Japan

Time really does fly when you're having fun, I suppose. It feels like only yesterday I started looking around Tokyo, and here I am, writing this before I start to sort out my luggage; as I don't want to leave any of the goodies I bought in the check-in luggage, in case Emirates lose it again.

So today I had planned to be in Ikebukuro all day. After a few hours there though, I realised there wasn't really as much otaku stuff as Akihabara, and seeing as I still had a decent amount of spending money left, I decided to go back to Akiba one last time, and try a different maid cafe, seeing as the last one I went to was pretty bad.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Japan, and I hope to come back again soon, maybe around the same time next year, but a little earlier so I don't miss Comiket next time.

I'm not too sure if i'll do another post tomorrow, seeing as i'll mainly be in the airport/travelling to it, apart from maybe an hour or so. But that's it... Less than a day left in Japan, but it's been good! Definitely will come again, maybe with other people to liven it up a bit.

Most of the day was spent on the Shinkansen back to Tokyo, and I didn't really feel like awkwardly trying to take pictures of Mount Fuji or the many beautiful rivers as the train flew by them.

Finding the hotel today was a little bit more of a task, as it isn't on a main road, like all the others I've stopped at whilst here, and its entrance is down a narrow road in the middle of a residential area... I thought I was lost until I saw a small sticker on a lamp post which said the hotel was around the next corner.

After dropping everything off at the hotel, I decided to head back to Akihabara as it would kill a few hours, and I'd get to look in some of the shops I missed last time... I totally didn't buy anything whilst there, nope, not a single thing. I just happened to misplace 7,000 yen, that's all. (I bought myself a t-shirt and something for a friend at work)

Seeing as I've already shown off Akihabara, and there's nothing really worth showing which I have bought today, once again, no pictures.

Tomorrow I'll be heading over to Ikebukuro, so it'll be the last otaku thing I do whilst I'm here, as there's less than 48 hours left until the return flight leaves 😭

Nothing really to report on today, and no pictures as such. Today has been a pretty chill day, just walking around the streets of Hiroshima, looking in some shops, and just relaxing.

I did find Hiroshima's Animate store, which I had a little look around in, and bought a few gifts for people which I knew they'd like, but other than that, it's been a lot of looking at stuff, and not much else.

Today I made my way to HIroshima. Where I had a little walk around the city before heading to Hiroshima Castle, and the Peace Memorial.

Seeing the castle was quite impressive. The style of the building makes you think that it was built hundreds of years ago, but to think it was only built 60 years ago, after the original had been destroyed by the atomic bomb...

After visiting the castle, and the shrine beside it, I walked along the river to the peace memorial. Walking around the building felt odd. Reading the text that explained the story of the building left me speechless.

Hiroshima in general feels a little weird, just because walking around here I keep thinking that a little over 70 years ago this city was completely different, and if the atomic bomb hadn't been dropped here, would it still be the city it is today?

After spending a lot of money over the past week, I wanted to try and spend as little as possible today. So I ended up starting the day by going to the Mint Museum followed by walking through some of the parks and streets of Osaka.

As such, there's not much in the way of pictures today, aside from a few notable things from the museum, and my first time seeing a heron in the wild.

Today I wanted to try and stay out of the sun, as the sunburns I acquired over the past 6 days finally stopped hurting, so I wanted to at least have a day or two pain-free... So today I headed to Kaiyukan Aquarium. 

I had planned to go there yesterday, but I haven't really been sticking to the plans all that well anyway. The main reason I wanted to go there was to see the whale sharks, as I think they are wonderful creatures, so I have a fair few pictures of them compared to the other animals that were there.*

Seeing as I got out of the aquarium at 2pm, I decided to look around an otaku area,,, Let's just say i'm glad I saved more money than I thought i'd need for this trip, because at the current rate, it looks like it may all get used, especially after Ikebukuro next week.... But whist I was down there, i did also get to see Osaka tower.

Oh, I also tried takoyaki and mochi for the first time today. The takoyaki was great, a little hot though, and the mochi was very bland... May have to try some with something in them next time.

Today was a pretty chill day, and it needed to be as I managed to get the weirdest sun burn when walking around Yamanakako yesterday.

