TWELVE DAYS IN JAPAN

Welcome to Nippon, Nihon, or the place we know as Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun.

Japan is made up of nearly seven thousand islands. We had only two weeks to explore this amazing country and culture, so we limited ourselves to just a few of the major regions on the island of Honshu. What we saw and what we experienced was nonetheless, absolutely breathtaking.

Our journey began after a pretty normal flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong, a couple of hours later from HK to Tokyo and a bus to the Hotel Nikko in Narita. As Japan time is only an hour behind Melbourne we had no jetlag problems so after a leisurely breakfast Barbara and her sister Sheelah and I set off to look at Narita. This place is best known as the main airport for those bound for Tokyo, but the town of Narita also has some outstanding features, one of which is the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.

Approach to the temple in Narita

 The minute we stepped off the local bus we could see why. In front of us there was an enormous flight of steps but the reward at the end was a magnificent temple precinct with ancient Japanese shrines, a main temple and a beautifully decorated three storey pagoda.  This place was built in 940AD by followers of the Buddhist Shingon sect. An elderly gentleman, a very polite volunteer guide showed us around and explained the significance of each symbol.

Pagoda in Narita

By now it was getting quite cold and our thoughts turned to lunch
We walked along a winding street below the temple complex and found a restaurant. We enjoyed a variety of local food including prawns, salmon, crisp tempura vegetables and soba noodles. These are made from buckwheat. And of course there was green tea.
After lunch we returned to the main temple. Inside we witnessed a Buddhist ceremony. Called a “goma” it is a form of Buddhist prayer.

Buddhist Goma Ceremony

 A line of robed monks took their places before an altar, where a fire was lit. The leader of the ceremony chanted prayers and rang a bell, while passing various objects through the flame. The fire is said to consume suffering, thusimparting peace and wisdom. Behind the leader another monk solemnly struck a huge drum which reverberated around the building. It was all very solemn and mysterious. The “goma” lasted about twenty minutes and by the time we came outside again it was pouring with rain and we squelched our way down the street in search of a taxi back to the hotel. Our driver offered us a fresh towel with which to dry off. A welcome Japanese courtesy! We checked out of our hotel at around five and took the bus back to the airport to meet Gayle, our guide and the other members of our tour. By the time we got there Barbara was feeling quite ill (we think from a cup of vending machine coffee). I spent the next twenty minutes looking for a pharmacy and buying something for nausea. By the time we spotted Gayle, Barbara was feeling a little better and we all waited for the group. First there was Louise who had flown in from Stockholm, and then Kerry, Leah, and Megan.

After introductions we all followed Gayle to the railway station and boarded the train for the hour long trip into Tokyo. Gayle led the way from the huge underground station complex and across overpasses and down streets to the New Izu Hotel near the station of Ueno. On the way we learned the use of the Japanese version of Myki. Simple and in use for decades! Why can’t we do the same? Our hotel room was small but comfortable enough. One feature we had encountered on a previous stopover in Japan was the high tech toilet with heated seat and built in bidet. Gayle had warned us that the Japanese tend to overheat their hotels and shops and our hotel proved no exception. We had to turn off the aircon and open a window. Also they do seem to go in for very hard mattresses and pillows with a layer of beans on one side and a soft section on the other. But we were too tired to care.

Tokyo from 45 floors up

The next day was Sunday. We dressed after a quick shower and trotted downstairs for our first proper Japanese breakfast. No corn flakes here! There was ham and prawns, cheese and pickled vegetable served in a compartmentalized lacquer box, with green tea. This was a real cultural and dietary shift but that was ok.Then we set out to explore the city.

Our first stop was 220 metres above the ground; the observatory floor of the Metropolitan Government Building. From there we had a 360 degree view of Tokyo with skyscrapers spreading out to apartment blocks and houses almost to the horizon. There are nearly thirteen million people in this city. It is classified as one of the world’s megacities. And beyond the city, away in the distance we could see the faint outline of mountains, among them the unmistakable outline of Mt Fuji.

From the observatory we descended forty five floors to station level and took a train to the Meiji Jingu Shrine. To see the shrine, you pass through a torii ( that traditional wooden gateway) built of Japanese cypress.

Meiji jingu

The shrine itself stands at the end of a broad avenue of trees and is among the most popular visiting spots in the city. The whole complex sits at the centre of 175 acres of forest and parkland. Most of the trees here were donated by Japanese citizens so there is a huge variety of vegetation.

Meiji Shrine

The shrine was completed in 1921 and is dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken. 

Sake offerings

It was during the Meiji period that much of Japan’s westernization took place. This shrine was destroyed by bombing during World War 2 but is now rebuilt. Along the way we passed a wall of casks of sate. These were public donations to be used for ceremonies at the temple.

Wedding procession

Finally we climbed a long flight of steps to the temple gate and into a broad courtyard. There were weddings going on with couples in traditional garb, posing for photos and entering the temple for blessings. Shinto priests in traditional robes added more colour to the scene. The brides wore traditional geisha style hairdos woven with flowers. They all seemed to be accompanied by stylists to make sure they looked their best.

