Japan 日本 – Page 5

April 20, 2023April 26, 2023

Akasaka Palace in Tokyo

We were pretty tired after doing the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and heading right to Tokyo afterwards so we got a late start today. We headed to Akasaka Palace at what we thought was the opening time at 11am. It turns out it probably opened earlier at 10am. This palace serves as the state guest house and has been open to tourists only since 2016. Various US presidents have been here. Joe Biden features quite a bit in many of the photographs on display.

April 19, 2023April 25, 2023

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to Ogizawa

After spending the night at the Hotel Tateyama at Murodo Station on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, we saw the weather improve after breakfast. We decided to check out as soon as we could put everything away to once again go hiking in the snow. We ended up hiking to the Mikurigaike Onsen, and then a bit past to the Jigokudani Observatory. Afterwards, we completed the alpine route, spending some time at the Kurobe Dam before ending the trip at Ogizawa where we caught the Alpico bus to the Shinano-Ōmachi JR station.

April 18, 2023April 25, 2023

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to Murodo

We headed out early from Toyama to start the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Our destination for the day was Murodo and Hotel Tateyama, the highest point on the route. We got to Murodo fairly early and went out for a walk in the snow. The weather got worse throughout the day, though there was a brief period where it cleared up a tiny bit. But afterwards, there was strong blowing wind and blizzard-like conditions and visibility.

April 17, 2023April 26, 2023

Takayama

We headed out in the morning on the JR Hida from Toyama to Takayama. We spent the morning at Hida no Sato, the Hida Folk Village. Afterwards, we headed to the historic area of Takayama to have a late lunch and to take a quick walk around before heading back to Toyama.

April 16, 2023April 19, 2023

Kanazawa

We headed out early in the morning to catch the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa. Once we arrived, we visited Kenroku-en, a garden, and the Kanazawa Castle Park. Afterwards, we briefly visited a small shrine and a samurai district before heading back to the station.