Japan

Mar 25-29
AC1175 YYZ-YVR, AC3 YVR-NRT, NH2 NRT-IAD, UA249 IAD-IAH

Tokyo is very high on our list of favorite cities, and we usually don’t need an excuse to visit, but this trip like our trip to Korea was inspired by the first class experience on a different airline.  ANA is known for their extraordinary first class food and service, and we grabbed two of the few available free award seats to check out the experience.  The food and service was extraordinary, and the seat itself was very comfortable.  Although it is difficult to plan for, for this trip we hit the cherry blossom (Sakura) timing very well and got to see how the locals celebrate the festivities.  In addition to learning what it is like to celebrate the cherry blossom, we left the city and visited Yokohoma for the first time.

Mar 27

For our first full day in Tokyo we focused our activity on the cherry blossoms.   

Blossoms in Ueno Park

An early rose

Blossom fans staking out their ground

Some interesting art outside the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum in the park

Another interesting float in the collection

Trees not yet in bloom at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Lake in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Artist capturing the blooms

More blooms in the park

Some perspectives on the different colours and the crowds

Up close with the blossom

Mixture of Blossoms in various stages of bloom

One of trees in full bloom

The main entrance is more than a little crowded.  Luckily for us, we came in the less popular back entrance

Hello Kitty adorned barrier reminds you you're in Asia

Outer moat of the Imperial Palace, unfortunately too early for the blooms

Statue in the Imperial Palace East Gardens

Exploring Megurogawa canal area for the first time, but a littly early for the blossoms

A few small buds making an appearance

With the day ending, we headed back to the hotel, content with our blossom sightings and ready to rest our feet.

Mar 28

Having explored Tokyo, we decided to head outside of the city and headed to the temples of Kamakura and on the way back we stopped at the port city of Yokohama.

Red lacquer wooden monk in Kamakura

Zooming into the somewhat creepy eyes

Temple grounds entrance

Interesting tree in the Kamakura park

Statue of an owl stands guard at the temple entrance, to keep birds away

Kencho-ji temple

Interior of Kencho-ji temple

Shoto-In Temple tree-lined promenade

Zen Garden at Kenchō-ji Temple

Stacks of sake outside the temple

Steps up to the temple

A train ticket scanner being serviced, more complex than it looks on the outside

Great Buddha of Kamakura

The face from about 1252 is aging pretty well

Nippon Maru at Yokohama Port Museum along the very walkable waterfront

Small amusement park across from the ship

Back in Tokyo, watching the scramble intersection in Shibuya

When the lights change, the crowds arrive

Mar 29

Before heading to the airport and our first class flight home, we had a quiet morning around the hotel.  Not wanting to miss out on what the lounge has to offer, we headed to the airport early to grab lunch in the lounge before the flight.

Our plane prior to boarding

Tom enjoying the space in his pod

The caviar service was a highlight of the meal
 

The ice cream dessert was both pretty and very tasty

Altough ANA First Class isn't the best service in the air, the food, personal space and service were top notch and definitely one of the better ways to get from Japan.  Upon arrival in Washington we made our connecting flights to Toronto and Houston.