A Japanese cherry blossom cruise.

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We used the Loop bus.Not great as there is only 1 in each direction every 70 minutes.A few shots from the bus.First a ferry from Korea coming in-

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Some interesting buildings-

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We got off at Hakusan Park which is a cherry blossom viewing area and has several shrines.

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The festival was still going even though peak blooming was well and truly gone.With the cold weather they weren't doing well.

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More of Hakusan park.As you can see cherry blossom viewing is over.A lot of blossom on the ground,not much on the trees.

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However we weren't the only ones to book at this time.This family were going ahead with their picnic no matter what-

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We both got a written oracle and both were exactly the same!

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They were getting ready for a ceremony-

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From here on we saw fish for sale at stalls at these festivals-

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The wisteria looks ancient but well looked after.

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So out onto the street to wait for the loop bus.It was freezing in the wind so walked into the street opposite the park which had some protection.It was the far end of Niigatas shopping street-

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Although cherry blossom viewing was over there were good shows of other spring flowers-

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There was a farmer's market on but not all produce was first quality-

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Most other stuff was of the quality you expect in Japan.Mushrooms and asparagus were cheap-

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Popped into a small supermarket and found some interesting stuff-

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We ended up in Misukoshi and they were having a food festival on the top floor.Mainly seafood.Walked around and tasted quite a few very different foods.One was a local shellfish in wasabi sauce.The sauce was great but the shell fish was as tough as old boots.Though that was being really unkind to old boots.We ended up having a tray of fried oysters and a rice bowl each.I had crab,ikura and sea urchin on mine and mrsdrron just the crab and ikura.

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Once again some unusual names for shops though the coffee shop would be at home anywhere-

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They take their comics seriously-

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Japan always has little shrines anywhere-

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The entrance to the shopping street and more flowers-

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A group of schoolchildren doing their civic duty.picking up the little bit of litter there was and weeding the flower boxes-

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We got back to the hotel about 1730.It was way too cold to go out again but also we weren't feeling hungry.As usual we had bought a selection of cakes.That kept us happy.

Saturday and a complete turn around in the weather with a lovely sunny day as well as being warm.I had planned a short train ride to Gosen where there are many nurseries.It is the centre of Japan's largest cut flower area.On the coming Monday their tulip festival was to start and there are also peony nurseries.However mrsdrron was not feeling well so we scrapped those plans and just stayed around the local area.There is a tower with a movable section.However when we got there it was obvious no one was in there and although we found the place to access it there was no one there so we just enjoyed the late flowering cherries and partook of a coffee lover's nightmare-

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Taking our coffees out was different to home with everything done to stop spills down to that little green plastic bit to fit in the hole in the lid.

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After a couple of light snacks I dropped mrsdrron back at the CP and walked to the train station to book our return to Tokyo.The main road was a display of tulips-

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It was hilarious at the booking office.No customers there and 3 women serving.As I entered they all got up and fled.One was too slow and had to serve me.Fortunately for her I write down the train number and time so it was really easy for her.So after getting our reservations she felt confident enough to try some English.

I started walking down a back street and it was obviously an "entertainment" area.The establishments all had pictures of young women outside.At last came to one with some more info.Three pictures with prices next to the pictures-5000,7000 and 9000 yen.Above the photos was-"for 30 minutes".Underneath the 5000 yen lady was in English-comes with free bottle of sake.Methinks there is a catch there.So went back to the main street and looked at the tulips instead.

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That night we decided to book to eat at the CP's Japanese restaurant.Decided to have Teppanyaki.We needed have bothered as certainly not busy.That caused us to worry a little.Of course a bottle of wine to accompany the meal-

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An appetiser and salad before the teppanyaki-

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Veggies next-

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Then seafood-

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Then the steak.We had the cheapest meat but the more expensive cuts were the extra marbled beef that the Japanese love.Ours was lean and just beautiful-

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Finished with a sakura sorbet-

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It cost 30000 yen but we really enjoyed it.Great service with a cook and waitress virtually for us alone.The food was really good.As well we had an offer of bonus points for eating in house.

All in all I was very happy with our stay at the CP.We do intend to travel to some less visited Japanese cities and if there is a CP we will be happy to stay there.

I really liked the floral arrangement at the restaurant.So Japanese-

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Simple yet spectacular.

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Sunday and back to Tokyo we go.Saw for the first time-

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Sake flavoured KitKat.

But we are off on Max Toki 320-

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These double decker shinkansens are in fact old and are starting to be phased out.

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Now one difference was less selection of snacks-they only had a very small cart so it could be taken up and down stairs.Around Niigata very flat but obviously fertile country.But impressive mountains in the distance.

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They are preparing for rice planting-

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A few bare ski runs.

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Then the weather changed.

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As our train got close to Tokyo we noticed that there were announcements of various shinkansen services being delayed or cancelled.Nothing untoward at Tokyo station and we changed to the Yamanote line for Meguro station on our way to the Sheraton Miyako.Noticed again messages about train delays and cancellations.Some had some more information saying the disruptions were due to high winds.We weren't worried.But after exiting Meguro station and going to the Miyako shuttle stopped we discovered why services were being cancelled.The wind was incredible.

One small Japanese woman was trying to walk into the wind but was going backwards.A mother with 2 young sons was walking with the wind.The smaller child literally took off.She tried to get him back on the ground she let go of the other boy who was immediately blown over.The boys thought it was a huge joke.Fortunately the shuttle arrived very soon after we arrived so out of the wind.At checkin we were told our bags had arrived.Given a bigger room than previous visits.Plus the Miyako now has a lounge.

 

So the room-

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This is how your bags come when you use a takubin service-

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The hotel does look good at night-

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And the view from the room at night-

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We knew when we planned the trip that we would be far too late for cherry blossom viewing and was planned as a quiet time for recovery.We decided the first day to go back to the Imperial Palace garden to see if the azaleas were in full bloom.We caught the subway at Meguro.Their statio is just 2 blocks from the garden entrance.You walk through a park to get to the Palace.A swan was swimming in the moat-

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Off to the East Garden-

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The Emperor's olives-

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We now walked to the upper level of the garden.

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There were quite a few of the late flowering cherries-

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