Author: bochnerfamilyadventure

Cork’s top 5

1. Asthetics, everything, design of products and environment. Care for detail.
2. People are polite and respectful, respect for the communal space.
3. Over the top lights and bling for Tokyo. Maid cafe? JK:)
4. Food: simple inexpensive high quality food!
5. Safe: no crime, worry free traveling. Fair and reasonable fair society.

Addie’s top 5

1. Gacha Gacha Pon! Vending capsules with cute cute toys
2. Salmon Onigiri from 711
3. Cute gummy candy with amazing packaging
4. Clean streets and environment
5. Really very nice people

Jack’s top 5

1. Inari!
2. Curry puffs from 711 and family mart!
3. How clean and organized everything is, even in the big city
4. Polite people
5. No bad toilets anywhere!

Sukey’s top 5+ (since it is my blog I get more favorites!)

1. Clean free public bathrooms everywhere. Heated washlet Toto toilets even at 711!

1. Polite and respectful society, everyone was nice, helpful and caring for others and the environment is a strong value in Japan.
2. Landscaping was meticulous, even in parking strips in the middle of nowhere. Artful combinations of plants were layered with care in even the smallest potted gardens.

1. Clean! No litter. Every morning I would see normal people sweeping up the smallest amount of leaves or dirt on the sidewalk. Even the very small homeless population would sweep and fold their items in a neat pile.
2. Organized, safe and on time mass transit.

1. 711 iced coffee and egg salad sandwiches

1. PJs (Room clothes) often provided by hotels for use while you are staying

1. Cute cars and trucks

Goodbye Tokyo. Goodbye Japan. We had a great time! A shout out to the Japanese people for being so darn helpful!

Bamboo Forests are thought to protect from evil and often surround Temples and palaces of old. The Sagano Bamboo Forest 30 min outside of Kyoto covers 6 miles and has been recognized by the government as a designated soundscape. The rustling, creaking and swaying are the sounds one would hear if they could escape the hoards of tourists yelling at their kids to heal. Even though it was beautiful, no one enjoyed navigating the large groups of tourists in the hot muggy climate. We did escape to a private residence with meticulous gardens and paid an entrance fee, which kept most visitors at bay.

The Okochisanso gardens and residence are the former home of jidaigeki (period film) star Denjirō Ōkōchi. There are paths that take you from one scenic area to another. A beautiful moss garden gives way to a tranquil tea room; a stunning mountain view leads onto an impressive panorama of the city.

The florescent green of the moss and evergreens was otherworldly.

After cresting a small hill at the top of the garden, a vista of forested hills are framed by a traditional building. In the tea room staff serve traditional match tea in bowls, the bitterness countered by the sugar milk biscuit that accompanies it.

Japan is world renowned for its efficient and timely mass transit. On our trip we rode in planes, buses, trains (local, bullet and subway), ferries and taxis. Japan more than lived up to its reputation.

All public transport here is reliable, fairly priced and clean. There is no eating or talking on mass transit, except for long distance trains. Of course people did talk, in whispers:)

We had to figure out these systems on the fly. Both trains and buses charge based on distance and have a price for the destination. Once you understand the system, it makes sense.

We were on the platform when the Shinkansen, or bullet train sped by at 199 mph. It was fast and felt like a tornado barreling by. The Shinkansen is 57 years old and has never had an accident.

The subway and local trains actually have seats with a velvet like material. Amazing. Some long distance trains are self cleaned automatically and we watched as the empty train seats rotated and were sprayed with disinfectant. I felt very safe on mass transit. In fact all of Japan felt so safe and secure. You never had to worry that someone was taking advantage of you or going to steal your wallet.

Thank god there was some English on the ticket machines and stops written in the Roman alphabet, otherwise we would have struggled more. There were a few times when staff at the train station would actually approach us and ask us if we needed assistance! In Japan tips are not expected, good service is part of the job expectations. It was kind of wonderful.

Freshly juiced grapefruit juice. Refreshing in 90 degree heat with 85% humidity.

This country does egg salad to perfection. Delicate white bread sandwiches with ham and cucumber or egg salad can be found in every convenience store for $2 and make a delicious snack at any time of day.

Wonderful Sake and soda drinks, refreshing and low in alcohol.

Cold ramen, great on a very hot day. As close to a salad I could get.

Sushi at a traditional restaurant. Fresh and delicious. Served by a couple in their 70s.

Conveyor belt sushi at the mall, ordered by touch screen and delivered by a toy bullet train.

Our travels now have the very important task of finding a place for Addie to run. She has ran at all of our travel destinations, even Ishigaki where the heat and humidity were intense. We found Yoyogi park near Shabuya, beautiful dense forest designed with paths for Tokyans to escape the city. It is 134 acres large and has a running loop that is 3 kilometers in length. This being Japan, there are a couple of shrines within its borders. Reportedly long distance professional runners practice there.

An aerial view of Tokyo and Yoyogi park from the Observatory (45 stories high). There are many big parks in Tokyo and although it is a huge concrete metropolis, you can escape into green space easily.

Happy Birthday Jackson! We love you and are so proud of what a nice young man you have become! Yay Jackson!

We had a fantastic night in Tokyo with our former exchange student Kazanari! He took us to a very popular ramen restaurant that served the best ramen we have ever had.

After 7 years we met again! He was astounded by our giant son, who was a little guy last time they hung out.

We hope that he can come visit us again. It is so nice to make friends around the world and see them again. Makes this very big world small again. It was a wonderful way to end our epic travels to Japan!

In 2015 we began hosting exchange students from Japan. Mai was our first and she was and continues to be wonderful. We lost touch over the years as life swooped us up, but were able to reconnect in Tokyo.

Not only was it delightful to reunite with her but we met her son Haruki and husband Kengo (former Sumo Wrestling Champion) as well. Mai and her husband generously treated us to the most delicious meal that I have had in Japan so far. We ate fresh sashimi, scallops, tempura and sake with pineapple soda (Corks new favorite drink). We never would have had such an authentic dining experience without their gracious hosting.

We hope that they can come visit us in Portland! There was even talk of hosting Addie as an exchange student. It would be wonderful to keep in touch!

We met 25 years ago and started our relationship with a 6 month journey in Turkey and Greece. We have continued our adventure together, now with two wonderful kids in tow. So glad I hitched my cart to yours in this life! Happy 20 year anniversary!

We fly to the big city today, Tokyo, our last leg of our journey and say goodbye to our brief island adventure. I will miss the big skies and friendly smiles. We are ready for the lights and action of the city!

Japan has over 4 million vending machines. They are found on remote hikes, near shrines and out in the countryside. The company leases them for free and does all the supply and maintenence. The local owner gets a small share of profits. Vending machines sell all sorts of things. We found one that sells goat curry.

Desperate for food and finding all the restaurants closing at 9:30pm we ended up at this cafeteria for small eats, basically drinking food. Very mediocre and popular with locals. The menu was a difficult puzzle. Cork ate sushi with tuna the consitancy of toothpaste. Props to him for not gagging. We did try Sea Grapes, a form of seaweed, mildly briny pop in the mouth. The Orion beer was solid though!

Our last dinner was our most expensive, $70 and Italian. Needed a break from Onigiri and egg salad. Pizza and aperol spritz, done well in Ishigaki!