After many empty promises, I finally managed to log my adventurous excursion to Yokohama that occurred on Sunday, August 2nd. Here it is!
If you want to brush up on the initial pictures and short summary I posted, click here.
So despite my initial hopes for the day to adventure to Kamakura, the weather had other plans, and I felt like exploring Yokohama would be better in the predicted rain.
And boy was I right.
So after a much shorter commute than I expected (it only took about an hour even though I had to get up super early because everything in Japan closes at 4:30) I found myself at Yokohama station and trying to find the bus that would take me to the Sankei-en Garden.
Now let me just say some things about Japanese guidebooks. And maps. And travel agents.
When they tell you, oh, it's simple, just get off at Yokohama station and take the number 8 Bus at the East Bus terminal, don't listen! They don't really explain that you will actually have to navigate a train station with 18 different tracks, find the general east direction signs, and then walk through an entire mall the size of the Galleria in Houston to find the awkward bus terminal at the other end with absolutely no Romaji to help you when you get there. And from there, you must communicate with someone who speaks no English and figure out how to find the number 8 bus, NOT the number 8 platform, and then guess how much it costs, how long you'll have to ride, and at what stop you're supposed to get off.
When you've been in Japan for 8 days and haven't adventured further than 10 km beyond your house.
At least in this situation, I was a bit adventurous, patient and expecting to make mistakes, not super confused when for some strange reason they leave out the 0 as a place holder when writing 11:09 (it's just 11 9), and it turned out the Sankei-en Garden is the last stop on the bus and announced over the bus loud speaker in English. But nonetheless... the guidebook made it sound so much easier.
And maybe it was just difficult because it was all dark and downpour-y.
And we all know the theme of my life here in Japan has been about how genki and sunny my disposition is.
However, the reward of this tenuous journey was one of the most delightful places I've visited in Japan yet. And maybe it's just me, but something about it was even more breathtaking in the rain.
And it was cheap!
For 500 yen, I got to walk through a stunningly beautiful inner and outer garden with 16 or 17 historic and restored buildings, ALL of which I was allowed access to and pictures were daijobu. They had many descriptions in English and a beautiful layout. You even got a booklet where you got a stamp at each building (like my National Park passport) and I didn't realize this, but at the end, if you collected all the stamps, they gave you a souvenir pin as congratulations. Included in the 500 yen!
I mean, most of the cruddy temples I've visited have charged 300 or 400 and then not allowed me to see anything of interest!
So yeah. Talk about a deal. And I was surprised at the English content seeing how far this place was off the beaten tourist path. But I loved it. I probably spent a good 3 or 4 hours there leisurely enjoying the beauty and serenity of the place. I can't wait to take some visitors! And it was even better because about halfway through my visit the rain stopped for the rest of the day, though the clouds had other ideas.
On the way back, I was walking to catch the bus, and then saw a map of the area and all the beautiful green spaces, and I just decided to meander, and the next thing I knew, I had walked the 4 or 5 km back to the downtown area! Typical. Aunt Jan would be so proud! I stopped at a beautiful park, saw a random bus cum restaurant that was selling who knows what, and experienced a bit of Japanese life where the gai-jin are fewer and far between. I even found that amazing two story fire escape slide that just made me wanna jump up and get a carpet and slide down! 
One of the wonderful things I love about Japan that I first realized in Yokohama, is that they respect the highlands and the mountains, and rather than letting the richest people buy up the tops of cliffs and hills to build their houses with beautiful views, the highlands of the area are always respected and either home to temples or turned into public park spaces that everyone can enjoy. And I think that's a lesson we Americans could learn...
Not to ruin every aspect of the landscape with unnecessary selfish constrution.
Although I clearly wouldn't turn down a house on the side of a mountain...
Anyway, when I finally got back to the waterfront, I decided not to go up the tower, and then I realized that it was actually a lighthouse (they look VERY different here); I also decided to skip the tour of the old ship since I happened to live on one for 6 months and the tour looked pretty similar!
I saw some beautiful street art,
a crazy magician performer, and the amazing Yokohama cruise ship port that is an architect's dream and has a beautifully landscaped public park on the top.
I mean, can you imagine post 9-11, the US allowing people unrestricted access to the roof of an international port? I surely can't. Makes me miss the old days of seeing people to their flight gates.
I also visited Yokohama's Chinatown, which is one of the big sights and draws of Yokohama since it is the largest in Japan and frankly, much bigger than New York's! I think something like over 2500 people have settled in that 6 block by 6 block square. I visited the showy Chinese temple there and had oishii (delicious) Chinese steamed pork buns and boba tea. Truly a treat and a reason to go again!
I stopped by the old warehouses they've turned into markets and it reminded me so much of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market in Boston! There was this crazy dance festival happening with live music and tons of people in yukatas! I LOVED it. Even if I didn't really have any idea what was happening.
Which, speaking of, there was this crazy character in costume greeting all the tourists, and so I absolutely couldn't resist my urge to get my photograph with Tanemaru.
Apparently he's the character they created to celebrated the 150th anniversary of the port of Yokohama, or at least that's what I gathered. Either way I have a delightful souvenir T-shirt to bring home too!
As I was meandering to one my ultimate destinations of the day (since I could see it across the waterfront all day), the amusement park with the giant clock ferris wheel, I stumbled upon this lady looking at me very bizarre-ly.
It turns out I had my first encounter with an utterly enamored and awestruck Japanese woman. She was really delightful and from the Fuji area, and she eventually got some other passersby to take our picture. I'm sure I was more than polite, so by the end of the 10 minute walk and talk, I'm pretty sure this woman had me married off to her 25-year-old daughter in her brain. I didn't really have the heart to explain to her that wasn't going to happen. But her English was quite spectacular and it was fun to speak with someone not from TDR.
I then made my way to the amusement park and rode the giant clock ferris wheel (it was really cool) but decided the coaster wasn't really worth it for 700 yen. Especially with the chance of rain.
Which is really shocking if you know me since you know I will do just about anything to ride a roller coaster and will usually run right by the ferris wheel. Nevertheless I enjoyed the ride and even got a narrated tour in Japanese and English of the surrounding sights.
Afterward, I made my way through the Minato Mirai buildings, bought a Hard Rock pin for my collection, and decided to be a total tourist and visit the 69th floor of Japan's tallest building.
It was pretty much just like visiting the Empire State Building or the Top of the Rock except I didn't have to wait in line for 2 hours and I got to ride the world's fastest elevator. Seriously, it travels at 750 meters/second at its fastest point. They even had a meter to show you the acceleration of the elevator. Pretty snazzy!
I didn't get the best view due to the clouds, but I enjoyed the sunset and lights nonetheless. They even had a tank of doctor fish and despite my fear, I stuck my hand in and let the little guys tickle my fingers and eat some of my dead skin! Now hopefully I won't be scared when it happens at the onsen to my uber-ticklish feet.
We'll have to wait and see...
Finally, I felt I had worn myself out enough for one day and caught the train home and prepared myself for a third full day of adventures...
Still to come... the finale of the 3 day weekend. Kamakura!
