The Life of Brad: October 2024 - Japan; Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto

Off to Japan for my first stop on my little Asian Adventure and my first time in Japan. 8 Nights in Tokyo including staying with my buddy Ryan and Kayo, 1 Night in Nikko and a few nights in Kyoto before flying off to their favourite neighbour country (or maybe not).

Day 1-3. Nice direct 10 hr flight Calgary to Tokyo which went up to Alaska and down the coast of China. Arrived basically the same time I left Canada plus a day.

Yes the home of two Italians...?

All toilets are incredibly clean
and with these washolets, heated

Good old 7/11. Really good
and healthy actually.

First impression of Asakusa the East side of Tokyo on video walking to the W-Inn capsule hotel.

Sky Tree

slippers for everyone

7/11 full of good food

The Senso-ji shrine in the heart of Asakusa only 2 blocks from where I was staying. A tourist spot for sure, but good for a look around.

At the gates to go in

I wouldn't take my luggage here

Seen this guy before, but where?

Put some places on a map and went for a walk which turned out to be 11 km day by the time I got back from a loop that I actually truncated as I went along.

Skytree background to Sumida River

Carwash technology

Scooter parking efficiency

No need for a sim card in Japan

Tsukiji Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

Dried squid a commonality in
Asia.

First snack with out translator,
learnt it was chicken liver

Tsukiji Outer Fish Market which turned out to be

...so pricy!

Luckily I found a great lunch special for $16CAD
with 250ml sake at Kiyomura Sushi

Passed a pricy hotel area where the Imperial Hotel and others sit near Hibaya Park and the Imperial Palace. 360 video to capture a bunch of the highend hotels.

smoking area

some of the Palace wall

Unfortunately the Imperial Palace was closed

Tokyo Central Station

Efficient parking structure

whiskey soda with dinner

Sake to me!

roasted yams at 7/11, delicious!

Some other interesting counter food at 7/11

Tour of the Samurai Museum which to be honest had good original combat suits, but a short amount of time with few items to see. Kinda like the Samurai period which was only 600 years and ended only 150 years ago!!!

Bradley-son

Some varying years from 1200 to 1800s

Ninjas were actually hidden amongst farmers
and used farming tools as weapons

Some samurai buried next door?

Day 4. Off to Nikko for a night to see some more temples (UNESCO World Heritage site) and go for a hike in the mountainy region 2hrs Northeast of Tokyo.

Asakusa Lightning capsule hotel

Lots of umbrellas at the front

Train to Nikko

I hoped to avoid the rain 2hrs
out of Tokyo, but caught a little

Shinkyo Bridge

Nikko Toshogu Temple

Famous Three Wise Monkeys

Slippery and crowded

Before they went to the future

Japanese Red Bull

Decided to take a hike to Mt Konosu from Park Lodge Hostel the next morning before I took the train back to Tokyo. One crazy hike which was supposed to be 3.5 km and 3.5hrs in and back...Didn't go that way and wasn't very easy until I got passed by an 80 year old lady who crushed my bravado. Highlight was I did the hike with my new Adidas Sambas that went pretty well.

Trying to get a good view of the valley

That's the best photos I could get

Trying not to get lost. And not understanding a word of Japanese.

Yep that's the path

Fun times. Never made it to the summit as I ran out of time, food, and water.

Getting back after giving up.

On the edge of Nikko after the hike.

A bunch of falls and cemeteries going back

Amazing super market food

So good, double tray action on the train.

Back in Tokyo for a few more nights before staying with Ryan and family. I shifted from the East side to the West side of the huge metropolis, of course still in the inner city.

Walking around Shinjuku and area. This is the late night scene and red light district of Tokyo where you can find lots of full body tattoos, which are forbidden in normal Japanese culture.

Just a few spots to drink!

Kuyakusho-mae Onsen/hotel.
In this capsule hotel everyone
is supposed to wear these robes.
Felt like a James Bond movie

So clean. Went to Harry's
Sandwiches for trivia with
Ryan, Josh, and Bella.

Hachiko - the dog that continued
to do his routine for years after
his owner had past away.

The famous 3D Cat which really can only be understood from the video.

3D Cat at night

Another walking tour...

So orderly. And Shiny!

Views from the 42nd floor of the Metropolitan Building and it's free!

Impressive homeless which I
didn't expect at all.
NOTE: They are not Japanese.

Car service station, reminding me of Hot Wheels

Scary looking spider

Meiji Shrine

Walked in on a ceremony...

This wall is alcohol barrels!

One photo enough for
Takeshi street - touristic!

Shinjuku Gardens which I paid to go in to to use a wonderful toilet..."Western toilets" only which are the crappy non-bidet toilets. At least the $5 park was very good.

Love the dual colour leaf

A lady filming her doll in many
different poses. Yikes.

Love these out of this world trees.

Last night as a solo traveller in Shinjuku so I decided I should go have a few drinks.

Sex hotels

Very tasty, about $35 with sake

At a little hole in the wall "Beemars" owned by Marie recommended by Ryan's buddy Josh.

Hanging with Honda Employee Karaokers

Day 7-9. Then it was time to domestic and see how people live in the burbs of Tokyo. Thanks Ryan and Kayo for hosting me and for the laughs Sayaka!

Cute sisters? or what's going on?

Finally found garbage on the
street, in the burbs...

Very formal wear when
shopping for groceries

Lots of gluten free in Japan now that Kayo
can translate the symbols for me.

Family sushi dinner with conveyor delivery

Ripping around the burbs

That's a 9% whisky lemonade

Some local festivities

Ryan roped me into refereeing a ball hockey tournament in some far off community. It was actually fun to ref again after 10 years since I had on the ice in NZ. Coolest part of the tournament is that a team from Winnipeg flew all the way to Japan to compete for the 2nd or 3rd time! And they finally won the whole damn thing!

Taxi not big for a tall guy's sticks

Keep an eye on 5 in black. (Ryan actually was
a delinquent out there! Should have ejected him!)

Congrats!

Robot waiter does most of the
work...Julian did the rest
Zero tipping in Japan!!!

Chad Ordering in Karaoke Booth

People go to these private booths until 5am
when they kick you out and the trains start again

Day 10-11. Then it was off to Kyoto for 2 nights before flying to Korea. Thanks again guys for hosting me in the burbs. Really fun and much different then if we would have been in the Canadian suburbs. I get why you live in Japan Ryan.

Take care

my favourite treat of all. Some
kind of Bluberry jelly treat

Bullet train to Kyoto; 500km in 2.5 hours!

Looks like a duck right?

Bento box bought at the station for normal price

Mount Fuji in the distance

Honda N-box. Give me one!

Wall of Nijo Castle

Spam on rice...wow. Didn't try it.

A double capsule room, good!
only $40 cad.

Full moon in Japan

Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

So safe to walk in the park
at night.

One cup of sake for a roady

A big walking day to catch as much as I could see in the only day I had. Lots to see and unfortunately I had to avoid lines so passed on Nijo Castle even though I was staying right beside it.