16/07/09 - Ghibli day in Tokyo!
So we wake and I am going over the plans and quickly making calculations. I want eternal salvation but it comes at a cost with time to get to Ghibli and allow monkey bathing? What to do. Quickly I manage to get a plan formulated and so we can go. Considering my bag is 3-4 times the size of Karen's it's still a wonder to me she takes twice as long (though swears otherwise), so whilst I go tell the plan to the hostel owner, and ask if he can give us a lift (he'd offered but at 9am, not 8am) and we are all ready to pay, we just need the girl with the creditcard (as she is out of cash)
Round and round in circles. When she does arrive we head out in the van to the monkey park (wow it is a way!) before beginning the trek up the forest path. After the walk lasting a good 20 minutes, we arrive at our destination, making a frind on the way. First is the outdoor hotsprings. Not sure what happened, but it was like they had never seen (or at least expected) tourists. So it took 15 minutes of people avoiding us (potentially getting things ready) before they let us in...
Heading down the small blocked door and down the stairs we are greeted with some pretty miserable baths. And not outdoor. So we had a quick soak and after noting the "keep door closed or monkeys get in" sign, the reason we had come, we quickly headed out feeling a bit done. It was on the walk out we noticed the outdoor hotspring (but it was only accessible through the mens, and it was a concreate looking one, though their is a natural geyser opposite, so it could be a proper hotsring (if crap looking) Still missed, we headed on. Monkeys awaited.
We even saw some monkeys as we left the Inn/Onsen, running around. But headed up tot he monkey park and there were loads of them all running around. It was interesting to see them in their natural habitat, running around, and the babies are very cute (seemed we were at least the right season for something) apparently so they have the longest time before winter to find out about life and play. Snapping photos we had to start going through and deleting photos to make room for monkeys. And I realised how many good photos I have of Japan!
So again only 20 minutes, and we were running off. This time to get the bus. We made it in good time, got drinks and then feel foul to the delayed rural casual services, as a bus didn't stop. But luckily the right one did a few minutes late and we were on our way to Nagano once more. Arriving we split, Karen for her McDonalds, and me to put the bags in lockers. Then met up to get the bus, after the burger was eaten, and soon infront of the temple. With about 20 minutes to do this too (becoming a day trend) we headed for the death-rebirth chamber.
Weird. You go down some steps, hoping what you've heard is right and head into pitch blackness. Then using your right hand, you follow the winding path to wherever it led (Karen wanted to know where you go if you follow the left hand wall - I joked the toilets were that way. But now I'm curious too, I assume it's just a corridor so leads the same way, however on the left you'd not find the "key to salvation").
Now with eternal happiness and salvation, I was feeling pretty good about this trip.
So we snapped a few more photos and ran off to catch the bus. Which didn't go every ten minutes, but every fifteen. And we'd missed it by 2 minutes... Jumping in the waiting taxi we were in hot pursuit. Got to the station, paid, ran off, got bags, went to the train, jumped on, all in the nick of time. It started moving as we sat down. Bullet to Tokyo and the Ghibli museum (which I was hoping was going to be better than the Manga museum.
We arrived and rather than find a hostel, went for the next train, and the next, then the local train then the bus... at least the bus was easy to find, being all colourful which goes stright to the museum and back. Jumping off with the rest of the people we headed in and it looked better and different from the outside. The motto "let's get lost together in the magical world" was true. The place was odd like a stairs and lift labyrinth with colours and 'magical-ness' all around. The fact you can't climb on the cat bus as we're too old was just unfair. Otherwise it was a way to learn about how the manga and anime are all drawn, how animation works, a unique video (kids imagination style) and seeing the colaboration going on with disney - to attain a worldwide market.
After a few purchases and actually having the time to see everything, we headed back on the bus and on to find our hostel. Or so we thought. My plan was to go to one of the few capsule hotels that accept women. We were half right. After finding it and having trouble with people not being able to help us why the phone number didn't work we found the building. A lot of resturants. Apparently it had been knocked down about two years ago. Much like the robot museum. Typical.
Every other cheap hostel was full again and the capsule hotel we had been told was open, couldn't speak english. Still it was in the cheap area so we headed that way. Luckily for us, it was open, had space and after checking in I introduced myself to the reception guy. WHAT a difference that made! Suddenly we were offered sweets, chocolate, having a chat, photos and all sorts. He'd looked bored but introducing yourself and making the extra effort really means a lot to some people.
We headed out to a restaurant and got some food, but otherwise had a quiet night and prepared for the next day with the 4.30am start. This wasn't going to be fun. Way too early to be concious unless you've not yet slept!
