Japan 2014: Yokohama Landmark Tower

While located in Yokohama we were staying in the Minato Mirai 21 complex which is a short walk from the Landmark Tower building.

The Landmark Tower opened in 1993 and towers over the rest of Yokohama at a height of 296 meters with the observation deck located on the top floor at 273 meters named the Sky Garden.

The observation deck is avbailble from the main building lobby or directly from the street. The dedicated entrance allows access to the ticket office. Prices are 1000¥ for access to the observation deck. Once your there you can stay as long as you wish. So you could potentially setup time-lapse cameras or night, sunrise or sunsets i dont think it would be a problem.

Access to the top floor is via two operated lifts which travel to the top floor in about 40 seconds.

The observation deck is a spacious area with large windows which were clean inside and out which should provide good photographic opportunities. There is also a well stocked souvenir shop and restaurant.

Obviously it provides excellent views over Yokohama to Tokyo and even Mt Fuji if the weather allows.

Japan 2014: Yokohama Minato Mirai 21

During our Japan trip we spent six nights at the Intercontenental Grand Yokohama located in the shopping and hotel complex located at Minato Mirai 21.

The complex includes several hotels, Queens Square mall, subway station, underground parking etc. It also blends with the Landmark Tower complex too.

The Queens Square is a large six level affair if you include the Minato Mirai subway station. It has countless shopping outlets, convenience stores and restaurants.

During our stay we had a hire car, parking for the hotel is shared with the public underground parking located next to the hotel. The hotel offers discounted parking for those residents using the car park at 1800¥ per day which at the time i write is about £10.60, which is good for parking at this size of hotel. The car park is very large there was never a shortage of places.

The mall could provide a lot of shopping opportunities if you like that kind of thing, for us we did not go for the shopping and only used the restaurants located within.

After a few nights out in Tokyo i was surprised to find the mall closed at 23:00 hours. Which meant most of the restaurants closed at 22:00, the odd bar opened until 23:00. There was little else in the local area, it all seemed to be concentrated in the mall which meant we often picked up a few cans of Kirin in the stores. These we drank back at the hotel while we blogged and facebooked our daily shinanigens.

Food outlets were numerous and their quality was good if you stick to the traditional Japanese food.

In our experience eating in the American chain restaurants was not an enjoyable experience and always seemed to disappoint. When in Japan you should be enjoying their home dishes not burgers and ribs american style!

Japan 2014: In Car Sat Nav

While in Japan we hired a Toyota 86 (aka GT86), although we managed to get a manual gearbox model it was not equipped with a English based navigation system. But we did manage to use it for over 1000km of travel in cities and out into the Gunma mountain roads and tolls.

Unless you know the Japanese characters entering an address, postcode etc is almost impossible but we quickly found a option that I had not seen before. This option is the ability to navigate by phone number.

Entering the number is just shown as a numeric keypad on our system which you simply enter in the entire number. This works for almost any landline number for places like hotels, filling stations etc and proved extremely accurate method of setting the destination.

Obviously with a Japanese sat nav comes spoken Japanese instructions but these are often only repeating what is clearly shown with the on screen maps and directional arrows.

Japan 2014: Shinkansen & Train Experiences Part 2

I am typing this on the flight back with lots of great memories. We spent a lot of time travelling on the Shinkansen and local train and subway networks in Japan so i thought i would detail some of our experiences.

As i already mentioned in my previous entry, the Japan Rail Pass from JR offers excellent value. If you expect to make use of the JR lines then you should check to see if its worth buying. If your going to take any Shinkansen over an hour or so in length the pass will likley be worth it just for the one trip.

Train stations in Japan are usually large affairs and often are part of bigger complexes of shopping malls, restaurants etc. They will likley be on multiple levels with many exits separated by long walks. They are usually busy as the rail network provides a big portion of Japans transport network but are generally well signed in English.

You will also get different lines operated by other rail operators and subways integrated into the same station, not all of which would be applicable to free travel with the rail pass. However local trains are cheap and frequent.

Ticket machines for local trains are located close to the barriers of the lines they are for. They allow you to select a ticket price and quantity on the screen. They accept 1000¥ notes and coins. A large map usually located above the machines will show the stations and the cost from where you are to that station. Unfortunately many of these signs show the price in numbers but the name of the station and line in Japanese characters so sometimes you will need to ask at the ticket desk where they will either issue a ticket for you or tell you the cost of the ticket you need to buy.

