Returning to Japan. Recommendations for hotels near Haneda Airport, etc.

My elderly mother is unwell, so I left my husband behind and came to Japan alone in a hurry. My workplace has a system called 'compassion leave' that allows for two weeks off in such situations, but of course, the team left behind has to cover for the sudden absence. Being a bit timid, I was nervous and restless until I finally asked for it, feeling more like 'I'd rather just work normally without bothering anyone' than 'I'm happy to get time off'.

Usually, when returning to Japan, I take a short trip while transiting through Europe, packing my suitcase to the brim with everything I want to do—clothes and shoes for concerts, clothes and shoes for hiking—so I'm always dragging a 20kg bag while carrying a heavy backpack on my back. My family back home always says,

You always have so much luggage . . .

and they are usually taken aback, but this time it was a simple one-week trip solely to see my mother. I only packed small summer clothes in a carry-on suitcase—charcoal gray, black, and white—in case the worst happened and I had to attend a funeral.

I've never traveled so smartly before, so I feel a bit like a businesswoman, like Lunzi-san or Koronosuke-san, who are used to business trips. No, sorry, that's a lie. It's not even business class.

The flight I booked at the last minute was Air France. Nowadays, it's standard to pay for seat selection, and at first, I didn't want to pay for it. But as the date approached, I wanted to avoid being stuck in the middle seat surrounded by strangers for a 12-hour flight, so I thought of it as if I had bought a business class ticket and purchased a window seat in a two-seat row. My neighbor was a very pleasant statistician from Senegal living in Paris, which made for a comfortable flight. Perhaps because of her French, the crew gave me a toothbrush set, two blankets, and brought me champagne; they took such good care of me, which is a big difference from the Ryanair (LCC) I'm used to.

On the plane, I listened to Audible (perfect for falling asleep) and watched movies as usual. I was glad I could watch Wicked, which I had been curious about after seeing it on Junko-san's site. Thanks for the easy-to-understand explanation!

Another one was

the English title of 'Me Before You'—the meaning is 'Me before I met you.' It was better than I expected, so I watched it twice.

Compared to her boyfriend, an athletic guy only interested in triathlons, the cleverness of being able to give her something she loves as a birthday present (not something expensive), and the way he is sarcastic about everything—I could really relate to it, especially since the original story is set in England. I really like the ending, and the final letter doesn't have any overly sweet words like 'I love you' or 'I wanted to live with you.' It's recommended; please watch it if you have the chance.

Oh, right. Since it was too late to head to Hokkaido from Haneda, I looked for a hotel near Haneda Airport that was quiet, comfortable, and not too expensive, and I found Hotel Villa Fontaine.

After all, Air France arrives at Terminal 3, and you can check out of the plane smartly (no need to wait for luggage), and it's just a short walk away (no need for buses between terminals or the monorail), and the auto-check-in is wonderful.

Moreover, there is an open-air bath with precious natural hot spring water called 'Chloride Strong Salt Spring' that gushes from a private source 1500m underground, which is perfect for healing travel fatigue. It's very good, so I recommend it (the top photo is also a screenshot from their website).

I used to stay at Hotel Com's Soleil in Hamamatsucho, but it's now under the Richmond Group, and the price isn't that cheap anymore.

With that said, it's my first return to Japan in a while. It's a short week, but Eijyo-san, I want to eat soba.

Postscript: I couldn't sleep due to jet lag from 3 a.m., so I stormed the buffet at 6 a.m. feeling starving. I was so happy to see natto and miso soup that I ate way too much. I regret it because my stomach hurts. I've reached the age where I want to prioritize quality over quantity. Since I only want to eat Japanese food anyway, next time I'll skip the buffet and go for the Japanese set menu at IL RISTORANTE.