Bride and Groom

Shinto Priest

Harajuku - where the kids hang out.

By now it was nearly lunchtime so we took another train into the busier part of the city, in search of food. We found it in Harajuku, a district where much of Tokyo’s youth like to hang out on Sunday afternoons.
And there are lots of places to go for lunch. We squeezed ourselves onto a street bench after buying some street food called takoyaki.

Making Takoyaki

These are baby squid mixed with tempura bits and batter and formed into balls. They are served hot and are delicious. I know because I had eight of them.

Lunch al fresco

Then we plunged into the scene. The place was packed mostly with young people representing every style and sub culture from Elvis imitators to skinheads to zombies and Goths.

The Walking Dead

Pretty in pink

Japanese punk

Sunday blues

 There were people with blue hair and green hair and straw yellow hair. There were girls who looked like boys and teenagers who looked like ten year old school girls with plaits and ribbons and bobby sox. I don’t know what that was about but the whole atmosphere was fascinating. We saw shops selling every kind of clothing style and even a shop flogging clothing for dogs. Barbara walked to a park and saw an outdoor exhibition of camping stuff etc. And there were people skipping and dancing .

After that we went looking for coffee again and found ourselves in Hachiko Square in the district called Shibuya.

The loyal dog Hachiko

Hachiko was a dog owned by a Japanese man back in the twenties. Hachiko would always wait for his master outside the nearby railway station, until one day his master failed to return. He had died of a cerebral haemorrhage. The dog remained loyally waiting and fed by passers-by, every day for nine years.

Hachiko died in 1935 and became a national symbol of loyalty. A statue was erected to commemorate him. Because of metal shortages during the war, it was melted down but another version was erected in 2004 and stands there today.




This place is perhaps more famous for its fantastic scramble crossing Shibuya Intersection. It is said to be the busiest intersection in the world.

Shibuya Intersection

There was an upstairs Starbucks nearby so we spent half an hour drinking lattes and watching the traffic below. Our final Sunday treat was dinner at the Ninja Restaurant. We were a bit dubious about this “themed” eating place but it turned out to be a lot of fun. This restaurant lies behind a darkened doorway. You knock and a black clad ninja lets you in and guides you down several dark passageways to your own ninja dining room. You have your own ninja waiter who delivers the menu and drinks with a lot of drama.

Ninja Waiter

We then enjoyed seven courses of so called “ninja dishes” all of which were delicious. And we even received a visit from a “ninja magician” who intrigued with his ninja magic card tricks. It seemed a fitting end to a very Japanese Sunday.

He cooks too!

Next to our hotel there was a chain store called Lawson which was not unlike our Seven Eleven shops. On the following morning we all bought our breakfast there, with a view to eating it on the train to our next objective. This was  the town of Nikko about two hours out of Tokyo, high in the mountains.
The journey also gave us a chance to see the suburbs and see the sorts of houses people live in. They were a bit crammed together by our standards but all neat and tidy and all with little gardens of beautifully trimmed trees and shrubs and flowers. Very Japanese! 

Nikko

Barbara, Sheelah and I in Nikko

Arriving in Nikko we were at once struck by the alpine feel of the place. We crossed one of those curved red bridges over a rushing stream and then into a complex of beautiful old shrines and temples.

Hillside Shrine

This place goes back twelve hundred years and is regarded as one of Japan’s greatest mountain Buddhist retreats. There are many Shinto shrines here too.Approaching the temple complex you first see the Toshogu Shrine, an elaborately decorated building which you can visit provided you remove your shoes. Inside there is an area where people pray and priests carry out their rituals as we had already seen.

Five Storey Pagoda

There was a highly decorated five storey pagoda too and a shrine with monkey carvings said to be the origin of the three wise monkeys legend. But the real beauty of this place was its setting amongst tall forests of cedars thrusting up from steep rocky slopes.

Three Wise Monkeys

Toshogu Shrine

Woodland shrine

After several hours wandering through the temples and park we walked back to the township and enjoyed a lovely lunch in a cafe. The main dish was ramen, a traditional soup with noodles and soy sauce and lots of veggies and meat.

Night Market near our hotel

We got back to Tokyo as it was getting dark and walked through a marvelous night market selling fish and chicken, fruit and vegetables of every kind. Barbara and I enjoyed a slice of fresh juicy pineapple on a stick. Then we passed stalls selling all sorts of tat: cheap watches, knives, clothes and more...even fur coats.

Spices and stuff

It looked like real fur

Night Market Stall

Where to lose your money

In search of somewhere to eat we came upon a kind of casino for pokie players called Pachinko and Slot. Looking inside we saw dozens of Japanese men sitting in front of Pachinko machines with one hand on a screen. The noise was deafening.  Every now and then a stream of ball bearings would pour from the machine. These we were told, would eventually gain them a prize.    

