Japan

Japan Izu Peninsula Coast Line

| flynny101

While we got our mountain, waterfall and Onsen fix along the way the real reson we came to the Peninsula was the coast line.

From our research we knew the coast line was going to be stunning but, despite terrible weather, it blew us away.

We had hoped to do the boat trip into the Tensodo Cave at Dogashima but wind and rain meant the boats wouldn’t be running today. We were still able to walk up to have a look at the famous sky light from above.

Braving the rain we make our way aroiund to the Futo Coast with it’s stunning sea stacks.

Just North of here is Cape Koganezaki and the infamous Horse Rock

After an awesome day exploring coast lines we make our wayback to Tokyo.

Japan Izu Peninsula Mountains, Onsens and Waterfalls

| flynny101

A few days in Tokyo with it’s bright lights and highrise buildings and were craving a bit of natural greenery.

Our timing wasn’t great, it was the tag end of Typhoon season so wet, windy and humid. But we weren’t going to let that stop us. We hired a little car and hit the road for the Izu Peninsula.

Eventually we left the major cities behind and wound our way up into the mountains. The lush green was such a contrast to the neon blues and reds and drab concrete.

The Izu peninsular is about 100km south west of Tokyo and the towns we began passing through, and you were never too far out of a town, were goregous but we were struck with the amount of seemingly abandoned buildings dotted around. It seemed like there was a failed attempt in the 70s to decentralise or something…

Anyhoo our first stop was Mount Omuro an extent volcano covered in lush green

Wonderful Views to Mountain Fugi

From there we headed to Amagiso Odaru Onsen with the time of year and poor weather we mostly had this to ourselves and Wow. It is amazing

Naturally feed hot springs at the base of a stunning waterfall

Ok so we kinda knew what to expect but pulling up to a non descript car park and following a path down a gully that alomst felt like we were walking into someones back yard. We were greeted at the gate buy a man who may or may not have ever left the gully. ¥1000 (or a bit under $9AUD) pp later and we in some sort of paradise.

The top onsens were about 42° and got progressively cooler as you wandered down stream along the river.

We spent a good few hours here just soaking it in before heading back to the car and just up the road a bit is the Seven Waterfalls of Kawazu

From here we head to the coast and the fanastic Hiromi Ocean View Spa Hotel.

Sunrise views from the room

This place was so luxurious. The view from the room would be worth it on it’s own but down stairs the onsens as next level.

Word to travellers, it’s tradition in Japan for people using the segragated Onsens to do so nude. Swim wear is considered rude unless stated otherwise. If that is off putting for you this hotel has the option to rent a private Onsen where you can choose to cover up or not. We tried both options.

We also took advantage of the serenity room that was full of automatic massage chairs.

Japan big city life

| flynny101

I’m not really a big city person so I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy Tokyo.

I mean 37 million people jamed into 1 city….

Spoiler alert I loved it

We based ourself in Akihabara just out of Electric Town

This seems to be a base for cosplay, dress ups, gaming and glamour and, dispite all that, was perfect for us

We took a day to get use to things in Akihabara then headed over to Shinjuku-Ku for a show at the world famous Samurai restaurant. We did the morning show and can only imagine the night life here. As for the show I can not recommend it enough. Thoroughly entertaining and they had the whole crowd engagued. At times it felt like each performer was there just for you.

Of course no trip to Tokyo is complete without 2 things

  1. Taking on the infamous Shibuya Scramble. This is billed as the busiest crossing in the world. Cars go one way. Cars go the other way. Then all traffic stopps and a sea of people go every which way. At first I was like, well OK its a lot of people but there a lot of tourist in that and didn’t seem that much more than peak out Sydney. But then you realise it’s not peak hour and this happen every 10mins from 9am to god knows when.

and 2.

The absolutely not infringing on Nintendo’s Mario copyright any more Go-Carts.

There are a bunch of different companies in different parts of Tokyo the offer this experience we went with Aloha Go-Carts from near Minato and they were amazing.

I can’t imagine to many other major cities that would let you zip through traffic in a go-cart dress in nothing but and Tiggr and Minion costume. At one point we had pulled up and our guide was out taking photos of us in the middle of the road. A police car pulled up with flashing lights and I thought Ok her we go. The please held up traffic for us and waved us on with grins…

The Japanese food was amazing and I loved so the next lot of photos might seem strange but Ashley had found out there was a Pizzeria run by the only 2 time winner of the World Pizza Championships, Hisanori Yamamoto. So we had to check out Pizzeria e Trattoria da ISA.

TBH we had a massive day and were starving so we probably wolfed it down and didn’t savour it as much as it deserved but, yes it was the best pizza I’ve had.

Tokyo has to be the cleanest city I’ve ever visited. No smog or polution that I noted. Clean street.

I have been saying for years we should get rid of public garbage bins. If there is a bin available people put stuff in it. Should great, but if it’s full to overflowing they still try and put their rubbish on the pile and it blows away. If it’s not full the birds get in and up it out. either way you end up with rubbish everywhere. I didn’t see a single public rubbish bin anywhere out side of an amusment park and you know what people did? Took there rubbish home to dispose of properly.

Not a scrap of litter any where to be seen except after a big Anime party on the final night in Akihabara and eventhen by 7am it was swept into neat piles for collection.

Anyhoo Tokyo is rad. more art galleries, mountains and coast to come shortly