Nagoya to Nara

    Another Geography Lesson for you Chumps: When you think of cities in Japan what are some that come to mind? Tokyo, Kyoto, of course, Iwakuni. Maybe Okinawa. You most certainly wouldn't think of Nagoya. Yet, it is one of the largest cities in Japan. We'll say 4th largest. I think it's a hidden gem. Let's look through the pics. (Minus the pics from the nasty shrine that I took. You're not ready for those or if you are then slide into my DMs.)

Sometimes the Japanese stoplights can be confusing. Like this one. What is the point of the red light?

It was time for good food so we ordered some.

Japanese love their little toys from the gatcha-gatcha machines 

I love miniatures.

Rows of gatcha-gatchas.

Even as an adult I loved this place. So many fun toys. I was thinking "You know, if people back home would even talk to me and say, "hey Kimball, I really want this toy or thing from Japan, can you get me it?" I would. But too bad. You guys like to play the Quiet Game.

Remember how last post we discussed names of stores. This one is fun, too.

#Nagoya beach.

 

Inside one of the Michinoekis we stayed at. "Ninja banish!" (Remember our points rule)

I'm a sucker for tunnels.

No one's taken this plane out for a while.

Some fun manholes.

Why is Hello Kitty even popular? I'll never know.

Time to change some broken spokes!

Let's explore the Ninja Museum!

And like true ninjas we actually snuck in here before they were open and didn't pay. Pretty neat. 

This is like when the Devil is sharpening his claws in Insidious. One of the scariest movies. 

Fun fact, Ninjas didn't wear black, they wore Navy Blue. Black didn't blend into the night, ironically.

Fun statue.

Iga is know as Ninja City.

See?? You thought I was lying to you.

Hey let's go dumpster dive! This is full of good, clean food.

They turned on their lights way too early so we high-tailed it out of there at dawn.

Don't know if this is a shrine or temple or neither.

Fall is still happening. Our trip is working.

Love the Iga castle. 

I call this one, Red Tree.

The kids get to have fun when they go to school. This is why they are smarter than us.

Wished I could have found a colored manhole.

Great day today. 

Now it's time to head on over to Nara. This is like a small version Kyoto. And just south of Kyoto, too. I know there's another town that claims Little Kyoto but just pretend with me here. 

Time for Pagodas - my favorite. I have so many Phoenixes. 

Hot Geishas to the rescue. I've always said - even before Corona - masks are the lingerie to the face.

They love to dress up their pets here. 

This made me chuckle. All the deer just getting revenge.

When they can't fight with humans they fight with themselves.

I thought Nara would have had more deer. but Miyajima is better for deer if you're looking for them.

This was my view for not paying the entrance fee. Couldn't afford it.

HollyQuayChiu's bike thought it would be fun if it broke 5 spokes at once. Good thing we found a bike shop that was quick and didn't rip us off like other bike shops have been doing. 

Nice Michinoeki with fake grass.

Overlooking Nara.

Very narrow tunnel.

Rich cobblestone street when you made it to the top.

But it's a steep hill to get up. 

And somehow even steeper coming down the other side. I wasn't able to ride down it that's how steep it was. Just walk my bike. My brakes are bad and I was afraid a disaster was inevitable so I opted to walk it. Still tough. 

Hard to get the angle so you can really see the grade. 

Had to be there. 

Rich red bridge.

"Come into the trees amongst the bushes."

"Come into the trees a monk eats the bushes."

Oh, hey there Osaka. You're next. 

Mikans, Maids, and Dumpsters

    I've been neglecting you readers and I'm very sorry. I apologize. Even if there are only 10 readers, you're the real MVPs. Everyone else is dead to me. But I'm ready to provide you another quality blog post. And to prove it, here is the blog post. 

The Status Quo and I have been cruising right along. At around the Mt Fuji area, the landscape has been feeling more and more familiar to southern Japan. Which is what we like. We've been having terrific weather and not very many rain days like in the North. 

You'd think by now that my bum wouldn't be sore but yet here we are. 

Speaking of bums, we've incorporated the Art of Dumpster Diving. 

(Back story)

There are many things that make me furious in life and kindle my Anger and Hatred but few that make me See Red. Some of those things are:

• Cheaters
• Israel
• Hot babes with loser, ugly guys
• Wasting food

Let's discus the last one right now. Wasting food. I know you guys do it. And I hate that. Perfectly good food goes to waste because you think it's bad. It's not. So in Japan there are hundred of thousands of gas stations (7-Elevens, Family Marts, Lawsons) throughout the country. Gas stations here aren't crappy like they are in the States, btw. They examine the food and if it is the day of expiration stamped on the package it goes in the dumpster. 

This food is still perfectly eatable. This food is still perfectly edible. This food is still sealed in its packaging. This food is safe. The food is actually Quality. This food sustains life. HQC found out through other friends about this hidden gem. She taught me the ways. And it is Glorious. 

So we dumpster dive. So sue me. No, don't do that. 

Mandarin oranges or Mikans are the latest rage this time of year. Last year when I was uneducated I used to purchase them for an arm and a leg each. Having developed an eye for them now, I know what is a good price and when to grab them.  

We added them to our oatmeal in the morning. Good stuff. 

A glimpse of one of our campsites. 

And another. Now you know what we're up against. 

Love, love, love going through these empty back roads where you hardly see anyone. 

Fun, small Pagoda in the middle of the City, 

My first #successful Dumpster Dive. All this food expires today. Still fresh, sealed, and delicious, even the salads. You can't beat it. 

 

We arrived in Nagoya. I love how the Japanese cities will adorn the streets with Christmas lights. 

We rode on a romantic Ferris Wheel.

That building across the street had a neat maid cafe. Hot Japanese babes dressed as maids at your Beck and Call making you cute food and just being so very cute. We didn't go but we can pretend. 

Another view of the lights.

Holly cruising.

The stores have fun names. Sometimes people need to Don't, also.

We've been craving for Sukiya. It's a cheap franchise here that offers good food. 

I treated Meatsticks when he visited me last year. I told you guys to visit me and I would have treated you to anything you wanted but you all got scared and abandoned me for Quick Profits.