[FRs] Samantha's 4 Japan trips

[Motionsickness]

For this overnight train Sunrise Seto (not to be confused with my other Overnight train Twilight Express which I previously posted some pics of on this thread), there is no separate space for luggage. Everything goes into cubicle with us. Since it's free for JR pass holders, so can't complain much lar. Better than sitting overnight on a chair. At least can lie down and have blanket.

it looks fantastic !! Was the cabin full ?

 

[samtcy]

I have been to both puroland and harmony land.

I think puroland has much more things to do.

When I went harmony land, there is like 10 vistors in the entire park. No kidding. When the characters came out to greet, there is like NOBODY.

I am surprised harmony land has not closed down.

For me, I prefer outdoor themepark, and yes I agree that there's not many visitors to Harmonyland.

you took the twilight express before?

Is it nice? On of the reasons I took the hokkaido tour package is that it is such a hassle getting into Hokkaido by Rail. An overnight train will be good.

Yes, I took Twilight Express on 16 feb recently. Will post more pics after I'm done posting the pics for my previous trip.

Yes it is nice, however you still have to pay even if you have JR Pass.
It's good to enjoy the lovely scenery and slower pace which Twilight Express offers (22hrs train ride between Sapporo and Osaka) instead of just rushing around all the time.

it looks fantastic !! Was the cabin full ?

You mean Sunrise Seto or Twilight Express?
For Sunrise Seto, it wasn't full (maybe because it was a weekday).
For Twilight Express, all the sleeper cabins seems to be full or nearly full, but the 4-to-1 bunk compartments were mostly empty. It's easier to book a trip for Twilight Express for Sapporo to Osaka direction, than compared to Osaka to Sapporo direction.

 

[Motionsickness]

You mean Sunrise Seto or Twilight Express?
For Sunrise Seto, it wasn't full (maybe because it was a weekday).
For Twilight Express, all the sleeper cabins seems to be full or nearly full, but the 4-to-1 bunk compartments were mostly empty. It's easier to book a trip for Twilight Express for Sapporo to Osaka direction, than compared to Osaka to Sapporo direction.

I think i am going try sunrise seto next time i have the chance.
I love overnight sleeper trains .....
I took the Qinghai train one time with the shared cabins, as well as beijing-xian a couple of time. During the bangkok airport siege i was one of those unlucky ones who was caught, but i took the bangkok-penang sleeper ... enjoyed that too ...

 

[samtcy]

I think i am going try sunrise seto next time i have the chance.
I love overnight sleeper trains .....
I took the Qinghai train one time with the shared cabins, as well as beijing-xian a couple of time. During the bangkok airport siege i was one of those unlucky ones who was caught, but i took the bangkok-penang sleeper ... enjoyed that too ...

For more info/pics on Japan trains (including overnight trains) go to jprail.com and search for overnight trains.

Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo are essentially 2 trains combined into a same train between Tokyo and Okayama, and they will split and go on separate ways as either Sunrise Seto or Sunrise Izumo from Okayama onwards.

Go to my thread's page 34 (http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/[frs]-samanthas-4-japan-trips-3535173-34.html) to see some pics which I posted of my trip on Twilight Express.

 

[wind30]

I think i am going try sunrise seto next time i have the chance.
I love overnight sleeper trains .....
I took the Qinghai train one time with the shared cabins, as well as beijing-xian a couple of time. During the bangkok airport siege i was one of those unlucky ones who was caught, but i took the bangkok-penang sleeper ... enjoyed that too ...

my wife hates sleepers when we went and took Eurail last Nov.

We took a 2 person sleeper with private bath and toilet. But it was REALLY small. Maybe a shared space might not be so claustrophobic.

We had two big luggages and it was very cramp.

 

[samtcy]

Trip 3 (Nov 2011), Day 5: Kurashiki

Arrived at Okayama station around 6plus in the morning, deposited my luggage in the locker at the station, then took a short Shinkansen ride to Fukuyama to meet up with my cousin who's also holidaying in Japan. We then go to Kurashiki in Okayama, and afterwhich, she continued her journey to Yokohama whereas I alighted at Shin-Osaka for the rest of my trip on my own.

