tokyototokyo

[tokyototokyo]

Dave’s Rendation

This was the second trip I’ve done with Dave and Lorraine but they have been on other Christine tours and for each one Dave cleverly composers and sings a song about the trip choosing appropriate music. Maybe you had to be there to understand the whole song but it pretty much sums up what we did and the people we met. Unfortunately I couldn’t load it in this format.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 24, In flight, 19th/20th April

All of us except Jenny and Al were able to sleep in this morning as they were flying out very early to Frankfurt and Germany for ten days. Later flying on to Toronto to visit Scott and then driving down to New York. The have 5 more weeks of travelling. The rest of us are flying home so enjoyed the one and only sleep in of the trip. When we did get going we found out that Kimmie was the only one that got up early to see them off. After a leisurely breakfast it was on a bus for the airport. Kimmie’s last time on the microphone. She has certainly made the trip wonderful with her knowledge, humour and patience.

We checked in for our domestic flight from Chitose to Haneda near Tokyo.

I think about 2/3rds of the plane, which was a big one, was full of Salary Men going home from business trips. When we retrieved our bags there were hardly any besides ours. The Salary Men all had cabin bags.

Chitose airport. Ready for taxiing.

View out of the window to volcanic mountains which Japan has many.

Happy crew.

More mountains.

We landed at Haneda airport and then had to catch either a train or a bus to Narita airport which was about 70 minutes away. The train times didn’t work so it was on the limousine bus between airports.

Kimmie was leaving us here to go home for a few well deserved days off before picking up another group.

She did the Japanese standard and waved and bowed until we were out of sight.

The road was good as all Japanese roads are so it was a smooth ride.

We didn’t see any cherry blossoms but we did see some peach blossoms which were pretty.

Narita airport, Tokyo’s other airport.

I started with a selfie at Sydney airport and finished with one at Narita. This has been a fabulous trip with wonderful people to travel with. Hopefully we can do it again somewhere.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 23, Chitose, 18th April

Last day of sightseeing today. This was the view from our hotel room. Mountains in the background. Japanese cities aren’t particularly attractive and some are very gray looking.

As I sit at the back of the bus each day this was my view on most days. I love it as I can move from side to side depending on the glare of the window. The back of the bus was the place to sit. You get visitors from time to time.

We drove across the island to the west coast to visit an old port.

Our destination was Otau which was renowned for its canals and glassblowing.

During the first half of the 20 th Century, the Otaru Canal was a vital part of the city’s busy harbour. The canal allowed large vessels to be unloaded onto smaller ones, then transported to local warehouses. 

The canal is obsolete now as modern port facilities replaced its function. However, it’s been beautifully restored and the former warehouses have been transformed into carafes, museums and shops.

A quaint drinking fountain. Japan is such a clean country we have been able to drink tap water and the water from fountains. No one has got sick on this trip in regard to food or water. Today, however, we had two falls. It must be time to go home. John fell off the canal wall which he climbed to take a photo. He was like the young Instragramers who go to all lengths to get that perfect photo. Sue also had a fall on uneven ground later in the day. Neither were seriously hurt, just shaken up a bit. The bus driver was good at fixing them up.

Close up of the little owl.

The main area. There were no other westerners beside us but still a lot of Asian tourists around which are more their target market.

Music boxes seemed to be a popular product in this area.

Old buildings.

In one museum there were some old musical machines.

An area for performances.

Old buildings

Old warehouses.

Wooden houses.

I love the way these trees are pruned back each year making such a statement.

Colourful buses lined up in the bus parking area.

For lunch we went to a very nice hotel and had a choice of Japanese or western food. I chose western.

Ice cream is pretty popular in Japan. Kathy and Jenny took advantage of the choice of sweets.

Driving back up towards Sapporo after lunch.

The white dome is a huge baseball stadium. Baseball is popular with the Japanese.

This was our last visit of the tour and it proved to be a great place that everyone loved. It was to the Historical Village of Hokkaido which covers an area of some 54 hectares and was located in the Noppoto Forest Park. It’s been open since 1983 to preserve olden day structures and to show what pioneer life was like in Hokkaido. This building was the entry to the park and was once the old Sapporo Railway station which was used between 1908 until 1952.

A map of the village.

This replica building was the Kaitakushi Sapporo Headquarters of Colonisation which was burnt down in 1879. 

The residence of the stationmaster. It was quite an impressive building. He must have been considered a very important person.

Around the park there were people of a certain age who were volunteers. They decribed the workings of different machines in some of the buildings where appropriate. They had a little bit of English. This was inside the Otaru Shimbun (newspaper) building

The characters used to print the newspapers.

You could take a ride on a horse and carriage around the complex. In winter you can be transported by sleigh. We opted to walk. The brick building was the newspaper building. The stately exterior showed the pride that journalists had working in the Meiji era in 1909.

Me

Wooden wagons.

Balty and Al on guard at the Police box from 1911.

This barber shop was located in western Sapporo and closed in 1986.

Barber at work

The grocery store from 1898 sold a multitude of products.

Goods for sale.

Sweet shop. The owner Mr Taito Oisin was skilled in sweet making and his shop and factory continued for two generations until 1907.

Sweet making area at the back of the shop.

Sleeping mats. We decided the Japanese are so polite and respectful as in their houses every noise would be heard, good or bad.

Cooking and stove to keep warm. The inside walls were made of paper so I imagine the buildings could get very cold without the burners.

A farrier operated on Route 12 until 1945. In those days a farrier was indispensable since horses were the chief means of transport and for farming.

Each house on the site was so well set up either with characters showing the activities in each house or information and actual photographs of the time.

Making a wooden sleigh.

Urakawa Church. This was built by a settler’s company that was founded by Puritan Christians in Kobe in 1894.

The gong at the Ryuunji Temple which came from Sapporo and was built in 1893.

Old water hydrate.

This house was one of the oldest on the site being 150 years old. It was owned by the Aoyama Family who employed fishermen to fish for herring.

Private owners quarters.

Each house always had a small shrine for their ancestors. The owners lived in comfort if you think this minimalist style is comfortable.

Portraits of the owner.

Kitchen area. The female servants slept up above and pulled their ladder up at night I suppose for protection against any of the men.

Sitting spot around the fire pit for the fishermen. It was all very communal.

Cooking fish over the fire.

Where the fishermen slept and lounged.

Items were hung over the fire to dry.

Hokkaido Middle School was a private’s junior high from about 1909. Its features have a western style about them.

Uniforms worn at the time.

Examples of writing.

Corridor.

Classrooms.

This Iwama Family home was also about 150 years old and belonged to the Shikoku settlers who were Samurai descendants. They built their farmhouse in the style of their homeland.

Being descendants of Samurai they still had the family’s swords on display.

The wood cutters shanty which provided temporary accomodation for people involved in tree felling.

