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Japan via Kuala Lumpur
  • Kerrie Palamountain
  • Kerrie Palamountain

Japan via Kuala Lumpur

A 3686-day adventure by Kerrie Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 6, 2025
    Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2
    2See, it does all fit!1Meeting up with Ollie Stone2We all loved our green frog cakes!1Our hotel apartment4Petronas Towers from our Hotel apartment21Petronas Towers by night8

    Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur

    September 5, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Greetings from beautiful Kuala Lumpur! But let's first welcome you to our Japan & Kuala Lumpur FindPenguins blog! We hope you enjoy journeying with us over the next 4.5 weeks, even if it is every now and then.
    We left Encounter Bay yesterday morning, fortunate to be able to get a lift to the airport with Shirl & Greg Hefferan who were flying to Vanuatu via Brisbane.
    As we entered Adelaide Airport we heard our names being called by Ollie Stone, who is the son of our friends, Deb & Rob Stone from Loxton. We ended up bumping into Ollie on 3 occasions - he works at Adelaide Airport!
    We enjoyed a coffee and green frog 🐸 cake each before saying goodbye to the Hefferans.
    We then spent the day in Adelaide and saw the film "Kangaroo Island" - a very good Aussie film which will put KI on the world wide tourist map.
    We had an uncomfortable night in the Atura Hotel at the airport, however, it was good to be there early to check this morning.
    An 8 hour flight saw us arrive at Kuala Lumpur airport and, with lots of help, found our luggage and pick up point for our private transport to our fabulous accommodation right in the centre of KL - opposite Petronas Twin Towers. This city is spectacular at night. We are at a curry restaurant not far from Ascott Hotel. We have 3 nights in KL before flying to Japan.
    The weather is, apparently, mid 30's during the day with balmy nights - a huge change from SA!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2270 steps to reach the cave
    11Guarding the King's Palace. This poor horse and guard stand still for between 1-2 hours.Another poor guard on duty!7Women have to be covered to visit the National Mosque - men are OK!1Chinese Buddhist TempleThe chanting almost had us converted!Malaysians proudly display their national flag everywhere!114Ascott pool from Petronas TowersPetaling Market7112A more expensive meal tonight, but oh, the view!21

    Kuala Lumpur Private Tour

    September 7, 2025 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We have been totally surprised by Kuala Lumpur. To be honest, we thought it would be similar to Vietnam - basically a poorer country - nothing could be further from the truth! Malaysia is a wealthy & progressive country.
    We were met by our guide, Karthi at 0830 and he took us on a marvelous tour of KL until 1600 hrs.
    Our first stop was Batu Caves where we ascended 270 steps to reach the cave. Along the way we were cautiously fascinated by scavenger monkeys. They can, apparently, be quite aggressive if you have food or water.
    We visited a number of other sites of interest, with Karthi telling us exactly how long we could stay - usually 15 - 30 minutes max. We saw hand painted batik, a memorial for martyrs of wars, English architecture when the English ruled Malaysia, Petaling Street markets, the National Mosque and the amazing Petronas Twin Towers.
    We decided to go for a swim on the roof top pool - level 56. There is a restaurant with outdoor tables looking straight at Petronas Towers. We've booked a table for 7 pm!
    So that's our very enjoyable and busy day so far.
    The next section are interesting facts we have learnt about this lovely country. Stop reading now if facts and figures bore you!
    Patronas towers took 7 years to build and was opened in 1999. One tower was built by the Japanese and the other by the South Koreans - costing 1.6 billion USD.
    There are 33 million people in Malaysia with 8 million living in KL.
    In 1957 Malaysia became an independent nation of 14 states.
    Kings hold office for 5 years as do the Government.
    The monsoon season is from November until February with heavy downpours every day.
    Health is free in Malaysia and there are very cheap rental accommodations for families - 3 bedroom apartments cost 150 ringgets per month - approx $60 AUD! We cannot believe how inexpensive everything is in KL. Our meal last night was equivalent to $8 AUD each.
    Malaysia's wealth comes from
    Petroleum, palm oil and charcoal from mangrove trees (sold to Japan). For every tree cut down they plant a new tree which takes 30 years to mature.
    There are 226 acres of botanical gardens in KL making this a very green, lush city.
    Did you make it through? Well done!!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    9
    5224Making love or war or just having fun?5Feeding parrots milk37 pm and the markets still busy12Teh Varik - Malaysian National drink3Stephen at the end of our table3Roti with sauces - chicken, dahl & fishChendul2Jurien Fruit - most of the group didn't like this - except Kerrie!!13

    Bird & butterfly sanctuary & food tour!

    September 8, 2025 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    A bit of an organizational blunder this morning. Our scheduled 3 hour tour today was going to be a repeat of yesterday's tour (which was more extensive than we expected)! Fortunately our guide for today recommended visiting the KL Bird & Butterfly Sanctuaries instead. The Bird Sanctuary was interesting and fun. Wouldn't bother with the Butterfly Sanctuary again, though.
    Back to the Hotel for a rest and to wash some clothes before heading up to the roof top swimming pool again.
    We got a taxi from the hotel to the Chow Kit district which cost 8 ringgits (approx $3.50 AUD) for a 20 min ride.
    We booked a "Sambal Streets KL Food Tour" from 1630 - 1930 hrs. Stephen (Malaysian born) was our excellent guide. We visited maybe 6 venues where we were treated to traditional Malaysian food. No tourists (apart from us) where we ate.
    We have discovered that these food tours offer much more than just local food - the Guides are essentially tourist guides who are willing to go out of their way to make it an outstanding experience for guests.
    We had around 15 tastings, including the national drink Teh Varik (tea with condensed milk) - loved it! Roger's favourite dish was Roti with 3 sauces and mine (Kerrie's) was Chendul (an iced sweet dessert made of coconut milk, palm sugar, & pandan flavoured green rice jelly). Most dishes were spicy featuring various levels of Sambal Olek. Needless to say we were not hungry at the completion of the tour - so glad we hadn't eaten since breakfast!
    So a mediocre start to the day but one that finished very enjoyably!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    1
    3

