We took a bus back to our starting point for the day, where the hotel shuttle would pick us up. Checked in and they were nice big rooms! By now I had learned how to use the heat/ac unit (as it is all written in Japanese) and for this night we needed some heat! I found an English speaking station on tv and watched some news. But some of us, well while in Japan do as the Japanese do…

and some would enter the bath. The hotel supplied these robes and they really did look quite Japanese, don’t you think?

We would have a dining area set aside for us and enjoy a wonderful evening of sake, Japanese beer and shabu-shabu…

According to Wikipedia “Shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ , also spelled syabu-syabu) is a Japanese nabemono hotpot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water. The term is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound emitted when the ingredients are stirred in the cooking pot and served with dipping sauces. The food is cooked piece by piece by the diner at the table. Shabu-shabu is considered to be more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki.

They are demonstrating how to do it here and then soon we would take over! It was really delicious and I do enjoy shabu-shabu very much.

There were a few side dishes served too and as always, so perfectly presented! A very enjoyable evening and soon it was time for our goodnights as we would leave for Tokyo tomorrow.

I am not always the best sleeper. I always fall asleep right away, but it’s staying asleep all night that is not always so possible! So I woke up and of course had to peek out the window and what do I see? BTW sunrise was rather early around 4-4:30am.

WOW!

I went back to sleep for a few hours and when I woke up it was sunny, so I quickly ran to the window again!

I was so thrilled and I just sat there for about an hour or so texting this picture to everyone I could think of!

Finally it was time to have breakfast and check out. This hotel had a very nice gift shop right in the lobby and we were able to do some shopping!

We were on our way to Tokyo and another very full day!

and for now I will say…sayonara