The sleeping pallets lined the walls around the central lower area that was used for warmers and sitting.

The locomotive shed of the logging railway.

There was still snow on the ground. After such a warm start to the day the weather had turned very cool. We had to put our jackets on again.

Our last ride on the bus together. Home tomorrow.

We had our last drinks together in the hallway outside our rooms.

The light wasn’t the best for photos.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 22, Sapporo, 17th April

Another day, another adventure. This was the hotel foyer at our hotel which was very nice. We have stayed in some good places. It’s been a combination of western and traditional hotels. In a couple of places we stayed in the only suitable hotel in the town.

There are often Japanese artefacts around the hotels we stay in which makes for an interesting wander.

We are all very good at being on time and if anything early to get on the bus. This is particularly good in the morning as we always seem to get to our first stop before other tourists arrive. We haven’t see too many westerners were we have been the last week or so. Chinese, South Korean and other Asian countries are their main source of tourists. On our first stop today we visited Jigokudani.

In this valley 10,000 tons of bubbling water is generated every day. It had that rotten egg smell from the sulphur.

Lots of thermal activity.

You could walk across the valley on boardwalks. It was a noticeably hotter day today but we didn’t know whether it was from the thermal activity or just the increase in temperature to start with.

A lake in an old crater. We have been able to walk a bit on this trip which has been good. There are often different paths to take around the places we have visited.

After the thermal area we drove through the countryside and again saw lots of agriculture and many green houses. The houses out in the countryside seem to be of reasonable size. Considering the population of the country you never see a lot of people around.

Next stop was to a Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum. This museum preserves Hokkaido’s true history. It was run by descendants of this group of people.

Orginal homes and buildings are on display.

Inside the museum there are treasures not found anywhere else in the world belonging to the Ainu people.

The museum is presented in three zones: the Ainu Zone which introduces everyday items, the Kamuy Zone that focuses on the spiritual life of the Ainu and  the Moshir Zone which exhibits implements related to agriculture, hunting, transport and funeral ceremonies.

Lots of natural material was used to make necessary items.

Spiritual items

There were some beautiful preserved clothing mostly made out of cotton, flax and linens,

Lots of good stitching on many items.

Walking around the grounds we came across these children in their pusher. So adorable. The little boy in blue was almost asleep.

Store house up off the ground.

More children.

Martin gave all of them a high five which they got very involved with.

Lunch was next on our agenda and this time we were cooking our meat over a hot plate. We have experienced so many types of Japanese food and ways of cooking it. We wore bibs to protect us from the hot fat splatter. Meals are always pretty jovial affairs.

Waiting for the bus after lunch.

Next we headed across Sapporo to the Beer Museum. At many places we go to there are often people around in uniform directing people and cars. They always look very efficient and often have a whistle and baton.

 The red star was the emblem for the Sapporo beer company which is the oldest beer company in Japan. They sell their beer worldwide.

The historic building now houses a museum and beer tasting area. Outside was the old copper/ steel vat which has been replaced by a more modern container.

Advertising posters that go back to the early 1900′s. The girls and what they wore has changed significantly over the years. There were no posters between 1938 to 1951.

These posters take the company up to modern day. They now use men and  the look is very different.

Pouring the beer. Everyone had a choice of drinking the company’s original beer or newer versions.

Sampling the beer.

Old beer barrels stacked up out the front.

We had a bit of a drive around Sapporo which is the largest city on Hokkaido. It has 1.95 million people. We got to do a bit of shopping at Daiso which is Japanese 108 yen shop which is about $1.50 for everything. The people with grandkids bought up big.

Les Miserables is going to be on in Sapporo. I don’t know how that would sound in Japanese.

Another main Street.

The old clock tower in the middle of the city. A remanent from times past and now mostly a photo op.

Telecommunication tower in Sapporo which was based on the Tokyo Tower. This area of parkland is where the city holds its big ice sculpture festival in winter.

Bikes in the city seem to be a popular form of transport. For all the high population of Japan the traffic isn’t that bad anywhere we have been. I think because they have such great public transport and such strict laws on car ownership it works. Before you can buy a car you have to prove you have somewhere to park it.

Our room. We are back to western style hotel rooms. No more onsens and sleeping on the floor. We had a choice about sleeping on the floor even in the traditional hotels but some opted to do that to have that experience but most regretted that choice. People found sleeping on mats on the floor to be too hard plus the difficulty of getting up and down off the floor. The pillows we all had seemed to be full of beans but after awhile the pillow seemed to adjust to your head.

Our hotel was close to the ‘Red light district’ of Sapporo so some of us went for a wander. There were lots of bright lights and well lit up advertising.

A ‘Madam’ who works in the bars setting up a connection between the men and the girls walked past us. You have to be quick with the camera as you never know what you are going to see.

All the streets were brightly lit. It felt very safe to walk around  it’s not like other red light districts in other countries as there are strict rules here.

Entry into the Ramen food area. Ramen is noodle soup.

Alley way of Ramen restaurants.

The restaurants or stalls are tiny only holding a few people sitting up at the counter.

Lots of bright lights.

All sorts of girls are advertised at different prices. Prostitution is legal in Japan and very controlled. Most work for the money but do it by choice. Men go into the clubs and buy drinks for the girls and negiotate a price.

Empty taxis have their doors open ready for new customers.

These girls work in a place that you can only touch and nothing else. They were quite happy to pose for us with their V sign.

We saw all sorts of things walking around the streets.

Lanterns along the street.

This board advertisers the clubs in this one building. You can see that there are a lot in this one place. Most are fairly small.

Many hotels in the area have rooms for rent for a few hours or all night. Not our hotel, though.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 21, Noboribetsu, 16th April

Another fabulous day. We have an itinerary but that doesn’t really tell us completely all the wonderful and different things we are going see each day. Japan has proven to be an extremely varied and fascinating country to visit and we are only skimming the top. We have packed a lot into a short period of time. There were prawns and caviar among other things for breakfast, this morning. Fish is such a big part of their diet.

First stop of the day in Hakodate was to the fish market.

There were many stalls selling all sorts of different sea creatures.

Lorraine and Dave buying something at the market. People are a lot more adventurous than me in what they eat. 

You could find the seafood of your taste.

Trays of crabs.

Looking up from the harbour you could see where we had gone last night up to the top of Mt Hakodate. The weather was perfect this morning. Bright blue skies.

I watched this boat come in thinking it was a fishing boat. I thought I would check out it’s catch.

When I got around to the boat the guys had gotten baskets off the boat with nets. They weren’t fishermen but rather there to scoop up the small amount of debris that was in the corner of the harbour. Japan is such a clean country. You never see any litter of any sort around. Everything is pristine. It’s amazing. The Japanese themselves are very clean and they love their baths. Even the hotel baths in our rooms are very deep so you can soak.