    Rest day then to the Airport

    September 9, 2025 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We have been allowed a very late check out of our apartment here at Ascott Star Hotel - 5 pm (cost free).
    We had a sleep in and late breakfast and packed ready for our flight tonight to Osaka.
    We have seen most of the tourist attractions in KL and, to be honest, the heat and humidity are keeping us indoors today.
    We have had time to rehearse our arrival tomorrow morning at Kansai Airport (0545) and transport into Osaka by train, together with tours we have booked while we are in Osaka - so no time wasted!
    Our hearts go out to the workers we have observed in Kuala Lumpur, especially the hotel workers. The hotel seem to employ so many people and they do very menial tasks repeatedly - in our view, mind-numbingly boring jobs!
    I (Kerrie) had a chat with a young man waiting to greet restaurant guests. He is from Nepal on a working visa for a few months. He said he works 6 days a week and is paid 80 ringgats a day ($AUD29). He said he came to KL to save money. We are so fortunate to have been born in Australia!
    We had one last swim in another pool at the hotel - this one was 50 metres, so we did a few laps.
    Mas, our driver to the airport, arrived an hour earlier than expected, so there was a last minute rush to finish packing. We arrived at KL International airport too early to check in so we had our last Malaysian meal - and most importantly, a comfy chair to sit in for an hour or so.
    So that's a wrap for Kuala Lumpur folks - sayonara to Malaysia and konnichiwa to Japan!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Beautiful fresh flowers near our hotel
    3Dotonbori canal2Dotonbori at 3 pm on Wednesday!5Dotonbori during the day.3OkonomiyakiSome sort of savoury pancakeStir fried noodles162This Chef loves his job!314This room at the Fresha Inn Hotel is tiny and very expensive! We have successfully created chaos!

    Kuala Lumpur to Osaka

    September 10, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Well, here we are in Osaka, Japan! The 7 hour plane journey was OK. we both managed maybe 2 hours of sleep, which is a miracle! We arrived at Kansai Airport on time at 0545 and enacted our well researched and rehearsed list of tasks.
    Firstly, and most challenging of all, was to find a toilet! We then withdrew Yen, bought our ICOCA cards (for train travel and they can be used to purchase food, etc) and booked our train ticket on the Nankai Rapi.t Express to Namba (near Osaka). We were feeling pretty pleased with ourselves and very grateful for all the YouTube videos we watched which have helped enormously.
    The 30 min train trip into Namba was smooth and fast. We then decided to swap trains to a local service and get to within 400 metres of our hotel. The easy way would have been to get a taxi, but we wanted to test ourselves because we will be using trains a lot in the next month. This was perhaps, on reflection, a mistake because we got completely bamboozled and had no idea where we were! We eventually got the local train, but we have no idea how we did!
    We arrived at the hotel around 0930 hot and bothered. Thankfully we were able to negotiate an early check in (5000 Y extra) so we could shower and have a rest.
    We then went on a reconnaissance mission to find out exactly where we need to go to get trains for the next 2 day's tours.
    We decided to walk to Dotonbori, which is Osaka's top tourist spot. The number of shops, restaurants and food stalls is mind boggling! We decided to find a restaurant called Chibo Okonomiyaki, recommended by a young American YouTube blogger, who has married a Japanese person and lives in Kyoto. This is where things got very tricky. Long story short, I (Kerrie), struggled to find the restaurant and dragged Roger around in circles, all the time he was getting more and more disgruntled (he needed a wine!) and unhappy - but food was the strong lure for me!Ah, we found this famous place, only to find that, mid afternoon, we had to stand, in the heat, for about 25 mins to get in! Roger was threatening all sorts of things!
    Anyway, all is well that ends well! We were seated in front of the Okonomiyaki Chef and were treated to absolutely delicious food, wine and entertainment!
    Okonomiyaki is a Japanese tappanyaki savoury pancake consisting of wheat flour batter with lots of other ingredients (meat, seafood, cabbage, all sorts of sauces and decorated very theatrically (as you will see in the videos) with Japanese mayonnaise! We ate half our meal so we now have enough for dinner tomorrow night!
    The weather in Japan is hot and humid, but not as hot as Kuala Lumpur. That's the wrap for Day 1 in Japan!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2Osaka Castle
    3Our lunch1Japanese Dumplings - Dango4Preparing MatchaOur group enjoying Dango & Japanese drinks7Haven't seen a knife or fork in Osaka!12

    Osaka day 2

    September 11, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We had a fascinating Japanese breakfast at our Hotel. Will take a photo later. Today we had booked a 5 hour bike tour of the Osaka region meeting at a Family Mart near the Tenmabashi station - 3 stops from our nearest train station 'Nagahoribashi'. We thought we needed to disembark after 2 stops (wrong!) We saw a Family Mart that was listed as our meeting place. We thought we were very clever arriving 45 mins early. When we finally discovered our mistake we had to hike 2 km to the correct meeting place! We made it with time to spare, but it was very hot!) There were 5 in our group, led by Mike, a 25 yo student studying languages - Swahili and Mongolian! A Canadian couple (Karen & Armand), a Spanish student (Aziden), living in Germany (who speaks 6 languages) and us.
    We visited the Osaka Shrine, but it was being refurbished! We then went to a museum, but it was closed! We then went to the Osaka Castle (we actually saw that), before going to a restaurant for lunch - guess what we had? Okonomiyaki (we had that last night!) Anyway it was, once again, delicious! We finished with a visit to a tea room where we drank Matcha Tea and enjoyed Dango (Japanese dumplings).
    We found our way back to the Hotel after what ended up being a really enjoyable day. September, we have discovered, is perhaps too soon to visit Japan - October the weather cools apparently.
    After a much needed shower and rest we ventured out to find a traditional Japanese restaurant for dinner. We stumbled across this little eatery that looked very interesting! However, we discovered the menu consisted of offal and tongue, etc. Eventually we ordered some beef and a beer each and enjoyed watching the young chef cook our meal in front of us. It was unique and quite delicious.
    Tomorrow is a 9.5 hour plus day - we visit Himeji Castle by coach (that's if we successfully get to the meeting point by train - wish us luck - we need it!)    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    3144122Trees that look like large bonsaiOut of the city, the country is green!A quieter shopping areaMount Rocco Garden Terrace