Dinner in the basement

We left them to it and descended some stairs to a basement restaurant where we enjoyed a meal of pork dumplings washed down with a couple of pints of local beer.
Next morning craving some western food,we found a place which served French toast with bacon and coffee.Thus replenished,we boarded a train to Asakusa in the old part of Tokyo.

Kaminarimon Outer Gate, Asakusa

Hozomon, the main gate

Once again we found a broad thoroughfare flanked by shops and stalls selling all sorts of goods, clothing, lanterns, samurai gear, lacquer work and ceramics, as well as street food and coffee.

And then the Kaminarimon Gate, an imposing structure with a gigantic lantern hanging from its centre.


The lantern at Kaminarimon Gate

It was built in 942 in another place and was moved here in 1119 and is the outer gate to a temple called Sensoji Beyond it is another main gate called Hozomon. Sensoji is the oldest temple in Tokyo.

By now the weather was turning quite cold and threatening to rain.
But that didn’t stop us from visiting the rarely opened Imperial gardens and a gallery of fine Japanese art. The gallery featured enormous paintings of Japanese gods and warriors with fierce expressions..very threatening and fabulous.
Then we stepped out into a beautiful garden set around a lake with cherry blossoms in bloom in pink and white and hanging over the still water. There were finely sculpted trees and rockery in traditional Japanese style. Even the most amateur photographer could not fail to take beautiful photos here. This was the Japan we had come to see.

Imperial Gardens Lake

Cherry Blossom - Imperial Gardens

Imperial Gardens - Rock Garden

By the time we got lunch it was nearly 2.30. Gayle, our guide found us a restaurant where they practise sumo wrestling. This was another aspect of Japanese culture.All the tables and booths were set around a circular wrestling ring. There were no wrestlers in sight today, but lunch was great regardless.

Damien & Barbara at the Sumo Restaurant

We cooked our own dishes on little portable stoves at the table. There was a bowl of miso soup which we would bring to the boil and then throw in pieces of chicken and pork, and lots of veggies. And when they were cooked we could just help ourselves. Very filling and very nice!

Lunch

It was getting late in the afternoon when we visited the Edo Tokyo Museum which featured some fascinating models of the old style houses and plush residences of the wealthy of the fifteenth to mid nineteenth centuries.

Model of 15th Century Tokyo Streets

This was the Edo period, but the most interesting to me was the Tokyo Zone which traced the development of the city as it began to modernize. There were models of buildings copied from London and built by the Mitsubishi Company. There was a section on women's education and the development of different industries, the first cinemas and motor cars. 
We finished at about four thirty and headed outside to find it pouring with rain and blowing a gale. We were supposed to take a train to the other side of the city for traditional Onsen or hot spring bathing. But we got half way to find that the bad weather had stopped some of the trains so we had to give it up. By this time people were heading home from work and we experienced the famous evening rush hour. We stood for several stations squashed in like sardines.

Rush Hour - Tokyo

People are wonderfully polite but they push in so hard. I had to brace myself with one arm against the top of the door or I would have been squashed against the glass. Not good if you suffer from claustrophobia.
We dined that evening at a cheap family restaurant where you choose your dish from an illustrated menu, go to a vending machine and put your money in and press a button. The machine gives you a ticket and you give that to the waitress who delivers the meal about five to ten minutes later. There was everything from steak (which I had) to tempura and noodles. By the time we left, the rain had stopped and the wind had dropped. We walked the last few hundred meters to our hotel. We did a load of laundry in the hotel's one washing machine, and finally to bed.

Early on Wednesday morning we had a mixed breakfast. I had Japanese food and the others bought stuff from the next door shop. Then we were off again this time to nearby Ueno Park to check out the cherry blossoms. The trees grow along a long avenue and many were coming into bloom but a long way off full flower. Beautiful nonetheless! We took lots of photos regardless and planned to return at the end of our trip in the hope the flowers would have burgeoned.

Cherry Blossoms - Ueno Park

Ueno Park

From Ueno Park we walked to the station and took the train to the town of Kamakura about fifty kilometers from central Tokyo. It was once the seat of government back in 1192.

Hachimangu Shrine

Approach to Hachimangu Shrine

Among many shrines and temples, the most important is the Shinto shrine of Hachimangu. As well as the warrior religion of Shintoism, Zen Buddhism also flourished. At this point I should explain the difference between Buddhism and Shintoism. At its simplest,Shinto worships the forces of nature,represented by a multitude of gods, whereas Buddhism is all about following an ethical code of conduct in one’s life and the practice of meditation and renunciation.

The houses in Kamakura are interesting too. Some of them look quite European from the twenties and thirties. Apparently after World War One Japanese architects borrowed quite a lot from western design. Each house has a very Japanese garden however. We strolled for an hour or so down a long pedestrians-only street, peering into lots of little shops, some selling beautiful clothing and jewelry and others selling tat. In between there were lots of little cafes and restaurants, again quite a few with French names and styles. We lunched at a crepery and enjoyed crepes with tuna and cheese and onion followed by sweet crepes filled with jam.