Sculpture on the foreshore.

They are quite fond of sculpures of figures which you see all around.

These trees are all over Japan and are pruned each year. I like the sculptural look of their shapes.

The Goryokaku Tower which gives a great view of the city and especially down on the Fort.

I love the attendants outfits.

The girls all look like dolls.

The Goryokaku Fort, you can see the cherry blossom trees all around the outline. You can imagine them out in bloom. The construction of the Fort dates back to 1853, when the US fleet arrived at a Japanese port. The U S wanted Japan to open it’s doors to the rest of the world. The Fort was modelled after European citadel towns.

Mountains in the background.

Plan of the fort.

Self explanatory.

These guys were trying to cut up the cement path but people were also using this path so every time a person came past they had to stop. The guy in red had a whistle and flag to control the work.

I love the way the Japanese look after their plants with supports etc.

The Magistrate’s Office in Goryokaku started in 1862 and was constructed out of pine, cedar and Japanese cypress. The role of the office lost its power with changing governments and the building was transferred to Sapporo in 1871. Some 140 years later it was restored to it’s original site.

Back of the Magistrate’s Office.

Love these trees.

Bridge across the moat.

Me among the cherry blossom trees yet to flower.

I walked around a lot of the grounds and found this one little flower, not on a branch but coming out of the trunk of a tree.

Very old cherry blossom trees. These would look spectacular in bloom but we are about two weeks early. It’s hard to hit the right time for all the blossoms in Japan as down south we perfectly timed it and then Tokyo was still lovely but getting towards their end. The rain we had there would have also done a lot of damage.

There seems to always be mountains in the background wherever we are driving. We picked up a new bus from the bullet train and it is a 46 seater for the 18 of us so everyone has two seats plus each. We also have wifi again which we weren’t expecting.

You see lots and lots of green houses all over the countryside.

This was Onuma Quasi National Park which was a large area of walks around a lake which contained a number of islands joined by a variety of bridges. It was a very pleasant area to walk in. Summer time would look very different with the green leaves on all the trees.

Our first bit of wildlife except for birds and we haven’t seen many of those either.

The Japanese love these high arched bridges. It’s to do with the gods.

Lovely views of the bridges and the mountains.

This area gets so much snow that the white lines to delineate the edge of the road get covered so they mount these red and white arrows up above, however, each one costs 200,000 yen to install.

New spring buds were just appearing near where we had lunch.

This was about the seventh Mt Fuji looking mountain we have seen on our travels.

Uchiura Bay

Showa-Shinkansen which was a miracle mountain which appeared out of the earth following the 1943 eruption of Mount Usu. Japan has to deal with many natural disasters from tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and typhoons.  Thousands of Japanese have been killed by these events.

Mount Usu Ropeway.

Looking down to Lake Toya.

Cathie, Cheryl, Jenny and Al. They seem to have these photo boards all over.

Walking up to the crater. It was a bit blowy on top and there was still snow on the ground.

Looking into the crater that blew in 1977 creating Mt Ousu. The people that live in this area are trained, from an early age, evacuation procedures.

Walking down from the crater to catch the ropeway back down to ground level. We did a bit of walking today so that was good. Most of us have iwatches or iPhones so can monitor our steps each day.

Coming back down.

The first lot of wind machines we have seen this trip.

Entering Hell or Noboribetsu a sulphur hot springs area where we were staying for the night.

Nightly drinks in our room.

Everyone had been for an onsen so were wearing their Ickata wear. They look like pj’s without the tops.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 20, Hakodate, 15th April

Fabulous day driving through the mountains. Our hotel for the night had been on the lake and high in the mountains. This area is all closed during the winter months as they receive huge amounts of snow. People who live there have to stockpile for the winter. We had the usual farewell from the manager and his assistant. They stood in the cold for awhile as two people were taking their time to get on the bus so we couldn’t leave.

It was a bit overcast and drizzly so a few spots on the bus window to take photos through. This was Lake Towada which is Japan’s third deepest lake. It is a volcanic crater lake 44kms in circumference.

A small settlement on the lake. The area is very popular in summer.

This was the Oirase Gorge. Luckily the rain had stopped as we weren’t going to walk along the great track that ran through the gorge.

Lots of snow on the ground. Most of the trees or all are deciduous so this area would look very different in summer.

Many waterfalls cascade down into the stream along the gorge. The stream flows all along the length of the gorge.

Sue and I in front of the biggest falls in the gorge.

There was thick snow along the track which made it a bit difficult to walk.

The track and the bridges that crossed the stream in a number of places we’re impressive.

Even with the snow the track was easily followed.

The main waterfall from the front.

It seemed a bit strange to have a zebra crossing in the middle of the woods. A Beatles cover came to mind.

The stream expanded further down the gorge where we made another stop.

Similar waterfalls were along the gorge.

This is called a Ishikawa Ge Do. It is a large stone which has been propped up on one side by a giant Katsura tree which gives the appearance of a stone hut.

We left the gorge and travelled higher up in the mountains to cross to the other side. There was a lot of snow around the higher up we travelled.

The walls of snow were getting higher as we went up the mountain.

You can see just how high the walls of snow were. It started to snow at one point.

The walls of snow were amazing to drive through. They went on for kilometres. 

Snow plough.

Huts covered by the snow.

Getting down towards the bottom of the mountain. The walls of snow were less.

We reached the city of Aomori which was on the harbour. There was a great looking Bridge outside the museum we were going to visit after another Japanese lunch.

The Nebuta Warasse. A great building full of information and floats used for the Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori. The festival is held in August and brings many people to the city. It’s a popular time.

The history of the festival written on a timeline along the wall.

Hall lanterns.

Each of these floats were the winners from last year’s parade. They only keep them for 12 month so as they are made out of paper. The ones that don’t get put into the museum are put into the sea. Such a lot of work.

The floats are lit from inside with electricity. In the past it was with candles. Each float is carried by 33 men. Beside the floats there are dancers, drums and anyone that dresses up can go in the parade.

There was a musical and dance interactive show.

The floats have scary figures on them each representing a story from the past.

Face masks lined the hallway. 

Close up.

Close up.

Stylish bridge

Old machinery down on the harbour.

A Factory selling all products made from apples. This is a big apple growing area.

Inter island ferry at the port.

We had to catch a local train one stop to get to the bullet train station.

On the local train.

Walking to the platform to catch the bullet train.

Waiting on the platform

Waiting in a special room out of the cold.

We were catching the 15.31 train across the Tsugaru Channel.

There are red barriers that only open when the train stops. You can work out exactly what door to stand out from your ticket ready to get on.

The bullet train we were catching. It comes into the station very quickly. It was very impressive and goes about 265kms an hour.

Everyone was pretty quite on the train reading or what ever on their devices.

