We are traveling to Kyoto via Tokyo for Steven's conference on rare genetic diseases. I'm just happily following along.
After a long flight from SFO, with haiku ebooks, plum wine, sochu(sweet potato alcohol) and no vegetarian meal options, we arrived at Narita Airport Sunday at 5 pm local, a day after we started. (You gain a day coming, lose a day going back.) We managed to stock up on yen (about 150 yen to the dollar), and now are rich with several 10,000 yen notes. We also got Posmo cards we which can use on trains and subways. We bought our train tickets from a patient English speaking cashier, then another patient English speaking Japanese official helped us with the Posmo cards, and then we were lined up by another polite English speaking official, whose vest had an English message that basically asked us politely to follow his directions to keep the trains on time.
While on the train, we studied the transit map for Tokyo, which is a Where's Waldo puzzle. So many lines, so many colors. We did find our end station, but getting to the Nihonbashi station(s) was another matter. Fortunately, we had Google maps. Then it was a sweaty 7-9 minute walk to our motel (Tokyo has an excessive heat warning this week).
Our motel, MONday Apart Nihonbashi, is actually a "suite" with a kitchenette, and "living room" consisting of a tatami map with cushions and low table. Sleeping maps are in a closet. The actual clothes closet is in the kitchen. The toilet room is separate from the shower room, which also contains the clothes washer. Fortunately, I have been watching YouTube videos on "microapartments" in Tokyo and I was prepared for the Japanese standard apartment. For example, in Tokyo there is no clothes dryer. Instead you hang your wet clothes over the tub and turn on the heater.
For dinner, we went to the 7-11 around the corner, where you can buy healthy and delicious prepared Japanese food, plus treats.
We also discovered the tempura joint down the street, run by the same family since 1885.
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