Day 2 & Marta is still not in #Japan Below a pic of the beautiful #Himejicastle (if you go make sure you visit the #kokoen gardens as well) https://twitter.com/Jimena_1976/status/1245801587211198466

Day 3 and I haven’t left the house even to go to the garden for a week now. No wonder I miss being able to walk to my heart’s content. Here a photo of the #Nakasendo trail (used to be the old road from #Kyoto to #Tokyo - Edo) Really hope I can walk more days next time #Japan

Day 4, watched today a Japanese movie that was actually quite good called “Like father, like son”. The characters lived in #Tokyo so here’s a night shot of the city from the Metropolitan Building in #Shinjuku (entry is free btw) #Japan #traveldreaming

Day 5 of Marta not being in The most pleasant surprise for me was the Kii Peninsula: never heard of it before although a lot of people already do the Kumano-Kodo trail. Here a photo of the Nachi Falls and the Nachi Taisha Shrine #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 6: “Japanese people are polite but very reserved & cold towards foreigners”
Exhibit A, Kii Peninsula, November 2018, 1am (dancing to “Paquito el chocolatero”)

Day 7 and I could have done with some of this today. Lovely hotel in Hakone #Japan #onsen #Hakone

Day 8, still not in Japan & running out of miso paste so here’s a photo of the “full Japanese breakfast” we had at Magome #Magome #Japan #Nakasendotrail #miso

Day 9 & honestly just thinking now on a long long walking holiday. I can think at the moment of nothing better than just walk for days on end. I took this photo at the #kumanokodotrail In the Kii Peninsula #Japan #walkingholiday #Kiipeninsula

Day 10 of this thread that will go on until I’m back in . As much as I look forward to come back to some places, there were certainly some disappointments: I’m looking at you, Bamboo “forest” (I think my unimpressed face says it all really) – at 竹林の小径 (Arashiyama Bamboo Grove)

Day 11 & a little bit of advice: invest on nice socks if you ever go to . Quite a few museums (heritage sites) & countryside hotels/cafes will ask you to take off your shoes to get in #japan #Himejicastle

Day 12 & the obligatory photo of Fujiyama. Another place I would love to go back to #Japan #Fujiyama #Hakone

Day 13 and here’s a photo of some of the visitor’s in Kumano Hongu in Taisha (many languages!) #KumanoKodo #Tanabe #Japan

Day 14, still dreaming. When in #Osaka, compulsory to have a photo at the Glico-man sign. Plenty of Takoyaki available in the area #Japan – bei 道頓堀グリコサイン (Dotonbori Glico Sign)

Day 15, usually not a fan of open air museums but this one in #Hakone I did really enjoy. This sculpture is called “Rapture” by Atsushi Imoto #Japan #artwork #sculpture – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 16, ahhh, shopping. About this don’t ask I really don’t know #Japan #Osaka

Day 17, I thought #Kyoto was particularly beautiful. Here’s a night shot in #Gion #Japan – bei 祇園麺処むらじ

Day 18, still in #Kyoto and it’s true that Japanese gardens are something else #Japan – bei 慈照寺 (銀閣寺) (Ginkaku-ji Temple)

Day 19, #Osaka also has a nice castle, original interior was not kept as in Himeji, but a very nice museum, great views of the city from the top plus a park, shops & restaurants #Japan #Osakacastle – bei 大阪城 (Osaka Castle)

Day 20, a bit of a dark day, currently I feel a lot of anger (the overall situation + some personal stuff) I hope I can channel this to something positive. Maybe next year we are all having our lives back #Japan #RyoanJiRockGarden #Kyoto

Day 21, heart feels a bit lighter.
During the trip we did find the traditional Japanese rooms more comfortable (I’m just 5’5 but found single beds quite small) This place is just at the start of the Kumano Kodo trail. Best sleep #Japan #KiiPeninsula #Ryokan

Day 22. Tokyo really comes alive at night. I confess #Akihabara gave me a bit of a headache but my sister is an anime megafan & she had a great time #Tokyo #Japan – bei ソフマップAKIBA 4号店 アミューズメント館

Day 23: missing eating out. Dinner in #Hakone Very true that the attention to detail is something else: wherever we stayed, our names never had a single typo. Sounds like such a small thing but to date this has never happened to me in #Japan – bei マウントビュー箱根

Day 24: I’ve had the laziest of days (sometimes you have to)
Here a detail of the Nijo-Jo Castle’s entrance in Kyoto (photos not allowed inside) #Kyoto #Japan – bei 二条城 (Nijo-jo Castle)