The view out of the train. It was all reflection as we went through a number of tunnels before going into the longest train tunnel in the world that goes under the sea from Honshu Is to Hokkaido Island.  It was about 54kms long.

One of the main streets of Hakodate.

This part of the island has a lot of agriculture.

The ropeway to the top of Mt Hakodate which gives a great view over Hakodate..

It was a bit windy and cold up top.

Gondola to the top of the mountain.

View of the city.

Looking own from the upper lookout.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 19,  Towadaso, 14th April

Our days are so full that we tend to go to bed early but that means I’m up very early about 5 each day but it also gives me a chance to catch up with the blog and see the sunrise over the water this morning.

This morning at breakfast. The locals in their hotel wear. The breakfast had a number of western options. Most places we have stayed at aren’t really catering for western tourists. China, Sth Korea, and Taiwan are their main tourists groups.

We were travelling through the countryside and past anumber of bullet trains at a depot.

The Bullet trains have specially built tracks as they travel so fast.

Snow covered mountains were in the background for our travels north all day.

Typical Japanese buildings.

Beautiful peach tree which this area was famous for.

We were visiting the Golden Pavilion which was completed in 1124. It has now been protected by a new building to preserve it from fire and earthquakes.

There was still snow on the ground around the complex.

This was the orginal building that housed the golden altar. It’s made out of wood.

The complex was lovely to walk around. Very serene. Tori Gate

You had to wash your hands before prayer in this Shinto area. So many places we have visited area combination of Buddhism and Shintoism.

Shines for each monthof the year. Similar to the chinese calendar.

Kimmie believes the old trees gave out energy so we all had to hug a tree.

This tree was in the main temple. So many of their trees are shaped and protected from the snow by timing them up and supporting them by poles.

Main Buddha.

Curtains and tassels that divide the rooms.

Temple buildings.

Jenny, Al, Martin and Sue enjoying the sunshine.

The mountains were spectacular on our drive north.

Similiar look8ng mountain to Mt Fuji. They are all the result of volcanic eruptions.

Lunch was at a bar be que place where you cooked your own meat. There were lots of other good things to eat including ice cream that everyone piled into. 

There’s was even a fairy floss machine that Balty tucked into. This was the second such restaurant we have been too this trip.

Our next destination was too the Morioka Handi- Works Square. We were learning how to do tie dye. The owner explained to us in Japanese the process and Kimmie translated.

We all had a white square and could use pegs, marbles, elestic bands and clips to create our patterns.

Once we had our patterns we dropped our cloth into blue dye.

We got it out of the dye a couple ot times to let the air get to the oxidation process.

Once ready we had to wash the cloths.

Next stage was taking off the pegs etc and then a lady ironed our pieces and then folded them up into bags. This was my pattern. We all oohed and aahed about each other side patterns. We had so much fun and we’re  all happy with the results.

Continuing on north we seemed to drive around this mountain.

I think I must have snoozed off as when I woke we we’re in very snowy areas and high in the mountains. We did see the occasional ski area.

The snow was quite heavy in this area.

We stopped at a lookout over looking Lake Towada which was the result of volcanic eruptions.

View of the lake.

Part of our room for he night. This area we were in was closed through two the winter months as they get so much snow. It was quite a big hotel.

Drinks in the lobby.

I love the Ryocan hotels with their onsens. It gives you a chance to wear the hotel clothes they leave out for you.

Everyone looks good in them. The girls all went to the onsen together which is a fun relaxing experience. We have mastered the details of preparation now,

Tonight was a tradional Japanese dinner. A few of us struggle so we collected a bit of food as an alternative.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 18, Matsushima, 13th April

Today we drove about 3 hours further north. It was a beautiful sunny day and we had snow capped mountains in the background the whole trip. There are a lot of mountains that look very similar to Mt Fuji as they are mostly volcanic.

The names of the mountains sound all the same so it’s hard to remember them.

Decorations in the toilet stop. Very impressive as usual.

Fresh flowers

Vending machines which are everywhere. 

Mountains followed us the whole way. This area was greatly affected by the tsumani in 2011. We weren’t close to the coast where the nuclear Power plants were damaged but about 80 kms from there. The area is now safe for people to return but only the older people have done so. Others have settled in cities away from the coast. We saw a lot of new housing developments being built.

When we reached Matsushima we took a boat ride out around the bay.

Some of the crew. It was a beautiful day so we were very lucky.

Each island has a different name and connection to the past.

Most of the islands are covered in pine trees.

Me enjoying the view.

This is supposed to look like a Japanese symbol.

White cliffs.

Happy on the boat.

It was a very pleasant cruise around the bay.

Back to the dock.

Back on land we visited the Godaido and Zuiganji Temple. It was a Buddhist temple first established in 828 by the priest who spread Buddhism across Northern Japan. The beauty of Matsushima Bay was thought to be close to paradise so a good location.

Bronze statue of a monk.

The tsunami affected this part of the coastline but the water only rose about a metre. Other parts had waves of 20 metres. However, the affect of the salt water resulted in many of the 400 year old cedar trees dieing and having to be cut down. Only their stumps can be seen now. New trees have been planted. The last time a tsunami hit this area was over 1000 years ago.

The complex went into disrepair over the years until 1609 when the Samurai ruler and founder of Sendai City, Date Mesamune, rebuilt Zuiganji to serve as his family temple. No photos were allowed inside but it was very stunning. No expense was spared in its construction.

A cherry blossom and peach blossom tree supposedly looking like two dragons guarding the gate were in the grounds.

The lovely zen garden. I love the use of rocks and minimal planting. It’s very restful.

Beautiful peach blossom tree.

In the grounds were caves where the early Buddhist monks lived and worshipped.

These caves were quite extensive.

We had a bit of free time to wander around the shops and have lunch. It’s always a bit of a struggle as they don’t have cafes you can sit in. Lots of seafood was on sale.

On one of the little islands close to the shore was an old temple.

You crossed this red bridge to get to the temple.

Our hotel was high above the bay so we had a relatively early stop to the day. It’s nice to have a bit of free time. A visit to the onsen has become very popular with us all. Decorations in the hotel.

Gorgeous children off to the onsen.

View from the lobby. It looks almost like a screen.

These men were off to the onsen.

The girls.

Drinks in Laraine and Dave’s room.

This chef cut up a big tuna in front of us.

Most people wear their hotel clothes to dinner. It’s very relaxing.

Love the Japanese babies. All so cute.

Me in my hotel wear going to the onsen.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 17, Kinugawa, 12th April

Today we visited Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura which was a theme park where the culture and life of the Edo period was reproduced. A samurai was guarding the first checkpoint into the complex. The whole area was extremely well done with many people playing the parts of people of that time.

Christine had a run in with a samurai as we entered. The walkways and gardens were lovely and you really had a feel of going back in time.

