They were all beef, with the first one being wagyu, but I don't remember the cuts.
Zz.
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Trip Report: Tokyo Disneyland Resort & Tour of Parts of Japan 2024
- Thread starter ZapperZ
- Start date
Zz.
MinnieM123
Premium Member
OMG -- what a food feast!!! And the price was far more reasonable than I would have anticipated.
I'm excited that you got to see the Mitsukoshi department store, as well as this great restaurant!
(P.S.: Mitsukoshi at Epcot has always been my favorite store.)
OMG -- what a food feast!!! And the price was far more reasonable than I would have anticipated.
I'm excited that you got to see the Mitsukoshi department store, as well as this great restaurant!
I also visited the flagship Uniqlo store just down the street from Mitsukoshi in the Ginza district. At the entrance on the first floor, you see this display:
It was very hypnotic. It was as if they were trying to hypnotize you to walk in and buy, buy, buy, which I did, did, did.
Zz.
It seems to be a mix of Adventures and Scary Adventures at the MK. At opening the MK didn’t feature Snow White (you were her) and had a different scene order.
Very similar in layout and theme to Paris but contractually obligated to be built by a Japanese company.
Thanks for the TDL tour!
Day 1 of our guided tour was the check-in day. Day 2 was when we had our first excursion.
We boarded a bus and our first stop was a visit to Meiji Shrine, which was a 20th Century Shinto monument set in a very lush man-made forest, right in the middle of Tokyo. Unfortunately, it was raining, and I didn't snap that many photos because I had to also juggle an umbrella on one hand.
If I remember correctly, these are a collection of sake barrel that were gifted to somebody (can't remember who).
We didn't spend much time there due to the weather. We hopped back on the bus (after a longer-than-expected wait because a couple of the tour participants got lost and went to the wrong gate) and headed to the next location.
cont....
We boarded a bus and our first stop was a visit to Meiji Shrine, which was a 20th Century Shinto monument set in a very lush man-made forest, right in the middle of Tokyo. Unfortunately, it was raining, and I didn't snap that many photos because I had to also juggle an umbrella on one hand.
If I remember correctly, these are a collection of sake barrel that were gifted to somebody (can't remember who).
We didn't spend much time there due to the weather. We hopped back on the bus (after a longer-than-expected wait because a couple of the tour participants got lost and went to the wrong gate) and headed to the next location.
cont....
... cont.
Our next stop was the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. This park is actually just north of our Tokyo hotel, so it is right in the middle of the city once again. Luckily the rain stopped. I snapped quite a few photos, including a few to include the city buildings just to remind everyone that this is right in the middle of everything.
It really was a gorgeous place and I wish we had more time there to explore. The garden was huge and I think I barely saw 1/3 of what was there.
cont.....
Our next stop was the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. This park is actually just north of our Tokyo hotel, so it is right in the middle of the city once again. Luckily the rain stopped. I snapped quite a few photos, including a few to include the city buildings just to remind everyone that this is right in the middle of everything.
It really was a gorgeous place and I wish we had more time there to explore. The garden was huge and I think I barely saw 1/3 of what was there.
cont.....
.... cont.
Our final stop for the day was the famous Asakusa. All the visitor advice that I've read told us not to go there from late morning till late afternoon. So when did we get there? Early afternoon. Of course the place was packed!
I decided that we needed to escape from the madhouse, so we made our way to one of the side streets.
That was when we found a small restaurant that sold, among other things, kakigori. It was a warm day, we needed some indoor airconditioning, and the kakigori was just what the doctor ordered.
The first one was strawberry, while the second one was apricot.
It was a wonderful first day, but it was more of a "sampler" of what's around. I feel that we missed a lot. I know that a few of the people on the tour went back to Asakusa the next day because it was just too short and too crowded to be able to see a lot of things.
Zz.
Our final stop for the day was the famous Asakusa. All the visitor advice that I've read told us not to go there from late morning till late afternoon. So when did we get there? Early afternoon. Of course the place was packed!
I decided that we needed to escape from the madhouse, so we made our way to one of the side streets.