The tickets are a small postage sized card that is fed into the barrier, dont worry that the barrier looks like it is designed for different sized tickets, they are but accept both. Just feed it in and the gate will open popping out the ticket on the other side. Tickets are retained by the machine on your destination. Tickets issued at the manned windows are the larger size ones.

If your using the rail pass you dont use the automated barriers. There is usually a guard located at the side of the gates who you simply show your pass to. The JR Rail Passes are very common. The officer will normally just wave you through without needing to read the entire pass. Some barriers appear to be unmanned, but you will either find another manned barrier close by in the station or possibly a glazed passageway just next to the barriers where one or two officers are there to help with passes and other ticket issues.

Toilets in stations are generally located after the ticket gates, if you have a rail pass you can simply pass through the gates to use the toilet and then just walk back. With stations that have adjoining malls and restaurants just walking beyond the station area will often reveal public toilets.

Subways operate in exactly the same way as trains, they use the same mapping method, ticketing machines and barriers so if you can use the trains you can use the subway too.

Switching between lines and subways can sometimes be confusing especially if your switching between operators as they are often in different locations in the station. Sometimes they can even be next door meaning you might need to walk out of the station to find the subway for example.

Stations can get busy at peak times, Shinjuku for example is busy most of the time and gets crazy at peak times. If you dont like crowds then, well you probably came to the wrong country!  If you know where you want to go during the busy times that's fine but if you dont know what train to get, or not sure what ticket you need then its probably best to wait until the crowd dies down.

We found the rail and subways an excellent way to travel Japan. Though in summer you can end up being baked on the platform sometimes!

Japan 2014: Coin lockers

Today we were required to use the coin lockers at Yokohama Station as we were carrying large bags and needed to be a bit more lightweight.

We searched manyof the banks of lockers but found most of them used. There are many places in the larger stations where these are located. Generally around the exits but there will often be a separate area just for them which is indicated on the overhead signs.

There are a couple of types, those that use a key and those that are automated. They both cost the same. The prices start at ¥300 for the small ones and ¥600 for the largest size. Not all are the the same size at the same price due to how they are arranged so one ¥300 might be bigger than another, its always worth checking.

For the keyed lockers the presence of a key is indication that the locker is empty. For thr automated ones the red light indicates the locker is used so look for the unlit ones. Look carefully as the are easy to miss.

We had a slight problem with the automated system which is the point of this blog entry. Our bags were quite big and inly just fitted into the only free small locker, we had to push the door shut which did case a small problem which i will go into in a moment.

To use the automated locker open the door and place your bag inside and slide the latch. The screen will change and guide you through the payment process. There are various language options. You place your bag into the locker, close the door and goto the screen and select the graphic showing your putting a bag in and follow the payment options. The result is your given a printed receipt which includes a pin code you use to get your back back.

Our problem occurred when we placed our bag into the locker and closed the lock. If you dont select anything on the screen within a period of time it will unlatch the door to release your bag, but with our large bag the latch released but the door did not open. We could not open the door or release the catch. We realised if you push on the door against the bag inside the latch released and the door opened. It was simply our bag pushing on the inside of the door. This problem wasn't helped when someone else was trying to use the locker at the same time!

Japan 2014: Google Search

I have been making great use of Google Maps while in Japan and is proving to be extremely useful especially for navigating on public transport.

However i noticed today when we wanted to look for a 7 Eleven so we can use their international ATM that i wasn't finding anything.

It turns out that it is dependant on if its entered into google in Japanese writing or English.

If you translate for example '7 eleven' into Japanese using google translate and then cut and paste into Google Maps it will find them.

Worth remembering if you cant find something you know is there!

Japan 2014: Street Drink Vending Machines

One of the things we noted was the proliferation of street based vending machines in Japan, these can be everywhere but especially in highly visited public places like train stations. Supplying a various range of soft and sometimes alcoholic drinks.

Prices vary slightly from about ¥120 to ¥160 depending on actual selection. Beer is normally between ¥200 and ¥300.

