Chris & Lindee see the world

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Tokyo - day 2

supergg — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 22:01:00 GMT

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Tokyo - day 1

supergg — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 21:43:00 GMT

Day 12 Japan - Fuji to Tokyo

supergg — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 14:47:00 GMT

Fuji to Tokyo

We enjoyed one of the best hotel buffet breakfasts, so far on this tour, this morning. Well fuelled for another busy day. We made our first stop at Gotemba Peace Park. The park has a large white stupa dedicated to Buddha; And is protected by and avenue of pairs of “dog/lions”, each pair a symbol used by a different nearby country to guard the temple entrance. The reward is great as you reach the top of the steps, apart from feeling an energetic connection with the Buddha spirit and some quiet reflection time, the view of Mt Fuji is breathtaking. Whichever angle and whatever time of day Fuji-san is a remarkable sight.

Still, we’re on tour, and there’s always another sight not too far away. Lake Ashi is a large spring fed lake in a volcanic caldera formed by Mt Hakone about 3000 years ago. Our half hour cruise on the gold and red coloured Queen Ashinoko (a replica pirate ship) took us from the main port deeper into the Hakone prefecture at the opposite end of the lake. Lake Ashi is also another opportune spot for pics of Mt Fuji when the skies are clear 😊

As we ventured ever closer to Tokyo our lunch was at a roadside stop, one of the largest we’ve seen. 2 floors of stalls selling delicious, fresh Japanese food…soba, udon, sushi, tempura, rice, sashimi, odd bakery items…and a Starbucks.

The motorway continued through increasing density of suburban and city living until the tall office and apartment buildings of the busy city surrounded us. Motorways above us, below us, flyovers circling around and up and down…this city is a busy mass of humankind. Arrival at our hotel was a welcome feeling to our travel weary bones. A restful few hours, and we had dinner close by before an early night. Tomorrow will be a busy one as we’ve booked a full day tour with the Gunns.

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Fuji to Tokyo

supergg — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 00:03:00 GMT

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Matsumoto to Fuji

supergg — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 23:57:00 GMT

Day 11 Japan - Matsumoto to Fuji

supergg — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 23:53:00 GMT

Matsumoto to Fuji

The Japan Jaunt continued today with the main target the mountain – Fuji San. Negotiating mountain highways through beautiful autumn coloured forests and wide valleys on motorways, Hiro drove us onward. As we drew closer to Fuji, we knew we would be assured of clear skies – not always the case, as with many high mountains having their own weather patterns. The morning was spectacular and we were excited at our first glimpses of Japan’s highest peak. Leaving the motorway, we wound our way upwards to the 5^th station at a height of 2300 metres above sea level. Small pockets of snow started to appear at the side of the road as we neared our stop; an indicator of just how fresh the air might be when we disembarked the bus; and it was, with sharp and very chilly wind gusts; but we’d made it. With the necessary photo opps taken, we moved inside for something warming to eat and some souvenir shopping. We really were very lucky with the weather, and part way back down the mountain Hiro chose to stop at one of his favourite lookouts, and there were very few other people there; and great views down and across the valley below.

Arriving back on flat ground we visited Oshino Hakkai; known as the Springs of Mt Fuji. There are eight ponds which are fed by melting snow that filters from the slopes of Mount Fuji through porous layers of lava. The clear spring water in the ponds is revered by the locals and is home to freshwater plants and large fish. Around the ponds, visited by a prolific number of tourists, are the usual souvenir shops and market stalls selling some tasty local treats, like giant freshly cooked, warm, heart shaped rice crackers, or mugwort mochi filled with sweet red beans. Tasty…

As the sun started to drop towards the hills and before we found our hotel for the night, we made our last stop for the day. Oishi Park is on the far side of Lake Kawaguchi and is the perfect spot to see Mt Fuji in the setting sun…spectacular!

