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Thursday, November 16, 2017

Masteryear Highpoint.

Maybe.

But I can't imagine much that would be better than this trip was.

Each of my trips to Japan (this was my third since my son relocated there) has started the same way.  It is not the custom to have ovens in Japan, so cookies are hard.  I always take a box of chocolate chip cookies with me.  And no, I didn't plan for one to come out shaped like a heart.

 
 
My son had several requests this year.  I ended up shipping a box full of American Halloween costumes, but he had also requested clothing.  He is a tall man with large feet and it's hard to find simple things like trousers and socks.  In addition, he had asked me to make some colonial costumes for a culture day next year.  And he had asked me to bring Trader Joe's chocolate treats and See's Candy.  To make a long story a little shorter, I had to pack and repack several times, filling two large suitcases, a rolling carry-on, a big purse and part of a backpack (and leaving a bunch of stuff at home) before I was ready to roll out to the Flyaway.

 
 
Everything went very smoothly (which it usually does when I travel) and we took off right on time.  It tickled me to look down and see that we were flying over the part of the coast where I live.  If I'd been on the other side of the plane I would have easily picked out my house below.  As it was, I enjoyed PCH 1 - a route I have loved and driven many times -  Mugu Rock and eventually the Channel Islands and Santa Barbara.  I waved to the channel,  a place I often visit off Stearns Wharf on a little tour yacht called the Azure Seas.



About twelve hours later we arrived at Narita Airport in Japan.  Again, all went smoothly.  The only hiccup was that they are fighting money laundering and would not convert as much cash as I wanted.  As it turned out, I did not spend as much money as I thought I would, so this turned out not to be a problem.

The first time I traveled to Japan, my son had ridden the train to meet me at Narita and arranged for us both to ride the limo bus into the suburban neighborhood they lived in, a process that ate up his Friday afternoon and into the evening.  I very much appreciated being shown the processes, but in subsequent trips encouraged him to stay home while I dealt with money, baggage shipping and bus tickets.  It was even easier this time since he has moved more into Tokyo city and I only had to go to the Tokyo CityAir Terminal, a short cab ride from their apartment.  What a thrill to see both my son and older grandson waiting for me when I arrived!

I had two goals for this trip.  The first was to get acquainted with my grandchildren.  The older is six and spent a month with me three years ago, but I was sure he would not remember me.  The younger I had not yet met, as he is only two.  I have always tried to preserve the privacy of my family and especially the children here by not sharing pictures of their faces.  I would, however, like to share these pictures that the six-year-old created so that I would know where the important facilities were located:







The weather helped me meet my goal of getting to know the kids,  as I arrived just in time for Typhoon Lan.   The day after I arrived, while the rain was still spotty and light, my son took  me and his younger son for a walk up to Ryogoku Station, as it would be the station I would use if I wanted to take myself on an adventure. 
 
 
Right next to this station is Ryogoku Kokugikan, the most famous Sumo Wrestling stadium in the world.  As we walked through a small artisan's faire between the station and the stadium, I saw a doll artist's booth and decided to buy one of her handmade felt sumo dolls.

 
 
We stopped for lunch at a Mos Burger, then got home in time for the rain and wind to kick up.  The next day Typhoon Lan kept us pretty well closed up in the apartment for a day with toy cars and trains.   For lunch that day we had tacos made with the package of corn tortillas I had packed into my luggage (another tradition), but for dinner we opted for Japanese take-out.
 
Japanese food is always an adventure that I enjoy. and then we had take-out delivered.

 
 
Yes, that is Japanese take-out delivery.   Mine was a delicious pork over rice.  Afterward the dishes were washed and left outside, and at some point during the next day or so someone from the restaurant came to pick it all up. 
 
The next day, my son took me on another walk to the neighborhood where he teaches at an international school.  One of my hopes for this trip was to take myself to Nippori, the "Textile Town" of Tokyo.  But here in one of the little shopping alleys was a tiny fabric store (I wish I'd thought to take a picture of it) where I found three beautiful pieces of Japanese fabric as well as the handful of notions I needed.
 

On the way home we stopped at a corner shop with glass display cases on the sidewalk and we bought sushi for that night's dinner.

