Tokyo day trip: Nikko

My guidebooks were very clear: if you only take one day trip from Tokyo, make it to the town of Nikko. Let me state for the record that I heartily disagree. The highlight of my day was the ride via shinkansen (bullet train) to Utsunomiya. The train was amazingly smooth, and it felt like we were floating. Only when we passed another bullet train going in the opposite direction did I really sense how fast we were moving. Very cool! If you're in Japan, my vote is to find any excuse to ride one of these. It's reasonable, too - only $35 more than a regular ticket. (Ok, that's over 100% more, but it's still well worth it!)

I arrived in Nikko early in the morning, having been assured by the guidebooks that I would want an entire day to explore the area. Once again, the guidebooks were wrong. It was supposedly a short walk from the train station to the World Heritage site, so I set off on foot. The directions were simple enough: head straight down the town's main thoroughfare, and you'll bump right into the National Park. At least the guidebooks got that much right. Unfortunately, the walk wasn't what I'd call short, and it was uphill the entire way. Given the amount of walking at the World Heritage site, the smart option is to save your energy and take the bus.

The town itself has seen better days. Many of the buildings were run down and there was no shopping to speak of. Although there were a few restaurants, none looked promising. I recommend packing a lunch or picking something up at the train station before you head off. In contrast to the lackluster town, the mountains in the distance were beautiful, so I had high hopes that things would improve once I reached my destination.

My first disappointment came at the Shinkyo (Sacred Bridge). It's rumored to be one of the most beautiful bridges in Japan, but its charm was lost on me. The river and gorge are lovely, but the bridge itself has seen better days. For a small fee, you can cross the bridge, but everyone seemed to bypass that option and photograph it from a distance. In spite of being a bit blah in person, it photographed beautifully. You'll have to trust me that the camera somehow worked wonders.

The World Heritage site just past the Shinkyo was teeming with tourists. Everyone from schoolchildren in bright yellow helmets to businessmen in navy suits was dutifully following flag-waving tour guides and snapping pictures. It was the most crowded tourist area that I visited during the entire trip. I will admit that I might have enjoyed the experience more if the site had been less crowded, but I'm not sure the style of the buildings (red lacquer with gold and black trim) would ever resonate with me.

In a nutshell, there are a series of temples, shrines, and masoleums and one surprisingly cool pagoda all done in the same style. Some might find it exuberant, but I found it gaudy. There were cool statues here and there, but the combination of carving, gilding, and lacquer caused so much sensory overload that it was hard for anything to stand out.

One of the more famous sights is the carving of the three monkeys who "see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil". They're one of a series of monkey carvings, and it's anyone's guess why this one caught the public's imagination.

The lovely forest around the site was one of the highlights of my visit. The leaves were beginning to turn, and the tall, peaceful cedars were a needed contrast to the bustling tourist sites. I had too many blisters (and too little patience) to venture very far into the park. In retrospect, I think my time would have been better spent there than at the World Heritage site. Live and learn.

Should you decide to visit Nikko in spite of this not-so-glowing review, some tips to remember are:
1) Take the bus. Seriously. Take the bus. Your feet will thank you.
2) Pack a lunch.
3) Wear comfortable shoes.
4) Buy the 1000 yen combination pass when you first enter the site. This is such a great deal that I can't imagine anyone wouldn't take advantage of it. It grants you access to all of the major buildings and costs the same or less than a ticket to one of the temples alone. Inexplicable, but a great deal nonetheless.
5) Consider bringing a tripod. The forest is thick, and the light is perpetually bad.
6) Get there early in the day to beat the crowds. I arrived mid-morning along with many tourist buses. If I had it to do over, I'd have made a push to get there when they opened at 8am.
7) If you only have time for one day trip from Tokyo, consider Kamakura over Nikko. Details forthcoming!

Shinkansen = awesome!

Shinkyo - Trust me, it doesn't look this good in person ...

Monks!! I have a soft spot for monks of any faith. Good people.

Typical building in the Toshugu complex

Toshugu complex - note the schoolchildren in the bright yellow hats.

