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Japan

March - April 2024
Heading further East than I've ever been! Read more
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  • TravelerJapan
    31111
    Day 7

    Mount Fuji to Osaka

    March 31 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today was a bit of a travelling day. I tried a run before breakfast but it was a bit stop start to be honest. Today with managed to order the Western breakfast.

    After this we walked up to the Mount Fuji Highland station and caught the train one stop to Mount Fuji station where we are going to get a coach for the two hour trip back to outer Tokyo.

    In theory we should then have had about 20 minutes to catch our first bullet train of the trip. In reality our bus was late and so we ended up running from where the bus dropped us off through the station and found platform, fortunately, just as the Train was coming in to the station.

    The managed to get on the train and then walked about 8 carriages long to find the seats that we had reserved. The train itself was quite impressive and very smooth and we managed to use an app to see that we were travelling at about 180 mph an hour for much of the journey from Tokyo to Osaka. We cover the 300-ish miles in 2 hours 20 minutes and arrived on time to the second.

    At the station we eventually found the exit and after exchanging our rail vouchers for later in the holiday, we caught the metro a few stops to the main station in Osaka. After some searching, we eventually found the shuttle bus to our hotel where we checked in at about 4pm.

    It turns out that our room is on the 25th floor and has a view of lots of other skyscrapers around. After checking in we went straight to the lounge for afternoon tea and then to the room for a quick shower before heading back out for the evening.

    And what an evening it was! Seven tourists and our guide Taiga... Fistop, we made octopus balls, also called Takoyaki. Next week went to a bar where we drank sake and then we ended up in a more locals bar with lots of drinks. The tour ended and we got home eventually at about 3:30 a.m..    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    2
    Day 9

    Osaka - morning after the night before

    April 2 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    It would be fair to say that I wasn't feeling the best when I woke up. After I eventually managed to get out of bed we went for a long walk through Osaka to find some cherry blossom.

    Eventually after about an hour we came to a park west of the trees had started to blossom, although not universally. We carried on walking and began heading for the meeting point for a walking tour that we had booked in the afternoon.

    Having met up with group, we visited Osaka castle with it's pagoda and moat. Next we got on the subway and went to an area that used to be a bit of a ghetto for Korean expats. After that we were taken to the tallest building in Osaka and what used to be the tallest building in Japan until relatively recently. We went up to about the 20th floor so not for the top and saw some of the views over Osaka.

    Back on to the metro and with visitors an area with lots of games, Japanese archery, slot machines in the like. It felt a bit like Blackpool. We also went into a massive arcade where the music and noise was really loud and where there were rosen rows of Japanese people using ball bearing machines to try to win tokens. (Apparently betting is illegal in Japan but this is one of the ways they have to get around it)

    The final stop on the tour took us back to Dotombori, the area we had been in the previous evening. It was just as busy but it was interesting to see some of the bright lights, building decorations and general vibe in the daytime.

    The tour ended at about 5:30 and we had a quick beer before heading back to the hotel. Once we got back we went to the lounge for canopies and a glass or two of wine.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    11111111111
    Day 10

    Kurashiki

    April 3 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Today we travelled from Osaka to Kurashiki, about 100 miles away and further west. First pass, the journey was on the bullet train and then we transferred to a local train for the last 20 minutes.

    We made the short walk from the station to our hotel but as it was still only about 11:00 a.m. we couldn't actually check in so instead we left our bags and went for a wander.

    A hotel is right next to the old quarter of Kurashiki so very convenient for the sightseeing. The main thing to see here is the old District which has been preserved and is full of white and black houses with a grey roof. We spent a couple of hours wandering around before it was time to meet up for the tour that we had booked.

    It turned out that we were the only two on the tour which was led by a 9th generation resident of the area and a translator as his English wasn't good enough to do the tour on his own. There's also a third person who was learning the ropes of translation.

    We spent an interesting couple of hours with him and the translator where he explained to us some of the history of the area and we visited the temple and shrine. Much of Kurashiki made its money on cotton and there is a plethora of denim shops in the old town. We saw the old factory, which looked very similar to some of the factories you'd see in Britain from the period with red bricks. We were told that the machinery and the engineers to install and maintain had been brought from England.

    After the tour we came back to the hotel and checked in. The room was big but a little bit tired but did the job as we're only staying one night.

    By now. It was around 5:00 p.m. so we went back out and found a bar for a drink or two and then walked back into the old town to have some yakitori which is chicken on skewers. Then it was back to hotel for a review of the day.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    11111
    Day 10

    Hiroshima - day 1

    April 3 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We had an earliest breakfast at the hotel and then caught a taxi to the station at Kurashiki because it was absolutely pouring down with rain.

    We used the local train to go back to okama and then back on the Shinkansen for the 40 minute trip to Hiroshima.

    It was still raining heavily and we caught the tram along for about 10 minutes to get to our hotel. Despite it being only 10:30 we were able to check in. After setting ourselves in Wii, walk the 5 minutes along the peace boulevard to the Hiroshima peace park. We decided that with the rain being so heavy we'd start with the memorial museum. That was a very, very long queue but it seemed to go quite quickly and after about 40 minutes we were inside.

    The museum itself was very busy, but despite that you got a sense of the atmosphere and the horrific scenes immediately and longer term after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

    The museum is dedicated to also calling for the complete eradication of atomic weapons and you can see why having spent time looking at some of the artefacts and pictures and stories from the time.

