I didn’t really have that much time off over Xmas, only really the national holidays so i didn’t get too far out of my own back yard … with the exception of a day trip on a bus to Mishima which is a few hours south of Tokyo.
One of the guys from my local karaoke bar, who also happens to live in the building next door to me, gave me the heads up about a day trip with the other regulars, why not give it a crack i thought.
It’s usually not my thing and considering i was the youngest person by far i was a bit apprehensive that i’d have a shit time, quiet the opposite, it was lots of fun and for 10,000 not too badly priced.
Once the bus got going at 8am sharp and my neighbour cracked a fresh bottle of whiskey i knew things were on the up.
First stop was at Kazamatsuri station for some food.
If nothing else the packaging is colourful.
Dried fish, it’s actually pretty tasty.
This place was very busy and doing a roaring trade.
Not a big fan of Nori, it gives me wind.
This beer wasn’t bad at all, a bit expensive though for a small can.
If you don’t start to develop different eating habits and tastes you find yourself going hungry lots of the time. There’s no Salt and Vinegar chips here.
I picked up some Kusaya and a few beers then it was time to get moving, next stop was lunch by the water.
It was good to get out of the city and see some different types of buildings.
It was an early lunch, about 11am, but in the interest of keeping relatively sober for as long as i could i knew it was wise to eat up big. This was the waterside place we stopped at, very nice place to take some pics.
I probably took and posted a few too many.
That’s my lot over there on the other side, all up the bus had 40 on it with 12 being my immediate group.
This fish was still moving and the spread tasted every bit as good as it looks.
Judging by the snickering of the girls that worked here, I think i was one of the first foreginers to visit, either that or i’m just a funny looking rooster.
Plenty of beer and atsukan (hot sake) over lunch.
Next stop was Mishima Taisha, a popular shrine down that way that was very busy with punters praying for the first time in the new year.
Pretty much like any other shrine and not being a religious gent my time to finish here can’t come quick enough.
Here’s some of my lot all very friendly, love a drink and lots of fun for the day.
First sighting of a young lass.
I tell a lie, at the station in the morning there were quite a few young lasses going on bus trips, i had my fingers crossed it would be the same trip as me but unfortunately that wasn’t too be.
No shortage of food getting cooked up on the spot.
Last stop was the Emperors second palace.
It amazed me how they could live here with so little insulation.
Very old style English furniture i thought.
I find it VERY hard to sleep on the deck, i don’t know how they do it.
What on earth is that black thing??
At least they had a pool table to keep themselves occupied.
Having someone else bathe me is my kinda life.
It was as cold as charity down this way too ….. well happy the day was ending and time to get back on the bus, and finish off the whiskey.
A quick meander around the gardens and it was getting almost time to head off.
4pm ish and we started the long journey home, due to mass traffic on the Tomei Expressway it was a good few hours to get back to Tokyo. All in all a fun day and good 12 hours solid Japanese practice.
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Interesting place. Thanks for the short tour! Now I have another place out of town to visit!
That sashimi looks pretty good. Got to love the 8am whiskey too.
Did you really buy Kusaya? Brave man!
2 different types, love it …. just need to be careful where i eat it!
I shouldn’t have read that right now, now I’m even hungrier than before! Oh well, I really liked the post, lots of pictures is always a good thing ^^ I would be a little disgusted to see the fish moving on the dinner table though, I think…
niel, did you buy any fireworks? ( thought i saw a pic of some for sale )
No i didn’t. I saw some the last Hanabi party i went too but with nowhere “sensible” i could think of to let them off i didn’t see the point ….. i dearly would love too though!!
From one Neil to another…the chics were probably giggling `cause you are a little funny-lookin’!
Honestly though, I saw a photo of you with some other chrome-dome white guy at a restaurant a few weeks back…you looked like twins.
My roommate, here in Washington D.C., has also live in Japan and he too shaves his head to a smooth luster…what gives? Do a lot of foreign white guys shave their heads over there? Is it more socially acceptable or something?
-Neil
Hahaha, very funny Neil.
As for the shaved head, no more common here than any other part of the world. Since my hairline started to march back i took is as the best option, a mid 30′s guy getting round with a semi come over looks like more of a tool than a baldy. Ive been running a nude nut for a good 5 years now i reckon ….. not much hope for anything else!!
Mate, it’s great to see a pictorial rendition of Japan from you – don’t get me wrong, your banter is what makes this blog what it is – but I did enjoy the change up.
That black thing would have to be some kind of medievil bidet… that buffet looks outrageous as well.
Glad you like it Heater, would like to do more trips this year and will have camera in tow when i do. Will be hitting the snow soon i hope so that will make for some good footage of this photographically friendly land.
Great report.
Thank you.
Hi Neil,
Great pics, do you know how Mishima is written in Kanji?
It also happens to be my wifes surname (Mishima) but I’m sure there’s a number of different ways to write it.
Is this the first time you’ve gone out for something social with this group?
Hey Declan, Mishima was written 三島 from memory but i’d have to check to be sure. With this group it was the first time, i often visit onsens and other places, Hanami and Hanabi party time with other groups.
The black thing could be a Japanese style toilet, I guess.
You`re probabl right, it struck me as funny having 2 toilets so close though.
As far as I can tell, they still do.
I’m sure my place is colder inside than it is outside sometimes.
I wish I could live in Japan like you but I would most likely be the third black guy living in japan(I know two others). But I’m going to be going to japan later on to study it’s culture, by the way how much would it cost for a car in japan?
Here’s a few other guys that may be able to fill you in on living in Tokyo. http://www.blacktokyo.com/ and http://blackjapanman.com/
As for the car, man, they’re cheap as all get out here …. parking them’s the expensive part. Sure if you lived outside of Tokyo it would be very affordable.
Thanks http://www.blacktokyo.com/ was really helpful. It helped me keep up with news in japan also my Wii helped with some news article.
No probs, he’s a great guy with lots of interesting things to say …. keep following his stuff.
The black thing could be a Japanese style toilet, I guess
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