Waterwheel and mill.

Cane store.

Cheryl being given a ride.

Lady selling goods.

Village house.

Confusious.

Outside the temple.

Lovely view along the canal.

Street scene.

One of the theatres.

This couple were tourists. You could dress up in traditional clothing for the day.

It was shoes off and sitting on the floor. We are getting used to this aspect of Japanese life.

The main star of the water magic show.

The show was very clever.

Another street scene.

Love the cherry blossoms.

Fancy house.

Getting water from the well.

The samurai taking jenny and Al’s photo which I thought looked so funny.

Cleaner/ street sweeper.

Elaborate gates.

A samurai and me.

Street scene.

There were still a lot of cherry blossoms around even after travelling north. We thought we might have been to early for them.

Loraine, Cheryl and I on the Main Street. It was starting to get very cold but we were all rugged up. However, they didn’t have cafes in the Edo days but we did find a tea house that was warm and we could get a hot drink.

The Geisha show told a little story which was entertaining.

There is a real skill to the way geishas move.

Beautiful embroidery on the back of her coat.

Ready to preform the tea ceremony.

The geisha dancing.

A ninji.

No photos were allowed during the ninji show and it was darkish anyway. There were three ninjas after one person and they were sneaking around, jumping on roofs and fighting with swords and even a star throwing. Just like in the show ‘The Samurai’ that we all used to watch on TV in our youth.

The ninjas.

Kitchen area.

Lovely indigo patterns hanging to dry.

A material dying house.

Lots of scenic vistas with the locals wandering around or getting on with their business.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped at a rice cracker factory and had a go at cooking the rice crackers over a big heater. The Japanese love their rice crackers and they come in all flavours.

Dipping the rice crackers into soy sauce.

Back to the hotel and the onsen. Everyone has really got into these. It’s pretty relaxing at the end of the day. Then drinks before dinner. Six people left to go home or travel further today. The bus took then back to Narita. We will miss their company. It was a great day for all of us.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 16, Kinugawa, 11th April

We woke up to blue skies and sunshine after such a bad day yesterday with lots of snow falling around Japan. This girl, suited immaculately, farewelled us.

Rows of car levels.

Outskirts of Tokyo with cherry blossoms.

We were so excited to be able to see Mt Fuji again this time covered in snow and so clear.

I have mentioned Japanese toilets before but can’t help doing it again. They are just so impressive everywhere we have been. These ones were just at a normal wayside stop. The facilities they have in regard to the little things is wonderful. These ones had a children’s area with tiny toilet and urinal and little wash basin. There was a powder room with lots of mirrors and then the usual. Some toilets even have a clip thing on the wall to hang your walking stick. They think of everything. But the warm toilet seats are the best aspect.

Floorplan of the toilets. This is common in all toilets we have stopped at.

Paper decorations on the wall.

An idea for flowers.

Mt Fuji again from our toilet stop.

Our first stop of the day was to the Ashikaga-Shi Flower Park

Lots of colourful flowers around.

Me among the colour.

Lovely terraces, ponds and sitting area.

The highlight of this garden is the wisteria, however, we were about two weeks too early to see the blooms but you could still be impressed by their trellises of wisteria.

Lots of buds ready to bloom.

The garden also had the Great Wisteria Tree which is more than 150 years of age. You can see why I was devastated when my 25 year old wisteria just up and died when I was in the middle of selling my house. During winter the wisteria trees are wrapped up to protect them from bugs.

I walked all over the park to find one bud that was starting to open. This was the only one I found.

I can’t imagine how beautiful this garden would be when everything was in bloom. Beside the wisteria there was beds of roses and banks of azalelas. It made me nostalgic for my garden.

Cherry blossoms.

Gorgeous tree.

Lots of colour.

Alex and Balty buying some wisteria blooms.

From the gardens we were heading back into the mountains north of Tokyo. The snow on the mountains as we drove was fantastic.

Lunch stop. We were surprised at how much snow was around,

Cars in the car park.

The usual lunch, so well presented but not to my taste.

After lunch we travelled higher up in the mornings. It was like chalk and cheese from the blue skies of this morning. Mountains in the distance.

The road we travelled on was one way up with 20 hairpin turns going up and then one way down with 48 hair pin turns. Each hairpin was numbered.

After the huge dump of snow last night the drive up the mountain was wonderful.

Lots of snow on top.

More tunnels through the mountain.

Alex in the snow.

Tori gate

Ducks with their snow hats on.

Chris didn’t realise how cold it was going to be and was out in her sandels.

It was a bit nippy down in the gorge.

Rock wall near the waterfall.

Snow piled high in the car park.

Fish being cooked over a fire.

Hairpins.

Last hairpin. No 48.

Further down the mountain we visited a shrine. The shrines and temples of Nikko are world renowned. Many of them are World Heritage listed. This was the Toshogu Shrine built for the Shogun so very elaborate. Martin commented that it would have to be one of the most elaborate in Asian. I would have to agree with him there. The shrine complex was set in a grove of ancient Japanese cedars.

Colourful building.

Store house. There were a number of buildings of different uses around the complex.

This shine due to its significance was covered in a lot of gold.

Elaborate gate house into the main temple.

Male temple dog plated in gold.

Decoration on one of the gates.

Me in front of one of the gold plated gods.

The trees around the shrine complex were huge some dating back 400 years.

We were up in the forest so snow and a closed in atmosphere.

Cathie and Chris in among the stone lanterns.

Driving from the Shrine we wove our way down 8nto the valley to our hotel. We were staying in a Onsen Ryokan at Kinugawa which means a hotel with a spa bath and the usual hotel clothes.

Our sunken sitting room with a view to the river.

Everything in these hotels are miniaturist and plain. It’s actually quite relaxing. No clutter.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 15, Tokyo, 10th April.

We had a ‘free day’ today so everyone had different plans. However, the weather was a bit against us as it had turned cold, 6 degrees and wet. All over Japan had turned cold with heavy dumpings of snow. On the TV we saw that the Hakone Ropeway was closed due to the snow. That’s where we had been, in sunshine, two days ago.

Kimmie had suggested leaving a bit later, if we were catching the train, to miss the morning rush. Tokyo has 13 million people but another 23 million people travel through the city on any one day. I wanted to experience vthat rush, for myself so I was first at breakfast and out the door by 8. Shinagawa station was very close to the hotel.

The train station was a moving scene of mostly black. I had to cross through the crowd to buy my ticket so it felt a bit like crossing the roads in Vietnam, dodging and weaving the flow.

Buying a ticket was easy as the machine had English.  To get to the platform they held the crowd back until the platform was a bit clear then we could go down. The first door I was going to get in was going to be a push in the back so I went to the next door and it wasn’t to bad. I have been on other more crowded trains in London.