In the paper shop -Kamakura

On our way back to the station we came across a shop selling Japanese wrapping paper and beautifully folded decorated cards. I took photos and got into trouble from the proprietor.

Photos Forbidden

She indicated she wanted me to erase my photos because of the exclusive patterns I suppose, but I thought she just wanted me to leave so I did with photos intact.

After that there was a short train journey to Hase where we walked up a hill to see the the great Buddha of Kamakura. This is the second largest statue of Buddha in Japan and was built in1252.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

The statue was originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the open air.

Hase Temple Complex

After many photos we visited a lovely Japanese garden and temple. This is the Hase Temple, dedicated to  an eleven headed goddess known as Kannon. She is the goddess of mercy.

In the garden of Hase Temple

Warrior army

Cherry blossoms were out and so were many other flowering trees and elegantly sculpted trees.
 At every turn there were little shrines and sculpted figures of warriors and priests. We sat and relaxed in the sunshine until it was time to leave.

When we reached Ueno station we split up in search of coffee. Barbara and Sheelah and I found some in a place called “Afternoon Tea”. It was sort of like the Myer Mural Hall circa 1950, but only sort of.
There were many Japanese enjoying tea and coffee in an elegant almost English atmosphere.  We enjoyed it so much we stayed for dinner which was a mix of Japanese food and European.
After that we went back to our hotel to pack for an early start for Kyoto in the morning.

On Thursday morning we set off to catch one of the famous bullet trains (Shinkansen) to take us to Kyoto, over a thousand years old and one of the earliest capitals of Japan.



A Bullet Train

The trip at high speed and very smooth, took about three hours, taking us through Yokohama, and Nagoya.
Along the way we got a great view of Mt Fuji in the distance.

At first glance Kyoto appears to be quite a modern and stylish city but look deeper and you find ancient walkways paved with stone and lined with old fashioned wooden shops. With two thousand temples and shrines, Kyoto is bursting with ancient history. The famous green tea ceremony, ikebana flower arranging, kabuki theatre; all originated in Kyoto. We took a taxi to the Kiyomizudera temple complex which dates back to 780AD.

Nio-Mon

Hondo in Kiyomizudera Temple

There is a huge orange decorated gate called Nio-mon. Beyond that we climbed a steep stairway to the main hall of this complex, called Hondo. . Its main feature is a broad veranda looking out over a forest of trees and the city of Kyoto in the distance .

Temple Bell

This stands on a huge framework of wooden pillars. It has no nails and has stood there since the fifteenth century
The Japanese have an expression “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu” which means to take the plunge.

Kiyomizu-zaka

We wandered through the gardens and then into the winding streets below the hall. This is Kiyomizu-zaka a narrow street with souvenir shops, tea rooms and art dealers. We found a charming Japanese restaurant where we had to sign in and wait for a table. It was well worth the wait. We sat at a table in a large airy room with big picture windows looking out onto a Japanese garden with manicured bushes and stones. My lunch included grilled eel and yam and green tea.

Tourist Temptations

After lunch we spent a couple of hours exploring the shops selling fans and dolls and all sorts of stuff. One shop a bit like our two dollar shops, sold nothing over one thousand and fifty yen. We continued on, overcoming the temptation to buy a fake Rolex, down another sloping street with a shrine and a beautiful cherry tree in full bloom hanging out over the street.


Blossoms in the street

At the bottom of the hill we passed a sort of avenue of food stalls for the people who were holding street parties for cherry blossom time.

Cherry Blossom Party

As we wandered down into the more modern part of town it started raining. We came to Gion Corner, a unique theatre where the visitor can see a show featuring seven aspects of Japanese culture. The area is also noted for its geisha houses and we would see a few geishas tripping along in their traditional clothes, presumable on their way to entertain clients in one of the many restaurants. It features in “Memoirs of a Geisha”.


Geisha off to work

We queued to get good seats in the theatre and for the next hour watched the very formal tea ceremony in which powdered green tea is prepared and presented to the guest, in this case one of our group. There was puppetry and a comedic excerpt from a Japanese play, and also a demonstration of ikebana (flower arranging) . Much of this is influenced by Zen Buddhism. Finally we watched as a beautifully clad apprentice geisha known as a maiko performed an intricate dance, her arms and hands fluttering like butterfly wings. She was accompanied by another girl playing the Koto, a horizontal multi stringed instrument, plucked from a kneeling position.

Maiko dancing

Japanese Tea Ceremony

After the show we walked in the rain in search of food. It was while we were doing that that we saw a real geisha on her way to work. Eventually we found a place with a promising menu and I enjoyed squid balls, steak and a couple of beers. After that we made our way to our hotel, the Toyoko Inn, right next to Shijo railway station.

On the following morning, Friday; Sheelah was feeling unwell and decided to drop out for the day.  Meanwhile we set off on another exploratory trip around this beautiful city. Firstly we took a bus and then a tram out to the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple more properly named Kinkakuji. This was a wonderful golden temple on a pond in the middle of beautiful gardens.

