Nishiki Market

Today was our last full day in Kyoto. We ventured onto a different bus line and visited the Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto. This market has been here for centuries. It started as a fish wholesale district but now sells all kinds of foodstuffs, some of which I would not be game to try. For example, one trader had skewers with a sign saying "eel inside", which from their appearance I assumed means the guts of eels. 

In the main shopping area a department store window had these pictures of cat and dog characters. I could not figure what they were meant to convey but I liked them anyway. 

Kyoto Outing

After our first day experience travelling to Gion on a hot overcrowded #100 bus, we decided to catch the #206 which also goes to Gion - trouble was the #100 only took 10 minutes to get to Gion while our #206 bus took one hour and 20 minutes to get to the same place! At least we had seats and got to see areas of Kyoto that tourists would not normally visit.

At the entrance to the Yasaka Shrine we were approached by a group of young male and female scouts who asked us to write down our nationality and where we live. They were all very happy we were willing to help them with their "research" and took a group photo with us in it. They gave each of us a little present of a few sweets in a small box which they had made out of paper. 

Being Sunday there were many more Japanese visitors at the Shrine than on other days. We walked through the historic area of Higashiyama up to the Kiyomizudera Temple together with thousands of other people. There is a three tiered pagoda painted bright orange but the star attraction is the 

Kiyomizudera (literally "Pure Water Temple") which is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills to the east of Kyoto.

Kiyomizudera is famous for its wooden stage that juts out from the main hall 13 metres above the hillside. When standing on the stage I didn't really appreciate how high I was from the ground, but after going down the hill I could see the timber framework supporting the stage. Both the main hall and the stage were built without the use of nails. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the Gion shopping area. I was sustained by a fabulous salted caramel crepe, while Anita settled for caffeine. After we recouped at our hotel we went to a local Vietnamese restaurant, but won't bother going back as it was not very good.  

Nara

As we were on the Nara JR train line we decided to continue to Nara which was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784 when the framework of national government was consolidated. At the station we bought an all travel day pass for only 500 JPY (about $7) to use the terrific system of buses which efficiently takes thousands of visitors around the various sites. There are numerous historic monuments including Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated remains of the Imperial Palace. 

Our first stop was the Kohfukuji Buddhist Temple in Nara Park. We immediately saw the deer that roam the park in their hundreds. They are tame and are fed "deer biscuits" by visitors (at a cost of 150 JPY) but apparently they can be aggressive, which probably explains why their horns had been removed. Some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed. One unsuccessfully tried to have a taste of Anita's coffee. They have been in the park for centuries and are protected as they are considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods. 

There is a five story wooden pagoda that is 50 metres tall. It was first built in 730, and was rebuilt in 1426. The timbers are fastened together with hardly any nails by inserting carved thinner and narrower ends of beams into slots. There are about a thousand large mortise joints in a five-story pagoda - that's a lot of carpentry!

The most outstanding place we saw today was the Buddhist Todaiji Temple. The Great Buddha Hall houses the world's largest gilded bronze statue of the Buddha at an impressive height of 15 metres. The temple is also the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

We caught a local train to Inari to see the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine which was just across the road from the station. This Shinto shrine is unique in having thousands of torii or gateways which are usually made of wood and painted black and orange (or vermillion). There are literally thousands of torii at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, most of which are over the paths up to a shrine at the top of Mount Inari. Each is donated by a Japanese business or individual at great expense.

We did not walk all the way up to the top as that would have taken about 2 hours. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. There are many pairs of statues of foxes who are thought to be Inari's messengers so many have things like a scroll in their mouths.

There were thousands of other tourists at the shrine, mostly Japanese. I finally managed to take one picture without there being dozens of other people in the frame.

Kyoto

The trip from our hotel to Kyoto was fairly straight forward as by now we are familiar with that section of the Osaka transport system. We changed our reserved seats for an earlier bullet train and 15 minutes later we were in Kyoto. Getting out of Kyoto Station was another matter – some of the stations in Japan are incredibly big, with all sorts of shops and restaurants, including high end dining.

Our hotel is only a 2 minute walk from the station so we parked our bags there and ventured on a very crowded bus to Gion which is one of the historic areas of Kyoto. The Yasaka Shrine was immediately opposite the bus stop so that was the first place we visited. Several of Kyoto's historic shrines and temples have been granted World Heritage status. We won't be here long enough to see all of them but some are very special. Initial construction of the Yasaka Shrine started in 656.

