Friday, June 12, 2009
Japan Trip 2009
I had great time with everyone this year and I hope that all the years to come will be as fun as this one was! A big thanks to all the parents that put up with me not knowing exactly what to expect on my first trip and to the kids who did there best to stay out of trouble and experience as much of Japan as they could. I really appreciate it!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Kyoto!
So I have not had much chance to get on the internet. We went to gardens, shrines, and shopped around Kyoto last night then after dinner went to Hanamachi and searched for Geisha! We found a few, they took pictures, they will be on here soon. My time is almost up!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sooo/....
We are all in Kyoto now and our computer has no way of uploading photos. Maybe tomorrow?
I can tell you that we have had a great time. Two night ago we swam at the beach and did fireworks with the locals followed by an all night diner while I washed our beach clothes so we have something to wear the next day.
Yesterday we went on a cruise (better than the first one, in Hakone) and rode a cable car adventure but it was too cloudy to see Mt. Fuji. After that we made our way to Kyoto by bullet train (avg. speed 200mph) Today we have a free day and will be spending it at a museum, more temples and shrines, and a little bit of more temples and shrines, and a little bit of shopping.
I can tell you that we have had a great time. Two night ago we swam at the beach and did fireworks with the locals followed by an all night diner while I washed our beach clothes so we have something to wear the next day.
Yesterday we went on a cruise (better than the first one, in Hakone) and rode a cable car adventure but it was too cloudy to see Mt. Fuji. After that we made our way to Kyoto by bullet train (avg. speed 200mph) Today we have a free day and will be spending it at a museum, more temples and shrines, and a little bit of more temples and shrines, and a little bit of shopping.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Kamakura and Hatami!
Well we took a bus to Kamakura this morning and spent the day at a Buddhist temple with the second largest statue of Buddha (which you can climb inside of still even though it was built over 750 years ago!) Then we took a longer bus along the coast (beautiful!!) to Hatami were we are staying in a traditional hotel (well, kind of). Pretty soon we will be off to eat a very traditional meal then off to the beach! (Kaitlin is especially excited!)
If we are not too busy or tired I will post more pictures tonight. If you have time google search or youtube searh the movie PONYO (it is Anime) and you will get a good idea of the scenery here.
If we are not too busy or tired I will post more pictures tonight. If you have time google search or youtube searh the movie PONYO (it is Anime) and you will get a good idea of the scenery here.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Meiji Jingu
At the bottom we have our tour guide for the day. Behind her are hundreds of kegs of sake dedicated to this Shinto shrine, the first of our trip. It is an oasis of nature in the right next to one of the busiest shopping streets in the world
Crowded trains anyone?
When we were out on our own, the trains were our friends. We were sometimes packed like sushi and daniel almost got left behind.......
My head!
`
Some things are just not tall enough here. I don`t really notice but others of us who are not height challenged were experiencing the wrath of short people architecture.
Some things are just not tall enough here. I don`t really notice but others of us who are not height challenged were experiencing the wrath of short people architecture.
Temple
This was our first Buddhist temple. Sensouji. It was nice but a little too commercialized. Today and tomorrow we will see more natural temples in a different city.
Friday, June 5, 2009
ohayougozaimasu!
Gooooood morning. We are getting ready for our last full day in Tokyo now. It will be filled with an electric town, a sunshine building, and a street with a funny name. Today will be dedicated to shopping and seeing as much of tokyo as possible before we go off to the more traditional side Japan.
So
We started out the day (yesterday) at Meiji Jingu, a huge Shinto shrine, then we went shopping in Harajuku. Nathan really liked that shrine.(ask him about it later) We went on a river cruise and got to witness a really mad mom..... After that is was off to a huge Buddhist temple and a tempura dinner. I took our kids out until late after that to show them some of my favorite parts of town.
I am sorry about the picture situation. I forgot my card reader but will be getting one tonight. Hopefully I will have some eye candy for everyone by luch time tomorrow.
So
We started out the day (yesterday) at Meiji Jingu, a huge Shinto shrine, then we went shopping in Harajuku. Nathan really liked that shrine.(ask him about it later) We went on a river cruise and got to witness a really mad mom..... After that is was off to a huge Buddhist temple and a tempura dinner. I took our kids out until late after that to show them some of my favorite parts of town.
