Since my last 7 day trip to Japan in 2014, I have been missing the country very much and have been thinking to visit the Tateyama Alpine route. Last year, I began to look out for promotion tickets from Singapore Airlines, and the promotion finally came. The first person I asked to go with me for the trip was Yee Noi. My proposed idea was to travel in April for the Alpine route and we can try to view sakura and wisteria along the way. While waiting for her reply, I talked to Yong Keng & Andy during the weekend cycling trip and they were quite interested to travel with me as well. While back at work, I was talking to Phyllis about the promotion with SQ, and it so happened that she is also interested in the trip too.
Finally Yee Noi came back with a "yes", and within the week itself, we start to work out the plan on how many days we need and our route in draft. And Yee Noi also asked along her cute colleague, Gladys, who will join us 1 day later and leave us 1 day before.
Officially, I have gathered a group of 6 to travel in Japan for 11D10N, our route: Tokyo-Matsumoto-Tateyama(Kanazawa)-Shirakawago-Kyoto-Tokyo.
Here is where I got the route idea from: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7552.html
In Matsumoto, we may get a chance to view late blooming sakura, and back in Tokyo at final stop, we may see the wisteria flower.
Setting off
On the night of 14th April 2016, we started on our trip to the country of the rising sun.
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| Leg massage.. Photo taken while waiting for Noi |
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| Our inflight meals.. including supper - a wrap (left,middle) and breakfast (right) |
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| Arriving soon |
Arrival
Arrival at Narita Airport on a Friday morning. Irasshaimase, Welcome!! We have several things to do at the airport before leaving for Tokyo station. Firstly transfer Phyllis's baggage at level 1, then head to basement 1, JR East office to purchase Narita Express (N'ex) tickets & validate the JR pass. We already expected the queue to be long at the JR office, so we spilt into 2 groups, Phyllis/me to send the baggage; while the rest to go to queue at JR office.
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| いらしゃいませ |
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| Let's get N'ex tickets & validate JR pass @B1 |
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| That's the train that will bring us to Tokyo station |
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| On board N'ex |
Tokyo Station
At Tokyo station to drop luggage and visit the kawaii Character street, キャラクターストリート.
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| Beautiful ceiling of Tokyo station |
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| Red brick building of Tokyo station |
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| Character Street Menu |
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| Cute character shops |
It's time for hirugohan, lunch. Ikimasho! It took some time for us to decide the restaurant as there were too many choices.
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| Lunch time @ Nakashima |
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| We-fie time |
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| Itadakimasu |
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| Funny shaped watermelon, pink strawberries, strawberry cake |
Shinjuku, 新宿
Arrival at Shinjuku Airbnb- Deuxq Shinjuku (outskirts of Kabukicho). Its probably more than 10mins walk from Shinjuku-sanchome station, with luggage. :p
At 3pm JST, we checked into the house, it is a one-room flat, where the living room to be converted to bedroom at night. For 6 pax stay, we have a double bed, a sofa bed and futons to lay on the floor at night.
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| Inside of our Airbnb house |
After taking a short rest, let's get started! Firstly, Coffee time at Veloce café, which is just opposite our apartment.
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| Just a normal café to quench our thirst & have some snacks |
Hanazono Shrine's just within minutes away from the café.
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| Entrance |
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| Say "cheese" |
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| First sight of sakura |
Then to Isetan to check out Porter and Agnes Bay bags but no buying...We also went to nearby Muji and Bicqlo. Do you know what is Bicqlo? It is joint venture of Bic Camera and Uniqlo.
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| Isetan |
It's dinner time! We wanted to go to Ichiran at first but Ichiran has a long waiting time of 40 mins, so we ended up next door at Ootoya.
Walking through Kabukicho before getting back home, we actually walked passed a drunk man who asked us "いくらですか". Maybe the man was only slightly drunk and he could still ask us how much?
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| Colourful street of Kabukicho at night |
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| Any good looking guys? |
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