Thanksgiving in Roppongi, Tokyo; Romance Car to Hakone

[9V-SIA]

Breakfast

Breakfast was served course by course.

This was the end of breakfast.



Now rewind to the start...


spiced vegetables with sour plums.
Chef knows gaijin in that room as they leave extremely sour plums uneaten







tofu with ginger, spring onions and bonito



miso soup



seaweed kept warm with piece of charcoal wrapped in foil underneath



tamago



grilled mackeral



radish with miso paste and beans

[9V-SIA]

Hyatt Regency Hakone

Introduction

I've mentioned it before, I'll mention it again.

It's a hill resort. Hakone has no night life. Everything closes early.

So after a day sightseeing & taking "the loop"( twice ), the nights we spent in the hotel.


Anyway the hotel is quite far from things and taxis were the norm to get to Gora station.

There is a free hotel shuttle to the station but it starts too late and ends too early for us. IIRC 11am to 530pm.


The Living Room is very nice, with an open fireplace looking out on garden courtyard.

Free drinks during Happy Hour, including champagne. Snacks are chargeable.

There is also an onsen to enjoy.

Significantly absent is gym and pool.

However, food in the 2 restaurants was excellent. Just as well because there is no restaurants within walking distance.
In any case very steep gradients outside the hotel that does not encourage walking. It's a hill resort you know!

Design

The hotel has two wings - North & South Wings - separated by the driveway entrance.

All the hotel facilities are in the North Wing:

Lobby
Living Room
Restaurants
Library

The onsen is found in the South Wing.
Actually South Wing has 2 blocks: East & West Wings

Exteriors

Driveway splits North Wing from East / West Wings.
Driveway ends with sunken Garden Courtyard ( you can see the xmas tree sticking out from courtyard )



North Wing & Living Room with expansive windows to Courtyard Garden



East Wing on left, West Wing to right. North Wing reflection caught on connecting corridor




Interiors

View of lobby as you enter hotel.

Reception on left, Living Room to right, one level down



Living Room from Lobby



At night, we'd sit by the fireplace and relax in our yukata.
North & East / West Wings connected at Basement Level ( you can see the corridor lights leading there, below driveway )
since driveway splits them at Lobby Level




Room

Bedroom is a good size. We paid a bit more for the mountain view.





Entrance to bathroom. Toilet to left, wardrobe to right before entering wet area.



Single sink



Bath & Shower
The Japanese will wash themselves outside the bath before soaking.

I recall the Marina Square hotels having flooding problems when they first opened

because the Japanese tourists were unfamiliar with the practice outside Japan.



Check out the views




Service was outstanding. I'd go back more often if not for the price.

But it is rated no 1 on TripAdvisor

[9V-SIA]

Hakone - Narita

We left the hotel early to take the switchback train to Gora.

From Gora we took the Romance Car ( front row this time! ) to Shinjuku.

Changed trains to JR Line Narita Express N'EX to NRT.

It's a new train, just started in Oct 2009.

It was the start of a long day. Hyatt Regency Hakone Door to 9V-SIA's door 19 hours.

Arrival of Romance Car from Shinjuku
We took this train because we couldn't get front row on earlier trains



Our luck ran out. Sunny skies during our stay in Hakone ended with rain, rain, rain..



... but there was compensation! Cream puffs from Hotel Fujiya, where my friends ( and John Lennon / Yoko Ono years ago ) stayed. Thanks Meng!



Narita Express
Started only in Oct 2009



JR N'EX Platform in front of Takashimaya Shinjuku



Here she comes..



View of N'EX cabin



Lots of leg room. Bags can be stored at either end of the carriage.



The route map
Shinjuku - Tokyo - NRT T1 - NRT T2
Monitor also gives flight departure information



Note:
If you take the JR train, it's faster to NRT from Hakone
Odawara - change at Shinagara or Tokyo - NRT
Easier to change at Shinagara because you just walk across platform
Tokyo is big station so long walk

[9V-SIA]

NRT-SIN SQ11

Introduction

When I booked, I thought this was my farewell flight on the 744.

It had since earned a reprieve to 2011 so I have a few more chances.

And I booked the upper deck because it was meant to be my last 744 flight.

I actually prefer sitting downstairs!

Check In & Security

Check in was quick.

Proceeded to landside mall for last minute sushi fix.

Toro x2 pieces 800¥

Then security and ANA Lounge air side.
Went to no.5 satellite. Dragons suggested we go to no.4 satellite.
Prefer former because of runway views
But no.4 nearer SQ gate. No windows!!!

