NAPLES, FL - (NewMediaWire) - May 17, 2023 - The drone industry is booming, thanks to technological advances and evolving regulations that are propelling it to new heights. Drones have captured the imagination of consumers, businesses, and governments worldwide, finding applications in aerial photography, surveillance, delivery services, military use, and more. Amidst established market players, innovative companies like Epazz Inc. (OTC: EPAZ) and its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, are emerging as disruptors in the drone technology market.
Epazz Inc. is a mission-critical provider of drone technology, blockchain mobile apps, and cloud-based business software solutions. In this article, we'll delve into their subsidiary company, ZenaDrone, which specializes in the development and marketing of drone technologies. ZenaDrone offers a range of drone hardware, software, and services tailored for commercial and industrial applications, with their flagship drone being the ZenaDrone 1000.
Key Takeaways
The versatile ZenaDrone 1000 has received positive feedback from industries such as military, agriculture, oil and gas, wildfire management, and civil engineering, thanks to its advanced features and capabilities.
EPAZ and ZenaDrone have gained military recognition, conducting tests under battlefield conditions and establishing themselves as trusted providers in the defense sector.
EPAZ and ZenaDrone are actively pursuing commercial applications, negotiating to provide precision agriculture drones to Irish farmers, businesses, and government agencies, meeting the growing demand for advanced drone solutions in various sectors.
The ZenaDrone 1000
The ZenaDrone 1000 is a cutting-edge, fully autonomous drone designed for surveillance, inspection, and monitoring purposes.
The ZenaDrone has the potential to be used in a variety of industries.
ZenaDrone's primary focus is on improving the drone's AI capabilities, enabling autonomous navigation in uncharted terrain, implementing deep learning algorithms, and incorporating dual-use features for commercial and military applications.
EPAZ's dedication to innovation can be seen in its pursuit of AI patents for drone technology. With two patents granted and two others under review, EPAZ establishes itself as a charging force in the industry.
In addition, EPAZ's international patent filings further strengthen its global presence and protect its intellectual property rights. By securing patents in key regions worldwide, the company establishes its dominance and ensures the long-term success of its technological advancements.
Military Interest
EPAZ and ZenaDrone have garnered significant interest from the U.S. military for their advanced drone technology. The military recognizes the potential of EPAZ's drone solutions, particularly in potential sensitive cargo delivery applications, including blood transportation. This interest serves as a validation of their technological capabilities and establishes them as trusted providers of mission-critical solutions.
The U.S. Air Force has invited ZenaDrone to conduct tests under battlefield conditions at an overseas base, demonstrating the military's confidence in their drone technology. EPAZ's drones equipped with advanced payloads can contribute to military logistics, surveillance, and search and rescue missions. These capabilities enable safer and more efficient operations in remote or hazardous areas.
The military partnership positions EPAZ and ZenaDrone as key players in the defense sector. By actively collaborating with military organizations, they gain valuable insights to further enhance their drone solutions. This collaboration also opens up opportunities for contracts and long-term collaborations, ensuring future growth and success.
CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D., said, "We are excited to see ZenaDrone 1000 the subject of so much attention in multiple military branches. The Air Force clearly sees value in this platform and is pushing the envelope of new testing to find out the extent of its capabilities. We are anxious to receive critical feedback from the Air Force as we transition to mass production operations.
EPAZ and ZenaDrone's focus on innovation, reliability, and adaptability enables the integration of drones into critical military operations. Their advancements contribute to enhanced efficiency and effectiveness, shaping the future of defense applications.
ZenaDrone 1000 Civilian Use to Expand
EPAZ's dedication to innovation extends to its pursuit of commercial applications for drone technology. The recent visit by Ossian Smyth, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland, signifies the company's commitment to exploring transformative potential across various sectors, including agriculture, businesses, and government agencies.
Currently, EPAZ is in negotiations with a financing institution to acquire up to 100 ZenaDrone 1000s for drone-as-a-service operations in Ireland. This non-dilutive financing opportunity aims to provide advanced precision agriculture drones to Irish farmers, businesses, and government agencies. The drones will be used for critical tasks such as plant health monitoring and weed spraying, enhancing productivity and efficiency in the agricultural sector.
The visit with Ossian Smyth demonstrated Ireland's strong enthusiasm for the possibilities offered by ZenaDrone's innovative technology. Building on this momentum, the company showcased the capabilities of the ZenaDrone 1000 at the prestigious 2023 AERO event held in Germany. The demonstrations garnered interest and engagement from various notable parties, including defense partners from NATO countries, German law enforcement agencies, and rail lines.
Moreover, ZenaDrone is actively engaging in discussions with UAV regulators in Germany to establish beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. This highlights the company's commitment to expanding its operational scope and showcases its dedication to compliance with German regulations.
In addition, on May 16, EPAZ announced that ZenaDrone Inc. had showcased the ZenaDrone 1000 at the RES 2023 trade show held in Las Vegas last month. This demonstration sparked significant interest among Native American tribes, who recognized the drone's potential in search and rescue, firefighting, cargo delivery, and land surveys.
ZenaDrone Inc. continues to proactively schedule demos for various notable entities, now adding this most recent demonstration to the impressive list of organizations interested in the ZenaDrone 1000
EPAZ Expanding To Meet Growing Demand
In response to the increasing demand for its groundbreaking drone technology, EPAZ recently announced an expansion of its ZenaDrone facilities in Dubai, UAE. The strategic move aims to ramp up production of the company's flagship product, the ZenaDrone 1000, to fulfill obligations under several pilot program agreements.
These pilot program agreements grant customers the opportunity to utilize the ZenaDrone 1000 for an extended period. As a testament to the technology's potential, ZenaDrone has already scheduled numerous demonstrations of the drone in multiple countries. In 2022, ZenaDrone successfully produced 10 ZenaDrone 1000 units. However, the company's goal for this year is to exceed that figure by producing over 20 drones per month. With the expansion of its Dubai facility, ZenaDrone aims to have the capacity to manufacture up to 40 drones per month, doubling its previous production capacity.
"We are encouraged by the level of interest we have received, and based on the pilot program agreements and the number of scheduled demonstrations, it is clear that it is time to expand to double the size of our production facility," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of Epazz Inc.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/epazz-inc-otc-epaz-zendadrone-093000363.html

Hello, I'm a college student from Pennsylvania, USA. I went to community college in my city for two years and was accepted to International Christian University in Mitaka as a transfer student for two years. I am scheduled to go in August.
However, I have issues with getting student loans. I looked on a lot of websites and ICU is not a supported school with American student loans, and it seems like I can't get a loan if I tried due to my special situation. Is there any way of getting a loan from the government or some other organization for a foreign university like my situation?
My school has scholarships you can apply for after entrance, and I know of the Japanese loans such as JASSO, but my parents make above average (about $400k a year in total) and I feel like I would be rejected because of that. I will probably still apply, but my parents are very heavy on me applying for student loans right now, so I wanted to see if that route was available first.
Thank you.

