| Date |
Location or Action |
| May 14 |
Departed Dulles Airport at 12:20PM EDT |
| May 15 |
Arrived Narita Airport at 3:25 JST
Traveled to Narita City
Checked into Ohgiya Ryokan (a ryokan is a Japanese Inn) |
| May 16 |
Checked out of Ohgiya Ryokan
Traveled to Naruko Onsen (first time for Mitch to ride the Shinkansen / Bullet Train)
Checked into Ryokan Bentenkaku |
| May 17 |
Visited Kokeshi Doll Museum |
| May 18 |
Soaked in public indoor onsen (an onsen is a hot springs bath)
Visited Matsushima
Took 2 hour cruise of Matushima Bay
Saw Godaido Hall
Saw Matsushima Historical Museum (aka "Kanrantei")
Ate Dinner in Sendai |
| May 19 |
Soaked in private outdoor onsen
Checked out of Ryokan Bentenkaku
Traveled to Morioka
Checked into Ryokan Kumagai
Walked around Morioka |
| May 20 |
Traveled to Kakunodate (a Samurai Town) |
| May 21 |
Traveled to Akita and then on to Oga Penninsula
Saw Japanese Festival at Oga Penninsula |
| May 22 |
Checked out of Ryokan Kumagai
Traveled to Hakodate (through the Seikan Tunnel that connects Honshu with Hokkaido; said tunnel is 33.49 miles long, with one 14.5 mile portion of it completely under the seabed!)
Checked into B&B Pension Hakodatemura (a pension is a Japanese Inn)
Ate dinner at Asari, a sukiyaki restaurant (was by far the best and most expensive (5850 yen) meal that we paid for ourselves!) |
| May 23 |
Miwako called from the States and talked with us for over an hour (Miwako is a very good friend of Jane's from graduate school, whom Jane loves as a little sister)
Visited Morning Market, a daily occurrence where the fishermen and vegetable growers sell their items to the locals
Walked down Hakodate Bay waterfront
Did several loads of laundry (boy, those coin operated dryers sure don't dry very quickly!) |
| May 24 |
Visited Museum of the Northern Peoples
Mitch chickened out of taking the cable car to travel to the top of Mount Hakodate!
Checked out of B&B Pension Hakodatemura
Traveled to Noboribetsu Onsen
Checked into Ryokan Hanaya
Soaked in both public indoor and public outdoor onsens
Watched 3-day, 30-round dessert eating contest on TV! |
| May 25 |
Visited Jikokudani (Hell Valley), where the Noboribetsu Onsen waters originate from
Soaked in both public indoor and public outdoor onsens |
| May 26 |
Wanted to soak in onsens, but they were closed at 9:00AM for daily cleaning -- argh!
Checked out of Ryokan Hanaya
Mailed postcards to various locations in U.S.A.
Traveled to Sapporo
Checked into Nakamuraya Ryokan; was by far the most unusual Japanese Inn that we stayed at:
-- We could wear our shoes anywhere inside the inn
-- The sink, toilet, and shower/tub were all in one room
Shopped in Lofts Department Store, saw three adorable tiny kittens in store's pet department (reminded us of Jackie when we got her from the Williamsburg SPCA -- our hearts just melted!) |
| May 27 |
Walked around Sapporo, saw the famous clock tower
Saw and spent much time at a large community yard sale across the street from the clock tower --Jane was very smug about the bargains she negotiated with the sellers!