I am sorry about the picture situation. I forgot my card reader but will be getting one tonight. Hopefully I will have some eye candy for everyone by luch time tomorrow.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
safe and sound (but tired)
everyone did great on the plane ride over. we ate supper at our hotel and explored the area a little. tomorrow we have a busy day starting at 6am! I hope to get some pics up here tomorrow. many many have been taken. update tomorrow night!
Monday, June 1, 2009
New information (FINAL DETAILED SCHEDULE)
So here is some info that I JUST got sent.....I wish these people were a little more on top of their game...
I am sorry!
Less than 48hours
Is anyone else nervous?
FINAL DETAILED SCHEDULE
*unedited
*pay close attention to the last part
Thursday June 4th - Arrivals day. After all arrivals, go to hotel by bus. It takes about one hour to the Hotel in Tokyo.
First GLs meeting before dinner ( I will inform you again on the way to the Hotel.)
Dinner (around 7:30pm)-- at the Hotel (checken, fried potatoes, vegetables, rice, meat, miso-soup)
Friday June 5th - Tokyo morning bus tour with a licensed guide, from 8:30am to 12:30 pm.
Meiji Shinto Shrine, Harajyuku Shopping Street (lunch on your own)
Sumida River cruise will depart around 1:00pm, about 40 min.
Asakusa Temple by 10 min walk, and have a free time at the Temple until dinner.
There is a famous shopping street around the Temple.
Dinner (around 6:00pm)--Tempra Dinner (fish, seafood, vegetables, rice, miso soup, water)
Return to the hotel by two trains. It is a good chance to learn for you how to use it.
Arrival at the hotel before 8:00pm.
Saturday June 6th - Free time all day in Tokyo until Dinner (lunch on your own)
Suggetion - Edo Tokyo Museum (This is very nice museum to learn about town, life style,
culture, etc of Old-Tokyo.) About 2 hours. Few minues walk from the hotel.
Dinner (around 6:00pm) - Chanko Nabe, the dish which sumo wrestlers often eat in daily life.
(chicken, vegetables, seafood, tofu, fried tofu, rice, water)
After back hotel, baggage down at the lobby. (p lease be with TD and check your group luggage)
?Optional tour to Nikko - Tour will only be running over 20 applicants.
Now is 16 people signed up.
Sunday June 7th - Kamakura and Atami by bus (lunch on your own) ***Bring your overnight bag for one night.***
Check out day.
Kamakura - Kamakura Daibutsu and lunch on your own
Atami - ( is one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Japan) you can enjoy Japanese style Inn,
Japanese-style pajama, Japanese-style dinner, Onsen (hot springs)
Dinner at the hotel (around 6:30am) - Japanese style Dinner
Monday June 8th - Hakone and Bullet train for Kyoto
Check out day.
Hakone - Ashi Lake cruise, Mt. Komagatake cable car (lunch on your own)
Odawara to Kyoto - Bullet train, about 2 hours
I hope you can see a nice view and Mt. Fuji!
;Dinner at near Kyoto Station ( around 6:45pm) - Okonomi-yaki, Japanese pan cake.
On arrival at the hotel, check your luggage.
Tuesday June 9th - Free time all day in Kyoto until Dinner (lunch on your own)
Suggestion--Sanjyu-sangen temple, Kiyomizu Temple, Shijo Kawaramachi(the biggest shopping area in Kyoto),
Kyoto Handy Craft Center (Suvenier shop)
Dinner - meet at the lobby around 6:00pm,
dinner place is at the Holiday Inn Kyoto (Chinese buffet), it takes about 30 min by bus.
Wednesday June 10th - Kyoto morning bus tour with a licensed guide, from 8:00am to 12:00 pm.
Check out day.
Morning - Heian Shinto Shrine, Nijyo-Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple (lunch on your own)
Afternoon - Osaka Castle by bus
Dinner at the Hotel in Osaka
You can enjoy the biggest electric shop(included fashion floor, restrant floor) in Osaka,
strolling at the Three famous department stores, walking around Osaka station.
Thursday June 11th - Departure day. Until departure, short free time in Osaka.
About one hour to the Kansai airport by bus.
1st time Departure at 8:00am: Tyson Fritts-san's group with 11 people (NW0083, 12:25pm)
2nd time Departure at 12:30pm: The rest of all groups, 23 people (UA886, 17:10pm)
And here is some information and travel tips.
?YEN
Japanese money "Yen", please exchange money to the banks at the airport.