Hello everyone. I'm an American who's been living in Singapore for the last two years. I've managed to save up over six figures in SGD. I'm wanting to invest, and am not really sure which broker to go with?
I have old accounts with TD Ameritrade and all of the other big American brokers back home. All of my salary here is in SGD though, so I'm debating whether I should bother transferring my SGD to USD via my old American bank accounts back home and get killed by the fees? Or whether it'd be more prudent to invest directly with my SGD instead? Would it even be legally possible for me to open an SGD based account with IBKR or another firm here if I only have an EP?
Which route would you all recommend for me to go? For what it's worth, I'm planning to invest in various individual US and international stocks, ETFs, and REITs for the most part for the long-haul. Thank you.

WorldRemit is a digital payments service that allows you to send money around the world.
Right now, they have two offers:

• 1. Refer-a-friend - get an extra £10 to send when you transfer £75 to another country/currency. > For some strange reason, the first page you click through says £10. But once you sign up, it says £25. It's £10 you get.
• 2. The Alternative BeerMoney Way: Topcashback - get £31.50 cashback for a £150 transfer.

I sometimes send money to friends abroad (using Wise), or sometimes need to send money to my own Wise account in other currencies. With this offer, I got the bonus for sending some money to my own international account (although I only got £20 via the old offer).
Whichever way you want to do it, steps are below!
__________________________________
How to get your bonus
__________________________________
Step 1 - Get a foreign currency Wise Account.

• Get a Wise account using a link in the latest Wise post.
• Open a foreign currency account on Wise (I used by New Zealand Dollar, NZD, account)
• Get your bank account details (if yours is a new Wise account, you will need to deposit £20 and KYC).

You will need:

• The NZ bank name (Click on Your NZD Account Details, and then the question mark to reveal the bank name. For mine, it was JP Morgan Chase.
  
• Your account number (remove all dashes).
  
• The bank Switch Code. For JP Morgan Chase in Auckland, the switch code is CHASNZ2AXXX. Check your bank here https://wise.com/gb/swift-codes/
  

If you do not have a Wise account, you may wish to use a link from the latest post. Click here to search for the latest Wise offer post.
​
Step 2 - Get a World Remit Account & transfer >£75 (£150 for Topcashback)

• Sign up to WorldRemit using the WorldRemit refer-a-friend link:

https://www.worldremit.com/en/refer53bdth5fbmvv

Code: REFER53BDTH5FBMVV (if required)

Or for a bigger bonus, sign up to Topcashback:

Search here for latest Topcashback sign up bonus)

• Enter the transfer amount on the WorldRemit homepage.

I sent £75 to to NZD (converts to ~140 NZD), by bank transfer.

• Add your recipient bank details on the next page.

If sending to yourself, enter your name, the bank name, the bank account number, the SWIFT code, and the branch location. I entered "0" for the phone number.

• Add your personal details on the next page.

Name, telephone number etc.

• User the promo code 3FREE to remove the £0.99 WorldRemit transfer fee.

Switch the promo code toggle, and enter the code.

• Choose how to pay on the final page.

I paid using my debit card.

​
Step 3 - Receive your NZD and your £10 voucher from WorldRemit, or your cashback from Topcashback.

• If you went the World Remit route, you will be emailed your voucher for £10 off your next transfer as soon as the payment has been sent fully. Use to send another payment to your Wise account.

When I did this, I set up my payment on a Saturday, and the transfer was finalised two days later on the Monday. I received my voucher alongside confirmation of the transfer.

• Your transfer of NZD may take another couple of days to appear in your Wise account.

My transfer was sent on a Monday, and appeared in my Wise account on the Wednesday>
If you go the Topcashback route, it might take a while to receive your cashback. Terms state that the Amazon voucher will be emailed within 90 days. I would imagine the cashback takes about the same amount of time.

​
My £75 (sent via World Remit), turned into £73.86 (received into my Wise account) after fees/exchange rates. So I spent £1.14 to get the voucher from WorldRemit! After sending the £10 voucher, it will be worth ~£8 beermoney!
​
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Links
WorldRemit no ref, no bonus link
WorldRemit refer-a-friend terms

This season I started riding a Trek that I put together a couple years ago. I've noticed that my rear brake caliper, which I believe is a dual pivot 105, does not rebound back to its most fully open position after the brake lever is released. This causes the brake pads to sometimes make contact, but it also means that the brake lever stays loose. My thought is that the internal cable routing takes some tighter turns than normal and I'm not using the right cables. Should I be using a more purpose built slick brake cable like the Jag wire elite or something like that? There isn't an obvious adjustment for the spring tension on the caliper, so I don't think I have any options there.

When you pay with a credit card, you have to provide your credit card number and sometimes some other information to a vendor (like the 3 digit code and/or zip code). This extra info is seen as a "security" step, but YOU JUST GAVE IT TO THE VENDOR!! You literally gave the vendor all the information they need in order to spend YOUR money from your credit card. How freaking crazy is that?
Similarly, to make an ACH transfer, literally all you need to do is give them your account number and routing number. There's no authentication. You don't need to authorize the transfer. Once again, in order to pay a vendor, you give them all the information they need to take your money.
The equivalent in crypto would be that if your wallet's address was all that was required to steal your money. Like, in order to pay somebody, you just give them your wallet address and they initiate a transaction to take some amount of crypto, and you have to trust that they will only take what you agreed upon and nothing more. Can you imagine if that were the case?
This is why crypto is hands down the biggest improvement to the security of financial transactions ever. Because of the use of asymmetric encryption (i.e. your public/private key), you can authorize a transaction without giving anyone else information they could use maliciously. For the life of me, I can't figure out why we ever thought it was a good idea to develop a system in traditional finance where this is not the case.
This same mentality needs to be applied not just to payments, but all forms of authorization intended to prove that the one initiating an action is the correct individual. The biggest example I can think of is with things requiring social security numbers. Want to take out a loan? Ok, we need your SSN. Oh, but wait, now that you gave us your SSN, WE CAN IMPERRSONATE YOU!!! Again, absolutely bonkers. Instead, we should have the ability to register key-pairs with the government so that your public key is literally a matter of public record and you can use it to authenticate anything you would ever want. When you want to take out a loan, all you need to do is make sure your keys are loaded onto your device (encrypted with a PIN or biometrics), and then you can provide a cryptographic signature to prove you are who you say you are. If your keys are ever compromised, you can simply provide ID and revoke your key-pair and generate new ones.
This would solve so many problems in society, and crypto is the first technology to actually show how effective it would be. Just don't lose your keys.

Hi all, I'm trying to remake and shorten my Silverstone 850r SFX PSU cables, not looking to sleeve anything at the moment. I can get the MDPC CTX3 crimping tool and pin removal tool from Titan rig, but I still need the following:
atx female crimp terminals
cable wires
12vhpwr cable wires (I believe I need 17awg thin wall for this?)
12vhpwr sense wires
12vhpwr plugs
12vhpwr terminals
fan connectors
fan crimp terminals
replacement atx and eps connectors would be nice as well instead of butchering the factory cables
Titan Rig seems to be out of stock of almost everything needed, and MDPC makes ordering easier since you know you're ordering the right components, but I'd prefer not to ship internationally if possible. Anyways, has anyone had success ordering all their supplies from the US, and if so can you share where/part numbers? Also, if anyone has advice on any other parts I may be missing I would appreciate it!