Our hotel was in a busy spot, but when we opened the curtains in our room Mt Fuji was so close it felt like you could almost reach out and touch it. (Even though there was an amusement park in between 😊). We quickly freshened up and joined our fellow travellers for our farewell dinner – a Japanese style buffet, and delicious. Following dinner Sara and I ventured upstairs to the onsen, the ladies’ public bath, no clothes allowed. An interesting but very relaxing experience as we soaked our travel weary bodies in the warm healing waters

Day 10 Japan - Nagano to Matsumoto

supergg — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 23:43:00 GMT

Nagano to Matsumoto

We made our first stop this morning at the beautiful Zenkoji Buddhist temple founded over 1400 years ago, and the home to one of the first Buddha statues brought to Japan. We strolled through the gardens in the warm sunshine, with the everchanging colours and falling autumn leaves, and along the avenue leading to the temple. The street lined with shops selling local treats and souvenirs drew us along it. Wandering through, I found a couple of lovely brocade cloths. I handed them to the man in the store who took them quite reverently from me and treated them with such care as he wrapped them. Such a sweet experience.

Another little lady helped us to choose more take home items; then kindly and generously popped a box of local treats into the bag. We could have spent much longer in this really pleasant area.

We moved on out of Nagano city to visit a Wasabi farm. As much as I really don’t enjoy the taste of wasabi this was a fascinating place! Wasabi grows in running water that needs to be maintained at 15 degrees or less for the best quality product. It’s an odd looking root herb – looks a bit like a slug 😊 The whole place was very calm and peaceful with gentle music playing as the water trickled through the wasabi. Even the toilets were a bit Zen – beautiful design and the same music piped through. Of course there was the opportunity to purchase all things wasabi. Even ice cream! Chris gave it a go.

On our way to Matsumoto city we stopped for lunch at the Japanese equivalent of a roadhouse. These places are great. Make your choice in a vending machine type thing; feed in your payment and collect your ticket that it spits out; when your number is called, collect your freshly cooked meal. Enjoy!

We continued on to Matsumoto city and a visit to Matsumoto Castle. This is one of Japan's most complete and original castles, Matsumoto Castle. The castle was an important landmark in the defence of the area. It was built during the late 16^th and early 17^th centuries. The main keep of the castle has six floors, and we climbed all the way to the top on some very steep staircases. Quite a test of our quad muscles!

Our hotel was then just a short drive away and once settled in we headed out into the darkened streets for our evening meal. Again, the quieter back streets delivered deliciously.

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Nagano to Matsumoto

supergg — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 09:59:00 GMT

Day 9 Japan - Takayama to Nagano

supergg — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 23:53:00 GMT

Takayama to Nagano

Another hotel, another restless night, another interesting buffet breakfast. Bags packed and ready to leave at 9. We spent the morning exploring further around Takayama city, with our first stop at the Matsuri-no-mori museum. This very unique, partly underground, cavernous structure features the key aspects of the Takayama Festival, which takes place for two days each spring and autumn. Each festival showcases elaborate floats (known as yatai) and full size replicas of these floats as well as smaller replicas are kept at the museum to be enjoyed all year round. The festival features Karakuri (puppeteer operated marionettes) which are used to tell folk stories. The museum has cleverly created mechanical versions of these. There are also a number of massive taiko drums, believed to be the biggest drums in the world. It was remarkable to soak in the deep tones of the drums as the sound reverberated throughout the space, especially when we were able to pound them.

Our driver had us back in the old centre of Takayama by late morning and Keiko led us through Sanmachi Suji…a collection of three streets that make up Hida Takayama's famous historic district. The area was once a bustling merchant town and is now a popular destination for visitors to the area. It has distinctive old wooden architecture and charm and has a traditional Japanese village feel. We visited the markets set up along the river banks; and tasted treats from some of the food vendors. Although the breeze was a little fresh, we were lucky to have clear skies and sunshine.

In our free time we made a beeline for our researched coffee shop and allowed their smooth lattes to boost our energy before strolling back through the streets, picking up easy to eat lunch on a stick as we went; and the odd souvenir.

With Takayama done, our bus hit the road for our next overnighter. We spent most of the afternoon on board as we wound our way up, over and through the mountains to the valleys on the other side. If we’d been wondering why it had been such a chilly night, we had only to look up to see the fresh dusting of snow on the high alps; with more snow clouds drifting across them throughout the time they were within our sight. Late afternoon saw our arrival into Nagano and our hotel right in the centre of town. After a shopping and food adventure we finished our day with a drink in the top floor bar in our hotel and headed to our rooms for some R & R.

