Nrthwnd Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) June 26 - 27 / Departing Vancouver / Arriving Tokyo This sort of gets old, but there's nothing like returning to a country that you love and want to enjoy again and again. Such is the case with my 3rd TPR tour to the Land of the Rising Sun. But this time, I had the good fortune to bring my partner David along for the ride, as I always wanted him to see for himself, what I always loved about Japan, and the TPR tours here. So, after a good breakfast at the Vancouver Airport, we took off for the Far East, jumped a day in time (woo hoo!), and found ourself at the wonderful Shinagawa Prince Hotel, one that is always a fave among both tourers and Robb and Elissa. We also had processed our JR Rail passes at the Narita Airport, as we would be using them the next day, to take a train to Yokohama to meet up with those who had started touring a few days before us. And so - it begins... I always start with a trip envelope to gather all my info. about the upcoming tour. Not very high-tech, but it works for me. A good breakfast for us both, before boarding the plane and flying off to Tokyo. This is just to prove David WAS on the tour with me, heh heh. We've arrived - the next day - and have a meal up in the Prince Hotel's Food Court. I am so overjoyed to be here again, I will eat anything I have no idea about, LOL! A model display in the hotel's lobby. I think it was a (very) mini-view of Tokyo. A tree outside the always popular 7/11 - or as they call it, 7 & Holdings. Wierd. Soon enough, night arrived, so here's shot of the hotel's entrance. Same tree outside 7/11 - now with added blue lighting! And our view from our hotel room at night. Tomorrow, we take the train to Yokohoma! Edited October 9, 2013 by Nrthwnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 Am doing a Test Bump, to see if the time change has corrected itself. I posted the start of the TR just after noon, but somehow got over 4 hours deducted from my posting time. Hmmm... EDIT: it has! I'm happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBomer Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 And the first Japan trip photo TR arrives. Looking forward to it, Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 ^ Thanks! My posting plan is to do a day of the tour. each upcoming week. I learned this little system from my recently posted TR of the TPR Mexico Tour, back in late March. This TR should last most of the summer, into Sept. I hope, lol. Next week ~ Cosmoworld and Sea Paradise Park! Preview photo. Cosmoworld and other stuff. Taken Friday, June 28/13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I kind of miss your old camera Bill! Looking forward to the rest of the report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 ^ You want it Bob? I sell you cheap! I am actually enjoying this new freedom I have in being able to now select and save what I shoot, rather than depending on that one - and only - film shot to be a good one. But I find myself still taking time some times, and making sure the composition of the shot is good. That's from my old film days, heh heh. And here's a shot from Sea Paradise Park, to hold everybody till next week! Guess why I'm excited here, at Blue Fall drop tower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 June 28 / Train to Yokohama / Cosmoworld The next day, with our new JR Rail Line passes in hand, and the luggage being sent ahead of us, we were soon on the Bullet Train (our only time on it, sadly) to Yokohama, to our first park AND to meet up with all the rest of the group, who had been doing a tour add-on before we arrived. Cosmoworld was a familiar park to me, having been here twice before. It has levels to challenge your sense of direction in finding ride entrances, exits, food, capsule machines... it's a good physical work out, lol. It's also literally in two parts, the main section of it, where we started, and the second part over on the other side of the waterway we had to cross to get to it. Mostly children's rides there, but a couple of good thrill flats - and the Ice House! It was 'very cute' how "somebody" managed to lock the exit door of the Ice House, so that all of us in that thing, were all bunched up at the exit door, freezing our.....off. Fun times, ha ha. David got his first coaster in of the tour (Vanish) and with JC, we ended up eating lunch at a Hard Rock Cafe, just before we all re-grouped, to continue on the train to another park for the day..... Sea Paradise park. After breakfast and before we left the city on the Bullet Train, I noticed this interesting display of a blue beverage. No idea what it was. What? There's a POPCORN TOUR from this hotel? Why are we leaving now??? )o: After the bullet train, we arrive, and wait for Robb and the others to meet up with us here. The two guys in front are not with us, lol. The area we are now in. Heading towards the park we see this. It's a new mall and hotel being built in Cosmoworld. Shiny! Our host for the park, greets us with another Custom Made TPR Greeting Poster. And the Main Subject of said poster, agrees to pose, without knowing exactly what she's posing beside. Good sport, Elissa! A park map to show you all what we're getting into, here. (Pic by David) Always