Kinkaku-ji - The Golden Pavilion

As you can see, its top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. The whole picture is enhanced by the reflection of the temple in the glasslike pond. We then entered an area where there were a group of apprentice geishas (maikos) serving green tea and sweet rice cakes with much ceremony and bowing. We even had our photos taken with these girls, 16 or 17 years old.

It's in the eyes

No-one believes me but I’m sure I made an impression with this young lady. Her eyes spoke volumes.

Green tea and cakes

Kerry,Louise,Leah & Megan in the Bamboo Forest

Tearing myself away from the green tea and cakes, I joined the others as we reached a long avenue flanked by groves of giant bamboos. The pictures speak for themselves.

Bamboo Forest

From there we walked along a river called the Hozu where we watched men propelling boats with long poles.

Boats on the Hozu River

As we reached a bridge we came in sight of a town. This was Arashiyama. The town lies on the banks of the Hozu at the foot of a range of low hills dotted with cherry trees and many other varieties.

Arashyama - Togetsukyo Bridge

While the blossoms were pretty, we were told the town really comes into its own in autumn when the hills blaze with colour. Togetsukyo Bridge acros the river literally means Crossing Moon Bridge. People have been visiting this place since the eighth century, so the streets are full of craft and souvenir shops as well as cafes and restaurants. We had a few hours of free time here. We finally succumbed to the lure of 1050 yen shops and bought some gifts, including novelty wrist watches and traditional geisha dolls. We enjoyed coffee overlooking the river and a helping of tea cake; green tea cake. Then more shopping until lunch in a Japanese buffet place. You paid for lunch by the hour...in other words you had an hour to eat anything you liked and as much as you liked. This we did and tried a little of a whole range of dishes. Some we liked others not so much.

There was one that looked suspiciously like snot.

Then we met the others and took another train out to the Nijo Castle where once the shogun of this region lived with his enormous retinue. Shoguns were commanders of military forces who ruled specific regions. They were subject only to the emperor.

The local train to Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle was built in 1626 and consists of two concentric rings of fortification. Each one has a wall and a moat. One of the most interesting parts of the complex is the Ninomaru Palace It is known for its so called  “nightingale floors” floors which make bird like squeaks as you step on them. The idea was to ensure that no-one could move around the palace without being heard.

Ninomaru Palace

We had to take our shoes off to walk through the many great rooms where the Shogun centuries ago would give audience to the lords of his domain. The squeaking was unmistakable, a perfect burglar alarm! We were told this was something to do with the way the floorboards were attached to the joists. The walls dividing the rooms were of sliding silk and paper fabric and were painted in gold with beautiful pictures of trees and birds.
Outside again we continued our stroll around the gardens admiring more reflective pools and cherry blossoms and manicured pines and cedars. We returned to our hotel for dinner and finally bed.

Saturday, and we headed for the station around the corner, this time aiming for the town of Nara, 45 minutes out of Kyoto. We, Sheelah included and feeling better, alighted and walked into a big open park with deer roaming about as if they owned the place.

Deer in Nara (Messengers of the gods)

 These animals are regarded in Shinto belief, as messengers of the gods. They are amazingly tame and are allowed to wander freely. You could feed them with biscuits sold by peddlers all along the avenue. At the end of this avenue the Todai-ji Temple which houses the largest statue of Buddha in Japan. The temple itself is said to be the largest wooden structure in the world.  The Buddha is inside the temple and is simply gigantic. This Buddha sits cross legged on a great flower decorated dais with its right hand held out like a stop sign or a blessing. People stopped and bowed their heads for a moment before clapping their hands together. This is to awaken the god so he will hear their prayers.

Approach to Todai-ji Buddhist Temple

The Great Buddha of Nara

We strolled back towards the town pursued by small deer until we reached an exhibit about earthquakes where you could sit in a sort of arm chair and the man pressed a button and gave you the sense of being in an earthquake. The seat was jerked violently back and forth from side to side. Didn't bother.

Magnolia and cherry blossom

Much more enticing was a beautiful garden of cherry blossoms, weeping cherry trees and superb Japanese magnolia. There were lots of people in national dress, kimonos and the men in grey and black robes.

Japanese visitors to Nara Park

Curiously too, we passed a lot of other people dressed as zombies. Apparently the walking dead are quite popular with Japanese teens.Then we picked a restaurant and enjoyed a welcome lunch. The place was busy and quite noisy but the food was delicious with plenty of soupy dishes with noodles and chicken and vegetables.Half an hour later we were in a place known as the Fushimi Inari Shrine. There are 1300 orange torii gates leading up a long hill and down again through a forest. Most of these have been donated over the years by families or companies seeking favour with the gods.

Entrance to Sakura Mon gate to the shrine

Donated Torii Gates

The shrines honour the patron deities of agriculture and business which means they have a constant stream of supplicants.
Having spent time delving into Japanese history, we headed back to Kyoto to see something more modern in the form of the Kyoto railway station. This is incorporated into a multi storied building with a long series of escalators up to the roof. There we had magnificent views of the whole city and then walked along long corridors of steel girders which seemed to extend for miles. An amazing structure!

