Visiting Tokyo for a Family Reunion

 Last year in April I was contacted by my Cousin Karen about getting together in Tokyo. It wasn't doable at that time but there was another window of opportunity in January 2025, so we all agreed on that and yesterday was the day for our family reunion.

We were set to meet Karen at the Hotel Okura's Prestige Tower 5th floor lobby at 11:00 on January 12th. Emi and I went to Tokyo the night before and stayed at a small hotel near the Tokyo Tower.

At around 10:00 Emi and I left our hotel and started our walk to the Hotel Okura. Tokyo Tower is in the center of the picture. 

It's a Japanese holiday today and the normally busy streets are quite empty.

Near the hotel I spotted a Chinese maple tree with autumn leaves still hanging in there. 

We have arrived at the Hotel Okura. For those that don't know, the Hotel Okura is no ordinary hotel, it's a premier VIP hotel that caters to the rich and famous. I hope they'll let us in! 

They let us in! The hotel staff in the lobby were extremely friendly and professional. The lobby is huge and bustling with people coming and going and there's a wedding reception going on, too!

Emi and I found a quiet place in the lobby to sit and wait for Karen. The next problem is that Karen and I haven't seen each other since 1975 or so. What I remember is that she's an attractive woman with blue eyes and blond hair. From my seat I'm scanning the lobby looking for a person that matches that description. 

It doesn't take long before I find her! 😊

After all these years Karen and I have a chance to get reacquainted. 

We talked, had lunch at one of the hotel's restaurants (thank you, Karen), and talked some more. Emi told me later that she was amazed at how easily Karen I talked with each other despite the fact that it had been so many years since we had last seen each other. I told Emi that's the way our families are. We have some sort of magical bond that is unaffected by the time spent away from each other.

This is us enjoying coffee and tea after lunch.

Well, sadly after four hours of getting reacquainted it was time to say goodbye. It was a wonderful family reunion. Karen is a terrific person and I'm so glad we had this opportunity to get together. 

Back outside of the Hotel Okura's entrance and it's time to walk back to our hotel. 

Walking along the street and I'm thinking... Tokyo's such an amazing place. It's the perfect place for meeting old friends and family; it was the perfect place for meeting Karen!

(Azabudai Hills in the background)

All the best,

Mike

Bonus shots!

 

Return to Chōshi City (part 2)

 Now for the second part of the Chōshi adventure.

After seeing Byobugaura Cliff it was time to turn around and make the long walk back to the bus stop.

The bus stop was in front of the Chiba Institute of Science. I asked Emi to take my picture. 

Yes, this is me holding my camera and drinking coffee from a thermos in the nice shelter of the bus stop while Emi stands out in the gale force wind taking my picture. 

Here comes the bus! 

We got off the bus in front of this local products center where we bought some bento box lunches and ate them in a small lunch room.

Next we went for a walk around the Chōshi City waterfront. This is where the fishing fleet moor their boats.

The fishermen are very friendly. This guy is the Captain of the yellow boat behind him. He asked me where I was from? Then he posed for this picture.

Other men busy working on their fishing nets.

It's time to take the train back to the Inn and spend some time soaking in the hot spring bath before dinner time.

Our train is arriving.

The train is a lot more crowded at this time of day.

When we got off at Ashikajima station a young girl politely said goodbye to the train driver; he smiled and thanked her. People are very nice in Chōshi.

It's time for dinner! We're wearing the hotel lounge wear.

Emi looks cute!

I look... not so cute 😞

A little wine with our dinner.

Let's eat!

Next morning and we're back in the dining room for breakfast.

The food is very delicious at this hotel. 

Nothing beats a raw egg for breakfast! 😍

This is the view from our room. I took this picture while we were packing our bags.

We took a local bus to the main train station.

One last look at the local Chōshi Dentetsu line. We enjoy riding the local train during our stay but now it's time to take and express train to go home. 

This is a train!

We're going home in style!

Our car is up near the front of the train.

Last shot of the trip. Getting seated in the train just before departure.

We did a lot of sightseeing and had a lot of fun on our second trip to Chōshi and I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't come back here again in the future. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Mike

Bonus shots!

Return to Chōshi City (part 1)

 The last time we visited Choshi city I had a really good time. However, I felt like there was more of the Choshi area that I needed to see. That last time we came to Choshi with a group of friends in a rental van. This time it's just Emi and myself and we traveled by train from Yokosuka all the way to Choshi. It took about 3 hours and it was fun. 

After arriving in Choshi the first place we visited was the Choshi Bridge. This bridge connects Chiba prefecture with Ibaraki prefecture.

After visiting the bridge we returned to the Choshi train station because the main bus terminal is in front of the station. We got onboard a local bus that would take us to the Choshi Port Tower.

Before going to the top of the tower we had lunch in the local fish and products center attached to the tower.

A variety of fish cooked tempura style.

Now it's time to go to the top of the tower. 

Per the Tower's website: Choshi Port Tower stands 57.7 meters high at the point where the Tone River empties into the Pacific Ocean. Take the quick elevator ride from the tower’s lobby to its top floor for a panoramic view of Choshi City, the Pacific coastline of northeast Chiba, and beyond.

I can confirm that there is a nice view from the top of the tower.

After our visit to the Port Tower we took the local bus back to the train station and from there we walked to the Yamasa soy sauce factory products store. We visited here last time we were in Choshi and we returned this time so that we could buy some of their great products that we can't get in Yokosuka. 

After our visit to the factory we walked to the local train station that's right next to the factory. It's time that we take the train to the station near the Inn where we'll be staying for the next two nights.

This is Nakanocho Station. Emi's buying our tickets.

Other people waiting in the station for the train to arrive.

The sign on the platform.

Here comes our train!

Inside the train. The guy in the center of the picture wearing a necktie is the conductor. He's checking to make sure everyone has a ticket.

We got off the train at Ashikajima Station. We watched the train continue down the line and then we walked a bout 5 minutes to our Inn. 

Home sweet home! This is the same place we stayed last time we visited Choshi.

After checking in Emi went to soak in the Inn's hot spring bath and I went for a walk along the coast. 

It's only a 3 minute walk from the Inn to the ocean.

I walked up and down the waterfront enjoying the view.

It's a bit windy out here. One can see the Choshi port tower in the distance.

Next morning we returned to Ashikajima Station.

The station waiting room. 

We're going to ride the local train to the end of the line and then we're going to visit the Byobugaura Cliff.

Here comes the train!

The train conductor is collecting our ticket money.

There's only one other person on the train with us.

We have arrived at the last station on the train line.

Saying goodbye to the train before we start our walk to the Byobugaura Cliff.

There are several small fishing ports on the way to the cliff.

Waterfront scenery.

We stopped on the way to visit Inuiwa Dog Rock.

Per the internet: It’s the oldest stratum in Chiba prefecture about 200 million years old. There's also a legend about the dog rock but the translation was a bit confusing. Something about a dog being turned into a rock... very sad! 

Okay! we have finally arrived at the beginning of the Byobugaura Cliff.

Internet information on the cliff.

It's a long walk to get to the best part of the cliff sightseeing.

I'm getting closer...

This is as far as one can go. I can see the end of the cliff in the distance. Unfortunately it is not safe to go beyond this point. The concrete seawall is badly damaged from here on. That's okay, the view from here is more than enough for me. It's time to turn back 

The adventure will continue in "part 2". 

Thanks for stopping by!

Mike

Bonus shots from December 31, 2024 at Miura Beach