Typhoon Sandor, Taipei City closed schools and offices.

Typhoon Sandor, Taipei City closed schools and offices.

Songshan Airport

After confirming the flight wasn't canceled in the morning, we set off as planned. The walk to Neihu MRT station was not too rainy but very windy. However, since we were flying from Songshan Airport, we didn't need to use an umbrella once we entered the MRT station.

We waited at the MRT station for a while, but since we had checked the first train's arrival time at Songshan Airport in advance, we weren't too anxious.

After checking in at the airport, we started wandering around. Songshan Airport is indeed small, and it seemed like many shops weren't open.

On the plane, the lady in front of Nina reclined her seat quite far back. Her male companion quickly glanced at me with an apologetic look. Nina and I immediately understood (we encountered a "princess"!). Nina and I both chose special meals during check-in (I chose a low-fat meal). The advantage is that we received our meals before everyone else, but the downside is that we finished eating before everyone else and could only watch others eat, and there was no bread roll. I watched a few episodes of "House of the Dragon."

Haneda Airport

After getting off the plane, we activated roaming (we each subscribed to a cheap plan, which was more than enough by the time we left Japan). We immediately activated the legendary Suica card on our phones, which works like an EasyCard for transportation and shopping, but only requires a phone and can be topped up directly on the phone (unlike the EasyCard...).

Kamakura

After clearing customs, we took a train directly to Kamakura, relying entirely on Google Maps for public transportation guidance until we left Japan.

Upon arriving in Kamakura, we went straight to Plat hostel keikyu kamakura wave to drop off our luggage, then went out to find food and started our first day's itinerary.

ZUSHI-CURRY

We had lunch at ZUSHI-CURRY. Originally, we wanted to order the Two Curries Combo or Vegetable Curry, but they were sold out. In the end, Nina ordered the Lemon Keema Curry, and I ordered the Beef tendon and tomato curry, both of which were quite delicious.

Kotoku-in

After finishing the curry, we continued towards Kotoku-in, the famous Great Buddha of Kamakura. After visiting this attraction, I always say it's "not as impressive as its reputation," as it's not as large as imagined, and the site is too popular with too many people.

OKASHI0467

We went to OKASHI0467 for dessert. We chatted on the second floor while another group (two or three people) was having a conversation in Japanese.

Bent

We took a look at the beach (Yuigahama) and then visited a second-hand clothing store Bent. It's a store that Nina has been following in Taiwan, and the shop is small, even smaller than our living room.

Plat hostel keikyu kamakura wave

We returned to the hostel to check in and rest. The room matched the photos online, with a small space, a bunk bed with curtains (to block the main light in the room), an open wardrobe, an open washbasin with a dressing table, and a separate wet and dry bathroom. Although small, it had everything. Nina borrowed a hair curling tool to play with, and I immediately burned my finger, but fortunately, it wasn't a big deal after applying ice.

For dinner, we bought bento and side dishes from a supermarket outside Kamakura Station and ate them back at the hostel.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

We took photos at the Second Torii, the starting point of a pedestrian path about 500 meters long, lined with two rows of trees and some "monuments" that look like "donation records" seen in Taiwanese temples. Some people took photos at the torii, and the most special was a group of high school students, as it was already school time in Taiwan. Later, we found more students inside Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, some accompanied by adults, possibly on a field trip. After walking 500 meters to the Third Torii, we reached a π-shaped intersection, and the entire intersection was filled with pedestrian paths, which was quite interesting. After crossing the Taiko Bridge, we saw a huge "Edo Sugar Shop" dedication lantern, realizing how profitable selling sugar is! We turned right to the Hataage Benzaiten Shrine, where we practiced the Japanese "prayer gestures" (as seen in tourist guides). Benzaiten is actually the god of wealth, but writing it as "Benzaiten" (辯才天 vs 弁財天) seems to elevate its power. We also made some offerings, but as of today (2025-04-10), our wishes have not been fulfilled (a billion or trillion times return). We wandered west to the Kamakura Museum of Literature - Tsurugaoka Museum, which had a strong artistic atmosphere (because there were few tourists, and we like places with fewer people), but we didn't have time to visit inside. We wandered from Wakamiya to Hongu and then left through Maruyama Inari Shrine (I climbed a few steps to take a look, saw students taking photos, and left directly).

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art - Kamakura Annex

Nina seemed very interested in visiting, but in the end, we only took photos outside and continued on for lunch.

Shakushi no Ki Kita-Kamakura New Building

Nina booked the restaurant. The staff initially couldn't find us on the list and seated us in a small corner, but after matching the list, they moved us to a large window seat (for four people). We each ordered a set meal and added a cold noodle dish. The portion of the cold noodles was quite large, but we finished it all. At the next table, there was a western girl who continued eating ice cream after her meal, and we were glad we didn't order more, or we would have been too full. A staff member who looked like the chef chatted with us in English, asking about our itinerary. We took out our tourist guide and pointed to some places, and the chef said they were all good 🤣.