These are often coloured red or blue, red is hot blue is cold. In the summer they are generally blue for chilled drinks. But there are sometimes red for hot coffee options available. All machines seem to take coins and 1000¥ notesnotes and give change.

In the hot summer these are ideal for tourists, meaning you dont need to keep lugging around a supply of hydration.

Japan 2014: Hiroshima Peace Memorial & Museum

On our trip we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and some of the park. Unfortunately during our visit there was a heat wave so temperatures were in excess of 35C which meant we did not see much of the park or the dome. We were only there one day as well so could not revisit early when it was cooler.

The Museum was thankfully air conditioned.

It goes into great detail about the how and why the bomb was dropped. It then explains about the effects on Hiroshima (there is little detail of the Nakasaki bombing here incidentally) and its people. The museum features many artifacts from the devastated city to show its effects from physical damage, radiation and the psychological effects.

Entrance is ¥50

Japan 2014: Shinkansen Experience Part 1

So we are on our 2nd Shinkansen, from Nagoya to Osaka.

The service is excellent, we are in a green car so have plenty of seat and leg room, trains are clean and well maintained. There are differences between the generations of train. The service we had from Tokyo to Nagoya had folding tables in the backs of the seat in front and electrically operated reclining seats along with power points. The service we are on now is clearly slightly older but no less enjoyable. Clearly the maintenance of the carrages is very important.

Booking reserved seats is very easy at the station ticket office, staff are great and very helpful and understanding of the obvious language barrier.

An excellent way to travel!

Japan 2014: Nagoya - Toyota Automobile Museum

Today was out first trip on the Shinkansen, a 700 series train from Tokyo Station to Nagoya after a short trip on a local train from Shinjuku.

Weather was very hot today, it peaked near Nagoya at 38C!

The purpose of the trip was to visit the Toyoya Automobile Museum located just outside Nagoya, although it felt a lot further than 'just'!

We had a Green Japan Rail Pass so had the pleasure of first class to Nagoya, its a very civilised experience.

After we reached Nagoya we had a short local train to Kanayama where we dropped our bags off. Then another local train to Chickusa where we picked up the subway to Geidiadori.

The museum housed around 100 cars from all makes and regions on the history of the automobile.

The shop cafe serves the most appaling food, best avoided! We did not try the resturaunt so could not comment.

Japan 2014: Tech Shopping In Yodobashi Camera

We did some shopping in the Yodobashi Camera store near Shinjuku Station.

We had only one purchase we intended to make, which is a lens for a Nikon One S2.

The cashier, although spoke little english was very helpful in finding the correct lens we were looking for. There was a bit of puzzlement when we tried to ask for the matching Nikon case but it was sorted in the end.

The cashier noted we were visitors to Japan and asked to see my passport for the tax free discount of 8%.

Prices are a little cheaper than the uk in comparison to the likes of Amazon, but what you do get is more choice. If your buying a Japanese branded item there are many products available in Japan that are simply not available to buy elsewhere.

For example i found Portable USB power chargers from brands like Sony and Panasonic at very reasonable prices. I bought a Panasonic QE-PL203 charger. It is a 5800mAh USB charger. The Yen price was 2520. I paid cash at the rate of 169 yen to gbp. Meaning it cost me £14.91. Devices like these dont seem to be available from the large manufacturers in the uk. The products that are available can retail around £40-£60. I know because i was looking for this kind of product before i left for the trip.

One other thing to note is if your Yodobashi store has multiple floors, you need to pay for the items on each floor separately.

Japan 2014: Mobile WiFi In Japan

We rented a portable WiFi dongle thing for use while in Japan as we notice that not all the hotels provide free wifi, we also needed good internet for google maps etc. I used eConnect Japan to rent their highest spec option, which gives unlimited (actually limited to 1gb/day).

Payment was through paypal.

I was pleased to see the device was waiting for me at the hotel as promised.

The package includes a EMobile Pocket WiFi, plug in charger, usb charger to extend battery life, cable and carry pouches. Also the return envelope.

With the USB battery you should get a good day use out of it.

The portable WiFi option for us is proving to be an excellent option, its always on and in my bag so wherever we are we have full high speed internet access. The only exception to this is on the Shjinkansen, which is normally fine but if your on a route that has a lot of tunnels then the signal will drop out.