Beautiful fall color! The reds were especially vibrant.

The pagoda was my favorite building.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Mausoleum

Shameless plug: Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku

I lucked into the most awesome hotel in Tokyo. The price was reasonable, the building was lovely, and the room was modest but well-appointed. When faced with the challenge of navigating a foreign, sprawling, crowded (but always polite!) city, every small convenience is a blessing. The Sunroute offered free computers with internet access and hot cocoa (and coffee and tea) in the guest lounge, a currency exchange machine in the lobby that matched the bank's rate and allowed you to change as little as $1 with no transaction fee, helpful English-speaking staff at the front desk, and to-your-door service from the airport limousine.

The location was ideal. The area is dominated by office buildings, hotels, and the nearby Shinjuku station. It's the busiest train station in the world with over 3 million people passing through per day and 65 (!!!) exits. Thankfully, everything is well-marked, and having so many train and metro lines within a 5 minute walk of the hotel is invaluable. Several department stores are attached to the station, and there are shops and restaurants to satisfy any need. The post office across the street from the hotel is one of the few places in town with an ATM that accepts foreign cards. Handy!

Shibuya has excitement, Asakusa the feel of 'old Japan', but for sheer convenience and ease as a tourist, I don't know that you could do better than the Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku.

Hotel lobby

Exterior view

View from my room

Guest lounge

Free internet access

Tiny hotel room

Lost in Translation

I traveled via shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nikko to visit the World Heritage site. Because I'm cheap, I decided to forgo the fast ride coming home and take a regular train. This is how my conversation with the ticket seller went:

Me: I'd like a ticket to Asa-kusa.

Him: (Giant pause) Oh! You mean A-sak-sa?

Me: Er .. sure?

Him: You want rapid section or limited express?

Me: What's the difference?

Him: One is rapid, the other express.

Me: Um .....

I ended up choosing rapid because who doesn't want to the train to be rapid, right? Wrong! "Rapid" is marketing-speak for "stops at every podunk town along the way". It took me 2.5 hours to travel 60 kilometers back to Tokyo. I saw kids heading home from school, older ladies returning from their shopping, but it quickly became frustrating. Lesson learned: the answer in Japan is always express.

Yup, this would be me

From Wikipedia:

The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied and may include the following:

* Loss of appetite, nausea, digestive problems
* Headache, sinus irritation
* Fatigue, irregular sleep patterns, Insomnia
* Disorientation, grogginess, irritability
* Mild depression

I've been to Europe before but never experienced anything like this. I feel like I've been run over by a truck. One website says it takes one day for every time zone which would mean 14 days of this. Inconceivable! The main advice seems to be eating well, staying hydrated and sleeping. Melatonin is mentioned occasionally, but opinion varies on its safety and effectiveness. I guess I'll just tough it out. Tokyo stories coming once I'm back among the living!

12898 miles, 854 pictures, 2 bandaged feet

... and some wicked jet lag, too.

When I get back on Indy time (and am thinking clearly again), I'll share some stories and pics from the Great Japan Adventure.

I'm trying to hold out until 9pm, so I can finally get some rest. Only 40 minutes to go ...

Sayonara!

I'm off to Tokyo tomorrow! I've filled my wallet with yen, read the travel books, and stocked up on protein bars for the flight. I even set the roster for my fantasy football team for next week. You can't lose if you don't play, right? All that's left is to pack the bags, and I'm ready for my first trip to Asia.

Intimidating:
- 14 hour flight in coach on a full plane - ARGH!
- 24 hour door-to-door travel
- Jet lag
- Finding ATMs that take western cards
- Not speaking Japanese - hopefully 'please', 'thank you' and lots of bowing will get me through
- Food - I've never much enjoyed Japanese food here in America, but I might feel differently when I try the real deal. If nothing else, I can have soba (noodles) and yakitori (chicken on a stick).
- Shinjuku station: 3.6 million people pass through each day. There are 65 exits. And I'm supposed to figure this out.
- Japanese toilets - I've heard stories. I'll leave it at that.

