Onsen, Sumo, Golf and too much Tokyo

[Noel Mugavin]

Time to get moving and get something to eat



Found an Ootoya and fortunately just beat the lunch rush





Later in the afternoon headed over to Odaiba




Down here to check out the Disaster Prevention Experience

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Display on the upper floors








View from the roof top garden

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Wandered around Odaiba

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Back to Shinjuku and the hotel, a long day ahead of me tomorrow

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Pre-sunrise start as I took the Chuo-Sobu line to Chiba Station.


Half an hour or so to get a bit of breakfast and a coffee before getting o the Sotobo line to Togane






Only a small station and relieved that there were plenty of taxis available






15 minute taxi ride and to my destination of Higashi Chiba Golf club. Into the club rooms to change into the golf gear, picked up my clubs, assigned my cart and then off to find the driving range to get a warm up in.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

About 15 minutes to tee off time as I walked back to the cart to drop off the clubs I took to the range. Problem. Couldn't remember the cart number, and as they were hire clubs, no idea what the bag looked like. Bit of wandering and peeking at carts for a few minutes, before heading to the gear hut with my tail between my legs to as for the cart number.
Eventually found the cart, and my 3 non-English speaking playing partners.
First tee, 0 degrees, ice still on the ground. Couple of groups behind us, starter, and my 3 golf mates.
Success, hit the middle of the fairway.

Parred the first. Parred the second.


2 greens on each hole, 1 for summer, 1 for winter. Astro turf winter greens were fast,
3rd hole, fairway.



Green in reg, easy game this Japanese golf.

Until I 4 putted for a double, and it all went downhill from there.
Very fun course, blind shots, lots of undulations


Impressive Par 3, for those of us in the west, similar to the 16th at Araluen. Hit the green and when got to it realized that the greens weren't astro turf, they were frozen. Bit of sun and they had started thawing out.



At the end of 9 with golf in Japan, it's the lunch break.
View from the restaurant

 

[Scarlett]

Zero degrees. I love the dedication!

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I went the tempura shrimp


Through google translate and my basic Japanese, was able to have a bit of a discussion with my new friends.
Time to get back to the golf at our designated time.
The carts run automatically on a designated track and are in order of returning tee times






Back 9 was just as fun and interesting as the front 9 and I pretty much played steady, bogey golf. Also able to disrobe for a few holes as the sun came through. Didn't last long though, back to freezing as the sun went down.








End of the round bid my farewells to my new friends as I hit the club room onsen. Great way to finish a round.
Asked the front desk to call me a taxi. After 20 minutes waiting, concluded that something got lost in translation. Went back to the desk and sorted it out and 10 minutes later a taxi appeared. Photo of the clubhouse while I waited.




As the the cab pulled into the station a train pulled away, and unfortunately it was another 30 minutes until the next one. A long hour and a half back to Shunjuku, a late dinner at Yoshinoya before stumbling into the hotel at about 9 o'clock after a very long, but very enjoyable day.
Golf in Japan is a great experience and would certainly do it again. For the round with lunch, clubs, cart and the onsen included was $100. Had to book through an agent, which was a further $70, but all in all very good value.