Flight was fine, just long. We didn’t sleep much, not really surprising I suppose, just a nap really. It landed early which was nice, not too long through immigration and then into the taxi that Trix had been dreading for hours…

I explained through the magic of hand gestures that she can get car sick, and he drove very smoothly and nicely. Phew! Lovely route (once out of the industrial part of Tokyo) along the sea and then a long winding road up through thick green forests to a small town near the top of a mountain.

Found the hotel, dropped our bags and freshened up then headed up the funicular railway to the top of the mountain (via a coffee shop for caffeine and eggs). Slow walk down the mountain through some super pretty mossy green gardens and a museum of pottery.  Stopped for a late lunch of (much larger than expected) rice and tempura, then thankfully our room was ready, early!

I got straight into our private onsen, super hot, deep, wide, with an amazing view over tree tops and mountains. You can hear water gushing below the hotel, which is sort of hanging off the side of a mountain. It’s really peaceful.

Early dinner at 5, lots of sashimi and wagyu, then Trix went off to her NYC call and I finished off supper only own.

Sadly the internet is a bit…crap, and she had to bail out of the call. Such a shame after all the preparations and organising, but sometimes life throws a spanner in the works and you just have to roll with it.

We chilled in the bar for a bit, then went for a leg stretch (without Billy, very odd!), had an ice cream, then chilled for a bit before both collapsing into deliciously comfortable beds, the first time we’d laid down since we got out of bed in London, which felt like a week ago.  Both asleep almost instantly.