I'll try to be as brief as I can, otherwise this post will become an essay of me trying to promote Japan as the best vacation destination I have ever been to.
TLDR; Japan is great!
Background
The trip took place from 13 May 2023 to 27 May 2023. 9 people, ages ranging from late 20s to mid 60s, family from both my side and my wife's, took part in this trip. The 4 youngest members, including yours truly, planned for everything in this trip which includes the hotels, places we visits, international flights, domestic flights, meals, routes to take. It also helps that our youngest member is fluent in Japanese, while the rest of the youngsters can understand simple Japanese, thus YMMV.
Tokyo (13 May - 18 May 2023)
Tokyo was probably the most hated part of our trip as it involves a lot of walking. And the 5 old people were definitely not keen on walking much. So we really had to spend a lot of time looking for places to chill after half an hour of walking, which really slows us down. Even in train stations, we had to look for elevators since they were unable to climb stairs. There were really a lot of stairs in Japan.
Anyway, for the most part, we stayed in Kyobashi in Tokyo. We chose this area as it provides direct access to Haneda Airport via trains. It was also really convenient as every location we went to in Tokyo was accessible from Kyobashi Station, requiring little to no transfers.
A short review of places we went in Tokyo
Asakusa - It was crowded on a Sunday. Sensoji was nice to look at. Lots of street food around the area if you explore west of Nakamise Street. Kappabashi Dougu Street sells kitchenware and handmade crockeries, which are slightly pricey but good additions to my dining set. Spent around 5 hours here.
Ueno Zoo - Oldest zoo in Japan. Houses many animals that we don't see in Singapore, like the snow monkeys and shoebills. Pandas were definitely the main attraction. We queued for 15 minutes just to see them for 3 minutes. There is a system in place so that panda viewing is not overcrowded. In total, we spent almost 5 hours here.
Ameyoko Street - Shopping street. We just walked through this stretch after Ueno Zoo when everyone was tired. It was quite a touristy place where we did not find it interesting.
Meiji Shrine - Very beautiful shrine. Everybody enjoyed the walk from Harajuku Station to the shrine. The canopy provided shade on a hot day. Coupled with the cool weather, the walk was pleasant. We were also lucky enough to be able to witness a wedding ceremony happening at the shrine while we were there. Get your Omikuji (fortune slip) for JPY200. It comes with English translation.
Harajuku - Very hip shopping street. We were just here for Marion Crepes, nothing else. But if you are into fashion, feel free to spend time shopping here. The clothes are relatively cheaper as compared to places like Uniqlo.
Shibuya - A lot of construction projects are happening now at Shibuya, so it was slightly harder to get around. We went to a planetarium, and sat down for a "show", which was all voiced in Japanese, no subtitles. Very cool even if you don't understand anything as the start of the show basically placed you right in the heart of Shibuya, and allowed you to see the skyline. The youngsters also had a chance to go to the Pokemon Centre and Disney Store to do some light shopping. Go if you like these kind of things. If not, I would recommend skipping them.
Tsukiji Market - A local, slightly more touristy fish market. A lot of fresh seafood to try. Uni (Sea urchin) was in season. The most popular items were the tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelet) and hotate (scallops). We also ate at a local sushi restaurant and I had my first horse meat sushi. The chef even advised me that I should eat it without soy sauce. Very cool experience, probably something I'll never try if I did not go to Japan.
As you can see from above, we didn't go to many places in Tokyo as the oldies were pretty much restricted by their physical abilities to take long walks. I should also share that eating out is more expensive compared to Singapore (where we are from), with each meal costing around JPY1500 or more per person.
Hokkaido (18 May - 27 May 2023)
Hokkaido was really the highlight of this trip. It was clear that everyone enjoyed Hokkaido more than Tokyo. For the domestic flights, we flew via Air Do. To get to Hokkaido, we flew from Haneda Airport to Asaikawa Airport. To get back to Tokyo, we flew from Hakodate Airport. In addition, we rented 2 cars to fit 9 people, with 10 medium to large sized luggage. The distance between each city was usually about 2 to 3 hours drive. Essentially, we went from the west of Hokkaido to the east. So.. That definitely took a long while. so I'll break down the locations by cities.
Monbetsu (18 May - 19 May 2023)
Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park - A tulip park recreated to make you feel as if you were in The Netherlands. Very pretty place especially when all the tulips were in full bloom. We spent about 2 hours here just taking pictures and taking in the view.
Takinoue Shibazakura Park - A park where everything is pink! I have never seen a place so pink. We missed the sakura season in Tokyo but managed to catch the blooming of Shibazakura instead. It is really a sight to behold. In the park, if you are able, I would recommend climbing all the way to the bell to get a stunning view of the whole place. There is also a 3 minutes helicopter ride for JPY600 per person to get an aerial view of the park.
The tulip park was the reason why we drove 3 hours to the small town of Monbetsu. I think the drive was worth it if you like looking at flowers in full bloom. On a separate note, I have been to Monbetsu on another trip in 2019. There is a crab claw statue, a sea ice musuem and a seal sanctuary to visit. The town is not as boring as one might think.
Asahikawa (19 May - 20 May 2023)
Ramen Village - Just a place where 8 ramen restaurants set up shop. I highly recommend eating shoyu ramen in Asahikawa since that's what they're famous for.
Otokoyama Sake Brewery and Museum - It's in the name! Go here if you like sake. There's free tasting. The museum portion just showcases equipment used in the brewing process. It even shows how it was brewed in the older eras. There is also a tap where anyone can collect the spring water that they use to brew the sake. So.. BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE!
Takikawa Canola Festival - We were just in time for the event. Canola (oil?) is the main export of the town of Takikawa. The festival only runs for 2 weekends. We were lucky to have been able to see this. Anyway, the festival was packed with people. So to alleviate overcrowding at the fields, the organisers did not allow people to go to the fields directly. Everybody is required to go to the festival location and take a shuttle bus to the fields. The bus timings were about 10 minutes from the next one, so even if the queue was long, we didn't wait too long. With any festival, there will always be snacks and other merchandise. Feel free to buy them and support the locals.
Furano (20 May - 21 May 2023)
Ningle Terrace - I think there were a total of 18 small craft shops in the area. Anyway, it's a place where you'll want to go after it turns dark. That's when the fairy lights come on and make it look magical. Personally, I wasn't into the crafts. But I bet they will be good decorations for your office desk or home.
Farm Tomita - A farm famous for lavender. It was raining heavily when we were there. So.. It wasn't a great experience. Coupled with the fact that lavender wasn't really in season, we could only see a small patch of purple. Potatoes here were great though! I would recommend getting some potato wedges or croquettes as snacks.
