toilets like that here?
The service seemed to have been amazing, and I did guess correctly that the airline would have your bottle. Glad you got it back. Losing something with sentimental value stinks even if it is something as simple as a water bottle.

So many things about Japan are just amazing!

 

[bee]

Day 5, cont.

This post will start out wordy, but there will be pictures later!

We tapped our Pasmo cards and took the escalator down to the train platform. There is a JR (Japan Railway) train that goes directly from KIX airport to Kyoto station with just a few stops, with pretty frequent service. There was a train already in the station set to leave in about five minutes and the first few cars had lots of empty seats. There was one problem, though: those cars were reserved for people with reserved seat tickets, not those who, like us, were paying with Pasmo. The non-reserved cars were nearly full and there were no seats available together. This will be important later: some trains, like local subways, only require a Pasmo tap to get in. Some can be boarded with either a reserved seat ticket OR with Pasmo. And some can be boarded with ONLY a reserved ticket, which will be inspected by a conductor while on the train. AND sometimes the two types of trains run on the same tracks.

S and J asked a JR employee about the train on the platform and if we could buy reserved tickets on board. He said no and that we would either have to sit in the non-reserved cars, or exit and cancel our Pasmo tap and buy reserved ticket. Or, we could wait for the next train in half an hour and be first in line to board. We chose the third option and the JR employee lined up our suitcases so they would hold our spots in line. Something else to mention about Japanese trains: unlike NYC subways or commuter rail, where everyone just rushes on to the train when it arrives, Japanese train platforms have clear markings where the doors will open and passengers stand in line in order of arrival to board in an orderly fashion.

We left our suitcases on the platform and went into the waiting room, which had glass walls so we could see our luggage and see the train when it arrived. It was SUPER hot in the waiting room. It was maybe 50 degrees outside and the waiting room felt like 85! This would be a recurring theme. The waiting room was attached to a mini 7-Eleven; we would soon learn that 7-Elevens and other convenience stores are EVERYWHERE in Japan. S wanted to buy a drink for the wait so she looked for her coin purse...which she couldn't find!

She knew she had had it at the udon restaurant earlier and she and J set out to find it. They had to go to a ticket booth to get their entry tap cancelled (which apparently they do all the time and is no big deal).

M and I waited and watched the luggage, and they returned shortly, empty-handed. S decided to check her bag one more time...and of COURSE the coin purse was there!

So, another crisis was averted! A few minutes before the train's scheduled arrival we left the waiting room to stand by our luggage and get ready to board. We were the first to board so we were able to get four seats together. The train took off exactly on time and through the ride there were clear automated announcements in both Japanese and English.

Up next: More photos from the train ride

 

[bee]

Day 5, cont.

If you didn't know, many trains in Japan have women only cars for rush hour travel.

We arrived at Kyoto Station at around 3:00. As we exited the train, a janitor was waiting for everyone to get off so he could clean the train before the next service. He bowed to every single person as they exited and it just felt really nice to be acknowledged and respected.

We were about a ten minute walk from our AirBNB but check in wasn't until 4:00, so we decided to pass the time in the giant mall connected to Kyoto station. Japanese cities have huge multistory malls EVERYWHERE and unlike malls in the US, they are thriving.

Another unexpected thing about Japan: THEY LOVE CHRISTMAS! I knew beforehand that Christmas is a big deal in Japan, but I had no idea HOW BIG of a deal it is. In the beginning of the trip I took photos of every Christmas-related thing I saw, but soon I gave up because there were just SO. MANY. CHRISTMAS THINGS.

Up next: We've made a huge mistake!

 

[Spash007]

Another unexpected thing about Japan: THEY LOVE CHRISTMAS! I knew beforehand that Christmas is a big deal in Japan, but I had no idea HOW BIG of a deal it is. In the beginning of the trip I took photos of every Christmas-related thing I saw, but soon I gave up because there were just SO. MANY. CHRISTMAS THINGS.

Between the politeness, and their obsession with Christmas, you've got me hooked. At this rate I'm going to be booking a trip by the end of your trip report haha

 

[amjt660]

Your observations and experiences are making me homesick to go back to Japan

Western civilization (in general) - it is my right to do want I want to do , when I want to do it

Japan culture - respect others wishes more than your own

Keep it all coming
I am loving this report!!

Max

 

[MinnieM123]

You both seemed to adjust well to the time change. That's the only thing I don't like about overseas travel. I went to Ireland once and was a zombie for a few days, as i just couldn't adjust my sleep pattern.

Interesting about the women's only train car for rush hour.

Really enjoying your photos--they tell a lot about Japan, even without any captions. Looks like a very diverse country--something for everyone over there! (It's nice how the Japanese people are so polite, too.)

 

[bee]

Between the politeness, and their obsession with Christmas, you've got me hooked. At this rate I'm going to be booking a trip by the end of your trip report haha

*chants* DO IT DO IT DO IT

Your observations and experiences are making me homesick to go back to Japan

Western civilization (in general) - it is my right to do want I want to do , when I want to do it

Japan culture - respect others wishes more than your own

Keep it all coming
I am loving this report!!

Max

We have only been back home for two weeks and I don’t even know how many times I have said, “I miss Japan!” We are already talking about the next time we’ll go.

You both seemed to adjust well to the time change. That's the only thing I don't like about overseas travel. I went to Ireland once and was a zombie for a few days, as i just couldn't adjust my sleep pattern.

Interesting about the women's only train car for rush hour.

Really enjoying your photos--they tell a lot about Japan, even without any captions. Looks like a very diverse country--something for everyone over there! (It's nice how the Japanese people are so polite, too.)

