Japan Part 4 - From Mt Fuji to Tokyo!

Assalamualaikum, Konnichiwa and Hi!

Sorry for the long delay. It's Ramadhan, and I was a little bit busy at night grabbing once-a-year chances of multiplying all the good deeds' rewards.

So, as usual, before I continue with my experience, here are some notes:

1. this is only meant for sharing, I'm not a pro, just an amateur traveller, but I love Japan sooooo much, so I really want to help others who love Japan as much as me to have some ideas about travelling to Japan.

2. Feel free to skip all those stories, and scrolled to the end of this entry if you're only interested in costs and links of places. I always make a summary in the end of my entry. ^_^

3. If you have extra budget, you also have the option to hire a tour guide. And if you are a muslim, there are also some muslim tour guides, that will not only guide you to attraction places, but may also help to provide you halal foods, and places to pray. ^_^ Mine are more for backpackers ^_^

So, let's continue!!!

As you can see from the above picture, the morning was soooooooooo cold! 0 degree celcius.. Brrrrrrr...
And it's already bright at 6:44am haha..

Oh. Forgot to tell you in the previous entry. Before going to sleep, we asked the guesthouse owner on how to go to the Fuji Station from that house early in the morning. He asked us what was that for, and we told him that we booked our Highway Bus to Tokyo from the Fuji Station at 8.59am, so we have to be much earlier than that. He said that it's a little bit hard to get a public transport to the Fuji Station early in the morning (he did not recommend us to get a taxi because it's expensive as stated in the previous entry), instead he suggested us to wait at the Yamanakako Lake station, just few minutes walking from the guest house. He said that the station is in the bus route and the price would be the same. But, he also didn't forget to remind us that the only thing that we have to worry about is how to explain to the driver that we have booked the bus but we change the departing station. He said that most of the Fuji Highway bus driver can't speak nor understand things in English. I said that I will try my very best to explain, and he smiled. A meaningful smile hahhaha...

This is the guesthouse owner, Mr Hada

This pic taken by his camera in front of the guest house

So, after saying goodbye and thank you, we walked to the station to wait for our bus. Then, the bus came. And another story took place ^_^

We tried to explain to the bus driver that we actually booked the bus, but we just changed the station, and gave him the reservation number, but he did not recognize it, it was an exhausting 5 minutes, and finally a passenger came, asked us if we have make a booking, and I showed her the reservation number (given by the staff when I booked the tickets through international call), and she said that was not needed and I was like.......... then she spoke with the driver, then she told us that the bus was already full with booking. I seriously can't find a way to explain further, and finally, the driver asked us to step out. And, at that moment, I understood the meaningful smile of the guesthouse owner..huhuhu.. Actually, if we were clever enough, we should ask the guest owner to write in Japanese that "these girls already booked the seat but they changed the station" or I should have just tell the driver MY NAME! Remember guys, most reservations there, you should mention your name.. 

So, the bus left us there, blank and blur........

Seriously, my mind kept thinking, how should I book again the bus? I only save the international number, not the local one (as I was already in Japan). While thinking, my legs kept walking, leaving the station, and my sister and my cousin were just following and thinking together. I even thought about the option of taking the taxi to the Fuji station and buy a new ticket there, no matter how expensive the taxi fare would be. But, the Fuji Highway Bus to Tokyo was also always fully booked, it's a fact that made me worry more. We even looked at every bus that passed the road, and kept thinking what to do next. Seriously, it was one of the most blank moment in my life hahhaha when SUDDENLY.... "Highway Bus??" an uncle asked us.

And we answered quickly "Yes!!", then he asked us to follow him back to the station. He showed us the schedule shown at the station, and asked us if that's the bus that we need. After telling him few things, in my poor Japanese mixed with English as usual, he understood. We were so touched when he decided to help us made a new reservation (I should tell you that for this Fuji Highway Bus, payment was done when you already departing, so no money-loss here). He tried to search for the Bus Company number through internet on his phone, but couldn't find it so he called his friend (and my sis said she heard him said "Hada", so we deduce taht maybe he's a friend of our guesthouse owner, maybe). Then his friend told him that he could find the number on the bus schedule at the station, and yes, it was there. huhu. So the uncle asked us which time that we want to take, and we told him the next bus if he can, and then he called the Bus Company.

Seriously I tell you, my cousin,my sister and I, we held our tears back so much. We were touched by how willing this stranger uncle trying to help us. He spoke with the staff, then he told us that the next bus was also full but another bus still got some seats but we have to wait a little much longer, and I told him we didn't mind at all. He asked for my name, for reservation of course, and gave me his phone to speak with the staff, so that I can confirm the details by myself (hoho, I'm typing with tears in my eyes). How can I to not falling in love with Japan if we keep finding kindhearted people like this???

This is the uncle who helped us. At this exact moment the picture

was taken, was the moment when we held our tears, touched by his kindness..

 hountouni arigatou gozaimasu ojisan!!!

May ALLAH bless you always!

And so, we waited there ^_^

Activities while waiting ^_^

In this picture, there were me and my sis

but you can't see my sis because err..errr

she was there, look closely, that choco shawl hahah

We wanted to buy mineral waters, but the vending machine (in the pic above) was out of stock for mineral water, so we discussed (beria discuss ok!) what should we buy instead, and while we were discussing, an auntie with a small lorry stopped by (you can see a very small bit of her lorry just at the left of above pic). She asked us "Daijobou???", and we answered "Daijobou, arigatou gozaimasu!!" and smiled, then she smiled back and left. Whoaaa.. she must had thought that we had problems with the vending machine because we were discussing seriously hahahah.. but, how kind she was. Thank you auntie!!!!