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Takayama

supergg — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 23:54:00 GMT

Day 8 Japan - Kanazawa to Takayama

supergg — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 23:46:00 GMT

Day 8 Kanazawa to Takayama

Time to zip up our suitcases again and travel to a new town, Takayama. Our route took us out of the city and up into and through the mountains, literally, to the Gifu prefecture. The mountains in this area a traversed by many kilometres of tunnels; 4 lane highways. Remarkable engineering. And when they don’t go through the middle they have bridges that skirt the edges. We made our first stop at Shirakawago and explored the typical mountain style village and the gassho style thatched houses that have been occupied for hundreds of years. The village was originally known for silk and gunpowder production. It is now a protected Unesco World Heritage Area.

It was chilly outside and raining on and off so we sought refuge for a while in one of the many restaurants (catering to the many tourists visiting along with us today). It was warm and inviting and simple, tasty and warming meals were enjoyed around the table. The sun came out again as we wandered back through the village and over the suspension walking bridge to the bus. With another hour on board through more tunnels and across valleys filled with autumn colours we stopped at the edge of Takayama at the Hida Folk Village. It’s an open air museum exhibiting traditional houses from the Hida region, the mountainous area of the Gifu Prefecture around Takayama, and laid out as a traditional village would have been, during the Edo period. The changing colours of the trees in this area are just so beautiful, and when the sun came out everything seemed to shimmer with red and gold. There was fun had by us, as we dressed in traditional clothing to pose for pics, and tried our hand at walking on bamboo stilts and hand crafted spinning tops. I visited the “wedding house”. This space depicted the process of the traditional wedding, which took place over 4 days in both the bride’s family home and the groom’s family home; with gifting and eating through days and nights. I found a beautiful tree, gnarled and twisted from many years of growth, yet spectacular in her seasonal colours.

A short drive later and we were at the Takayama Green Hotel, tonight’s resting place. This hotel has its own onsen, a public, shared bathing space. We haven’t experienced it yet…maybe early tomorrow 😊. We settled in to our room and joined Rod & Sara in the bar for drinks and then headed out in the wet and cold evening in search of dinner. It’s the random spontaneous restaurants that have given us the most flavoursome pleasure and this one was no exception; although we were a little challenged at having to remove shoes and sit on the floor; our legs and feet are still somewhat stiff and sore from our mammoth walking efforts earlier in the week. But the food was plentiful and delicious.

Ready for a restful sleep to be able to hit the road again tomorrow.

Day 7 Japan - Kanazawa

supergg — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 22:14:00 GMT

Kanazawa – on our own

It’s Rod’s birthday. A free day found us in slow motion for a while. It was Sunday after all. And when we did move, our first stop was for coffee not too far away. Then a short stroll to see if Godburger was an option this early. Nope, still closed…maybe later 😊. Not keen on too much walking we took ourselves along a beautiful tree lined avenue towards the castle on the hill. The castle was originally built in the late 16^th century. As with most (it seems) significant buildings throughout Japan this one was made from timber and burned down more than once in its life. The most recent and significant restoration was earlier this century. It was rebuilt from the ground up! The sun was shining which made for a pleasant wander through some of the smaller streets back to find some birthday lunch at Godburger. Yes! It was opened, although we needed to wait some time for a table in this very small restaurant. The burgers (vegetarian too) were fresh and delicious.

Rest time was called for a couple of hours before we ate again! This time, though, a celebration was to be had. Our taxi drove us to Daian, the restaurant that our guide, Keiko, had arranged. An Izakaya style place where we were able to taste lots of small plates and flavours. And finished with a special birthday dessert plate and, of course, some Happy Birthday singing.

Day 6 Japan - Kanazawa

supergg — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 22:11:00 GMT

Kanazawa

Our Kanazawa accommodation is a brand new hotel opened just last week. Although our rooms are cosy and compact, the beds are comfortable and the shower fabulous. Breakfast, on the other hand, not so much. So after a green tea and a croissant we hopped back on to the bus for some touring of “the Venice of the East” – there are many canals throughout this city. We were early enough at the Kenrokuen Gardens to not have to deal with huge crowds, and to be able to enjoy some of the peace and quiet of its beautiful spaces. The gardens are considered to be one of Japan’s top three gardens and the most beautiful which includes all requirements for a landscaped garden: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water features and panoramas. The high points offer broad views of the city to the surrounding mountains. The trees continue to change their colours and release their foliage as they prepare for winter. Trees and shrubs have been propped up with bamboo poles and rope to offer support against the weight of the snow which will fall from December to March.