Day 25: first video-fitness-related-knee-injury Hope it will feel better tomorrow.
Still not in Japan, obvs.
At the Nakasendo trail you will find bells like this: must use to scare the bears away apparently #Japan #Nakasendotrail

Day 26: had a chat with the sister today about the foods we could have been eating in #Tokyo, specially at the Korean neighbourhood. I think we had #Dakgalbi last time in there. As a friend of hers said once: “if it’s red it’s authentic Korean food” #Japan #ShinOkubo

Day 27: still dreaming.
Cat cafés are honestly really good fun. This one in #Kyoto was called Mocha (the cats can also be adopted)
We did see cat, dog, porcupine & owl cafés across #Japan
They usually charge by time spent & include free coffee/tea/soft drinks #catcafe

Day 28: this was honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to #KinkakuJi #Kyoto #Japan – bei 金閣舎利殿 (Golden Pavilion)

Day 29: the train services in #Japan are famously punctual, to the point that on your train ticket you not only have the time of departure, but the exact time of arrival (to the minute) to your station. None of the trains we took for over two weeks were late #NaritaExpress

Day 30 and another shot taken at the #nakasendotrail (I cannot be the only one missing “the great outdoors”) #Japan #walkingholiday #autumn – bei 尾又橋

Day 31: Nara, went to see the deers but actually the Buddhist temple was really impressive #Nara #Kyoto #Japan – bei 東大寺盧舎那仏像 (奈良の大仏)

Day 32: today we had to run away from some cows during our daily walk Brought some memories, so here’s a video of me being (softly) bitten by a deer in Nara #Nara #Kyoto #Japan #narapark – bei 奈良公園 (Nara Park)

Day 33: it’s true that sometimes there’s just too many people to enjoy some visits. We were almost elbowing each other & even being November it was quite hot. Still, been there, got the photo #Japan #Kyoto #FushimiInariTaisha – bei 伏見稲荷大社 (Fushimi Inari Taisha)

Day 34: many offerings like this by the #KumanoKodo trail in #Japan. Not only fruit but also sometimes little toys etc.

Day 35: still not in #Japan & sometimes it feels like normality will never resume. Still, I may get to enjoy things like this again. BTW loved that every hotel have you a “yukata” to wear during the stay (mine was always man size ) #Hakone

Day 36: not in & stone cold sober since quarantine started
Photo below the temple at #KumanoNachiTaisha
Souvenir shops are actually inside the temples, which is not something I’m used to. All sort of amulets are sold (good luck for exams, find love, etc) #Japan

Day 37: Still not in Not sure what Ronaldo was trying to sell us here #Japan #Tokyo #Japanshopping

Day 38: nothing much happened, one of the probably 300 photos I did in the Koko-en gardens, next to Himeji castle. Don’t miss them if you go #Japan #Himejicastle #Kokoengardens

Day 39: wondering how long until we can just go wondering around in cities. I specially love going to food markets. This photo is from #Kyoto #Japan #foodmarket

Day 40: obviously still not in .
Just a photo of #Gion in #Kyoto. I was actually appalled at the way tourists chased the Gheishas around so I didn’t even tried to make a photo (we saw a few walking around, though) – bei 辰巳大明神

Day 41: so,so day, not feeling the brightest & still not in . This sculpture from the Hakone Open-Air museum kind of fits the mood #Hakone #Japan #Hakoneopenairmuseum – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 42: having dinner & of course talking again about the food we had in This we had in #Osaka, did hit the right spot at it was pretty cold at night. You pay in advance purchasing a ticket from a vending machine, so no need to speak Japanese #Japan

Day 43: sometimes is just in the little details that one finds beauty. This was just a fence at the #Kokoengardens #Himejicastle #Japan

Day 44: even on holiday sometimes you just have to draw the line & say NO #Japan #Hakone #camembert – bei 花水 ラオシャン 田村店

Day 44: boss still set on re-open the Hotel in July, so I’m going to suggest this as my PPE if I’m forced to work in Reception (apparently a Perspex screen is “unthinkable”) #Kiddyland #Tokyo #Japan – bei ローソン 神宮前四丁目店

Day 45: this walk was just beautiful. A couple of weeks later probably even more (it was the start of November so the trees had just started to turn) #Kyoto #PhilosophersPath #Japan

Day 46: catch up today with an old friend that lives in now. Eight giggle, maybe a job offer, who knows. Lately I think I rather stay anywhere but here. This made me nervously chuckle in #Osaka A bit like the “what to do in case of a tsunami” cute cards in the trains #Japan

Day 47: I think I will be able to work from home during the summer which is a relief. Tokyo museum below. #Tokyo #Japan – bei 東京国立博物館 本館

Day 48: bit of a photo-cliché but boy did I miss this luxury during the infamous 2020 toilet roll shortage.