    Osaka Day 3

    September 12, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    No time for breakfast this morning - we had to leave the hotel soon after 0700 so that we could be at our meeting place for our bus trip by 0750. We successfully caught the train from our nearest station (Shinsaibashi) to Namba where we disembarked. Namba station is huge. We had to find Exit 7 (there are 32 exits)!
    After a short walk we found the meeting place for our Himeji Castle bus tour. There was also a Seven 11 convenience store close by so we bought some sandwiches and coffee. These convenience stores are everywhere and they are fantastic - as you will discover later!
    It took maybe 1.5 hours to get to Himeji Castle. It is a World Cultural Heritage Site and the most famous Japanese Castle. We were fortunate that a volunteer guide was available to take us and 2 young German girls on a private tour for 90 mins. What luck!
    We then went to a restaurant for lunch which was included in the fee. Wow, it was just delicious! We have to admit that we didn't find out what dishes we were served, but suffice to say, but it was amazing!
    We then went to some Onsen Baths, however, all we did was sit with our feet in some very warm water outside the baths. Onsen bathing will come later (in private!) The last stop of the tour was a magnificent lookout of Osaka.
    We arrived back at our Hotel without any dramas by train and made a hasty visit to the local Seven 11 store where we found a cold bottle of Italian white wine, which we enjoyed with our left over food from a couple of nights ago .
    3 days in Japan and we both love the place. Shops and people everywhere, but it is a vibrant, exciting and safe place to be. Tomorrow is our last day in Osaka. We will chill a bit and prepare for the next part of our Japan adventure - bike riding in the Shikoku region.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    7Our breakfast plate
    6Our practice run at Shin Osaka Railway St.321Cooking Takoyaki2Our Takoyaki shared meal5We asked for a large beer!135Shinsekai3There are many little bars everywhere!These dispensing machines are everywhere too!15At Dotonbori2Dotonbori at night

    Osaka Day 4

    September 13, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Breakfast at the Hotel this morning. We then did another train reconnaissance in preparation for our big day tomorrow. We tried to find entrances into stations where there are escalators or lifts - much easier than dragging luggage up and down steps. We took the train from our local station to Shin Osaka where we have to get a Shinkansen (bullet) train to Fukuyama tomorrow to begin our bike tour. The train station at Shin Osaka was unbelievable! We are glad we did the dry run, however, we are feeling nervous about the hoards of people we will encounter at peak hour tomorrow morning. Once we are on the Shinkansen it will be a piece of cake.
    We came back to our room and had a double brandy (not quite, but wish we had!) We then packed ready for the next part of our Japan trip.
    Suckers for punishment, we took the train to Shinsekai - a famous Osaka night time venue seething with people, eateries, gaming places and bars. We needed more bright lights, so we walked to Dotonbori (we had been there before during the day) before returning to our Hotel. It's sayonara to Osaka tomorrow morning!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    10On the Shinkansen! Yay!
    5This is the bullet train we were on3Alex (guide), Yu (driver) & cyclists!The historic port of TomonouraTomonouraTomonoura street1Cafe where we had lunch1Bridge to one of the islands along the coastline4A shrine on a little islandJapan has many ship building sitesItsukushima-Zinja-Mae11On the Ferry to the island of Mukaishima3Omonichi from the ferry12Our chef at the Greenhill Hotel3From the Shinkansen - 300 km/hour

    Osaka to Omonichi

    September 14, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    We were up early and decided to take a much earlier train to Shin Osaka, where we would swap to the Shinkansen (bullet train). Our rehearsal yesterday paid dividends because we had a smooth and trouble free run to Shin Osaka. Arrived over an hour before our scheduled departure at 0853 on the Shinkansen so got some sandwiches and coffee. The Shinkansen left at exactly 0853 (scheduled time).
    We feel quite comfortable now navigating the Japanese rail system and we are in awe of it's efficiency.
    After a coffee & pastry at Fukuyama station, we were met by our guide for the day, Alex and the driver, Yu, who took our luggage onto Omonichi.
    We were given a briefing by Alex and off we rode hugging the coastline until we reached the delightful historic port of Tomonoura, where we had lunch at a small cafe. First time I've had pesto pasta stone cold! It's how they serve it, apparently!
    The riding was easy, apart from the hot and humid conditions. We boarded a ferry to the island of Mukaishima. We rode across the island, boarded another ferry for Omonichi where we are staying for the night.
    At the end of the day we felt sad to say goodbye to Alex. He is an American, married to a Japanese woman and they have an 8 year old son. Alex is a trained Pharmacist, but now works in a number of jobs, guiding cyclists being one of them.
    We had a delicious meal at the Greenhill Hotel restaurant before washing clothes and charging bike batteries. We have a different guide tomorrow when we begin riding the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road (70 km). We ride for 4 more days with guides before heading for Hiroshima.
    We are hoping for a cool change, but we are not holding our breath!!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    1Ryu - our new guide
    Greenhill Hotel where we stayed in Omonichi1Most of our biking followed the coastline21The Shimanami Kaido Cycling RouteBridge between Mukaishima & Innoshima islands1Lunch restaurant3Kerrie's lunch2Roger's lunch4Our neck coolers!2Sampling Daifuku5Daifuku with mandarinBridge between Innoshima & Ikuchi islands2Lots of shaded riding today on bike paths6Gelati - yum!4Our futon beds at the Ryokan1View from our room at the Ryokan8Sunset