That was when we found a small restaurant that sold, among other things, kakigori. It was a warm day, we needed some indoor airconditioning, and the kakigori was just what the doctor ordered.
The first one was strawberry, while the second one was apricot.
It was a wonderful first day, but it was more of a "sampler" of what's around. I feel that we missed a lot. I know that a few of the people on the tour went back to Asakusa the next day because it was just too short and too crowded to be able to see a lot of things.
Zz.
Day 3 of our tour was another open day.
We started our morning by taking the train to the infamous Shibuya scramble. I bought something at the Starbucks overlooking the intersection so that I could sit by the picture window.
The intersection appears larger in videos, and it would have been a lot more crowded later in the day and in the evening. We didn't stay there long because we had thins to do.
We walked around Shibuya a bit and found the Disney store even when we weren't looking for it. It is just a natural instinct, I suppose.
cont.....
We started our morning by taking the train to the infamous Shibuya scramble. I bought something at the Starbucks overlooking the intersection so that I could sit by the picture window.
The intersection appears larger in videos, and it would have been a lot more crowded later in the day and in the evening. We didn't stay there long because we had thins to do.
We walked around Shibuya a bit and found the Disney store even when we weren't looking for it. It is just a natural instinct, I suppose.
cont.....
... cont.
We then hopped onto a train to get to the Imperial Palace garden.
We were there till mid afternoon, and by then, it was getting quite a bit hot, so we decided to go back to the hotel, chill out, and get an early dinner. We had an early day the next day because we were leaving Tokyo on coach for the Mount Fuji area.
Zz.
We then hopped onto a train to get to the Imperial Palace garden.
We were there till mid afternoon, and by then, it was getting quite a bit hot, so we decided to go back to the hotel, chill out, and get an early dinner. We had an early day the next day because we were leaving Tokyo on coach for the Mount Fuji area.
Zz.
Day 4 of our tour was when we left Tokyo. We checked out of our hotel rather early in the day and boarded our bus to the Five Lakes region. We arrived at the side of Lake Kawaguchi where there is a cable-car that took us to the top for what promised to be a spectacular view of Fujisan.
The view of the lake at the top was, indeed, spectacular.
However, the view of the main attraction, Fujisan, was another matter. It appeared that the mountain had other ideas and didn't know that we were coming to see it. It was hiding behind thick clouds, even though now and then, we managed to sneaked a peek at its summit.
We spent quite a bit of time taking pictures, especially when the cloud broke, but soon it was time to head back down. I think there was a story associated with these bunnies at the top of the cable car, but I could not remember what it was. Anyone?
The tour purposely scheduled us to there very early in the morning, because by the time we came back down, the line to get onto the cable car was at least a couple of blocks long! Supposedly, you may have to wait up to 2 hours to get up there. No FastPass or Genie+ (or whatever it is now) here!
cont.....
The view of the lake at the top was, indeed, spectacular.
However, the view of the main attraction, Fujisan, was another matter. It appeared that the mountain had other ideas and didn't know that we were coming to see it. It was hiding behind thick clouds, even though now and then, we managed to sneaked a peek at its summit.
We spent quite a bit of time taking pictures, especially when the cloud broke, but soon it was time to head back down. I think there was a story associated with these bunnies at the top of the cable car, but I could not remember what it was. Anyone?
The tour purposely scheduled us to there very early in the morning, because by the time we came back down, the line to get onto the cable car was at least a couple of blocks long! Supposedly, you may have to wait up to 2 hours to get up there. No FastPass or Genie+ (or whatever it is now) here!
cont.....
... cont.
Our next stop was the Fujisan Museum. Didn't take a lot of photos there, though.
We then had a lunch buffet at a hotel restaurant. I forgot where, though, but it was still in the area, and it was right next to an amusement park in the Mount Fuji area. Supposedly, from the huge picture windows of the restaurant, you should be able to see Fujisan, if the weather was clear, which it wasn't.
After lunch, we visited the Chureito Pagoda, also in the Five Lakes region. Here, one had to climb up 400 steps up the hill to where the pagoda was and also get a spectacular view of Fujisan. I think about 1/3 of our group didn't do the full climb. I did.