After about three stops the majority in the carriage had gotten the first so very comfortable. I alighted at Akihabara station.

I went to this station to meet up with a walking tour but for some reason no one turned up. The starting point was in the Electric City which is an area full of computer, anime, game shops etc.

I walked past one shop which seemed to be giving out tickets. There was a big line up down the block and around the corner. It was wet so lots of clear and white umbrellas which lots of Japanese seem to use.

Also in this area were lots of narrow streets selling all sorts of things.

Very colourful with all the signage.

The end of the area tucked in between the railway track and rounded skinny building.

It was so wet that my socks and shoes were saturated from walking around so I decided to head to Ueno Park. The park was full of lanterns along the paths which brightened up the scene a bit.

Amazing shaped tree.

The National Museum of Japan was at the end of the Park.

The Japanese know how to look after everyone. These were lockers for the umbrellas as Japan is a pretty wet country.

The Museum itself was fabulous. Everything was so well presented with an english description of the contents for each room and then each item had an english description.

Wonderful things from burial chambers.

Coffin.

Probably my favourite area was the fashion rooms with the beautifully embroidered kiminos.

The detail and colour were superb.

The details were very well executed.

Just gorgeous.

I could go on and on about them.

When Japan was opened up to the western world in the 1800′s much of what they considered art was not accepted by the west. Screens and paper scrolls and even ceramics were disregarded. They screens were considered furniture as they divided rooms up, however, the detail on them is from a much of a skilled artist as any western artist.

Each screen tells a story.

The samurai outfits were pretty amazing, as well. The detail in the panels exquisite.

The paintings by Utagawa Kunisada I loved so much I was tempted to buy one but then resisted as I don’t have a house to put them in.

Japanese artists did travel to Europe to study and some painted in this new style for them.

There were so many absorbing things to look at and the fact the Museum was warm and dry it made for a very pleasant few hours. I headed back out into the weather eventually.

These very elegant older women had been out for lunch. Even their overcoats are superb.

More lanterns.

Shrine on the hill.

Back to the wet streets.

Salary Men heading home. 

The train wasn’t very crowded on the way back. I had a seat and felt myself nodding off at one station. All of a sudden I woke up thinking I was at the same station but luckily realised I had reached my destination. I might still be on the train if I hadn’t woken up.

Everyone had been out and about enjoying the different attractions of Tokyo and mastering the metro. The day had been wet but our spirits were high. Tomorrow we are supposed to be back to sunny weather again.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 14, Tokyo, 9th April

Really looking forward to exploring Tokyo today. Blue skies, sunshine and a temperature of about 15 degrees. Driving through the city, yesterday, you could tell that it was a lot more westernised than any other place we have been. A lot more recognisable brands and cafes etc. 

Our hotel is very nice with a great breakfast. I love a good hotel breakfast. We left at 9 today which was a treat as usually it’s at 8. We saw lots of Salary Men around and many people wearing masks.

City street.

Tallest tower in Japan. The gold building was built by a beer company and was suppose to look like a glass of beer with the blue floors being the foam.

Asakusa Kannon Temple. This temple was very busy with a lot of tourists and lots of souvenir shops.

Rope pattern on the side of the temple.

Pagoda.

This temple has the largest lantern in Japan.

Main Temple building.

Sue, Cathie and Cheryl.

Roofline.

Me among the daffodils. 

Whenever we have to wait for the bus the guards make us line up to stop congestion.

Waiting for the bus.

It was surprising easy to travel around the city.

Samurai statue in the large park around the Imperial Palace.

Moat around the Imperial Palace. The Emperor is abdicating and his son will become Emperor on 1st May. In the past the Emperor was not seen. The Japanese had never seen the Emperor and only heard his voice for the first time at the end of WWII on Japanese’s surrender. The Emperor and Emperess are a lot more visible today.

The double bridges across the moat to the Imperial Palace which no one is able to visit. One of the bridges was damaged during the war and was rebuilt by the Americans. It is now called the Friendship Bridge.

Changing of the guard.

School group.

Peony style cherry blossoms. They are a bit different as the are eight sided.

Beautiful.

Gate house.

I was sitting on the little jump seat at the front so had a good view.

Cherry blossom street.

Street scene.

High rise

Me with Laraine and Dave.

Allan and Jenny.

The group all in their finery.

The owner of the restaurant showing us how to cut up a yellow fined tuna.

Japanese sushi is different from Chinese sushi as it’s not rolled in a leaf.

Street scene outside the restaurant.

This building is used for designers.

Lots of narrow alley ways to walk down.

Cooking lobster legs.

Busy fish market.

Lots of small stalls.

Unusual dishes.

The Tokyo Tower was completed in 1958 but came to a standstill in 1954 as Japan ran out of metal as it was very scarce or used for the war effort during the war. The Americans ended up selling them left in ver tanks from the Koran War so they could complete the tower. It was based on the Effiel Tower.

Looking up to the tower.

Looking out to the Port of Tokyo.

Skyline of Tokyo.

Laraine and Dave on the window view in the Tower.

We are staying at the Grand Prince Hotel.

The impressive girls who direct the traffic on arrival at the hotel.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 13, Tokyo, 8th April

It was a bit wet this morning. We were very lucky to have seen Mt Fuji yesterday as it would have been a wasted trip, today.  The weather was also fairly cool.

The grounds of these places as everywhere in Japan are keep very clean.

The Great Buddha (Daibutsu). This 13.35 m tall bronze statue is the second tallest in Japan. He reminded me of the Buddha that sits on the top of Landau Island in Hong Kong but not as big.

Inside the Buddha looking up to his head. You could climb inside.

Bronze statues.

From the Great Buddha we could walk a short distance to the Hase-dear Temple. Another group photo in front of the entrance gates.

Detail of the roofline.

This garden was so beautiful. It was my favourite of the trip but then I thought I think I have said that before. The light rain even added to the beauty.

Tablet on the side of the slope.

It looked pretty impressive.

Offerings for the children who have died.

Goddess of Mercy.

The Hase-dera Temple which sat high up on the hill.

Part of a cemetery.

Small shine.

Shells used to make wishes or send messages to the gods.

Messages were written in all languages but obviously the majority were in Japanese.

View over the coastline to the Pacific Ocean

There were shrines all through the gardens.

Me walking the prayer wheels.

Sue pushing the giant prayer wheel.

Rhododendrons 

Beautiful gardens.

Gates to the cave temple.

This tunnel you had to couch right down to walk through.

Gates to the shrine.

You still see girls dressed in kiminos but not nearly as many as in Kyoto.

School children going home all with their white hats on. Parents are not allowed to walk their children to school or pick them up. That is to promote independence. Neighbourhoods look out for the children. If they are in kindergarten they have yellow on their bags so drivers know and take particular care when they are crossing streets. 

Island full of good luck flags.

Entrance to the island.