    Omonichi to Ikuchi Island

    September 15, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Our new Guide, Ryu (pronounced Leyu), met us this morning at 10 am.
    Ryu came to Japan in May, 2024. He was born in England to an English father and Japanese mother. Although he attended Japanese school in England, he has really only learnt Japanese in the last 18 months and speaks fluently now. He is about 25. He lives on Yuge island in a government apartment which costs 80 pounds per month (around $160 AUD!
    We left Omonichi and got the ferry to Mukaishima island (we were there yesterday). We rode more of this island today before crossing one of the 4 suspension bridges that join these islands. The weather was, again, hot and humid. Today we used neck coolers and found them to help a lot. We get the impression from the Guides that they are surprised we are doing this bike tour at this time of the year!
    Ryu was a much more laid back guide who didn't push us along as much as Alex did yesterday. Today we were riding along shaded bike paths for a lot of the time and down traditional Japanese back streets.
    Ryu chose a delightful restaurant for lunch. He gave us lots of time to cool down and rehydrate and enjoy delicious food. Roger had curry and I had pasta with eggplant.
    We stopped at a shop that specialises in Daifuku. They had only one left so we were each able to have a taste of this delicacy. It is mochi on the outside made from sticky rice & sweet bean paste which encases seasonal fruits.
    A little further on and we stopped for gelati. Our accommodation tonight is at our very first Japanese Ryokan on the island of Ikuchi.
    This has been an experience we will never forget. Shoes remain at the entrance of the Ryokan and you wear slippers, but not on the tatami mats in the bedrooms. There are also special slip on shoes just for the toilet. To shower, you go to a communal shower and sit on a low stool. You can then go into the warm communal bath if you choose to - we didn't, it was too hot! We were given a Yukata to wear after our shower and to dinner. The dinner deserves it's own Footprint!
    So, we really feel as if we are experiencing the real Japan now and it is absolutely fascinating!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    14
    3Our waitress who conversed with Google translate2First course1Second course1Third course1Fourth course1Fifth course1Sixth course1Seventh course

    Ryokan Suminoe - Ikuchi Island

    September 15, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We booked dinner for 6.30 pm. We were surprised to find that we were the only dinner guests in the dining room. Apparently there was another couple dining also, but they were in a separate room.
    We had our first drink of Sake. Roger liked it more than I did.
    Our first course consisted of eggplant stewed in wine, sweet potato, figs with sesame dressing and boiled taro.
    Second course was Chawanmushi with mullet roe (an egg custard with fish)
    Third course was sashimi consisting of sea bream, amberjack, striped jack & red spotted grouper. Delicious!!
    Fourth course was Steamed Tiger Fish in Sake.
    Fifth course was Conger eel and Octopus in Vinegar.
    Sixth course was soup and rice.
    Seventh course was Matcha icecream and green tea!
    Our first experience of traditional Japanese culture!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    3Our breakfast at the Ryokan
    5There are slip on shoes for everything including the toilet!3Beautiful coastline for the entire ride2We island hop by either ferry or suspension bridge1One of the many suspension bridges that join the islands2Shrines are found in many out of the way places4At the entrance of our lunch hotel - lockers for our shoes!5A delicious meal of sashimi for lunch411We had a wonderful swim here!82Kitchen 3134Maki - she is a baker in her own home5Sun setting as we cross a suspension bridge 4 km long6Our accommodation at "WAKKA"

    Island of Ikuchi to island of Omishima

    September 16, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Our Japanese breakfast was waiting for us at 8 am this morning. Some Hihiki (seaweed), fish, an egg roll, soup, rice and a variety of pickles, etc.
    Ryu (our Guide) arrived at 0900 and off we rode in already hot and humid conditions. It only cools very slightly overnight. We are definitely becoming accustomed to the weather and our cool neckbands are a godsend.
    Today we left the Shimanami Kaido Cycle Path and rode another cycle path called the Yumeshima Cycle path. We basically island hopped, rode on ferries and crossed huge suspension bridges. To be honest, Roger and I had little idea where we were heading! We just followed Ryu! We had another delicious meal of sashimi for lunch and took some time off the bikes to have a swim - it was bliss!
    These islands we are exploring are part of the Seto Inland sea. There are approximately 730 islands with 4 main islands (Iwagi, Ikina, Sa & Yuge) collectively known as Kamijima town. 150 of the 730 islands are inhabited. It is a beautiful part of the world.
    Ryu took us to a little bakery where Maki (mother of 3), bakes bagels and other breads. The bakery is part of her 110 year old home. We had a drink and some biscuits (bagels always sell out) before the last 2 hours of riding.
    We arrived at our WAKKA accommodation at sunset. A very full but marvellous day.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Cycle taxi taking us to Munakara Port for ferry to Okomura
    Stunning Seta Inland Sea with over 700 islands4Bridges we rode over to get from one island to the next3Showing how terraced citrus was planted2Island of Ocho where terrace citrus grows4Historic fishing village of Orcho42This shop repairs watches and clocks and is famous in JapanMitarai wellA little shop in Mitarai4Village of Toyohama2On our way to Imibari via 1 hour ferry ride4 km suspension bridge just before Imibari4The sun is setting on another outstanding day2Dinner tonight came from a small convenience store nearby - $16!