Furano Cheese Factory - We went there on a weekend. So, there was pretty much no production viewing. But no loss, since we were actually there for the pizza! The whole complex, including a pizza cafe, ice cream shop, factory and museum is nestled in a small woodland area. So you get to enjoy pizza and ice cream in the great outdoors! I highly recommend the pizzas.
Sapporo (21 May - 23 May 2023)
Tanukikoji Street - Shopping street! There's a Mega Don Quixote if anyone's interested. Otherwise it is really just another shopping street. What's cool about it is that there is also an underground mall that's linked to Susukino Station. So, you can shop above and under ground.
Nijo Market - A fish market just like Tsukiji Market but on a smaller scale. It was already past noon when we reached so most shops were closed or closing. The local shopkeepers here were friendlier though.
Odori Park - We took a 15 minutes walk from Sapporo Station to this park. It was not very impressive without sakura blooms or festivals. The iconic Sapporo TV Tower was at the head of the park. We chose not to go up the tower as we went somewhere higher.
JR Tower 36 - I believe this tower is taller than the Sapporo TV Tower. It costs JPY600 per person to ascend the tower. It offers a 360 degrees (more like 90 degrees x 4 sides) view of the city. On a clear day, you might even be able to see Otaru from the tower. You can also see the trains leaving and entering JR Sapporo Station.
Mount Moiwa - Unfortunately, it was foggy the night when we wanted to go up the mountain. So, we decided not to go. From what we researched, it offers a very pretty night view of the city.
So.. In Sapporo, we ditched the car and travelled via trains and legs, like how we did in Tokyo. Parking is expensive in bigger cities. It was a shame that we didn't get to go up to Mount Moiwa as I personally wanted to go up there. But.. There is always an alternative (maybe even better).
Otaru (23 May - 24 May 2023)
Sakaimachi Street - The biggest shopping street in Otaru. The road is lined with shops of various sizes on both sides. Highlights include a glass warehouse, the Romankan (Romance House) and the windchimes on the river. At the end of the street (or the beginning depends on where you start), is an iconic clock tower. I think it rings and blows steam out of its top every hour. Under the clock tower is my personal favourite, LeTao! Their bestseller, the cheesecakes, is the best! But I love their chocolate biscuits, The Noir, better.
Otaru Canal - You may or may not know that Otaru was a port town. The warehouses that line up beside the canal has since been transformed into shops. According to my wife, it is supposedly a pretty place to go to at night, when lights brighten the canal. But when we were there, it was a sad sight. The lights barely lit up the canal. So.. GO IN FEBRUARY when the snow light path festival is happening! There is also a gondola ride on the canal if anyone's interested. We were not.
Sankaku Market - A really small market beside Otaru Station. We had our crab lunch here! 3 crabs totaling 4.6kg for JPY45000. I think that the items sold here are relatively more expensive as this market is catered towards tourists.
Lake Toya (24 May - 25 May 2023)
Mount Usu - A volcano which last erupted in the year 2000. We took the ropeway up. Trust me! It is worth the trip. There is a terrace right beside the ropeway station where you can enjoy beautiful scenery of the lake and surrounding mountains. The youngsters also managed to climb 320 steps to go closer to the caldera of Mount Usu. While you don't see any lava, you can definitely see some smoke.
Meisui-no-Sato Rest Station - This is not really an attraction. But I wanted to give it a shoutout because it was definitely the most beautiful rest station I have ever seen. A suspension bridge links the rest station to a small forested area. And in that area is a spring! It was unexpected to see everybody enjoying a rest there and drinking spring water directly from the mountains.
The Lake Ko no Sumika - Our hotel for the night at Lake Toya. This hotel resort is situated right beside the lake. The hotel is also part of the Toya Sun Palace. If you stay in Ko no Sumika, you get access to the onsen and facilities of both hotels. But it doesn't work the other way round. So it definitely feels more exclusive. The Lake Ko no Sumika has the onsen on the 8th level, giving you an unblocked view of the lake and its beyond when you're taking a bath. For those who don't know, from April to October, a fireworks show happens every night between 8.45pm to 9.05pm. The fireworks show takes place on the lake, starting from the pier near The Lake Toya Nonokaze resort, ending in the middle of the lake, right in front of my hotel room. Did I mention that there is a balcony in every room that looks out to the lake? That's where we enjoyed the fireworks show. There is also an onsen bath in every room of the hotel for you to enjoy if you are shy about going nude in the public bath. To summarise, The Lake Ko no Sumika was luxury on another level. I highly recommend this heaven.
Hakodate (25 May - 27 May 2023)
Onuma National Park - It's actually a quasi-national park. Not sure what the difference is. But it is a beautiful park where there are bridges that link small little islands together. It'll take around 1 hour to walk the longest route and 15 minutes for the shortest. Honestly, I love this park. It was picturesque and it was also amusing to see young couples (the guy) struggling to row a boat.
Mount Hakodate - Boasts the world famous night view. While I agree that the view is beautiful, it is too packed for anyone to enjoy. Everybody is holding up their cameras and crowding near the railings for anyone to take in the scenery. Of course, to counter this, you can always pop by the restaurant or cafe and hope that you'll be assigned a seat by the window so that you can enjoy the view. I recommend that to go right before the sun sets. At the top, you'll have to choose if you want to see the sunset or the night view. Because there is no way that you'll capture both since everybody will crowd to one or the other. It'll always be more crowded when the sky turns dark and everybody is rushing to get off the mountain. So.. Be prepared to wait! Good luck!
Hakodate Morning Market - The morning market is awesome. You have access to fresh seafood and other produce. You can even haggle! We spend our 2 mornings there for breakfast. Amazing place to get delicious and slightly cheaper seafood. There is also a stall which lets you catch your own squid and they'll grill it for you. Long queue though. For reference, we had 2 crabs, weighing at 4.2kg in total for JPY37000. They'll lead you to a restaurant where they'll cook the crabs for you, for free! Don't be afraid to haggle and discuss with the shop owners.
Goryokaku - A fort turned into a park! The famous star(?) shaped park is a beautiful place. When we were there, we saw wisterias and fresh green trees. There is also a structure, which I believe was the residence of someone, which you can pay to enter. Nothing to rave about. But if you want to see some architecture in the middle of a park, you can see it here. Come here if you enjoy walking around a big park. If not, give it a miss.
To sum things up
It is safe to say that all of us enjoyed our trip to Japan. For my parents, it was their first time in Japan. Our itinerary could have been more optimised to cater to the old folks but we planned what we could. Everything else was pretty much on the fly.
While most Japanese don't speak English, they do have some basic understanding if you speak slowly and give them time to process what you said. Alternatively, learn some simple Japanese phrases. It'll make life a lot easier there. For the most part, we relied on Google Maps and Navitime apps to get around Tokyo. We googled for Mapcodes for our drive in Hokkaido.
Hope you enjoyed this lengthy trip report!