    We walked back to our hotel trying to avoid the worst of the rain and had a drink before heading to The lounge for afternoon tea. It was still raining heavily and so we decided to retreat to a bar for a few drinks before going back to hotel for some snacks and drinks in the lounge.

    We had a relatively early night and reviewed photos and our activities from the day.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    Day 11

    Hiroshima - day 2 - part 1 - peace park

    April 4 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The weather today was much better and after a morning run and breakfast we walked back to peace park to see the sights. There are a number of memorials throughout the park and we saw the memorial cenotaph, with the flame of peace that won't be extinguished until there are no more nuclear weapons in the world.

    We also saw the children's peace monument, the monument to the memory of the Korean victims of the bomb and the peace bell.

    Walking around the park the cherry blossom was also making a fine appearance.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    Day 11

    Hiroshima - day 2, part 2

    April 4 in Japan

    We crossed the bridge to view the A bomb dome which remains preserved as it was after the bomb fell at 8.15am on 6th August 1945. The other sights included a couple more museums which described the story of individuals caught up in the events on that day.

    We walked on and passed the spot, 600m above which the bomb was detonated.

    Next up, after a further walk was Hiroshima castle, which was rebuilt following the bomb.

    Our next stop was Shukkei-en, a formal Japanese garden with bridges, islands and plenty of cherry blossom to keep us entertained!    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    Day 12

    Hiroshima - day 2 - part 3 Miyajima

    April 5 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    By now it was almost 1pm and so we walked to the station to catch a train to Miyajima Guchi to catch the short ferry crossing to Miyajima.

    The main places to see on Miyajima were the O-torri gate and the Itsukushima-jinja temple, a sixth century shrine. We also managed to fit in more cherry blossom, deer viewing and a pint at the Miyajima brewery.

    To get back, we used the high speed passenger boat that took us directly to peace memorial park. From here, we walked into the centre of Hiroshima to have a okonomiyaki at Okonomi-mura, a place with three floors of kitchens selling okonomiyaki. It is cooked on metal plates in front of you. This dish is a speciality of Hiroshima, developed after the war when produce was limited but there was plenty of sheet metal! It consists of a pancake base, cabbage, noodles, seasoning and meat. Delicious.

    Back to the hotel as it was now 5.30pm and after dropping our bags we went up the lounge for evening drinks before moving on to another hotel across the road with a rooftop bar for a couple of nightcaps!    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    1111
    Day 12

    Kyoto - day 1 - afternoon

    April 5 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We were up for breakfast and out of the hotel by 9 to catch a team to the station for our train journey to Kyoto. The first part of the journey was on The bullet train to Osaka and from there we caught The Thunderbird train to Kyoto.

    At the station we got a bus to the hotel but as it was only midday we were only able to leave our bags. We had a beer while we got our bearings and then took a walk through the streets up to Kyoto Imperial palace park.

    We spent sometime wandering around the massive park but didn't go in the Imperial palace itself. The park was busy with lots of locals and tourists viewing the cherry blossom which by now in Kyoto is in full bloom.

    From the park we walked along and across the river to a metro station where we caught it. A subway 2 stops to the Gion area. Here we walked along the road seemingly against half the world coming the other way in the pavement to Yasaka shrine. This place was very busy with lots of temporary market stalls selling food and trinkets as part of the spring festival. There were also temporary tables set up and locals and visitors alike sitting having food and beers. However, all the tables were reserved and so we didn't stop.

    We wandered around the garden area for the next 45 minutes or so before catching a bus back to the hotel to check in as it was now past 5pm.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    Day 12

    Kyoto - day 1 - evening

    April 5 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    This evening we had a walking tour of the Gion area booked. This is the old area of Kyoto.

    We walked about half an hour to the meeting point and met up with the guide and 9 other people at 8.45pm. The area was really busy with people looking at the sakura at nighttime, all lit up.

    The guide was knowledgeable but a bit useless in that he didn't introduce himself and often didn't wait for everyone to catch up with the group before starting his explanations. We spent the next 2 hours meandering through the Gion District and seeing some temples, a very large Buddha and the streets where the geishas train and decided to come back the following day to see it in the evening.

    The tour finished and we headed to the Pontocho area which are narrow alleys with bars and restaurants. We ended up not stopping and walked towards the hotel before realising we were going in the wrong direction. With tired legs we decided that a taxi would be the best move and after picking up a couple of beers and some snacks we headed back.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan
    1211
    Day 13

    Kyoto - day 2 - Gion area

    April 6 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We started the day with a bus ride back to the Gion area. Come here. We walked up the hill to the Chion-in temple that we had seen in the dark last night. The temple complex is very big with a massive central main hall. The entrance gate is also very tall and well over two stories. After looking around the main square area we walked on and explored the temple gardens and the massive temple bell. It was cast in 1633 and is the largest temple bell in Japan and apparently takes 30 monks to chime it.

    Having visited the temple we continue on and so the tallest Buddha in Kyoto which sits on the hillside near that temple.

    We retraced our route that we had seen previous evening in the dark. Only this time the streets were far busier with tourists. The area was pretty with lots of little school shops and street food vendors.

    We continued on past the five story pagoda and back through the streets of Gion where again there were large crowds.

    As it was now after 12 we stopped for some gyoza's before heading to the metro.    Read more

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