TR--Girls' Trip to Asia---Next Stop: Japan!--updated 10/16--Day 15 --TR Finished

[belle2211]

We headed to this toy store to buy Sumo tickets for Sunday. They were about $60USD each. We also got this candy set (it makes these gelatin shapes like hamburgers or sushi and panda faces), a fizzy candy, and a corn snack that the cashier said was really popular. I got the cheese one and it tasted like a giant cheeto.







We took the subway to 100% Chocolate Cafe. This was on a reccommendation from a Disbride friend. It was soooooooo good!



I got a ShariShari Chocolat Milk Vanilla (which was like frozen hot chocolate) and a Chiffon Chocolat Cake with Plain Cacao frosting.













I also got 2 squares of chocolate for me- Mint and Cheese (sounds interesting)



and 4 ones from Japan for mom. But there are 56 different flavors from around the world!



We took the subway back to the hotel to drop off our chocolate goodies then headed to the Electroincs district. This was so weird. There would be whole souvenier type shops but with things like phone cords and camera cords. There were also a lot of girls in their late teens and early twenties dressed up like little girls from Anime trying to get men to go to their shows. We also went to the Anime shop. I knew that Kory really like a couple of anime shows and I wanted to get him a shirt but I couldn't remember which one. I tried calling him but it was like 3am back home and he didn't answer. So I finally found a list of anime shows online and scrolled through them and Naruto sounded really familiar so I got him a shirt from that show. (It turned out that I was right.)







Earlier in the week, Vuong had gone off on her own in the city because she's not a Disney fan and she became friends with some girls who worked at Hooters. She wanted us to meet them so we took the subway to the Hooters. I had wings, fries, and Budweiser in a bottle. Vuong had also befriended the manager so he sent over these melon shots. Cori tried it but she doesn't drink so I finished it for her.









We took a subway to Shubiya which is like the Times Square of Tokyo. The sidewalks were so crowded but I loved all the lights.





We went into this multi-level store called 7 Days Bargain and it was CRAZY!! The music was loud and the girls working there were yelling and banging to get you to come in. The clothes were cute but too young and expensive for us.





After shopping for a while we hopped on the JR train and went back to the hotel room.

Up next...a day of shopping and fun

[PrincessInOz]

Chocolate, Vampire Dining Bar, Hooters, Chicken Wings and Naturo. What more could this reader ask for?





Did you go into that Vampire Dining Bar? I'm curious to know what they served....Blood Orange Vodkas??


Love the chocolate shots.

[belle2211]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Chocolate, Vampire Dining Bar, Hooters, Chicken Wings and Naturo. What more could this reader ask for?





Did you go into that Vampire Dining Bar? I'm curious to know what they served....Blood Orange Vodkas??


Love the chocolate shots.

Everything was amazing! And no, I wanted to check the vampire bar out but I was out-voted. Boo!

And lets just say that I returned to the chocolate shop two more times!

[belle2211]

Today we got up and me, Meredith and Cori ran 6 miles while Rebecca did her C25K training. We ran around the Imperial Palace and some gardens. I was soo tired but we did it! We went back to the hotel and got dressed and headed back out to the Imperial Palace to walk around and take pictures. My feet hurt and I didn't want to do this but oh well. On the way there it started to rain. I realized I had lost my umbrella. I thought I had left it in the Lawson's store that we had stopped at on the way. I was so mad at myself. Thankfully, Meredith shared her umbrella. I felt so bad though. And I was definitely soaked. Luckily I had decided to wear my hair curly after the run anyways. We took some picture of the gardens, flowers and waterfall.



















We were tired so we decided to take the subway back. But no. Dumb old me left my ID, credit card and subway card in my armband from running back in the hotel. Now I was totally pissed at myself and felt even worse about incoveniencing everyone. It was such a long walk back. Turns out that I didn't leave it in the store, I left it in Meredith, Rebecca, and Vuong's room.

We got our stuff and headed out for lunch. Meredith and Vuong went to a standing sushi place (where you stand to eat) and Rebecca, Cori and I went to McDonalds. I got a Big Mac, Fries and Coke.





Then we took the train over to the shopping district. Apparently there are religious groupies there too because right when we got off the train, we saw a guy with a big poster preaching.



