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Takamatsu (and Naoshima): Hanajukai 夕凪の湯HOTEL 花樹海

October 28, 2026

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We start where we left off—on the big travel day, 2 shinkansen trains and a marine liner on our way from Hakone to Takamatsu (which was as close to Naishima as we could stay). Here is the Seto Bridge at sunset from the Marine Liner panorama car (seats 1CD).

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Our taxi ride up the hill from the station co-occurred with a blazing sunset.

Hanajukai is a very Japanese, very regional, and really very awesome. We were welcomed with not much English, and accommodated with humor, grace, and great attention to detail. The extended check-in process involved procuring an all day taxi for Naoshima, working out how and when to route our luggage to Kyoto, and picking meal times. The taxi idea was a new one (hire it all day and take it across on the ferry). We did some laughing.  Ultimately, everything came off without a hitch.

We were assigned a Japanese room (108) on the bottom floor corner with a private onsen on the terrace. The room smelled almost edibly of tatami mats. The furnishings had no legs.  The security door was made of paper.

I took a quick travel-recovery soak before dinner. This is something NPS should adopt at home.

We each donned a Yukata and proceeded to the best local kaiseki so far this trip. Beat Hakone hands down. Udon, special dispensation for Romey. Fish poached on the spot.  Here’s what we had…

Local sake.

Honestly delicious. And then it was back to our futon pods on the floor. (After two nights of this, we were ready for a western bed again.)

I was up with the sun again for a very early onsen.

After we deciphered the elevator instructions, we headed up for a very early breakfast on our Naoshima adventure. We met the taxi at 7:20.

Morning view from the coffee area.

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Naoshima! See the many Naoshima entries: Taxi, ferry, Go’o shrine, chichu, yellow pumpkin, red pumpkin, and sunset ferry.

About the only wrinkle in our Takjamatsu visit came after a magical sunset ferry back to town.  We requested a dropoff at Honetsukidori Ikkaku.  In retrospect we would never do that again. There are not many unwelcoming assholes in Japan, but we managed to  find some.  It became a ramen emergency.

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Followed by a quest to break the little toy machine racket.


A late night onsen saved the day.

Up with the sun again.

Five showerheads for this gem of a hotel Hanajukai. Friendly staff, authentic and delicious local delicacies, beautiful rooms and a perfect onsen.  This made the heart of our honeymoon beat strong.

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Hakone: Hakone Gora Karaku

October 26, 2026

 

Hakone has gone through some changes in the last decade.  Lots more people.  But still some amazing things to see.  Our second destination after Tokyo was the nearby mountains (easily reached by Shinkansen and local trains (including the Gora one with the switchbacks).

We procured some lunch at the Tokyo Station food basement…super fun and ridiculous. Everything was super easy with our Suica cards at hand.

Gora train.

We reserved a room in the East Building top floor with an open-air bath (Japanese style). Room 102 is superb—with a view second to none in Gora. This is a Ryokan that is counting on the beauty of its buildings and their surroundings to excel. Sadly, the food situation is not up to our very high standards. We had a Kaiseke dinner that looked better than it tasted (a common complaint in Japan), as well as a workaday grill meal. On the other hand, the bakery was great, and we found a bottle of wine produced in France by a family friend at the grill.

But look at this view. We had a soak before dinner.

And we got dressed in our Yukata (for the first but by no means the last time in Japan) to head down for dinner. I had to look up how to properly tie my sash. (Left over right unless you are dead, BTW.)

Our first kaiseki of the trip.

Romey fell asleep early with both her glasses and the light on. I took a last onsen soak. We were up early for a trip one stop down to the Open Air Museum. Wow!

The morning light was beautiful.

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More astounding art. Our main reason for coming to Japan. Romey and I love to do this together.

The Gora mountain train is convenient, even when you take it the wrong direction.

We found soba (a local delecacy).

And we had a private onsen soak at the Rock Bath before dinner.

Dinner flash.


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More light than heat. And early to bed.

Up for sunrise on the terrace.

We had breakfast in the common room before taking a taxi down the mountain. Our big travel day to Naoshima was here!

Time for a shinkansen.

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Four showerheads and best wishes for a better set of chefs befitting the property for Hakone Gora Karaku.

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Back to the Excellent Grand Hyatt Tokyo

November 24, 2019

After a 19 hour trip from Washington, the Tokyo Station was a welcome sight. A quick taxi ride to Rappongi and we arrived at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. NPS is traveling with the progeny. We’ve been here before, and it is great to be back.