Me in among the flags for good luck. The weather was sunny but still has a bit of a bite to it.

Hachimangu Shrine

Bridge for the gods to enter the temple grounds.

The blossoms are starting to fall. As we travel north the blossoms are more fully bloomed and even dropping.

Rickshaw.

Walking out of the shrine grounds there was a path with cherry blossoms on each side down the middle of the Main Street. I ran into to this group who were more than happy to have their photo taken.

Very proud parents

The gorgeous baby was only 33 days old. That’s when they are taken to the shrine with the new name to have the Priest bless the baby. The babies are wrapped in a kimino.

Around the shrine was a popular shopping area in Kamakura called Komachi-dori. It had cafes, restaurants, and stylish shops. It was a very popular area for tourists. We are seeing more and more tourists as we get closer to Tokyo.

A side street.

Lovely flowers around an entrance.

After lunch and a wander we headed north to Tokyo. Driving into the city was quite amazing. So many impressive feats of engineering has sculptured this city.    Past the Port of Tokyo which is the second largest port in Japan and over this huge bridge.

From a distance the bridge looked like two sails.

More freeways, more bridges. There are many tired road systems. We travelled over a section that had seven layers. Three above the ground and three under the ground.

The black buildings on the water are being built to house athletes during the 2020 Olympics.

Another bridge. The traffic flowed freely and the bus travelled at a fast pace. 80 to 85 kms into the city. That was amazing going through a city so fast.

Bridge reflection on the bus.

Tokyo was full of blossoms but getting towards their end. Green shoots are starting to appear.

Our only stop in Tokyo before going to our hotel was at the Shibuya Crossing.

You had to experience this to see how crazy it was.

Some very cool salarymen.

Also near the crossing was the statue of Hachiko which is a monument dedicated to a loyal dog that waited on this spot even after his master had died. Locals fed the dog and gave him coats for winter until he died. It’s a very sad tale.

There are a number of metro lines coming into this crossing and when the lights change all sides can cross so there are a lot of people around.

Once the lights change people are off.

Huge numbers.

A group of Mario Cars were also waiting for the change of the lights.

You can hire these cars with an International license and drive around the city. People wear different superhero outfits.

Our hotel for three nights which will be great. Lots of tourists in Tokyo.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 12, Kamkura, 7th April

This trip has been just fabulous but it’s pretty full on every day. Not much time to think about anything but what we are doing. Except for Kyoto we have been in a different hotel every night so after this night we are all looking forward to three nights in Tokyo and an actual ‘free day’ which will probably still be busy. Japan is such a fascinating country. So very different to other places. Very unique and contained. They are fairly controlled by rules and regulations which seems to be accepted by the locals and this has probably lead to the country being so safe, clean and everyone so well mannered and respectful. We could all learn from them.

There was still a significant amount of snow around the hotel when we left but that quickly dropped away as we headed towards the east coast.

The area we travelled through was famous for peaches so lots of peach trees around.

This is the new bullet train line which will enable the trains to travel at over 500 kms an hour which will give Japan back the honour of having the fastest trains in the world.

On our way to Mt Fuji we had a comfort stop. It is a popular destination and this was the last toilet stop before reaching the mountain so we all thought we should go. It’s the first time we have had a line up.

Our first glimpse of Mt Fuji. We were all very excited.

Cherry blossoms.

There was an enormous amusement park on the way. It has one of the longest roller coaster rides in the world.

Kath and Cherry taking photos of Mt Fuji from the bus. You got a better photo as you were up higher.

Mt Fuji in all its glory. We were so lucky to see it as there are usually only 75 days a year when it is visible.

Looking at Mt Fuji from another side. If you see Mt Fuji it is supposed to bring you luck.

Travelling further west we saw these elderly walkers going past. Walking is a very popular pastime for the Japanese. A lot of these walkers were wearing masks. I wasn’t quick enough to get them before they crossed the street.

There were lots of cherry blossoms in this area. We never get tired of seeing them as they look so pretty.

This is a popular fishing and picnicing area.

Further on we stopped for lunch at Lake Ashi. You could still vaguely see Mt Fuji in the distance.

Boats for rent.

You can take rides in these tradional ships from Japan’s early days.

Balty taking a photo of the group while we waited for the ropeway from Togendai to Owakundani..

The mechanism for the ropeline.

Ropeway up to an active volcanic area.

Kimmie and I.

Sulphur beds. This area was created from the eruption of Mount Hakone-Machi some 3,000 years ago.

It was very windy up on top. Steam erupts from the ground in other places at different times.

From Mt Hakone-Machi we travelled to our hotel at Kamakura-Shi which was on the coast. A newly married couple were having their photo taken on the beach. There were a few surfers out but the water was as flat as anything so I’m not sure what they were expecting to catch.

A trainline ran along the road and the beachfront.

Sunset over Kamakura. On a clear day Mt Fuji would be able to be seen where the sun was setting.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 11, Ikenotaira, 6 th April

We woke up to more snow on the ground as it had snowed overnight. It had been dark as we arrived at the hotel last night so we didn’t really know what was around.

The hotel had lots of interesting Japanese decorations throughout the halls and foyer.

Snow up on the mountains behind the hotel.

We had another send off this morning from the hotel.

The guy was very animated.

Deep snow long the side of the roads.

The sun was out and everywhere you looked was lovely.

This area would also be beautiful in summer when the trees got their leaves.

Again lots and lots of tunnels. The number is so impressive. Kimmie doubts whether anyone knows the total number of tunnels in Japan.

Down from the mountains to Takayama which is also known as ‘Little Kyoto’ for its preserved historical structures. Many buildings and whole streets of houses are dating from the Edo Period (1600-1868).

In mid April there is a festival in town when the ancient floats are paraded through the streets. The floats are thought to have been built around the middle of the 16th Century.

We were lucky to see one as it was being prepared for the festival. Normally they are kept in special tall garages around the town.

Takayama Jinya was a branch office of the Edo Bakufu (government) from 1692 to 1868. It is the only existing building of its kind in Japan.

The official room to receive guests.

All rooms were covered in tatami mats. Even today room sizes in Japanese homes are determined by the number of mats. The Japanese lived a very minimalist lifestyle.

Garden

Conference room

The verandah.

The farmers were taxed heavily. They stuffed rice into straw rice sacks.

Outside the complex a market was going on.

Food products

Old pots outside the old house.

Puppet doll.

A restaurant. The buildings were all original.

The streets were full of houses dating from the Edo period.

Small courtyard garden.

Leaving Takayama we travelled further up into the mountains through more snow.

This area is also a popular ski area.

Again many many tunnels.

Not sure sure what this sign said but probably slow down.

Lots of running water and waterfalls.

Looking into the valleys down on lakes.

Dam wall.

Back down on the flat you can see the Alps from the west side.