 
I arrived on Friday, and by Wednesday was ready to take myself on an easy adventure to the neighboring town of Kinshicho and the Arcakit shopping mall.  By American standards a Japanese shopping mall actually looks like a department store.  However, in Japan all the stores are open to the interior.  That is, in an American department store, each department is part of a larger business and you can carry your purchases from one department to another and pay for your collection just before you leave.   Although it looks very similar, in the Japanese shopping malls you have to remember to pay for your purchases before stepping out of the invisible boundary between the business and the aisle way.
 
My DIL walked me up to Ryogoku station again and made sure I got through the ticket turnstyle.  I got off at the right station and made my way to Arcakit and to my destination, the Daiso store.  It's similar to a dollar store in the states, although in my experience here the merchandise is basic goods where at the Daiso there is more that is fun-and-games level. 
 

And I did have fun.  The Daiso has a special arrangement with Disney and their Disney stuff was, frankly, better than most of the stuff offered at the Disney parks.  Washi tape (called masking tape there) was 100 yen (about a dollar) there as compared to $3-4.00 here.  I had a blast picking up "bargains" although I had to keep reminding myself that I had to get this stuff home to California (and I still had Disneyland souvenirs to pick up).  What I forgot to remind myself was that I also had to get the stuff home.  To the Japan apartment.  On the train.  And then a twenty-minute walk.  With, as it turned out, a full backpack and big, full bags in each hand.

As if the Daiso wasn't enough fun, I also found a terrific little fabric store...


...after which I gave up on Nippori.

And a Happy store...


... and a huge Muji store.  I totally screwed up buying what I really wanted.  I thought I was buying little journals for my older grandson who likes to write books, but which turned out to be little photo albums.  On a whim I bought one of the Muji lip conditioners, which was so good that when my DIL went to that mall a few days later, she obliged me by granting my request to pick up ten more for me to bring home.



Pretty sure that's what they call a "haul," and a darn good one, too.  I sure had a good time.

 
My grandchildren usually get to go outside daily for exercise, but had been cooped up for several days before my visit and, of course, during Typhoon Lan, so by the next day we were all ready for a good walk .  My daughter-in-law asked if I would like to see the river (they had posted several beautiful river pictures in the past) and I was anxious to do so.


This is how trash - in this case recyclables - is collected.



Pretty sure this is telling us not to pee in the river.  Or maybe the park.  In any event, this river had flooded in the typhoon and we are very sure had flooded sewage somewhere along the course, so the warning was pointless.  Whew. 

Up the stairs, then down again on the other side for a riverside park to walk through.


Looking pretty dirty because of the typhoon.


Block wall.
 


 
As we turned toward home, my grandson said, "Grandma, I want to show you something here," and made a quick turn to the left.  I followed him, and we found ourselves in a beautiful little garden.  It was part of a shrine.  I don't know how the woman in the entrance felt about us coming in the back like that, but I was charmed.
 




The bridge went over a little pond which, my DIL explained, headed into a small cave, which the shrine was marking.

As we left the shrine we passed these doors,


and this demolition, which I found very interesting,


and then to a cake shop called Marry's.  Japanese cake is very dense and the flavor rather subtle, but the presentation is delightful and I was taken by the sweet little box.  We were also impressed that she assumed this was a birthday cake and had added some little candles.
 

 

 
 On Friday my son had to go into work to help set up the school's annual festival, and on Saturday we all went.  They wore some of the costumes I had brought from the United States.  My very tall son wore the Darth Vader, which tickled me since he was also playing in the school band for one of the stage performances.  He had warned me that my DIL might be too shy to wear the Princess Leia costume, but she was not only excited to wear it, she rocked the heck out of it.  It looked beautiful on her.  The older boy chose the Ninja costume over the Stormtrooper, and the little one had to be brainwashed to wear the BB8 costume.  In the end, I think both boys had fun dressed in their American costumes.  My DIL had assured me that we would only stay an hour, but it was so much fun we ended up staying for closer to three hours, I think.
 


 
 
There were lots of games for kids at the festival, and an inflatable slide.  There were stage shows running all day.  And food.  Lots of food.  My son said that local businesses buy space and set up food stalls.  The Japanese Black Steak booth was my first experience with Japanese Black Steak.
 
