March 2025

Japan Tour 2025 Day #8

Todays first stop was at the Higashi Chaya District of Kanazawa. A chaya (tea house) an exclusive restaurant entertained by Geisha who performed songs and dance -during the Edo period they were situated outside the city limits. Now, the district is a well-preserved vision of Edo-period buildings. The gold leaf was pretty good also.

The next stop was Nomura-ke Samurai Heritage Residence. Former estate of 11 generations of upper-middle-rank samurai family. Besides the house -the gardens are fantastic.

Kenrokuen Gardens is ranked as one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens. This is a strolling garden constructed during the Edo period by the Maeda clan. Kenrokuen means a garden that combines characteristics. These six characteristics are spaciousness, seclusion, antiquity, water source, and magnificent views.

March 31, 2025 5

Japan Tour 2025 Day #7

The first stop of the day was at the Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine and the Takayama float festival exhibit. Takayama is noted for both a spring and fall festivals. The festival started 350 years ago as a simple village ceremony and now is a competition among neighborhoods. There are usually 11 to 12 floats in each parade with some dating back to the 17^th century.

We moved on to visit Takayama’s Old Town to view the originally constructed wooden houses and see the Morning Market. Water constantly runs down the side of the streets to act as an available fire extinguishing source.

Moving further along to Shirakawago, we crossed over a snow-covered mountain range and through several tunnels – one was over 6 miles long. The town is noted for its traditionally thatched houses (Gassho-zukuri).

Finally, the Omicho Market is a spacious, indoor complex with stalls selling produce, seafood, meat, and specialty dishes. It has been around since 1603.

March 30, 2025 2

Japan Tour 2025 Day #6

The first stop was at the Azumino Wasabi Farm, one of Japan’s largest wasabi farms. The farm has multiple large fields with a network of small streams, providing each wasabi plant with clear, flowing spring feed water about 60 degrees from the Northern Alps. The fields are also protected from the summer heat using large black tarps. Within the farm stands the Daio Shrine.

Today’s drive continued through snow-covered mountains to Tsumago-juku, the 42nd part of the Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). It is one of the best-preserved post towns, recreating the ambiance of the Edo period.

Following a Soba lunch, we headed on a long ride to Takayama for our hotel and dinner.

March 30, 2025 1

Japan Tour 2025 Day #5

There was a lot of driving today. We went first to see Mt. Fuji from Oishi Park. Too bad Mt. Fuji was totally snow-covered and shrouded in clouds—the pictures were not that great. Mt. Fuji is surrounded by five lakes; we drove around Lake Kanaguchi to get our “views.”

Next, visit Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, showcasing 29 of his famous kimonos – pictures not allowed – some details @ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6912.html – The properties grounds could be photographed.

Our lunch stop was for a local favorite of Yamanashi -Hoto – soup filled with flat wheat noodles, vegetables, and meat in a miso-based dashi broth.

Our last stop of the day was at Matsumoto Castle – one of the oldest in Japan – built in 1594. The castle looks like 5 stories on the outside, but it is 6 on the inside – we decided to climb to the top on the steepest and narrowest stairs I was ever on.

Topping off the day, we had some horse for dinner, a local specialty.

March 28, 2025 4

Japan Tour 2025 Day #4

We started early this morning, at 8:00 a.m., trying to beat the morning rush hour, which normally starts about 9:00. Our first stop was the Tsukiji Fish Market, a four-square block of food stalls and fish sellers. We tried octopus pancakes—not bad. We were hoping to see the famous fish auctions but discovered they had moved to the new Tsukiji market.

Moving along, we next stopped at Shibuya Crossing noted to be the busiest street crossing in the world. It is estimated that at peak times, 3000 people cross the street at one time. While there we visited the Shibuya Hachi Statue – a dog story which you should google.

For our Japanese culinary education, we spent an hour or more making and eating sushi.

Back across town to the Sengoji Temple, one of Japan’s finest and most popular, along with its Nakamise Street shopping area. I’m beginning to believe that shopping is the number one sport in Japan.

Finishing our day we went to Team Lab-Planet, made up of several areas of interactive entertainment.

Water Art Works, where parts of the exhibits have you walking in knee-deep water containing evolving light displays. The Forest is an activity area of physical skills, and finally, the Garden, whose plants hang from the ceiling and move as you near them.

