Japan 2015 summary

In case you weren't keeping up, here's a brief summary of my Japan adventures.

With Phila-Nipponica, we went to 12 different cities:
Nikko
Ise
Koyasan
Tenri
Takamatsu
Kompirasan
Matsuyama
Nagasaki
Fukuoka
Dazaifu
Hakone
Tokyo

On my own, we (re)visited three places:
Miyajima
Hiroshima
Kyoto

By the time I leave Japan, I will have stayed in 15 different hotels. Technically 14 hotels and one temple. I've started writing my room number on my hand.

We took a lot of trains. Lots and lots of trains.
Nikko to Ise
     1. Nikko to Utsunomiya
     2. Utsunomiya to Tokyo
     3. Tokyo to Nagoya
     4. Nagoya to Ise
Ise to Koyasan
     5. Ise to Ise Nakagawa
     6. Ise Nakagawa to Nabari
     7. Nabari to Sakurai
     8. Sakurai to Hashimoto
     9. Hashimoto to Gokurakubashi
     Cable car from Gokurakubashi to Koyasan
Koyasan to Tenri
     Cable car from Koyasan to Gokurakubashi
     10. Gokurakubashi to Hashimoto
     11. Hashimoto to Tenri
Tenri to Takamatsu
     12. Tenri to Nara
     13. Nara to Tennoji
     14. Tennoji to Shin-Osaka
     15. Shin-Osaka to Okayama
     16. Okayama to Takamatsu
Takamatsu to Kompirasan
     17. Takamatsu to Kotohira
Kompirasan to Takamatsu
     18. Kotohira to Takamatsu
Takamatsu to Matsuyama
     19. Takamatsu to Matsuyama
Matsuyama to Nagasaki
     20. Matsuyama to Okayama
     21. Okayama to Hakata
     22. Hakata to Nagasaki
Nagasaki to Hakata
     23. Nagasaki to Hakata
Hakata to Dazaifu
     24. Hakata to Dazaifu
Dazaifu to Hakata
     25. Dazaifu to Hakata
Hakata to Hakone
     26. Hakata to Shin-Osaka
     27. Shin-Osaka to Odawara
     28. Odawara to Hakone-Yumoto
Around Hakone
     Gora to Choukoku-no-Mori
     Choukoku-no-Mori to Hakone-Yumoto
Hakone to Tokyo
     29. Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara
     30. Odawara to Shinjuku


On our own, we managed to get ourselves around without any major, non-typhoon related snafus. We got tickets and on to the right transit for:
Bus from Tokyo hotel to Haneda Airport
Flight from Haneda Airport to Hiroshima Airport
Bus from Hiroshima Airport to Hiroshima Station
Train from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station
Ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima
Ferry from Miyajima to Miyajimaguchi
Train from Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima station
Tram from Hiroshima station to hotel
Tram from hotel to Hiroshima Station
Shinkansen from Hiroshima station to Kyoto station
Buses around Kyoto from hotel to Ginkaku-ji to Kinkaku-ji to Ryoan-ji to hotel
Shinkansen from Kyoto station to Tokyo station
Train from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport

Typhoon Nangka did throw a wrench in some of our plans. We were unable to attend the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto because no matter how amazing it would have been, we had no desire to watch a parade or a procession in some of the most intense rain I ever seen, instead we stayed in Hiroshima longer. We were also unable to stay overnight in the Zen temple we had visited last time we were in Kyoto because a number of the train lines were not operating and bus service was interrupted. JR officials had no idea how long this was going to last, so we elected to remain in a hotel close to Kyoto Station to avoid any difficulty catching the shinkansen to Tokyo in time for K's flight back to the States. Thankfully everyone was flexible due to the situation and everything worked out.

I have really come to enjoy and appreciate Japan and its people and culture, more than I did last time. I am so thankful to Frank and Paula for all they have done for Phila-Nipponica and for me personally.  It is devastating that this incredible program will not be continuing and no other teachers will be able to experience such a beautiful and complex country.