We had tempura for lunch and suffered another very crowded bus ride back to our hotel. Our room is small in comparison to hotels in Australia and other western countries, but it is serviceable. One of the hotel attractions is the hot spring communal bath, which fortunately is divided into male only and female only. 

Shrines and Shops (2)

Shinsaibashi Suji is a covered shopping arcade in Namba that has hundreds of shops. We managed not to part with any of our money but loved looking at the food hall in Diamaru. The sweets look spectacular.

Osaka has a particular pork bun called Butaman which derives from the Chinese version. We watched them being made in Diamaru and saw the wooden boxes used to steam them. The steam room has a glass front so that customers can see the process. 

Shrines and Shops (1)

This morning I dragged Anita around shrines and in the afternoon I suffered shops. We discovered Osaka is not as easy to get around as Tokyo because there is so little English used on the transport systems. At many stations the names of the train lines and the stations were only in Japanese. On top of that there are multiple transport systems in Osaka - the JR network, more than a dozen private rail networks, a municipal subway and a tram system.

Our first trek was to the Ikutama Shinto Shrine then we happened to pass a Buddhist Shrine nearby. One of the most significant Shinto shrines in Osaka is the Sumiyoshi Taisha where there were several young children dressed in traditional clothing having their photos taken with their parents and grandparents. The Taiko Bashi bridge is at the entrance to the shrine.

Osaka

After catching the mariner line from Takamatsu back to Okayama, we caught a bullet train to Osaka. The train station here is huge and we had to find our way to a subway to get to the Monterey Gracemere Hotel in Namba. The hotel reception is on the 22nd floor where there is an art museum focused on European furniture and art. Our room is on the 28th floor and we can see the red Minato bridge which apparently is the third longest cantilevered bride in the world.

We walked to an area called Dotombori along a canal which is the centre for local night life with dozens of neon billboards and thousands of young people. Dinner was again Italian, this time the restaurant had an Italian proprietor. 

Ritsurin Garden Takamatsu

We wheeled our cases down the hill from the Hotel Bokaiso to catch the small bus back to the local station. I visited the Yashima temple which is near the bus stop. There are 88 temples on the island of Shikoko and many Japanese embark on temple pilgrimages. Yashima is a small "mountain" which was the site of a famous battle centuries ago.

To catch the train to Takamatsu we had to carry our bags up and over the foot bridge to the opposite platform. Again we were glad we are travelling with small suitcases.

After parking our bags in a coin locker we worked out how to catch a local bus to the Ritsurin Garden which is a famous historical garden with initial works starting during the seventeenth century. We saw a worker hand "pruning" one of the ancient pine trees by simply pulling pine needles off the branches. The garden was very attractive but not stunning. The lakes and streams are full of enormous koi fish in many colours, some over 2 feet long. We also saw a turtle in the water. We have seen very few birds during our travels, only a few crows and pigeons. This could be explained by the many cats wandering around.

The cutest sight was these kindergarten kids being wheeled around in carts by their carers. Kids are often out and about in large groups and generally wear distinctive caps or hats presumably so their teachers can spot them more easily in crowds. 

Japanese Technology

Our hotel rooms have kettles which do not have escaping steam. The reason for these clever kettles is the smoke alarms are sensitive to steam. They would also be safer and less likely to cause steam burns.

We have seen a wide array of electronically controlled toilets. Some play a recording of running water, apparently because the Japanese are averse to the sounds that might otherwise come from toilets. The seats are generally heated and some cause water to run when you sit on the seat, but that really is a waste of water. There are many buttons and controls on some of the toilets but rarely any English explanation. The flush button or sensor is generally obvious but yesterday I was distracted at a public toilet and accidentally pushed the panic button instead of the flush button. An attendant came running (literally) so I was profuse in my apologies!

The hotel bathrooms have heated mirrors so they do not steam over. Controls for room lights can be complicated and take some experimenting to figure out which button turns off which light.

Many of the trains have USB connections or power points for charging phones and laptops. So far the wi-fi connections in our hotels have been much faster than anything at home.

Japanese Meals

On our last night in Okayama we went to Teppan Ku-Ya on the basis of it having the #1 rating for Okayama restaurants on TripAdviser. It was also only a few minutes walk from our hotel and easy to find. The #1 rating is very well deserved. We were the first customers to arrive when it opened at 6 pm. The chef and his 4 female assistants were casually chatting, but as other customers arrived the kitchen picked up to a frenetic pace to keep up with orders. At times the women were literally running around the restaurant.

