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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Tagged as: beer, drink, Food, girls, Japan, japanese, sake, sharp, shrine, tokyo