Didn't get my upgrade to business class, but then I didn't think I would with my paltry £10 offer. Got to chatting to some boyo in the pub in the airport and unbelievably I think I was last on the plane, you can always tell when the stewardess looks at you saying 'ahhhh Mr McNally, row 33 on your right' this situation was even more ridiculous when you consider that I was at the airport for 5 hours! Ha! Awww well made it in the end.
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So arrived in Tokyo, on time at 1pm and by the time I got my bag and got through customs it was time to jump on a train. The guy at customs must not have liked the look of me as he had the contents of my bag out looking through them. Not sure what he was after, but he must have been satisfied as he let me through. Got the JR sobu line to Kinshichou, hopefully I'm on the right train. I suppose we'll find out soon enough! Hour and a half to get to my destination, a lovely little capsule hotel. I am feeling pretty tired as I only got about 4 hours sleep on the plane. I'd love to go for a doze now on the train but I don't want to run the risk of missing my stop. Maybe get a few hours in my capsule when I get there. So the ticket worked out at about £10 so I reckon that's ok as its over 60k away to Tokyo.
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So I arrive at the hotel to find my name up on a wee board welcoming me, nice touch. The woman inside doesn't speak a pick of English, though the website said she did, so it was a case of trying to muzzle through. I have to work everything out myself as we can barely communicate. It's funny if not a little frustrating. The place is a bit run down but the capsules themselves are clean. It'll be interesting to see what sort of a sleep I'll get.
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Decided not to go to sleep when I got in, got chatting to some Americans who were sitting in the capsule common area. There are 6 floors of capsules with about 40 on each floor. Bigger than I thought. You have your own tv/radio. Although literally a curtain to pull closed. Lets hope there are no snorers, though i do have my emergency back up earplugs. Decided to get stuck straight in to the onsen. A male communal bath that's supposed to be rich in minerals and natural elements. To be honest I think it was just water. So you go in, completely naked, walk over to the showers, where you sit on an up turned bucket in front of a mirror you hold the shower in one hand and wash yourself. There is no partition! That's it! Room for about 20 guys to be at this. Then there is a sauna, ice cold plunge pool and then the onsen which was about 45c. All in the buff! Not even covering yourself cause then you stand out! What a sausage fest! Though it was very enjoyable and it's open 24/7 so bath anytime!
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After I recovered from that ordeal I went out for a dander, got a Starbucks and tried to find a travel adaptor as the ones I have are wrong! Poor effort! I was unsuccessful! Trailed through a 12 floor shopping centre and no joy! Maybe not touristy enough here. What was interesting is how 'just so' Japanese people are, I'll give you an example. In this shopping centre there are plenty of escalators and everyone stands in single file to the left, and I mean everyone. So that if you want to walk down faster you have the right hand side to do so. Everyone from young to old abiding by this, unprompted. Bizarre! So I think I'm going to hit Mt Fuji tomorrow, the Americans are hitting it up so I'm going to tag along and see how that goes. I'm pretty sure it involves and early rise at about 5/6 so I'm sure I'll be feeling fresh I feel like I have been up for days!