Jeff Milner

Dave and I went for an early Saturday morning walk. Afterward, we went back to the hotel to meet with Dave’s family and then to the konbini (convenience store) for breakfast. Though still early in the day, it was already getting quite hot, so I quite enjoyed the frozen mango slices I picked up there.

We squeezed our way onto a bus and headed over to Nijo Castle.

A bit of history about this world heritage UNESCO site from Wikipedia:

In 1601, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, ordered all the feudal lords in western Japan to contribute to the construction of Nijo Castle, which was completed during the reign of his grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1626. While the castle was being built, a portion of land from the partially abandoned Shinsenen Garden (originally part of the imperial palace and located south) was absorbed, and its abundant water was used in the castle gardens and ponds.^[1] Parts of Fushimi Castle, such as the main tower and the karamon, were moved here in 1625–26.^[2] Nijo Castle was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. The Tokugawa shogunate used Edo as the capital city, but Kyoto continued to be the home of the Imperial Court. Kyoto Imperial Palace is located north-east of Nijo Castle.

I remembered these bells from my last visit — back then, the castle and grounds just seemed neat; this time, with a better grasp of the shogunate and Japanese history, I felt a thrill thinking about the work that went into creating this place and its history. Even something as mundane as these bells was much more gripping.

The rocks in the Seiryu-en Garden were collected from all over Japan and given as gifts to the castle by wealthy merchants during the Edo period.

Dave and April bought some fish food from a vending machine and enjoyed bringing all the carp into a mild feeding frenzy below.

As we were touring the castle, I relearned that the nightingale floors weren’t actually designed to warn of ninja attacks — despite what plenty of tv shows and books will tell you, the official signage at the castle explains the chirping was simply a byproduct of structural shifting, wear, and friction on old nails and clamps over time. I’ll probably need to relearn this again the next time I visit, in another 30 years.

Next, we headed to the underground mall for a quick lunch. We needed to hurry to be on time for our 2:00 appointment at teamLab.

We found a ramen noodle place, but the line looked too long. While we stood there deciding what to do, an elderly Japanese man collapsed. A few people rushed to help, but none of them looked confident. I moved in and asked if he had a pulse, miming the question by pressing my fingers to my carotid artery. No one understood.

I was feeling very apprehensive because I was taught in first-aid classes that in some countries you can get yourself into trouble offering first-aid if you make a mistake and the person is disabled or dies because of it. Nevertheless, I wanted to help.

We could see that he was still breathing, but he was really struggling and starting to go purple. By now, bystanders were on the phone — presumably with emergency services — raising his legs, clearly following a dispatcher’s instructions. I knew he’d need an AED. Explaining that to a nearby security officer wasn’t easy. Dave, meanwhile, was searching for a doctor, trying to find someone in the crowded area who could help.

I was still fumbling with my translator app when someone came running with an AED. Relief. They hooked him up fast.

The AED’s recorded voice told everyone to stand back. Then the shock hit — his muscles seized, and he jolted off the ground. A bystander started chest compressions. We stepped back. We didn’t want to be people who just stood there and watched.

We were able to give directions to the incoming paramedics and police as we knew just where to guide them. A few minutes later we saw the paramedics had wrapped him in some carrying straps and carried him out of the mall. He was hooked up to a monitor, and we could see his heart was still beating.

We ended up getting some sweet buns for lunch and then headed over to teamLab for the afternoon. We stopped at a nearby 7-Eleven for a quick snack to finish off lunch. I wolfed down a couple of ice cream bars¹ as a direct response to that afternoon’s events. The whole ordeal had affected me deeply.

I tried putting it out of my mind as we experienced teamLab Kyoto.

We finished off our day at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. After the mental and physical toll of the day, we appreciated how great the food was.

It is good to be alive.

1. One real Choco Monaka Jumbo and one imitation — accept no imitation[↩]

For my first full day back on Honshu, we set out for a quick convenience store breakfast and then headed to the train station. We were off to Nara Park.

After sorting out which train and rushing around to make sure we caught it, it turned out we had a few minutes to read all of the stops on the electronic display, which led to us choosing to take a different express train with fewer stops. Still feeling burned from my poor train-taking track record, I was a little apprehensive, but it worked out perfectly.

A lovely French family was seated nearby, and I struck up a conversation with them. My French is not great, but it’s always a delight to find out I can still remember enough to have a basic conversation. They were from a small suburb of Paris and had been visiting Japan for the last couple of weeks. We talked about how hot summers in Paris had become and commiserated that cities around the world kept setting new hottest-day records. We also talked about how getting by with French in Japan was more difficult than with English. They were lovely people, and they also had a good time chatting with my friend’s son. He’s enrolled in French immersion, so I talked him into joining us for a chat. They talked about the differences between Quebecois French and French from France among other things. It was a treat to be on this more touristy train route where people weren’t afraid to have a conversation. Normally, the trains are quiet like a library.