Tokeiji Temple

After lunch, we visited the nearby Tokeiji Temple. Although the tourist guide gave it a high rating, there were few tourists. At the entrance, there was a Japanese-style bulletin board with a Japanese explanation. We used Google Translate's photo translation feature to study it, and it roughly said that this is not a tourist attraction, and some people practice here, but visitors are welcome, just don't take photos. So, although we liked it here (because there were few people), we didn't take any photos. This might also be why there were few people. It's a quiet temple with a large bell, trees, and flowers, and a path at the back seems to lead to a cemetery. You can take off your shoes to visit the main hall, and it felt very peaceful inside (probably because no one else was visiting 🤣).

Engakuji Temple

After leaving Tokeiji Temple, we crossed the Yokosuka Line railway and arrived at Engakuji Temple. Compared to Kotoku-in or Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, there were far fewer tourists here, and we took many photos. The area is large, with many interesting small buildings, and we saw bald monks walking around. With fewer people, we could leisurely explore.

Meigetsu-in Temple

After leaving Engakuji Temple, we walked to the nearby legendary Meigetsu-in Temple. It charges an entrance fee and doesn't allow photos. It seemed like the wrong season and a bit late, so we took a quick look and left. Another attraction that was "not as impressive as its reputation" 🤣.

café vivement dimanche

Nina suggested taking a bus back to the city for dessert. Since the dessert shop was about to close, we didn't have time to walk back to the city via "Zeniarai Benzaiten." We returned to Route 21 (actually just a two-lane road) to wait for the bus. The bus schedule was written directly on the stop sign, and the bus arrived almost on time 🥹. When we arrived at the store, someone was sitting outside on a chair, and we found out we needed to register to queue. While waiting, we saw a rickshaw driver for the first time. café vivement dimanche didn't have an English menu, so Nina relied on Google photos to complete the order: a milkshake topped with a pudding, ice cream waffles, and milk tea.

Muji & Patagonia

After dessert, it was still light outside. We originally planned to buy a laundry bag at Muji, but we left without buying anything. It turned out we didn't have time to do laundry. Nina loves Patagonia, and after trying on various items, she bought three pieces of clothing, claiming they were very cheap (I haven't researched it). At this point, she thought about buying a laundry bag to wash these three pieces of clothing so she could wear them in Japan, but it turned out she could wear them in Japan without washing them.

Plat hostel keikyu kamakura wave

We took a nap at the hostel. Nina went to Tokyu Supermarket again to buy bento, while I went to McDonald's. We ate back at the hostel. McDonald's in Japan is just better.

Choshokuya Kobakaba

Nina said she wanted something different for breakfast, so we had a set meal that would be considered lunch or dinner in Taiwan.

Little Mermaid Kamakura

We set off for Zeniarai Benzaiten, first observing the Enoden at the back of Kamakura Station, and then continued moving. We passed by the Little Mermaid bakery and bought some bread, which was quite good.

Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine

There was a torii by the roadside, and behind it was a tunnel leading to an interesting shrine. We wandered around inside; it wasn't large, but there were quite a few tourists.

After buying the tools, we started playing the money-seeking game. First, we lit candles, then used the candles to light incense, placed it in the large incense burner next to it, then rang the bell to pray, and finally took out the banknotes to scoop water in the cave to wash the money, and finally dried the money and put it back. However, as of now (2025-04-10), the wish has not been fulfilled, and it seems that the power of Hataage Benzaiten and Zeniarai Benzaiten combined is still not enough. There were many decorations in the cave, and because they were placed in the cave, they seemed particularly interesting.

After washing the money, we went to a small shop next door to eat soy sauce dumplings and drink tea. The shopkeeper explained a lot to us in Japanese, and we listened intently but didn't understand. Finally, we used Google Translate to know that the tea could be refilled. Later, a pair of Taiwanese customers came, and the shopkeeper smiled at us and pointed at them, so we helped the shopkeeper explain to them: "The tea can be refilled."

Kamakura Station

After leaving Zeniarai Benzaiten, we went straight to Kamakura Station to buy an Enoden day pass. The advantage of a day pass is that when we were confused at the station (with no station staff), we could boldly enter and exit the station. There were many people on the platform, and it was hard to take a photo of the train without capturing a bunch of passersby.

bills

We initially ordered too much, but fortunately, the staff reminded us, and after eating, we did feel a bit full. The banana pancakes were great. Later, two people came to the next table, one of whom left after eating only a few bites, while the other, more fashionable one, sat for a long time but also didn't eat much. After eating, Nina suggested taking the train to visit the Montbell Outlet. We continued west, passing the legendary "Slam Dunk Crossing," where many people were taking photos, and there were people maintaining order, but there were no signs indicating it was a tourist spot, and it seemed that Japanese people didn't consider it an attraction.

