I write this blog on my old iPhone. And that means lots of typos and seldom a beautifully written literary masterpiece- ha! 😄 however , this is a way for us to remember fun little things on our travels.

After …I published last story I realized that I said the little Oita bar was all gringos – WRONG! We pride ourselves on looking for spots with lots of friendly locals. This gives us the wonderful experiences that we love. we are now pretty darned good at walking into a restaurant either no English menu, no photos, only Google Translate! This and the very friendly Japanese citizens make for amazing experiences.

Onto a bullet train heading towards Kyushu island. We have targeted Oita for 2 nights. A midsized city with onsen. Train rides are a treat – stunning scenery – with no traffic nor navigation worries. Oita has a lovely train station – good for a quick snack & off to our hotel. Dtop bags & head to our first public bath – onsen. It is a historic building (ie really old) and not on any tourist bus route / which we love. Ok – this is my first onsen- snd the local ladies are quick to point out – my responsibilities- wash wash wash. Got it. Next bathe. OMG – the water is hot – talking boiling-yikes! Thankfully a gal speaks English & csn point me to a spot where I can run ice cold water – then dip a toe into bath. It is great. Very mineral rich – ie sulphur – my body loves it. Meanwhile Greg & Jack are having their own great onsen experiences. After an hour we meet outside. 100 feet away is the tiniest bar ever. Cute. In we go to celebrate with a beer. Only gringos- of course. Two beautiful women are at table next to us. Aya & Ayla. Both speak English- they ask us if we need help – nope – we figure out how to order beers! Now – we really have no other plans – so I go to their table & ask if they can recommend activities. They can & do & we have a wonderful conversation. Jack asks them to join us for dinner -they agree – and we have the best dinner ever. Aya is a professional cook – who recommends a restaurant & entrees. How fortunate! Ayla is a budding singer – look out Taylor! And we have new friends.

It is time for some nourishment and we stumbled into a cozy bar down an alley. Btw: the recipe to find the most fun, authentic establishments in Japan. We start with beers – ez to order in Japan & their beers are great. Our bartender speaks a bit of English & he helps us order some great tempura. Good, beer, lots of people having fun – a great way to end the night.

Off to rest as we are riding bikes tomorrow!

Up early, taking train to Onomici for the Shimanami Kaido bike trail! We decided yesterday to do this! this turns out to be one of fav activities! We start with a short ferry ride and go through picturesque communities, citrus orchards, and stunning HUGE suspension bridges leading to the Pacific Ocean. We ride til we can go no further and head back. We have great memories of small towns, beautiful waterways and a great ride. 40+ miles worth.

It is time to leave Tokyo – and we are taking our first bullet train ride to Hiroshima. The bullet train makes the trip short & easy. We arrive in Hiroshima around Noon – just in time for Okonomiyaki – yum! A specialty with cabbage, egg, onion, seafood grilled before us & topped with a savory sauce- so good! Which gives us enough energy to tour the Peace Park. A beautiful, sobering tribute to the Japanese people.

Tokyo is such a huge city that is made so manageable with a fabulous transportation system. Greg went off to explore pickleball so Jack & I explored. Went to a great local park with fabulous gardens – Japan is filled with amazing landscapes. The fish market for Japanese egg snack. Ginza for some strolling & window shopping / brief. On to Tokyo Station for more hiking around Imperial Palace surrounded by huge stone moats. All of this touring has us starved and we meet Greg for lunch at one of Tokyo’s fun cafes right at train station. A bit of nourishment before collapsing for a nap💤.

Tokyo Tower at sunset gives us an appreciation for the size of the city.

Our travels take us to our first – restaurant – automated ordering system. Boy are we confused! We find a cute little ramen shop & go in. We are immediately escorted outside to an electronic board where we insert money & push buttons to order food. Not so crazy until you remember the menu is in Japanese. Google translate to the rescue! the Ramen was excellent & we were so hungry & we get another cool experience in Tokyo!

Team Labs Planet had light displays. Walking through knee deep water. Orchid displays- sounds crazy – was a great experience in Tokyo