    Omishima to Imabari

    September 17, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    The itinerary for today was pretty chaotic and unclesr. In fact, we had no idea what we were going to be doing. Up until now we were singing the praises of Claudio (WAKKA tour organiser). We decided to go with the flow and see what transpired. We had breakfast at WAKKA on Omishima before being transported by cycle taxi to Munakata Port, approximately 30 mins away. We were instructed to take the Ferry to Okamura where we would meet our Guide for the day, Tom.
    We have just loved being guided on these rides, even though they are hellishingly expensive ($AUD600/day) We don't regret one cent. The guides have value added to our experience enormously. We have loved getting to know these people too. Tom is probably early to mid 40's, mother Japanese and father English. He grew up in the UK. He is married to a Japanese woman and they have a 4 year old son. They decided to live in Mitarai and they have an online tea distribution business, a weekend tea rooms and Tom is a professional photographer. He also does cycling tours! They have lived in Mitarai for 10 years.
    There are only 150 residents in Mitarai and 70% are over 75!
    It is so sad to see so many of these properties deserted. The Government is doing all it can to revitalise these historic buildings. For example, the Government will pay 80% of the costs of external renovations if the reno's take the property back to its original condition.
    We visited 3 of the 4 villages of Osakishimojima Island - Orcho, Kubi, Mitarai & Okitomo (didn't visit this last village). Orcho has terraced oranges trees and prior to the war supplied 40% of Tokyo's oranges. Citrus is big in this area. Older Japanese, well into their 80's still manage the steeply terraced hills growing citrus .
    The community spirit in these villages is to be commended. We had lunch at one community initiative at Kubi called Mamena. The vision is to create a community without the need for nursing homes. They raise money for the community centre via their cafe. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of either pork or seafood, always with a bowl of soup and a bowl of rice.
    After lunch we visited the fishing village ofToyohama on the Island of Toyoshima.
    We took the ferry to Omishima where we are staying tonight. We went to a convenience store near the hotel and got some sushi, a custard each and some bananas which we are back at the hotel (with their complimentary wine). Cost $16 for our dinner! We think we might do this more often!
    Tomorrow Ryu becomes our guide again for our last day of cycling these stunning islands.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Ryu met us at our hotel ready for our last ride
    3The Shimanami Kaido track done!1More glorious scenery2Imibari was the largest ship building centre in the world.5At a cafe you put in money, press your choice then give the docket to the barrista!37Listen to Ryu and you'll see why we love Guides!6Lunch today - a shot of banana, spinach & apple juiceLunch EntreeMain courseJapanese are obviously expert ship builders5A little family winery we visited at Ominishima2Manju - cake filled with sweet white bean mixture3Oyamazumi ShrineRice grown at the Oyamazumi Shrine for the Emperor4Camphor tree 3000 years old3On arrival back to WAKKA, we are given cold tea and very cold face washers! Beautiful!1View from our WAKKA Hotel roonA BBQ being prepared outside our room3Always salad (and wine) first!Our entree of salad with fresh figsWagu beef, chicken & prawns with vegetables2We did the cooking4Dessert - sorbet, icecream & fruit

    Imibari back to Omishima (end of bike to

    September 18, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    It rained overnight and this morning we had perfect conditions for riding. Ryu met us at 0900 and we said goodbye to Imibari (island of Shikoku).
    Imibari is one end of the Shimanami Kaido bike track so we had to have the obligatory photo to mark this occasion!
    We crossed a huge suspension bridge (biggest in the world) onto the island of Oshima, which is famous for granite mining (reminds us of home!) On the other side of Oshima we saw the Murakami pirate strongholds during the 1400 - 1600's. Have a listen to Ryu's description of this area - he explains it so well!
    Over the bridge onto Hakatajima Island. We had another delightful lunch at a cafe booked by Ryu. He then took us to a family run winery at Ominishima and the famous Oyamazumi Shrine built in 600 AD. This is a Shintu Shrine where Samurai warriors came prior to wars to seek help from their Gods and after wars to give thanks if they were successful.
    Back to WAKKA having had a marvellous 5 days of cycling. How good was it? Well, I (Kerrie) rarely cry, however, when we said goodbye to Ryu, I cried! Roger felt the same!
    We were then treated to a Japanese BBQ cooked just outside our accommodation. It was fabulous, something we will not forget.
    Tomorrow we go by bus to Fukushima and then by Shinkansen to Hiroshima. The Japanese Adventure continues!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Our breakfast at WAKKA
    1Almost all cars in Japan look like these!1Atomic Bomb DomeHiroshima Peace Memorial MuseumHiroshima prior to the Atomic Bomb2After the Atomic BombPeace Memorial Park5Simulation of pre & post atomic bomb

    Omishima to Hiroshima

    September 19, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We were up early to enable us to get the bus from Omishima at 0810 to Fukuyama. We had breakfast at WAKKA and the staff drove us to the bus station. We had coffee at the Railway Station before boarding the Shinkansen at 1028 for Hiroshima (30 min journey).
    We left our luggage at our Hotel, very near the railway station and (eventually!!) found the Hop on Hop off bus. We did the whole loop and then rode onto the Atomic Bomb Dome - one of the few structures that remained partially intact after the bomb.
    We then visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - an absolutely huge building that shows, quite chillingly, the effects on Hiroshima of the Atomic Bomb. The short term and long term effects on the community have been devastating.
    We have discovered there isn't a huge amount to see in Hiroshima, so we may even go to an art gallery and the botanical gardens tomorrow!
    My apologies if you received this Footprint obviously incomplete - I uploaded rather than saving it as a draft!
    Tonight we are going down to the Lawson Convenience Store for a prepared dinner and a bottle of red which we will enjoy in our room!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2A family with a baby & toddler travelling!!
    2Hiroshima Station have wonderful volunteers!1Photographic exhibition2Egyptian Exhibition from Brooklyn Museum NY12Shukkeien Garden4Shukkeien Garden3Renoir - The Trinite Plaza, Paris.Monet - Morning on the SeineVan Gogh - Daubigny's GardenPicasso - Woman holding her hands4This is the complete song2No more than 10 in the audience in a basement jazz club

    Hiroshima - a day of artistic surprises!