After waiting, and selfieing (i made up that word haha), our bus came. Yatta! Alhamdulillah. And I can see that the driver, a different driver, not from the earlier one, eagerly welcomed us (i think maybe he or the company already knew the real situation that we have booked but were not allowed to ride before), and after I told my name to confirm the reservation, paid the fee, then, we were going to Tokyooooo!!!!!! Goodbye the beautful and magnificient Fuji-san! Goodbye all those nice and kind people of Yamanakako..  Hontouni arigatou gozaimasu for all those sweet memories we had there..

We were wayyyyy behind from our schedule, around 2 to 3 hours late, plus we even gone through traffic jam on our way, so we changed a little bit here and there from our schedule, so that we can fully maximise the time left (you can see the example of our schedule from Part 1).

First place that we went after arriving in Shinjuku station (we left our bags in coin locker there) was Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. We wanted to enjoy Sakura to our utmost, thatt's why this was among the places we visited. And, it was sooooooooooooooo beautiful! Subhanallah. And there were more hanami there (refer Part 2 if you want to know what hanami is). The admission price was 200 yen and you can get an English Map from the staff at the counter.

Beautiful isn't it? Subhanallah

From Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, we chose to go to the Tokyo Tower. The Tokyo Tower is situated not far away from the Zojoji Temple (more info: Zojoji Temple) We did not go up the the observatory tower, because we planned to do that for the Sky Tree Tower. We can't go for both, money-wisely haha. I planned at 1st to take picture with Tokyo tower, with the same posing like Matsumoto Jun did after he finished his Lucky Seven drama, but as we came from different side, I could not find the spot, and just be satisfied with what we had here..

We decided to eat our earlier-bought-tuna-onigiri here while discussing for our next places to visit. As we planned, we chose Tokyo Camii Mosque for us to perform our Jama' Takhir prayer (at 1st we planned for Zuhr-Asr, but we were late because of the bus hehe). It was not so far from Yoyogiuehara station. Just asked around, and most people there can tell you the direction.

The mosque was very beautiful, and we even fulfilled some of our family and friends' requests there

alhamdulillah..

Then, we went to the Shibuya crossing by Hachiko bus!! I think, we just got lucky that night, because when we were trying to ask around on how to get to the Shibuya crossing, a policeman told us about the bus, and luckily that bus was also waiting for passengers to fill in. 

And we used our Suica card for the fee that was only 100yen! and the bus is kawaiiii ne!

I was a little bit worry because when we started to depart, the bus screen showed that we were actually at the 1st stop, and there were many stops before the Shibuya station as the last stop. I was worried that it will be so late for us, but, alhamdulillah, the trip only took around 10-20 minutes before we arrived at Shibuya station. 

Well, you know what's waiting at Shibuya station right??? Hachiko!! A statue of course. You're very left out, if you don't know about Hachiko hahah.. It's a very insightful story. Here you may have some info about him: Hachiko Wikipedia and HERE.

Thanks Hachiko for waiting for us!!

haha, this pic did not really show the real situation there..don't be deceived..

It was veeery crowded there because people were waiting to cross the infamous

Shibuya crossing, but I think maybe because this is a favourite spot to take pictures

so people make space for it ^_^

We were so so sooo exhausted actually at this point, you can see how much we walked for the day, but, we got energized once we rode that kawaii Hachiko bus, and much much more energized when we stood together with the other Shibuya-crossing-cant-wait-crossers hahahaha... Yes, everybody got hyped up and excited whenever you stand on the side, waiting for the light to be green including us. And I don't know why hahah.

I was thinking to upload some videos we recorded there, but my broadband line did not want to cooperate. sorry guys! One day maybe ^_^

So, after all that, we went to the station to take our bags and luggage, and headed to our hostel for that night, Anne Hostel (booked with Booking.com) you can also search for it in Facebook. While searching for our hostel, 2 skind strangers helped. One, a young man, look through his phone, by google map to search for the hostel, and almost got it right. Then, a kind uncle walked us  to the hostel after he found us asking a foreigner man who owns a restaurant there about the hostel. That's why I love Japan!! 

And now it's time for costing!!

Highway bus from Fuji to Shinjuku = 1750 yen per person

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden = 200 yen

Train fee (all included in Suica 5000 Yen) = none

Hachiko bus fee (also used the Suica) = none

Anne hostel = 3100 yen / night (4 dorm beds)

Food and beverages = ~500 yen

TOTAL Day 4 =  5550 yen

TOTAL UP TO DAY 4 = 46 210 YEN

Link for Highway bus (Fuji to Tokyo) : http://highway-buses.jp/

Anne hostel Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-Hostel-Tokyo-Asakusabashi/120101838046054

So, that's all for day 4. Hope that day 5 will come soon!!! Thanks for reading!! xoxo

Oh, please please please keep praying for Gaza. It's not about religion anymore. It's about humanity.. :'(

“Humanity is ONE.

The moment you separate yourself from it, you are at odds with the propagation of world unity and peace.

The moment you become a racist, anti-Muslim and other negative and divisive stance, you are a breaker, NOT A HEALER.

IF you select and choose who you want to be with, CREATE a divide and talk ill of other faiths, race and culture, then you are a war-monger.

War mongers are PEACE OUTCASTS.

Constructive criticisms do not INTENTIONALLY DIVIDE. It constructs.

But if you sow hatred, you are DESTRUCTIVE. You destroy humanity by your passion for disunity, intrigues, and collective hatred."

~~Princess Maleiha Bajunaid Candao~~