March 27, 2025 9

Japan Tour 2025 Day #3

Today, we headed to the Imperial Palace East Gardens, where the main keep of the original castle (Edo-jo) was located. The gardens were nicely laid out, but as with the Cherry Blossoms, flowers were hard to find. We did not get to see the new Imperial Palace because the tour was sold out three months ago.

Leaving the gardens we decided to walk the adjacent Nihombashi district with the goal of reaching the historic Nihombashi Bridge and the Fukutoku-jinja an elegant Shinto Shrine. With 9 miles under our belt we headed back to our hotel for some rest and dinner in the nearby shopping district.

March 25, 2025 0

Japan Tour 2025 Day #2

The morning began with adjustments for time zone differences and a lesson on how to use Tokyo’s extensive rail system. We headed to Ueno Park for its Cherry Blossoms, ponds, temples and museums. All were outstanding except limited Blossoms – extreme cold weather and snow a few days before we arrived are pushing the season out. Some of the park’s highlights included The Statue of Saigo Takamori and his dog, Shinobazu Pond and its Bentendo Temple and grounds, the Five Storied Pagoda, Bells of Time memorial, Toshougu Shrine, The Tokyo Museum of Art, and the Blake Gate.

From here our walking adventure kicked into high gear (we walked about 12 miles today). We headed to the Yanesen area comprising three neighborhoods – Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi). One thing I learned quickly be selective in taking pictures of temples and shrines -they are on just about every block. Two of the best along the way were: Keneiji Temple and Nezu-jinga Shrine.

Walking through Yanaka we saw an old public bathhouse which is now an art gallery, the Runner’s Temple, a peaceful stroll through Yanaka-reien a cemetery, the Asakura Museum of Sculpture and on to Sunset Steps which is the start of Yanaka Ginza a Nostalgic shopping street.

To close out our day we took a cross-town subway to the Shinjuku district to view the city from the 44^th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Looking out over the city the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower caught my eye.

March 25, 2025 4

Japan Tour 2025 Day #1

We had an early flight out of MCO so we stayed at an airport hotel the night before our flight. Our first surprise was not seeing a TSA Pre Check on our tickets – we didn’t realize our global entry expired – for this trip, there were no TSA lines nor global entry on our return home. Need to do better planning. The second surprise was trying to leave DFW for Tokyo – several first-class seat belts were not working (they did not send the required code allowing the plane to depart) – 45-minute delay in departure.

All ends well our room in Tokyo has a picture window with an outstanding view of the Sky Tree Tower.

March 24, 2025 8

I purchased a new camera and decide to do some hikes to try to learn it and hopefully improve my photography skills.

The Bluffton Interpretive Trail is a 1.2-mile loop located in the Lake George State Forest near Astor, Florida. It’s an easy trail, and is perfect for birding, camping, and fishing. The trail is open year-round and offers a peaceful experience with minimal crowds. However, dogs aren’t allowed on this trail. The trail features interpretive markers that provide insights into the area’s natural and historical significance. There’s also a boardwalk leading to a fishing pier.

De Leon Springs State Park, located in De Leon Springs, FL, is a destination with over 6,000 years of cultural and natural history. The park features a recreational swimming area with crystal-clear 72-degree spring water, trails through lush subtropical forests, and a fascinating history tied to the Mayaca Indians and early settlers. Unfortunately do to recent hurricanes the main trails were only partially open but still enjoyable. The park also offers a unique experience at the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, where you can make your own pancakes at the table.

Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve is a natural area located in Port Orange, Florida. It spans over 1,600 acres and offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and fishing. The preserve is named after Doris Leeper, an artist and environmentalist who played a significant role in its conservation. One of the highlights of the park is the 536-foot-long boardwalk that leads to an observation tower, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding wetlands and Spruce Creek. There are also several trails, such as the Creekside Trail and the Spruce Creek Trail, which showcase the area’s diverse ecosystems.

Welaka State Forest, located in northeastern Florida along the east bank of the St. Johns River, is a beautiful natural area offering a variety of outdoor activities. It spans over 2,287 acres and features diverse ecosystems, including river swamps, pine flatwoods, and sandhills. Visitors can enjoy hiking, birdwatching, fishing, and even horseback riding, as the forest includes an equestrian campground with facilities. One of the highlights is Mud Spring, which flows clear spring water into a half-mile spring run that connects to the St. Johns River. The forest also has over four miles of river frontage, providing scenic views and opportunities for wildlife observation.