Posted with permission from the mods. Thank you mods!
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To buy Roblox stock, you can follow these general steps:

1. Choose a brokerage account: Select a reputable brokerage firm that offers access to the stock market. Some popular online brokerages include Robinhood, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab.
2. Open a brokerage account: Visit the website of your chosen brokerage and follow their instructions to open an account. You will typically need to provide personal information and complete any necessary verification processes.
3. Fund your account: Deposit funds into your brokerage account. Most brokers offer various funding options, such as bank transfers, wire transfers, or linking your bank account.
4. Research Roblox stock: Before making any investment, it's important to research the stock and understand its fundamentals, performance, and market conditions. Review financial statements, news articles, and analyst reports to gather relevant information.
5. Place an order: Once you have funded your brokerage account and completed your research, you can place an order to buy Roblox stock. On your brokerage platform, search for the stock using its ticker symbol, which is "RBLX" for Roblox. Enter the number of shares you want to purchase and select the order type (market order or limit order). Review the details and submit your order.
6. Monitor your investment: After purchasing Roblox stock, it's essential to monitor your investment regularly. Stay informed about any updates or news that may impact the stock's performance.

Please note that investing in stocks involves risks, and the value of stocks can fluctuate. It's important to do thorough research, consider your investment goals and risk tolerance, and, if needed, consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Additionally, the process may vary slightly between different brokerages, so it's recommended to follow the specific instructions provided by your chosen brokerage.

