Harajuku.

We're in Tokyo now. This morning we visited the Harajuku district before our bus tour.




It was pretty early in the morning, so I didn't have many opportunities to take pictures of the locals. Although they probably get a lot requests for photos from foreigners..

Hiroshima and Miyajima.

We took the Shinkansen to Hiroshima the other day (behind again!)


We arrived at just about lunch time, in search for some "Hiroshima-style" okonomiyaki, which I guess means they stuff it more with cabbage and bean sprouts. There is a whole floor here dedicated to okonomiyaki restaurants.


It, too, was delicious.

Next: the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. We breezed through this museum -- somewhat of a challenge because I got pretty emotional at one point. Many of the images and artifacts were sad and disheartening. Outside, you can see how much the city has grown from the ashes, though the "atomic dome" is left as a reminder.


Afterwards, we took a ferry to Miyajima, an island famous for its beautiful shrine that sits out in the middle of the ocean -- when the tide is in, that is.

Here, there are deer that run rampant.


Itsukushima Shrine:


And I didn't even get boat sick.

Biking through Kyoto.

I severely miss my bike. The couple weeks leading up to the trip, I wasn't able to ride it at all, so I was absolutely thrilled to learn that the backpackers' hostel we're staying at offers bike rentals for only 100 yen per hour.

I rented a bike the first chance I got. Multiple adventures through town ensued.


While my bike back home is far superior (I miss the cushioned seat, ergonomic handles, and GEARS), I had a lot of fun with this rusty fellow. I love the wind rushing through my hair, I love covering so much ground, I love being able to explore the city on my own and taking all the time I need. I love being able to park just about anywhere.

My first night on a bike I ran (er, biked) into a couple friends who were headed to eat a local ramen restaurant.

That seriously hit the spot.

It had started raining by the time we got out, and I biked back in the rain. It was so freeing, so cleansing.

Sorry, I must sound like a total hippie right about now.

The next day, I took the bike out for about three hours. I biked to Kyoto Station (we had only breezed through it before), and explored the shops and food markets.

Completely overwhelmed, I had no idea what to buy. But then I noticed a bunch of people in line for something that smelled sweet and divine.


I waited about 15 minutes for these treats, and they were completely worth it.

After that I started heading over to Nishiki Market, where one of my travel books claims is a haven for cooks and chefs.

I biked past a couple temples, went through residential alleys, and dodged crowds of Japanese people on the way there.


Oh, and apparently my family owns a chain of hair galleries.


I found Nishiki Market, but it had closed by that time. I stopped into Circle K for something cold.


Balls of fruity sorbet. Check.

I was about to head back to the hostel and stumbled upon a gigantic shopping center.



Again, I was overwhelmed and did not make any purchases, but made the decision to return. I'm going back tomorrow morning before we leave for Tokyo.

That was fun, no?

Handicraft Center, and lunch with Sensei.

Handicraft Center was the last stop on our morning tour, a popular shopping spot for tourists, and it carries a ton of beautiful omiyage that is incredibly expensive. I did buy a pack of postcards earlier that day, though.




Now you can see why resisting to buy up every souvenir is quite a challenge for me.

We hopped on a little shuttle van to take us back. On the way, Sensei befriended our driver, who ended up dropping us off at this tiny little okonomiyaki restaurant that only locals would know to go.


Note to self: Continue tagging along with Sensei (the other half of our group was on a different shuttle and was taken back as originally planned -- missing out on okonomiyaki goodness).

Sensei also apparently likes chatting it up with youngsters walking home from school, who were quite surprised to see a large group of Americans following them down a narrow alleyway from where the restaurant was.

Kyoto temples and palaces.

We did a half-day tour in Kyoto today with a bus full of fellow gaijin (foreigners).

First stop: Nijo Castle. The only photos I have are exterior shots -- we were not allowed to take pictures indoors.



Inside, the "nightingale floors" squeaked eerily as we walked on them. They were built this way as a security system, warning the shogun who lived there of possible intruders. The walls are decorated with ornate wood carvings and intricate paintings.

Afterwards, Kinkaju-ji Temple. It started to rain rather heavily.


This crane was real. We watched it catch a fish.


Finally, Kyoto Imperial Palace.


That was only the first half of the day.

Ikebukuro to Kyoto.

Only my second post in Japan and I'm behind on this blog.

We moved from Ikebukuro in Tokyo to Kyoto on the second day. I had not anticipated dragging around 40 pounds of luggage up and down flights of stairs, otherwise, I might have tried to pack lighter. Sensei would probably say, "I told you so."

It was all for this shiny little "JR Pass" that was needed to get on the Shinkansen -- the "bullet train" that took us from Tokyo to Kyoto.



Once I got on the train I was so exhausted I slept the entire way to Kyoto and apparently missed Mt. Fuji.

*Insert non-existent picture of Mt. Fuji.*

Boo.

More to come soon. I left my plug converter at the hotel in Ikebukuro and need to find some way to plug in to charge my laptop.

P.S. I stopped by a couple local bakeries at Tokyo Station. See them here.