BKMD

And here's a tip: Install Google translate on your phone. You can take pics of signs and it will translate for you. For example, in one of the hotels, the toilet seat was too hot for my comfort,… (View Post)

Now 6:30 AM. day 7, at the one night stay in the Ryokan. Just waiting for breakfast. Interesting for an American eating meals in a robe and slippers here. Today is a late start (leaving 9 AM), and mo… (View Post)

This is a classic tour. Yes, cherry blossoms galore. In Tokyo, it was a few days past prime. In Hakone now, which is higher elevation, and they are in their full glory. First 3 days (plus GoT) were i… (View Post)

I can't really come up with the tour with the best hotels, as many were of similar quality. However, in my experience, the tour with the weakest hotels was Scandinavia. I recall writing on the c… (View Post)

My travel agent, Smiling Sam, is correct. It's day 4 of our trip and we're leaving Tokyo for Hakone in a few hours, Right now it's 5 AM Thursday (falling asleep about 9 PM and waking u… (View Post)