Exciting:
- Mt. Fuji!!! Hopefully, I'll have a clear morning and be able to get a view from the Metropolitan Government Building.
- Kamakura to see the great Buddha
- Meiji Jingu Shrine
- Japanese gardens - I'm hoping for fall color, but I may be a notch early.
- The Shibuya scramble and the statue of Hachiko
- Seeing the crazy Japanese street fashion in Harajuku and checking out the high end shopping in Ginza
- Attending a traditional tea ceremony
- Sushi for breakfast at the Tsukiji fish market (this might go under intimidating, we'll see)
- Jazz clubs (Blue Note Tokyo, Shinjuku Pit Inn, Harajuku Keynote)

Sayonara! I'll be back next week with stories and pictures (assuming I can find my way out of Shinjuku station).

Greetings from Floyd

How cute is this? 5 year old Floyd is sure better traveled than my Ernster! Maybe it helps to be a purse dog.

(Ernie weighs 15.5 pounds and is therefore far too large to fit in a purse. Plus, his shih tzu pride would never allow it.)

Nashville Eats: Miller's Ice Cream

Before lunch, Kurt and I noticed a sign for homemade ice cream on a brick building just down the street from the Hob Nob. We decided to skip the famous apple crisp at the Hob Nob to give Miller's a try before heading to the park for an afternoon of hiking.

Kurt opted for the peanut butter chocolate chip. It tasted exactly like the peanut butter kisses (does anyone remember those??) that my mom used to buy at Halloween. It was served in a homemade waffle cone, and Kurt, though stuffed, seemed pleased with his choice.

I wanted to try something unusual, so I went with a dip of pumpkin and a dip of apple butter. The apple butter was advertised as being made from a nearby orchard's homemade apple butter. Miller's offers 'junior scoops' for those of us wanting to try multiple flavors (or for those who can't make up their minds). Both flavors were excellent and true to their name. It tasted like fall in a dish! The texture was slightly grainy, but not unpleasantly so.

Story! While I was eating (and Kurt was outside on the phone figuring something out with his editor), two little boys came in and sat down with their ice cream. They looked to be about 4 or 5 years old. Possibly twins, but I couldn't tell for sure. They were super psyched to have vanilla - "the BEST flavor ever!" as they said several times. When their mom came in, one of them said to her, "Look Mom! It's like we're on a date!" Mom leaned in and whispered, "But you're too young, and one of you should be a girl!" Too cute.

Nashville Eats: Hob Nob Corner Restaurant

On Tuesday's Brown County trip, Kurt and I stopped in Nashville for lunch. After finally finding a place to park - there's a free lot on the southwest end of town for those willing to walk - we tracked down the Hob Nob Corner Restaurant which had been recommended by both my Dad and his parents (odd that!).

The Hob Nob is in an unassuming white building said to be the oldest commercial structure in Nashville. Basically, follow the scent of chicken to the Nashville House and head across the street. The small entry was full as we entered, and we were told the wait would be about 20 minutes. Thankfully, the wait wasn't quite that long. We used the time to check out the menu and appreciate the simple, old-fashioned style of the restaurant. Wooden booths lined one wall and an old school soda fountain ran along the other. We were seated in the back section of the restaurant which was brighter and more spacious. An apothecary cabinet filled with antique glass bottles and white powders of dubious origin lined the wall behind our table.

The menu offered traditional favorites such as pork tenderloin, grilled cheese, and apple crisp. There were also surprises like a spinach-apple salad, eggplant ravioli and my choice, the curried chicken salad. The sole vegetarian option was an open faced sandwich featuring avocado and veggies topped with melted cheese. Kurt opted for the turkey melt - turkey, bacon, tomato and mozzarella served open face on white bread. The portions were generous and both dishes were excellent. I'm a bit finicky about turkey, but the meat on Kurt's sandwich tasted as if it were sliced off of a home cooked turkey. Two thumbs up!

