Author Topic: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.  (Read 32773 times)

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #60 on: January 12, 2015, 04:53:31 PM »
You may be able to rent a car and drive, but the area near the mountain seemed like hell to drive through and wait in line to park on top.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #61 on: January 12, 2015, 08:41:04 PM »
Kid is a lot different the kidS.

He is still small enough to fly somewhat comfortably with us in F. Most of the issue is just bringing luggage around. But once you are setup at a hotel, you just use a stroller or baby carrier. Not too bad.

What about all of the day trips? Your baby is ok just hanging in stroller or carrier all day?

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #62 on: January 12, 2015, 10:10:20 PM »
What about all of the day trips? Your baby is ok just hanging in stroller or carrier all day?
He hangs around, but we usually are stopping at places to see and do things so he can get out.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Adam101

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #63 on: January 13, 2015, 12:52:52 AM »
Wow awsome hope to be able to do this one day

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #64 on: January 13, 2015, 09:19:38 AM »

Part Five:

     Today would be our last day with our “tour guide”. The original plan was to do the fish market in the morning; do some walking around/sight seeing and then the sumo wrestling tournament. Though we decided to change those plans on the way home from Hakone yesterday.  Instead of leaving the hotel at 8:30 to catch the end of the fish market (business stops at 9 AM), we decided to be picked up at 10:30, see the Imperial Palace and then the sumo tournament.



     Unbeknownst to us, in order to actually see the Imperial Palace, you need to reserve a spot on a tour before hand. So instead, we got to see a watchtower and the moats and bridges around the estate. The area did seem very nice, but without actually getting gin to see the palace, it seemed like a waste of time.

     From the Imperial Palace, we took the JR line to the sumo-wrestling tournament and did a quick walk around the immediate streets to see the statues of the champions.  The days events start at 8:30 go until 6:30 and we arrived around 11:30. The earlier bouts of the day are the lower tier fighters and as the day progresses, the tiers go up (think A, AA and AAA in baseball). When we arrived, the stadium was very empty as the bouts were “no name’” wrestlers. We went to sit lower down for a bit before we got sent back to our original seats.

     The whole sumo experience was very interesting. From the entrance to the fighting platform and the warm-up moves/dancing beforehand was very interesting.  As everything was in Japanese, it was a bit hard to follow what exactly was happening (our tour guide seemed to have regressed in the amount of English he spoke and was of no real help), but we definitely enjoyed just watching. The fighters leave very little to the imagination in their “uniforms” and most bouts are over in less than 30 seconds. Was very interesting to see how there is strategy involved when smaller wrestlers would occasionally best the much larger opponents and even send them tumbling off the fighting platform. We were not planning to stay the whole day, but stayed long enough to watch the salaried sumo wrestlers perform their entrance dance in their ceremonial flaps (some kind of cloth that covers their loin cloth I guess…) After the entrance, we went down and was able to get some pictures with some of the wrestlers in the hallway and then went back up to watch a few matches before leaving. As we were leaving, we noticed a big line of people waiting to take pictures with some man.  Apparently he was a grand champion and has since lost an incredible amount of weight (he looked like a skinner and little bit shorter Yao Ming).

     After we left, we went back to the hotel to rest up and secure a babysitter so we could go out that night. We were able to get setup with one from the Chabad of Japan and had them meet us at our hotel.  Once the sitters arrived (two sisters), we ran to catch a taxi as we were late to check-in for the Robot Restaurant show. This show is unlike anything I have ever seen, ever will see and still can’t believe I saw. I am not even sure how to put it in words it was that bizarre. The show may not be for most people as there are a lot of women in the show who are not fully clothed, very loud crazy music and stuff that may give you (hopefully not me) nightmares. Aside from all that, it was a crazy experience, very cool and we really enjoyed whatever it is that we did see.  Maybe some of the pictures can shed some light on what it is, or you can probably Google/YouTube it and see for yourselves. 
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #65 on: January 13, 2015, 09:20:11 AM »
     Tomorrow we plan on going to Disneyland Sea, which is supposed to be unlike any Disney type park and should be lots of fun. Originally, we were to be checking out of the hotel, as they did not have the cash and points availability for the last night we would be in Tokyo. We spoke to the front desk and they were able to open up space while on the phone with HHonors and booked us the last night. Once again I cannot say how pleased we are with the service at the Conrad here (the Conrad Koh Samui was also amazing) and we plan to check some more out in our coming trips. Customer service can make or break a trip. Here at the Conrad, they really will try and make every single request and things you don’t request, happen. For example: While sitting at breakfast, I had a server come over and offer to have the apple sitting on the table to be peeled and cut for me. While I probably haven’t had that done since I was a wee lad, it was incredible service to even think of asking that.  Enough about how happy we are here. I am going to try and make some sense of what I witnessed at the Robot Restaurant, get some work done and then sleep.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #66 on: January 13, 2015, 12:43:48 PM »
Haha, thanks for another great end-of-the-day roundup!
Are the Chabad sitters locals that have a relationship with Chabad, or are they connected to the Chabad in some way? Why'd you have two?
Good luck processing the show :)

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #67 on: January 13, 2015, 12:49:48 PM »
Hope you avoided the nightmares! I agree that CS is a huge part of the experience. Nobody has peeled an apple for me since I was 5!

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #68 on: January 13, 2015, 12:53:53 PM »
Greatly enjoying your TR diary :)

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #69 on: January 13, 2015, 01:02:04 PM »
Greatly enjoying your TR diary :)
+1 very fun especially to read it live.

