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~ From City Lights to Star Lights ~
~ From City Lights to Star Lights ~
Thirty-six of us traveled to Tokyo-Yokohama-Gotemba-Hamamatsu for a total of 9 days. Here are our experiences!
Thank you to Chikako of H.I.S Hawaii for helping coordinate this wonderful trip!!!
Day 1: We arrived in Narita! From top left: 1) Seven out of eleven families flew together. 2) Our triple room at Shinagawa Prince Hotel. 3) View from our hotel room. 4) Busy Shinagawa Station. Crowded yet orderly. Noticed that people were walking on both sides going toward the West exit, and center going toward the East exit. We explored the area and had dinner!
Day 2: We toured Tokyo. From top left: 1&2) We went to Miraikan (The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation). 3) We visited Asakusa. 4) Glass floor at the Tokyo Skytree... scary! 5) We met up with Yoko Sensei and her children, and had lunch at Kushiya Monogatari in Odaiba. We got to deepfry own food... delicious! 6) View from the Tokyo Skytree... such a beautiful day!
Day 3: We went to KidZania, and moved to Yokohama in the evening. Most families attended a baseball game at the Yokohama Baseball Stadium at night and had a great time there. (See right --->)
There were over 90 jobs to choose from at KidZania. The above pictures from KidZania; from top left 1) Adults in front of KidZania. 2) Girls working at a nail salon. 3) Withdrawing some money he had earned. 4) Boys working as a Hi Chew maker. They got to make it, keep it, and got paid for it! 5) Boys working as a dental hygienist and a dentist. 6) The teenagers working as a crepe maker.
Here's more information on KidZania: http://www.kidzania.com
We went to Yokohama DeNA Baystars vs. Chiba Lotte Marines game.
It was an exciting game. What an experience!
Day 4: We toured Yokohama-Kamakura. From top left: 1) Great Buddha of Kamakura. 2~4) We made our own cup noodles at the Cup Noodles Museum. 5) Free time at Minato mirai. Many of us went to Pokemon Center. 6) We stayed at Hotel Monterey Yokohama. Such a beautiful hotel with a great view!
Day 5: We moved to Gotemba. From top left: 1) We were lucky enough to see Mt. Fuji on a cloudy day. It cleared up in the afternoon and enjoyed a better view from our hotel room. We stayed at Gotemba Tokinosumika, which was a countryside resort. We saw lots of fireflies and many took turns to enjoy onsen (hot spring) at night. Our dinner was another great all-you-can-eat (and drink) and had a wonderful meal... constant eating of good food! 2~4) We had a great time making soba and eating it. 5) Three young ladies ready to enjoy onsen.
Day 6: We toured the Mt. Fuji area. From top left: 1) All our rooms had Mt. Fuji view! Lucky! 2&4) We chartered "Jungle Bus" at Fuji Safari Park where we got to feed bears, lions, and camels. Super cool! It was everyone's first time experiencing feeindg wild animals! 3&5) We then visited Mt. Fuji Children's World. We hiked and enjoyed the nature. Many got to fish trout which they got to grill and eat it right there. Cannot get any fresher!
Day 7: We moved to Hamamatsu. On the way there, we made several stops. From top left: 1&2) We went to Kunozan Toshogu Temple via. Nihon Daira Ropeway. 3~5) We experienced making fake food out of wax at Aoi Food Samples. We made mini-dessert and tempura! 6) This is the tempura made out of wax. Don't they look real? Sample food (menu) like this is displayed outside many restaurants in Japan.
Day 8: We toured Hamamatsu. From top left: 1&4) Best strawberries ever! Some ate as many as 40-60... we couldn't stop! 2) Boys hanging out at Hamamatsu Castle Park. 3) Hamamatsu Air Park. Kids got to experience flying on the flight simulator. 5) Shabu shabu dinner. 6) Unagi pie factory. This buttery pastry (with eel powder inside, but you don't taste it!) is a famous souvenir of Hamamatsu.
Day 9: Our last day together. Nine days went by so quickly! We went separate ways after breakfast. Most families went to Nagoya to fly out of NGO. Some families extended their trip by going to Tokyo, Osaka, or Hokkaido. From top left: 1) Hotel Okura Act City Hamamatsu. Beautiful hotel w/music as its theme. We found musical notes inside the elevators, on the floor and bathroom wall, etc. 2) View from our hotel room. 3) Several families visited Suzuki History Museum. 4) Hamamatsu Musical Instrument Museum. 5) We all rode on Shinkansen!
Every experience was amazing! Agena Sensei asked the participants:
1: "What part of Japan did you enjoy most?"
"Some highlights were the attractions around mt fuji and most definitely the strawberry picking. One of the favorites was the Kunozan Toshogu Shrine."
"The eating experience - the wonderful food!"
"Gotemba, Mt. Fuji, the onsen and fireflies!!!"
"We enjoyed the food sample making, Tokyo Sky tree, the strawberry picking and exploring the Nagoya train station."
"Gotemba. Loved how the room had a view of Mount Fuji. The soba making was also a memorable experience. KIdzania with friends are always fun. The baseball game was also an exciting event."
"The Mt. Fuji countryside was fun. I have heard that it's not easy to get to so I'm glad you included those places (soba making, safari park, children's world) in the tour."
Loved the countryside. Would go to various hot springs.
strawberry picking, food sample making.
We really enjoyed Fuji Safari Park and was pleasantly surprised that we were able to feed the animals. We also enjoyed the baseball game. Different experience compared to American baseball games.
Being able to experience an onsen for the first time.
We got to see Mt. Fuji several times. We also got a bonus of seeing fireflies.
2: "Please write any comments that you don't mind sharing with my next group if I am to plan a trip to Japan again."
"Agena sensei is an awesome trip planner and tour guide!!! She puts so much thought and effort into the itinerary...I'd go back to Japan again with her in a heartbeat :) "
"Thank you so much for all you did to plan and organize the trip. It was such a wonderful and memorable trip we will not forget."
"Get good walking shoes and get in shape before the trip! Agena Sensei is the best tour guide you could ask for!"
"Hotels were clean and classy, especially the last hotel. Food dining offered a variety of dishes to try. Tour guide was awesome and accommodating making the trip much more enjoyable."
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