    September 20, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    What started out to be an ordinary sort of day turned out to be the best day and night we could have hoped for.
    We decided to use the Hop on Hop Off Bus to take us to art venues. The first stop was the Hiroshima Perfectural Art Museum where the first day of the Unraveling the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt Exhibition was being held. Our friends, the Pascoes, have only just returned home from Egypt, so we thought we would get a little taste of what they have experienced. It was magnificent.
    We then visited the Japanese Shukkeien Garden, just outside the Perfectural Art Museum - right in the centre of Hiroshima.
    On the bus again and the next stop was the Hiroshima Museum of Art. This huge marble building features the works of a local artist by the name of Kamoi Rei, however, to our surprise there are works by the greats - Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, to name a few. We had a fabulous day, arriving back at the hotel around 6 pm.
    We hear a lot of jazz playing in Japan in all sorts of places. We do know that Japan is a jazz loving nation, so we decided to find some live jazz. We got a taxi to a basement jazz venue called 'Jazz Club Bird' not knowing what we were going to hear. To our absolute delight we were treated to 2 hours of jazz standards by a vocalist, pianist, guitarist & base player. It was amazing. Sadly these musicians played to an audience of about 10 people, but they seemed to appreciate having Aussies in the audience. We went to be happy little vegemites!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    6Famous O-torii Gate
    6Wild deer roam everywhere on the island1Hokoku Shrine2From Mount Misen7Mount Misen - accessed by gondola & RopewayOverlooking the Seto Inland Sea4Going down the Ropeway from Mount Misen4We are fascinated by some Japanese signs1Girls in Japan dress in chunky shoes and frilly dresses/tops1Japanese girls are beautiful!An invasion of privacy I know but isn't she like a porcelain doll!2Video of gardens from yesterday1The vocalist last night spoke very little English but her lyrics were perfect!

    Island of Miyajima

    September 21, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    A slower start to our day again! We decided to go to Miyajima - a World Heritage Island just off the coast of Hiroshima. To get there we took a local train from Hiroshima Station with the idea of getting off at a station near the ferry which takes you to Miyajima Island. Hundreds of other people had the same idea! We disembarked from the train at the station we thought was the correct one, but everyone else stayed on board! Back on the next train and we eventually joined thousands (and we mean thousands) of tourists going to Miyajima by ferry! This is not our sort of thing we would normally choose to participate in, as many of you would know! Anyway, we played the tourist game and ended up on Mount Misen, after a ropeway carriage & gondola ride to the top of the mountain. The views were spectacular.
    We reversed our trip by ferry & train back to Hiroshima and we are now washing clothes & enjoying a wine before going to a local Okonomiyaki restaurant for dinner. The Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima are different from Osaka they say!
    Tomorrow we take another Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Kyoto for the next part of our Japanese Adventure!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    4Had to sneak this photo - Geishas are not meant to be photographed.
    On the Gion Geisha District walking tour3This is Kyoto's most expensive Tea Room5The Gion District1The Walking Tour Group4Hiroshima Station

    Hiroshima to Kyoto

    September 22, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today was a travelling day - from Hiroshima to Kyoto.
    We had a very enjoyable Shinkansen ride for almost 2 hours arriving at Kyoto at 1143 (exactly the scheduled time). The Japanese rail system is unbelievably efficient. We then had to transfer to a local line to reach our hotel.
    Our hotel is just across the road from the local train station. We were able to check in early - the hotel is lovely and, best of all, we are here for 5 nights! Bliss!
    We indulged in a restaurant lunch at the hotel, knowing we wouldn't have time to eat tonight. It was then nap time before the evening's entertainment, which was a 2 hour tour of the Gion Geisha District. This time we got a bus to the start of the tour. There are only 120 Geishas in Kyoto and 50 in training. We were fortunate to see 2 Geishas on our walk (a rare occurrence apparently). The tour guide gave us fascinating education on the life of Geishas and their social structure.
    Another bus ride back to our hotel to prepare for an early start tomorrow for our full day bike tour of Kyoto.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Fushimi Inardi Shinto Shrine
    2There are 50 O-torii Gates at the Shrine1Imperial Palace Gardens2Golden Pavillion2At the Golden Pavillion1Our Cycle Kyoto Group (Christine in centre)Golden PavillionKitano Tenmangu Shintu Shrine1Nishi Hongangi Buddhist TempleInside Buddhist Temple1Lighting inside Buddhist TempleNishi Hongangi Buddhist Temple

    Cycle Kyoto Bike Tour

    September 23, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    An early start today to get into the centre of Kyoto for our full day Cycle Tour with 'Cycle Kyoto'. Juan was our 66 year old Guide. He is an American who has lived in Japan for 26 years. He married his Japanese wife 8 years ago. The only other cyclist was Christine, a NZ born woman who has lived in the USA since the late 1980's. We missed Sue & Duncan not being with us today, knowing they would have loved this tour.
    The bikes were relatively new, however, I (Kerrie) had to get used to riding a bike with a high bar, which meant cocking my leg over the bar! Never did quite get the hang of that, but no accidents, so all was good!
    We rode 30 km all around Kyoto, visiting shrines and temples and weaving around the back streets of Kyoto. We enjoyed lunch at a sushi & noodle restaurant. We had to either grab food from the sushi train or order from our phone menu. We are learning all sorts of new tricks in Japan! The food was delicious, but it was a PH in Japan today so the place was packed with families (and noisy!)
    So let us bore you with some Shrines & Temples information! There are 2400 Shrines & Temples in Kyoto (and we thought 900 cathedrals in Rome was impressive!)
    Kyoto was the centre of culture in Japan when it was founded 1000 years ago. Kyoto lost it's status as the Capital of Japan in 1869 to Tokyo.
    The first place we visited was the Fushimi Inardi Shinto Shrine. Inardi is the God of Agriculture - a very important God, especially when rice was the currency. This is the most visited place in Japan. In January this year 3 million people came to the Shrine to donate money and pray for their prosperity. We are amazed at how readily Japanese part with their money at Temples and Shrines!
    We then visited the Yofuku 13th century Zen Monestry, Imperial Palace Gardens, the Golden Pavilion (World Heritage Site), Kitano Tenmangu Shintu Shrine and finally the Nishi Hongangi Buddhist Temple. This Temple is 7 stories high and is made of cypress and cedar only - no nails or metal.
    We returned to the hotel and called into a Convenience Store next to the hotel for some wine and nibbles for dinner. Another very enjoyable day but we won't be upset if we don't see another Shrine or Temple this trip!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2A Maiko about to enter her lodging.
    3Maiko walking towards her Okiya (lodging).1A Maiko (trainee Geiko)1A Geiko (fully trained).

