Prisoner of Hopes

Category: Uncategorized

  • Zoo In the Rain: Travel Goals Japan

    Zoo In the Rain: Travel Goals Japan

    I love zoos. At least I love them when they are modern, champion conservation, and have plenty of room for the animals. National zoos are usually stellar, so we didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to visit the National Zoo of Japan. We head to Ueno park, even though it is raining. We are…

  • Of Geisha and Samarai: Travel Goals Japan

    Of Geisha and Samarai: Travel Goals Japan

    Kanazawa is a city of surprises. We have already toured a castle and a garden. Now we are on a bus in search of one of the geisha districts. I am actually not sure what to expect. I have only seen movies and read books about feudal Japan. The bus stop is on a non…

  • Japanese Garden: Travel Goals Japan

    Japanese Garden: Travel Goals Japan

    We came to Kanazawa to see the castle. But the cherry blossoms are at their peak and a world famous garden sits just across the street. Kenroku-en garden is considered one of the best traditional Japanese gardens in Japan. I feel lucky to see it as the pale pink blossoms blanket the garden. It is…

  • Kanazawa Castle: Travel Goals Japan

    Kanazawa Castle: Travel Goals Japan

    Visiting Kanazawa castle requires us to take a train from Tokyo to Kanazawa station and then a bus to some spot further into the city . The bus stops are unnamed. This will be challenging. I have no idea if we are in the right spot, but the gps thinks so. So we hop off…

  • Tokyo Disney: Travel Goals Japan

    Tokyo Disney: Travel Goals Japan

    While we are in Japan, we decide we need to head over to Tokyo Disney. This has not been as easy as it seems because they don’t sell tickets on the property and for whatever reason I had a lot of trouble purchasing through the Tokyo Disney app. I finally worked everything out and today…

  • Our Very Odd Day In Odaiba: Travel Goals Japan

    Our Very Odd Day In Odaiba: Travel Goals Japan

    Odaiba is a teenager’s dream destination. We ride into the area on a futuristic area aerial train. It is raining steadily, making the harbor dark and gray. It is also cold and windy. Hopefully we can find plenty of indoor activities to keep us busy. Leaving the rail station, we cross the elevated walkways along…

  • Fuji-San: Travel Goals Japan

    Fuji-San: Travel Goals Japan

    When you think of Japan, you think of Mount Fuji. Iconically shaped, Fuji is a stratovolcano. At 12,389 feet, it is the highest mountain in Japan. My first glimpse of the mountain was from the train as we made our way to Kyoto a few days ago. It looked close enough to touch even from…

  • Weekend In Tokyo: Travel Goals Japan

    Weekend In Tokyo: Travel Goals Japan

    It is a lovely Spring day in Tokyo. It is also the weekend. Our quiet neighborhood is abuzz with grandmothers on bicycles, old men doing tai chi in the park, and families out for a walk. We are a little lazy because we have been crisscrossing the country on a bullet train this week. We…

  • Nagoya Spring: Travel Goals Japan

    Nagoya Spring: Travel Goals Japan

    It is Springtime in Japan. After a brief trip from Tokyo on Japan Railways, we arrive at Nagoya Station. (I highly recommend getting a Japan Rail Pass if you are going to visit several cities. It is so convenient and affordable.) We have a very busy day in Nagoya ahead of us. There are more…

  • Toyota I Never Knew You: Travel Goals Japan

    Toyota I Never Knew You: Travel Goals Japan

    We walk from Nagoya Castle to the Toyota Museum. I happily look at apartments and strange locking speed bumps that fit under residents car wheels while parked in the lot. My husband is slowly trailing me, wishing we had taken a taxi. Down a few residential streets and under an overpass gets us to a…