Kyoto Transportation: feet, feet, feet  Hotel: Dhawa Yura Kyoto  Plans: At some point I should add in a plan to cry on the schedule. I know I may not seem like much of a crier and I’m not. But it is tradition for the kids to make me cry at some point on every vacation. Continue reading

Kyoto Fun Fact – At this time next week, we’ll be in Tokyo! Transportation: feet, some trains, maybe throw in a bus  Hotel: Dhawa Yura Kyoto  Plans: I am not sure but I think on our first day in Kyoto I’ll make the kids get up early to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It seems Continue reading

Fuji to Kyoto  Transportation: Shinkansen bullet train Hotel: Dhawa Yura Kyoto  Plans: At the moment, plans are to see some of the Fuji sites we missed then head to Kyoto in the afternoon. The highlight of today will be the kids’ first ride on a bullet train. It would make a lot of sense if I Continue reading

Hakone & Mt. Fuji/Kawaguchiko  Transportation: Eek. Still figuring this one out. There’s the way we should go and the way I want to go and they are definitely not the same. Hakone to Fuji is not one of my finer planning moments.  This is the perfect example of how being a scaredy cat can alter Continue reading

Hakone  Transportation: Oh my – train(s) from Tokyo Disney area to Shinjuku Station then the Romancecar Train to the Hakone area. Once in Hakone, it’s a cornucopia of transportation methods.  Hotel: Hakone Hotel  Plans: This is where it gets complicated. There are oh so many things that can go wrong. This is also where we Continue reading

Tokyo – Disneyland  Transportation: The wildest ride in the wilderness  Hotel: Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay  Plans: Tokyo Disneyland I can still see that knowing smirk on your face from here. Tokyo Disneyland may be an almost direct copy of the US Disneyland and Magic Kingdom but did you really think we would travel halfway around Continue reading

Tokyo – DisneySea You may be wondering why I am spending so much time and so many words writing about the trip before we even go on the trip. As I mentioned in the very first post, I am writing this primarily to chronicle it for our family, and I recognize that, based on previous Continue reading

Tokyo – Shiodome, Disney Transportation: trains, subway, feet, avoid taxis  Hotel: Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel ~ Standard 4 Bed Room with Balcony & Ocean View  Plans: I really, really love high tea. I could give or take the tea part but the little sandwiches, pastries, scones, clotted cream, champagne and the fussiness are all Continue reading

Tokyo – Ginza, Shiodome, Tokyo Station Transportation: trains, subway, feet, avoid taxis  Hotel: The Conrad  Plans: This morning starts out with the free breakfasts that come with our Conrad AMEX special, a $2000 value based on my estimations. We only get two so we’ll rock, paper, scissors to decide who eats and stuff bacon in Continue reading

Tokyo – Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya Transportation: trains, subway, feet, avoid taxis  Hotel: The Conrad  Plans: The Jukus  Scaredy Cat rating: Zero paws for now Despite the bad reviews, I made reservations earlyish for the Yayoi Kusama museum in the Shinjuku area. It’s small and a bit out of the way but it’s the only Kusama installation Continue reading