Visiting the Higashi Chaya we strolled through narrow streets (historically) lined with teahouses that were traditionally used by geisha and their guests. Many of these are now being used as shops to sell many of the locally produced arts, crafts and foods. Kanazawa is known for its gold leaf work. We sat together with the ladies in a teahouse/shop and enjoyed a cup of tea from one of their beautifully designed cups. One of which we’re taking home with a 100 year old design and edged with gold.

AS the morning drew to an end we were taken to Omicho Market. Filled with fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, local treats, and the expected crowded, noisy chaos that you would expect from a Saturday market. We made this our lunch stop and found some interesting food on sticks, although our favourite was a long, donut dough like, red bean filled taste sensation.

Heading back towards our hotel, our final stop was a house in the Samurai district – Buke Yashiki. We learned of the way the samurai lived during the Edo period. Their houses usually included a garden with water feature/s and a shrine/altar in a prayer/meditation room. It was an easy stroll back to our hotel where we caught up on some washing before braving the chilly night air for some dinner. Not so adventurous we went looking for the Godburger. Sadly closed – an adventure for another time.

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Kanazawa

supergg — Sat, 9 Nov 2019 23:49:00 GMT

Kanazawa

Day 5 Japan - Kyoto to Kanazawa

supergg — Sat, 9 Nov 2019 23:05:00 GMT

Kyoto to Kanazawa

Dressed and breakfasted, we made a quick dash around to Kurasu Kyoto (https://jp.kurasu.kyoto/) to grab a good morning latte before checking out of our hotel and boarding Hiro’s bus for the day’s adventures.

A short drive and we were delivered to the UNESCO world heritage site of Nijo-jo Castle. It was the last Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The shogunate was the last feudal Japanese military government, which existed between 1600 and 1868 (the Edo period). The head of government was the shogun, and each was a member of the Tokugawa clan. The first building is a sprawling single level building in which the Shogun would meet with his government and other visiting officials. Beyond this building is another (currently being restored), heavily fortified with a moat and a huge stone wall. The connecting bridges were designed to be retracted quickly if they were under attack from other warlords and their armies. The remainder of the compound is filled with beautifully manicured gardens, ponds and waterfalls.

Our last stop in Kyoto before hitting the open road for Kanazawa was Kinkakuji Temple or the Golden Pavilion. Kinkakuji, a Zen temple, is also a World Heritage site. Two floors are covered in thin layers of pure gold leaf. The detailed architecture incorporates three distinct architectural styles of Shinden, Samurai and Zen. Even though the pathways were filled with many people it was possible, here and there, to feel a little serenity in the garden spaces with the autumn leaves changing colours and occasionally drifting to the ground around us. It is said that the garden and architecture represent the paradise of jewellery in this world. Our visit ended with a little retail therapy in the souvenir shop and a tasty Matcha (green tea) ice cream.

The afternoon was to be spent on the bus as we headed for Kanazawa. A fun, local style lunch in a roadside stop an hour or so along the highway overlooking Biwa-ko, Japan’s largest freshwater lake. Replenished and with some snacks in hand, we were back on board.

As we drew closer to Kanazawa we sighted the coastline and the Sea of Japan. Darkness had settled over us by the time we arrived at Agora Hotel, our home for the next 3 nights. Still early though we ventured out for dinner. Japanese Italian? Why not. Then our comfy beds and an early night.

Day 4 Japan - Kyoto

supergg — Fri, 8 Nov 2019 23:37:00 GMT

Did you ever wonder just how many steps you could get your gadget to read in one day? Well, I don’t have one but the tall people do 😊 Day 4 was a busy day and they tell me we took about 22000+. Now for my short legs I reckon I did about another 10k (at least 😊). Our free day in Kyoto was expected to be somewhat relaxed as we strolled the city between significant landmarks. Not quite the way it turned out though, but what a day!

