Onsen, Sumo, Golf and too much Tokyo

[Noel Mugavin]

Symbol of Kawagoe, the Bell Tower

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walked to the site of Kawagoe Castle

Not much to see


Back toward Kawagoe Tower; looking forward to the 12.00pm ringing of the bell


Wall of the inner moat of Kawagoe Castle, tucked away between houses

This bloke pops up again


Happy Shrine




Located on Happy Street

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Ringing of the bell was quite the fizzer

Intrigued by this one




Wandered into Kumano Shrine




Had to try out the foot massage walk









Time to go looking for a basashi restaurant

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Kept searching

No luck finding some horse, found my way into an izakaya






Ended up being an all female affair working the izakaya, and got a nice signed business card at the end of the meal


Back to the station


Inside


Back at Omiya

Then Ueno



Hotel room

 

[Noel Mugavin]

And the view




Decided to go fro a walk to Asakusa.
Through Ameyoko market



Streets of Higashiueno


Kappabashi






Went to the tourist information centre for a view of Nakamise Street


Back down to street level

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Dinner at Ippudo

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Too cold to walk back, so on the Ginza line back to Ueno and the hotel

 

[Noel Mugavin]

First skyliner of the day for early arrival into Narita.
Long walk to explore the little used station, installed in preparation for the airport shinkansen which never happened.
Maybe another time for me




Arrived early, not much point though, as security screening doesn't open until 7.



Eventually got through to the lounge and a little breakfast


My ride to Hong Kong


Boarded and a nice surprise, long haul single seat configuration.


Take off and scanned the ground looking for Higashichiba golf club


Narita


A couple of right turns, and suddenly an even better surprise

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Treated to the most amazing views for the next 30 minutes












Felt close enough to touch Fuji


Kawaguchiko

 

[Noel Mugavin]

My gazing out the window was only broken up by the delivery of a cappuccino


Finally left the Japanese coast around Hamamatsu


Views over, breakfast time





Coming into Hong Kong


Two and a half hours at the airport; enough time for a shower and a bite at The Bridge lounge




My ride to Perth