On the basis of the TripAdiviser reviews we chose the set menu which consisted of 6 different courses. The first was a selection of tiny appetisers. This was followed by a delicious salad, grilled seafood with vegetables, pork cutlet with a special garlic sauce, and small round dumplings containing a piece of squid and other delights. We had watched these dumplings being made in special cast iron moulds on top of the stove. Dessert was a choice of cheesecake, custard or sorbet.

The servings were appropriately small and every one was beautifully presented and tasted delicious. We watched the chef and his assistants work quickly in the long narrow kitchen preparing the food and drinks for up to 20 people at a time. As we were leaving we were given a thank you card containing 2 tiny origami birds. The total food cost was 5000JPY which is about $80 so it was also very good value.

Tonight we ate at the Hotel Bokaiso as there was no other option! Dinner was shabu-shabu which involves a hotpot of boiling stock into which each diner places tofu, vegetables and thinly sliced meat which was wagyu beef. There was an assortment of sauces and little dishes. We were not keen on many of these, but the main meal was fine if somewhat overpriced at 8,640JPY. Dessert was either a serving of sorbet or ice cream. The sorbet was made from yuzu which is a Japanese citrus fruit similar to a grapefruit. The ice cream was flavoured with gin. Both of these were tasty.

In many restaurants we can simply point to photos of prepared meals on the menus. The food is plentiful, tasty and reasonably priced. Many supermarkets sell small prepared meals which can be reheated at home. Bakeries and patisseries sell individual slices of bread which is a great idea for people who live alone or have limited storage space. 

Takamatsu

When we planned our trip to Japan we had the benefit of our friends' itinerary from when they came here last year. Like them we wanted to go to Naoshima which is an island in the Seto Inland Sea that is famous for its modern art and sculptures. Unfortunately we were unable to secure accommodation on the island so booked at Hotel Bokaiso in Takamatsu which is a short ferry ride away.

When we made the booking google showed this hotel as being located on the main street of Takamatsu, but we later discovered it is located in a national park up a significant hill. The instructions indicate a shuttle bus is available from a local railway station, but when we arrived the bus turns out to be a local service not a hotel shuttle bus as we understand that concept. The bus dropped us at service area 500 metres from the hotel. There were no signs to indicate where to find the hotel, but we were given a map and directions by a helpful employee in a convenience store. The views on the walk up were fantastic, but with each uphill step Anita's enthusiasm for this particular hotel decreased proportionately.

We decided it is too impractical to stay here with an irregular bus service to get us to the local railway station, then having to catch the train to Takamatsu before we could catch the ferry across to Naoshima! In the end we decided to stay only the one night. The views are spectacular and dinner was special, but we have opted to relocate. No other hotels available for miles around because we are in the middle of the autumn session of an arts festival that is only held every 3 years. We have decided to head for Osaka for a couple of nights instead.

This morning we left our luggage at Takamatsu station because we could not check into the Hotel Bokasio until 3 pm. We wandered around the old castle grounds where there was a garden display of gigantic dahlias and bonsai plants. I think the plant in the photo is a chrysanthemum but there were no signs in English to explain what was what. The last remaining moat around the old castle grounds is now tidal and was full of black bream which are fed by the boat operators tossing out food to entertain their tourists. 

The shopping/restaurant area of Takamatsu has been modernised by removing cars from the narrow streets, constructing clear roofs over those streets, and repaving the area. The result is strip shops under cover - much nicer than any shopping mall. 

Kojima

We can't resist the pastries from the patisserie at the Okayama station so we had breakfast there and stocked up for morning tea and lunch for a trip to Kojima to see the Seto Ohashi Bridge. The local train took about 30 mins and we chatted with a couple of Aussies for part of the journey.

In Kojima we caught a local bus to Washuzan Hill where we could view the bridge which links five islands to the "mainland". It is really a series of bridges with a total length of 13.1 kms. There are two levels with the rail lines on top and a toll road underneath. From the Washuzan Hill we could see all of the bridges as it was a fine clear day. 

We took the bus back and found our way to Jean Street to check out the numerous shops specialising in Japan-made denim clothing and accessories. The clue to our location was the jeans strung across the roadway in several places. 

We were the only potential customers the whole time we were there and many shops were not open. We are not sure if this was because it was Monday or there is limited demand for the relatively expensive local product. The denim is manufactured locally and comes in various grades. We saw 23 ounce denim jeans that were as stiff as a board but are practical for some workers.

Kurashiki

We had lunch at one of the Japanese restaurants at the Okayama railway station. Fortunately it had a menu with photographs so we could just point to what we wanted. It wasn't gormet food but was thoroughly enjoyable.

