Back to Tokyo after our JR pass expired and bought ourselves a new pass called JR Kanto Area Pass which is valid for 3 days and only in, well Kanto region...hehe. However JR Kanto Area Pass is now known as JR Tokyo Wide Pass(might be introduced only this year 2016). Cost us about 8700yen (US$78) but i think the new JR Tokyo Wide Pass now cost 10,000yen.....for more info visit -------> http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_06.html

this is the list of places one can visit with the JR Kanto Pass ( or now known as JR Tokyo Wide Pass) and the prices for the transportation (ordinary ticket prices). Note: This Pass is purchase in Japan (at main train stations) unlike JR Pass where one need to purchase outside of Japan. JR Tokyo Wide Pass can only be purchase by non Japanese Passport holder! The Pass is totally worth it if you plan to make multiple trips from Tokyo to the places in the list.

As for us, we use our 3 days JR Kanto Area Pass on Kawaguchiko, Nikko and Karakuma traveling from Tokyo! Of course the pass can also be used in Tokyo itself with JR trains.

Kawaguchiko, was where we went to see Mt Fuji. Since we didn't manage to see Mt fuji on our last trip, we vow to see it this time around

from Shinjuku Station we took the Shinkansen Azusa 3 series(slightly slower then the Hikari shinkansen) with reserved seat ticket(advantage with the Pass) and had our breakfast on board with gyudon set we bought on the way to the train station....yum and cheap

after 1 hour traveling in the shinkansen we arrived at Otsuki we then need to transit to another express train(included with the Pass) which is much more slower....which took another hour to arrive Kawaguchiko station.

view from the express train from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko. tip: make sure to check the weather forecast before heading out here.....bad weather u might want to skip coming here, cause the Mt Fuji might be clouded

Kawaguchiko station. From the station we walked to the Lake Kawaguchiko

Kawaguchiko Station is on the bottom right corner of the map. from the map we though it looks pretty close we probably can walked there ( our destination is Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center on the north site of the lake)

and save a few hundred yen on the bus ride

boy do we underestimate the distance

after walking for 45 minutes we reach the south east corner of Lake Kawaguchiko...lol

This World Heritage Site Lake Kawaguchiko, is the 2nd largest of the Fuji 5 lakes

view of the Kawaguchiko Ohashi Bridge

finally we walked to a nearby convenience store to ask for direction.....we were told it's a rather looong walk to Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center from where we are. We should have guest it as there were no other tourist walking there....

i guess we'll take the bus after all :P

we are not at #10...... trying to get to #22

or one can take the bus starting from the train station. there is a 1 day unlimited ticket for the Fujikyuko bus which cost about1200yen. we didn't buy it because we though we could walked there !and now we had to pay expensive bus fair. If one doesn't have the unlimited ticket, one is required to take a ticket stating which stop you get on. so when you get down from the bus you pay the amount stating in front of the bus according to which stop you get on from

which look something like this, picture from our Hakone trip back in 2012

but the bus system is the same

view of the lake and mountains from the bus

this is how the bus looks like.....very new. i don't remember how much we paid for the bus ride but it was rather expensive for single trip so the 1200yen unlimited is definitely worth buying

for more info regarding the Fujikyuko bus and a detail map, visit --------> http://bus-en.fujikyu.co.jp/heritage-tour/detail/id/1/

with bus it take only 10 minutes, we are here finally after a total traveling time of 3 hours from Shinjuku!!! and weather was great

the famous Mt Fuji

it is said best time to see Mt Fuji is during winter where the sky is cloudless, fog less and only clear blue sky and the lake mirror the mt Fuji.....picture perfect setting

there is a small lavender field, but in autumn the place look rather bare. spring time it's also a beautiful time to visit here where cherry blossoms are everywhere

closeup of the Mr Fuji

the place really had nothing much to offer, one can enjoy Mt Fuji for so long

we then decided to walked a little around the place... i didn't travel 3 hours to just spend 30 minutes here. Well we can go hiking at Mt Fuji but we were not equip for hiking

so after consulting the map, we saw a place just down the road a little from Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center, Momiji Tunnel to see maple leaves

finally some sign of autumn in Kawaguchiko

view of Unoshima Island

it would be a nice place for a drive around the lake or with bicycle

luckily we walked the extra mile for this beautiful scenery,

this was in early December so the peak season of the maple has already over but it's still very much gorgeous

walking back the trees covering the road does look a little like a tunnel

we then visited a local onsen place since we done with sightseeing. it's few bus stop away from Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center. i can't remember the name, it was advertise on the map. Cost about 1000yen per pax, 200 yen for the locker, another 300 yen for the towel.... so total 1500yen /pax i was rather disappointed with it! There was only 4 hot spring pool, 1 large one indoor and 3 ourdoor. and the bath are they only offer shampoo and body shampoo....that's it not even a conditioner. For that price it's NOT worth it!!!!

