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Japan
  • Uncle Woully

Japan

And off the beaten track first time exploration of a completely new to me culture. Baca lagi
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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Fukuoka Sakura Festival

    5 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Got in a great conversation with a young Frenchman named Damien who has been traveling for a year and a half now after he worked as an engineer in Dubai for 5 years. He has amazing stories from all the places he has been all over the world and I shared some of mine.

    I take a walk through the city and figured that I will go to the park because that would be a nice nature walk for a sunny afternoon and it would allow me to find a spot to eat my cheesy bread. As I walk I see a lot of people walking in the same direction so I follow them and I find out that there is a huge festival going on with at least 100 food vendors. It's all about the cherry blossoms.

    When it got dark I walk back into the city by the canal area and hang out there. It's not too busy but not quite either so it's a really nice vibe with warm weather and it's just pleasant to be outside and there is some music playing in a variety of places so I just walk around and enjoy.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Shinkansen

    6 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The Shinkansen to Hiroshima was fast. I got there in just about an hour. It left me a lot of time to hang by the river on a park bench and later in the middle of a very enjoyable crowd full of laughter under the cherry blossoms. It's their Saturday and one of the most important days. Sakura! This is a city full of lively people, they have a new stadium and their foot ball team plays tomorrow afternoon.

    The hostel has a locals bar under it and it is full of boisterous families. Great place to hang out and observe their lives.

    Three younger women sit down at my table I overhear a French accent and it turns out the third one is Dutch so we have a great conversation going in three languages of course. That's the hostile life at its finest. I'm definitely in tourist land now.    Baca lagi

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    To Onomichi

    7 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    On the way to the bus station I come by the football stadium and the fans are already lining up early to get into the stadium for a 2:00 afternoon game I guess they spend the whole day inside the stadium.

    I spend the morning in Hiroshima waiting for the bus, the Google directions for the bus stations were wrong and I missed the 9:45 so I take the 10:50 instead and sent information to Google so they can fix it.

    I've got a splendid cup of coffee and I'm sitting on an intercity bus to Onomichi. That's a smaller town and it's off the Shinkansen track where all the tourists hang out. It's a resort town minus the resort. a lot of people are out on a Sunday. There are a ton of little restaurants, a little bit touristy but in a Japanese sort of way.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Bike ride to Imabari

    8 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    I meet Ainwright from Melbourne, Australia while walking to the bike rental place. We set a good place and decide to ride together until I have to double back to retrieve my phone that I left on the counter at Lawson's.

    From there I returned to my default setting of getting lost. Intentionally or not I manage to do it again and find a superb temple for locals and an end of the valley village that is so typically Japanese. The weather is holding up.

    The bike riding is great but I never met up with the Aussie again. The rain starts and it's mild. I see a fun chair indicating a burger place and that would sure hit the spot. Great folks. We talk about formula 1 and they offer a mochi filled with a whole Mandarin. Tastes great. I'll have to come by there again tomorrow.

    By the last 5km I'm I get pretty wet and cold and I hang on to reach the hostel. This one is on Shikoku on the Henro track and Stine is there. Together with Patrick also from Melbourne we have an interesting conversation about Denmark and Greenland.    Baca lagi

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    Return bike to Onomichi

    9 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    I knock out the first 6K before 9:00 but it's still raining and it's supposed to rain for a bit more so I immediately stopped for a cup of coffee and regroup. It takes an hour for the rain to stop and there is no point in getting wet this early in the day. I'm getting some trip planning done.

    On the first bridge I run into a Brazilian couple, they were on their third trip to Japan, they really like it here. Then I took the road less traveled again and found this super nice little coastal trail. I love the process of discovery.

    The definition of a national park in Japan and in the US is quite different. In Japan that means that regular life and industrial development still happens within the confines of the park.

    Great ride, by 3 pm I was going to go by the burger place again but they were closed. Onwards, today is a long day again, well over 100 km just what I wanted. With the rain delay I actually realize that I won't make it back before 7pm and indeed I don't get back until 8:45pm just before the last ferry cut off. Good thing I pack my head lamp often. Great day in the saddle. Really pumped out some strong effort.    Baca lagi

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    To Kagoshima

    10 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    A delicious and decadent breakfast of pistachio chocolate covered croissants. It's really sunny today but cold, 37 overnight.

