We started today ultra early as our flight was scheduled to depart Hanoi 20 after midnight Monday morning. Our flight was delayed an hour as the incoming flight arrived late, so we left just before 1:30 am.

It was about 4.5 hour flight starting with beverage service after we hit the cruising altitude then another beverage service with a hot meal about 1.5 hours before touch down. Consequently it was tough to get any quality or quantity of sleep. 

On landing it took us 2.5 hours to get through customs & immigration and get our luggage. Though we used the Arrive Japan app, from 'Visit Japan Web', it didn't seem to speed up immigration but was a breeze with Customs. Next we went to an ATM and took out our Japanese Yen. Exchange rate seems to be better here, at ATM's, and they are plentiful. 

It was +5 and raining when we arrived. So chilly compared to Hanoi!

We took the JR (Japan Rail) subway to get downtown to our hotel. It was a breeze to buy the tickets as the machines have an English option. I had forgot about all the stairs but thankfully most times there is an escalator or elevator - especially when we were hauling the luggage! We were thrilled to drop off our luggage, at the hotel, before our check in time of 3pm.

This time we are staying at the Sotetsu Fresa Inn next to Shimbashi Station. It's all about the location when we choose our hotels. This hotel is basically across the street from the train station and curious enough it's right beside the Dai Ichi Hotel which is where we were last time we stayed in Tokyo back in 2009. Our room is small by western standards but a fair size by Japanese standards. There's room for the double bed and desk and has a small full bath, coffee prep area and small fridge.

While we were waiting for our room to be ready we took a quick stroll around the neighbourhood to see how things have changed. As Greg was starving we stopped at the McDonald's next door just like the first day of our first trip to Tokyo. Again some different menu items were available but he stuck with the tried and true Big Mac meal. I had the closest thing to a 1/4 pounded with cheese, the large double cheeseburger. 2 full meal deals, about $13 CDN. (Without a coupon like at home LOL!)

We finally got into our room just after 3pm, at which point Eve crashed for about 3 hours after being awake for the last 32.

Today was also laundry day. Most Japanese hotels we have stayed at in the past and again this time have laundry facilities. Like many, this hotel has coin operated combination washer & dryer in one machine. 500 yen or about $5 CDN per load, which includes the detergent automatically dispensed. With the humidity, It's tough here to get a thorough drying of the clothes like at home. 

We picked a restaurant under the train tracks at Shimbashi Station for supper (between loads). It looked like a popular restaurant & the menu out front looked good. The $1.99 beer also caught someone's eye. Most of the dishes were single pieces or small plates for sharing which came as we ordered them off the electronic menu. First of all, they brought us a large bowl of cabbage, with sauce, as an appetizer, then we had: Chicken & quail egg fried skewer, chicken gizzard skewer, chicken skin skewer, large shrimp skewers, 1 PC tempura chicken rolled sushi, 1 PC eel & butter rolled sushi, chicken meatballs roll, plum flavoured chicken tender yakitori (skewer). The flavour was excellent and we especially liked the pickled mackerel the waitress grilled at our table with a type of blow torch.  One item we didn't have was the Miso Butter Fried Rice with Mixed Innards.:)

Though stuffed from supper someone thought we should pick up some drinks & snacks for the room. It's very handy we have a Family Mart in the same building as this hotel. We went with a couple of pastries, a bag cheese corn puffs, couple of beers & a Pepsi.

We also took some time to sort out most of our luggage tonight. We have stuff going to Kensuke's, oh, I mean Hurana & Robert's place, stuff going home, stuff going almost home and stuff we still need. It's all lined up now along the one side of our room.

Just finishing the last load of laundry before crashing for the night....and of course, starting a new dirty laundry pile!