Weekend Trip: Enoshima

This weekend we took two family trips.  On Saturday we traveled to Enoshima, which is about an hour train ride to the south.  The night before I had gotten on Hyperdia and planned out the train stops as well as packed our backpack with lunch and supplies.  Enoshima is located along the coast and also has an island off of the coast.  There are many things to do on the island...caves, parks, etc.  And just right along the coast on the mainland is the Enoshima Aquarium.  We just visited the Aquarium because the island has a lot of spring/summer activities and we'll have to come back.  We had heard that it was an amazing aquarium and knew that Noah would love it.  We went to the Virginia Aquarium and Noah had a blast looking at all the fish. We got up early and headed to the train station to be there to make a train coming a bit before 9.  Going to the train station entails driving to the main gate.  We then unload the kids and walk to the train station of choice.  There are two train lines in the Yokosuka area...the local line and the JR(Japan Railway) line.  The local line is usually less busy and way less expensive.  And we are close to two local train stations.  We enter the station at street level and swipe our train card...and then head to the elevator to bring us up to the track level.  The Yokosuka train stations are quite small and simple in comparison to others.  On this train trip we had to switch lines twice.  This means getting off the train at the junction of the line...head to the elevator with the stroller...swipe our cards to pay for that leg of our journey on that specific line.  Then we find the next line...swipe our cards....find the elevator and which track we need...then up to the track level...then hop on the train.  Depending on the city there are many tracks in different locations for different lines located on many different levels of the station.  So this means that you are in a very big hurry to find your line and track each time so that you don't miss the train.  Although missing a train isn't a huge deal and another one will come in a few minutes...it would just throw off the rest of the plan.  We're getting pretty darn good at it and switch lines in time to make the next train coming in four minutes.  So we are rushing along with everyone else through the train stations with our kiddos.  We brought the stroller to hold our winter coats and for a place for Noah when he fell asleep.  In the U.S. when you have a stroller the tides will part and let you go ahead...have the right a way.  Well in Japan there is no such thing as a right a way.  Everyone goes where they need to go and no one moves for anyone else...so you just take the stroller and go.  If we waited for them to make room for us and the stroller...well we'd still be standing there!  And because everyone is in a hurry and their idea of personal space is limited...when the elevator comes people jam pack themselves in it.  At one point we are waiting for the elevator(there are fairly small and not a square...the corners are cut off of two sides) it comes and there are two people inside.  Zack waves it away indicating that we will take the next one.  The man waves us in...us and the stroller.  Now the elevator is very full by U.S. standards...that just means that you squeeze tighter and fit in another stroller and two more people!  I would have loved to take a picture of Zack's face when he realized that the stroller and two more people were going to get in! (Side Note: There are people called Pushers...there job is to push the people inside of the train during rush hours.  All of the people would not be able to fit on their own so need to be pushed inside.  For this reason there are women only cars during the peak times.  Check out this you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ&feature=related)  We reached station closest to the aquarium and I was able to nurse Caraline in the station in a handy little heated waiting area on the track.  I've mentioned before that you don't see small children out and about here.  This is because in their culture they don't bring out their small children.  Nursing is very accepted here and I've heard that percentage wise more women nurse here than in the U.S.  But because they don't go out much with their small children finding a place to nurse can be a challenge...because there aren't places even in public just to sit down even!  In places like the aquarium there are small rooms with a sign having a baby and a bottle on it...meaning a nursing room.  We followed the signs and the map on the iPhone to the aquarium and the beach area.  We had an awesome view of snow covered Mt. Fuji!  Into the aquarium where Noah ran from tank to tank screaming...and yes I mean screaming Fish, Fish, Fish!  He was beyond excited!  But boy did we get through there pretty quickly!  His favorite was the jellyfish where he ran around to each tank two or three times.  We found the little lunch area and took our sticky rice and snacks from hone.  Many places in Japan like the aquarium, zoo...etc. don't actually serve food.  You have to bring your own lunch and sit in their lunch area to eat.  We usually pack a few items and then pick up rice balls and our favorite Japanese snacks at a store inside the train station.  We all enjoyed the visit...and headed home.  We got home in the early afternoon and relaxed for the rest of the day.  And around eight that night we decided to go to Yokohama the next day.