This was my third trip to Japan in 6 months.  With climbs of Mt Fuji and Yarigatake on my first trip in June, I set the bar pretty high.  But Japan continues to deliver.

Somewhere along the line, someone told me about cat cafes in Japan.  They are exactly what they sound like – a cafe with cats that you can go pet while you drink your coffee. Though probably meant for people who can’t have pets of their own wanting a cute and cuddly fix, I thought it sounded like a lot of fun.  Imagine my delight when, upon googling for cat cafes in Tokyo, I discovered there are more than just cat cafes. There are bunny cafes, penguin bars, and even an owl cafe.  Yes, seriously. At Fukuro No Mise, you pay 2000yen (~$20) for a one hour block of time where you get to go hang out with owls.  Oh, and they give you a coffee (covered in plastic wrap so the owls don’t poop in it) to keep up the pretense of “cafe”.  Clearly, this deserved the top spot on my to-do list.

Due to its tremendous popularity, you must show up an hour before they open and make a reservation.  Thankfully, I had no trouble getting a slot for myself and two coworker friends, though when we returned at our designated time, they were booked out for most of the day. You get to hold the owls on your arm, shoulder, or even head, pet them gently on their heads, and of course take lots of photos.  Of course I came away from it wanting a pet owl.  Perhaps I’ll settle for more Portland appropriate chickens instead.

 

Business took me to Hiroshima, and I managed to fit in a trip to the nearby island of Miyajima, with it’s famous torii gate which appears to float off the shore when the tide is high.  I had a very tight schedule, but had just enough time to hoof it to the top of Mt Misen (535m) for sunset (there is a ropeway you can pay to take you up most of the way, but I needed the exercise).  It was a thrilling race to get back down before total darkness set in.

 

I was surprised to find Hiroshima all lit up for the holidays.  Which holidays, I’m not quite sure.

 

I was also “lucky” enough to be in town during a rare snowstorm.  During the midst of it, I got a quick walk around the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Dome in before work.  The taxi ride from my hotel to my company’s factory normally takes 45 minutes. The day of the snowstorm, it took 4 hours.  I will never complain about Portland drivers in the snow again.

 

My business obligations wrapped up a little early, and I found myself with a free day in Tokyo.  At this point, I was really sick of sitting on my butt in planes, trains, buses, streetcars, and taxis. I had a few hikes picked out, but my stomach was giving me trouble, so I decided to opt for the easy option with a trip to Hakone.

It was a win with clear skies and fantastic views of Mt Fuji all day long!  I took a train, scenic railway, cable car, then ropeway to Oduwari, where I ate eggs boiled in sulfurous hot spring water, their shells turned black from the reaction of iron and sulfur.  From there I escaped the crowds of tourists with a hike over Mt Kami to Mt Komagatake and took a ropeway down to Lake Ashi.  From there, a boat ride to Hakone-machi, and a walk along the shore to Hakone Shrine.  Then a bus and train back to Tokyo.  So much for being tired of sitting on my butt riding transit.