Back in Tokyo

I apologise, posting while on the bus yesterday had its difficulties so that post has now been checked and amended where necessary. 
I know some people want to see the photography side of things and others want to know what life is like travelling here. I try to satisfy both.
Yesterday after we left Saroma Lake we had time for 1 photo stop. That was at Cape Notoro & wouldn’t you know it the wind had got up and it was driving stinging snow right into our faces. Who needs dermabrasion? Just go out in driving snow & you get it for free!
We scurried about and shot the lighthouse and the sea stack & bluff. Also the car park had blowing snow that looked really cool with a slow shutter. 
The flight was uneventful flight except that the plane was so hot I fell asleep. As I am a bad sleeper & a bad traveller (as in sick) you'll understand how momentous that was. I was also charged Y2500 (roughly NZD28) for over weight bags. I was a bit ticked off coz I was under the impression (obviously mistakenly) that you could have 2 bags at 20kg each. Nope 2 or 3 bags but the max was 20kg. I had put my big heavy coat (2kg) in my bag which tipped me over. I knew my bags were about 21.5 on the way out. Lessons for travellers. 
Also check out the photo below of a poster in the airport - creepy!
I was obviously a bit spoiled at my earlier Tokyo hotel - this place is in Ginza and is TINY.  The bed is a double, hard against the wall, and the space between the bed and the desk/sink is a smidgeon over 1 metre wide. No room to swing a cat. 
I've noticed that in our last 3 hotels there has been a move away from providing toothbrushes, coffee/tea etc in the rooms. Instead there is a central 'amenities' station usually near the lift or at reception and you take what you need.
This bathroom is also strange. There is no sink, that is out in the main room, it has a small, deep (sitting) bath but the shower is not over the bath. It's a stand-alone; the whole room is the shower cubicle, with a separate tap arrangement and the water runs directly into the floor.  The clue of course, was the separate tap plus the little stool, which is what you find in onsens where you shower sitting down. The toilet is in a separate room and has one of those ingenious door arrangements that is a double; it closes off either the toilet or it can swing and close off the bedroom.
Breakfast was a very interesting experience. This is a very busy hotel lots of Chinese or Korean tourists + the odd westerner.  The restaurant is also tiny and you have to roughly book what time you are going in to help minimise the congestion. You are given a map of where things are and you have to move in the correct direction. Yup... Japan and rules; like hand in glove!
I'm off to have a wander round the shops now.
Sayonnara

The bluff at Cape Notoro - the snow was driving right into my lens so I only had seconds to take shots.

Snow blowing across the car park

View somewhat distorted by v wide angle lens

The bathroom mirror is at thigh to chest height - perfect if you are sitting on the stool just past the door

Shot on an angle to avoid a shadow from the phone