The Flight

We were delayed 1 hour due to late arrival of a/c from LAX.



Lady-in-Red, from LAX, kindly gave up her seat for Mrs 9V-SIA to sit next to me.
Without us asking...
Thank you Lady-in-Red!
Kindness is alive and well on SQ flights...





IFE stored position



IFE deployed
Was watching interesting program about Moorish architecture in Spain



Looking across from seat 17A





My dinner menu




Satay!!!
I prefer satay serve like this rather than the 77W/A380/A345 version.
Find it hard to get a decent coating of peanut sauce on the latter a/c
because you have to dip satay into sauce.



Prawn with mozzarella and mixed lettuce, citrus vinaigrette



BTC beef with black bean sauce



Apple crumble

[9V-JKL]

Ab Fab TR 9V-SIA (I waited till you finish before commenting)
Next time you go to Japan, can I tag along? I promise to pay my own airfare and hotel and meals (OK, I'll buy you one as well)

SQTalk ( Petrolheads group ): Guess what the black car in the foreground is?

911

[9V-SIA]

Ab Fab TR 9V-SIA (I waited till you finish before commenting)

But I haven't finished yet!
Still need to add some bits and bobs.

Next time you go to Japan, can I tag along? I promise to pay my own airfare and hotel and meals (OK, I'll buy you one as well)

I can now reveal I work for Chan Brothers!

The weather has a lot to do with how nice pictorial TRs turn out.

My friend Alvin went the week before to Hakone and he was in the clouds at the top of the Ropeway ride when I saw Mt Fuji.
And it rained the whole time he was there. He no longer talks to me!

Probably Kyoto/Osaka for sakura.

911

Not bad, not bad.

It was actually a Cayman, but when I look back at the pic, it does look like a 911.

Saw red F430 spider & black GTR as well. Lots of convertibles.

I think affluent Tokyoites drive there to run their cars.

[phaleesy]

Thanks for another delicious TR.

It might be a good idea if we all meet up one day (Spain? Moorish architecture? ) for eats.

The car seems like a left hand drive to me?

[jhm]

I know a SQT'er - now perhaps holding a rifle in freezing cold conditions on a lonely hostile border somewhere - who would be ecstatic at the pics of the NEX E259 new trains!

[9V-JKL]

The car seems like a left hand drive to me?

Yes, Japan allows imported cars to be in left hand drive.

[9V-JKL]

But I haven't finished yet!
Still need to add some bits and bobs.

I can now reveal I work for Chan Brothers!

Really?

It was actually a Cayman, but when I look back at the pic, it does look like a 911.

Now that you've revealed the real answer, it does look like a Cayman.

[9V-SIA]

Thanks for another delicious TR.

You're welcome.

It might be a good idea if we all meet up one day (Spain? Moorish architecture? ) for eats.

Yeah. Hope our paths cross one of these days.

When we get to El Bulli eventually ( Spain 2010 too soon after our recent BCN trip ),

next trip we plan to see either Basque region ie San Sebastian or Moorish Spain ie Granada.

BTW El Bulli open for booking 2010 season. Just checked!

The car seems like a left hand drive to me?

Funny thing that. One of their quirks.
For imported cars, they would rather drive a LHD car than a more practical RHD.
So that their neighbours will know the car is an import.

Really?

Not really

[9V-SIA]

Kanazaka, Ginza

jhm, this is for you..

Entrance to Kanazaka. Michelin starred sushi bar. It's in the basement..



Only 12 seats. 2 L-shaped counters separated by this floral display




Flounder ( Hirame )
Yellow tail ( Buri )



Tiny shrimp sashimi. How do they peel it? Very difficult was the reply






Salmon eggs ( Ikura ) seen earlier




skipjack tuna/bonito ( katsuo )




tuna maguro.




Tuna belly ( Toro )

[jhm]

9V-SIA, thank you! I'm off to Japan in 2 days' times.

[9V-SIA]

horse mackeral with leek in shiso sauce



prawn



arkshell ( akagai )



clam ( hamaguri )



sea urchin ( uni )



eel ( anago )



tuna hand roll

assembly



dis-assembly



We were planning to go to Tsukiji but after the meals we had, didn't feel the need to wake up early and queue 2 hours..


THE END. Finally! Thanks for viewing

[Ex-SIN]

Bravo! Thanks for the wonderful TR.