HAVE QUESTIONS? CALL US AT 1-800-935-9935 (WE ACCEPT OPERATOR RELAY CALLS) • WANT MORE INFO? SEE THE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT AGREEMENT 1 CHASE TOTAL CHECKING ® A GUIDE TO YOUR ACCOUNT † It’s important that you understand how your Chase Total Checking account works. We’ve created this Guide to explain the fees and some key terms of your personal account. MONTHLY SERVICE FEE* Monthly Service Fee $12 How to Avoid the Monthly Service Fee During Each Monthly Statement Period $0 Monthly Service Fee when you have any ONE of the following: • Electronic deposits made into this account totaling $500 or more, such as payments from payroll providers or government benefit providers, by using (i) the ACH network, (ii) the Real Time Payment network, or (iii) third party services that facilitate payments to your debit card using the Visa® or Mastercard® network • OR, a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more in this account • OR, an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of this account and linked qualifying deposits1/investments2 ATM FEES Non-Chase ATM (Avoid these fees by using a Chase ATM) $3 for any inquiries, transfers or withdrawals while using a non-Chase ATM in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fees from the ATM owne network still apply. $5 per withdrawal and $3 for any transfers or inquiries at ATMs outside the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fees from the ATM ownenetwork still apply. Fees for using your account when you don’t have enough money in it or it’s already overdrawn OVERDRAFT FEES Overdraft (may also be referred to as Insufficient Funds): Chase pays a transaction during our nightly processing on a business day when your account balance is overdrawn $34 Overdraft Fee per transaction during our nightly processing beginning with the first transaction that overdraws your account balance by more than $50. • Maximum of 3 fees per business day (up to $102) We won’t charge an Overdraft Fee: • With Chase Overdraft AssistSM, if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day OR if you’re overdrawn by more than $50 and you bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day (you have until 11 p.m. ET (8 p.m. PT) to make a deposit or transfer). Chase Overdraft Assist does not require enrollment and comes with eligible Chase checking accounts • If your transaction is $5 or less • If your debit card transaction was authorized when there was a sufficient available balance in your account • If your check or ACH is returned unpaid. However, we may charge an Overdraft Fee if a previously returned check or ACH is presented again and paid • If your debit card transaction or ATM cash withdrawal request is declined You can avoid overdrawing your account by making a deposit or transferring funds to cover the overdraft before the business day ends and we start our nightly processing. Here are the cutoff times for some ways of making a deposit or transferring funds from another Chase account: • At a branch before it closes • At an ATM before 11 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Pacific Time) • When transferring money on chase.com or Chase Mobile® or using Zelle® before 11 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Pacific Time) If you deposit a check, this assumes we do not place a hold and the check is not returned. Additional cutoff times apply to other transfers, including transfers from non-Chase accounts. Please visit chase.com or Chase Mobile for more information and service agreements. † For the complete terms governing your account, please consult the Deposit Account Agreement. The terms of the account, including any fees or features, may change. * New and converted accounts will not becharged a MonthlyServiceFeeforat least the first two statement periods.After that the MonthlyServiceFee willapply unless you meet one of the ways to avoid the MonthlyServiceFeeeach statement period (if applicable). 1 Qualifying personal deposits include Chase First CheckingSM accounts, personal Chase savings accounts (excluding Chase Premier SavingsSM and Chase Private Client SavingsSM), CDs, certain Chase Retirement CDs, and certain Chase Retirement Money Market Accounts. 2 Qualifying personal investmentsinclude balancesin investmentand annuity products offered through JPMorgan Chase & Co.and itsaffiliatesand agencies.Formost products, we use daily balancesto calculatetheaverage beginning day balance for such investment and annuity products. Some third party providers report balances on a weekly, not daily, basis and we will use the most current balance reported. Balances in 529 plans, donor-advised funds, and certain retirement plan investment accounts do not qualify. Investment products and related services are only available in English. J.P. Morgan Wealth Management isa business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment productsand services through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS),aregistered broker-dealerand investmentadviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Insurance products are made available through Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA), a licensed insurance agency, doing business as Chase Insurance Agency Services, Inc. in Florida. Certain custody and other services are provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMCB). JPMS, CIAand JPMCB areaffiliated companies under thecommon control of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Products notavailablein all states. INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS: • NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE HAVE QUESTIONS? CALL US AT 1-800-935-9935 (WE ACCEPT OPERATOR RELAY CALLS) • WANT MORE INFO? SEE THE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT AGREEMENT CHASE TOTAL CHECKING® 2 CHASE DEBIT CARD COVERAGE SM AND FEES 3 (Please visit www.chase.com/checking/ debit-card-coverage for additional details.) Chase Debit Card Coverage: You can choose how we treat your everyday (not recurring) debit card transactions when you don’t have enough money available. Please note: Regardless of which option you choose for Chase Debit Card Coverage, you may also want to sign up for Overdraft Protection if you are eligible. Please visit www.chase.com/OverdraftProtection for more details, including terms and conditions. OPTION #1 (YES): You ask us to add Chase Debit Card Coverage This means you want Chase to authorize and pay your everyday debit card transactions, at our discretion, when you don’t have enough money to cover a transaction (this includes available funds in your linked Overdraft Protection account, if enrolled). Overdraft Fees may apply. Overdraft $34 Overdraft Fee per transaction during our nightly processing beginning with the first transaction that overdraws your account balance by more than $50. • Maximum of 3 fees per business day (up to $102) We won’t charge an Overdraft Fee: • With Chase Overdraft Assist, if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day OR if you’re overdrawn by more than $50 and you bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day (you have until 11 p.m. ET (8 p.m. PT) to make a deposit or transfer). Chase Overdraft Assist does not require enrollment and comes with eligible Chase checking accounts • If your transaction is $5 or less • If your debit card transaction was authorized when there was a sufficient available balance in your account • If your check or ACH is returned unpaid. However, we may charge an Overdraft Fee if a previously returned check or ACH is presented again and paid • If your debit card transaction or ATM cash withdrawal request is declined OPTION #2 (NO): No Chase Debit Card Coverage (If you don’t choose an option when you open your account, Option #2 (No) is automatically selected for you) This means you do not want Chase to authorize and pay your everyday debit card transactions when you don’t have enough money to cover a transaction (this includes available funds in your linked Overdraft Protection account, if enrolled). Since everyday debit card transactions will be declined when there is not enough money available, you won’t be charged an Overdraft Fee for everyday debit card transactions. You can avoid overdrawing your account by making a deposit or transferring funds to cover the overdraft before the business day ends and we start our nightly processing. Here are the cutoff times for some ways of making a deposit or transferring funds from another Chase account: • At a branch before it closes • At an ATM before 11 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Pacific Time) • When transferring money on chase.com or Chase Mobile or using Zelle before 11 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Pacific Time) If you deposit a check, this assumes we do not place a hold and the check is not returned. Additional cutoff times apply to other transfers, including transfers from non-Chase accounts. Please visit chase.com or Chase Mobile for more information and service agreements. See the next page for other fees that may apply. 3 Important details about your Chase Debit Card Coverage: An everyday debit card transaction is a one-time purchase or payment, such as groceries, gasoline or dining out, and includes PIN and non-PIN point-of-sale transactions.Whether or notyou chooseto haveyoureveryday debitcard transactionscovered will notaffect the way wetreatyour recurring debitcard transactions(such asmonthlymovierentals,gymmemberships orsubscriptions) when you don’t haveenough money in youraccount to cover thetransactions. We may,at our discretion,authorizeand payarecurring debit card transaction that causesan overdraftand chargean Overdraft Fee. HAVE QUESTIONS? CALL US AT 1-800-935-9935 (WE ACCEPT OPERATOR RELAY CALLS) • WANT MORE INFO? SEE THE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT AGREEMENT CHASE TOTAL CHECKING® 3 HOW DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS WORK The Order in Which Withdrawals and Deposits Are Posted During Our Nightly Processing Posting order is the order in which we apply deposits and withdrawals to your account. We provide you with visibility into how transactions are posted and in what order to help you better manage your account. When we transition from one business day to the next business day we post transactions to and from your account during our nightly processing. The order in which we generally post transactions during nightly processing for each business day is: • First, we make any previous day adjustments, and add deposits to your account. • Second, we subtract transactions in chronological order by using the date and time of when the transaction was authorized or shown as pending. This includes ATM and Chase banker withdrawals, transfers and payments; automatic payments; chase.com or Chase Mobile online transactions; checks drawn on your account; debit card transactions; wire transfers; and real time payments. If multiple transactions have the same date and time, then they are posted in high to low dollar order. - There are some instances where we do not have the time of the transaction therefore we post at the end of the day the transaction occurred: • We are unable to show the transaction as pending; or • We don’t receive an authorization request from the merchant but the transaction is presented for payment. • Third, there are some transactions that we cannot process automatically or until we’ve completed posting of your chronological transactions. This includes Overdraft Protection transfers or transfers to maintain target balances in other accounts. We subtract these remaining transactions in high to low dollar order. • Finally, fees are assessed last. If you review your account during the day, you will see that we show some transactions as “pending.” For details, refer to the section “Pending” transactions in the Deposit Account Agreement. These transactions impact your available balance, but have not yet posted to your account and do not guarantee that we will pay these transactions to your account if you have a negative balance at that time. We may still return a transaction unpaid if your balance has insufficient funds during that business day’s nightly processing, even if it had been displayed as a “pending” transaction on a positive balance during the day. If a transaction that you made or authorized does not display as “pending,” you are still responsible for it and it may still be posted against your account during nightly processing. When Your Deposits Are Available (See Funds Availability Policy in the Deposit Account Agreement for details) • Cash deposit – Same business day • Direct deposit/wire transfer – Same business day • Check deposit – Usually the next business day, but sometimes longer: - If we place a longer hold on a check, the first $225 will be available by the next business day - The date your deposit is expected to be available will be displayed on your receipt - In some situations, we may notify you at the time or after your deposit is made that your funds (including the first $225) will not be available for up to seven business days A “business day” is a non-holiday weekday. The cutoff times listed in the section above will determine the “business day” for your deposit. OTHER ATM AND DEBIT CARD FEES Card Replacement – Rush Request: You request express shipping of a replacement debit or ATM card (Avoid this fee by requesting standard shipping) $5 per card, upon request Non-ATM Cash: You use your Chase Debit Card to withdraw cash from a teller at a bank that is not Chase 3% of the dollar amount of the transaction OR $5, whichever is greater Foreign Exchange Rate Adjustment: You make card purchases, non-ATM cash transactions or ATM withdrawals in a currency other than U.S. dollars 3% of withdrawal amount after conversion to U.S. dollars. For additional information on exchange rates, refer to the Deposit Account Agreement See the next page for other fees that may apply. CHASE TOTAL CHECKING® 4 WIRE TRANSFER FEES4 Domestic and International Incoming Wire: A wire transfer is deposited into your account $15 per transfer OR $0 if the transfer was originally sent with the help of a Chase banker or using chase.com or Chase Mobile Domestic Wire: A banker helps you to send a wire to a bank account within the U.S. $35 per transfer Online Domestic Wire: You use chase.com or Chase Mobile to send a wire from your account to a bank account within the U.S. $25 per transfer Consumer USD/FX International Wire: A banker helps you send a wire to a bank account outside the U.S. in either U.S. dollars (USD) or foreign currency (FX) $50 per transfer Consumer Online USD International Wire: You use chase.com or Chase Mobile to send a wire from your account to a bank account outside the U.S. in U.S. dollars (USD) $40 per transfer Consumer Online FX International Wire: You use chase.com or Chase Mobile to send a wire from your account to a bank account outside the U.S. in foreign currency (FX) $5 per transfer OR $0 per transfer if the amount is equal to $5,000 USD or more OTHER FEES Stop Payment: You contact us and a banker places your stop payment request on a check or ACH $30 per request Online or Automated Phone Stop Payment: You use chase.com, Chase Mobile or our automated phone system to place a stop payment on a check. Only some types of stop payments are available $25 per request Order for Checks or Supplies: An order of personal checks, deposit slips or other banking supplies Varies (based on items ordered) Counter Check: A blank page of 3 personal checks we print upon your request at a branch $3 per page Money Order: A check issued by you, purchased at a branch, for an amount up to $1,000 $5 per check Cashier’s Check: A check issued by the bank, purchased at a branch, for any amount and to a payee you designate $10 per check Legal Processing: Processing of any garnishment, tax levy, or other court administrative order against your accounts, whether or not the funds are actually paid Up to $100 per order SAFE DEPOSIT BOX ANNUAL RENT Assessed annually at lease renewal. We currently do not rent new Safe Deposit Boxes Varies by size and location, includes sales tax where applicable 4 Financial institutions may deduct processing feesand/or charges from theamount of theincoming or outgoing wiretransfers.Any deductions taken by us,and ouraffiliates, may include processing fees charged by Chase. HAVE QUESTIONS? CALL US AT 1-800-935-9935 (WE ACCEPT OPERATOR RELAY CALLS) • WANT MORE INFO? SEE THE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT AGREEMENT JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC © 2023 JPMorgan Chase & Co. Effective 3/19/2023 FEETABLE-TOTAL-0323-ONLN

