Day 1 - Tokyo. Me and Joe flew out to explore Japan for a couple of weeks. Should be fun :-) we started in Tokyo...
We went out to Minato City, Tokyo to check out the Tokyo Tower. 333m high.
It's high! Looking down on ancient temples, schools, football pitches and endless shiny skyscrapers...
I think Joe fancies this blokes job :-)
This is the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. When the lights go green everyone races across in every direction. Up to 3000 people cross every time the lights change!
We walked out into Hyakunincho for a Japanese drumming lesson. The teacher was bonkers, but it was great fun.
Walking through Shinjuku. This is the heart of Anime in the city.
We cooked our own dinner, on a table BBQ. Octopus and pork stir/fry/stew. They insisted on the aprons :-)
Shinjuku is a big nightlife area in Tokyo...
Day 2 - Tokyo. We started the day with a chop stick making session. We planed the rough wood and then sanded it into shape...
We tried our chop sticks out with a misokatsu yabaton. Pork with a thick miso sauce....lush...
Checking out the Nissan Hyper Car. Concept at the moment.
The amazing Ueno Ameyoko shopping street. Thousands of little shops selling endless stuff from pots and pans to sushi, t-shirts, tattoos and okonomiyaki...
Then we walked over to the ancient Buddhist temple of Senso-ji. This is the most widely visited religious site in the world! 30 million people visit each each year.
Joe with Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of Mercy.
In the distance is the Tokyo Skytree, where we are heading next...
View from the top of the Tokyo Skytree. The third highest building in the world at 634m ....
We tried out one of the ordering machines in a late night cafe. Joe tried to order beef and got eel :-) Unagi. It was actually eally nice :-)
Day 3 - Mishma and Mt Fuji. We took the bullet train at 200mph out of Tokyo to Mishima, to have a look at Mt Fuji.
It looks more like a plane than a train.
We picked up a hire car in Mishima and drove up to Lake Kawaguchi near Mt Fuji. Mt Fuji remained shrouded in cloud today.
Our 'Swiss Style' hotel in Fujikawaguchico.
Walking alongside the lake at sunset.
Day 4 - Lake Kawaguchi - We had a nice, but v steep walk up to the Chureito Pagoda. It is a war memorial and symbol of peace... Mt Fuji is in those clouds in the distance....
No one said there were bears in Japan!
We had a traditional Obanzai lunch. Rich Balls with various fish and sauce, Japanese omelette, other bits and pieces and the ubiquitous miso soup...Lovely it was....
Then we had a peddle round the lake in a bright pink swan boat :-)
For dinner - tempura and ramen...
In the evening Mt Fuji appeared :-)
Day 5 - Kyoto. We took the bullet train to Kyoto. Our hotel was the Kyoto Tower Hotel....easy to spot :-)
The old and the new. There are many ancient temples in Kyoto. Kyoto Tower in the distance.
We ate in a table BBQ place. Wagu beef and veggies...
Day 6 - Kyoto. We climbed up to the Arashiyama Monkey Sanctuary in the hills around Kyoto. It was 38'C today.
The Japanese Macaque monkeys are completely wild...
A naughty furry monkey.....and a macaque :-)
Later we went to see the practice session for the famous Gion Matsuri festival and joined in pulling the floats.
Some videos of the floats and us helping pull them...
Next was the ancient Nishiki market.
Next we went to Head Shinto shrine - Fushimi Inari Taisha. Most shines and temples in Japan have ornate gates, often painted red. This one has 1000 gates!
Each gate has good luck messages written on it. We walked through to soak up the luck :-)
Day 7 - Nagoya. Before leaving Kyoto we went up the Kyoto Tower...
Then we took the bullet train to Nagoya and ended up at a baseball game. 50,000 over excited Japanese baseball fans. The Nagoya Dragons won :-) turns out that baseball in the biggest sport in Japan.
Dinner was a random point at the menu tonight :-) We got some nice grub, but not quite sure what it is .
Day 8 - Nagoya. We visited the remarkable Nagoya Castle this morning.
Then we headed for the IG Arena for the Grand Sumo.
This is one of 3 huge annual national Sumo tournaments. the wrestlers parading for their stables at the start...
The highly ritualised, but brutal contests were fascinating. The big guy won ;-)
Day 9 - Tokyo. We went back to Tokyo on the bullet train and ended up in an aquarium art gallery...who knew? These fish tanks reminded us of the temple with the 1000 gates in Kyoto...
Stunning aquariums...
There was also an anime gallery there...
That night we had Takoyaki, which are grilled balls with a warm soft filling and octopus...
Yum :-)
Day 10 - Tokyo. we started the day with a trip to Kabukiza, a traditional Japanese theatre.
We had no idea what was going on, apart from the Dad seemed to be upset with his daughter, but it was very spectacular...
Then it was off to Kawasaki City to watch an Emperor's Cup footy match between Kawasaki Frontale and Sagamihara. Great game. The crowd was amazing, and the underdogs Sagamihara won on penalties.
What a great way to finish our trip.
Day 11 - Last Day - Sayonara Japan. What an amazing trip.
And back to good ole Blighty...
Next we went to Head Shinto shrine - Fushimi Inari Taisha. Most shines and temples in Japan have ornate gates, often painted red. This one has 1000 gates!
Each gate has good luck messages written on it. We walked through to soak up the luck :-)
Day 7 - Nagoya. Before leaving Kyoto we went up the Kyoto Tower...
Then we took the bullet train to Nagoya and ended up at a baseball game. 50,000 over excited Japanese baseball fans. The Nagoya Dragons won :-) turns out that baseball in the biggest sport in Japan.
Dinner was a random point at the menu tonight :-) We got some nice grub, but not quite sure what it is .
Day 8 - Nagoya. We visited the remarkable Nagoya Castle this morning.
Then we headed for the IG Arena for the Grand Sumo.
This is one of 3 huge annual national Sumo tournaments. the wrestlers parading for their stables at the start...
The highly ritualised, but brutal contests were fascinating. The big guy won ;-)
Day 9 - Tokyo. We went back to Tokyo on the bullet train and ended up in an aquarium art gallery...who knew? These fish tanks reminded us of the temple with the 1000 gates in Kyoto... 
Stunning aquariums...
There was also an anime gallery there... 
That night we had Takoyaki, which are grilled balls with a warm soft filling and octopus...
Yum :-)
Day 10 - Tokyo. we started the day with a trip to Kabukiza, a traditional Japanese theatre.
We had no idea what was going on, apart from the Dad seemed to be upset with his daughter, but it was very spectacular...
Then it was off to Kawasaki City to watch an Emperor's Cup footy match between Kawasaki Frontale and Sagamihara. Great game. The crowd was amazing, and the underdogs Sagamihara won on penalties. 
And back to good ole Blighty...
