Traveling in Japan

Traditionally Yayoi and I would come to Japan and do the vast majority of our travel by train or shinkansen (bullet train). Previously we also experienced car rides, one domestic plane ride, one overnight intercity bus, the occasional short distance city bus ride and some ferry boat rides. We walked and climbed stairs both in train stations and in temple or shrine venues. Many Japanese people have strong calf muscles.
Things have changed. Shinkansen travel is quite expensive so we have begun using more long distance buses and new discount domestic airlines such as SkyMark and Peach when available as not all cities have airports or flights. More and more people in Japan are becoming dependent on cars. There are many more bicycles in Japan than in North America, but I believe their use is decreasing. About 90% of the bicycles in Japan look identical, similar to what would be considered a girl's bike in North America.
During this stay in Japan we have done more walking, ridden bicycles as described in an earlier BLOG, driven cars which we ever did before and travelled by rocket ferry boat.
We have learned to stay in business hotels close to train stations near which highway bus depots are also found. They usually include a reasonable breakfast.
But travel can be mentally tiring. On May 15, 2012 we left our rural home and set out for the big city. We arrived in Nagoya by bus and trundled off to find the Summit hotel. We checked in and then went to the neighbouring building to find our room. It smelled smoky. A phone call to the front desk resulted in someone coming to take us to another room. We began settling in when a knock was heard. Eyeglasses had been left in the first room and discovered during a quick check by our man from the front desk. Time to relax, have a shower and sleep. In the morning there was a note on the floor near the front door indicating that at 00:15 hours our door key was discovered in our door lock outside the room. The key was being held for us at the front desk.
Time to wake up.