Thanks to Insta we found a coffee shop that would rival any at home just a short walk from our hotel, so we made a bee line for it straight after breakfast. Lattes and americanos downed and we loaded Google Maps to follow the arrow to visit Fushimi Inari Shrine about an hour away. Across and along the river, through some winding backstreets, a startling stop at a level crossing and we found ourselves in a busy laneway, lined with food stalls and leading to the entrance torii of the shrine. A shrine is a Shinto space of prayer and reflection; each one dedicated to one of 8 million gods. Fushimi Inari is dedicated to the god of rice and is known for its thousands of torii gates leading a trail up and around the mountain. We made the walk to roughly the half way point along with many hundreds of other travellers, locals and school children on their autumn excursions. All of this before lunchtime. With walk weary feet and legs we treated ourselves to a taxi ride to our next stop for the day - Higashiyama-ku. This area of Kyoto is a historic quarter of narrow roadways lined with tea houses, craft stores, restaurants, shrines and temples.

We stopped first for some sustenance at, pretty much, the first café we saw. The perfect spot and we were all very satisfied with our choices. Reenergised, it was time to locate our next stop. Not far away was the Camellia Tea House. Down a laneway and around a corner and our hostess welcomed us for our traditional tea ceremony. The space was serene and quiet, but for the quiet simmering of the kettle sitting beside Kuzo (our hostess). After giving us some insight into the history and tradition of the tea ceremony she quietly showed us the process. Her focus and precision was artistic and beautiful. Every movement and action taken completely in the moment. This is what the tea ceremony is about. The hostess preparing each bowl of tea perfectly for each guest with every attention to detail. When she had made the Matcha tea and invited us to partake, we were each able to make our own bowl, as she had shown us. No, we didn’t get it exactly right but enjoyed our time at Camellia all the same.

Back in the fresh air, a little retail therapy was called for as we strolled around the area, soaking in the atmosphere. Another area filled with travellers, locals and school children, some who were dressed in beautiful kimonos as they too strolled the historic streets.

Our next stop wasn’t to start until 6.30pm and we had some time to fill. More strolling and a little more retails therapy and we found the perfect Japanese spot to rest our feet enjoy a beverage together – and Irish pub, of course.

Zen enhanced our knowledge of Shintoism; more of a belief system and way of living than a religion as such. Rod was able to clear his bad luck and bring in good luck by climbing through a hole in a statue at a shrine.

We walked through the locals’ bar street. This is where they go to do business or drink with their colleagues or boss to “get on” in their careers. One building of 6 floors houses 54 bars! Some of them might accommodate only up to a dozen seats. Many Japanese people are apparently lonely, so when they go to a bar they can “hire” a friend – someone who will sit and talk and drink with them.

Through more lanes and across a couple of busy roads and Zen brought us to our dinner venue. A small and unique café that specialises in only one dish – okonomiyaki. I love a Japanese pancake, but this was next level. And it was good to rest our feet and learn a little more of Japanese culture from our young host. This lane was connected with yet another, even more narrow laneway, that led to the much less expensive area and a party hotspot later in the evening. We finished our tour on a busy corner and took a cab to our hotel to rest our very travel weary bones.

Day 3 Japan - Kyoto

supergg — Fri, 8 Nov 2019 23:33:00 GMT

Today began with a not too early start and the standard breakfast buffet to fuel us for what we thought would be a fairly cruisey day. Little did we know! Keiko and Hiro met us and we loaded our luggage and ourselves on to the bus. A short ride took us to Shin Osaka Station to take the bullet train (Shinkansen) to Kyoto. The train reaches speeds of up to 320km per hour and had us in Kyoto station very efficiently in 15 minutes. Brilliant way to travel! Kyoto station is a remarkable and very large modern structure with a very large staircase (Rod climbed while the rest of us opted for the easier escalator ride) reaching to an open-air terrace where the city could be viewed from on high.

We left the train station and our bus wound its way through the busy city streets towards the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama. We saw the Togetsu Bridge before making our way along a very busy street dedicated mostly to feeding tourists their local delicacies, yatsuhashi – a sweet made from glutinous rice flour and filled with sweet red beans or fruit, or im-kenpi – long thin strips of sweet potato, deep fried and coated in sugar syrup. Both deliciously sweet, sweet sweets.

