Oh goodness, I really am leaving. It keeps hitting me on and off. One minute I will forget that I am packing to leave Japan and the next minute I will just have to stop because I remember that I will be flying back to the States next Wednesday. I just realized that this is my final post from my apartment.

I have spent the last two days packing. ( Read more... )

Last night I booked the Kyoto trip for Ben and I. We are going to be heading down to Kyoto on March 16. We will get there early, see some of the sites, and then relax. On March 17, I want to take Ben on a half-day tour of Kyoto. The tour will be with a Japanese guide who speaks English. I think it is very informative and I enjoyed it when I did it ( Read more... )

Tokyo Disneyland! Tokyo Disneyland! Jana and I have been talking about going to Tokyo Disneyland for a month or two now and we finally went to today. The purpose of the trip was not to ride on the rides but to eat a ton of food and to do some shopping.

I picked Jana up at 5:45 and we headed off to Hitachi-no-Ushiku Station where we JR Joban line ( Read more... )

Martin and I caught the first ferry to Wakkanai. I am now back in Ami and Martin is making his way to Tokyo. The ferry ride was beautiful and we could see Rishiri -zan for the entire ride.

When we got to Wakkanai, Martin headed for the train station and I went to an onsen for a couple of hours before I headed to the station. The airport onsen was ( Read more... )

It was a beautiful day. I woke up at 7:30, ate breakfast, and then decided to walk back to Hime-numa Pond but stopping first at the Gorilla Rock (it does look like a Gorilla). The rock is a fun place to visit and a trail that leads to the top of the rock. The view of the Rishiri-Fuji Town is great from there.


( Read more... )

Wow, it is only 6:15pm and I am ready for bed! I need to get into shape if I want to do any serious hiking…I am going to be sore tomorrow.

Toshi, Martin, and I did a four to five hour hike today. It is possible to walk to the start of the hiking trail from town but it takes an extra hour to an hour and half. We rode the bus to the nearest stop and ( Read more... )

I flew from the Okameda (Sapporo) Airport to Wakkanai today. I arrived at the airport an hour and half early and settled in to wait for my flight. The Okameda Airport is tiny: one runway, and two gates. A half hour before the flight a Japanese announcement came over the speakers. I understood something about the flight from Okameda to Wakkanai…a ( Read more... )

Today was HOT! I came up to Hokkaido to escape the heat but I think it followed me. Aside from the heat, I had an amazing day today. I did a walking tour that the National Geographic: Traveler Japan recommended it. The walk took me about five to six hours (I stopped for food along the way…a couple of times) and 5.6km (3.5 miles). I started my walk ( Read more... )

I woke up at 5:15 and double checked to make sure that I had everything I needed packed in my backpack and duffle bag. Matt (my boss) picked me up from my apartment at 6:20. I had told him he needed to take me to Tsukuba Center so I could catch a bus for the Haneda Airport but for some reason he thought he had to take me to the Arakawaoki Station. ( Read more... )

I leave for Hokkaido tomorrow and the travel butterflies are settling in my stomach! Matt is picking me up to take me to Tsukuba Center at 5:40 tomorrow morning. At the center, I will catch the 6:45 bus that is heading to Haneda Airport. My flight takes off at 10:40! The flight will land in Hakodate tomorrow at noon!!!!

I woke up at nine today and ( Read more... )