Nara Park is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan. Established in 1880, it’s one of the oldest parks in Japan and home to Todai-ji Temple. In the thirty years since my last visit there, the buildings are exactly the same, but the trees are much bigger.

Over 1,200 wild sika deer freely roam the park, and they are not shy.

The kids got a kick out of feeding the deer some crackers (they sell them everywhere) but quickly discovered that, for the deer, one is never enough.

The deer know to bow in order to get their snack. They also know they can bully inexperienced tourists into a panic mode that sets them off running and throwing crackers in every direction to get the deer to leave them alone. A favourite tactic for the deer is to pull on backpack straps. I noticed mine tightening as I tried to get one to each deer.

We ate at Cafe Conce — it’s cafeteria style and serves a more western-style cuisine than any of the other restaurants we’ve been eating at on this trip. It was good.

After touring the museum, partaking in some ritualistic incense burning, and buying some souvenir fans, we finally made our way into the temple, which houses the world’s largest indoor Buddha statue.

After another long but wonderful day, it was back on the train, back to Kyoto, and into bed early.

We headed out early, with all our luggage in tow, to get to the airport in time for our flight from Sapporo to Osaka. Day 10 was a travel day.

I wanted to get to The Pokémon Store at the airport for some Japanese Pokémon cards, but it turned out they were all sold out of Pokémon cards. I’d have to wait and find another one at some point. For all the specialty card collector places around every corner, it was difficult to find a store that sold unopened packs.

When our Peach airlines flight landed, we got in line for the “limo-bus” to Kyoto. There are plenty of lines to be found in Japan (because of all the public transit), and I appreciated how clearly defined and organized each line was. A small thing, to be sure, but notable as a cultural difference.

The first thing we noticed as we disembarked from the bus was the stifling heat. Kyoto, home of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the agreement for industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is super hot — the temperature reached a high of 39º C today.

I booked my own room but stayed at the same Hotel K-style as the Logues. Considering it was only a short walk away from the Kyoto Bus Terminal, I figured it would be some massive hotel, but it was just a small independently run operation with six rooms for rent, and at less than $100 CAD a night, I would recommend it in a heartbeat.

The restaurant we went to for dinner had various fancy portions of meat that came deep fried but still raw. The idea is that the customer cooks it themselves on a little skillet at the table.

After shopping around a bit, we found a reasonable place to do karaoke that evening. My singing voice is not great, to put it mildly, but we had a lovely time rocking out and the Logues are all good singers, so I had fun listening to them.

I ended up walking quite a bit on day nine of my trip. We decided to walk to April’s daughter’s school to drop off some sweets for her classmates as a going away present. The teacher was reluctant to share them, explaining that they don’t really give out treats to kids at school, but they made an exception because it was her last day before she returned to Canada.

Next, we walked over to Don Quixote, a giant “everything” store, with different departments on each floor. I went there specifically to pick up a souvenir for my son and ended up with a Pokémon stuffy, but we had a terrific time browsing through everything from kids’ toys and home VLTs to “adult” novelties and rice cookers. I actually wanted to pick up some new luggage, but instead of carting it around all day, I made a plan to get it on the way home.

The last stop of the day was the AOAO Sapporo (Aquarium). Here are a few photos:

Instead of going back to Don Quixote to pick up new luggage, I ended up finding a medium-sized one for sale in the gift shop at the aquarium. This was a relief because I don’t actually need new luggage except to accommodate my new wardrobe and all the gifts I’m bringing back, and this one was 75% off!

On the eighth day of my trip to Japan, I ventured out to the Hoheikyo Onsen located about an hour-and-45-minute ride south of my homestay. April was nice enough to walk me to the station so we could chat a little before I headed out (and let’s be honest, she was helping me make sure I was on the right train).

In Japan, talking on the phone on trains is a strong faux pas. My kids, however, were pretty desperate to talk to me, so I took a quick call. I told them ahead of time that I wouldn’t be able to say much because I didn’t want to come across as a rude gaijin. The kids didn’t really get why I wasn’t speaking much, instead just nodding into the camera, even though they were told why beforehand. Andrea explained to them that what I was doing, talking on the train, was very rude. I felt like I wasn’t offensive, but she was probably right, and I shouldn’t have tried for the FaceTime call. Still, I felt for the kids — this was the longest time I’d ever been away.

I got to the station in time to catch my bus, but I was looking for the Jojetsu bus specifically instead of just the number 12. Well, I missed that bus and had to wait a half hour for the next one. Had I known that’s how things were going to unfold, it would have been an ideal time for a FaceTime call. C’est la vie.

