Ok my TR of sorts.
Apologies for the musings, the irrelevant and “totoisims†in advance
Day 1.. Gold Coast to Osaka.
Well its finally arrived. Our much vaunted trip to the land of the rising sun. Its starts, like any good perspiration will, slowly. That might have to do with the 1km walk from Airport motel to Airport . Humidity ? Its only a number! How bad can it be?
Mind you while towing a snowboard bag, and pushing a stroller containing my little delightful daughter : P-star Aged 4. It was um Exhausting. …sweet getting my legs in for some hiking
We travel light
It was the P-star’s first big trip. In fact it was our first trip together as a family.
To say we were looking forward to it was an understatement of the highest degree.
A Aeroplane. Stuck.Soon to be us.
Catching up with parkmonkey in the departures hall did nothing to ease the nerves. God why am I so anxious? I’ve done this all before.. more beer please..
Maybe it might have to do with the fact when travelling with a child an hour contains 53 mins. Take this into account parents. It bit us on the arse many a time. Lucky Japan has planned for such ill prepared people.
Unfortunately it seems Jetstar runs on the same timescale. Here we are. Tarmac marooned. 90 whole mins after our expected departure. This sort of thing seems to happen a lot. There seemed to be a worthy excuse on the surface. A discrepancy between the fuel pumped and fuel noted into our Airbus 330 . Not so good.
A seamless flight and landing , see Jetstar isn’t so bad after all (in fact the smoothest I’ve had in over 100 landings I’ve accumulated) and we land in Osaka. Initial impressions. It seems pretty much the same as I left it 3 years hence. Japan has that quality. Its so wacky and contrasting you’re not sure its changed or not. The old timers directing traffic in the arrivals hall do nothing to dispel this notion.
Digs for the night. The Nikko Kansai. Great location. Just across an “aero†bridge to the “aeroplaza†and we are set. P-star is fascinated by the traveltors and I’m comforted by the fact that yes my cat is swingable in this generously proportioned room. We nab all the free toiletries and settle in for the night with some dubious choices from the local Lawson and my first of many Happo-shus for the trip. Hello Japan.
Day 2 Osaka –Kansai to Kyoto.
Dawns bright and rainy. Warm as well…dammit… See I tell you Japan is a land of contrasts. Some dubious choices from Lawson have been stimulated by a few intelligible Japanese Cartoons and here I am, enjoying my first Toto bidet of the trip. Oh how I’ve missed you.
Some General Lee maneuvering with two baggage carts and here we are again. Challenging Japanese efficiency. First stop takkyubin. The +1 is unsure. However my confidence in this little old man to deliver our precious snow equipment is well founded. Though it takes a phone call to Hiro from Hakuba Powder lodge to finally put everyone’s mind at ease. A Japanese mobile phone number is acquired from a wee little counter and we are away. Next stop Kyoto.
The JR Haruka is a nice train. In fact as a admirer of trains I’d say its my fav. Copious luggage area and 30% patronage encourages these thoughts and a pleasant journey is had by all.
P-star impressed
Particularly P-star as a city of endless limits unfolds beyond her eyes. Its hard to image how many people live in this area that is bounded by a 50 min train journey . It’s a bladerunner esque existence punctuated by some of the smallest driving ranges I’ve ever seen. 5 Storey’s of 3 woods. Awesome
These impressions are magnified 12 fold when we turn up at Kyoto station. My camera takes a pitiful picture of its grandeur. It really has to be seen to be believed, unfortunately folks that won’t be today.
Another long march and here we are at our accommodation for the next couple of nights.
Citadines Kyoto. Entry. Cool
Citadines Kyoto. It’s a apartment hotel. A rarity. Though with a kitchen and generously appointed new décor we agree. Winner. A strangely non opening balcony door and three beds co-joined has proved some comfortable surrounds.