Day 49: memorial museum of the Japanese writer Toson Shimazaki in #Magome (it was the countryside family home).
I had read one of his books before the trip: “The broken commandment” which I highly recommend #Japan #Toson #nakasendotrail

Day 50: today more engrossed on Agust D comeback (but that’s Korean stuff that bores everyone else to death so here’s another random shot of #Osaka in the night) #Japan

Day 51: dealing with customers today and I need the help of Buda alright. This is inside the #Nara temple. #Kyoto #Japan – bei 東大寺盧舎那仏像 (奈良の大仏)

Day 52: one of those days where nothing goes right. Still let’s keep #Japandreaming Little water mill in #Tsumago #Japan #nakasendotrail – bei 妻籠宿 高札場跡

Day 53: here’s one of my favourites from the #Nakasendotrail #Japan #walkingholiday – bei 男滝・女滝

Day 54: still Japan-dreaming. The obligatory shot of the Shibuya crossing. Not that busy at that time of the evening thankfully #Shibuya #Tokyo #Japan – bei JR 渋谷駅 (JR Shibuya Sta.)

Day 55: early in bed, thinking about this room of the hotel we stayed in Kyoto. The mats were brand new, and smelled wonderfully #Kyoto #Japan

Day 56: when in #Tokyo, another reason to visit the Korean neighbourhood is the cosmetic shops. Specially their face treatment masks, much better than any I can find in Europe #ShinOkubo #Japan – bei ソウル本家 韓国料理専門店

Day 57: Wondering now if they let us in #Japan if we come from the U.K. Anyway, sometimes you find local words that have a very different meaning in your own language. Below it reads “caspa” which in Spanish is literally “dandruff” #Japan

Day 58: some places you really have to get your legs into gear. See below the start to get to Kumano Nachi Taisha temple (set of stairs number one) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 59: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker (set of stairs number two) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 60: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker (set of stairs number three) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 61: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker (set of stairs number FOUR) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 61: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker and at least it was really beautiful up there #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 62: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker, wait there’s more effing stairs? (Set of stairs number five) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 62: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker, guess what, yes, more of those wait there’s more (Set of stairs number SIX) #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula

Day 62: Kumano Nachi Taisha leg breaker, but worth the view #NachiTaisha #Japan #KiiPeninsula – bei 那智御瀧 飛瀧神社

Day 63: still Japan-dreaming.
Here a photo of the remains of the #HaraidoStoneMound in the #KumanoKodoTrail (used to be up to 1.3 metres high)
Pilgrims would pile these stones to purify themselves or pray for their safety during the pilgrimage #Japan

Day 64: and in #Kyoto we found Jamón!!! (And the really expensive one, of course) Always a Spaniard everywhere you go #Japan

Day 65: I will continue to pointlessly post a photo of my 2018 trip to #Japan until I get to use my BA voucher for my cancelled trip of 2020 (AKA the year I booked 4 holidays to end up not leaving Devon) Anyway, another photo of #HimejiCastle

Day 66: anime live adaptations are usually disappointing, but maybe next time it would be nice to go to a theatre This was in #Osaka , one of my favourites #HimuraKenshin #Japan

Day 67: of course, if you have a sister mad for Final Fantasy the visit to the Square Enix Cafe is a must #SquareEnix #Tokyo #Japan – bei 新宿文化センター

Day 68: still not in , rained all day so missing again the walks. Another shot of the #NakasendoTrail #Japan #walkingholiday

Day 69: said it before but I didn’t enjoy the visit to the torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine. It was hot, packed & a tad claustrophobic. Still, been there, got the photo... #Japan #Kyoto #FushimiInariTaisha

Day 70: “Snoopy” Dango (lemon flavour, tried the traditional one but did not like it as much) in #Kyoto #Dango #Japan #Snoopy – bei スヌーピー茶屋 京都錦店 (Snoopy Chaya)

Day 71: Floating sculpture at the Hakone Open-Air Museum from the Hungarian artist Marta Pan.
Honestly, don’t miss this museum if you are in the area #Hakone #Japan – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 72: do you know Hachiko? #Hachiko #Shibuya #Tokyo #Japan – bei 東急田園都市線 渋谷駅 (DT01)

Day 73: remembering early morning in Magome #Magome #Japan #NakasendoTrail – bei 馬籠宿 下入り口

Day 74: feeling particularly hungry today, so another photo in Nishiki Market in Kyoto #foodmarket #Kyoto #Japan

