big mountain to big city

The FujiQ highland amusement park was good fun. But most of the big roller coasters were shut because of the rain and there where long lines. So after a cool haunted house, we went open air ice skating (did I mention it is cold and there is snow on the ground?) And then into an onsen.

A Japanese onsen is a funny place which is hard to figure out as there is no English instruction. Kit off in the locker room (leave towel) wash yourself on the stool then jump in. Your wash cloth can kept on top of your head for no particular reason. Then do that again in reverse easy. After that we needed some food and plenty of sake.

A morning climb of a mountain revealed dramatic views of mt. Fuji. A quick hotpot (yet another dish I was uncertain how to eat) and back on the train.

Tokyo is devided into many Burroughs and we arrive I shinjuku. We start off with the view of Tokyo's Sunshine60 and quicky realized just how big this city is..... BIG. Sky scrapers everywhere - lights out to the horizon on all sides - 30 million people all around. To make ourselves feel big in this super-sized city we checked into a capsule hotel. A "room" (a hole in the wall really) 2m by 1m by 1m complete with tv and very thin mattress.