This morning I left Hotel Mt. Fuji, and had to take a taxi down the ridiculous mountain, as the hotel didn't do a shuttle service at the time I left at (~8:30)... But after getting down the mountain, there was a fairly long bus journey to the nearest station, which was part of the Fuji line, on to a train there which then connected to a Shinkansen (Bullet Train). 

Although it was fast, it still took a little over 2.5 hours to get from Fuji to Shin-Osaka (where the Shinkansen line ended) another short train journey, and into Osaka itself. 

Very much like Tokyo, big city, very loud, but very cool... But unlike Tokyo, about 10 minutes walk from my hotel was Osaka Castle, and it was beautiful!

After walking around the castle and the shrine next to it, I didn't really feel like getting lost - So I grabbed some food, headed back to the hotel, and here I am now.

I am dead! Today I walked round Lake Yamanakako, as reports said the weather would turn horrid at round 11/12... so I ended up walking 16km around the lake in jeans... unsurprisingly, the weather was lovely, and I slowly roasted as I walked around the lake.

I had scheduled to go to Mount Fuji today, but I am not going to do that now, as it is too to go there now, but even if I had gone earlier, I would have been even more tired due to the heat. So I am going to rest for the rest of the day, as my feet are killing me - I have been on them pretty much all day, everyday, since I came to Japan.

As I was walking around, I happened upon a teddy bear museum, which wasn't marked on Google maps, so I decided to have a look in there; which makes up a fair few of today's pictures.

Today I left Tokyo and headed southeast to Mount Fuji.

It was a very pretty journey, but a little too long, especially after the hour delay on the last train.

Also, I decided to take a taxi to the hotel, and holy crap was it expensive... Not as expensive as dinner would have been if I ate at any of the restaurants at the hotel though.

So today I took a lot of short video clips, but I didn't realize it was 10 minutes worth of scenery alone (some clips have been cropped/left out of the video below)

Today I was in Akihabara. This is meant to be an otaku paradise, and it did not disappoint.

The only disappointing thing was not being allowed to take pictures inside the shops/cafes. 

I may have gone a bit overboard today and spent almost 20,000 yen... But... Well... I didn't go to Comiket yesterday, and I was expecting to spend 10,000 there... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I also went into a maid cafe, and was kind of underwhelmed. There were only 2 maids in there for the most part, and they were busy talking with other customers, it took 30 minutes of waiting to find a moment where a member of staff was free so I could ask for the bill. There were so many to choose from, and I feel like I chose one of the worst - I just didn't want to walk into one that was crowded.

There's still a few hours left for today, so I am thinking of taking a little walk at one of the parks near the hotel, or maybe along the waterfront. Potentially get a message at the hotel later too, as my legs are killing from all the walking I have done the past few days.

I'll update with any extra pictures/videos if I take any. But for now, it's just some pictures I took around Akihabara, and some of the loot I acquired (I also got some wall scrolls, but trying to get them in a picture-perfect position was a pain)

Today's plan was to go to Comiket, and buy lots of things... But sleepy head here first woke up at 2am, then went back to sleep until 2pm... So even if I didn't get lost going towards Big Sight, I wouldn't have seen much.

As much as I'd like to go tomorrow, tomorrow is Akihabara, so it's not like I won't get any anime/manga whilst here.. just won't be doujinishi.

But on a plus side, I did manage to find a place that sold nikuman and melon bread... I don't really think the nikuman was that good, but the melon bread 👌

The flight to Tokyo wasn't as bad. Landed 30 minutes late, but I don't mind that. 

What I do mind is the fact that they didn't send my luggage in the same bloody plane, so I am without a change of clothes for tomorrow... Or most of my travel money. I have 8000yen in pocket, but that's not really enough, especially as tomorrow is Comiket. 

So I am off to a kobini to get some food and drinks for the evening, and hopefully find an ATM whilst I'm at it.

Until tomorrow, enjoy these pictures I took on the plane.

Today was meant to be a simple day. 

Catch a train, wait a few hours, catch a flight, wait a few hours, catch another.

It ended up with a lot more waiting, and a lot more running. 

The first flight took off an hour later than it should, and circled the destination airport for 30 minutes. So I had 20 minutes to get across the airport (between terminals)... Not really what I wanted.

Travelling starts tomorrow, so today I am getting final preparations ready. 

I leave early in the morning, to catch the train to the airport, so today's the last day to ensure I have everything I need.