A busy day in this little town would be excruciatingly crowded as, at times, the throng of people heading towards the Bamboo Forest was, today, more than enough of a crowd for us to be amongst. As we drew nearer to the stands of bamboo you could sense the relative quiet and coolness of the space, even with the crowds. I could only imagine just how much peace you would feel if you could sit alone for a while.

Rod and Sara are keeping track of our daily steps with their gadgets and have advised that we’re definitely getting our 10000+ each day. So, we continued to add them on as we walked to explore the area around the bamboo forest, with the intention of finding some lunch. It’s not really all about the food! But when we did find somewhere to eat it did become all about the food, and it was delicious; simple and delicious.

Moving along after lunch our next stop on tour was Shijin Textile Centre. An opportunity to view and buy silk items including beautiful kimonos, and many other souvenirs. Our driver, Hiro then wound his way through narrow streets and up and down hills until we came to our hotel for 2 nights, the Righa Royal. Once we were checked in there was no time to waste; a quick freshen up and out into night time Kyoto to find our (Sara’s 😊) dinner preference of gyoza. Underground beneath shopping centres and train stations you’ll find a variety of food stalls/restaurants, and under Kyoto Tower we found the perfect choices. Gyoza in Japan seem to be only made with pork so the meat eaters were in for a treat, washed down with local beer. And I was fortunate to find a real treasure, and unusual from what we’ve experienced so far, a veagan (yes, this is how they spell it 😉) ramen shop. Our dessert treat was a shared plate of pancakes. We’ll need more than 10000 steps to work that lot off!

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Kyoto

supergg — Tue, 5 Nov 2019 20:50:00 GMT

Kyoto

Day 2 Japan - Osaka

supergg — Tue, 5 Nov 2019 20:45:00 GMT

We are a group of 10 Aussie travellers. Most of our group hail from south of the Queensland border. Our guide Keiko met us after breakfast this morning outside in the sun. Our bus driver Hiro was ready to take us to Nara. We enjoyed our walk from the bus stop to visit Todaiji Temple. The Buddha seated in the Great Hall is one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world. We cleansed ourselves with ?fresh water and allowed the smoke from many incense sticks burning at the entrance to clear away any negativity before stepping into the space. The Great Hall is 50 metres wide and almost as high. And today it was filled with people from all over the world and the occasional group of school children on their Autumn excursions. We left the temple and strolled back through the grounds and passed many deer from the Nara Deer Park. There are 1200 deer roaming through the park and the temple grounds. They have become a sacred symbol of the city as a Shinto belief that every creature, nature or object is a messenger of god. Back on the bus we were taken into the main centre of Nara for lunch. We saw some local rice cakes (mochi) being made, and sampled the sweet, green, gooey, chewiness before finding a small noodle shop to rest and refuel. Reboarding our bus, we headed back to Osaka city to explore Osaka Castle. The castle has been an important landmark throughout Japanese history especially during 1583 and 1585 when warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi built it and ruled Japan there. Like many buildings in Japan, that we’ve learned of so far, the castle has been rebuilt as a concrete building due to the previous timber structure burning down. We climbed the stairs to the top (7 floors) to enjoy views out across the castle compound to the city beyond.

We had time as we returned to the bus to sit in the sun overlooking the massive moat around the castle ad reflect on our day so far; and our 16000 plus steps; and the day wasn’t over yet!

Dotonburi was our next stop. This area of Osaka is a throbbing food, shopping and entertainment centre. We walked a street lined with brightly lit and decorated shops selling fashion, food and fun to visitors and locals alike. Wandering along the river we sampled Takoyaki (octopus balls!) from one of the many outlets offering the quick and easy and very hot tasty treat. We decided to escape the chaos above ground and found and Irish pub to have a quiet drink in before dinner.

Heading back upstairs we explored some of the smaller streets and lanes as darkness fell and the night lights came on.

Dinner was with our group in a restaurant that specialised in seafood hot pot. Very tasty and very satisfying.

Another fabulous day of adventure with fabulous company! And another night where we all fall into bed completely exhausted!

Photos: Japan Jaunt - Osaka

supergg — Mon, 4 Nov 2019 22:25:00 GMT