Return to Finland

On saturday I finally got home to Finland. Very enjoyable holiday came to it's end. Sad but good things always end. Time to look forward to next trip.

I am on camp of "paranoid" in that I tend to assume problems happen so I woke up ungodly earthly and headed out of hotel very early up. Actually due to waking up mid-route earlier than planned Last year I had went from hotel to airport via bus but this time I had initially opted for skyliner limited express train that had starting point near to hotel. However I had woken up too early so switched to slower train(but due to earlier start would still arrive sooner than waiting for the skyliner.

I arrived to Tokyo station and found the train platform. And noticed every seat is reserved seat. Never got one so was bit lost. Found ticket sale place but closed. Was I too early? Would I have needed to get ticket for this early time yesterday? I oomphed my options. I could try to find place here. I could try the skyliner but problem then comes with money. If that fails I might only have enough left to come back here and make it work. Or I could go straight to Shinjuku and take the bus like last year. It's the most expensive solution but I had reserved enough money for that. Thanks to being early(being paranoid paid off) I would have time to go to the Shinjuku despite being about 30 minute train ride with time to spare.

I opted for the safe option and went for Shinjuku. This way I'm 100% quaranteed to get to the airport and I really wasn't feeling like taking chances. Next year maybe I'll check that skyliner ticket purchase procedure in advance. Should have done that this year too!

Anyway getting to the bus station at least for the bus ride got rid of the two bags for a while. Those are bummer to carry around(on airport found out they were 20 and 17 kg's...Plus laptop bag). On airport staff helped me to get the boarding pass and got the bags checked in and went through the security check. Now I could relax. I was through all and bags were within limits so all was well.

 Final views of central Tokyo.

 That was the airplane that would carry me back to Finland.

 Inside the plane(nice btw that use of electronic tools is these days allowed provided they don't emit signals. Phone in airplane mode fits in). Just would need spare battery or two!

 First meal we were served. Good though as usual with airplane meals small. Book you can see kept me at least somewhat entertained though after 5 hours of flight was starting to get seriously sit-crazy.

Seat next to me had this Czech women who was practicing for Japanese proficiency exam level 3. So we chatted somewhat in Japanese. Good practice for both of us in preparation of exam(on 7th december). I'm taking N2 level which is the 2nd hardest. Hopefully can pass but with average pass rate about 42-45% IIRC not that unsurprising if I fail.

Final meal that was served close to the end. Also for dessert we got ice cream.

Weather in Finland was cloudy, some snow and fairly cold at least coming from 15+ degrees Tokyo. I hate that kind of cloud. Leaden coloured skies are most depressing kinds.

All the books I bought except for Nagasaki a-bomb damage photo collection. Big pile Uchuu Kyoudai, next to it Gintama, then moving on right Blue exorcist. On far right Japan history in manga style with tonari no seki kun manga at top. On front row left kuroko no basuke and then mimi wo sumaseba(ghibli animation film) in manga format.

Not addicted to books nooooo!

I might make post later about final musings but for now rest, get back to work schedule and prepare for the exam on Sunday.

Last day before return flight

Well not much to say about this day really. Morning I got myself quick breakfast and then just waited for room checkout that was scheduled between 9-10AM. Person in charge came fairly early so after she checked that I had cleaned up place and hadn't broken anything that was part of rooms(and didn't leave anything of mine behind) I got 10,000 yen(you deposit 30,000 or 20,0000 if you have been there before and they take 10,000 for maintanance etc fees. Rest given back. Unless you HAVE broken something at which point expenses taken from the money. Most of the stuff is cheap but futons are expensive ones so take good care of those!) back. With this time to leave the room I had called home for month.

 Ready for departure! Bag I pull behind with right arm is about 21kg, the bag on my left shoulder is prolly somewhere around 15kg(maybe bit less) and laptop case at my bag few kg's. Bummer.

Plastic bag has posters which I received as freebies. Particularly the big one visible that I got in Kalafina mini live I would like to get intact to finland but have strong suspicion it will break in bags so I'll ask at the airport if it's okay to have that bag with me on plane(will be bummer to have that at lap all flight but I hate idea of throwing those to garbage or breaking up but not NEARLY important enough to mail them to Finland. Way too expensive, way too meaningless.

Now let me just say: Carrying this much luggage is pain in the ass. I had hoped that being around 10AM at least trains would be empty but no such luck as first train was already crowded. Actually didn't hop to first train(too crowded). Got to second. On next station more people coming in so I had to slip toward center with this stuff. Pushing that 21kg bag from rear to forward with your legs is not easy thing! Getting out of train was major bummer.

Went to tower record for bit of last minute souvenir shopping. Then headed toward Akihabara(nearest book off store on route except for one in sangenjaya but that was still closed and wasn't feeling like waiting 20 minutes). Got whole lot more books for my lighter bag though still not filled up so I would be putting SOME books from heavier to that bag though not that much since that I need to carry on my shoulders rather than pull along with wheels.