    Kyoto's Gion Geisha Community

    September 23, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We visited the Gion District again today on our Cycle Tour and learnt more about this fascinating 'Geisha' community. We thought it was worth devoting a whole Footprint to the topic! There are approximately 1000 Geishas in Japan. In Kyoto there are 120 trained Geishas, however, they are called 'Geiko's'.
    To train to be a Geiko, a girl, if she meets the strict criteria, can be accepted into a lodging house by the owner who is called 'Okiya' (mother Geiko and owner of the lodging). The girl becomes a trainee, called a 'Maiko'. She can be accepted as a Maiko at 15 years old. She trains for approximately 5 years. During this time she works from 0600 until 0100 (5 hours sleep). She pays no rent during her training years, but does repay her training costs if and when she qualifies as a Geiko. There are 50 Maikos in Kyoto. The 3 requirements to be accepted as a Maiko are - they must speak Japanese, have a social personality and during their 5 year training they cannot have any social media & no boyfriend's! Maikos have their hair done once a week by one of the 5 trained hairdressers in Kyoto. The Maikos then have to sleep with their necks on a firm support so they can keep their elaborate hair do's intact!
    Geiko's can have boyfriend's, phones, own their own homes, etc. They earn anywhere between 3 - 10,000 USD per month. So why train for 5 years to be a Geiko? Well they can earn huge salaries if they are in demand by extremely wealthy business men. For example, to have a top Geiko entertain you in a top tea house in Kyoto would set you back by $10,000 USD for 2 hours! For very wealthy business men, to be able to bring prospective business clients to a tea house with a Geiko to entertain is hugely beneficial!
    Geiko's have celebrity status in Japan and when one appears on the street, everyone stops and stares at this perfectly presented and deported woman. We were fortunate to see a Maiko enter her lodging 'Okiya' today.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    2Bamboo Forest
    22111The Rickshaw drivers are very fit indeed!3Arasuyama2Water Lillies (we assume?)1Toyota Crown Taxis26A memorable occasion -this is the 3rd rubbish bin we've seen in Japan!3Our Welcome DinnerWe each had a box with some of our foodThis is what is inside the top layer!Tempura vegetables & prawnIcecream with sweet potatoes & white miso tomato marshmallow

    Arasuyama & Welcome Dinner for OKU Hike

    September 24, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    This morning we found a laundromat and visited, briefly, Kyoto's Imperial gardens (while the washing was being done). A huge area 1300 x 700 metres but we only saw a small section.
    We then got the subway into Kyoto Station and tried to find the Sky Tourist Bus. For one day it would have cost us $AUD46 each. Instead, we got the public bus to Arasuyama where the Bamboo Forest is. Approximately $AUD2.50 each way and the bus trip took an hour with 27 stops, but way cheaper than the tourist bus!
    There were hoards of tourists at Arasuyama and the Bamboo Forest, but it was a pleasant outing.
    Tonight we have a Welcome Dinner for the OKU Japan Nakasendo & Kiso Valley Hike. This is what we have been training for and looking forward to for a year now. Sadly one of my knees (Kerrie's) flared up after the 5 day bike trip, so it will be interesting to see if I can complete the hike.
    There are a couple of photos of Japanese taxis in this Footprint. Roger can explain more ...
    ALERT: Skip this if you have no interest in cars!
    I was fascinated to see so many old style Toyota Crown taxis throughout Japan. As an ex Crown owner I had to investigate. Toyota made special vehicles, as taxis, with longer wheelbase and larger boots, etc. This was not based on the normal Crown but used mechanical bits from a model like the Camry. Apparently, they used the Crown body design as it was very long lasting. In deference to handicapped people, the government encouraged manufacturers to produce designs for wheelchairs etc. so Toyota ceased production of the Crown taxis in 2018.
    However, taxi drivers seem to prefer the Crowns so they still out-number the newer design.
    Post Welcome Dinner note - an older group than we expected (12 walkers and the Guide, Nat). We were taken to a traditional Japanese restaurant and, once again, enjoyed delicious and varied food. Tomorrow we start walking, but return to the hotel for the next 2 nights. We then head off on the Nakasendo trail, heading for Tokyo.    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    7Tengu - mountain spirit
    1Kurama Temple4Just some of the steps up the mountain53Top of Mount KuramaKifune Shrine26Nat, our delightful Guide - mother of 4 (22 - 28)262Nishiki Market - Kyoto2Huge scallops - 3 for just over $AUD843Nishiki Market