Grandberry Park

We took the Enoden from Koshigoe Station to the last stop, Fujisawa, transferred to the Odakyu Enoshima Line, and then to the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line to Grandberry Park. We put our bags in a locker and set off. The Montbell here is very large, with a small climbing wall and a pool (for canoes) outside. We started wandering around, and although there was a 10% discount on sale items, there was no tax refund. I thought I could buy it later at Tobu Department Store with a tax refund. Nina browsed Snow Peak for a while, but the prices weren't particularly good, so she didn't buy anything. After finishing, we took the train to Kugenuma Kaigan Station for French cuisine.

Restaurant NORI et NOJI

This was probably the restaurant Nina was most looking forward to. We couldn't book a table while in Taiwan. The reservation system on the website was faulty, and the message system was also broken. In the end, I found an email address on Facebook and sent an email to make a reservation. After arriving at Haneda Airport, we received a reply, and after a few exchanges, we finally confirmed the reservation.

It's a small restaurant with only one chef and one front-of-house staff, accommodating up to four groups of guests. The space is small, and the chef is probably busy. During the meal, the chef constantly observed our dining progress through the window, seemingly timing the dishes (one at a time, serving the next dish only after finishing the previous one). Since we mentioned it was a birthday meal when making the reservation, the chef prepared a small cake for Nina. After the meal, the chef chatted with us, saying he was curious why we made a reservation to eat there (Kugenuma Kaigan is a rural area). Nina mentioned she saw it in a book, and the chef brought out that Chinese book. He said it was a gift from a friend in Shanghai, but he had no idea what it said. Nina helped him find the section mentioning the restaurant.

After leaving the restaurant, we walked to Kugenuma Station to take the Enoden back to Kamakura. It was already pitch dark on the way. When we returned to Kamakura Station, the platform was empty, and a train had finished its service, so we could finally take good photos.

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art Hayama

This was the museum Nina was most looking forward to, so we traveled a long way by bus to get there, only to find it closed. We casually browsed the publications in the underground reading room and then wandered around the museum. There were doll sculptures in the courtyard, and Nina said she wanted to buy a souvenir of this design, but again... the store was closed. Since the weather was nice, we decided to walk to the next attraction.

Morito Shrine

As soon as we entered the shrine, it was lively, with a group of parents bringing their babies for a ceremony similar to a first birthday celebration. All the participating children were dressed in fundoshi and were lifted by sumo wrestlers, while a person dressed as a priest chanted a lot of words (all in Japanese).

When we took the train back to Kamakura, we got on the first train we saw, and when we saw a double-decker car, we rushed in. We only saw one passenger in the entire car, and then we were asked by the station staff to move to a regular car 🤣.

Yamatomichi Kamakura

After returning to Kamakura, Nina suggested visiting a mountaineering equipment store, and when we arrived, we found it was Yamatomichi. We curiously looked through their backpacks, but since we had already researched them in Taiwan and didn't plan to buy anything, we didn't look seriously. Nina carefully chose a blue hat (which she later forgot on the Nanjing Line when going to Keelung, but fortunately got it back).

McDonald's vs. Koinosuke

For dinner, Nina wanted to eat sukiyaki, but I wasn't interested, so Nina went to eat first from the hostel. I left later to eat at McDonald's and made some gestures with Nina outside the store, and the staff thought I wanted to go in and eat too. McDonald's in Japan is just better. After dinner, Nina suggested wandering around.

First Torii

We continued along Route 21 and walked to the Kamakura Gymnasium. There was a torii here, and today (2024-12-22), I only learned while writing this record that there are three torii in front of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

Kamakura Station Back Station

Tokyo Hamacho Hotel

In the morning, we bought some food at Tokyu Supermarket and went straight to the next hotel. After dropping off our luggage, we set off for the main event (Ironhead's).

Ikebukuro Tobu Montbell

The department store is large, but all the customers on the floor were concentrated in Montbell. I had already decided what to buy in advance, so I looked for each item and finally spent all the remaining cash here. There were a few items I couldn't find, so I asked the staff, who seriously helped me look, and then regretfully said they were sold out.

HARBS

Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine is large, with many people, and it was drizzling. We had lunch at Restaurant Yoyogi. We bought some souvenirs at FOREST TERRACE Meiji Shrine Shop "Mori", but unfortunately, they didn't have the bronze-colored magnet I liked.

Tomod's

Nina said she wanted to go to a drugstore to buy something, but it was too late, and the stores were all closed. However, we found the last one in front of the hotel, and Nina seriously shopped until closing.

T-CAT

After checking out, we walked directly to the nearby T-CAT. Since we had already booked tickets, there was no pressure to queue even though there were quite a few people on site.

Haneda Airport

We bought some gifts (such as matcha cakes) and used a trick: mixing coins and credit cards at checkout. So we didn't bring any Japanese yen coins back to Taiwan (in fact, I didn't have any Japanese yen left). I watched a few more episodes of "House of the Dragon" on the plane.

Songshan Airport

After getting off the plane and clearing customs, we took the MRT directly home. We kept sighing afterward: spending a little more money to enter and exit through Songshan Airport was really worth it.