Today was our last day in Tokyo. To end it on a high note, we went go karting. Thanks to Antoine rushing us, we managed to leave our luggage at the station storage, grab my very necessary morning coffee, scout out bento boxes for later, and still make it to the go karting place on time. It felt a bit hectic, but also impressively efficient.
When we arrived, we saw rows of karts and got excited immediately. That excitement lasted about 30 seconds, until the staff told us we were at the wrong branch. Antoine explained that he had booked a different location but was told to come here instead. It sounded like some kind of mix up on their end, and they said they would check with the manager. At that point, I started wondering if our entire chaotic morning had been for nothing. Thankfully, they managed to fit us into a tour at this location. Crisis averted.
It was lightly raining, and they warned us about the weather conditions. But there was no way we were backing out now. We put on rain suits and then our costumes on top, which made us look chunky but kept us warm. I chose Stitch, and Antoine went for a Monsters Inc costume. Fully dressed and ready, we got into our karts.
We were in a group of four with a guide leading us through the city. At the start, the rain stopped, and it was actually quite pleasant. Even going 40 km/hr felt fast in a go kart, with the wind hitting our faces. At one point we hit 60 km/hr, which felt really thrilling. We could feel every bump on the road, which made it slightly resemble a low budget rollercoaster. At red lights, our guide took photos for us, and we took plenty of selfies. When we reached Tokyo Tower, we even posed to recreate its shape with our arms. It was one of those moments where you realise how random and fun the whole experience is.
About halfway through, the rain came back. The guide warned us we would get soaked, and he was absolutely right. The rain started hitting our faces as we drove, and the faster we went, the more intense it felt. It wasn’t just rain from above either, but also water splashing from cars in every direction. A full 360 degree soaking experience. At one red light, Antoine and I looked at each other and just started laughing because we were completely drenched. Not the most comfortable, but definitely memorable.
After the tour, we took a few more photos and headed back to the station to catch our train to Osaka. We picked up our suitcases and chose bento boxes for the journey. There were so many options that it became a surprisingly difficult decision.
We boarded the Shinkansen, which was exactly on time, very on brand for Japan. The train was impressively spacious, with enough room for our 28 inch suitcases either in front of us or overhead. Once settled, we opened our bentos. Apparently Antoine made the better choice. Mine looked great but did not quite deliver on taste. After eating, we both passed out for most of the ride. A very necessary nap. We arrived in Osaka soon after and picked up our rental car, the most square car we had ever seen, very Japanese.
Antoine drove us about an hour to our ryokan in Nara. When we arrived, the sun was setting, and the view was beautiful with cherry blossoms and warm evening light. Antoine immediately went into photo mode while I checked us in. The staff led me to a lounge with an even better view, so I quickly called Antoine over before it got dark. Then we made our way to our traditional tatami room, which also had a cherry blossom view. We took some more photos and headed to dinner.
Dinner was a traditional Japanese course meal included with the stay. There was no choice in the menu, and it leaned heavily towards fish. I was very happy with it. Antoine, less so. There were quite a few dishes he didn’t enjoy, so he ended up eating more of my meat and rice to compensate.
After dinner, we went to bed on our futons. It was nice to experience a traditional Japanese room, but sleeping on futons was not the most comfortable. I missed a proper bed more than I expected. Feeling reassured that one night was enough for the experience, we fell asleep.