During the tour until Day7, there maybe difficult the chance to do that.
In Kyoto,(Day7 and 8), there is th e central bank office near JR Kyoto Station.
?Baggage transter
because of the limited space on the bullet train, you are expected to take an overnight bag for the one night, June 8th. Your luggage will be sent to the hotel in Kyoto by deliverly service.
Only one luggage per person is allowed to use delivery service.
You can meet your luggage at the hotel in Kyoto on June 9th.
?Shoes
walking shoes, ex. sneaker will help you much during the tour. Especially in cities,
we will use trains during the tour because that are much faster. Especially in Tokyo, we will
go down and up by stairs when we will use trains. So I would really recomment to have a walking shoes and easy to carry an overnight bag.
*Overnight Bag
As I mentioned as the above, please do not forget to bring an overnight bag.
Walking or subway or train is much fa ster than car or bus so, we will have many opprtunity to walk around in Japan, especially in Tokyo and Kyoto during the tour including your free time. And when we use trains such as subway, we need to go up and down by stairs. Bullet trains, too. So not only handy overnight bag, I would like to recommend to have a walking shose, it is much easier for you to travel in Japan.
*Hotel
1)Room check and damage
Please check the ALL rooms of your students on the check out day, before departure.
If there is some damage, you must pay the cost for the damage.
Last time, a male student damaged the electric plug of , it costed for repairment about 30,000 yen.
Female students tended to damage Japanese slide doors in the room.
2)Facilities, including Japanese style pajama(Yukata, and so on)
Do not pack any of them into your suitecase!!!! Especially, Japanese-style pajama IS NOT YOUR SUVENIOR.
So many times we repeated to ask not to pack it into your suitecase, but it does not work well.
Hotels and TDs are really annoying about it
??Room size
In Japan, please remind that room size of hotel is rather smaller space than that
in your country, especially big cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka.
One female student of James's and from Lauri's grou p will be shared one twin room,
because there is no femaile student to share a room among each group.
Note: It is not always happen, but accoring to the hotel, 4 female students will
share a twin room, to share one bed. (This is EF's instruction)
I will inform you if we need to do so during the tour.
*Handkerchief
Some of toilets at tourist sites are not equipped with hand dryer.
I hope this would be helpful. This is a wonderful opportunity for your students and I know they will make the most of it.
I am female. I will meet you at the airport. I have a EF board and waiting for you.
I am looking forward to seeing from you soon.
Have a nice flight!
Best wishes,
Wakaba
First GLs meeting before dinner ( I will inform you again on the way to the Hotel.)
Dinner (around 7:30pm)-- at the Hotel (checken, fried potatoes, vegetables, rice, meat, miso-soup)
Friday June 5th - Tokyo morning bus tour with a licensed guide, from 8:30am to 12:30 pm.
Meiji Shinto Shrine, Harajyuku Shopping Street (lunch on your own)
Sumida River cruise will depart around 1:00pm, about 40 min.
Asakusa Temple by 10 min walk, and have a free time at the Temple until dinner.
There is a famous shopping street around the Temple.
Dinner (around 6:00pm)--Tempra Dinner (fish, seafood, vegetables, rice, miso soup, water)
Return to the hotel by two trains. It is a good chance to learn for you how to use it.
Arrival at the hotel before 8:00pm.
Saturday June 6th - Free time all day in Tokyo until Dinner (lunch on your own)
Suggetion - Edo Tokyo Museum (This is very nice museum to learn about town, life style,
culture, etc of Old-Tokyo.) About 2 hours. Few minues walk from the hotel.
Dinner (around 6:00pm) - Chanko Nabe, the dish which sumo wrestlers often eat in daily life.
(chicken, vegetables, seafood, tofu, fried tofu, rice, water)
After back hotel, baggage down at the lobby. (p lease be with TD and check your group luggage)
?Optional tour to Nikko - Tour will only be running over 20 applicants.
Now is 16 people signed up.
Sunday June 7th - Kamakura and Atami by bus (lunch on your own) ***Bring your overnight bag for one night.***
Check out day.
Kamakura - Kamakura Daibutsu and lunch on your own
Atami - ( is one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Japan) you can enjoy Japanese style Inn,
Japanese-style pajama, Japanese-style dinner, Onsen (hot springs)
Dinner at the hotel (around 6:30am) - Japanese style Dinner
Monday June 8th - Hakone and Bullet train for Kyoto
Check out day.