Pimp my Lexus Hiace
A few wanderings during the arvo and some pleasant iziakaya type food has enforced our positive vibes about this place. I like. Lady Gaga on repeat on MTV does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for this trip. So what if she has a “poker face†I don’t give a shit. It’s a common example of Japanese embracing of crap pop culture . Albeit from two years ago. Timeless. Again.
Day 3 Well Hello Kyoto.
A brisk north wind whistles down Gojo Dori and I’m stoked. It feels like its snowing somewhere. A few showers don’t dampen our enthusiasm for a little exploring.
A few dubious choices from the local Maccas for breakfast and the longing for a decent cup of coffee drive us to leg it instead of using the convenient Metro to get around. I’d be thinking a bike would also be a fantastic alternative. As it is. A pram, backpack and map isn’t too bad at all and we strike off in pursuit of our first foe of the trip. Mickey Mouse.
What? Come all the way to Japan and buy a Mickey? The coincidence of a Disney shop being around the corner is too much to ignore.
Micky -Victory.
A Melbourne/Vancouver like streetscape (complete with coffee shops on every corner) is quite a strange comforting site. It doesn’t take long to realize you’re in japan though. Some strangely obedient pedestrians and inadequate traffic lights results in some interesting moments at pathetically sized crossings of alleyways. Kyoto seems to thrive on alleyways. If this was Melbourne Kyoto would have a bar to person ration of 3/1. As it is life seems to thrive down these narrow corridors of strangely placed signs, large clusters of power lines and incomprehensible directions taken by manic truck drivers. Yet the cyclists bend and weave around like water in a rocky stream.
Wandering
To say Takashimaya is an impressive store is an understatement. Yet it seems all too familiar for this hardened Pitt St mall shopper. We navigate our way to the 6th floor (by escalators of course) where we nab in and swipe the unsuspecting mouse. Some wrong change enables me to use some stronger than average Japlish and I must say…I almost felt duped. However P-star is stoked. We are off…where ? No idea…down I guess.
A wrong turn(actually a wrong floor) leads us into one of the most awesome food halls I’ve ever seen. Practically every food type is being offered. For a devout Japanese foodie such as myself its Nirvana. The hustle and bustle of what could only be a local crowd enhances this feeling. Its almost oxymoronic to compare it to the staid atmosphere of prepackaged Japan upstairs. The building has a soul, its in the basement. Mark it down kids. 5 stars.
Bum? what Bum?
A few purchases and we are away yet again. Weaving our way through a myriad of increasingly photogenic and aged streetscapes. If Tokyo is Japan emphasized then Kyoto is Japan typified. It’s an assault of contrasts. Its welcoming to know that our well earned dosh and planning has produced the result we were looking for. A slice of what this country is all about.
Kyoto. Need a Navi
For all you sparkies
Ponto cho and Gion keep us busy for hours. To say we knew where we were going is a bit of exaggeration. To say we knew what we seen might be wishful. However we enjoyed every minute of it.
Ryozan Kannon
Working upwards a visit to Ryozan Kannon is punctuated by a inquisitive Monk. He explains all about the structure. It’s a bit strange for me. Both my Grand fathers served in WW2 and to be honest I despised the Japanese growing up. I’m not sure whether to appreciate or loath this structure. However after chatting to the monk for a few solid minutes I feel ambivalent.
A pleasant late lunch and early dinner winds up a great day. The early dinner is in fact the first time we have eaten as family after 6pm (to say our P-star goes to be early is a understatement). The fact that it occurs in a sweet little Izakaya in Kyoto with gracious hosts makes it even better. A few small gifts on our behalf to the enthusiastically bowing chef and family makes it awesome, if slightly hilarious way to end the evening.
Happo shu count 4 varieties by this stage. Suntory by a nose.
Chu hai count 5 – Blood Orange -196 extra strong is the makybe diva of the pre mixed sho chu drinks according to the wife.
We sleep. Wistfully under a large Doona and on a European pillow. Lush.
Next stop-Matsumoto and our little car awaits to take us to the mountains.
