Ht1 .....leave luggage @ ginza

Tokyo's ginza is a shopping district that can be accessed from anywhere around Tokyo.  Here is how you can access into ginza using public transportation from the view of a backpacker;

1. Being a backpacker, look for luggage locker. You don't want your luggage in your way when shopping.

 2. Luggage locker are mostly coin-operated. We found one at ginza station that is good for our large backpack.

The writing says 'coin locker'

3. Take note of the location by taking picture of the locker's surrounding area.  Being underground, most corners are the same and you might loose direction very easily.  Show the picture of the locker when asking for direction.

 
4. If possible, stay with the same train line to make it easier to come back.  Lines heading to same destination are plenty with relatively similar fares. 

This dog stature helps in recognising location.

 5. When exiting the the station, take note of the line and the station name.  It is best to come back using the same entrance and station.

 6.  Happy shopping!!

t71 fujiyama, at last

at last, it is the fuji mountain.

actually it was unintentional.  we were all tired after the tulips walkabout and as we sit and dream, we saw the glimpse of the mountain.

who can believe that the mountain we search for is gloriously right there in the full view.  so we took all the pictures from inside the bus to kawaguchi station.  enjoy.

 

this maybe a series of slightly similar pictures, but this time the background has to be the fuji.  who knows it might not be around tomorrow.

and finally the video collection

to add spice to the whole excursion, we were slightly interrupted with a street demonstration, apparently from within a group of vehicles.  we have no idea what it was all about.

one thing though, even with street demonstration, everything seem so in order.  that's japan that we know.

t70 tulips and yamanakako

 

this is what it's all about

that could sum up all the time and energy to come this far

nearer to the fuji yama

the yamanaka lake

 we arrived at yamanaka lake by taking local bus from kawaguchi station.  the scenery is breathtaking to say the least but still there is no fuji mountain in sight.  it is nearing night so that means the mountain has been hiding for the whole day.

as we hope for a sneak peek of the mountain in the late evening, our host downplayed all the hope we had and telling us to rise early enough tomorrow morning and take a stroll to the lake.  if luck is on our side, we will see the glorious mountain right there in front of us.  but then, what should we do now? 

we decided to check the route for tomorrow.

google mapping our way to the guesthouse

arriving at the guesthouse

small town at lake yamanaka

 while checking our route, we did manage to see some sakura leftover and camera clicking here and there

 

 as night finally falls, we turn to samurai and go to bed.  rise early, rise early..........

yes i am the first to hunt the mountain

oo that elusive fuji yama still no where to be seen.  so we did the usual, selfie and more selfie until i recall what our host said about tulips.......... but we need to walk some distance towards a koen (or park) called hana no miyako that have all the tulips and sakura. 

the tulips are still in the early blooming so tulips here we go.

the morning long walk

take a breather

almost there

the first bunch of tulips

 

 not just tulips, sakura are still aplenty.  we did the usual.

ahhhh....that sum it up