Pool time

 

Masaki eating cheese quesadilla

Naoya with French fries

Boys relaxing at kids pool

Sea animals look quiet without kids

Kids pool

日比谷線東武動物公園行き Hibiya line bound to Tobu Anumal Zoo

 Unusual set arrangement cars boys became very curious about.

リクローおじさんのチーズケーキ

Popular cheese cake people even line up for. Heat up a little and eat fluffy.  Thank you, Jun chan!　

大阪では行列ができるチーズケーキだそう。少し温めてフワフワのところをいただきます。じゅんちゃん有難う！

赤福！

 My favorite I found at Nagoya station...

Day 5 LEGO Land in Nagoya

 We said good-bye to Inuyama, took a train back to Nagoya, left our luggage at locker, then headed to Railway park, which was my original plan. Though the boys saw the train at the platform, they immediately thought we were going to LEGO Land. 

It was not too crowded we could take ride without waiting long. The boys enjoyed it so much, we have to come back with swimming suits next time so that we can go to the water play area.

Before it got too hot to be in the outside, we took train back to Nagoya, then found our seats on Shinkansen heading back home. 

Photos here.

Day 4 Playing with Lilo at Kiso Sansen Park in Gifu

 Started the day with going to hot bathtub in the morning, we had breakfast at hotel, then met up with Haruka & Lilo again. We headed to Aquatotto Gifu, freshwater aquarium. Big turtle, capybara, Oriental short-clawed otter, all kinds of fish big and small! 

We had lunch, then the rain started. We waited for it to stop while playing at the play area which had roof, though Masaki got drenched...

We came back to hotel, took bath and relaxed a little, then met up with Haruka & Lilo again at dinner at Denny's. This is what this kind of family restaurant is for. Menu for everyone, every generation. Boys loved pasta, mama had a small peach dessert to end the day. 

Then we said good-bye and good night to Haruka & Lilo, who were heading back to Hawaii in a couple of days. Thank you for taking us!

Photos here.

Day 3 Bye-bye Kyoto, hello Inuyama

 Checked out the hotel, sent off by robot dinosaurs, we had breakfast at an old school coffee shop Inoda Coffee at the station. We got on Shinkansen bound to Tokyo, said good-bye to Mo at Nagoya where the boys and I got off, he continued his ride to Shinagawa, then to home.

We changed to Meitetsu to go to Inuyama city, about 30 min train ride north from Nagoya. We left our luggage at hotel, met up with Haruka & Lilo, then walked around old castle town Inuyama. It was so hot, we needed to cool down with shaved ice. We walked up to Inuyama castle, built in 1537, which is a national treasure with the original structure of the top floor. Inside the stairs were fixed and much easier to go up and down, the boys pretended they were ninja and went up the stairs (5 stories)  to the top floor. It has a great view, looking over Kiso river, though boys were too scared they couldn't enjoy it much, and retreated. 

Haruka drove us to a steak restaurant called Mega Indians Steak House. Great place for family. It has a big playground with a long slide (doesn't slide much though), zipline, ball pool, and 2nd floor with trampoline, bouldering, table tennis, and ninja course. Boys happily finished their rice dinner, and played for a good an hour. 

She drove us back to hotel, and we ended the day with soaking in a big hot bathtub. 

Photos here.

Day 2 Kyoto with Koji

Met up with Koji at Kyoto station, we headed to Arashiyama to take torokko train up to Kameoka, then took a boat down Hozu river down to Arashiyama. Nice being on the water to stay away from hot summer heat. 

Arashiyama was a bit crowded but not as much about 3 years ago. We found a soba restaurant and had lunch there. 

There was one place I wanted to go in that area, dragged those boys complaining the heat and all, got to a cafe called Bread, espresso & Arashiyama Garden. A cafe and a bakery using 210 years old house, nicely renovated with modern fittings. Beautiful garden, too. Relaxed and satisfying.

After that we came back to hotel, had a bit of rest, then I took Koji back to Ana's, On the way back, I picked up beef cutlet sandwiches for dinner at Hafuu with Koji, said good night to him and came back to hotel. Mo liked the sandwich very much. 

Photos here.