liked that building there. And some coaster track. Here goes Vanish! And it does! (sort of) Both pix by David. The spinning mouse - which really wasn't allowed to spin at all, until near the end of the cycle. David got a pic or two of groups of (non-spinning) riders enjoying the mouse. The flume with a touch of air time (if lucky) before the big drop. We also found out it had a SCREAM METER, that was able to post how 'high' our flume log's scream....was. I think ours did pretty good, but I never checked until afterwards. Then I forgot our original posting, LOL. Silly old bear. After Vanish and the Mouse, we were taken over to the other part of the part (across the water) where we got ERT on the Banana Coaster! (DbM) Front part of the second park section. I think I understand what I just said. One houses prize winning walk through games, usually based on cartoons and children's stories we knew nothing about. (DbM) Since I am already showing shots from the skywheel we're on, here's a shot of what appears to be a mini-golf game setup on a building's roof! And coloured panels to drive your mind crazy! Another view of the new project the park is currently building. Vanish track, around the spinning mouse. An enterprise just lifting - no spinning - just lifting up. Never seen one do that. I liked the small pattern in there, surrounded by all that green and concrete. Us! Enjoying the skywheel and all we can see of Yokohama from up there. More to follow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Here's one of the few videos I took with my camera, during the tour. This one shows Neil on one of the more "physical" arcade games on the Cosmoworld games floor. It's all about bouncing, bouncing, bouncing! Definitely a physical workout, heh heh. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=MVI_2355_mwfa[/coastertube] I would get tired just getting up on the thing, LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
805Andrew Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Alright, another Japan TR. Each one brings a different perspective. I was wondering did you go into a 7-11 in Japan and if so do they have a Slurpee machine like the US/CA ones? I'm curious what Slurpee flavors they would have there if they have a Slurpee machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 ^ You know what? I don't think I ever looked for any Slurpee machine at any of the ones we went through, during the entire tour. (Looking for beers, etc...) From my best memory, I don't think any of them had any kind of Slurpee machine. Lots of magazines, cold (& to-heat) Japanese foods, booze and non-booze on wall racks.... But maybe somebody else from the tour, remembers better than me...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'm with you Bill. 7-11's had lots of food and drinks but I don't ever remember seeing a slurpee. I had many a tasty test from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 ^ Whew - thanks Jon! Now I know it's just not me and my.... memory. Here's a bonus pic of what's to come, of Sea Paradise park... Something stunning this way comes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
805Andrew Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 ^and^^ Thanks for answering. It's interesting that Slurpee is considered 7-11's signature product here, but is isn't in some of its international markets. I remember 7-11s in Mexico didn't have Slurpees either (nor their Big Gulp fountain drinks - lower quality tap water - but they did have fresh brewed coffee) but 7-11s in Canada do. Excuse me for going off the coaster topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Not only seeing an Enterprise lifting without spinning but it's also seldom to find a HUSS Enterprise with double compartments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 ^ That's true about the Enterprise! I think the only 'double' I ever saw in the last several years was at SpaceWorld in Japan. But I think they have since taken it out, from what I remember of the TPR 2011 Japan tour. I could be wrong of course - there could be more of them I have seen on other tours. But I don't really notice them, because... Unfortunately, I don't ride them any more, single or double. The one at our local park gave me such a headache the last time I rode it... very wary of riding them, now. ^^ Oh, and 805Andrew it's okay to go off Coaster Topic, heh heh. I do it all the time in the site. I call it 'age'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Continuing on With Cosmoworld.... After our SkyWheel ride, we went over to the other section of the park, David got another credit (The Banana Coaster!) and a bunch of us (ha) went into the park's Ice House, and somehow, "the exit door accidently locked"....for several minutes. Very VERY c-c-c-cold minutes. Then back to the main part of the park, searching for the elusive MEAT COW CAPSULE MACHINE, and...we all found it! And this time, I got a meat Sheep. Only one meat animal per visit, for myself. I think everybody else picked up two or three of them and much trading happened, heh. After that, a turn around the massive arcade the park has, then me, David and JC headed out of the park, to the resident Hard Rock Cafe for a quick (sort of) meal, before meeting up with everyone and back on the train to our hotel. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* And by the by, any photos I credit to my David will be done... (DbM) On the other section of Cosmoworld, there's Donut Bears! In chocolate and strawberry! I was impressed! David gets his second credit on The Banana Coaster! Here's that Ice House, where..... (And another park map) For several c-c-c-cold minutes - several of us could Not Get Out! )o: (DbM) Various ways to bottle a Coke! Personally, I like the awesome looking Coke Mini-Robot in the back, there. Some of the amazingly crafted (even if it's mass produced, it's impressive) anime' figures from all diferent Japanese series and comic books, etc. Just noticed the one on the far left - in pink. Uh...okay..... So this is when I saw "the crowd" collecting around the capsule machines. And not just ANY capsule machine... This Capsule Machine. Moo. I picked up the Sheep on this visit. Note how 'normal' it looks with my last one, Chicken (or rooster, depending on how you look it is). But turn them around and.... Meat Chicken and Meat Sheep RULE! Now we're heading out of the park. And this used to be The Tallest Building in Japan. Not anymore. Artsy shot. (DbM) BFF. I found a lot of them throughout the tour. Mostly plants, but hey - plants need Best friends, too! Me and the coaster sculpture that's not a coaster. (DbM) Our meal at the Hard Rock Cafe. Good food and not too bad a cost, too. One more look back at Cosmoworld and other stuff, before meeting up with everybody else and heading on to Sea Paradise Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) (still) June 28 ~ Sea Paradise park This has become one of my favourite parks in any TPR Japan tour. Not because of the rides (Blue Fall ) or the one coaster it has, halfway over the water.... it's really a big wonderful display of the creatures that inhabit the oceans and waterways, around us. The Aquarium there is huge, and a real workout of a walk through. The show there is pretty standard, except for of course, the Japanese go awesomely overboard in verbal/action presentation... then there's that Whale Shark in the show. Awesome beast, gentle as a lamb (I have been told). And - I even got David on Blue Fall! Surprised me he'd do it. But apparently, he's always enjoyed drop towers. I guess we just haven't been to that many in the past, heh heh. And we did the coaster - getting a nifty little photo fridge magnet - which still had the great views of the harbor area, not to mention helix after helix after helix after.... it was still fun. David went touring through the Aquarium for a couple of hours, while I cooled my feet and stayed in the shade... and looked for more capsule machines, of course lol! I have some of his photos taken inside, that I'll share soon enough. But - here we are at Sea Paradise park! Here's the entrance way to the park - and it's their 20th Anniversary, too! Cool! Just off shore, there's a little scenic tour boat that looks like a mini-paddle wheeler. Looked like fun, going back and forth across the waters. (DbM) Getting closer and closer, now. The park map. I think that red rectangle w/white characters is our "You Are Here". Edited October 22, 2013 by Nrthwnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) I think i did something wrong here, and accidently posted this part of the trip report, before I had finished posting pix! My bad. And moving right along... We were heading over to Blue Fall for our first OMG experience. Even my David was ready for it, LOL! (DbM) This time I checked out the "non-no" List - and guess what? I can still ride it! Woo hoo! Although two years ago, the ride op thought I was 65+...grrr. But - I'm not! I'm 45 like the rest of everybody else, right guys? Guys? After that we made our way over to Surf coaster, rode it, and got the fridge magnet for it, LOL! See? But it's more of an in-station photo, than an on-ride pic. (o; From the revolving observation tower, we got great views of the park and the surrounding areas. David took this shot of Blue Fall and the GI-normous Aquarium (on the right) at Sea Paradise. (DbM) It is a big set up, with an arena show, the tanks, viewing ports... a good couple of hours easily spent in it. (DbM) And inside - playful Polar Bears! (DbM) And everybody's fave flightless bird - Penguins! (DbM) You want crabs? They got crabs! (DbM) I loved this shot of all the colours there, in the water. (DbM) Oooo this was especially beautiful to see. (DbM) And - one of many there. And your friendly neighborhood Whale Shark Taxi! Outside of the aquarium, while waiting for David, I try another "landscape shot" here. Some of these palm trees are just amazingly HUGE! And just before meeting up with everybody and leaving, we found a rocky shoreline for a last look back at Sea Paradise Park. (DbM) Edited February 1, 2014 by Nrthwnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 And here's the video I took of several in the tour, all riding Blue Fall at Sea Paradise Park. It's hard trying to catch at least four ride vehicles (almost) falling at once, lol. Judge for yourself. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=MVI_2367_cr3h[/coastertube] I was told Erwin would be screaming the loudest on this, but I never really heard him with all the screeching of the tower's brakes, and other screamers, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Bill, did you check out that lagoon with the dolphins and the electric boats? This was something you'd never see in an American park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 ^ Actually, I'm pretty sure we happened to walk by where you guys were watching the lagoon, at the railing, we took a look, and then all of a sudden, at least one dolphin jumped out of the water! And then we saw the boats in the same area and went Whaaaaaa? It didn't make sense to us, this danger to them from the boats, in the same waters. But then - we agreed - this IS Japan. And that was that, heh. And "for the record," I am pretty sure this wouldn't be happening any time soon in a Canadian park, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 From next week's park photos ~ Nagashima Spaland! It's all about helixes at Nagashima... (DbM) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) June 29 - Nagashima Spaland Thee was a film crew here at NS for The Travel Channel, and Matt and Lauren became the "it couple" with cameras following them all around, on the coasters etc. The price of fame..... We started on White Cyclone, which now I remember, was a very - rough - coaster. Right when you hit the lift hill! Of course I advised David not to ride, heh. But I got him on Steel Dragon 2000, complete with it's two little "Sauna Tunnels" over the bunny hops. Some things never change. And we took it pretty easy through-out the park. David found The Turkey Leg(s) he'd read/heard about, and wanted to try. He liked them, as did I. And this would not be our only encounter with the large drumstick. Eventually, there would be Disney... They had a Star Flyer here, just like ours in Playland (PNE), but I was very disappointed in the cycle of this one. It didn't turn very fast, and it hardly got to the top of the tower, and it was already coming down! Ours was/is much better, I felt. More later on... On the way to Nagashima Spaland. I liked the look of this building. The Travel Channel is here, setting up, usual stuff. And we're here too! Robb giving us the lowdown on what's happening. In the mean time, Steel Dragon 2000 was up and testing. JC and Priscilla sitting in front of a really nice palm tree. And Ben (on the right), is questioning his existence in coaster life. So, David waved his magic camera and POOF! Everybody was gone, for a better pic of the palms, LOL! (DbM) Look! There's people on it! Edited July 23, 2013 by Nrthwnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Continuing on with the photos... After both coasters, we take a (slow) spin on the park's Sky Wheel. (DbM) David is happy for the overhead shots he can take, in parks like this. Where the Ultratwister and the Corkscrew now sit, around Steel Dragon 2000. The two coasters used to sit here, until new housing set some noise rules in place. And thankfully NS didn't just tear them down. It re-located them! Looking over a part of the midway. A ride that "did me in" in the TPR China Tour. Will not ride again, any time soon. (DbM) More various rides, including those gigantic Viking twin Swing Ships. (DbM) Looking beyond the park and waterpark. The Mine Train coaster - down for maintenance. (DbM) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) More on Nagashima Spaland including... - David finds his turkey legs! - Bill rides the park's Star Flyer... - And White Cyclone still goes round and round, and round and round and round..... We're still on the park's Sky Wheel, so here's a few shots of The Helix Coaster - White Cyclone! On the left - helixes. (DbM) And on it's right - more *&%# helixes! (DbM) ...And as you can see, everybody coming back into the station is doing anything but laughing and clapping. Is Dan looking for his shoes? And I think Jon is just hoping and praying that it ends, soon. Some of the group on the park's shuttle loop coaster, called... Shuttle Loop! (o; David gets his Turkey Leg!. And no, he isn't a pig - one is for me, lol. The other one looper - Shooting Star, a Schwarzkopf with some more track (and only running forward) than the shuttle, lol. Me, after riding the park's crazy bob-karts. Actually I really enjoy these rides. Wish we had one 'some where" on one of our mountains, heh. Starting to get late - last looks at the park, before we leave. Unfortunately... I didn't ride the Shoot The Chute this visit. For some reason, I didn't want to get as wet as this, this year... ...Or that.... But it was fun to watch under the safety of wood and (I think) strong plexiglass. (o: The Star Flyer - pretty to look at - good lift and starting spin - but it starts to come down, as you barely reach the top! I mean WTF? Ours is Much Better, IMhO. Everybody gathering to head to the airport. A ride op on a passing train tries her best to entertain us, from feeling too that we're leaving Nagashima Spaland. But we have a plane to catch - to Sapporo! Bye bye Shuttle Loop. We'll be back, I'm sure. And bye for now, Steel Dragon 2000! Liked the new train, still hate the Bunny Hop Sauna Tunnels, lol! But we'll be back, count on it! Edited July 27, 2013 by Nrthwnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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