The Duffs Travels

Today, we ventured to a market under the railway arches in Tokyo to see a different side of the city. It was a stark contrast from the shiny high-rise Tokyo we had been visiting.  As a break from our shopping, we visited a sushi bar where we had a unique experience. A bullet train delivered any item we ordered via the screen, which was very high-tech for us British. We made our choices by studying the pictures on the screen and indulged in conger eel, oysters, and other delicacies.    After having our fill of conger eel, oysters and god knows what else we made our way to Uneo Park and peddled around the lake to burn off some calories. Some of us peddled more than others 😆 We then set out to find the Yanaka district, an area that survived the earthquake of 1923 and the bombing of WW2. The district was full of small alleyways, old houses, and beautiful shrines. I enjoyed wandering around and observing people living their daily lives.  ...

We made our way back to Tokyo and headed straight to Odaiba Islands. The views from the Rainbow Bridge were breathtaking. The island is a hub of entertainment and shopping, with tons of shops and attractions to explore. . . Our first stop was the Tokyo technology showroom, where we spent hours trying out all the interactive exhibits. Tim was having a blast!  Next, we headed to the trick art museum, which was a must-do for us. We had so much fun posing in front of the 2D paintings that looked 3D when we got the angles just right. We ended our very long day at a Korean burger place ...Lottie burger.

We woke up to a breathtaking view this morning after having a very restful and comfortable night's sleep. To start the day, we had a hearty breakfast consisting of soup, rice, seaweed, potato fritter, salmon, and rolled eggs. It was the perfect way to fuel up before we embarked on a journey through the ancient path to the post town of Tsumago.  The path had a mix of original and restored parts, with uphill and winding stone pathways that made for an adventurous walk. As we followed the trail, we stumbled upon an old restored farmhouse where we were welcomed in for some Japanese tea, just like the travellers hundreds of years ago. We got a glimpse into the history of the building and the old post route.  In the Edo times, the traveller's horses would have been left in Magome  so lots of rest stops were necessary. We walked through dense forests and along waterways until we came across two waterfalls next to each other, where we tried to imagine the ...

Today, we bid farewell to the charming city of Kyoto, feeling a little blue as we embarked on our journey toward the Japanese Alps. After a long and winding trip that involved a taxi, bullet train, slow train, and bus, we finally arrived in the quaint town of Magome. Due to our early start, we had breakfast on the bus, which was a unique experience in itself.  Nestled in the Kiso Valley, Magome was once a post town on the Nakasendo Edo post route that connected Kyoto to Edo, now known as Tokyo. The town has been beautifully preserved and was an absolute delight to explore.  We had the privilege of staying in a traditional-style inn called a minshuku. Our room was simple, with tatami mats, a low table, and futon mattresses on the floor. Since our room was for four people, we had the luxury of extra futon mattresses, which made for a comfortable sleep.  In the afternoon, we strolled around the old town and visited the many shops that sold local hinoki tree produc...

Today, we embarked on a journey to one of the most magnificent Shinto shrines in Kyoto - Fushimi Inari. It is the largest of the Inari shrines. It sits at the base of Mount Inari, the entrance was impressive with a large Tori gate and two fox statues (kitsunes ) a male and female. We walked the 4 km to the top of the mountain through winding Tori gates and thousands of steps. We took lots of rest stops to enjoy some of the 32,000 smaller shrines, all had a pair of foxes and a Tori gate. Inari is the god of rice so there were plenty of rice dishes on offer. We had a rest stop and had Amazake which is a non alcoholic rice drink mixed with ginger (runny rice pudding ) On our way back down, we rewarded ourselves with a refreshing drink of iced matcha and a delicious vanilla and soybean flour ice cream. We spent our last afternoon in Kyoto and enjoyed an unusual afternoon tea ... Japanese style. Our time in Kyoto has been truly amazing. The only downsi...