Offline morgs

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #70 on: January 13, 2015, 01:28:40 PM »
Loving the live "blog" style-makes me look forward to all the pics to come :D

Offline ML1219

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #71 on: January 13, 2015, 02:09:37 PM »
The Conrad Tokyo was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed out. Conrads are right up there with Park Hyatt's in their ability to be so uniformly exceptional throughout the brand. I can't think of one Conrad I've stayed at that wasn't superb, and the one in Tokyo was the best of the best. Staying there back when it was 37.5K Axon points didn't hurt  ;D

If you have time, I'd recommend checking out Odaiba for a few hours. The train for it is directly under the hotel (not the larger subway station which is a 5-7 minute underground walk from the hotel), and it's a very scenic ride to the island. There are some cool stuff to do there, particularly the Toyota showroom (the island was fairly new when I was there and rapidly growing at the time, so there might be even more to do now)

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #72 on: January 13, 2015, 05:09:30 PM »
Haha, thanks for another great end-of-the-day roundup!
Are the Chabad sitters locals that have a relationship with Chabad, or are they connected to the Chabad in some way? Why'd you have two?
Good luck processing the show :)
They are actually two of the daughters of the Chabad Rabbi.
Hope you avoided the nightmares! I agree that CS is a huge part of the experience. Nobody has peeled an apple for me since I was 5!
No nightmares, but the room has been very dry the past two nights and my kid wasn't/hasn't been sleeping well. Not that kind of nightmare, but still not too pleasant.

(To anyone who may mention it, yes i do know dragging a child all over the world will affect his sleeping patterns...Still worth it :)  )

Greatly enjoying your TR diary :)

+1 very fun especially to read it live.

Loving the live "blog" style-makes me look forward to all the pics to come :D
Thank you all.
Hopefully i can be as efficient with the pictures as i have been with the write-up.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #73 on: January 13, 2015, 05:15:07 PM »
The Conrad Tokyo was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed out. Conrads are right up there with Park Hyatt's in their ability to be so uniformly exceptional throughout the brand. I can't think of one Conrad I've stayed at that wasn't superb, and the one in Tokyo was the best of the best. Staying there back when it was 37.5K Axon points didn't hurt  ;D

If you have time, I'd recommend checking out Odaiba for a few hours. The train for it is directly under the hotel (not the larger subway station which is a 5-7 minute underground walk from the hotel), and it's a very scenic ride to the island. There are some cool stuff to do there, particularly the Toyota showroom (the island was fairly new when I was there and rapidly growing at the time, so there might be even more to do now)
From the hour or so we were in the Park Hyatt, we did not even come close to the service we have been getting here. Though maybe if we were there longer it would have been different.

I will bring it up with the wife and see what she says. Today is our last full day and we are planning on going to Disneyland Sea. Maybe we can get both in.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline ML1219

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #74 on: January 13, 2015, 05:48:01 PM »
From the hour or so we were in the Park Hyatt, we did not even come close to the service we have been getting here. Though maybe if we were there longer it would have been different.

I will bring it up with the wife and see what she says. Today is our last full day and we are planning on going to Disneyland Sea. Maybe we can get both in.

I can't count how many times a day the Conrad provides cleaning service. I feel like every time I left the room, even for a few minutes, it would be cleaned by the time I got back. And i'm not just talking about making the bed..... I would even have my sweaters folded, desk organized etc. If you've been there for a few days, you know by now that the Japanese are on a whole other level when it comes to middos. They make Hawaiians look like New Yorkers by comparison.

I didn't go to Disney so I can't comment on whether that or Odaiba is better (the latter is certainly cheaper and more convenient from the Conrad) if you need to choose one. For what it's worth, Odaiba was fairly kid-friendly if I recall. And if you're a car junkie, you'll love the old car lot at the showroom. I'd recommend Googling it because I'm sure it's expanded exponentially since I've been there (it was fairly new when I was there ~3 years ago)

Offline Dan

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #75 on: January 13, 2015, 06:13:52 PM »
From the hour or so we were in the Park Hyatt, we did not even come close to the service we have been getting here. Though maybe if we were there longer it would have been different.
PH staff is trained to recognize guests, greet by name, etc.

Considering you weren't staying there, what did you expect?
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Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #76 on: January 13, 2015, 06:19:29 PM »
PH staff is trained to recognize guests, greet by name, etc.

Considering you weren't staying there, what did you expect?
Definitely not writing off the PH customer service. Was more the treatment as "second class" for the time we were there.

I do agree that if we were staying there and were there longer, the service would have been much better.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Dan

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #77 on: January 13, 2015, 06:22:27 PM »
Was more the treatment as "second class" for the time we were there.
Just not surprising considering you weren't a guest there...

Either way, love the live report.  Did it once on my Vegas trip, but for several reasons haven't done it since.
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Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #78 on: January 13, 2015, 06:25:17 PM »
Just not surprising considering you weren't a guest there... Agreed. Just thought we would have been treated a little better as the HR did call over let them know we were coming etc.

Either way, love the live report.  Did it once on my Vegas trip, but for several reasons haven't done it since. It definitely allows me to remember and give over a lot more detail than writing one up later. Though, i do feel like it may be spoiling the crowd here. AJK has it down to a science where people are salivating for the next installment (me being one of them) of his reports.
... Though writing it up after a long day does annoy the DW at times.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline actionjackson

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Re: Getting To Japan Backward and Other Tall Tales from MP and Co.
« Reply #79 on: January 13, 2015, 07:15:38 PM »
I come back every day to hear what you're up to!
Baby related question: Did you bring an umbrella stroller or your regular one? Any regrets?