Day 1
Run to train
Shinkensen to Kyoto
To the Temple
Crazy Artist
Sushi Dinner
“Mexican” Bar

I haven’t done any extensive research but I would venture to say that the two most popular destinations in Japan are Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo is the large metropolis of Japan with its own beauty, and Kyoto is the majestic/historic area of Japan with a completely different beauty. So naturally Kyoto was the next place on the Japan bucket-list. We probably would have planned this trip a little later in the year but our friend Justin came to visit us and he expressed interest in Kyoto. We also decided to see Hiroshima being that it was only 2 hours away from Kyoto.

Trip itinerary:
Tsukuba Sunday, June 6th ~8:00 a.m. to Tokyo
Tokyo to Kyoto on the Bullet train ~10:00 a.m.
Arrive in Kyoto 12:00 p.m.
Leave Kyoto Monday, June 7th ~1:00 p.m. to Hiroshima
Leave Hiroshima Tuesday, June 8th ~4:00 p.m. to Tokyo
Tokyo to Tsukuba

We didn’t want to leave our bikes at the Tsukuba station for three days so we had to walk to the station. It turns out that if you underestimate the time required to get some where and you also leave the starting point (the Ninomiya house) late, then you will be running no wait sprinting to catch the train. I bring this up because this is exactly how we started our trip and would prove to be foreshadowing for the rest of the trip. After sprinting 200 yards down two escalators with 30 pound backpacks, Reagan in my arms and Chelsae carrying the stroller we made it sweaty and out of breath. An hour later we were in Tokyo with plenty of time to board the  Shinkansen (the Bullet Train). So we probably could have taken the next train but we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss the Shinkansen (foreshadowing).

The Shinkansen N700  has a top speed of 300 km/h (186mph). It took us 2.5 hours to get to Kyoto but the train was very nice with a lot of leg room and seats that actually reclined. Reagan didn’t sleep at all, she was just bouncing from seat to seat and up and down. It made for a longer trip but not too big of a deal. Riding the Shinkansen is like flying, it is extremely smooth with just a slight air-humming noise. One of the interesting things about the trains is when you go through a tunnel at high speed. Because of the tunnel the air that is being displaced by the train can not escape quickly so the air is compressed and the pressure inside the tunnel is increased. You then feel this change in pressure in your ears like when you fly. I was shocked the first time it happened but once I thought about it, it makes sense and I guess it’s not really that strange.




Kyoto

Making our way to our hotel we stopped at a Soba restaurant to grab some lunch. It was the third stop because the other restaurants we tried were full but I think it turned out to be the best choice. Right as we walked in there were three people making the Soba noodles that we were about to consume. We were lead up a narrow steep stairway and remember that we have our large backpacks, and Reagan is now asleep in her stroller. So we picked up the whole stroller and walked her up the stairs, this princess thing is really coming true for her. They seated us in our own dinning-room that had a door that we could close. It was very nice, quiet and secluded. The food was great, the atmosphere was wonderful and the air conditioning was cold.

After checking into the hotel and unloading some stuff from our backpacks we headed out to explore Kyoto. In the Kyoto guide it says that if you don’t have a plan it is possible to get over whelmed and just spend all day looking at a few temples and shrines. Since we didn’t have that much time we wanted to make sure that this didn’t happen to us. First stop was the Kiyomizu-dera temple. In the guide book it seemed to be one of the best temples to go to. It was built up on a hill and provided a nice scenic view of Kyoto.

Being there were going to be a lot of stairs to climb we took Reagan out of the stroller and left the stroller off to the side of the main gate. Don’t worry, the stroller was still there when we got back even though Chelsae was really worried about it. This was our first time to have Reagan out with a lot of Japanese people around and everyone was constantly stopping to look at her. I mean everyone, men and women both young and old. They always stop and say "かわいい (Kawaii)" which means cute. Please note, when I talk about this I'm not trying to brag or anything and I am really not exaggerating about then number of people. The bad/funny thing is Reagan is starting to know they are adoring her. Now when people have cameras she starts posing for them, and wants them to take her picture. It's funny and cute and the Japanese love it. Reagan also felt she needed to be in both the girls and guys pictures at the main gate.

For this blog I just wanted to post a couple of pictures of why Reagan loves Japan so much . . . because there are parks EVERYWHERE. The parks are just beautiful too. For at least the first week, we took her to the park everyday. We still go almost everyday. I actually try my hardest not to ever mention the word park around her because if you do for the next ten minutes straight all you hear is “Park. Park! Mommy, PARK!!”


Reagan climbing through the tubes at Doho park which is only about 15 minutes from the house.


Coming down a huge slide.


Playing with daddy at a park in Tokyo.


Posing for her picture at the Ueno Park. Ueno is a suburb of Tokyo.


Playing in the water-fountain by the the Tsukuba Station.


She was soaked. She played for an hour.


This was her reaction to me saying, “it’s time to go.”


Playing at the Hiroshima Peace Park.

So the first couple of days in Japan were mainly an adjusting and learning period. Reagan had a pretty hard time adjusting to the time change. She was waking up at 4 am and then sleeping hard for her nap during the day. We had to wake her up every time and that did not make her happy. She was ready to be down for the night. After a couple of rough nights and long days she started sleeping normal again. The other thing to adjust to was Matt had been gone for two months. Reagan had changed quiet a bit in those two months. Matt had left a baby behind and I brought him a toddler. He was now understanding all of my complaining having her all alone. I had been putting up with a little one about to be in terrible twos.

Also during those first couple days Matt took me around town and showed me places I would need to go. We went to the grocery store, the train station, the park, and the 100 yen store. It was a lot of fun riding bikes around and Reagan is so cute with her little pink helmet. She learned that word really fast and it is so cute when we get ready to go anywhere she starts running around yelling “Helmet!”

The first weekend we were here was my birthday. I was very excited to get to spend some time with Matt. We went into Tokyo and went to a park for Octoberfest. I know it isn’t October but Japanese love it so much they have it in the spring and fall. The park was absolutely beautiful. We went to a play area and let Reagan and Matt play on all of the playground equipment. It is crazy how unregulated their toys are. There was a small zip line kids were in line waiting to play on. Matt and Reagan waited their turn and tried it out. On our way out we found a pretty area to take some quick pictures. Reagan found a cat and thought she should ride it. It was pretty funny. After that we came home and bought sushi from the grocery store. We were going to go out for sushi but it was a long day for Reagan and she was still adjusting to the time change. The sushi from the store though is just as good or better than what we get back home. It was an awesome birthday and what was better is that I was in bed by 10 pm and got to sleep in the next day. I was in desperate need for some R&R.


Since Matt was headed back to work, I had to learn how to ride with Reagan on the bike too. She has a seat that is attached to the back wheel. It makes for a wobbly ride. Matt had me follow him to work so he could help me out a little and so I knew where he worked. For at least the first ten minutes I swore I was going to dump us both. Right before Matt left us to head on to work, he lectured me about being confident and don’t dump the bike because it would hurt Reagan. Thanks babe, I didn’t know that. Well I haven’t dump it or even been close and I feel pretty confident with my riding now. That pretty much sums up the first couple of days here.