My chicken salad had a wonderful curry flavor and added crunch from the addition of Jonathan apples and diced celery. It was served with cantaloupe and a homemade onion-dill roll. I noticed onion-dill bread for sale up front and was glad to try it myself. I was worried about the large bits of onion inside, but they were sweet and barely noticeable. The dill flavor could have been more pronounced, but then I'm a huge fan of dill, so that may be a personal bias.

The Hob Nob is a good alternative for those seeking a lighter meal in Nashville. Everything is homemade using quality ingredients, and the old fashioned atmosphere makes for a fun, nostalgic experience. The trick is to get there early since the line had tripled by the time we left at 1pm.

Scenes from Brown County

Kurt and I took a day trip to Nashville, IN on Tuesday. It was sunny but a bit brisk (translation: when the wind blew, it was cold). Judging from the leaves around Indy, I thought we were just past peak color, but there was still lots of green down south. Nashville was bustling, but the park was nearly deserted. We had the trails (and the backcountry when Kurt decided to go off trail for a bit) almost entirely to ourselves.

The views from the lookouts were amazing. We also climbed the fire tower only to learn that the hatch was bolted and we couldn't access the very top. Given how it was swaying and creaking in the wind, I was only too happy to head down.

Hundreds of ducks! Only not so much ...

A tradition in Kurt's family is feed the ducks on the Michigan State campus. Apparently, dozens of ducks gather near a landing by the river, and many get close enough to be handfed (the hundreds was hyperbole - yes, I am gullible). While there were only twelve ducks total, it was still fun to feed them and to enjoy an afternoon on the parklike campus.

If you visit, stop at the Dairy Bar for some excellent ice cream made right on campus. They have flavors for many of the Big Ten teams, so of course I had to represent and order the Hoosier Strawberry along with a dip of lemon custard. Those with kids will enjoy the children's garden. It's bright and interactive with lots to explore, including a wee labyrinth and musical tiles.

I'm still wondering where all the ducks went ...

I'm a bit of a city girl ...

Last Friday Kurt suggested we visit a corn maze. Since I've never done one before, or even been in a cornfield for that matter, it sounded like a good idea to me. We headed to the Country Corn Maze in Corunna, MI just after they opened at 5pm, bought our tickets, learned how it worked (ok, Kurt learned how it worked - I was busy taking pictures), and headed into one of the four mazes.

You're given a card showing checkpoints hidden throughout the maze. Find each marker, punch a hole, and be entered to win some sort of fabulous prize. The entire maze is 7+ miles long, so I knew from the get-go that we would not be finding all of the checkpoints. Our goal was to find 4 of the 6 hidden in the longest section of the maze.

Things were going well. I was marveling at how tall the corn was (who knew??), snapping pictures, and getting lost by ignoring the map and taking random turns at every opportunity. Then it happened. Kurt looked at my shoes. Apparently, sandals are not approved cornfield footwear. Huh. While it was a little muddy and my feet did get a wee bit cold, it wasn't the disaster that I expected from Kurt's reaction. It did, however, give Kurt one more "Rebecca is a city girl" story which he shared with anyone and everyone who would listen. Of course, they were all country people and knew the unwritten rules of farm footwear. Bah!

Al-Mar Orchards in Flushing, MI

Kurt and I were assigned the task of heading to the orchard for cider and apples. I assumed we'd head to the well advertised Koen's, but Kurt drove past to the smaller Al-Mar Orchards just up the road. Named for Albert Koen and his wife Margaret, this is a 4th generation family business offering organic produce, homemade cider (and hard cider for those of you who like the hooch), and fresh apple donuts.

If you visit, be sure to head around back to see donkeys, goats, turkeys, and even a herd of reindeer. Kurt struck up a conversation with the owner, 86 year-old Albert Koen, who assured me that none of the animals would ever end up on the dinner table. My kind of guy! He was kind enough to bring us a snack of apples straight from the field and to let us sample the hooch .. er .. hard cider. We even got to feed our apple cores to a reindeer! All in all, a great way to spend a fall afternoon.