Hakone - Ashi Lake cruise, Mt. Komagatake cable car (lunch on your own)
Odawara to Kyoto - Bullet train, about 2 hours
I hope you can see a nice view and Mt. Fuji!
;Dinner at near Kyoto Station ( around 6:45pm) - Okonomi-yaki, Japanese pan cake.
On arrival at the hotel, check your luggage.
Tuesday June 9th - Free time all day in Kyoto until Dinner (lunch on your own)
Suggestion--Sanjyu-sangen temple, Kiyomizu Temple, Shijo Kawaramachi(the biggest shopping area in Kyoto),
Kyoto Handy Craft Center (Suvenier shop)
Dinner - meet at the lobby around 6:00pm,
dinner place is at the Holiday Inn Kyoto (Chinese buffet), it takes about 30 min by bus.
Wednesday June 10th - Kyoto morning bus tour with a licensed guide, from 8:00am to 12:00 pm.
Check out day.
Morning - Heian Shinto Shrine, Nijyo-Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple (lunch on your own)
Afternoon - Osaka Castle by bus
Dinner at the Hotel in Osaka
You can enjoy the biggest electric shop(included fashion floor, restrant floor) in Osaka,
strolling at the Three famous department stores, walking around Osaka station.
Thursday June 11th - Departure day. Until departure, short free time in Osaka.
About one hour to the Kansai airport by bus.
1st time Departure at 8:00am: Tyson Fritts-san's group with 11 people (NW0083, 12:25pm)
2nd time Departure at 12:30pm: The rest of all groups, 23 people (UA886, 17:10pm)
And here is some information and travel tips.
?YEN
Japanese money "Yen", please exchange money to the banks at the airport.
During the tour until Day7, there maybe difficult the chance to do that.
In Kyoto,(Day7 and 8), there is th e central bank office near JR Kyoto Station.
?Baggage transter
because of the limited space on the bullet train, you are expected to take an overnight bag for the one night, June 8th. Your luggage will be sent to the hotel in Kyoto by deliverly service.
Only one luggage per person is allowed to use delivery service.
You can meet your luggage at the hotel in Kyoto on June 9th.
?Shoes
walking shoes, ex. sneaker will help you much during the tour. Especially in cities,
we will use trains during the tour because that are much faster. Especially in Tokyo, we will
go down and up by stairs when we will use trains. So I would really recomment to have a walking shoes and easy to carry an overnight bag.
*Overnight Bag
As I mentioned as the above, please do not forget to bring an overnight bag.
Walking or subway or train is much fa ster than car or bus so, we will have many opprtunity to walk around in Japan, especially in Tokyo and Kyoto during the tour including your free time. And when we use trains such as subway, we need to go up and down by stairs. Bullet trains, too. So not only handy overnight bag, I would like to recommend to have a walking shose, it is much easier for you to travel in Japan.
*Hotel
1)Room check and damage
Please check the ALL rooms of your students on the check out day, before departure.
If there is some damage, you must pay the cost for the damage.
Last time, a male student damaged the electric plug of , it costed for repairment about 30,000 yen.
Female students tended to damage Japanese slide doors in the room.
2)Facilities, including Japanese style pajama(Yukata, and so on)
Do not pack any of them into your suitecase!!!! Especially, Japanese-style pajama IS NOT YOUR SUVENIOR.
So many times we repeated to ask not to pack it into your suitecase, but it does not work well.
Hotels and TDs are really annoying about it
??Room size
In Japan, please remind that room size of hotel is rather smaller space than that
in your country, especially big cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka.
One female student of James's and from Lauri's grou p will be shared one twin room,
because there is no femaile student to share a room among each group.
Note: It is not always happen, but accoring to the hotel, 4 female students will
share a twin room, to share one bed. (This is EF's instruction)
I will inform you if we need to do so during the tour.
*Handkerchief
Some of toilets at tourist sites are not equipped with hand dryer.
I hope this would be helpful. This is a wonderful opportunity for your students and I know they will make the most of it.
I am female. I will meet you at the airport. I have a EF board and waiting for you.
I am looking forward to seeing from you soon.
Have a nice flight!
Best wishes,
Wakaba
Friday, May 29, 2009
Are you ready!
We are leaving on Wednesday. Make sure you are at the airport between 530 and 6, in the AM!!
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