The gates to Matsumoto Castle. Inside the grounds was a wall full of photographs of other Japanese Castles. They are similiar in design and except for one, built in 1300′s, the rest were built between mid 16th and 17th Century.

Red bridge across the moat.

Matsumoto Castle which is over 400 years old. The castle is also known as the ‘Crow Castle’ because of its black exterior. It is a classical ‘flatland’ castle style surrounded by a still intact defence moat.

Detail of the roofline.

After our visit we drove back into the mountains to our hotel which was another Ryokan hotel with an onsen. This was the table in our room. We did have higher beds this night.

In the rooms are robes of different sizes to wear to the baths as well as around the hotel.

All dressed for dinner. A buffet dinner which we like as you can chose what you want. Pick out the western food for some of us.

Dinner time. The end of another great day.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 10, Okada, 5 th April

As we were leaving Kyoto early morning we ran into the Salary men and Office ladies lining up to catch the bus. All very organised.

Reflection in the bus of Salary Men.

Boat on the river.

Cherry blossoms

Elections are coming up so it is a common sight to see potential candidates out and about with megaphones or in this case greetting people as they pass by. He was wearing gloves to protect his hands from getting dirty

One of many tunnels we have travelled through.

Typical countryside scene.

We travelled west across Japan to the Japan Sea.

Sand dune stabilisation.

It didn’t look that appealing along the coast.

Our lunch stop. You wonder were Kimmie finds these places as they are often in  the back streets.

Happy campers.

This was the Entree betweeen six of us.

Then we each got this plate full of food. Such a lot of food. There were a lot of Salary Men in this restaurant.

The chef was pretty friendly.

The street that took us up to the Kenrokuen Gardens. It is considered one of three most beautiful strolling gardens in Japan. The name Kenrokuen literally means a garden combining the 6 attributes of a perfect landscape: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water features and panoramas.

Pine tree with supports.

Me. It was a beautiful day today weather wise. We have been very lucky.

The garden is known for the pine trees. It is quite a skill to support and shape the trees.

All children, in Japan, carry these big back packs. They are very expensive so usually the grandparents help with their purchase. The bags are used from the start of school until graduation so good use is made of the bags.

Gardeners. They were very precise with their clipping.

Ponte Hannamibashi

Bridge

Newly married couple in the garden.

Walking across the bridge to the Kanazawa Castle across from the Gardens.

Cherry blossoms and lovely ladies.

Kanazawa Castle was located between two rivers and was built in 1583

In 1759 most of the castle buildings were lost in the largest fire the castle town had ever seen, but the Ishikawa-mon gate was reconstructed and preserved since the Edo period.

The wall was preserved as we’ll.

Lots of snow up high. The temperature on the ground was pleasant getting up to about 19 degress.

We travelled over the Southern Alps so heading east.

Mountain vista.

Ogimachi Village, which was located down in a valley, was our next stop. It used to be very isolated especially in winter with all the snow. The villages raised silkworms in the past. It’s not profitable to do that today. Most of the young people have left the valley to look for work. Today, there are 1,500 people that live here but the village is visited by 15 million people each year. Crazy! The high roofs housed the silk worms.

Store house.

A bit of snow on the ground.

Spring trying to break through.

Me on the suspension bridge across the river. On one side there was an Open Air Museum of buildings that have been relocated to this area to preserve there unique history. On the other side were homes that the villages live in today.

Shrine. Note the thatch roof on all these buildings.

The houses make for scenic views.

Travelling on through the mountains the road was made of many tunnels.We travelled through the Hada tunnel which was 10.5 kms long. One of the longest road tunnels in the world. There are so many tunnels in Japan.

We reached our hotel, in the mountains and surrounded by snow, fairly late. Lucky we were having dinner in the hotel. Dinner dishes.

We sat on the floor for dinner tonight. An effort for some.

The presentation of the food is impressive even though you never entirely know what you are eaten ng.  It’s not really my cup of tea.

We were staying in a Ryokan which is a traditional Japanese hotel. Beds on the floor, shoes off as there are mats.

We have stayed in a few ryokans but this was the first one to sleep on the floor. They all have hot baths and leave appropriate wear in the rooms for you to wear. There is quite a ritual to the bathing process.

[tokyototokyo]

Day 9, Kyoto, 4th April, Part 1

Such a busy day today. We were on the go from early morning to night. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan and is on the island of Honshu. It’s famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. Apparently, Kyoto has 19 World Heritage Sites which would have to be some sort of record. We visited 3 today. The first site was to Kinkaku (The Golden Pavilion) which was a Buddhist hall containing relics of Buddha. This was the wall surrounding the complex.

The priest’s living quarters.

Guards organising the flow of people and stopping people from doing anything wrong.

In front of the Golden Pavilion. 

Beautiful reflections on the lake.

The Pavilion was covered in gold foil on the top two layers.

A six hundred year old pine tree which needs support and sits in front of the abbots chamber.

There were beautiful gardens in the complex. The Japanese know how to design a garden. I love their use of rocks.

Once people make an offering they can pull on the ropes to ring a bell at the temples.

At most places we go to there are the usual souvenir shops, however, Japanese ones seem to be a bit classier. Everything is packaged and presented so well.

The Japanese are big on gift giving so if they are away from home or visiting friends or relatives they would take a gift. The displays of any product are so elegantly done.

Everywhere in Japan are vending machines. This one was outside the Nishijin Textile factory we were visiting which makes kiminos. The contents are so well presented and these ones were nicely painted with Japanese scenes.

Downstairs in the factory was a shop and some of the walls were lined with eleborate kiminos.

A lady was weaving silk thread which would take a long time to make a piece of material as it’s so fine.

A row of kiminos which were on sale.

Upstairs they had a short presentation of different kiminos for different occasions and for different ages.

The ladies all looked so beautiful.

Blossoms along the river that flows through Kyoto.

The Tenryuji Temple and gardens we were visiting.

Japanese family dressed for the occasion.

Always lots of different shaped buildings in these complexes.

Great roofline

Main hall entrance to Tenyruji Temple. It was established in 1339.

Lots of pretty girls

Very old pine tree.

It needed some support. The landscaped garden is one of the oldest in Japan and retains its original form from when it was designed in the fourteenth century. It known as the Sogenchi Garden.

Lovely lake and garden

Blossom trees

At the end of the garden was a bamboo forest. This area was very poor Pilar with visitors.once the Kiminos

Once the girls who are dressed in kiminos stop for a photo then lots stop to take their photo including us.

The bamboo was very thick and tall.

Man playing a metal drum.

On both sides of the river were shops and lots of people out and about. It was a glorious day and many were celebrating during the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Me

A group of monks, I think, enjoying the sunshine,

Lots of lovely blossoms.

Lots of lovely girls.

The Main Street.

Lots of colour.