Ovation of the Seas 17-Days Transpacific Yokohama to Los Angeles
Pre-Cruise, May 13-14, 2025 Starlux from Taipei to Narita
After spending about 10 days in Taiwan, visiting friends and family and enjoying all the wonderful cuisines there, we were ready to head home. Well, not that quick because this time we are taking the long route and spending 17 days on a ship that will take us from Yokohama, Japan to Los Angeles. We just couldn't wait for this journey to start and it definitely felt good not having to take the long flight home. But, first, we need to have a couple of days in Japan before boarding the huge ship. Let's go!
It was a short flight from Taipei to Narita, our flight on Starlux was 10:40 and we should arrive Narita by 3:00. We were in a hurry this morning and checked out from the Hyatt Taipei without breakfast so we were hungry by the time we checked in at the airport and waiting to board the plane. Fortunately, there were some delicious choices at the terminal. Our last bowls of beef noodle was what satisfied our craving. We are ready!
Not the best, but it did the job!
Then we were served a delicious meal on this flight. No complaint here.
We arrived safely at Narita. Even though we did the Visit Japan Web registration with the QR Code and everything, we still had to go through the lines for both immigration and customs. Good thing was the lines weren't that crazy so all is well.
First thing after getting our luggage and out to the arrival hall, we found the ticket counter for the Airport Limousine right across from the exit just like before. Only this time the staff were all Indians instead of Japanese. It seemed like they have replaced most of their staff with Indian nationals, including the ticket agents and the station staff. Service was still as good as before though. Our tickets cost 4000Y per person from Narita to YCAT in Yokohama. We just had to go to the bus stop #15 and wait for our bus. Very organized and they took care of the luggage once we were in line at the bus stop. This is really the easiest way to travel between the airport and Yokohama without having to go up and down the train stations with heavy luggage.
Bus stops are right outside the terminal.
Found our bus stop. Staff will tell you how and where to line up for your bus.
Our luggage were taken care off and waiting to be put on the bus by the staff.
Clean and comfortable buses.
Our bus got filled up after stopping at Terminal 1 with a group of bikers trying to get all their gears on. The luggage compartments were not able to hold all their stuff, so the staff and driver had to figure out what to do and had to move people around to make space on the bus using some of the seats. That delayed us for almost half an hour. Oh well...
They have three stops in Yokohama and we got off at the first stop, YCAT, near the Yokohama train station and our hotel.
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Yokohama-Higashiguchi
This hotel is just a 7-minute walk from YCAT, if you know your way around the train station. When we got off the airport bus, we had to figure out how to walk through this huge station and the right exit to get on the street level. It took us a while but we figured it out. After this first time, it was easy to navigate around and found this to be a convenient location.
We stayed at the Sotetsu Hotels the Splaisir Yokohama across on the other side of the train tracks on our last visit here. We really enjoyed our stay there but this time their residential units were not available so we had to look for something else. We could see the Splaisir from our room and wished that we were staying there.
Sotetsu Hotels the Spaisir Yokohama can be seen right outside our window.
and the train tracks
This time we had the 2-bedroom connected unit which worked out great for son with his own bathroom. The rooms are tight with barely enough space to move around and hardly anywhere to open our luggage. We survived the two nights though, I suppose the convenient of the location made it up.
Our room with two beds.
Son's room with one single bed.
For dinner that evening, we just walked over to the JoinUs Food Court area at the train station and found one of our favorite tonkatsu restaurant. This restaurant has a long history in Yokohama. We went to their original location a couple of years ago and really enjoyed their food and we have been back to this location at the train station a couple of times already. Still serving excellent tonkatsu!
Good food and excellent service.
The next morning, we started our full day in Japan with some food from the convenience store downstairs, like egg sandwiches and coffee. Simple but good enough.
Then son took us to a city called Nakano, where he wanted to see if he can get the camera he was interested in. We have never been in this area but it turned out to be an interesting stop. We had to take the train to Shinjuku, then switched to another train to get here. A small city/town with very a local feel. From the train station, we just walked along the small alleyways and found the camera store.
Train station of Nakano.
Very local feel as we walked in the alleys.
Found the store.
He got the camera he wanted on the second floor.
Then, we took the short walk back to the train station and found the Nakano Sun Mall nearby.
Inside Nakano Sun Mall.
There are two stories, regular shops downstairs...
and many 2nd hand stores selling watches, jewelries, and anime products on the second floor. I was surprised that many westerners were there looking for things. I also found a cute soft case for my laptop which was brand new. Only $6 USD!
After our trip to Nakano, we took the train to Shibuya where we planned on having lunch at another one of our favorite restaurant.
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
We took these pictures from the Shibuya Mark City building where we found the sushi restaurant.
Fortunately, the line for lunch was not that long and there were places for us to sit as we waited for our turn.
They were having a seasonal menu that looked interesting.
My 1900Y lunch set. Excellent!
Hubby's 3000Y special.
Son's set, I think it's somewhere around 3000Y.
They were all very good, we really enjoyed our food here.
After lunch, we went back to our hotel in Yokohama and rested before heading out for dinner at the train station again.
For dinner, son decided that he was craving for some western food, and that was what we had. I believe this place is called Steak Joint. Western food with a twist.
Their garlic rice was absolutely delicious!
Another great meal before we board the ship tomorrow!
We had an interesting full day in Tokyo and we are ready to get on our cruise.