Taxi stand Tokyo Station

Tokyo on arrival

Checkin was smooth. We requested a Twin Club Deluxe room with an extra bed to suite three adults. Our room 1013 is on the concierge level where the club is. Super convenient for breakfast and cocktails.

1013 twin club

The bathroom is spacious and well appointed with an NPS approved shower

Omnipresent screen

1013 is a very nice room, just fine for three adults.

The elevator hallway

A late dinner at The Oak Door steakhouse was impressive indeed. One of the best steaks NPS has ever eaten. Just wow.

Porterhouse (off menu)

The sides were just as fantastic as the steak.

And then it was time for much needed sleep. Sleeping on planes in pods is a fitful and pretty much unfulfilling experience. (United Polaris remains among the best in the business for international travel).

Some tips for Japan travelers. Make sure to reserve a wifi device for your wanderings so you can connect your phone(s) through that. You can pick up your device on landing at Narita at the fourth floor post office. Then get some cash if you can. Japan is all about cash. Finally, try to get a Japan Rail Green pass before you arrive. This trip, the US Post office screwed up delivery of our passes by imposing a six week delay. That meant we had to purchase passes on arrival (still recommended, but more expensive). The US Post Office sucks.

Shibuya mural

Day one in Tokyo started kind of late due to the inevitable jet lag suffered by the progeny. We started at Shibuya station to see the famous mural, the dog statue, and the world’s busiest pedestrian intersection. We also had some soup.

Tokyo Sunglasses

Next was a walk up towards Meiji Jingu that took us by an excellent sunglasses retailer, and the pedestrian shopping streets (very different) Ometesando and Takeshita. Trifles were acquired.

Espresso on the Street

Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu is a magical place. Any source of peace is much needed for NPS at this juncture. Shinto.

Meiji Jingu

We exited the north end of the shrine by some yellow ginkos and walked up to a small mall to share a bottle of french wine.

Samurai Museum

There was just enough time to stop in at the Samurai museum (well worth a peek) before dinner.

Sushi at Makoto Sushi was outstanding.

Then it was off on a cocktail bar crawl of sorts. Sadly Ben Fiddich was full (a reservation is a must, but the only slot we could get by phone was for 6pm, too early for us). So we found a nearby dive bar. Three bar was very professional. Nice ice. Great Negroni measured with care.

We walked from Three Bar through piss alley. Golden Gai was our final destination for the day. We visited Baobab (the first vinyl bar in Tokyo) to listen to some old funk and drink some rum. Then it was off to our final destination Le Parrain (a godfather themed, old school, very smokey bar). Great cocktails included a Jack Rose, and over sweet Old Fashioned, and a Corpse Reviver or two. (Special thanks to Jacques Bezuidenhout for excellent cocktail and food data.)

Le Parrain cocktail round

Day two in Tokyo also got off to a late start, this time because two of three of us on this trip work working (hint: not NPS who is “retired“). The day was devised with some help from Patrick who has lived in Tokyo for 10 years or so. The trip began at Hinade pier where we caught a city ferry up to Asakusa pier. The trip was about 40 minutes and a fun way to get around Tokyo.

Fuji Ramen (Tokyo)

Fuji Ramen shop

Our first stop of the day was at Fuji Ramen near Senso-ji temple. Absolutely delicious ramen!

The weather was drizzly at Senso-ji, which somehow seems to fit the mood of the temple. (See more about this visit on apothecaryshed.)

Walking Tokyo

From there, we walked to Kappabashi street to see the kitchenware and plastic food.

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

A taxi delivered us to the Ueno park area where we spent an hour looking at impressionist paintings from France (because what else are you supposed to look at while in Japan?) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. The people at the art museum, though teeming, were absolutely silent as they looked at the famous paintings. (See up and down art on apothecaryshed.)

Vending

A short walk through the park and a quick cab ride deposited us at our last stop, Akihabara. The progeny was familiar with all of the Anime stuff. NPS simply watched in awe of the breadth of Anime culture.

We cabbed back to the hotel for a brief pit stop before an incredibly great dibber at PST Pizza Studio Tamaka (in Roppongi close to the hotel). Recommended by friends of Jacques, the pizza at PST is Italian style and absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.

Our final stop before crashing and burning in the jetlag haze of day two was the Mori tower. The view of Tokyo and surrounds from 50 floors is not to be missed.

Day three started way early for a trip on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, about which see this NPS blog entry.

Five showerheads for the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. Great to be back. This place is an NPS recommended home base in Tokyo.

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