Day 75: samurai armour, from Tokyo National Museum. #TokyoNationalMuseum #Tokyo #Japan – bei 東京国立博物館 本館

Day 76: two of the gigantic statues inside of the Todai-Ji temple in Nara #Nara #Kyoto #Japan – bei 東大寺 (Tōdai-ji Temple)

Day 77: injured a finger while doing exercise at home (why is it that as soon as something hurts one keeps hitting it?) Anyway, here’s another of the many photos I have of the Koko-En Gardens #Osaka #Japan #HimejiCastle

Day 78: Osaka was the first place we stayed in, walking around Dotonbori it felt a bit “blade runner”
(jet lag- we don’t know her) #Dotonbori #Osaka #Japan

Day 79: still not in #Japan This photo os from the interior of the Ryoan-Ji rock garden. Surprisingly beautiful #RyoanJiRockGarden #Kyoto – bei 吾唯足知 知足の蹲踞（本物）

Day 80: could not help but think on Adam Ant here #Tokyo #Japan #Shopping – bei セブンイレブン 原宿竹下通り店

Day 81: another artwork in the Hakone Open-air museum: the Symphonic Staircase by Gabriel Loire. Going up is not for the faint hearted (I confess I did struggle with the height a bit - but very beautiful) Once up there’s a roof terrace also #Hakone #Japan – bei シンフォニー彫刻

Day 82: the view from the top of the Symphonic Staircase in #Hakone open-air Museum #Japan – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 83: use always before entering the temples #KumanoKodo #KiiPeninsula #Japan

Day 84: so, this hole it’s meant to be the same size as one nostril of the Buddha giant statue in the Todai-JI temple. If you’re able to go through it you’ll have luck & good health (no, I didn’t fancy getting my f*t a*se stuck so no try for me!) #Nara #Kyoto #Japan

Day 85: this phot in #Tsumago has been my phone wallpaper since we went there in 2018. So glad we took the detour to do the walk between this town & #Magome #NakasendoTrail #Japan – bei おしゃごじさま

Day 86: still not in #Japan obviously. Narita Express, mon amour. I loved the trains so much I almost bought a Shinkansen replica to take home #Tokyo

Day 87: random shot by the Ryoan-Ji temple #Kyoto #Japan – bei 龍安寺 Ryoan-ji Temple

Day 88: A photo of Kumano Hongu Taisha on the Kumano Kodo trail #Japan #KiiPeninsula #KumanoKodoTrail

Day 89: inside of the armory (would have been filled with long guns & katanas) All over the main castle trap doors, false windows, etc, are placed to help its defence #HimejiCastle #Osaka #Japan – bei 姫路市立動物園

Day 90: still not in Japan. Another “friendly face” shopping late at night in Tokyo #Shibuya #Tokyo #Japan – bei 渋谷駅 (Shibuya Sta.)

Day 91: heard today that the “One Piece” Tower in #Tokyo will close the 31st of July I had really look forward to see it (quite a fan of the anime: we had scheduled a visit for the 1st day of the holiday) #Japan (this is my sister’s photo: she visited last winter) #OnePiece

Day 92: photo at the gardens in Ni-jo Castle #Kyoto #Japan – bei 二条城 (Nijo-jo Castle)

Day 93: decisions to be made & dreaming of better times to come. Photo of a corner in #Gion at night #Kyoto #Japan – bei 祇園麺処むらじ

Day 94: still #Japan dreaming. View from top of Osaka Castle #Osaka

Day 95: another wonderful sculpture at Hakone Open-Air Museum (“Grand Heracles Archer” by Emile Antoine Bourdelle - he had been a disciple of Rodin) #Hakone #Japan – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 96: town’s notice board in Tsumago #Tsumago #Magome #Japan – bei 恵盛庵

Day 97: our first glimpse of Mount Fuji #Fujiyama #Hakone #Japan – bei お食事処 パノラマ絶景

Day 98: not the prettiest of photos, made it in a desperate attempt to remember our exit, alas, no help. I didn’t manage a single time to get the right exit at Shinjuku train station #Shinjuku #Tokyo #Japan – bei JR 新宿駅 (JR Shinjuku Sta.)