Once at the onsen, I discovered they have a lovely Indian restaurant and indulged in a gourmet chicken masala with giant naan bread.

The pristine gardens outside the actual hot springs foreshadowed the care and attention to detail inside.

The natural hot springs offered a tranquil, warm repose. I worried I might feel awkward given that onsen are a clothes-free experience, but men and women are separated, and it really wasn’t a big deal.

Eating at a ramen restaurant that night checked off one of my Japan bucket list items. I ordered the “All white” which I guess is just noodles, onions, a boiled egg, and some pork slices — yes, all white.¹

April needed to run some errands after supper, so Dave, the kids, and I walked back without her, stopping to spend some time at a public playground we came across along the way.

Dave and I each attempted an L-pose while the kids played on the jungle gym nearby.

1. The soup also included a few sheets of (not white) nori (seaweed paper).[↩]

Dave works out daily. I haven’t really been keeping up with a workout routine but when in Rome… or Japan (as the case may be), I got outside and did some various exercises in the improvised street gym that Dave put together. He improvised deep push-ups between two picnic tables, did pull-ups on tree branches, and used cinder blocks as free weights.

As we were working out, Dave noticed some new mushrooms growing in his backyard. Based on the visual characteristics — specifically the thick, bulbous stalk and the rounded, brownish cap — he figures it’s a type of bolete, possibly a King Bolete (also known as a porcini or Boletus edulis). These mushrooms are known for their stout stems and spongy pores underneath the cap instead of gills. The temptation existed to eat them up but we weren’t certain enough about the identification to risk it.

Dave introduced me to the clothing shop Uniqlo, which, once I got started, led me to pick out basically a whole new wardrobe. The thing that appealed to me most is that their inventory doesn’t have any visible branding.

That evening we fired up the charcoal BBQ. Once up to temperature, we grilled up the meat, one piece at a time, and made some pretty tasty lettuce wraps.

It’s a bit slow going but fun to visit while we try different meats.

That was it for day seven. Tomorrow: A day at the onsen.

My sixth day in Japan started with a walk to the Sapporo Jazz Festival. We were a little disappointed to find out that despite being advertised as starting at 11:00, not all the venues, and only a few of the vendors, had anything happening until later in the day. So, we made the best of it and headed for lunch at Hokkaido Pizza Peace, an independently run bistro that sold some gourmet Neapolitan-style thin-crusts. I had one that came with a raw egg on top. At first, I was mildly freaked out, but I just got my chopsticks in there stirring it up, and it was quite lovely¹.

We each bought some delicious soft ice cream cones at the Kinotoya Bake in Pole Town — the underground mall. It was incredibly rich and really hit the spot.

Apparently, the milk from Sapporo carries a renowned reputation for being extraordinarily rich, thick, and creamy. It is highly prized for its velvety texture and a natural, subtly sweet flavor. My friend Dave let me know that this particular ice cream even has a bit of cheese blended into the mix.

Later, we found ourselves doing another round of grocery shopping.

Back at the apartment, the jet lag was getting to me, so after another quick afternoon nap, I felt a little more refreshed.

For supper that night, Dave put together a poke bowl, which was a big hit.² For dessert, a delicacy in Japan, we shared a very sweet and juicy melon that was gifted to the family.

1. Of course, maybe that runny egg is exactly why I got the runs later.[↩]
2. a recipe similar to what I would call a Hawaiian Haystack[↩]

Our first item on the agenda today was to replenish our foodstuffs.

Here are a few photos of what’s for sale in a Japanese grocery store.

Shrimp, some large snails, and more!

The melons here are expensive but also extremely tasty. A friend of Dave and April’s gifted us one, to all of our delight.

The kiwis are also delicious.

Octopus tentacles anyone? Uh, no thanks.

More octopus tentacles. There is obviously a market for them. Anyway, the Salmon is DELICIOUS!

Is it fruit? No, it’s CANDY!

We ended up with a nice assortment of sushi and sashimi for lunch.

Later that day, we attended a traditional tea ceremony.

After that, Dave and I watched his son participate in his judo class. Students of all ages attended the class. It appeared that everyone had either white belts or black belts and nothing in between. Because of the tea ceremony, we arrived slightly late. The classes go for about two hours, however, so we watched enough throwing, tripping, and grappling that our behinds were sufficiently sore from sitting alongside the wall.

To finish off our day, the adults went to an izakaya¹ for some evening drinks and dinner. Dave ordered raw horse meat as one of the dishes — he likes trying different foods — and reluctantly, I took a small amount and tried it. It was fine enough, I guess. It goes against my ethics to eat it, though. I classify it in the same category as eating whale, dolphin, octopus, or dog². I wonder if shark should go on my list too?