Kyoto main railway station

At the end of the day, some of our group decided to head off for drinks. We oldies went home and did the laundry. After that, we sought food and settled for fettuccine carbonara. Not very Japanese but sometimes a change is a good thing.

It was Easter Sunday, not that that meant much in Kyoto.
We spent the day visiting two memorable places, one interesting for its utter beauty, and the other for its grim and sorrowful history. We took a train to the coast, then a ferry across a narrow stretch of water and stepped off into a cherry blossom wonderland called Miyajima.

In Miyajima

Every street revealed long avenues of cherry blossom and I think we must have photographed every one of them. Miyajima means “Shrine Island” and a few hundred meters from the ferry stop we could see why. This is where another world famous icon is located,the beautiful torii gate that is part of the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine. It stands in the water as if floating there. This is it.

Itsukushima Shrine Torii Gate

The Torii Gate from the Shrine

Many people choose this place in which to celebrate their weddings, and today was no exception. There was a wedding going on with an extended family all posing for photos, the bride and groom in traditional dress.

Wedding at Itsukushima Shrine

There were also a lot of deer wandering about and lots of little kids all dressed up for a day out with mum and dad. They would approach the deer tentatively then scream and hide behind their parents if the animal moved towards them. Kids here are very cute.

Dad and the kids



More blossoms

All along the canal and on towards a flight of steps there were cherry blossoms in full bloom. White and pink and some quite dark pink! Then up the stairs to a great hall where we had to take off our shoes to enter.

Senjokaku Hall

This was a meeting place over the centuries, the Senjokaku Shrine and it was built to honour fallen warriors of centuries past. The name relates to its floor space, that of 857 tatami mats. The floors themselves were polished to a shine from hundreds of years of visitors.

Inside Senjokaku

Ancient Japanese painting

Above us the walls and ceilings were adorned with massive old paintings of traditional scenes.
Leaving there we moved down the winding road past many sellers of so called festival food.

What can we have for lunch?

It was close enough to lunchtime so we chose a couple of skewered meats which they barbecued. Barb had chicken and I had pork ribs...very fatty but delicious. We sat on a nearby bench and devoured these and met two women, one Japanese and one Australian, who turned out to be teachers conducting twenty-seven boys from Iona College Brisbane on a tour. The Australian woman spoke perfect and rapid Japanese and the Japanese woman, perfect English.When teachers meet no matter where, the conversation turns to teaching.  I went and got another serve of ribs.

Last view of Miyajima

Then slowly we walked back to the ferry to the mainland. Miyajima was one of the most beautiful spots we had visited on this trip.
And then it was time to come down to earth. We caught the local train to the city of Hiroshima. This was only a few stops away and we stepped out onto a wide plaza where we grabbed two taxis to the Hiroshima Peace Park and museum.

The Peace Park - Once crowded suburbs pre 1945

The museum, an austere rectangular building is set in a wide area of parkland strewn with shrines and memorial. The grim fact is that this huge area of parkland was once a heavily populated part of the city. It was, that is, until 8.15am on the sixth of August 1945.

After the bomb

Of course we all knew the history of what happened here but to actually stand there and contemplate the unimaginable moment of that event was another thing. Inside the museum there are dioramas and relics of that day, preserved under glass.

Hiroshima - Wrist watch

There is a wrist watch stopped with its hands showing 8.15am. There is melted glass and twisted steel and pieces of tattered school uniforms. All part of the terrible reality of that day!

Nothing left but a shadow

There too is “the shadow on the wall”, the faint outline of a vaporized human being, still visible on the steps of a bank building.
The most moving thing I found was a charred and battered tricycle belonging to a child.

Child's tricycle

Accompanying these things were the recorded stories of individual victims, students on their way to school, workers going about their business, mothers shopping on a sunny morning. One recollection of a survivor tells how.... "A dragonfly flitted in front of me and stopped on a fence. I stood up, took my cap in my hands, and was about to catch the dragonfly when….."
The most horrific exhibit of all was a vividly presented scene showing two survivors, a woman and a young boy standing in smoldering ruins, clothes torn to shred, burns all over them, and huge strips of skin hanging in shreds from their bodies. Not photographic material believe me!
Outside again we walked slowly along this avenue, with shrines on either side.

It was still hard to equate this place with what happened here seventy years ago. All of this vast area was then a thriving community with houses and trams and public buildings.

One public building that still remains at least as a shell, is of course, the famous dome which stands at the far end of the park and is recognized around the world as a symbol of the Hiroshima bombing. Its broken down walls stand amidst a pile of jumbled masonry and right in the centre rising above the ruins is the dome itself, or rather the jagged steel skeleton of the dome, stark and black against the sky.