I looked it up when I got home.  In short, many are familiar with the famous Kobe beef.  But true Kobe beef ONLY comes from the area of Kobe.  (Kobe is a city and the capital of the Hyōgo Prefecture.  It is also a region, like Champagne is a region in France.)  The beef that is raised in Kobe that we refer to as Kobe beef is one of the four breeds of cattle found in Japan, the Japanese Black.  (It is not a pasture raised beef but is instead raised on special diet of dried pasture forage and grasses such as rice straw with nutrition-rich feed supplements made by blending soybean, corn, barley, wheat bran, and various other ingredients.)  In addition, to be called Kobe beef, certain lineage must be documented.
 
However, Kobe is not the only place to raise Japanese Black cattle.  And judging by how delicious and tender this festival black steak was, I'd say it must rival the Kobe for marbling.
 
The following Monday was a special day.  My daughter-in-law's mother was treating us all to chanko at one of the special restaurants.  Chanko is a food that sumo wrestlers eat to bulk up.  In true Japanese tradition, this was a very special presentation.
 
 
 




 




 

My family is always surprised that I am such an adventurous eater in Japan.  My DIL's mother was shocked that I would eat the sashimi.  But I studied O Chado  (tea ceremony) for three years and developed a willingness to try new things and an appreciation for a lot of flavors.  The only common Japanese food I don't care for is tofu, mostly because the texture is unpleasant to me.
 
 
Because we were heading to the Tokyo Disney resort the next day, we returned home for a quiet afternoon.
 
By Tuesday, we were all ready - and Grandma was raring - to leave for three days in the land of magic and make-believe.
 
 
 
TOKYO DISNEY AND DISNEY SEA
 
Before I get too much further, I want to shout out to thisNatasha.   The circumstances of her life bring her the opportunity to travel travel travel, and she creates informative and entertaining vlogs for the rest of us.  My trip to Tokyo Disney resorts was enriched by her efforts, and I am appreciative that she is willing to take that time and make that effort for our benefit.
 
 
Months, if not a full year, before this trip I had shared that I wanted to take the family to Tokyo Disneyland.  I was thinking a day.  My son and his wife volunteered to do some homework, and in a later conversation asked if I could afford a three-day, two-night stay.  As residents they could get a good price on a vacation package, and they felt that being close to the resort with a room available for mid-day rest periods, would help us have more fun.  I completely agreed.  When my late husband and I would take our two boys to the Anaheim Disneyland, our best trips were the ones where we had booked a room at the Disneyland Hotel.  When the little boys would be overtired or over-stimulated, their dad would load them onto the Monorail and take them to the hotel for a couple of hours.  Dad was not a fan of Disneyland anyway, and to have a couple of hours to catch up on the weekend sports while the boys got some needed downtime worked well for all of us.  I had no problem finding fun in a park I had visited yearly since its opening.
 
I agreed to their plan and left the details to them.  I paid the tab when it popped on the credit card but really didn't know much about the details.  Based on the cost I assumed they had found decent lodgings in the surrounding area.
 
And was delighted but shocked to learn after I arrived in Japan that they had booked two alcove rooms at the Disneyland Hotel.  On site.  Maybe a hundred yards from the entrance to Tokyo Disneyland, and just feet from the Monorail Station.
 
Our morning went well.  We decided to take a cab to the train station.  Each Japanese train station has "theme" music, and I've always gotten a kick out of hearing the music when trains arrive.  The station that services the Disney resorts is Mahaima Station, and apparently the music changes from time to time.  On the day we arrived, the theme was "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah," which made me smile.  Once off the train with our luggage, we were able to simply walk across the pavement a short distance to the Disney Welcome Center where we were able to check our luggage for delivery to the hotel. 
 

 
 
Another musical kick in the emotions was realizing as we made our way from train to Welcome Center that one  - if not the most- of my favorite songs was playing.  "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty was then followed by "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella, another I love.  After several trips on the Monorail I learned that this medley actually began with "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio,  practically a theme song for me.  The only other song  I would hear - and all four I heard I heard frequently - was "You've  Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story, another with personal meaning.
 
 Once the baggage check chore was completed we headed to the park.
 

Our first glimpse of an old friend.


The pedestrian walkway level to the park.  We learned at the end that we could have taken the Monorail.  Not a great distance, but when you're conserving energy, every step makes a difference.