But damn all those stairways! At least in 2 parts didn't see any elevators etc. And on book off there was just these escalators. And I had stuff to buy at floor 2(pay and receive item at floor 1. floor 2 is empty shell) and floors 5 and 6(pay at floor 4. And I did this in 2 stages since I wasn't quite sure how much I can fit to bags). That's lots of going up and down on escalators you are struggling to fit with those frigging bags.

Bloody hell.

At least hotel was next to the station. I had been smart enough to choose one that's close to station :D

Check in time starts at 14.00 but seems it's not iron rule as arriving 13:20  I was able to check in. Had hoped just to leave the luggage in but this works as well.

Pictures from room. Not that bad for the price. Lack of permanent table hurts a bit. Below the grey machine is pull-in table but when it's on it sort of blocks your route toward toilet. Especially with bags that are in route as well(not much else in room where they WOULD fit). Not as good room as I had lived for month+pricier but this IS hotel rather than dormitory so prices are going to be higher. But 40e for night is on cheap side for hotel here.

Of course one reason for cheapness is that this is not that hot spot for sightseeing. Kind of far away from everything. Feels almost like rural :D Mostly just houses and some basic food shops. Wouldn't be surprised if local kids feel this is boring place with nothing going on. Though at least with Tokyo rail system easy to get to more lively place and Akihabara for example is about 2.5e or so roundtrip so kids do have options.

 Tiny shrine outside hotel.

 Nearby 7-eleven had this tasty looking cake. But pricey as well.

 Late lunch. Ramen plus 2 nikumans.

 After lunch went for quick stroll just to get some fresh air. There was one temple or shrine marked on map next to elementary school so while not big sightseeing spot figured might just as well go take a look. Not like map showed anything else interesting within unreasonable walking distance.

 That's part of the elementary school building wall. Kind of nice idea to have such decoration on elementary school :D

After this did just some random walking across. Didn't see much interesting. Doesn't feel like this would be bad area to live. At least quiet. But not exactly area tourists should have any interest in coming to see :D

 Basically streets like this where-ever you turn.

 Finally some sort of life ahead!

 I think that's add for some sort of theater play? If I had had idea where it was held and had had money might have gone but bit of too late to try to find that.

 Found shopping street! I have suspicion this could be popular spot for young folk come the weekend(or generally come the end of school). That or they head with trains elsewhere or are home. Not much else I saw anywhere that would be good spots for teenagers to gather. No parks, no sport areas, no nothing.

 Around here good old "rudolph the red nosed reindeer" song melody was playing. Can't escape christmas songs even in Japan!

 Why this place was surrounded by flowers?

I had got seriously lost with this walking though had suspicion I'm at least heading roughly on same direction but one street left or right and I could go past my hotel so I finally opted to ask directions. Seems I was(lol) literally 100m from the hotel. Just little bit forward and I would have come to downhill and seen the hotel...Haha.

Last dinner in Japan! Udon for last warm meal. Egg salad bread+meat in stick.

So there. Will be going to sleep early and wake up ungodly early tomorrow to make damned sure I get in time to airplane. Don't want to take risk of very expensive missing of airplane! Luckily I only have 2 trains to use. First from here to Nippori which is conveniently in path of the train line that goes from here and from there skyliner to the Narita.

One last huzzah - Mount Takao

Days are getting increasingly limited for this trip. Actually this would be pretty much last day I could do serious sightseeing. Tomorrow I'll be checking out and going to hotel and by the time check in is done it's soon dark + money is getting shortish+hotel is bit far from interesting spots.

Anyway today I still had time so not interested in wasting the day I did laundry early up and headed toward the station picking up some food items before continuing. I had decided to do one last mountain hiking picking Mount Takao as the target. I climbed there last year too but used cable car to get half way(boo hiss!) and weather wasn't that good anyway. So Mount Takao redux!

Suggestion for anybody going there from close to Shinjuku. Make damned sure you don't make mistake of using local train ;) I used fastest ways and it still took me good hour and spare to get there. If I had stopped on every station would have been much worse.

At the Takaosanguchi(literally Mount Takao Gate).

 Pretty red trees.

 And this is the start. There's multiple routes up. Most interesting looking for me were route 6 and Inariyama trail. I wasn't 100% sure which I had used last year to climb down but thought it was numbered and not named, and that it did not come straight to cable car station, so I decided to go through the Inariyama trail. Good decision in that it was NOT the route I had used last year.

Start was fairly standard.

 Cute!

 Now the ground was starting to be bit more challenging.

 Trees are finally red. This was why I had picked up November. Yey!

 That's actually the path I need to take. Lol. Doesn't look like much of a road. There's asphalted ways too if you don't have good shoes or interest on going through path like this.

And some more stairs!

Shortly after this there was split on road. I oomphed which to take but right seemed to contain resting place and path was wider so I figured left one is more challenging. So I went left. Seemed to pay off as I got to nice view.