Day 1 Kyoto with Koji & Emi

Boys could manage sitting most of the train ride to Kyoto. Riku lost his train tickets, and we had to deal with that at the station, though we could meet up with Koji & Emi! 

For lunch we found a rotating sushi at the station, which everybody sucked into. It was twin boys' very first time rotating sushi! They had 6 plates of omelet sushi each. 

We left our luggages at hotel, then headed to Kiyomizu Temple. It wasn't very crowded, boys could hit a big RIN (iron bowl makes noise) and pray, bought some charms, took pictures, dipped hands in cold waters. 

We had shaved ice at the end which was much needed as the weather was really hot. 

We said bye to Emi &B Koji at Kyoto station, headed back to hotel to check in, which was run "no human" desk. A couple of dinosaurs greet you and you check in with machine. Relaxed at the room for a little, then went out to have dinner at the station gain. Found a small Chinese restaurant, had simple noodle, rice and pot stickers. 

Photos here.

Breakfast at City Bakery, Shinagawa station

 Family BF before departure to Kyoto. Yay!

Boys crafts from kindergarten

 Boys used a hammer and nails to build those at kindergarten. Awesome. 

Masaki's boat

Naoya's boat

Masaki's Corinth game

Naoya's Corinth game

Dinner at Dian Shui Lou, Yotsuya

http://www.dsljp.co.jp/index.html 

アボガドと海老揚げ　酪梨炸蝦 Avocado and fried shrimp

パイナップルと揚げ鶏肉の梅ソースからめ鳳梨梅子雛 Deep fried chicken with plum sauce

東方美人茶 Oriental Beauty tea

七彩小籠包

樹子と豆苗の炒め 樹子炒豆苗Stir fried pea shoots and fermented cummingcordia

Centre The Bakery, Ginza

 セントル　ザ　ベーカリー　銀座。遅くなったお昼に。フレンチトースト、ハムサンド。食べ比べセットなどもあって、自分でトースターで焼いて頂くみたい。

自家製ハムサンドイッチ Home made ham sandwich

French toast with ice cream

Naoya

Masaki

北海道函館市ふるさと納税返礼品 ハセガワストア 調理済み冷凍やきとり タレ

 

ハセガワストアの焼き鳥をのりご飯の上に！

Last day of kindergarten before summer break & lunch with Tate

 

Masaki posing

Naoya posing

Lunch with Tate

Pizza!

Boys' Tanabata Star Festival decorations from kindergarten

 

Masaki 七夕飾り

Naoya 七夕飾り

Peach frappuccino at Starbucks

 Just because they have it on the seasonal menu...

Family Korean BBQ dinner

 

Meat ready!

Masaki & Naoya finished their rice!

They said they liked meat

Cooked potatoes from kindergarten

 

Masaki

Naoya

Curry rice mama cooked

広尾ピエトレ・プレツィオーゼのインコントロ

 パンナコッタ、コーヒーゼリー、シェケラートの三重奏。大人のデザート。

ザムザムの泉 Zamzam, Hiroo

 とっても気になっていたけれど、金土日しかお店は空いてないので、ハードルが高く、やっと実現。蘭州回族の方のお店だそうで、牛肉麺の麺を選んで手打ちで作ってくれるところが凄い。サイズはニラの葉より少し太いサイズを注文。もちもちして美味しい麺、スパイスの入ったスープ、おまけにベースのスープにご飯まで味見で出してくれ、お土産にスープの冷凍まで！安いお食事じゃないけれど、色々サービスしてもらってしまい、お値段以上な感じです。ご馳走様でした！

https://zamzamnoizumi.jp/

千葉県大多喜町ふるさと納税返礼品 クリケットグラノーラ

 

広島市のふるさと納税返礼品、みっちゃん総本店のお好み焼き

なかなか美味しい。 

満寿泉 貴醸酒氷（ますいずみ きじょうしゅごおり）@虎屋

 このかき氷が食べたくて。かき氷の展示もあって懐かしのキョロちゃんも。

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

「満寿泉 貴醸酒氷（ますいずみ きじょうしゅごおり）」。富山の酒蔵、桝田酒造店の日本酒「満寿泉 貴醸酒」を使った貴醸酒蜜と、こし餡との絶妙な組み合わせが楽しめるかき氷です。

宇治金時