Our first day was Halloween Day, and the park was in full Halloween dress.  In Anaheim, adults are prohibited from wearing costumes.  But in Tokyo, anyone can wear the costume of a Disney character through the month of October.  We arrived on the last day that guests could wear costumes, and that was a treat in itself.

 

This is the Grand Bazaar, the Tokyo version of Main Street USA.  Lots of shops, eateries, etc.  It's covered because there is so much rain in Tokyo, especially in June and July which is monsoon season.  I guess you wouldn't want guests racing through the retail area on their way out.

My observation from the first steps into the park was that this park pays homage to its predecessor in California, then kicks it up a notch.  So I had a sense of the familiar, but noticed differences that I liked a lot.

 

 For example, the little Pooh balloon in this cluster has a third piece that makes a 3D face with a snout.  VERY much cuter.


The Penny Arcade is actually an arcade, but not a penny and the 'games' were mostly claw games, which are very popular in Japan.  I was happy to find several "penny presses," which also were not because, of course, no pennies.  They were "medallion" machines and cost 100 yen.  Since I collect the penny press products from Anaheim Disney parks, I was delighted to add a handful of the Japan versions to my collection.


I have spent many happy hours at the Refreshment Corner aka Coke Corner in Anaheim.  No piano player here, no Mad Hatter leading Musical Chairs, but the red and white umbrellas made me feel more at home.



The castle here is based on the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.



The Partners statue from a distance.  Too many people waiting to have their photo taken, especially with little ones anxious to get to our destination.

Guests' costumes were amazing!


Woody and Anna.

Belle and Beast

Snow White and Snow White.  Apparently it is common for friends - even groups of friends - to dress alike at Disneyland year around.

Ahhh, they have water lilies in the moat.  I want water lilies in the moat.


The same but different.  Different designs on the cups, different lanterns all under cover.  But the same fun.

I LOVED these women.  I thought I was running out of battery right after this shot so missed the opportunity to get a picture of the entire group. Threre were at least three more, each dressed in a different color and ALL with  the tiny wings on the back.

 
 
My six-year-old grandson had heard about Disneyland and our first destination was to grant his first wish. 
 
Toon Town.
 
On the way, we passed another reminder that we weren't in California anymore.
 
Restroom sign... 
 
 


... kicked up in cute. 
 
Goofy's house in Toon Town.

 



And Donald's houseboat. 



That Donald.  He's such a romantic.

And finally Mee-key  Mouff's (as the 2YO calls him)  house for a portrait.  I didn't want to impose a lot of my own wishes on our family outing, but a picture with Mickey was one of two or three must-do events for me, and Mickey's house in Toon Town is about the only place you can be SURE to get a good picture with him. 
 



It took considerably longer than the posted stand-by time of 25 minutes, so I was grateful for everyone's patience.  Fortunately, there is enough hands-on in the house to help keep the kids distracted, and the cartoons in the movie barn at the end of the line helped, too.  We got a good picture, but the real treasure of a memory was shared by my DIL.  She said that after we all clustered around The Mouse for the picture, Mickey spent a little quality time with the 2YO, who, I heard, just glowed with delight.  When Mickey had to turn to the next group, the 2YO sighed adorably.
 
 
By that point it was time to feed the group, so we snagged one of the several available tables (surprisingly un-crowded for a special day, we thought).  I seem to remember that one of the sandwiches was a  creamy scallop and the other some kind of chicken.  I opted for the Mickey-shaped pizza, which was surprisingly good.




 

 
In California, diners are often visited by the park sparrows.  Park pigeons are a whole different experience, especially when they swoop low across your table.

 
After lunch we indulged the 6YO with a ride on Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin.  He has suffered from motion sickness problems in the past, so I crossed my fingers, sat back and enjoyed the ride.  I was seated behind him and his dad and loved watching the two of them whooping it up as the car wheeled and spun.
 

After Roger Rabbit we took a walk around the park and decided to ride Pirates before continuing the stroll back into Adventureland and Western Land.  My son decided that for sure he wanted to take his boys on the train before we had to leave for the real world.
 
By three - check-in time - it was clear that the little boys needed real food and rest, so we headed back to the hotel.  There was some kind of drama at check-in.  Something about the configuration of our 5-party room distribution and then the clerk insisting that we could not have room service breakfast for five (the manager - when asked - assured us all that it would be fine).  So, it took a little longer to get up to the rooms than we'd planned.  We divided up into our respective rooms for a rest, which I spent drooling over my lodgings.
 
