(Japan Oct 2016) Day 8: Visit Ueda and Karuizawa ~ Linchakin

Day 8 (7 Oct 2016): Visit Ueda and Karuizawa (Nagano). Stay Tsurumi (Kawasaki)

After we arrived at Tokyo station in the early morning from the overnight train, we deposited our luggage at Tokyo station's lockers, and then took a Shinkansen to Nagano area's Ueda to spend a few hours in the morning.

From Ueda station, we took a short 5-10mins bus ride to reach Ueda castle ruins.

Bear in mind though, this was just a few months after Pokemon Go came out, so my hubby and I spent some time walking around the castle grounds looking for pokemon and taking down pokemon gyms. lol

We also spotted this sign just outside the small shrine on the castle grounds, reminding Pokemon Trainers not to trespass onto the temple grounds. Haha.

From the castle ruins, it is about 15-20mins walk to Yanagi Street, which is a small street with some old buildings and shops.

Yanagi Street

We didn't spend much time here, since we had to catch the Shinkansen to go to the outlet mall at Karuizawa after this. We kinda half brisk walked and half jogged for about 15-20mins to reach Ueda station from Yanagi street.

This Green bear with red apple, whose name is Arukuma, is the official mascot for Nagano.

Saw Arukuma again at the convenience stand at Karuizawa station

Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza is located just opposite Karuizawa station actually.

I've been to Karuizawa a few times previously, but this would be my first time visiting this shopping plaza.

First stop, lunch.

We chose to have our lunch at this restaurant which specializes in sauce katsu.

Sauce Katsu is also a speciality cuisine in this region of Japan.

After lunch, time to start shopping. I'm looking for some jeans, while the hubby is looking to find some shorts.

lockers at the shopping mall.

Around 4plus, we took Shinkansen from Karuizawa back to Tokyo, where we then retrieved our luggage from Tokyo station, and then headed over to Tsurumi near Kawasaki where our hotel for the next few nights is located at.