At the very top, you see the Chureito Pagoda.
There was also an observation deck where you get a wonderful view of the area. But alas, Fujisan was still hiding behind the clouds.
I consider this one below to be one of my most favorite photos that I took on this trip (I'll show you the other one later). It would have been perfect if the clouds were gone, because behind the pagoda was supposed to be a spectacular view of Fujisan. Ah well, maybe next time....
Soon it was time to go back down to catch our bus.
cont.....
Our next stop was the Fujisan Museum. Didn't take a lot of photos there, though.
We then had a lunch buffet at a hotel restaurant. I forgot where, though, but it was still in the area, and it was right next to an amusement park in the Mount Fuji area. Supposedly, from the huge picture windows of the restaurant, you should be able to see Fujisan, if the weather was clear, which it wasn't.
After lunch, we visited the Chureito Pagoda, also in the Five Lakes region. Here, one had to climb up 400 steps up the hill to where the pagoda was and also get a spectacular view of Fujisan. I think about 1/3 of our group didn't do the full climb. I did.
At the very top, you see the Chureito Pagoda.
There was also an observation deck where you get a wonderful view of the area. But alas, Fujisan was still hiding behind the clouds.
I consider this one below to be one of my most favorite photos that I took on this trip (I'll show you the other one later). It would have been perfect if the clouds were gone, because behind the pagoda was supposed to be a spectacular view of Fujisan. Ah well, maybe next time....
Soon it was time to go back down to catch our bus.
cont.....
.... cont.
We spent the night at a hotel in Mishima. The hotel was right next to the train station, which was convenient because we would be catching a train the next day.
But what was jaw-dropping was the sight out of the window of our room. Some of the clouds parted, revealing what we had been missing most of the day: Fujisan!
That made our day.
The hotel itself was had a shopping area at the ground level. We decided to seek out a restaurant there for dinner, and I had my "usual", ten zaru soba. Yummy!
We turned in early because it was going to be another early departure the next day.
Zz.
We spent the night at a hotel in Mishima. The hotel was right next to the train station, which was convenient because we would be catching a train the next day.
But what was jaw-dropping was the sight out of the window of our room. Some of the clouds parted, revealing what we had been missing most of the day: Fujisan!
That made our day.
The hotel itself was had a shopping area at the ground level. We decided to seek out a restaurant there for dinner, and I had my "usual", ten zaru soba. Yummy!
We turned in early because it was going to be another early departure the next day.
Zz.
We got up early for Day 5 of our tour because we have to bring our luggage down to the lobby to be transported separately to Osaka. We a good, hearty Japanese breakfast, and soon we were ready. We simply had to walk from our hotel to the train station. The last view out of our room showed how lucky we were yesterday to be able to see Fujisan.
The station was already bustling with people. These are the next few Shinkansen that will stop at the Mishima station. I can't remember exactly, but I believe we took the Kodama 711 train.
Our tour guide took care of all the tickets, etc, and soon we were on the platform. We were there early enough that we got to view several Shinkansen zipping past us. They definitely looked very fast, and in fact, they actually slowed down a bit as they past through a station, meaning that they move even faster than what we were seeing.
The pictures don't do them justice, so here's a short video of several Shinkansen passing through the station:
Our Shinkansen finally arrived and it was time to board the train to Osaka.
The ride was unbelievably smooth! The seats were comfy and plenty of leg room. It took us maybe 2 1/2 or 3 hours to get to Osaka, but it didn't feel that long at all!
We finally arrived at Shin-Osaka station (not to be confused with Osaka station, which is a different station). One last look at the Shinkansen that took us here.
We arrived at a very busy Shin-Osaka station.
cont.....
The station was already bustling with people. These are the next few Shinkansen that will stop at the Mishima station. I can't remember exactly, but I believe we took the Kodama 711 train.
Our tour guide took care of all the tickets, etc, and soon we were on the platform. We were there early enough that we got to view several Shinkansen zipping past us. They definitely looked very fast, and in fact, they actually slowed down a bit as they past through a station, meaning that they move even faster than what we were seeing.