Meredith stopped at The Gindago to get Takoyaki, which is like cut up pieces of squid mashed into a ball and fried. They were really good.







We shopped around some. The weirdest store we saw was called C*nd*mania. (I put the * so I don't get bleeped out). It had all sorts of weirdly shaped "protection" if you get what I mean. I have pictures but I don't think I'm allowed to post them.

The main street was called Harajuku Street.



I got some khaki shorts at H&M and at another store I got a t-shirt with the Disney princesses making funny faces. Then I got a chocolate dipped ice cream cone



And we shared banana donuts from Tamagotchi







We also saw a protest parade about No More Nukes.





Oh yeah, here's a picture I took later of the place with the really good cream puffs



Up next...our evening

[belle2211]

We decided that we loved the 100% Chocolate Cafe so much that we wanted to go back. Plus Vuong wasn't with us the day before ( I don't remember that she wasn't with us, but that's what I wrote in my journal). So we hopped on the train and headed over . I just got an Iced Chocolate Drink. It tasted like straight chocolate. Yum!



We took the train home. On the way, Cori and I stopped to look at the wedding floor in the hotel. We saw a Japanese wedding hall, a dress, and the planning room.







At Disney at home, you can have characters visit you like Mickey & Minnie. Well, at this hotel, you could have Mr. and Mrs. Hello Kitty!



Then we all watched a You Tube video of how to put kimonos on and then we all got dressed in ours! We put on our kimonos, bows, and hair clips, did our hair in buns and did our makeup. It was so cute and one of my favorite memories of the trip.





We walked over to have dinner at Tofuro in the rain. We got lots of looks but I liked that.



To drink I had a Coke and Meredith and I shared a Pop'n Fruit which tasted like a Watermelon Wine Cooler.





Then I had 3 oysters au gratin. They were oysters with cheese and potato on it. They were so good that I wish I had just ordered more of those for dinner.





But I also ordered seasonal vegetable tempure (not so good)





and Meredith and I split two rolls- a sweet shrimp one and a conger eel one. The eel was really good.







I also had a couple of pieces of sashimi from Meredith and Vuong's boat.

The restaurant was really cute. It looked like you were sitting on mats on the floor, but there was still room to put your feet down.







Then we headed back to the hotel for the night.

Up next, Sumo wrestling!

[PrincessInOz]

WOW! You all look stunning in your kimonos. Were they expensive to buy?

And what great food you've eaten.

[belle2211]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

WOW! You all look stunning in your kimonos. Were they expensive to buy?

And what great food you've eaten.

Thank you! They weren't too bad...about equivelant to $50 US dollars for the set!

[belle2211]

Today we got up and stopped to grab breakfast at McDonalds. I had an egg Mcmuffin, hashbrown and orange juice.



We jumped on the train to Hakone. Meredith, Cori and Rebecca went to the hot springs there. I really wanted to go but you had to be completely nude and I'm not willing to do that. You can't even wear a bathing suit. I get that it's tradition but I was pretty mad that I wasn't allowed to go wearing one.

Vuong and I just walked around the city. We wanted to take the skybullet thing to see Mt. Fuji but it would take too long. We decided to walk to Odawara Castle. Along the way we almost stepped on a snake! It freaked us out



The castle was pretty but for some reason since it said "castle", I was thking it would look like a fairy tale castle. Silly me and my Disney-ness. Instead it looked like a normal Asian structure.

A picture outside the grounds



And there were cute monkeys!





Pictures of the castle





Looking out the top of the castle







We walked up then down the castle and headed back to the train station. Along the way I had to take a picture of this random sign, but hey! It was Disney-ness!



And I had to stop at Baskin Robbins for my new favorite flavor, Choco Mint Cookie Chum



We walked a little more then sat at the train station in the Starbucks for a little while. The other girls almost missed the train. We took it to Nagoya to watch a Sumo tournament. It was really neat. We didn't understand a lot of what was going on. We wished we understood the language so that we could get the background of what was happening. But the matches went pretty quick. And there were a few non-Asian sumo wrestlers.











There wasn't much food available so I had this chicken stick. It wasn't too good.