    Mount Kurama

    September 25, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    This morning the OKU hiking group took the train to the end of the Kurama line in the mountains. We were told that this would be a gentle 4 km walk. Well, yes, it was gentle, up hill for 2 km! Hundreds of steps. More shrines and temples, but glorious mountain landscapes and lush green trees, about to change colour.
    The group are all experienced walkers and Nat, our Guide, complimented the group on their stamina (she included me, however, I was puffing up the rear, a bath of perspiration!). Fortunately my knee seemed to improve with the hike, even with all the steps up and down.
    We visited the Nishiki Markets on our way back to the hotel. All sorts of food available there and lots of other things as well.
    We had a couple from Woolongong (Kristina & Reiner) for happy hour before we went to a small Japanese Restaurant where we had a delicious meal of beef ramen.
    Tomorrow is a 16 km hike to Nara (the original capital of Japan even before Kyoto). Thank you for your positive vibes re my pesky knee - it helped heaps!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    5Japanese school children - gorgeous!
    2Tenrikyo Church3Starting our hike1Rice nearly ready to be harvested1Rice is grown anywhere there is spare land2Isonokami Jingu Shrine with Holy Roosters!5One of the holy roisters4Cleansing with holy water before entering Shrine3Nat showing a map of Nara - the original capital.1Hiking down many village streets like this12Persimmons grow really well here!Walking through a cemetery1Persimmons & red flowers - part of licorice family2A happy, welcoming little Buddha!1Citrus grows well too.A nice flower along the path2Shaded walking path1Oomiwa Shrine - Japan's oldest shrine4Menu at our dinner restaurant8Our chicken set menu

    Yamanobe no Michi Hiking Course

    September 26, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Today we met Nat, our Guide @ 0815. We are having our luggage forwarded on and for the next 2 days & nights we have to carry whatever we need.
    Our goal for today was to visit the ancient city of Nara (Japan's first capital, before Kyoto and Tokyo).
    We took 2 local trains and a Shinkansen to Nara and then began the 16 km Yamanobe no Michi Hiking Course.
    Near Nara is the Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. A woman started this relatively new religion in the early 1990's. The Church has a following of 2.1 million.
    The next shrine along the path was the Isonokami Jingu Shrine where Roosters are considered holy.
    The initial route was uphill, but fairly quickly settled into a nice undulating path with quite a bit of shade. Still, it was hot and humid! We were drenched with perspiration and just couldn't get enough fluids in. For a while, after lunch, I (Kerrie) became unstuck, feeling faint, etc. We got some cold drinks from one of the many drink vending machines and life improved. The hiking was fine but the heat and humidity we didn't train for!
    We arrived back at the hotel around 5.30 and Roger took washing to the laundromat before we headed off to find some dinner. Ended up at a very small restaurant not far from the hotel where we joined some of the walking group for a fun dinner.
    Tomorrow we begin, in earnest, the Nakasendo Way & Kiso Valley Hike. We just hope it cools down a lot!!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    Climbing up to Magome from the bus station
    Magome where we had lunch222451111The group of hikers with Nat in the frontArriving at Otsumago where we will stay in a RyokanOur Ryokan2Our host2Our futons ready to be laid out on the tatami mat110Pre-dinner drinks and chat6Our Japanese meal7This is a leaf!Our 50 minute bus ride which was crammed full!From the lookout just above Magome6Glorious hiking!4Odakidemaki Falls

    Magome-Juku to Otsumago Pass

    September 27, 2025 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We left our hotel in Kyoto with our back packs with everything we require for the next 2 days and nights. Maybe 8 kgms on our backs. We took 2 subways trains, a Shinkansen train and an overcrowded bus up into the mountains where we would begin the Nakasendo trail.
    We ate lunch at Magome, a very touristy town, before we began the first part of the Nakasendo trail called the Magome to Otsumago Pass. The first 2 km were uphill and then the remaining 5 km was a beautiful hike downhill through the forest and along a waterway and a number of waterfalls. The temp and humidity in the mountains was lower and hiking was much more comfortable.
    We arrived at our traditional Japanese Ryokan accommodation at 4.30. We have futons on the tatami mats on the floor and there is the sound of rushing water outside our room.
    We all showered and soaked for a few minutes in a deep bath before dressing in our Yakata and gathering for our Japanese dinner which was, once again, delicious.
    We are in the heart of traditional rural Japan and it is so very special to be able to experience this cultural lifestyle.
    Half of the group have opted not to do the 18 km hike with 735 meter elevation tomorrow. We are in that group! We will still be hiking but it will be manageable and enjoyable!    Read more

  • Kerrie PalamountainJapan via Kuala LumpurTraveler
    4Kerrie's breakfast!
    Okasan (mother of household) serving breakfastOur beautiful Okasan serving breakfastOur Ryokan street1Okasan saying goodbye to our group.14We just loved our Okasan!2Village of Tsumago1TsumagoTypical of the unobtrusive small shops in rural JapanThe A Team about to depart on their 18 km trek6Tsumago was a 'Post Town en route from Edo to Kyoto and travellers wore these shoes delivering mail4Keso-Fukushima2Keso-FukushimaKeso-Fukushima narrow streetOur lunch at Keso-FukushimaOur Ryokan at Keso-Fukushima. Dinner table.5You wear Yakata to dinner;The menu for our dinner tonightWe each had our own meat and vegetables cookingSome of the 15 dishes we had for dinnerSushimi1Deep fried namafu & eggplant2The dinner tableNaz, Jo & Glynis being served dinner2At the Tsumago Museum4This is real Japan!

    Tsumango to Kiso Fukushima

    September 28, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today was going to be the big 18 km hike, however only 4 chose to accept the challenge. The remaining 8 did a relatively short walk from Tsumago to the village over the hill to Nagisio where we caught the train for a 45 min ride to Keso-Fukushima.
    Before that, we explored Tsumago and the Museum where we were given a talk on traditional Japanese houses.
    The 8 renegades that didn't do the big hike had a lovely day exploring Keso-Fukushima. We had a delicious lunch at a restaurant before meeting up with the A Group who arrived at Nagisio by train (after their hike!)
    We were then driven to our Ryokan (much more up-market) where we were served a Japanese degustation of 15 dishes! This was a fabulous meal but far too much food!
    Tomorrow we do a 9 km hike through mountains, however, it will be much cooler and less humidity. We are heading for Tokyo and the trek will finish in 2 days time. A really great day today!    Read more

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