The good thing about the time difference is that for both long flights we landed in the evening and got to our hotel/home at an appropriate bed time in the local time. So regardless of what time our bodies throught it was, we were exhausted and ready for sleep. I would definitely plan it that way again. When I have been to Europe I always landed in the morning and couldn’t go to bed without totally messing up my sleep cycle.

Japan is very protective of women in some ways, like the women only cars. Also, smart phones sold in Japan make the “click” noise when taking photos and you can’t turn it off. This is to prevent people from taking upskirt photos of unsuspecting women.

 

[Songbird76]

It's so interesting to read about it, and I find it fascinating....there was an exchange student from Japan when I was in high school. He barely spoke any English, so I was surprised he did an exchange program. I remember the guys teaching him the phrase "Open the door", because he would get to a door and just stop and wait for someone to open it for him. He always expected things to be done for him, and it's so different from your experiences and now it has me wondering why that is. It is completely opposite of your view of Japan. Like Max said, Japanese culture says to respect everyone else first, and this kid was so....not that way? So after the guys taught him that, he would actually get to a door and he'd look around, then he'd say "Open the door" and he'd open it himself and smile like he was so proud he was capable of opening it, or that he was excited to find it actually worked. I realize you spend very limited time there, but do you have any insight into why he did this?

 

[amjt660]

That one is a mystery to me

Max

 

[bee]

It's so interesting to read about it, and I find it fascinating....there was an exchange student from Japan when I was in high school. He barely spoke any English, so I was surprised he did an exchange program. I remember the guys teaching him the phrase "Open the door", because he would get to a door and just stop and wait for someone to open it for him. He always expected things to be done for him, and it's so different from your experiences and now it has me wondering why that is. It is completely opposite of your view of Japan. Like Max said, Japanese culture says to respect everyone else first, and this kid was so....not that way? So after the guys taught him that, he would actually get to a door and he'd look around, then he'd say "Open the door" and he'd open it himself and smile like he was so proud he was capable of opening it, or that he was excited to find it actually worked. I realize you spend very limited time there, but do you have any insight into why he did this?

That one is a mystery to me

Max

Yeah I have no idea! One random clueless guy?

 

[DisSplash]

I love the photos from the train, as I love to peek into the everyday life of someplace new!

 

[bee]

Day 5, cont.

First we stopped in a tourist information office. There were lots of maps and brochures for all sorts of activities in and near Kyoto.

We chatted for a few minutes with a Japanese graduate student who spoke English and was working on his dissertation.

More in the mall...

It's a cat...BUS?

Around 3:45 we started making our way toward the AirBNB. There was one problem, though: we had ended up on the north side of Kyoto Station and the AirBNB was on the south side of the station. Kyoto Station is huge and it looked like a very long walk around it on either side, so I suggested we try to go through the station. But we didn't want to swipe our fare cards and have to pay just to go through, so we tried going up and over.

How did we get here?? HOW DO WE GET OUT???

We found an escalator up to a central area...but couldn't find an escalator (or elevator) DOWN! It wouldn't have been such a big deal, but we all had luggage and backpacks and stairs would have been difficult. We ended up closer to the big Christmas tree from before????

It was now well past 4:00 (aka check in time) and we were no closer to getting out of the station than we had been when we started. After endless wandering the despair started to kick in. "WE ARE GOING TO DIE IN KYOTO STATION!!!"

One of the worst things was that at one point we could see a pedestrian bridge over the tracks but we were at least two levels up and had no idea how to get there.

Finally J found some stairs down to the street, but as he put it, it was "a crap ton of stairs." Not knowing exactly how many stairs equals a crap ton, I followed him to investigate for myself, and found that it was indeed a crap ton. Seeing no other option, we decided to suck it up and walk down the crap ton of stairs, with all of our luggage.

Back in April when I was injured in the fire, I hurt my knee. Now it usually doesn't bother me, and I walk quite a bit for my commute and I run for exercise, but sometimes it bothers me, and one of the things that makes it hurt is...walking down stairs. Up stairs? No problem. Down stairs? Pain! So I had a really difficult getting down with my suitcase, and eventually the others had to help me.

So, we were finally down the stairs, but still on the wrong side of the station and no closer to our AirBNB than when we started.

I opened the Lyft and Uber apps to see if those would be an option, but Kyoto doesn't allow rideshares. We wandered for a bit, then S spotted a lone taxi across the street from us. We crossed over to talk to the driver and ask her to take us where we needed to go.

S had printed out the handbook for the AirBNB apartment and there was a page with directions. At the bottom it said, "If you get lost, take a taxi and give this to the driver," with directions in Japanese. We showed it to the driver, who was very hesitant to let us ride in her cab. Somehow S convinced her, and the solution involved my phone being used for Google maps directions with written and spoken Japanese instructions.

So, picture four *ahem* American-sized people, in a Japanese-sized taxi, with an elderly Japanese woman driving, sitting in bumper-to-bumper Friday evening traffic in the city center of Kyoto. Our trip was off to a GREAT start.

During the ride, the driver missed several turns and kept asking where to go EVEN THOUGH M WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH GOOGLE MAPS ON MY PHONE CLEARLY TELLING HERE WHERE TO GO.

As soon as S could tell from the map that we were close to our destination she asked the driver to just let us out. We paid and walked the last three blocks to our AirBNB.

Or so we thought.

Up next: HOW DO WE GET IN???

 

[93boomer]

Loving your tr!! I can’t wait to see how it turns out. DL was awesome. We’ve never been but your pictures make me want to go.
Sorry about your headache. Glad you started feeling better.

 

[Swissmiss]

Reading about your « adventure » to get to your AirBnB brings back memories of trips gone awry in my life ... and I am sure I am not alone in thinking this. I sincerely hope that by some point in your trip you thought back on this day and managed to laugh about it