Editing Travel plans/Spring 2017

This is for the ohanami trip.

=Schedule=

: 3/25-30: Tokyo (started blooming 3/21)
: 3/30-31: Fukuoka (start blooming 3/22)
: 3/31-4/2: Shikoku (start blooming 3/25)
: 4/2-4/4: Kyoto/Nara (start blooming 3/30)
: 4/4-4/5: Gifu? TBD -> Tokyo
: 4/6: Home

=Tokyo=
* 3/25-30
* Airbnb (reserved)
* [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0313e26443/ Rikugien]

=Fukuoka=

* [https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kitakyushu wikivoyage on Kitakyusyu]

* 3/30: Leave early in AM; go to Fukuoka-shi for our first ohanami at Maitsuru Koen; take a shinkansen back to Kitakyusyuu to check in; Yozakura at castle (~21:00); get food and maybe onsen  
* 3/31: walk around Mojiko if we have time; TOTO Museum (opens at 10AM); head out (see below)
* To stay: TBD
* To do:
: picnic at [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar1040e26325/ Ogura Castle] in Kitakyusyu
: visit [http://www.toto.co.jp/museum/en/ TOTO Museum]
: visit [http://www.jalan.net/kankou/spt_40100ad2152036661/ Mojiko "retro"]: maybe skip if we want to go somewhere else on 3/31 like Itsukushima.
: visit [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/topics/article/104159/image576474.html Maitsuru koen]: note this is in Fukuoka-shi while the others above are in Kitakyuusyuu

=Shikoku=

* 3/31 afternoon: take a train to Hiroshima; eat okonomiyaki; take a train to Mitoyo-shi; Yozakura at Asahi Sanrin Koen
* 4/1: Hike up Shiudeyama; picnic; take a train to Kotohira; onsen
* 4/2: Hike up Kotohira shrine; picnic; head out (see below)
* To stay: TBD (weekend, so book early)
* Mitoyo-shi in Kagawa for [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0937e26306/ Shiudeyama]: best spot in Shikuko, it seems.
* Near Mityo-shi in Kagawa for [http://www.rurubu.com/season/spring/sakura/detail.aspx?SozaiNo=370001 Kotohiragu]: famous shrine for having many stairs. Also, [http://www.jalan.net/yad322060/ good onsen]
* Mitoyo-shi in Kagawa for [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0937e26302/ Asahi Sanrin Park]
* Takamatsu-shi in Kagawa for [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0937e26294/ Ritsurin Park]: we've been there. More udon time?

=Kyoto/Osaka/Nara=

* 4/2 afternoon: udon stop in Takamatsu; head to Osaka; Yozakura at the castle or the park
* 4/3: Go to Nara; hike up Yoshinoyama; come back to Osaka for yozakura
* 4/4: Stop in Kyoto for Maruyama koen; head out (see below)

* Maybe stay in Kyoto or Osaka and make day trips?
* To stay: TBD
* Kyoto
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0726e26131/ Maruyama koen] 

* Osaka
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0727e26137/ Osaka Castle]
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0727e26138/ Banpaku Park]

* Nara
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0729e26171/ Yoshinoyama]
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0729e60295/ 1000 year old tree]?
: [https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0729e26172/ Hasedera]? 1000 sakura trees.

=Gifu or Yamanashi?=

* 4/4 afternoon: go to Kofu-shi or somewhere around there to check in; take a train and hike up to the old tree; come back for onsen
* 4/5: head back to Tokyo; maybe in stop in Saitama for more trees?
* Those two trees are regarded as one of the oldest and best sakura trees in Japan:
* [https://matome.naver.jp/odai/2142219841464448201/2142220078966048103 Neodani Usuzumi Sakura]: in Gifu.
* [https://matome.naver.jp/odai/2142219841464448201/2142220078966047803 Yamataka-Jindai Sakura]: in Yamanashi; a bit out of the way but doable.　Lots of onsen in a nearby town.


== Tokyo Places ==

Bars:

* Y & M Kisling - 7th floor in Ginza, very upscale
* Anthem Bar (Ansemu) in Ginza - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13088679/ 3.71]
* Bar Bennfiddich (Absinthe Bar) - 9F Yamatoya Building, 1-13-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13159249/ 3.67]
* Bar ODIN - Excellent for shochu and cocktails - Two locations in Yebisu and Ginza - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13077494/ 3.64]
* [http://www.kamiya-bar.com/ Kamiya Bar] - Asakusa - Famous for an herbaly Japanese brandy - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13002270/ 3.56]
* [https://www.starbar.jp/blog Star Bar] - Ginza and Kyoto - High-end formal cocktail bar, very famous, very pricey - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13002270/ 3.78]
* [http://ishinohana.com/en/menu/ Ishino Hana] - Classy Place in Shibuya - generally requires reservations, ¥500 cover - [https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13004802/ 3.86] - Phone: +81-3-5485-8405

There's a [http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/tokyos-new-ceramics nice list of ceramic shops] here:

* Marco Polo (1-36-13 Uehara, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/3466-1523)
* Kou (1-1-19 Uehara, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/3398-9679)
* Tsuchi-No-Hana (5-11-22 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku; 81-3/3400-1013)
* Toukyo (20-5-13 Nishi Azabu, Minato-ku; 81-3/3797-4494)
* Zakka (6-28-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/3409-6768)
* Party (2-9-2 Komaba, Meguro-ku; 81-3/3467-6830)
* Gallery Shun (Sun Palace Bldg., 1st floor, 4-2-49 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku; 81-3/3444-7665)

Onsen:

* [https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/museums/tokyo-somei-onsen-sakura Sakura Onsen] near Sugamo Station is apparently most excellent during ohanami season