Did research on cash accounts, found Wealthfront and loved it! Registered, and started the process to create a cash account. When it comes to linking an external account the external Bank (Bank of America) is informing me that all the information below would be shared - please see the list below (directly copied and pasted from Bank of America website). They're basically asking for EVERYTHING. That seems excessive and not necessary from a regulatory perspective.
​
Yodlee as the intermediary probably licks their fingers to monetize my private financial data, too.
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It doesn't look like there's an alternate way to link the external (Bank of America) account. I'll continue my research for a cash account and skip on Wealthfront for now.
​

Account Details

Checking and Savings Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number 1
• Account Opened Date
• Available Balance
• Current Balance
• Interest Earned YTD
• Interest Paid Last Year
• Personal or Business Account
• Routing Number 1
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

1 (Account number + Routing number could be used to make a payment or funds transfer)
CD and IRA Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number
• Account Opened Date
• Annual Percentage Yield
• Available Balance
• Current Balance
• Interest Earned YTD
• Interest Paid Last Year
• Interest Rate
• Interest Withheld for Taxes Last Year
• Interest Withheld for Taxes This Year
• Maturity Date
• Personal or Business Account
• Term
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

Credit Card Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number – Last 4 digits only
• Account Opened Date
• Amount Over Total Credit Line
• Available Cash
• Available Credit
• Cash Advance Limit
• Credit Line
• Current Balance
• Current Rewards Balance
• Last Payment Amount
• Last Payment Date
• Minimum Payment Amount
• Next Closing Date
• Next Payment Amount
• Next Payment Date
• Personal or Business
• Points Accrued
• Rewards Program Name
• Statement Balance
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

Line of Credit and Home Equity Line of Credit Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number
• Account Opened Date
• Available Credit
• Credit Line
• Draw Expiration Date
• Estimated Payoff Amount
• Interest Rate
• Last Payment Amount
• Last Payment Date
• Last Statement Date
• Late Charges
• Next Payment Amount
• Next Payment Date
• Past Due Amount
• Payoff Good Through Date
• Personal or Business Account
• Principal Balance
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

Mortgage Loan Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number
• Account Opened Date
• Escrow Balance
• Interest Paid YTD
• Interest Rate
• Last Payment Amount
• Last Payment Date
• Maturity Date
• Mortgage Loan Type
• Next Payment Amount
• Next Payment Date
• Original Principal
• Parcel Number
• Personal or Business Account
• Principal Balance
• Real Estate Taxes Paid YTD
• Remaining Term
• Tax Authority
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

Vehicle and Other Loan Accounts

• Account Name
• Account Nickname
• Account Number
• Collateral for Loan
• Estimated Payoff Amount
• Interest Paid Last Year
• Interest Paid YTD
• Interest Rate
• Last Payment Amount
• Last Payment Date
• Late Charges Due
• Loan Purpose
• Loan Term
• Next Payment Amount
• Next Payment Date
• Original Principal
• Originating Date
• Payoff Amount
• Payoff Good Through Date
• Personal or Business Account
• Principal Balance
• Type of Balance (Asset or Liability)

Transactions

Checking and Savings Transactions

• Amount of Transaction
• Available Balance
• Debit or Credit
• Description of Transaction
• Payee
• Posted Date
• Transaction Status (Pending or Posted)
• Transaction Sub-Category
• Transaction Type

Credit Card Transactions

• Amount of Transaction
• Date of Transaction
• Debit or Credit
• Description of Transaction
• Merchant Name
• Merchant Information
• Payee
• Posted Date
• Transaction Status (Pending or Posted)
• Transaction Sub-Category
• Transaction Type

Home Equity Line of Credit Transactions

• Amount of Transaction
• Debit or Credit
• Description of Transaction
• Fess Amount (if applicable)
• Interest Amount (if applicable)
• Posted Date
• Principal Amount (if applicable)
• Transaction Status (Posted Only)
• Transaction Type

Mortgage, Home Equity Loan, Fixed Rate Loan Transactions

• Amount of Transaction
• Debit or Credit
• Description of Transaction
• Escrow Amount (if applicable)
• Fees Amount (if applicable)
• Insurance Amount (if applicable)
• Interest Amount (if applicable)
• PMI Amount (if applicable)
• Posted Date
• Principal Amount (if applicable)
• Transaction Status (Posted Only)
• Transaction Type

Customer Details

Customer Details

• Customer Name
• Customer Mailing Addresses
• Customer Email Addresses
• Customer Telephones

Account Statements

Account Statements

• Account Holder Name
• Account Holder Mailing Address
• Account Number
• Beginning Statement Balance
• Check Images (if applicable)
• Ending Statement Balance
• Fees and Finance Charged (if applicable)
• Interest Rates (if applicable)
• Transaction Summary
• Transaction Details