 Last year didn't get to see these. For one different route, for second rain clouds made sure visibility was nowhere near as good as this.

Going bit further I noticed the separated routes joined and that the rest place was viewing platform actually.

If I read signboard right that's distant shape of Shinjuku!

 Oh looky. Snakes here it seems. Left ones are poisonous ones, right ones non-poisonous. Though frankly if I see snake here I won't bother to check which one it is. I just head elsewhere. Quickly!

 Something to note btw that while path wasn't exactly crowded it still had steady amount of people coming down and some overtaking me and some I overtook. Obviously people coming opposite direction will be more numerous. Mostly older females and elderly couples for likely the reasons I mentioned before. Still surprised so many are taking the hard route. Hats off for them. Hopefully I can be at least close to as good shape in their age :D

 Left or right. That's the question. Right one was the more difficult one(picture actually taken after passing. Another couple came along so didn't want to take picture of them so crossed the path before taking photo). Actually it was QUITE difficult. Very narrow path and slippery mud from last 3 days of raining.

Approaching goal. Just one more stairs to go.

Well actually...Make that two.

 Slightly behind tree in center you can see the Mount Fuji. YES! Last year rain clouds prevented sight of that.

 Better view of Mount Fuji.

I REALLY am going to try climbing there? Sheesh somebody call ambulance. I'm clearly out of my frigging mind! :D

Okay didn't work out that well. Hard to position yourself so that the Fuji mountain is visible. Particularly because sun was making hell of things. Wasn't sure if photo even comes off well.

Sun is messing with picture but no can do. But you CAN see Mount Fuji right of my head. Well...from this perspective that's just tiny climb! :D

Views from the top to other side of the mountain. Sun not screwing up pictures from here.

 The top of the mountain was actually quite crowded(this is less crowded part). Felt more like Juhannus in Hanko. Japanese seems to love hiking and weather having improved after 3 days of rain not unsurprising lots of people had got same idea as me. Add to that usual addition of kindergarden and it was busy mountain top.

 And this was what I had bought. 2 onigiri's, two sushi rolls, melon "bread", peach juice and water.

 Then I decided to head back. Opted to try to follow road #1 since that wasn't what I had used before yet I thought. Pretty standard asphalt road so wasn't that interesting but did have temple on route at least.

 Lots of small statues like this around the building.

 Owww all that red and orange. Trees looked like being on flames!

 That's no magic soup on cauldron. Just sticks that give aroma burning.

 Lots of Tengu and some sort of guardian statues. Tengu's are part of Japanese folk lore that look bit like bird humans and generally not so pleasant guys to have around according to the folk lores.

 Couldn't get enough of this red and orange! Did come here to see the autumn colours and start of the trip was annoying low on that(I was surprised by how warm autumn here is).

Golden statue.

 Not sure what these were(LONG line of these). Names of donators?

 Also lots of statues like these. Didn't take pictures of all I passed(or I would be there when it came dark!).

 Another gateway. This path was much more crowded than the route I had climbed up.

 Got to cable car station and asked where's walking path. Was pointed out direction. There was another route but that yellow warning sign caught attention. It reads: "From this onward toward Biwa waterfall road is for advanced level people. Those without sufficient preparations use other roads". Well I don't know if I'm advanced level mountain climber but I was willing to try. (Didn't see the Biwa waterfall though. Pathway seemed to be closed and bit more about further "hindrance" later).

 Okay so...This IS albeit bit tricky looking pathway to go down.

 Not the person in photo but I soon caught up with two middle aged(maybe late 30's, early 40's) ladies who after I greeted and passed away called up again. First just asking where I was(in English) but when they realized I can speak Japanese discussion expanded up so we talked a lot about my trip here as they kept asking where I have been, what I like about Japanese food, why I wanted to come here etc etc etc. Quite a storm of questions!

This was actually excellent lucky break. Gave me one more chance for lengthy conversation in Japanese and chance to stretch my skills(so I made sure of trying to use more complex forms like passives and causatives). Quite a pleasant way to climb down so I slowed down and we climbed the pathway down together. This is also why I didn't even much look for the waterfall. I might have seen it last year(unless there's multiples waterfalls) and as fun as waterfalls are this chance to chat was even better!

Almost back to ground level.

 And there.

After returning to home(having exhausted yet another manga volume between the train trips) it was time for me to eat dinner, clean room and pack things since tomorrow is day I would be leaving. Also got myself bit of alcoholic drinks after that was done(the bottles in picture).

Meal is fillet katsura donburi, 2 nikuman, chicken meat on stick I think and melon bread. More than usual but with "last supper" feeling I wanted to have bunch of my favourites.

Tomorrow is check out, check in to hotel and final souvenir shopping. Not likely going to be much of photos or much of blog post so this blog is winding down as well. But hopefully you enjoyed. I'll be also posting some final musings once I get back to Finland.