However i would recommend going to the one in Gotemba(if you have the time)

one can take the bus to Gotemba from the Kawaguchiko station but then it cost about 1510yen 1 way(takes about 1 1/2 hour with limited express bus or 2 1/2hours for normal bus) but not covered by JR pass or the JR Tokyo Wide Pass

then from Gotemba station one can take the FREE shuttle bus to the Onsen resort

many resort to choose from

this was from our previous visit. Best onsen place.

i remembered we spend about 5 hours here, 1 day entrance fee cost about 2000yen(this was in summer 2012 i'm not sure if the price is still the same) We didn't even need to bring anything. Towels, yukata, shampoo, lotions, and thing you need they have it, even hair tonic. Way better facility then the one in Kawaguchiko

we can even see My fuji from here while in the hot spring. Damn we should have come here!!!!!!!

totaly recommended...can't remember the name it's sumika something.

Kawaguchiko is worth visiting if you really really want to see Mt Fuji because other then that there isn't much to see. If one has NO JR pass or JR Tokyo Wide Pass, it's a rather expensive trip to just see the Mt Fuji. So Plan carefully. One can always see Mt Fuji from the Shinkanshen or Skytree or Tokyo tower :D

next Nikko!

~ Ja ne ~

Itsukushima or more known as Miyajima is an Island not very far from Hiroshima city center. Accoding to our friend it's a must visit!! I didn't do much homework about this island so i didn't know what to expect nor have i seen any pictures of the place. We were not dissapointed. sometimes one just need to just go blindly and let its surprise you! boy were we surprise....it is a beautiful place, the sea, the mountains, the temples and shrines just a perfect place to escape from the city

Heavy breakfast 1st before headed out

just beside our hotel it's a kind of "food court" for Okonomoyaki! lots of choices but we were early most stall opens at 11am, but there are a few that opens at 10am

trying our Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki

it's slightly different, they dont mix the flour with the cabbage instead they make layers the flour, then cabbage, noodles(optional) and toppings

we order oyster and another pork belly, price is almost the same in Osaka, ranging from 1000-2000yen depends what add ons you order. Taste not bad but we still love the one in Osaka...that's the best Okonomiyaki we had so far

Our journey start from the Hiroshima station we took the local JR sanyo line to Miyajima guchi station. With our JR pass, it's totally free!!! the train took about 40 minutes(well it's a slower train)

just opposite road from the train station is the ferry to Miyajima

JR pass also includes the ferry ride..woo hoo but then it only cost 180yen/ one way for a 10 minutes ride

O-torii Gate

boon ready and eager to explore

we are finally here, Miyajima! it has long been regarded as Island of the God, it is believed that the whole island to be God's body...i wonder which part are we at now?? :P

Miyajima is one of the 3 most scenic spots of Japan. Well according to a Confucian scholar, in 1643 he wrote a book based on his experience as he traveled throughout Japan on foot. He bestowed his unqualified praise on the 3 location , Matsushima, Amanohashidate and here, Miyajima.

i wonder if this is that scholar??

lots of deer roaming around sniffing other deers behind...life is good for them

it is quite picturesque

couldn't resist a picture here

gate to Itsukushima Shrine,

a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996

enjoying the sea breeze, we were lucky with the weather

view of the O-torii Gate from the Island

during low tide, one can walked to the torii gate

it looks pretty much very green still for early December...i was hopping for more autumn foliage but then again we had enjoy it in Kyoto

the contrast between the red torii gate with the emerald sea water totally beautiful and not to forget gorgeous me in yellow mustard....yum! i mean peace :P

getting near to the star attraction of Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine

no idea what this horse is all about. maybe back in the days it's a stable ??? but it's rather small for a stable though

entrance fee is 300yen/adult

Itsukushima shrine was built in the late 6th century, it was destroyed several time and was always rebuilt not exactly but slightly modified

this white thingy are used to brush both side of your shoulder.......for what??? i have no idea but it looks fun though

view of the 5 storied pagoda from the Itsukushima Shrine

is that crane?

all these structures are connected by corridors, and when light hits the ceiling of the corridors made by the ripple waves, it's just mesmerizing

so peaceful here

the vermilion color of the shrines and also the O-torii gate is consider to keep evil spirits away and also this vermilion lacquer is also efficient as protection from corrosion. Yes just like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

also it looks very nice

in line to take picture with this famous torii gate

this torii gete of Itsukushima is designed as a National Important Cultural Property, made of natural cedar and the roof thatched with famous Japanese cypress bark. This present gate, is the 8th since 1875

thanks for the helping us to take a photo stranger!

according to the leaflet there, Utsukushima Shrine is dedicated to the 3 Munakat goddesses ( i will skip the names its rather long). Anyway these 3 goddesses are worshiped as deities of sea, traffic safety, fortune and accomplishment

sake barrel is donate to the temples and shrines as offering for the god, an old Japanese custom

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the back part of the shrine

where many who prayed to the goddesses and place their written fortune aka Omikuji

how?

1. put in 100yen

2. Pray or make a wish, at the same time shake this metal box few times until a wooden stick marked with number fall out

3. check the number on the wooden stick and put it back in the metal box

4. then search for your written fortune(a small piece of paper) from the drawer marked the number you got from the wooden stick

5. the written fortune can be brought back home or just tied it to the pole

am praying for a blessed 2016

this is a noh stage which dates from 1590. where they do theater performances to pay homage to the gods through the ritual acting out of key events in Shinto myth