Day 5 - Saturday July 3, 2010 Tokyo, Japan

Day 5 - Tokyo, Japan

To the left above: The busy Shibuya intersection at night. The picture doesn't really convey the mass mayhem that ensues when everyone crosses the large intersection at the same time!

To the right above: Mount Fuji in the distance reflected on a lake.

What an exciting day. Key highlights:
- Mount Fuji
- Lake Hakone
- Owekudani Valley sulfur pools
- Narukawa Art Museum
- Shibuya pedestrian intersection
- Japanese dinner

I awoke this morning about 2 am thinking I was still somewhere in the U.S. Body clock was a bit messed up. Back to sleep until 4 and then it was time to get up. Tokyo was really quiet early on a Saturday morning. I went out for a quiet walk through Ginza and no one was around.

Had a large breakfast in the hotel to get my eating back on schedule. The eggs benedict were delicious and the egg yokes were the orangest I had ever seen. It was good.

The concierge tried to get me on the city tour today but it was full so we booked Mount Fuji and Lake Hakone. This hotel is so central to many things and the tours leave from here. Miyuki was our guide (Miyuki-san) and she did a good job of describing life in Japan. We took the Tomei Expressway out to Mt. Fuji, about a 2 hour drive. Wasn't much to see for the first hour as the expressway is way up in the air and then they have huge barriers on each side so we couldn't see the countryside. Finally, hills, mountains, green tea groves, rice paddies, typical houses - neat things to see.

It was hazy and misty off and on and we suspected the visibility wouldn't be so good. Nevertheless, we caught glimpses of Mt. Fuji from the distance from time to time. Snow at the top even though it is summer. The mountain is 12,365 fee tall (easy to remember - we months of the year and 365 days in a year! - thanks to Miyuki-san!). It was chilly at the top with lots of black volcanic rock around.

After Mt. Fuji we went to the Hakone Lake Hotel for lunch which was included in the tour. It was tasty but nothing special. Then to the Hakone Sky Gondola for a ride to the top of the volcanic Hakone Mountain. But then the bad weather had worsened and we were in the clouds most of the time. But it was fun.

Then to the Owakudani Valley sulfer hot springs. Strong sulfur smell in the air. They served wasabi ice cream here. We were then supposed to take a cruise on Lake Ashi on a pirate ship but the weather had gotten even worse so instead we went to the Narukawa Art Museum. We left there and went to see the Japanese Bullet Train. Obviously the Japanese are upset that the Chinese have a faster train than they have. It took a little over an hour to drive back into Tokyo and they dropped me back at the Dai-Ichi.

I had the concierge give me some maps of the subway and immediately took off for Shibuya. It was fascinating. Probably the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world. Everyone waits patiently for the "walk lights" to turn green (it turns green for every direction at the same time including diagonal) and then everyone takes off at the same time. Fascinating. Great people watching. Mostly a very, very young crowd and some were obviously "on something"! It get crazier the later it gets.

Back on the subway to the hotel. Stopped at a Japanese restaurant and had shredded pork on rice and noodles and shrimp spring rolls with sesame seeds. It was good.

Miyaki-san told interesting stories including describing how crowded the subways are at rush hour - No, you can't scratch your nose, No, you can't check your watch, No, you can't reach into your pocket, but Yes, you can sleep standing up and you will be held in place.

She also told us the Japanese philosophy on why Japanese women live on average 6 years longer than Japanese men - the women don't have wives!

Lastly, she explained the Japanese fixation with personal hygiene. She urged everyone to go to a typical Japanese bath and urged us to try the "special toilet seats". She was right. The toilet seat at the hotel flushes when you sit down, and it has a sensor so it won't work unless someone is sitting on it. I decided to do a "wash" cycle - wow was that a thrill - it seemed to work good. May need one of those at home!!!! They are even heated!

A busy Day 5. Tomorrow are Tokyo City highlights!