1097) Alighting the Sunrise Seto at Okayama


1098) Sunrise Seto train


1099) Fukuyama castle is located just opposite the Fukuyama train station. Able to take decent pic of the castle from the train platform itself.


1100) Fukuyama castle, taken from train station platform


1101) Kurashiki station


1102) We were trying to look for the canal district at Kurashiki...but we somehow ending up at the shopping district instead and got lost.


1103) Still shopping...


1104) Shopping makes us hungry...so snack time!

 

[samtcy]

1105)


1106)


1107) Still lost...trying to find the canal district.


1108)


1109)


1110) Limited Edition Okayama Miffys


1111) Since we were still lost...why not get an ice cream and eat along the way?

 

[samtcy]

1112)


1113)


1114)


1115)
[IMG=http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1241/dsc0509b.jpg][/IMG]

1116) Finally! Found the canal.


1117) Cute hankies


1118) Beary shop

 

[samtcy]

1119)


1120)


1121)


1122)


1123) A swan flapping its wings


1124) Dinner from a convenience store near my hotel in shin-osaka.


---End of Trip 3 (Nov 2011) Day 5---

Coming up, Day 6: Gotemba

 

[samtcy]

Trip 3 (Nov 2011), Day 6: Osaka to Gotemba
I know that it's weird that I went from Tokyo to Okayama then back to Gotemba since i'm kind of making a detour but I had some restrictions (Cousin can only meet me at Okayama on the previous day and not any other day, and the themepark which I want to visit the following day is closed on this day, thus I can only visit the next day).

This day is a relaxed day, since I've only scheduled Gotemba Premium Outlets (which I didn't really wanted to go since I'm not into shopping that much) since there's pretty much nothing else in Gotemba. Reason why I had to stay overnight at Gotemba was that there's only 1 bus departure time that leaves Gotemba station to Grinpa themepark the next morning and I can't miss that bus.

I took early Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Mishima station, then a short 6min local train from Mishima to Numazu, and then a Ltd Exp Odakyu train from Numazu to Gotemba station.

Mt Fuji was being covered by the clouds on both days I was there. -.-

1125) Mt Fuji...pic taken from Shinkansen


1126) Odakyu Ltd Exp train from Numazu to Gotemba station. I believe you can board the same train from Shinjuku to Gotemba station too.


1127) Love the fried rice in Japan. Bought this at Numazu station (or was it Mishima? can't really remember) and ate this on the train


1128) Odakyu train


1129) Gotemba station. The train parked there is actually a local train.


1130) Train schedule. From Gotemba to Shinjuku.


1131) Mt Fuji biscuits


1132) Shizuoka prefecture's limited edition One Piece mobile chain.

 

[xiaojing11]

I have been to both puroland and harmony land.

I think puroland has much more things to do.

When I went harmony land, there is like 10 vistors in the entire park. No kidding. When the characters came out to greet, there is like NOBODY.

I am surprised harmony land has not closed down.

Thanks for the reply, wind30 & samtcy.

So poor thing! Is it becos it's still very new / non-peak period?

 

[samtcy]

Thanks for the reply, wind30 & samtcy.

So poor thing! Is it becos it's still very new / non-peak period?

Very ulu place...and I think Harmonyland is not really new. Maybe because I went to Harmonyland on a weekend so there's actually many people (I estimated about 100 people were around to watch the afternoon parade performance)

When I went to Grinpa (Sylvanian Families themepark) themepark at Mt Fuji, it was even more empty than Harmonyland. I think I only saw less than 10 other visitors when I was there. On the same trip, I went Disneysea and it was extremely packed! and then a couple days later I went Grinpa and it was nearly empty. Haha.

Well, at least it's easier to reach Harmonyland than Grinpa.

