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Day 14 – 9th April 2017

Once again we wake up to a decidedly overcast day and the view of Mt. Fuji will just have to wait for another day.

At breakfast we seek out Amos and Eva from our group as they are not joining us on our final tour to the Imperial Palace with Chiaki and they had left the previous evening’s dinner before we had time to wish them all the best. We are pleased to catch up with them again and reminisce with them on what has been a delightful tour. Both of them are very appreciative of the assistance given to Amos but the fact that he has completed a not undemanding tour has been in no small way due to his remarkable guts and determination, especially given his health problems.

The travel notes for the tour had indicated that we might be able to visit the famous Meiji Shrine on this our last morning but Sunday does not live up to its name. We, therefore, head off with Chiaki for a last minute ‘ cherry blossom fix’ walking along the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace. Notwithstanding the teeming rain we are rewarded with some magnificent blossom displays.

   

Finally, it’s time to say goodbye to Chiaki and to all of our travelling companions as they go their various ways. We could not have asked for a more convivial group.

 

           

 

With the rain abating slightly Gail and I decide to take the fairly long walk along the eastern perimeter of the Palace eventually arriving at the famous iron Niju-Bashi bridge,located at the southern end of the Imperial Palace Gardens. It’s here that we have agreed to meet up with Gail’s niece, Nicole and her husband John, who have recently arrived from Perth to do their own tour of parts of Japan.

We decide to take the underground and head for Shibuya Crossing reputedly the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world although as always there will no doubt be a number of cities which will contest that.

This crossing is not known as the Shibuya Scramble for no reason as with every traffic light change hundreds of people ( for peak times read thousands ) cross at a time from all directions. Apparently, the best time to visit this intersection is on a Friday or Saturday night when the hordes of fashionable young people embark upon a night out on the town. We will leave that to the youngsters but we have seen enough of the frenetic pace, the mind-boggling crowds, neon lights and giant screens to understand what has made Shibuya famous ( or maybe infamous ).

We are all now feeling a bit peckish and with guidance from Nicole and John , who have already been to this area before, we find a suitable restaurant and enjoy a more than passable meal. It’s good to get out of the ever-present rain and to have a nice long chat. Although we only live about 250 kms from John and Nicole this is probably the longest time we have had together over the past twelve months.

It’s now time for us to say cheerio and for us to head back to our hotel but it is good to see them both looking so well at the start of what should be a great trip. The weather seems to be picking up over the next few days so they should be able to let us know what Mt Fuji looks like and see the cherry blossom in all it’s glory.

It seems strange to be returning to the hotel without our traveling friends but tomorrow we still have 5 days on our own to truly explore Japan’s capital city.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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Day 13 – 8th April 2017
Today is the day for us to set out on a coach for the Holy Grail of a visit to Japan, a long-awaited view of Mt Fuji. Sadly the weather gods seem to be conspiring against us again and we set off west from Tokyo under ever more threatening skies.

Although viewed through mist, rain and clouds the scenery along the way is very picturesque and eventually we arrive at the impressive Fuji Sengen Shrine, dating from the 8th century. Chiaki takes us through the procedure to be followed when offering prayers to the Sun God, namely bow twice,clap hands once, a moment for silent prayer and a final bow before making one’s way down the steps from the Main Hall. We now had off to put this to the test but in spite of Chiaki complimenting me on my very respectful conduct at the altar the rain has got heavier and I can only assume that the Sun God only works on weekdays!

We notice walking through the temple park that certain large trees have ropes tied round them in a bow and we are told that this represents a bonding of couples who also leave messages on nearby wire lines.

    
Continuing on through more pleasant scenery and stopping for some lunch we eventually arrive at Hakone on the shores of Lake Ashi. Hakone was one of the checkpoints/guard posts along the Old Tokaido Highway, established in 1619 by Tokugawa Shogunate to safeguard the security of Edo ( now Tokyo ). A number of these guard posts were created along the road from Edo to Kyoto.

In spite of the very inclement weather ( in fact it’s bucketing down ) we decide to brave the elements and take a 15 minute ferry trip on the lake.

The umbrella that I had purchased on our second day in Japan for 4 Dollars has succumbed to the very high winds and what I thought was a very sturdy handle has snapped off. The good news is that it will now fit into my case should I wish to get a little more use out of it and the umbrella is now at the same height as most others carried by the Japanese as we make our way through the crowds!
Apparently, Lake Ashi is famous for the inverted reflection of the fabled Mt Fuji and we had planned to take a ride on the Hakone Ropeway which on its way up to Mt Komagatake offers more of this iconic view. Sadly, the gale- force winds render the journey too hazardous and we can hardly see our travelling companions let alone dear old Fuji! However, by way of compensation Chiaki allows herself to be photographed while she contorts her neck to represent the upper slopes of Mt Fuji! She is definitely not an ‘ inscrutable oriental lady!
All that remains is for us to take the return coach trip to Tokyo under slightly more promising skies and prepare for the group’s farewell dinner back at our hotel. During the journey Chiaki explains that the Japanese have a deity for almost everything. Chiaki homes in on the deity for toilets because if a girl keeps her toilet clean she will marry well. In her self- deprecating way she comments that her cleaning obviously failed to come up to the required standard!
The buffet-style meal is of the highest order and starts off on a great note when Sally is surprised with a cake to celebrate her birthday. The evening is made all the more memorable by some truly heartfelt words of appreciation to Chiaki from Ray, Keith and Mirec on behalf of the whole group. Keith, in particular, gives a very fine speech which perfectly encapsulates what we all feel about Chiaki and her immense contribution to making the trip so memorable.

Tipping or giving gifts in such a situation is not the accepted norm in Japan but her performance has been such that we feel justified in ignoring protocol and presenting her with a couple of gifts.
For Gail and myself and no doubt many in the group she has been truly remarkable in every way and is certainly the best guide we have encountered on our travels.
Cheers
The Obese Ferret

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