There was a really skinny Sumo wrestler!



At the train station we had dinner. I had a spaghetti salad thing. I don't normally like red sauce but by this part of the trip I was kinda sick of Asian food so this hit the spot.





On the train ride back, we lost power for a minute. The lights flashed and the train stopped. People who worked on the train were running up and down the aisles. I had this image in my head of the train behind us crashing into us. It was pretty freaky and we never did find out what happened.

We got home to change and then went to head back out. Schayenne and her mom were coming in to drop off gift bags for us. She is soooo sweet! We also met Schayenne's uncle. Then we headed out to play Pachinko. It's got these little silver marbles/balls and it's like a slot machine crossed with pinball. We didn't really get it. The guys who worked there tried to explain but none of us understood. But it was fun and we won some new food snacks like a Crunky wafer.



Then we headed to McDonald's to have a late night snack of a vanilla ice cream cone.



Then we headed to bed for our last night in Japan.

Up next, our last day in Japan and the sad and not-so-fun ending of the trip for me

[DreamSweetsLove]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz View Post
WOW! You all look stunning in your kimonos. Were they expensive to buy?

And what great food you've eaten.
Thank you! They weren't too bad...about equivelant to $50 US dollars for the set!

Yukata are really affordable because it's a light summer kimono but if you don't go just before or during summer it will be difficult or impossible to find. Prices can range from around 30$ US to hundreds of US dollars. The cheaper ones come in a set but you can also buy the pieces separate at a nice department store. Kimono itself is much more expensive but you can probably find on at a decent price, around a couple hundred US dollars, at a second hand store but it's much harder to wear and care for.

[PrincessInOz]

I think I can safely say that I can stare at those Sumo Wrestlers all day...especially the skinny one.

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

Yukata are really affordable because it's a light summer kimono but if you don't go just before or during summer it will be difficult or impossible to find. Prices can range from around 30$ US to hundreds of US dollars. The cheaper ones come in a set but you can also buy the pieces separate at a nice department store. Kimono itself is much more expensive but you can probably find on at a decent price, around a couple hundred US dollars, at a second hand store but it's much harder to wear and care for.

Thank you!


One of these years, I'm going to make it to Japan. I'll have to keep this in mind.

[dangdang18]

I love the pictures!!! hope i can go oneday

[pandv_2000]

Thank you for updating. It looks like you had a fun time. I can't wait to check out some of these places in less than 2 weeks - we only have 4 nights and reading your TR makes me wish we had far longer.

[battymum]

Loving your tr, sometimes I find it hard to get excited about or upcoming trip, I think it's because we are not saturated with tourism ads, but the tr us certainly helping. I am so disappointed there will be no sumo in April.

Oh, and love the Yakuta's, where did you buy them?

[belle2211]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

Yukata are really affordable because it's a light summer kimono but if you don't go just before or during summer it will be difficult or impossible to find. Prices can range from around 30$ US to hundreds of US dollars. The cheaper ones come in a set but you can also buy the pieces separate at a nice department store. Kimono itself is much more expensive but you can probably find on at a decent price, around a couple hundred US dollars, at a second hand store but it's much harder to wear and care for.

Do we have a Yukata? All the stores were saying Kimonos so I have no idea!

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

I think I can safely say that I can stare at those Sumo Wrestlers all day...especially the skinny one.

Lol!!

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Thank you!


One of these years, I'm going to make it to Japan. I'll have to keep this in mind.

You will love it!

Originally Posted by dangdang18

I love the pictures!!! hope i can go oneday

I hope you do too!

Originally Posted by pandv_2000

Thank you for updating. It looks like you had a fun time. I can't wait to check out some of these places in less than 2 weeks - we only have 4 nights and reading your TR makes me wish we had far longer.

We had such a blast! Your 4 days will fly by!

Originally Posted by battymum

Loving your tr, sometimes I find it hard to get excited about or upcoming trip, I think it's because we are not saturated with tourism ads, but the tr us certainly helping. I am so disappointed there will be no sumo in April.

Oh, and love the Yakuta's, where did you buy them?

Your upcoming trip will be so much fun! We saw lots of stores that were selling the kimonos (Yakutas?) but we got ours the food market in Kyoto.