The pictures don't do them justice, so here's a short video of several Shinkansen passing through the station:
Our Shinkansen finally arrived and it was time to board the train to Osaka.
The ride was unbelievably smooth! The seats were comfy and plenty of leg room. It took us maybe 2 1/2 or 3 hours to get to Osaka, but it didn't feel that long at all!
We finally arrived at Shin-Osaka station (not to be confused with Osaka station, which is a different station). One last look at the Shinkansen that took us here.
We arrived at a very busy Shin-Osaka station.
cont.....
... cont.
We hung around the station for a while because we were on our own for lunch. We had a lovely lunch where we encountered for the first time a machine where you put money in and selected what you want to order. It then spit out a ticket that you give to the server upon entering the restaurant. I've seen those in videos before and had always wanted to try such places, so that was fun!
After lunch, we were picked up by our tour bus and taken to an ancient Japanese village/museum where many old buildings and houses were either preserved or rebuilt. It was nice, but the weather wasn't cooperating. Turned out a monsoon was hitting Japan that few days and Tokyo would be drenched in heavy rains for the next few days, so we lucked out.
By the time we were done, we were able to check in to our hotel in Osaka. Our room had a very nice view of a river.
For dinner, we decided to stay in the neighborhood and see what was available. We found this very small restaurant in the basement of a row of shops that did tapanyaki. That's where we had our meal.
It was a good end to a long day of travel and sightseeing.
Zz.
We hung around the station for a while because we were on our own for lunch. We had a lovely lunch where we encountered for the first time a machine where you put money in and selected what you want to order. It then spit out a ticket that you give to the server upon entering the restaurant. I've seen those in videos before and had always wanted to try such places, so that was fun!
After lunch, we were picked up by our tour bus and taken to an ancient Japanese village/museum where many old buildings and houses were either preserved or rebuilt. It was nice, but the weather wasn't cooperating. Turned out a monsoon was hitting Japan that few days and Tokyo would be drenched in heavy rains for the next few days, so we lucked out.
By the time we were done, we were able to check in to our hotel in Osaka. Our room had a very nice view of a river.
For dinner, we decided to stay in the neighborhood and see what was available. We found this very small restaurant in the basement of a row of shops that did tapanyaki. That's where we had our meal.
It was a good end to a long day of travel and sightseeing.
Zz.
Day 6 started out with a hearty breakfast buffet at the hotel, because we were to have a full day in Osaka. While Tokyo that day was being drenched in rain that caused localized flooding, Osaka had a gorgeous and clear day.
Our first stop was the Osaka Castle. This was the entrance to the grounds.
And we're in! On first glance, I thought that this looked similar to the castle building at the back of the Japan pavilion in Epcot. However, my brief research told me that the inspiration to that building in Epcot was the Himeji Castle in the Hyogo Prefecture. Nevertheless, this Osaka Castle did have quite a resemblance to the Epcot building. See for yourself.
Part of the tour, we got tickets to climb up to the top, so here are the views from the very top of the castle. One got to see quite a bit of Osaka.
cont.....
Our first stop was the Osaka Castle. This was the entrance to the grounds.
And we're in! On first glance, I thought that this looked similar to the castle building at the back of the Japan pavilion in Epcot. However, my brief research told me that the inspiration to that building in Epcot was the Himeji Castle in the Hyogo Prefecture. Nevertheless, this Osaka Castle did have quite a resemblance to the Epcot building. See for yourself.
Part of the tour, we got tickets to climb up to the top, so here are the views from the very top of the castle. One got to see quite a bit of Osaka.
cont.....
... cont.
After Osaka Castle, we were taken to the most iconic spot in Osaka, the Dotonbori area. We were basically let loose there for several hours. This allowed us not only to explore, but also to have lunch and snacks.
It was definitely a sensory-overload situation. But of course, we had to take photos by the Running Man sign....
... and that giant moving crab!
More exploration while we searched for a place to have lunch.
cont....
After Osaka Castle, we were taken to the most iconic spot in Osaka, the Dotonbori area. We were basically let loose there for several hours. This allowed us not only to explore, but also to have lunch and snacks.