    The Shinkansen takes just over 3 hours to get me all the way to Kagoshima. I rest a little in the park buy some food items for dinner and check in. It's time for early rest I am very pooped from yesterday's effort.Baca lagi

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    Ferry to Yakushima

    11 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It is an absolutely awesome pleasure to be on a boat again. It just makes me feel so alive. The wind, the water, the waves, far away horizons. I love it.

    Yakushima appears in a shroud of clouds. There are only just over a hundred sunny days on this island it rains almost all the time if it isn't cloudy. But it has incredible flora and that's why people come here to hike. The volcanic origin of this islands is obvious in the steep slopes and the highest point at just under 2,000 m. Everything is green obviously.

    The tourist information centers are very useful and they're very good with their tourists here.

    All my stuff is moist without even getting wet or any rain. People mull about in the hostel without too much communication, just a little bit of conversation with the Frenchman and the Korean in my room. Maybe it's the rainy weather.

    Early to bed tonight.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Big Surprise

    12 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Incredible hike into the center of the island on a well established track. This place is wet and moss is everywhere, some 600 species are on this island. The cedar trees here grow slowly and have tight rings and high resin content so they are resistant to rot and insects. They grow large and old. Jomonsugi is estimated between 2700 and 7000, it's 16m circumference is impressive.Baca lagi

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    Rest day Onsen

    13 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I go to an Onsen after a leisurely wake up and go soak in a sulfur water warm bath right by the ocean. Cool spot.

    In the afternoon I find a deserted beach, volcanic rock and at low tide a nice spot to do an excursion.

    The Israeli guy, Philip and I are discussing how to learn Japanese. I have absolutely no clue with my two words but they have done a few months of study and are a wealth of information on the topic. It's more involved than I realized.    Baca lagi

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    Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine

    14 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Up at a reasonable 7:00 a.m. Ran into my Japanese friend again, third day in a row. My Israeli friend is going too. It's a nice three and a half hour walk in moss covered forest with some rain, great conditions to be in such a forest. Absolutely awe inspiring again.Baca lagi

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    Onsen rest day again

    15 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    There was really no choice. Today is a rain day and in sub tropical Yakushima that means hard rain. Went to the waterfall while it was still dry and reached the Onsen right on the ocean just as the heavens let loose. Stayed in the water for 3 good hours having an animated conversation with a young Japanese touring cyclist and an Italian from Milano named Luca.Baca lagi

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    Discovery & Ferry

    16 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Finally a sunny day. So I scheduled for the last ferry at 16:10 and made the most of my day by getting up early and going hiking right behind the hostel. That would allow me a nice shower before getting on the hydrofoil ferry and the bullet train to Kumamoto.

    The hike was exhilarating, it was so great to be completely off the beaten path, a place where no tourist goes, and for some of the spots I wouldn't be surprised if I was the first Westerner ever there, it was so far in the back. And it was all about the ferns, one of my favorite plants.

    The ferry is an amazing boat as a hydrofoil it is incredibly smooth and you can't even tell when it gets up on the foils or when it sinks in. After that I'm on the shinkansen and it's another marvel of speed and efficiency. I feel immense gratitude to be able to travel like this. Kagoshima has a nice feel to it.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Kumamoto

    17 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I spend the day in Kumamoto to get a feel for this city. The weather is great and the hotel with the huge fish tank has a rental bike so that sealed the deal. I cruised around some local neighborhoods and by the river, towards the park. Bought some low carb bread from a small cute shop, yummy. I'm listening too the book Shogun. Mellow day but still riding. Overall this city is a bit more spread out and less inspiring.

    By the end of the day I catch the bus to Minamiaso. I walk up to the pension in the dark. This will be one of my nicer places to stay.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Volcano

    18 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    This was a 'day of days'. That's how I like to call it when everything is superlative. Mr Kawasaki, my host takes me to a bicycle rental place, an ebike is going to be the best way to get to the volcano hiking trailheads. It will be a workout. Of course I get lost, end up on a small farmers road, hop a fence, and find my way again.

    The volcano is smoldering and access is not allowed within 1km due to the sulfuric gases. The trail I want to climb is on the other side, so it's up this side and down the swooping curves in the other side back down to the valley floor and back up to the trailhead. The path up is almost a steep scramble. I'm feeling good and I'm motivated.

