Internet! I has it!

Alright, let's catch up here. I'll start with some pictures from the end of training and take it from there! This post will be super long...

Here's the hotel we stayed in! I loved it. The rooms were tiny, but clean and nice.

My usual breakfast. Loved it.

second training center lunch - not as good as the bento [´_ゝ`]

Osaka

Osaka overpass

Other side

McDonalds! I don't care what anyone says, McDonalds in Japan is a worthwhile experience, at least once

I got the Miami Burger - it has tortillas and chili. Delicious.

And then we got curry - I got level 4 spicy. Spiciest selection out of our group I believe. I was sweating pretty bad. I love curry rice.

We had the option of getting a cellphone plan with a company that rents to foreigners and offers support in English... but the line was always so long, I never got the chance to order one from the guy. But I got a booklet about one of the phones and it really showcases some of the qualities I love about Japanese design:

After training we hopped back on the bullet train and went back up north to Tokyo.

hazy town

stopping in Kyoto

Mt. Fuji in the distance

After we arrived in Tokyo, we split up. A small group of us ended up in Asakusa, Tokyo to meet with our branch staff.

I don't really like Asakusa. I'd never been there before, so it was unfamiliar and it reminded me more of New York, than the parts of Tokyo I knew. But that's probably because it's quite far from the spots I spent a lot of time in back in 2009. And I was depressed that I was too tired and didn't have time to go visit those areas again. But that just leaves something for me to do in the future! Maybe over a long weekend I'll trek back there...

some shots from Asakusa:

Asakusa street view

Day time panorama shot

Evening

Morning (?) I forget...

I left there still missing Tokyo (i.e. Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, SANGUBASHI, YOYOGI KOUEN

But I was too tired to do anything about it

After my one night stay in Tokyo, the Hokkaido people shipped out. We all had separate flights for the most part, so I went solo from the hotel, to the train, to the Tokyo monorail, to Haneda airport. Which I'm quite proud of. Because I get lost easily. And I've never fully understood the Tokyo train system. Hell, I have a tough time refilling my Suica!

Regardless, I found my way to Asahikawa, Hokkaido and it's time to start another post!