Coverage is excellent, being from the UK where our 3G coverage i would regard as embarrasing it is refreshing to be in a position where you can expect coverage everywhere.

Google Maps has proven to be extreamly useful for route planning, especially for public transport like trains, subway, trams etc. Where it will often include additional  information like fare costs, platform and tram numbers. This makes navigating much simpler.

We had 4 devices connected; Google Nexus 4, iPhone 4S, MacBook Air and  Google Nexus 7 connected just about all the time, uploading to iCloud and Google Drive along with all the usual Facebook stuff and general browsing. We never hit any limits and the device itself never caused a problem.

Japan 2014: Akihabara Maid Cafe

During out visit to Akihabara we thought we would try one of the 'Maid Cafe' which have opened in Electric Town.

A very Japanese experience, where a cosplay dressed maid serve you drinks and food with magic, often involving food art and playful ceremonies to make your food taste better.

Here is how it works based on our experience, you are invited in from the street and sat down, your shown two menus one is a normal menu you would find in a cafe, eats & drinks etc.

The other menu is a set menu either some art food, ice cream or drinks. The maid will also present you with a magic candle which you have to say something when they turn it on (its a battery powered candle). As food is served it is with playful ceremonies which you are expected to join in with.

Buying the set menu also gets you the tombola type drawing after your meal. Presented on a small stage on front of the rest of the diners you win something along with having your picture taken with the maid.

Its all good innocent fun to be honest, the whole point is just to make you smile and be happy. Just dont look at the bill! Our set menu was just over ¥6300 for two. The food is fine, if a little overpriced, though you do pay a premium for the set menu option with the extras.

To be honest it wouldnt be that badly priced if you just bought from the normal menu and not the set meal deal thing.

It is not something i would do again but it was a good laugh. It would appeal to those who follow the cute anime / cosplay thing closer.

Japan 2014: Evening in Shibuya

After arriving at the Hyatt Regency located a short walk from Shinjyuku Station in the afternoon we decided to head out to see some of Tokyo.

By the time we left and stopped on the way at a Starbucks we ended up at Shinjyuku just before rush hour starts, the station was busy but thankfully well signed in English. We used the ticket office to buy two singles to Shibuya station at the cost of just ¥160 each.

The opening scene once leaving Shibuya station is just remarkable, hundreds waiting to cross the now famous Shibuya Crossing.

We thought this was the perfect place to eat so meandered through the sights, sounds and smells of food and finally picked a cook your own teppanyaki. I'm sure we did not do the food justice and probably created some amusement for the locals but it tasted great!

After seeing more sights we stopped in a English/Irish style pub which served ale and belgian beers, at considerable cost i might add! But the staff were friendly and helpful.

On the way back to the station we stopped for a final beer at the Kirin City bar and tried the latest frozen beer and beer cocktails. The frozen beer, although does little for the overall beer taste it is worth the experience of a frozen beer head, it is supposed to keep your beer colder and keep the head longer. We also tried the frozen beer and tomato juice option which was not unpleasant but also not quite right!

We walked back to the station and bought our return tickets through the automated machines, confusingly they all imply you need your 'Oyster' style smart card (sorry i forget its name!). But this is not required if your just buying tickets. A large map above the machines shows the lines but the names are not in english. It helps to know and remember your station position on the map to buy your tickets.

The resultant tickets are a smaller paper ticket than the one we bought from the ticket office earlier in the day but work just fine in the automated ticket barriers!

Japan 2014: VS900 Virgin Atlantic LHR -> NRT

Its now 17:15 uk time and we have been on the airbus A340-600 since about 6 hours. The ANA  6354 flight we booked is actually a Virgin Atlantic VS900 service. We have been served drinks and pretzels first, then dinner which was a mild curried vegetable salad followed by beef chilli and rice and a GU passion fruit mousse. All of which was very nice to be honest.

The on-board entertainment is ok, screens and controls are a bit low rent and have seen better days but they do work.

Legroom is par for the course in cattle class i think and thankfully i have not heard or seen one single child!

Lights have been dimmed now so its time for some zzzz

Japan 2014: New Security At Heathrow

I had heard horror stories about the new security measures at heathrow where you might be required to turn on certain devices. No such problems today. Breezed through in ten minutes with tablet, phone and two video cameras.