For Harmonyland, it's just a direct train from Hakata (Fukuoka) to Kitsuki station. And then there will be a couple of bus departures daily that departs from Kitsuki station to Harmonyland. Even if you want to take a cab, it's just a short 7mins ride which only costs less than 1000yen.

For Grinpa (Sylvanian Families) themepark, you have to take Odakyu train from Shinjuku to Gotemba station (or Mishima to Gotemba), and then a 50mins bus ride to Grinpa. But the catch is that there's only 1 bus departure timing from Gotemba to Grinpa, and also only 1 bus departure timing from Grinpa to Gotemba every day. So if you miss that 1 and only departure time (for either way), you are basically screwed. And there's absolutely no cab at Grinpa either.

Will be posting Grinpa themepark's pics over the next couple of days.

 

[samtcy]

1133) The hotel where I stayed. Just opposite Gotemba station.


1134) From Gotemba station, take the "Hakone" side exit and you will come upon this bus stop. Wait here for the Gotemba Premium Outlet's shuttle bus. The journey takes about 10mins.


1135) Boarding


1136) Shuttle bus arrives at Gotemba Premium Outlet.


1137) Gotemba Premium Outlet

 

[samtcy]

1138) Hmmm...a Samantha shop, and a Nikon shop side by side...which shop should I enter first?


1139) Nikon won. This is a crumpler camera bag. Never seen this in Singapore.


1140) Camera straps


1141) Very very very nearly bought this.


1142)


1143) Choc Fondue Haagen Dazs Ice cream


1144) Crossing the bridge to get to the other wing


1145)

 

[samtcy]

1146) My room at Gotemba


1147) View of the station from my room's window


1148) View of Mt Fuji from the hotel's rooftop


1149) Pink Pepsi


1150) Dinner, at Ramen shop at Gotemba station.


1151) Waiting for my dinner order


1152) Wanton Miso Ramen, quite nice actually.


----End of Trip 3 (Nov 2011), Day 6----

Coming up next, Day 7 (Grinpa's Sylvanian Families themepark)

 

[samtcy]

Trip 3 (Nov2011), Day 7: Grinpa's Sylvanian Families themepark at Mt Fuji

After taking a 50mins bus ride from Gotemba station's bus stop, I finally arrived at Grinpa. I've been collecting Sylvanian families since the 90s and I've also been to the Sylvanian Families shop at London, and Sylvanian Families restaurant at Bangkok...and now, it's finally time for me to visit the Sylvanian families themepark.

I've known of this place for about a decade (yeah, makes me sound so old), cuz a fellow collector from Hong Kong have been here before and told me about it. But it's such a difficult place to get to so I've not had to chance to go on my previous Japan trips....until this particular trip.

To be honest, for non-collectors, this place is BORING. Nothing much to see/do, and yet a pain to get to. By the way, Grinpa consists of Sylvanian families themepark and Ultraman themepark. Not sure how the Ultraman area looks like since I was stuck in the Sylvanian Families section the entire day. Heh.

To get there, take a 50mins bus ride (only 1 bus departure time every day) from Gotemba station. To return, there's also only 1 bus departure time every day from Grinpa. Don't bother taking cab. It's way too far (extremely expensive) and also you won't be able to catch a cab from Grinpa.

After Grinpa, I went back to hotel to collect luggage and head to my hotel for the night at Shin-Osaka.

1153) Looking at the scenery from the 50mins bus ride from Gotemba station to Grinpa.


1154) Trees everywhere


1155)


1156) Finally...


1157)


1158) Admission tickets + maps + show times. They actually see a special ticket holder for the admission ticket. Will post the pic of it later on.


1159)


1160)

 

[samtcy]

1161)


1162)


1163) Yes, the Sylvanian Families lives at Mt Fuji


1164)


1165)

 

[samtcy]

1166)


1167)


1168)


1169)


1170)


1171)

 

[dimitri_can]

sam, are u back?

 

[samtcy]

sam, are u back?

Yes. Have been back since 23 Feb. What's up?