Day 99: wish I could wake up tomorrow to this breakfast (the rice porridge was amazing) #hakone #Japan – bei マウントビュー箱根

Day 100: started posting these photos just to cheer myself up on lockdown. I post just before I go to bed & sort of enjoy having this little routine. Photo is from the 1st day of the holiday, jet lagged & before we realised I had left our guide book on the plane #Osaka #Japan

Day 101: water mill #nakasendotrail #tsumago #magome #Japan #autumn – bei 樹梨

Day 102: Kofuku-Ji Temple #Nara #Kyoto #Japan #wanderlust – bei 興福寺 (Kōfuku-ji Temple)

Day 103: katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) “dancing” on my noodles. Dinner in #Kyoto #Japan – bei ローソン 祇園花見小路店

Day 104: Tsumago’s Main Street #Tsumago #Magome #NakasendoTrail #Japan – bei 上嵯峨屋

Day 105: a little corner in the garden at Ginkaku-Ji temple #Kyoto #Japan – bei 慈照寺 (銀閣寺) (Ginkaku-ji Temple)

Day 106: finding Cherry blossoms in November, bit unusual (just the one tree) #sakura #himejicastle #Osaka #Japan

Day 107: entrance to the temple in the Nachi Taisha Shrine #KiiPeninsula #Osaka #Nachifalls #Japan – bei 青岸渡寺

Day 108: because I have about 300 photos here, another little corner of the Koko-en Garden #Kokoen #Himeji #Osaka #Japan

Day 109: Tamagotchis still a thing, apparently #Shopping #Tokyo #Japan – bei AKIHABARAゲーマーズ

Day 110: still not in #Japan
View from Osaka Castle at daytime #Osaka

Day 111: little quiet corner at the Fushimi Inari Taisha #Kyoto #Japan – bei 十石橋

Day 112: several natural onsens can be found at the Kumano Kodo trail (very near an elderly lady was boiling potatoes in the stream!) #KumanoKodo #Osaka #KiiPeninsula #Japan

Day 113: little shop in #Magome #Nakasendotrail #Japan – bei かなめ屋

Day 114: labyrinth plus children’s play area/artwork at Hakone Open-Air museum (will post a few photos of the inside in the next couple of days) #Hakone #HakoneOpenAirMuseum #Japan – bei しゃぼん玉のお城

Day 115: we go inside #Hakone #HakoneOpenAirMuseum #Japan – bei ネットの森

Day 116: children seem to have a great time here #Hakone #HakoneOpenAirMuseum #Japan – bei しゃぼん玉のお城

Day 117: the Kumano Kodo trail is actually twinned to the Santiago de Compostela one! (You can have a Dual Pilgrim Passport!)
One day maybe I will be able to complete both
#KumanoKodo #KiiPeninsula #Compostela #Japan

Day 118: can’t believe how long since I posted a photo of Himeji Castle. Must be like a whole week!
One of the many entrances here: the path to the actual castle zig-zags & there are many passages & doors to confuse potential attackers #HimejiCastle #Osaka #Japan – bei 姫路城 (Himeji Castle)

Day 119: a little corner of the “Golden Pavilion” (Kinkaku-ji) No filter needed #KinkakuJi #Kyoto #Japan – bei 金閣舎利殿 (Golden Pavilion)

Day 120: another “little corner” this time of the Koko-en Gardens (sister says is much better than any you can find in Tokyo so I have to believe her) #Kokoengardens #Himejicastle #Osaka #Japan

Day 121: yes, they do sell Werther’s originals in #Japan in case you were wondering (shopping in #Osaka ) – bei 那智の瀧

Day 122: not the best photo, but this was the living quarters of the Samurai that defended the Nijo-jo castle in #Kyoto (the Shogun’s residence) The Castle is amazing but in most areas photos were not allowed #Japan – bei 二条城 (Nijo-jo Castle)

Day 123: another view of the Symphonic staircase in the Hakone Open-Air museum.
It did reminded me a lot my home town’s Catholic Church that was build in the 70s
#Hakone
#HakoneOpenAirMuseum
#Japan – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)

Day 124: this shop was just Heaven #kiddyland #Tokyoshopping #Tokyo #Japan

Day 125: a little bit hidden away #Kyoto #Japan – bei 龍安寺 Ryoan-ji Temple

Day126: happier times walking the Nakasendo trail #NakasendoTrail #Tsumago #Magome #Japan – bei 梨子ノ木坂

Day 127: reconstruction of how the interiors looked like
#HimejiCastle #Osaka #Japan – bei 姫路城 (Himeji Castle)

Day 128: wish I could be nice and cool by the water today (melting!) #Nara #TodaiJi #Kyoto #Japan – bei 五百立神社

Day 129: offerings at Fushimi Inari Taisha #Kyoto #Japan – bei 伏見稲荷大社 (Fushimi Inari Taisha)

Day 130: I fully expect this thread to get to 365 days now.
Lord what a mess everywhere. Anyway, little video of the Hakone Open-Air Museum #Hakone #Japan – bei 彫刻の森美術館 (The Hakone Open-Air Museum)