Okayama City Hotel Kouseicho

... next day when they will clean my room. It's not quite Japanese citizenship, but it gives me the feeling that someday I might feel like I really belong! Toyoko Inns also offer the Cinderella Liberty Plan--if you arrive after midnight and they still have any vacant rooms available, you can get the room at a substantial discount.<br><br>By the way, the pillows at Toyoko Inn appear to be filled with short plastic pieces, as if someone ...

... I have my hat off to them. Dropped my **** off at Takamatsu before heading to Marugame which apparnetly makes 90% of the fans (uchiwa) for Japan. They also has a castle which I visited and doesn't really inspire much. Even the view, though expansive, is of cranes in the harbor and the sprawl of humanity approaching Takamatsu. The other main sight there is the fan museum which has demonstrations of how they're made. I was ...

... seeing nothing but steps up and up). I was ready to jump for joy when I reached the cable car station, only to realize that there was still another 20 minutes of climbing ahead of me. But I did get to the peak, which offered great views of the foggy islands nearby and the actual Miyajima island itself. That was what was so unexpected in this tourist trap. Beyond the hype, it really was a great view and despite the effort of climbing, you escaped the crowds, wandered ...

... veramente da buttare via , non ho idea al momento di quanti km sono ma so molto bene che ho solo guidato nel traffico di quelli da esodo tutte queste citta` e o paesi che ho nominato sono coesi fra loro non c`e` un pezzo di terra libero che ti fa capire che stai lasciando un posto per un`altro.

... not so much to our tastes. Neither of us really took to the pickles and fish with rice for brekky! Overall it was a really enjoyable - but expensive stay in a ryokan. The welcoming was first class as was the service throughout, the place in general just had a lovely peaceful ambience, very civilised, we would defintely recommend it as a must-do to any visitor to Japan. We headed back to the station and caught the shinkansen to Hiroshima.

We stopped off on the way from Kobe to Kurashiki at Imbe in the area of Bizen which is very famous for pottery and ceramics. Daniella had read in the guide book that there was a place where she could try her hand on the pottery wheel. It was a small town and there were not many restauarants open as it was a Sunday so we grabbed a bite to eat from a local supermarket. While Daniella did her stuff on the wheel, Jon took a ...

he computer is working much better. we spent the night up on Ushirioyama (Ushirio Mountain) in a cottage (really a cabin) and had a wonderful dinner with the family. It was absoultely wonderful; fresh fish, beef, lotus root, and other things I am not sure of but good. we all slept in one room (well almost--Kazu and Patty ...

Day Three after breakfast at the Young Inn we were picked up by Rikako to head out to their parents house, which is where we were staying for the night. A BBQ lunch was planned with the whole family and it was great. Plenty of tasty food and great company. We Spent the ...

... and shrines. They look spectacular in the cherry blossom! In Nara even the deer are attracted by the sights! . We`re not so impressed when they try to steal our food. Chris is very excited by the bullet trains here so we must give you an update. Trains are extremely efficient, fast and comfortable. It`s really great being able to travel around on our rail pass. They speed through cities very ...

... individual surviving in the group. I've actually noticed that many Japanese customs resemble team building exercises. The western concept of 'help yourself' is very centered on the self. It is convenient for the host, because they do not have to exert themselves, and it is convinient for the guest, because they can get exactly what they want. The Japanese do not 'help themselves. When you go to a Japanese persons house, you give yourself ...