Just three days left until Japan and I still have no plan  for Tokyo. At least no plan, that is even remotely as good as the plans for the other places. I am still reading the Lonely Planet and the Japan-Guide. Looks like I have visited all interesting places but some museum. All what is left are the Tokyo Jissha and Kagurazaka, a place a read about in the lp. And the Sky Tree has opened. But to be honest, this is the plan I set up a few weeks ago.

Looks like I have many time for Maiden Cafe and maybe a guided tour thru Tokyo. Could be funny to play the unknowing tourist.

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If have plan for every place I will visit, even a raw plan for Tokyo. Today I have to care about Kyoto. If you remember, I posted earlier that I skipped some places Kyoto on my last visit. My plan will combine some suggestions from the japan-guide and the Lonely Planet. It seems I missed many places.

The Inari shrine and the Tokufu-ji are on the list for sure. The are south of the train station. This part of Kyoto I never visited. Also on the list are the old streets of Higashiyama, Gion and Pontocho. Close to Higashiyama is the Kiyomizudera I also want to visit. Nice if the single places fit so smoothly togehter.

But I have to remove the Kokedera, the famous moss temple, from the list. Like the emperor garden the visit requires an application, written in advance. The time is to short for that. I overread the part. Now it is to late. Looks like there will be a spot left for another visit to Kyoto. And it a place for a visit in the sumer anyway.

The last question is, will I get a Geisha in Gion for the evening. I know that it is not a cheap entertainment, but may be it is too expensive or not possible for me to book one. A lot of the „chaya“ are for members only. Without knowing someone who is already a member.

But the list is still covering 2/3 of the day. There is still some time left. Maybe for an extended breakfast. Or I visit the big temples? They were construction sites in 2004. Or another trip to Ginkaku and Kinkaku? Maybe some Kabuki or No. This will I decide when I am in Japan.

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Today I am checking my plans; spcially the plan for Asuka and Yoshino. I started with finding the optimal connection between both cities and Oosaka. Then I realized that the shrine and the temple I want to visit are not in Asuka, but far outside. There are 20km between them too.

This requires a change in train routes. Tennoji is not the perfect starting point anymore. This happens if a plan is to good, to optmized. There is no space for changes and deviations. This reminds me of my studies, the lessions about optimziation rules. Looks like I worked with a local maximum with steep flanks. Not stable if problems occure.

Now I have to live with it. I can manage, somehow. If necassary I will use a taxi to get to the shrine. The Hasedera temple is just a 2km walk from the train station. From the shrine to Asuka is a different story. There is a pass. A taxi should do the distance in 10 minutes. The new plan involves some money. Taxi are not cheap in Japan.

And another construction side is back on my schedule. Wakayama. There is only the castle and some stuff I am not interested. Kobe instead? I don’t want to think about it again. I skip the decission until I am at KIX. Just do a coin toss or something like that.

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The packing list is created. With the stuff I already piled up it looks more like a shopping list to me. The technical equipment complete: Slate, charger, power cells, camera and all the cables. Socks and shirts atr also complete. But jacket, pullover, winter jacket, functional clothes, cap, gloves; even winter sockes are not in stock. For some things I could use my bicycle equipment. But this is heavy and not built for long walks.

Jack Wolfskin and GlobeCamp are just around the corner. Looks like I need some strong booze too. After I checked the prices I could use a drink. Thermo socks for $52, throme underpants for $91, a winter jacket for $400. Wow. Looks like I have to wait for the next sale. And I didn’t checked for gloves and pants. I have to solve this problem somehow. But how?

I move this isseu to next week. If the departure is close and time is short, decisions are made easy. Over the weekend I will search my closet for a solution. The cap was easy. $14. I will use the ski mask from my motor cycle. Also the pants; without the protectors. I have to buy gloves. But I need them anyway.

Bleibt Unterwäsche und Jacke. Als Hose nehme ich die Motorradhose; ohne Protektoren. Und der Rest … am Montag.

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Today in a week I am sitting in an airplane to Oosaka. Today the JRP arrived. All the hotels are booked. And the fligt ticket is ready to be used. The minus 7 days countdown also means, that I have to start to assort my equipent and my cloths. Tomorrow I will check for missing stuff I have to buy. Rechargeable batteries are at the top, since the last times I always got stopped by a dead camera sooner or later. On temperatures below zero a full power cell is crucial, because they will loose half of their capacity. And I need to clean up the house. I will not return from holiday back into this actual existing chaos.

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