Hinamatsuri

(warning. LOTS of pictures to follow! And no I did not put every picture I took here. I do have even more taken...)

Today's order of business was to visit Katsuura city in Chiba prefecture for their famous Hinamatsuri. Hinamatsuri is held thorough Japan but Katsuura is particulary well known place.

I had used hyperdia site to find me train schedelude. Train for Katsuura would leave at 10AM and since I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there I woke up early. 7.15AM. Was on my way 8AM and arrived very close to the departure time. Didn't have time to eat on the station and train would take 3 hours. Another morning without much to eat. Train exchange was fun little experience with about 11 minutes to find from one line to another but thankfully guidelines were fairly easy to use so was able to find the train without problems. When I arrived to Katsuura difficulties emerged again as my IC card wasn't getting accepted. For a moment I thought I had wrong type of card and had basically rode all the way here without proper ticket and now what to do wasn't sure. With starving hunger combined I was actually feeling sense of hysteria but luckily after moment of despair situation got sorted out. I had right sort of card, it just had insufficient balance. Couldn't have some text like "shortage of cash" or something shown alongside the red light? Seems I have used the card more than I thought(but then again I have been travelling quite a lot. Btw the card itself is bloody convenient).

Couple random pictures from the train plus from Tokyo station.

Couple pictures from the dolls at the station plus picture of the station from outside. The dolls are superbly detailed. I have feeling niece would love one of those but I have also feeling they aren't all that cheap and would be tricky to carry to Finland safely but I'll see if I could get one.

After the station it was time to start exploring the place. Size wise much more manageable from Tokyo. This didn't feel that out of place to Finland actually size wise though due to the festival it was bit crowded obviously.

Then I ran into the stairs I had read about. Stair with unbelieavable amount of dolls. Row after row after row after row of dolls in stairway to some shrine I think.

Whole place was FILLED with dolls. Couple more shots from various stands lying around.

Last ones are from library where was lots of dolls made probably by school kids.

There was also temple I ran into. Actually this was rather nice trip in that I got to see several interesting places at once.

By now, not having eaten anything since last night I was starting to feel quite hungry but seems I'm suffering chronic trouble finding any restaurant here. I'm sure there are some but I can't seem to recognize them. Not one sushi restaurant yet found! But finally found place that sells curry and rice and settled for set of dry ones. It was accompanied by salad, some white thing I think(if I understood the japanese explanation correctly) some sort of potato soup(???) and black tea(well black tea as in not green tea. Doesn't really look black...). 950yen for the meal.

After this time was running close to departure so after walking around some more, taking even more pictures of dolls(of which I'll spare you!) and finding compass(yey!) along with manga book for long train trip to tokyo(since it seems talking in trains is heavily discouraged not much hope to talk there...) I headed for the station. As I was starting to feel bit cold(temperature dropped today from previous days) I utilized one of the vending machines for some hot drink. Now if you are looking for drinks japan is very easy place to find drinks as the place is filled with vending machines that for 100 to 150 yen gives you your choice of hot or cold drink. Now I and whoever designs these drinks obviously disagree heavily on some choices as there's been couple HORRIBLE tasting ones(what on earth they are I don't even dare to guess. Couple things that pop to mind aren't printable!) but the hot drink I got now was pretty damn good. And when I said hot I meant HOT! Did somebody set the settings of this vending machine to overdrive or what?

Train trip to Tokyo was easier than getting here as I had more experience. Even the 2 minute exchange wasn't problem as the correct line was right next to it. Step out of train, hop to the train you see ahead, done.  Easy piece. Then it was just heading home, picking up bit of microwave meal from 7eleven and get home after 11 hours of traveling. Reasonable success though lack of conversations in japanese was bit annoying.

Don't ask what that is. Was too hungry to check labels much and I just tossed it to microwave and heated it right away :D Some sort of pasta I think. Price tad under 400 yen.

Tomorrow goals are to search for store I was told in harajuku again, visit meiji shrine there which I missed on saturday and then try to find go salon in the ward I live in. For tuesday no big plans. I might just check the surroundings in setagaya for a change and not travel anywhere. Would save bit of money though so far expenses have been manageable. Under the daily average I have budgeted despite the trip to katsuura, map and compass I have had to buy.