I have never stayed anywhere so gorgeous, so much fun.
 
 
 
I think my favorite decorative element of the stay was this decoration around the light fixture outside my door.  A Mickey, of course...
 
 
 ... but then the woodland creatures I have loved in everything from Snow White to Sleeping Beauty to Enchanted.
 





 
It was one of the Beauty and the Beast themed rooms, with Wardrobe (Madame Garderobe in the newer version)...
 
 
 
... and Cogsworth and Lumiere concept sketches...
 
 
 
 
.. as well as pieces that represented the iconic symbols of the Disney parks as well as the Victorian theme of the entire Tokyo Disneyland Hotel.
 
 





None of us really wanted to leave the hotel for dinner, so I suggested I treat us all to dinner in the Sherwood Garden restaurant hotel buffet.  We were scheduled there for a breakfast in a couple of days anyway, and I felt sure - based on my buffet experience in California - that we would not be disappointed.

And indeed we were not.  In fact, this restaurant is more clever, inventive, more cosmopolitan in it's offerings than its California counterpart.  I plan to share our breakfast experience later in this post but wanted to touch on a couple of elements from the décor that tickled me.  First, these high-backed benches are used throughout the hotel.  I think they are stunning as well as functional in creating privacy.

 

And the high chairs provided for the little ones were delightful as well as elegant.


The meal absolutely did not disappoint (one offering was a beautifully roasted beef that was much appreciated by this meat-deprived family) and we all returned to our rooms satisfied.

But my day did not end there.

I had shopping to do.

I had seen a photo of the Halloween villains pin that was offered at the Disney Sea gift shops through the Halloween season.  I had also heard in a vlog that because the Japanese so enjoy celebrations, Disney tends to move quickly from one celebration to another.  I really wanted that pin, but was concerned that, this being Halloween, the pin might be gone in the morning when we planned to visit Disney Sea.  Also, I had seen an ad for the Disney Store  birthday Tsum Tsum piece that featured Dumbo and wanted that piece for my Dumbo collection, but the timing might not work out for me to visit that store later in our stay.

Note the witches hats on the hand rings.

 
So, after dinner, I dragged my aching knees and feet back onto the Monorail and headed to Disney Sea, where I spent a happy hour in the gift stores at the entrance.  Yes, I got my pin plus more goodies, and will do a haul report at the end of this post.



Then I returned to Ikspiari, the "Downtown Disney" of the Tokyo resort.  I have to say, this store was the only disappointment of this whole trip.  It advertises itself as the largest Disney Store in the world, and it may well be in square footage, but I honestly believe my little outlet mall store has more merchandise.  I had hoped they would have a large tsum collection - they didn't - and some unusual stationery (not much).  They did, however, have the Dumbo birthday cake.  I managed to spend enough to qualify for the purchase-with-purchase deal.  I chose Chip and Dale in their winter warmies.  They will join my Christmas Collection next month.

Back in my room,  I wound down for a few minutes before heading for a shower.  And noticed some of the details of what we would refer to as the bathroom.  It has been my observation that in Japan it is customary to divide the bathroom space up into three separate spaces, and this room's facility followed that custom.  I'm actually shocked at myself for not getting photos of the entire space.  In the center was the gorgeous sink space with amenities (later).  On one side was the separate toilet space with this etched glass rose in the door.  (Get the joke?)

 
On the other side was the bathing space where the deep soaking tub and shower heads (one hand-held, one large rainfall overhead) all shared space.  The etching in the door of that space was of Cleo from Pinocchio.

 
 
I treated myself to a leisurely hot shower and a couple of ibuprofen and, to my surprise and in spite of my excitement, fell asleep at a reasonable enough time to wake and be ready to go before our 8:00 room service breakfast.  Bacon, omelet, hash browns and a chocolate croissant later we were all ready to head back to Disneyland for the morning.

I'm a little nervous that this post may be getting too long, especially with the pictures so I'm going to publish it now.  It will take me a few days to get the Disney Sea story written so please stop by in a couple if you want that update.

Later.

1 comment:

Sue said...

Wow, what a great post! It is so interesting reading of your experiences in Japan and at Disneyland Japan. I can't wait to read more.