We then caught a local train to Kurashiki which is a neighbouring town that has an historical sector. Unfortunately many of the restorations have changed the character of the buildings and the old houses are now shops. A canal provides the opportunity for boat rides and this Japanese family is dressed for the occasion but the baby wasn't very happy.

The Japanese seem to keep fit and trim because they have to walk so far and climb so many steps. Many also ride bicycles. Along the train line we were on today there were large bicycle parks. One station had a multi storey bike park.

The "artwork" is the cover for a fire hydrant set into the footpath.

Okayama

Early Sunday morning in Okayama was quiet. We caught the local tram to the Korakuen garden. Food stalls were offering a variety of delicacies along the riverbank. The change to autumn colours has only just started in this part of Japan so the garden is not as colourful as it will be in a couple of weeks.

There is a reconstructed castle overlooking the garden. The original castle was destroyed in a bombing raid in WW2 but a replica has been built on the site. There are some more authentic buildings scattered around the garden such as this tea house.

Train Travel

Tokyo station was busy this morning but we found our bullet train without too much trouble. Fortunately we took food with us as the offerings on the train were not to our liking. There were several stops on our 4 hr 17 min journey of about 650 kms. The average speed of Japan's bullet trains is between 240 and 300 kph but we were not aware of the speed except when the train was stationary and another bullet train flashed past.

Okayama station is new and very impressive. There is a fantastic array of shops and restaurants. We love looking at the different foods and wish we had shops and supermarkets at home selling this range of foods. The prices are reasonable except for some fruits. A bunch of grapes can cost more than $60!

It was cloudy and drizzly this afternoon so we just walked in the local area mostly under cover. Our hotel restaurant was full so we opted for Italian again. 

Over the next 2 days we will visit the Korakuen garden which is regarded as one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and the historic area in Kurashiki which is about 20 kms from Okayama.

Wandering Around Tokyo

While we have been wandering around Tokyo Patsy spent hours in the emergency department and eventually was fitted with a temporary moon boot to secure her broken ankle. In the meantime on the home front the Gold Coast car races are on which can be heard clearly at our place. As well as that noise the dogs have been spooked by jets flying over so Patsy has to contend with that as well!

Generally Tokyo is incredibly clean, orderly and its citizens very polite. At the Ueno Park yesterday we saw about 100 men standing in two columns similar to a military formation. Some were obviously homeless and we eventually saw the christian food service apparently feeding them and later lecturing or preaching to them. We could not figure out why they had been formed into neat rows.

The Nakagin Capsule Tower built in 1972 has survived several threats to have it torn down. Each of the capsules is secured by only 4 bolts. The capsules are cantilevered off one of the two towers. Each capsule is fully self contained but most are in poor condition and used for storage these days. In contrast the 5 storey pagoda in Ueno Park was built in 1639 and continues to attract thousands of visitors.

Today we are catching the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Okayama

Tokyo Pics

First Stop Tokyo

Our flight to Japan left from Sydney so we flew down early to spend time with Virginia and Sophie (and dog). We were picked up from the domestic airport - eventually. We landed at Terminal 3 and the pickup area for arriving passengers had moved. We trekked through carparks for at least 500m to find the so-called Express Pickup area. This inconvenience appears to be designed to encourage passengers to take the train.

After lunch at Marrickville we returned to the airport to wait in the lounge for our 10pm flight. While we were there we learned our house/dog/cat sitter Patsy (Anita's sister) had a broken ankle! She had "sprained" it when visiting a National Trust site at Dubbo where she stayed on her way to the Gold Coast. After dropping us off at the airport Patsy went for a walk around Coolangatta and realised the ankle injury was more serious than a sprain. She had xrays at Dubbo hospital but the breaks were not picked up. She had further scans which identified the fractures. Unfortunately her ankle has been broken in the past and it still has screws from earlier surgery. We organised some last minute dog walking and other assistance then caught our flight hoping Patsy will cope with generous assistance from our friends.

We didn't get a lot of sleep on our overnight flight, but at least it was incident free. We worked out how to buy a 3 day pass for the subway, caught the correct train and found our hotel without incident. Unfortunately we could not check into the hotel until 3 pm but were able to leave our bags. Breakfast was at Starbucks, lunch at an Italian restaurant in a department store, and dinner was more Italian! There more Italian restaurants in this area than there are in Leichhardt! The rest of our first day was spent walking around the Ginza area and the Fish Market.

Today we went to Tokyo Station to book our long distance train trips using our Japan Rail passes. Lunch was in a French restaurant which was well worth the half hour wait for a seat. There were some astounding buildings on the walk back to our hotel.