We hit two key itinerary points today: Gundam Base for Soren, and riding the Shinkansen for Ned. Considering how much transit time we’ve already accrued I punted on our plan to breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market and instead we walked over to the diner-style restaurant Royal Host. It was super quiet and uncomplicated.
Plastic hobby kits are really big in Japan, and Gunpla, the space mecha suits that Soren builds, are the most well known. Gundam Base is the official shop in Tokyo, popular enough that it requires reservations for most weekends. Yes, a reservation to buy stuff. Thankfully it was Monday so we just needed to arrive at opening to get back to our train to Kyoto on time. We took the bus over Rainbow Bridge to get there, which has a fun loop at the start. After some photos with the huge Gundam outside and a bit of confusion over the shop location, we joined the queue that was at least 20 people deep. Entry required a face scan as there is a per-day quantity limit on most items.
The shop has hundreds of built kits to look at, including customs by well-known designers and the members of the Gundam idol group (because: Japan) Linkl Planet. It was interesting to look at the displays and the other shoppers. People are really into this hobby! Soren was excited to see everything and pick out a Gundam Base exclusive set.
Minutes after leaving the shop we were all miserable from the heat. Synthetic fabrics, which are so versatile in the Pacific Northwest, are not a good match for the humidity. If I could do it again I’d only pack cotton or linen blends. We took the train back to Shinagawa, retrieved our luggage that we stored in lockers in the morning, grabbed food for the train, and were shortly zipping off to Kyoto on the Nozomi N700S.
The two-hour train ride went by quickly. The views were frequently interrupted by sound barriers and trains going the opposite direction, but otherwise it was pleasant. In Kyoto station we picked up our pre-purchased Kansai West 7-day pass at a special ticket terminal. Unfortunately reservations can’t be made before having the physical pass. Sometimes the JR booking system seems deliberately difficult to use. I’ve spent hours looking at timetables, the JR websites, and reading threads on Reddit all to book a few trains. That said, we did have some special requirements, as we wanted to be on the 700S today and the Hello Kitty train on return.
Our lodging in the Gion area is super cute. Soren has an area that can be closed off with sliding doors, and the view is great. We chilled out in the room for a bit, then borrowed some umbrellas and headed to Fushimi Inari Shrine. The sun was setting and the crowds had left, but a combination of heat, jet lag, and hunger meant we didn’t stay long. We ended up getting some food at a コンビニ, which is not quite the “first night in Kyoto” I imagined, but neither is this heat. At least it rained a bit! I hope it helps.
(18 967 steps)
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