Because I learned so much from reading other itinerary/trip reports here, I wanted to share our experience.
Beforehand: AT&T – signed up for international day pass which meant $10/day for first person on the plan and $5/day for the others, for the first 10 days of each month or maybe billing cycle. Worked well and allowed us to split up when needed. Bought Tokyo Metro Pass (about $11/day, well worth it for us for 3 days) and JR pass on line from Klook prior to trip in time for them to mail the JR pass voucher to my home. We also bought a limousine airport bus ticket ahead of time from Klook but see below. Picked up Tokyo Metro Pass by showing QR code to the machine at metro station (instant and easy) and went to Shinjuku JR station to pick up JR passes (show passports, ok to pick up passes days before you want them activated) in person and make seat reservations for the long shinkansen trips and for the Tobu Nikko trip (paid the extra fee to Tobu staff when we arrived in Nikko). It was helpful to have determined exactly which train we wanted seat reservations for (train number, time, and date) beforehand. Ask for Mt. Fuji side if going Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto. JapanTravel app is great for checking train times. Do give yourself enough time to transfer – the app will give you 10 minutes, say, to transfer from metro to JR trains and given the size of the stations and having to swipe in and out of the stations, and being confused about where to go, you probably need more time. If you have an iPhone, add virtual Suica card to your wallet. Was incredibly easy to use and saved us from having to top up at kiosks or buy tickets. Used it to grab drinks from machines, at 7-11, etc. But, it was a little tricky to set up for some of us – you may have to try Amex or Mastercard if Visa doesn’t work. Once, it didn’t work the first day but worked the second day when we tried again, so definitely do this at least a few days prior to the trip. Get some cash and plan to stop at ATMs (we used 7-11) often because cash is king there. We did not make any reservations so that we could be flexible with our plans. All the food was excellent and we rarely waited long (we would just look for another place if a line was long). Of course, do the visit Japan web website at least 3 days prior to the trip and get your QR codes for customs and immigration. Screenshot these as well. If you can keep yourself to a carry on size bag, it will make finding lockers and taking the shinkansen much easier. Break in those shoes. We walked 11-12 miles every day.
Tokyo for <= 3 days. We stayed in Shinjuku and tried to cluster our activities when we could: Northeast: Kappabashi street to check out the beautiful knives and kitchenware, and buy some lovely chopsticks Asakusa Shrine: beautiful but we did not go in because we were there for the Sanja Matsuri festival; crowded but a lot of fun watching the golden shrines bounced up and down the street, and we still got to sample foods from the food stalls. Thought about returning for evening, but never made it there. Akihabara: this was on my if-we-have-extra-time list; so glad we made it because it was a real highlight. Playing retro arcade games (Super Potato Retro shop), watching the real pros compete in the huge multistory gaming center buildings; walked over the Owl Café but should have made reservations a week before if we had wanted to go. Went to a bonsai market garden center in Ueno which was kind of interesting. Ochanomizu Gakkitengai for guitars and other musical instruments. Didn’t do SkyTree, did go to Ameyoko market which I thought was just ok. East: Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple: Goma Ritual, drumming, prayers, fire; service lasts about 30 minutes. Take a look around the temple’s other rooms also. Multiple times daily. Hat Coffee: we did not go but I’d have loved to see the 3D lattes Southeast: Tsukiji outer market (we had a Klook voucher for limousine bus tickets to take us right to the hotel to drop off our bags, but we got through immigration quickly and waited around until 6 am when the ticket counter was supposed to open, but it didn’t open and the info desk told us it wouldn’t open for another hour, plus first bus wasn’t until 7:30 am– so rather than waiting around the airport for hours, we ended up going straight to the market on the monorail and the metro using our Suica card, getting there at 6:20 am). It might sound early, but we had such a wonderful visit to the market at 6:20 am, dropping our bags in a locker at the metro (some take coins but we found ones that took our Suica (virtual Suica was in our Apple wallet); there are also lockers at Plat Tsukiji). Enjoyed the market and excellent coffee at Yonemoto, then lined up at 8:30 for wonderful meal at Tsukiji Koromo Sushi. Fantastic experience being able to look closely at everything at the market and make our purchases. By the time we left breakfast, though, it was wall to wall people, long lines, too crowded to really check out the stalls, and a much different experience. We were glad we had gone early. We even came back (at 7 am) two days later to enjoy more food stalls and sample the fatty tuna at Maguroya Kurogin (worth it despite the line). West: Shibuya 109: go downstairs to food area and find the whipped cream vending machine next to the escalator. Bring cash! Shibuya Sky: we did not have tickets and they were sold out, but during the day we went to the floor below and walked through the art gallery to have a beautiful view of the scramble crossing. At night, we went one floor below that to a lounge to take in the free view. Everywhere: Don Quijote; bought all the candy. Very fun running around trying to determine what was in each package. Thankful for Google Translate. Walked through beautiful Yoyogi Park to the Meiji-jingu Shrine. Saw some of a wedding ceremony. Beautiful. Then walked through Harajuku which was crowded and lively. Didn’t really see eccentric clothes and fashion, but lots of restaurants and snacks and fun resale shops. Did not get to Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho. Did stop in at Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku and enjoy an early drink; would recommend getting there early since was already packed. Also lots of smoking in the izakayas, which made it less enjoyable for us. Enjoyed a walk through Golden Gai also. There are many areas of Shinjuku other than these for nightlife and restaurants. If there is a long line, go elsewhere. So much excellent food. If you like electronics, check out the 11 buildings of Yodabashi camera. Also ate at Uobei Shibuya for fast fun conveyer belt sushi. Line moved quickly. Great value too.
Then we took the Tobu Nikko line to Nikko (direct from Shinjuku so saved time and transfers with our bags). Cost a little more since JR pass didn’t cover fully. You could just take JR but there were more connections. Checked into Ryokan Nikko Hoshinoyado. Enjoyed Kanmangafuchi Abyss and the Toshugu shrines (buy tickets at the train station to avoid the lines at the shrine). Highly recommend this ryokan. Great public onsen (not busy, mostly empty, indoor and outdoor options) and phenomenal dinner. Surprised by wonderful breakfast also. After one night, metro and shinkansen to Kyoto (nice view of Mt. Fuji; enjoyed an ekiben on the train that we got at Tokyo station).
In Kyoto, walked Gion/Shimbashi street and had dinner at Pontocho first night. Many maiko sightings from across from the Ichiriki Tea House as dusk fell. Second day got 7 am start to be at Arashiyama bamboo grove early (peaceful) and then over to Golden Pavilion by 9 when it opened. Still very crowded, but fun and beautiful. We took cabs to the bamboo grove (30 minutes instead of 60) and then over to the Golden Pavilion because buses required connections and much longer travel time when we were trying to beat the crowds. After those two cabs, we just took buses around. Went to monkey park which was great and the had obanzai lunch at Gyatei (upstairs on the left, excellent) followed by walk to Gio-Ji temple (moss garden) and then through the Okochi Sanso Villa; then walked around the Arashiyama shopping streets. If you do the bamboo grove very early, be aware that all of the temples on that beautiful historic street nearby are closed that early. Nishiki market then dinner in Pontocho. Third day, started at Kiyomizu-Dera (check out Tainai-meguri, a symbolic womb of a female bodhisattva – we were pressed for time and the next schedule wasn’t for 30 minutes so we couldn’t stay), walked down Ninen-zaka and sannen-Zaka streets and then bus over to lunch at Izusen for shojin-ryori (you could get reservations, but we just got there early and were lucky to get in) and a walk around Daitokuji temple complex. There is a wonderful new zen bonsai garden in the Hoshun-in sub temple. Staff at other sub temples told us that that garden wasn’t open but when we got there it was. Check Instagram for opening times. After another visit to Nishiki market, we walked the Fushimi Inari Shrine into the evening and then back to Pontocho for dinner.
Train to Osaka. Went straight to Okonomiyaki Chitose which was excellent and a bit away from the main food areas; tried to get there for 11 am but went the wrong direction on the shinkansen rushing to the unreserved cars ((at the front of the shinkansens, by the way, usually cars 1-3 or similar). Also be aware of what platform to be at, but also that you are getting on the correct train. We almost took a 10:01 train when we should have waited for the 10:03 train at the same platform. Similarly, you might find that the JapanTransit app asks you to get off on platform 16 and then get on a train at that same moment at platform 16. Do it — it is asking you to go from an express to a local train). Because we didn’t arrive until 11:45, we were in an hour long line to get in. It was excellent though. Spent the rest of the day at Don Quijote and all of the many endless food and shopping streets near Namba and ended at Dotonbori. Conveyer belt sushi close to the river but upstairs so harder to find – surprisingly not crowded when the other places on the river were all mobbed.
Next day train to Nara, a few hours there exploring the Daibutsuden Hall and Todaiji temple and feeding the bowing deer, fantastic lunch at izakaya なら酒蔵なべ At 34-1 Imamikadocho, Nara, and then to Kyoto for the shinkansen to Tokyo for the airport.