It rained during our walk over there and back, but coziness was the order of the day inside the izakaya.

Another wonderful day in Japan!

1. a casual Japanese pub or tavern that serves alcoholic beverages alongside a wide variety of small, shareable dishes[↩]
2. My hierarchy is in no particular order, just a binary status as to whether I will eat it or not[↩]

Today, I made my way to Sapporo to see my friends Dave and April and their kids. A quick refresher in case you don’t know: Sapporo is on the island of Hokkaido while Tokyo, of course, is on the island of Honshu. There is a train that connects the islands, but I opted for a flight — one that happens to leave from the Haneda Airport in Tokyo at 8:00am. Since the subway doesn’t open until 5:00am, I was worried about making it early enough in case I took the wrong one, etc., but I didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for a cab. (Astute followers of these travelogues will note that catching the right train has not exactly been my strong suit).

After checking out of my hotel, I asked a taxi driver the cost for a ride to the airport. He quoted me 900 yen (which is not what I expected at all — but hey less than $10 Canadian — so, what a steal!) Soon the ride started with a base fare of 500 yen and started counting up by 100 yen every 10 seconds or so. I quickly realized he probably meant to quote me 9000 yen, which would mean this cab ride was going to push the better part of $90 CAD. Fine, at least I don’t have to worry about missing my plane.

April greeted me at the bus terminal. She said it was fun picking me out of the crowd from such a distance because I was a head taller than everyone else there. We took the subway back and made our way to their lovely little home on the university campus. I was struck by the change in conversation flow. I’m not sure the right word to use, but I’ll describe it. In Tokyo, I had been living a solitary silent retreat kind of life, but now I was surrounded by friends and we chatted a lot. It was an abrupt change from my internal dialogue to an abundance of chatting — not bad but notably different.

Some sort of Canada/Japan association at the university put on a Canada Day party which we attended. We loved the delicious food and it was nice mingling with some new acquaintances. When it was just about time to leave they held several draws. I won a Terry Fox t-shirt, April won a heli-skiing vacation package discount, and Dave won a bowl and spoon designed for pouring water onto wet sauna rocks — a wonderfully specific prize, to be sure.

Today, I endeavoured to travel to a Japanese volcano and visit a traditional Japanese onsen. I failed in such a spectacular fashion that it makes this particular report almost pointless.

That’s not to say I didn’t travel. Boy, did I ever travel.

I was still feeling worn out from my day at the Disney park yesterday and got off to a late start. I figured a soak in a natural hot spring would be just what the doctor ordered. I headed onto the subway and, following the directions of Apple Maps, just took whichever train it suggested. I have a metro card that allows for basically unlimited use, but it’s only for the trains in downtown Tokyo. I very quickly found myself outside of the metro area taking trains my card wouldn’t cover. When I got to Shin Yokohama, I disembarked because I knew that eventually I was going to have to pay, but I wasn’t really sure which trains I could take and which I couldn’t.

I scrunched up my face in confusion at the schedule signs and, seeing my consternation, a conductor asked where I was trying to go. Long story short, he helped me pay what I owed and then led me to another employee who helped me buy a ticket to Odawara where I would get a bus to Hakone-Yumoto. Things were looking up. She told me the next train leaves at 10:45am.

I left and went back to confirm which train I should be taking. She very clearly said any train on platform 3 or 4. After ascending the escalator, I quickly inspected the electronic train schedule. I confirmed my location on platforms 3 and 4, and all the trains arriving in the next 20 minutes or so had the same company name in matching orange letters. This all seemed like good news. One of the trains was leaving at 10:39, and it was an express train! My thought process went something like, “Hey, that’s just one minute away, and I can make up some time from my late start — what luck!”

The express train in question turned out to be on the Tokaido Shinkansen line — it was a bullet train. I soon discovered it was en route for Nagoya, a 1-hour-and-15-minute high-speed race across the small island country. Oh dear!

Going on an expensive train far, far away from my destination was indeed some kind of luck, but not the kind anyone wants.

Alas, when I arrived in Nagoya after stewing in my thoughts in the silent car, I ended up taking the next bullet train back to where I came from. When the inspector came around to check tickets — it felt like a scene from a movie — he moved from one passenger to the next, suspense building, and I knew that in just a minute or two, he’d be asking for mine! I did NOT want to pay the $100 CAD+ fee I surely owed for being on this train.

I explained I’d taken the wrong train, and he told me to just get off at the next stop (where I had come from) and it would be fine. It was such a relief.

Feeling disheartened, I headed back to my hotel, had a shower, a beer, and dropped into bed at about 5:00pm.

Tomorrow: Sapporo.