The "Hiroshima Dome"

The only consoling thing about Hiroshima is the fact that the city rose again. What was once the Hiroshima memorial is now the Hiroshima Peace Park and people come here to picnic under the trees.
We caught a tram to Hiroshima station and then a train back to Kyoto.
It had been a day of contrasts.

Our time in Japan was nearly up and we had one more place to visit
Monday morning and we checked out of our Kyoto hotel. Barb and I left our bags at the front desk while we went in search of breakfast. Not in the mood for pickled vegetables, we opted for a bakery nearby where we enjoyed fresh coffee and bacon and eggs on toast. Only a slight snag! The two fried eggs were smothered in tomato sauce. But it was welcome all the same.
On the way back to join the others we picked up sandwiches and a few snacky things for lunch on the train.
Then into the rush of work bound commuters before boarding a bullet train to Osaka, the first leg of a journey to the town of Takayama. We ate our lunch and joined another train at Osaka bound for Takayama. From the train windows we could watch the scenery change as we rose into the mountains. Now there were large areas of forest conifers and rushing icy green streams. By the time we reached Takayama the sun was shining although the mountain air was cold and biting.

En Route to Takayama

In the Hida Mtns to Takayama

We were picked up by mini bus and drove through the township which was a mixture of modern buildings and old Japanese houses. After fifteen minutes we drew up at our ryokan.

Yamakyu - Our Ryokan

This was to be our first experience of a traditional Japanese guesthouse. This was a family run place and our hostess met and welcomed us at the front door. We stepped out of our shoes and donned red leather slippers while Gayle showed us around the building, pointing out the various rooms and bathrooms. Then shoes on and a walk down the street for an orientation of the town!  After that we had a few hours to wander about. First stop coffee, then we spent an hour looking through a very old building which used to serve as government offices over the centuries, Takayama-jinya.

Takayama-jinya

The garden at Takayama-jinya

There were large rooms where the shogun gave audience and offices for secretaries and plenipotentiaries and maids rooms and kitchens all divided by those very Japanese sliding partitions. And in the centre, beautifully manicured Japanese style gardens with rocks and trees and ponds.

Old government offices

Then we strolled down the many little side streets lined with old brown latticed wooden houses in the centuries old Japanese style.

Old latticed houses - cars not permitted

And of course there were the little shops offering all sorts of souvenirs and knick knacks.  A rushing river runs through the centre of the town and there is a red bridge across it which served as our main point of reference. Every year they hold a festival of floats here, a tradition dating back centuries.

Miyagawa River - Takayama

We got back to the ryokan at about four and swapped our shoes for slippers again and checked into our rooms for the first time. The floor was lined with tatami mats. You leave your slippers in the outer vestibule and walk onto the mats. The windows were the sliding type with paper panels and glass on the outside. In the centre of the room was a low table with tea makings etc. The chairs had no legs so you sat with your legs under the table or cross legged. There were small electric blnketson which to warm your feet. We chose legs under.

Ready for a hot bath

Then we donned the kimono like gowns called yukatas and went in search of the Onsen or bathroom. Barbara went into the ladies’ one...I to the gents. The facilities consisted of an outer room where you sat on a low stool and turned on a shower. Then you washed with soap and thoroughly cleaned yourself before entering the actual bath room. Then you enter that room and lower yourself into a large pool of steaming hot water...then just relax. I had the whole place to myself but there could well have been several other guests at any time taking a bath. This was true bliss.
After that you dry off and you can spend the rest of the evening in just your underwear and the yukata robe.

The Onsen or bathroom

Barbara,Kerry and Megan. Pre-dinner drinks.

Before dinner we enjoyed drinks then stretched our legs under a long table in the dining room. I found it a bit hard to get comfortable on these legless chairs but once we did, the evening was great.

A banquet at the Ryokan

We were served a magnificent banquet of every conceivable Japanese delicacy, both hot and cold and it just kept coming. Small serves of everything in tiny dishes and covered pots heated on little burners on the table. I ordered a beer, Asahi and it was a 600ml bottle. What a meal!
Bed on the other hand was memorable for other reasons. When we returned to our room we found that the table had been moved to the side and two futons were laid out on the floor.


Our sleeping arrangements

The mattresses were fairly thin with a doona and fitted sheets covering each. Ah well, when in Japan….It looked very traditional but a mattress on the floor is not conducive to a good night's sleep. I tried putting on an extra layer of mattress but it was still not comfortable and I had something of an interrupted night, and Barbara had the same experience.  Nevertheless we would try again tomorrow.

Hida Folk Village

The following morning was overcast early but clearing to blue skies. Legs under the table again, we enjoyed a mix of Japanese food and a croissant and coffee for breakfast. Then we set out by bus for the village of Hida about fifteen minutes away. This village set in the forest, consists of about thirty houses of traditional design. They are genuine ancient houses but collected from other locations around Japan and put here as a village for people to see how Japanese people lived centuries ago. The main attraction is a number of huge farmhouses (gassho-zukuri) with steep thatched roofs.

