Did a daytrip up to Tokyo to visit a few friends. The return trip took me through Tokyo Station, so I had a quick look around, before catching the train home.
Tokyo Station is an absolutely beautiful mix of modern and Meiji Era design. As I’ve stated before, in my earlier posts about architecture, I love the era’s design aesthetic.
Earlier this spring, I took a daytrip to the island of Enoshima. While there, I took the opportunity to visit the caves there.
While the caves themselves wheren’t especially vast, it was still my first time in a cave, and the experience was a memorable.
At the Rescue Cafe, we could buy snacks and sweets to feed the animals. For the otters, there was a hole into the enclosure where you could hand it to them. Their little hands would come out of the hole and take it, before shoving it into their cute little faces.
These two otters were particularly spoiled and thought they would get treats whenever anyone so much as looked their way. Sometimes, hands would snake out and grab the clothing of passerbys.
This one was disappointed that my phone wasn’t eatable, going so far as to yell at me. Otters are very vocal creatures, it seems.
So, I woke up early to visit a hedgehog cafe. Being golden week, many places have lines down the block even before opening time. In response to this, I made an online reservation the day before.
When I got there, as expected, there was a major line. Thankfully, a staff member was checking for reservations, so all I had to do was show my confirmation email and I was let in.
I reserved an hour, which included a free drink and a jar of meal worms to feed my new friend. I got a hedgehog, named Zack, all to myself. He was super skitish (except when it came to food— he tried to pull the worm and tweezers used to hold it out of my hand).
For the most part, he stayed in the box on my lap, though he seemed mildly interested in my t-shirt at times. When I did pick him up, he’d roll aound in my hands and try to escape up my arms.
Eventually it was time to go, so back into his enclosure he went. Afterwards, it was time for some shopping.
My work often takes me through JR’s Gifu station as of late. I must admit that I find myself liking the layout and overall design of the station, even if I can’t really say the same for the rest of Gifu.
The station features a huge courtyard and food court. The majority of the walkways leading from the station are elevated and covered, which makes traveling in not-so-great weather much easier.
It’s a much nicer station that the Meitetsu one, a couple of blocks away. Props to whoever designed it.
A few weekends ago, I went to a festival in Inuyama with some friends from work.
During that time, we also visited Inuyama’s famous castle.
The castle features a balcony at its top, from which you can enjoy an amazing view of the city below.
Finished my first week of working in Gifu Prefecture.
Tomorrow I have some plans to go to a cherry blossom festival with some coworkers. Then, Monday, I’ll meet some friends to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. Somewhere in there I need to remember to do my laundry…
