Twelve Floors

On Sunday afternoon, we had Hiroshima style okinomiyaki for lunch in Gakugeidaigaku with Takeshi and Jessica and then went through twelve floors of Uniqlo in Ginza for two hours with a sleeping baby (although sleeping for only seven of the floors). Didn't have enough time for the other things we planned for Ginza. We will have to go back and see the actual neighborhood now that we've conquered all twelve floors of Uniqlo.

Karuizawa Scenes

We went for walks in the snow. The air was refreshing. The snow felt like winter. 

Carlos enjoyed trying to push Bethany into the snow. Bethany enjoyed hearing stories of how two year old Carlos fell into the nearby pond as he threw bread crumbs to the ducks. 

 

 

Winter Escape

The day after Christmas, we headed up to Carlos's family's house in Karuizawa, about a couple hours northwest of Tokyo near Nagano. Carlos's mom has come here since she was a child and Carlos and his sister have come a lot to go skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.

On the way up the mountain...

The waiter at this restaurant was very funny. He "spilled" a fake beer on the table and squirted fake mustard. He got one of us every time! He even gave Carlos his beer in a cup the size of a shot glass.

Keep drooling, Simba

Oyakodon oishii!!

Okay, parents, so these are my babysitters?

Getting ready to brave the cold

The main street in Karuizawa 

B comes out of hibernation 

This old school coffee shop was at the end of the main street. Carlos's parents go there when they go to Karuizawa. It's pretty awesome. It's an entire line of hanging coffee cups and a whole row of chairs. We already want to go back! 

Happy winter (Simba's new friends are from the Ghibli store on the main street)!!

 

Merry Christmas from Japan!

A belated Merry Christmas! We found lots of couples (Christmas in Japan is not so much a family thing as it is a couple thing) and Santas strolling the streets of Yokohama on Christmas Day. In the spirit of Jewish people in the States, we ate Chinese food for the holiday. Ho Ho Ho!!!

Welcome to Chinatown

Carlos the grinch blends in with the Santas

Looks cooler than it tasted

At the Minato Mirai stop on the Minato Mirai / Toyoko line 

We saw many people in Chinatown carrying vacuum-sealed bags of cup noodle. When we came across this building, we realized why.

Merry Christmas from Tokyo!! 

Weekend Wanderings

Teriyaki burger from McDonald's, Taco Rice at the Jiyugaoka Okinawan restaurant, our regular walk from Omotesando to Shibuya (with another stop at Omotesando Koffee) -- all with a familiar face and additional Christmas flair.

Look closer.

Maybe if I stare long enough, he will appear soon.

And finally...the man for whom we [always] wait arrives.

Omotesando Koffee added a Christmas tree to the cube!

Outside Meiji Jingu. Isn't this how Christmas is celebrated everywhere?

And what you weren't told in school is that the three wise men actually offered presents of huskies. In Santa costumes.

The offerings are getting restless. 

How are these people STILL TAKING PICTURES???

Trains

One of our favorite parts about traveling on the Shinkansen is the bento boxes at each station that feature the food specialty of that particular area. For example, when we left from Shin Yokohama station, many of the bento boxes have shumai because Chinatown is in Yokohama. Love it. Simba does too.

Bentos at Shin Osaka station

All MINE!!!!

Kyoto from the Shinkansen

Gratuitous selfies :p Simba finally sleeping after staring at everything possible on the train first.

What's not to like about trains when I can stretch out?

Not the Shinkansen, but a view of the JR lines from our hotel room.

Osaka Castle

Luckily our last morning in Osaka was sunny so after we all took an additional nap in the morning, we headed out to Osaka Castle right off the JR line. Cool castle. And we were entertained by the huge lines and unique dress for whatever special event was happening in the park that leads to the castle (lots of people were carrying "Uverworld" bags and bringing suitcases to the event). Guess it's not just New York that likes standing in lines.