Me, Myself and I Head East.....: Day 19, Monday 28th October.

Slept better, perhaps as had gone to the Onsen for a soak last night. This hotel price includes breakfast so tried not to be too late up as there were signs saying try to avoid the busy time from 7 till 9 ....but then that is the only time they serve breakfast! Had to queue to be seated so obviously it is popular! The food was a little slow in coming, but was ok when it arrived. Hard boiled egg, still warm with some toast served with a bowl of salad. There was also a little dish of something white with a sort of sauce...turned out to be yoghurt and a sweet topping not unlike runny honey! Washed down with a cup of black tea, not too bad!

Suitably sustained, it was time to leg it again. I had planned to start with some bead shopping, then weather permitting, head to the sword museum. Not sure where the forecast was for, but it didn’t fit today’s weather! It was a beautiful day with no rain. Bit of a nuisance as I was carrying a plastic coat and umbrella as well as a light weight cardigan that I only wore for the first 20 minutes or so!

Had a look in various shops, just in case they might sell something that could be useful!
Bought some clear acrylic boxes for displaying my Temari. Had a very pleasant morning and did finally buy some beads and some offcuts of leather, but even I couldn’t keep going into any more bead shops! Decided to head for the sword museum, quite a walk so you can imagine that I wasn’t very pleased with myself when I realised that it was a Monday.....almost all museums are closed on Mondays! So plan B , ah there is a little public garden nearby, so off I toddled. The gardens were lovely with a large pond, a heron or similar and lots of turtles. Plenty of photographical challenges, but it kept me out of mischief for a good while! Mid afternoon I decided to go to the fabric area of Tokyo so that I could complete all the shopping today, leaving tomorrow for a museum visit. I went by train and subway. I had read good reports of the bargains to be had but was very disappointed....more like a massive version of Nova trimmings! Train prices have increased in the last 3 years but it was a waste of time going. Most of the fabric was imported and of poor quality. I am glad I went in so far as having seen for myself what it was like, but no need to panic about finding yet more space in my suitcases! You can’t win them all!

Exhausted by the time I returned to the hotel and desperate for sleep, so will add a few photos from today and talk agin tomorrow! Giving Onsen a miss as just too tired to be bothered!