    There are a few people up here, their silhouettes standing out on the stark ridges of this volcanic wasteland. The smell of sulphur wafts in and out, even from so far away you can feel warmth from the crater. I loop back down a different path, grab the bike, swoop down again and in Aso grab a bite. I still have energy and decide for the long way home around the entire volcanic dome complex in the center of one of the largest calderas in the world. At the end is the hot bath in an Onsen. It just doesn't get any better than these scenic, weather perfect, days.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Helicopter volcano

    19 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I get up early and dash out on the bicycle with a 75% battery to catch the helicopter as early as I can. It's a good ride up and it uses up about 40% of that battery so I made a plan to go back down and get a 100% battery after the helicopter ride and do more biking today instead of hiking.

    The helicopter ride was fantastic and made me realize just how much I miss flying my own plane. Seeing the crater from above was something else, it is truly a bath of sulfuric liquid down there just boiling away.

    Riding back down the curvy road to the valley floor I get a new battery and a taller seat post. I'm enjoying the mid-70s warm weather almost summer like conditions on the terrace eating some Takoyaki. Then I set off for a monster ride all around the caldera. Nice phone call with Oliver, first time talking since I got to Japan, it was about time.

    Again I catch an onsen at the end of the day in a nice mineral pool. These are the days! Carpe Diem.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara

    Okayama

    20 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Yesterday's last minute decision to go to Okayama gets me to a bus at 6:06 in the morning and I get to Okayama before 11:00.

    I meander on over to the castle and to the Japanese garden where I spend most of the day.

    On the way back I find a lot of young people selling used US clothing and they are kind of counterculture the way they're dressed and act. This is near the University also right below my hostel is a bar where a band is setting up.

    It turns out they had about five bands playing I caught the last one which was a small college band, they sounded great. I met Yudai who is handling out pamphlets for his funk band party.    Baca lagi

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    To Kyoto - food fest

    21 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Late Sunday morning wake up and easy train ride too Kyoto. I was going to try to eat less today but that will not be working out. There is just way too much good food around the stations, mostly bakeries with a Japanese twist on french pastry staples.

    Today the crowds are enormous, the most I've ever seen and this is the Japan that the tourists usually see. Even in Okayama for a Sunday morning there was a crowd.

    Excellent lunch with view from the 11th floor in Kyoto.

    I ran into a piano that is open for the public. But I wouldn't try to play there even if I was moderately excellent. The level was very high. Spring sonata by Beethoven played by young woman on the violin accompanied on the piano by her teacher. The big guy played a known piece but in a very different way, super amazing talent.

    3 hours later and I still haven't left the station to go into the city.

    Kyoto is exactly the Japanese city that I was anticipating seeing. It's the Gion ward that has the narrow restaurant lined walking streets. I found a blues and a jazz cafe. I might he save to stay longer in this city.    Baca lagi

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    Kyoto walk

    22 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I'm walking all over the city again. For part of it I have Oliver's company through WhatsApp. It's great do do a little show and tell. There are 1600 temples in this city. I walk to the 5 story tall pagoda that once was built by Kobo Daishi. But like almost all old buildings in Japan a fire demolished the original and it has been rebuilt many times.

    I walk by the Nishiki market, it's busy with tourists but once out of there I find a Nigiri specialty shop where I but two delicious pieces for dinner too enjoy on the river bank which is lined with people sitting outside in the overcast but warm weather. For all the lack of music in Japan so far, Kyoto is quickly making up for it. By the river are two groups playing and I'm going to have to get up close.

    As I do I see a sign for a free walking tour. I join up with them and enjoy a very informative two and a half hours in neighborhoods I had not seen yet.

    The young Dutch guy Flo on the hostel is talkative and I spend two hours with him in conversation. Good to talk your native language. Interesting chap too.    Baca lagi

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  • Uncle WoullyJapanPengembara
    11

    Rainy Kyoto morning

    23 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It's going to be a rainy day in Kyoto so I get out early to beat the crowds and the rain. Within an hour I take already more than 20 pictures that I find amazing. Kyoto is an enormously photogenic city. You do have to fight the tourists though, oh wait I'm one of them.Baca lagi

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    Kyoto in style

    24 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Ran along the river, first run off the the year, I can still do it. Grabbed a salad at Family Mart, sat by the river and received a visit from a heron.