It was definitely a sensory-overload situation. But of course, we had to take photos by the Running Man sign....
... and that giant moving crab!
More exploration while we searched for a place to have lunch.
cont....
... cont.
We decided to move away from the canal and walk through one of the many parallel shotengai (shopping street).
We all agreed to have our lunch at this okonomiyaki restaurant. After all, Osaka is well-known for its version of okonomiyaki. A few even claim that it originated from here.
It was a very satisfying lunch, our first okonomiyaki in Japan!
After lunch, we explored Dotonbori some more, and of course, we couldn't escape all the many takoyaki stands, another iconic food of Osaka. So I ordered one. We took a video of the takoyaki being made.
And here is the finished product before I finished all of it. The scalding burn inside of my mouth due to the lava-hot takoyaki was worth it!
It was a fun day. We could have stayed longer and made our way back on our own, but we decided to hop on our tour bus at the appointed time to get back to our hotel. With the pleasant weather, we got a better look at the city from our hotel window.
We had a simple meal for dinner that evening from a Family Mart nearby that we brought back to our room. We turned in early because we would be heading to Hiroshima the next day.
Zz.
We decided to move away from the canal and walk through one of the many parallel shotengai (shopping street).
We all agreed to have our lunch at this okonomiyaki restaurant. After all, Osaka is well-known for its version of okonomiyaki. A few even claim that it originated from here.
It was a very satisfying lunch, our first okonomiyaki in Japan!
After lunch, we explored Dotonbori some more, and of course, we couldn't escape all the many takoyaki stands, another iconic food of Osaka. So I ordered one. We took a video of the takoyaki being made.
And here is the finished product before I finished all of it. The scalding burn inside of my mouth due to the lava-hot takoyaki was worth it!
It was a fun day. We could have stayed longer and made our way back on our own, but we decided to hop on our tour bus at the appointed time to get back to our hotel. With the pleasant weather, we got a better look at the city from our hotel window.
We had a simple meal for dinner that evening from a Family Mart nearby that we brought back to our room. We turned in early because we would be heading to Hiroshima the next day.
Zz.
Day 7 of the tour started early as we left Osaka on our tour coach. On the way to Hiroshima, we made a couple of stops. Our first stop was Okayama, where we visited Koraku-en, one of the "Three Great Gardens of Japan".
This is the entrance to the garden.
You are first greeted with a very lush and canopied area.
And then it just opened up to this breath-taking open space.
cont....
This is the entrance to the garden.
You are first greeted with a very lush and canopied area.
And then it just opened up to this breath-taking open space.
cont....
... cont.
Here and there, you find things of interest. They don't have run-of-the-mill bridges to cross, they turned them into deliberate designs to compliment the area.
From the vintage point on top of a small hill, we had a better vista of a part of the sprawling garden.
Of course, there were various different types of flowers.
cont....
Here and there, you find things of interest. They don't have run-of-the-mill bridges to cross, they turned them into deliberate designs to compliment the area.
From the vintage point on top of a small hill, we had a better vista of a part of the sprawling garden.
Of course, there were various different types of flowers.
cont....
... cont.
Koi pond? Of course!
What's better than sitting by the water and watching the koi fish? Why, having a nice soft-served matcha ice cream, of course!
There was also a small waterfall, but I think this is more to add to the sound ambience than as a water feature.
We found a small shrine on the grounds.
Interestingly enough, there was also an area where tea was grown, and it looked like a few rows of the tea bushes had been recently harvested.
Nestled right in the middle of the tea plantation is a small tea room where you can make a reservation to attend a proper Japanese tea ceremony.
cont....
Koi pond? Of course!
What's better than sitting by the water and watching the koi fish? Why, having a nice soft-served matcha ice cream, of course!
There was also a small waterfall, but I think this is more to add to the sound ambience than as a water feature.
We found a small shrine on the grounds.
Interestingly enough, there was also an area where tea was grown, and it looked like a few rows of the tea bushes had been recently harvested.
Nestled right in the middle of the tea plantation is a small tea room where you can make a reservation to attend a proper Japanese tea ceremony.
cont....