Author: Björn

It’s been a bit on the stuffy side in Tokyo lately, as you might have noticed. In addition, every corner in Shibuya has filled up with pr-people from Johnny’s, spreading the word on SMAPs latest release “We are SMAP!”. And finally, the queues for tonkatsu at Maisen have become so long that you are forced to sit on the staircase while waiting. All in all, it’s time for another summer getaway.

We packed up our Porter weekender and took the Romancecar train to Hakone to indulge in one of the loveliest little ryokans around, Gora Kadan. Hakone itself is a little pearl in the Kanagawa Prefecture, but Gora Kadan is the sparkle that makes it worth while. With Mount Fuji overlooking our every move, we popped our socks off and headed out the to outside onsen. Nothing clears the mind like a spot of geothermal heat. Cleared in mind and spirit, we sat down at the Kaiseki which serves local favourites in a beautiful and distinguished manner.

Before belting back to dysfunctional air conditioners and the like, we stopped by the Open Air Museum for sculpture by Henry Moore and the usual suspects. Some final bubbles at the champagne bar, and then leaping on the Odawara line home.

It’s heating up in London, and you may be wondering where your assistant should book you in next weekend. Look no further friends, for we have put together an itinerary for you this summer.

Starting off, we’ve just come back from a charming little stay just south of Berlin where our new-found friends at Schloß Hubertushöhe took lovely care of us. Assuming a quick stop at Deutsche Bank at Unter den Linden in Mitte first, the easiest way to get to Hubertushöhe is getting their driver to pick you up. A neat black little Porsche Panamera in our case – most delightful. The driver is a bit short on English, but Lingua Franca and a sturdy German GPS will get you there. With just a drop of Stau you’ll be there within the hour. If that doesn’t take your fancy, they have a great Wasserlandeplatz too.

The castle itself is a marvel of German ostentation. Enormous towers, and a terrace looking over Großer Storkower See. We recommend taking a seat on the latter and enjoying the Dorade with a glass of Grüner Veltliner. But don’t loiter too long – the Marina is waiting. All in all, a perfect little getaway when the Med is becoming a chore.

The Nordic capitals, as always, rank high in the annual livability listing. Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and Oslo all fit the bill of a manageable size and a seamless infrastructural travel experience.

While we adore the lovely little Kastrup extension to the Copenhagen’s driver-less Metro, we feel that the seamlessness for Scandinavia starts and ends just there. As soon as we embark on the A319s of Scandinavian Airlines it all starts going downhill. We felt it was our responsibility to give them a few additional pointers, since our last comment regarding inflight glassware remains unaddressed.

There are three main flaws with Scandinavian Airlines today:

1. Headwear
As we got settled in at 2A on a transatlantic trip the other day, we were surprised to see a woman in sportswear distributing drinks. Clearly she had gotten lost from economy, and was looking for the rest of her baseball team. Learn from our surprise when we realised that her attire seemed to be considered apt for cabin purposes, and that she was part of the crew. We suggest CEO Mats Jansson takes a swift visit to Doha to learn more about appropriate inflight headwear in order to avoid more millinery confusion.

2. Route Map
Getting in and out of Scandinavia long haul is anything but a pleasurable experience, mainly due to a lacking route map with ample nonstop flights. Is it really reasonable that there are no nonstop options to places like Abu Dhabi, Vancouver, Bern or Bilbao? We think not.

3. Beverages
Continuing on the thread above – the strange woman in the cap offered us 2002 Henriot champagne that had apparently was the result of “developing close relationship” with the winery. Euphemisms will never excuse inferior bubbly. A simple Krug would suffice. After all, what are we – farmers?

A week ago, we were idly enjoying some farm-fresh edamame in a small bar in Nakasu, Fukuoka when Alex texted that there was some trouble brewing in the Northern part of the Atlantic. We dashed back down Sumiyoshi Hakata-ku to our hotel concierge to see if we could possibly get the first Continental non-stop flight to Guam. From there we could speed around the globe on the reverse instead (Guam may seem like a strange choice, but however cosmopolitan Fukuoka has become, this is their only non-domestic flight hub). The kind and service-minded concierge made energetic phone calls to this second-rate carrier but unfortunately could not help. It looked like a prolonged stay due to our sub-pole friends.

However, a volcano or two should not dampen any true traveller´s spirit. Instead, we reflected on the more underrated means of transportation – Airbus 330s aside – that somehow seems to have been left behind. We are of course referring to the palanquin. In times where aircraft and high-speed rail aren’t available or sufficient, alternate means of transport need to be considered. And what better way to catch up on both sunshine and the finishing touches on next weeks column than being carried in style?

Although the palanquin would not have resolved our troublesome Fukuoka-Tokyo-Zürich-Bern route, we could at least have made it to Shikanoshima Island. In a sophisticated fashion.

As much as we love the screeching sound of the tires touching down at Haneda, as equally hard it is to feel them lift off again. You simply cannot get enough of Nippon.

To try to make up for the lack of izakayas, ubiquitous Maglev transportation, and the whispering of “irasshaimase” everywhere, we have made a short guide to the three best places to get your Japan fix – outside of the Land of the Rising Sun itself.

1. Kinokuniya, Bryant Park, New York
Yes – they are all over the states, and no – it’s not the same as the one between Shinjuku and Shinjukunishiguchi. But it is good enough to pick up some Takehiko Inoue, and what’s more – there is a NTT Docomo counter downstairs.

2. Toraya, Japantown, San Francisco
Apart from the katsudon being absolutely oishii, you should try to get your hands on some Kuromaguro (or Honmaguro, if you will). One bite and you’ll be back at that charming Mimasuya in Chiyoda-ku in no time. Pop into Ichiban Kan for something kawaii on your way out.

3. Japanshop, Neustadt, Berlin
An ambitious nippon excursion, far from the German strictness of Mitte. Stepping in through the door and hearing Eiko Yamashita is a good sign, no matter where you are. But seeing that they have the full lineup of Hana-Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo makes you want to stay all afternoon.

The struggling French carrier Air France have just introduced a new “premium voyageur” seating class:

With Premium Voyageur, you will enjoy:

– 40% additional space: on average, 22 Premium Voyageur seats will be available over an area which before held 40 Economy class seats; this translates to very generous legroom.
– A completely new seat: equipped with a fixed shell which guarantees passengers’ space and privacy. You will also enjoy an extra large tray table and a leg rest.
– A wide individual video screen: enjoy hours of video on demand.
– Amenities from the Affaires (Business Class) cabin: travel kit, noise-reducing headphones, a feather pillow, pure new wool blanket.

Seat and amenity innovation is an area that is often overseen by airlines (not to mention international award shows). This should therefore be encouraged. In theory. But where is the innovation in taking the amenities from Affaires and adding seats with less space than in the front?

There’s a perfectly good place to sit in aeroplanes, and that means turning left when boarding. We see no point in wasting space with an upgraded cattle section.