Visited the Botanical Gardens and Ainu Museum that were right across the street from our ryokan
Repacked luggage for next day's domestic airplane flight to Tokyo -- threw away lots of clothing (including Mitch's walking shoes, a decision he would come to regret the following week!) |
| May 28 |
Checked out of Nakamuraya Ryokan
Traveled to New Chitose Airport
Departed New Chitose Airport at 12:30PM JST
Arrived Haneda Airport at 2:00PM JST
Traveled to Gotanda (part of Tokyo a couple of train stops away from Shinagawa)
Checked into Ryokan Sansuiso
Happy Birthday, Eleanor! |
| May 29 |
Traveled to Shinjuku
Met Miwako's parents, aunt, and sister
Visited Yodabashi Camera Shop
Walked to Tokyo Municipal Government Building, took elevator to 45th floor and South Observatory where we saw a very beautiful view of Tokyo
Traveled by taxi to the Park Hyatt Tokyo, where we ate lunch in the New York Grille restaurant on the 52nd floor
Traveled to Hamamatsucho, where we took a cruise up the Sumida River to Asakusa
Originally, Miwako's relatives wanted Jane and Mitch to take a 10 minute toor of Asakusa by rickshaw. However, since the two of them could not fit in one rickshaw (Mitch has a very large backside!), Mitch rode in one rickshaw while Jane and Miwako's mother rode in the other rickshaw
Saw Sensooji Temple |
| May 30 |
Traveled to Ishikawacho (train stop right before Yamate)
Walked the 99 steps up to Yamate (Yamate is also known as The Bluffs)
Saw the outside of Stuart Plaza (which is still called Stuart Plaza!), were denied access to the interior of the building
Saw houses where Jane and Uncle Stuart once lived; said houses have been torn down and completely rebuilt
Saw Catholic Church next to Stuart Plaza (where Jane attended a couple of services back in 1982)
Ate lunch at a British Tea type of restaurant (run by Japanese, of course!)
Walked through Ehrismann Residence (a reconstructed house of a foreigner that lived on Yamate-cho)
Walked through Yamate Museum
Saw Yokohama Foreign Cemetary
Visited China Town, got drenched in downpour! |
| May 31 |
Traveled to Ikebukuro
Walked to Sunshine City, saw the following two parts of it:
-- Ice Cream City
-- Gyoza Stadium
Neither was what we were expecting -- rather than being museums, they consisted of kids' arcades and lots of small restaurants. Had delicious Belgium and Turkish ice creams, though!
Returned to Gotanda, met up with Shizu (a former George Mason University student that Jane has kept in touch with over the years). Traveled with Shizu to Tokyo station
Saw Old Tokyo Train Station
Walked to and around Imperial Palace Grounds (the Imperial Palace itself is not open to visitors)
Walked around Old Imperial Palace and Grounds
Traveled to Oimachi, where the three of us met up with Kazu (yet another George Mason University student). Had dinner at an Italian restaurant |
| June 1 |
Traveled to Oppama, where we were met by Mitsuo (the founder of Matty's School of English, where Jane taught from 1983-1985)
Saw Matty's School of English new office, met up with Noriko (wife of Mitsuo, and Jane's boss while she worked at Matty's).
Traveled with Mitsuo to Kamakura, where we had lunch at Rai Tei (a beautiful and extensive Japanese Garden with a restaurant!)
Saw the DaiButsu (Great Buddah statue) of Kamakura
Walked the Dankazura Pedestrian Path (which leads to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu)
Saw Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (very famous shrine in Kamakura)
Walked along Hayama Beach at sunset
Ate sukiyaki dinner at Mitsuo and Noriko's house in Hayama
Arrived back at Gotanda around 10:15PM, thoroughly exhausted (but a great time had by all!) |
| June 2 |
Traveled to Shin-Yokohama, where we met up with Miki (wife) and Hiro (husband), a Japanese couple that Jane had tutored for about two years while they were living in Virginia four years ago (during which time Rachel (daughter) was born)
Visited Raumen Museum, where the five of us ate Hokkaido version of raumen, ice cream, and other goodies
The five of us walked to Prince Hotel, took elevator to 42nd floor for a panoramic view of Yokohama
Returned to Gotanda, met up with Mari (still another George Mason University student that Jane has kept in touch with), had dinner with her in a local restaurant |
| June 3 |
Checked out of Ryokan Sansuiso
Traveled to Minami-nagare-yama, where we met up with Peter and Iko (Jane worked with Peter at Camp Good News on Cape Cod back during the summer of 1980)
Attended International Bible Fellowship church (bi-lingual service in Japanese and English) with Peter and Iko, then had lunch with them in their house
Traveled to Narita City
Checked into Ohgiya Ryokan |
| June 4 |
Checked out of Ohgiya Ryokan
Departed Narita Airport at 11:10AM JST
Arrived Dulles Airport at 10:40AM EDT |