Traditional farm house

Inside, everything was carefully preserved with kitchen utensils and open fireplaces in the middle of the floor. These fireplaces are lit for a while each day which adds to the reality, but also because the smoke is essential in preserving the wooden rafters and the rope bindings etc. Some of these buildings date back over five hundred years.

Farm house interior

Water mill for crushing grain

Typical Takayama House

 After that we took a bus back to Takayama and spent the next few hours wandering along the narrow pedestrians-only streets peering into traditional shops and houses. The streets were immaculately clean and tidy. The gutters or drains in each street were about thirty centimeters deep, and the constantly running water was crystal clear.

It was morning tea time and we stumbled across a quaint and cosy café that might have been somewhere in the Cotswolds rather than the Japanese Alps. They served tea and coffee and cake and even toast and marmalade. All this to, of all things, a background of cool modern jazz. A lot of places we came across in Japan featured this kind of music. Maybe it was something left behind by American occupation forces.

A Yatai or festival float

Shopping

Barbara and Sheelah decided it was time to shop.





They bought themselves yukatas, the lightweight summer kimono sleeves and sashes.

Exhibition of 17th centuryYatai (floats)

 There was an exhibition hall where there were replicas of the great floats used for centuries for parading around Takayama during a special festival.

Lion mask & puppet

Lion mask

Nearby was a museum of puppetry featuring very old lion masks and puppets of various types. Athletic puppets, dancing puppets, a tea serving puppet and a calligrapher puppet. At lunchtime we went into a very old, rather musty looking Japanese restaurant and enjoyed bowls of udon noodles and tempura, and soba noodles with vegetables.
We were pretty footsore by then and made our way back to our ryokan. After a rest I took another one of those relaxing hot baths, this time sitting up to my neck in an earthenware cauldron of steaming hot water. I half expected a couple of cannibals to start cooking me for dinner.
And talking of dinner,that evening we enjoyed another magnificent banquet of cooked at the table beef, sushi, all sorts of pickled things, prawns and much more. I washed mine down with a little ceramic jar of hot sake. Very enjoyable!

Boxes of cedar and cherry wood

Our last day in Takayama was cold and wet. I think everyone was feeling a little tired, as we packed again for our final journey back to Tokyo. We had arranged for our bags to be sent to the station, while we took a last walk along the streets, stopping to look at beautiful woodwork and craftwork. As this town is surrounded by forests, wood carving was always a major feature of the place.

Japanese wood craft

Some of our group went off to see the morning market, but Barbara and I spotted a little café which looked warm and inviting. We joined the others at the station and it turned out that the market had been a bit of a fizzer due to the rain. We were all glad to settle into our reserved seats on the train for Nagoya. The trip took us through mountains and across valleys with wild rushing rivers and every now and then through small villages, each with their groves of cherry trees in full blossom. It was a most like a Swiss panorama unfolding as we sped by. We ate a lunch of sandwiches and things we had bought earlier, and eventually pulled into Nagoya. From there we joined a bullet train as far as the outskirts of Tokyo, then a local train to Ueno which was nearest to our hotel. It was raining again as we checked in and we were glad to dump our bags and relax for a while. Our room this time was quite large and the beds were above the floor level.  Traditional Japanese sleeping arrangements were worth experiencing, but once was enough.
At six we all headed up the road for a last visit to Ueno Park to see the cherry blossoms by night. There had been a bit of wind during the day so some of the blooms were now covering the path, but the whole avenue was still pretty spectacular.

Ueno Park Tokyo by night

Blossoms at night

Both sides of the promenade were lit by long rows of red Japanese lanterns. Photography however was a bit limited as shots using a flash turned the blossoms white. Disposing of the flash meant time exposure and holding the camera very very still. I could have used a tripod.

Ueno Park Avenue of Blossoms

From there we walked in the rain until we found a restaurant for our last dinner together. Then we headed back to the hotel. Some of our group went off for drinks so we made our regretful goodbyes, dripping with rain and exchanging somewhat sodden kisses. We were so lucky to have travelled with such a great bunch of people.



Front left: Megan & Barbara. Rear from left: Louise, Leah, Damien, Kerry and Sheelah

Barbara and Sheelah and I had decided to take a taxi to the Tokyo’s other airport at Haneda rather than tackle the train in the morning. Not knowing if it would rain and the prospect of battling flights of steps and morning commuters, convinced us that a taxi was worth the extra expense.
We packed up and somehow managed to cram everything into our cases, before showering and falling into bed. We'd been advised that the taxi could take up to ninety minutes to Haneda so we had to be ready by six thirty am.
As it turned out, we got to the airport in a little over half an hour. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of fresh coffee and Croque Madame (egg on toast with mushroom sauce and ham.)By some strange magic, this European concoction instantly changed us back into round eyed westerners. Our twelve day Japanese fantasy was ending.We changed all our money back to Aussie dollars and boarded our flight for Hong Kong then home, carrying with us, a some wonderful memories.

To paraphrase Bogart - "We'll always have Japan".