    Checked out of the hostel, walked to the theatre, where Miyako Odori is showing the 150th performance of this traditional Japanese dance, only for the month of April. It sold out early. A young lady tells me it is sold out and I say yes, it's too bad. Then she says are you just one person? It turns out there is one ticket for the tea ceremony and show left. I get to attend this event after all.

    For some more rainy day cafe time, I pick a new place on the 3rd floor overlooking the river. Cheers! Life is great.

    There is strictly no photography at the performance. So the memory is engraved in my brain instead.

    Dinner is at a nice restaurant on the river. Time to pick up my back pack and hike to the next hostel also in Kyoto. There is an Onsen there with an electric shock bath, I let it hit my calfs.    Baca lagi

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    A sunny day in Kyoto

    25 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    With a nice weather I decide to go for a hike in the woods to a temple up above that was recommended by the guide from a few days ago. It feels great to get out and hike again and get sweaty. The woods are beautiful but not at all like Yakushima. The ground is wet from all the rain that fell in the last two days.

    Once I get to the top, there's only a very long way to hike down so I take the gondola and then the cable car down to the river where I hang out with some lunch food. Then it's a train back to Kyoto City and I decide to walk to the confluence. There are a lot of people mulling about on this wonderful afternoon. A young couple is playing some bluegrass on guitar and mandolin and I sit down right next to them to listen. They laugh a lot. A professional crew is shooting some photography of a model also with the river background. Little ducklings create quite the stir with photographers.    Baca lagi

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    Relaxing day

    26 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Late start, quick look at the imperial palace, hang out by the river and fall asleep in the grass. The anticipated sunny 80 degree day does not materialize. I go into the cafe in the 3rd floor again and get some tablet work done. Then off to the local all Japanese Onsen.Baca lagi

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    Travel day

    27 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Golden week is supposed to be this crazy busy period of Japanese holidays. I planned to travel this day without thinking about it. I'm bracing myself for the hordes only to find the train stations no worse than normal. I arrive in the dark at my hostel in Miyako. I'm tired, long day.Baca lagi

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    Stunningly beautiful coastal hike

    28 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    A stunning beautiful sunny day in the mid-70s. After all the rain and cloudy days this is exhilarating. On top of that I'm doing a hike in the woods on single track along a coastline that is absolutely mind-blowing. If there's heaven on Earth I think I'm living it.

    It's a fairly long hike and I don't know exactly how much time it will take or what to expect so I'm putting in a great effort and I'm flying along. What is surprising is the amount of stair steps and how steep the trail goes up and down. I also take time to enjoy the views. Good mix.

    But I know there is a bus at the end to take me back to town. Then I go to the store to stock up on food and I run into a Sunday afternoon tennis match by high schoolers. It's exciting to watch from the bridge vantage point.

    I make dinner and have great discussions with three Japanese who are also hiking the trail and are doing the same thing basing out of my hostel. With all the pantomine it is actually pretty funny and we laugh a lot.    Baca lagi

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    Shimanokoshi coastal hike

    29 April 2024, Jepun ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    4:45 My internal clock wakes me up there's a hint of daylight and I dash out of bed to make the 5:00 a.m. train and I actually catch it.

    On a bench in the train station in Shimanokoshi I meet two Japanese hikers who are going the opposite way. I encounter them again somewhere in the middle to great shouting and yelling and having fun seeing each other again. Missed getting their picture.

    What an unbelievable place to hike, it is yet another sunny seventies day. While walking I am startled by a Serow, a type of Japanese deer. It doesn't run off and just stands there in the woods looking at me so I stand still and look back at it. As I'm standing quietly there for some 10 minutes it finally goes about its business and I get to observe it in it's natural habitat. They were almost extinct and in 1955 the Japanese government intervened. Their numbers have recovered completely, but according to my Japanese trekking friend it is a rare sighting.

    Being still in the woods has its rewards. Forest bathing in absolute quiet on the edge of a cliff overlooking the water through the trees, all I could hear was the distant rhythmic rumbling of a diesel engine of a ship far ashore. Bird song played the chorus. It's a deep feeling of pre-historic nature.

    With time left on my hands I managed to walk another 6K to get another viewpoint on the shore. Back at the train station I run into my bunk mate from the hostel who has all kinds of questions for me as he is hiking this section tomorrow. We spend the evening discussing everything I saw and get him prepared.    Baca lagi

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