Okayama, Okayama, JapanThursday 4/4
Sunny but cold max expected to be 13C
In the morning we have the choice of the Hiroshima Peace Museum or the Mazda factory.
We chose the latter.
So first a Shinkansen (40min) to Hiroshima then a short local train to Mukaidama which is where the Museum is.
Took the local train ourselves and found the museum to wait for the others.
The tour started with a 10 minute video giving a potted history of Mazda not to mention that they make the best car in the world for this and that reason. Had a walk around the showroom showing off their first 3-wheeler van 1936 to the latest models.
A bus then took us to an assembly line area of the Mazda complex, which is spread over 340 hectares.
We saw humans assembling the interiors of cars, I was surprised to see that about every fourth car was a different model. We did see one robot applying glue to the edge of a windscreen -back perhaps?
Then a local train ride to Myajimaguchi which is the nearest station to Miyajima home to the famous Torii arch.
We had the local oysters for lunch about 4 times bigger than Sydney rock and covered in a fine batter. We shared one serve which gave us three each which was quite enough since we also had a bowl of miso and a bowl of rice.
We had about 3 hrs there and Leith walked to the temple then out to the arch since it was low tide. It looked very odd sticking out of the sand.
Dinner at hotel Tempura style with our friends Brian and Lorraine
Friday 5/4
Meet in foyer at 7:30am for those wishing to go to the Korakuen Gardens. We had been to them before but Leith was happy to get up early to see them again. Unfortunately, we had to pack and have breakfast before.
It was an early start.
A number of us stayed at the hotel including me since we didn’t need to be at the station till 10:10am.
Cold (13c) and cloudy day.
A two hour Shinkansen trip to Nagoya and then a local train to Kii Nagagashima where we are to spend three nights in a Ryokan. The town is on the eastern side of the Mei peninsula which is south of Osaka
It turns out we were on a slow Shinkansen since a) it stopped at most stations and b) the stops were several minutes. This allowed the express trains through mind you it did go at around about 260km/hr between stations.
We are staying in a very rural part of Japan and the local community are very keen to show us about and feed us local produce.
A very rural station which required walking up and over with bags. No elevator or escalator. While I managed to walk they supplied a machine which could go up and down the stairs with a platform that remained level to take a wheelchair, this was for Brian who now has difficulty with steps. Very ingenious.
The luggage was taken to the ryokan whereas we walked to a restored 2-storey wooden house built about 100 years ago.
Back to the ryokan for an onsen. This was outdoors with a lovely view of the mountains across the bay.
The meal was again a banquet with the main being shabu shabu style plus a fish dish being amberjack (a fish) cheeks. The latter was very tasty
Saturday 6/4
9 am start. Sunny day usual temperature.
This morning we were shown more of the town. First was a visit to a local shrine which then enabled us to walk down a local street to a beloved lifting bridge. The original was destroyed in a storm in 1954 it was rebuilt a couple of years later but made redundant by a smart high level bridge about 10 years ago, however the locals did not want the old one removed.
Down another street to an inspection of a 2-storey residence occupied by a widow and her adult children. All wooden construction with sliding doors, finally to a house where we saw a video of a Japanese shadow puppet show much like the Indonesian shadow puppets. I was not aware that the Japanese also used this art form.
Lunch was a demonstration of making and then eating soba noodles.
The group was split into four groups, with each group first mixing the buckwheat flour together with ordinary flour with water then kneeding for minutes before rolling out to a thin sheet. This was then folded and cut into thin strips. Each group was supervised by a genuine soba maker
The soba was then served with lunch
On the way back to the ryokan we stopped off at strawberry farm, actually a long plastic hothouse where we could pick some strawberries to have for dessert. These were on trestles so were easy to pick and were lovely. A very sweet variety
Dinner was an oyster BBQ put on by the locals. This was in a backyard Brian and I were given a chair under a cherry tree in full blossom, the others stood around talking with locals. A lovely clear evening albeit a little cold. After about three large oysters and sake we were entertained by a very good singer who sang western style songs.
Sunday 7/4
9:00 start lovely sunny day
Half hours walk up the Kumano Kodo (from Kii-Katsuura) trail.
Leith and I walked till the steps got too steep (about 10mins!). We joined the trail from the road and I am not sure which one we were on. See link below
kumano-kodo
kumano-kodo
Short bus ride to a Magewappa maker. The man makes lovely containers from cypress and uses cherry wood bark cut as strips to join the cypress. He has been using this technique for over 40 years
We bought a lovely black lacquered tea canister with the lacing up the side.
Then the bus took us to a magnificent community centre for lunch and a musical show put on for us. This consisted of three sets;
the first four Japanese Flutes,
the second two Japanese harps and
the third the local Taiko (drums) played by the local school band. Afterwards we had time for several of us to have a go on the Japanese harp not too mention having a go on the drums.
the first four Japanese Flutes,
the second two Japanese harps and
the third the local Taiko (drums) played by the local school band. Afterwards we had time for several of us to have a go on the Japanese harp not too mention having a go on the drums.
The Centre also had a small museum, the surrounding mountainous area (Mie Prefecture) is going to be submitted as a World Heritage site.
Back to the Ryokan mid afternoon for an onsen and then our last banquet.
We leave tour tomorrow to go back to Tokyo for the night flight to Sydney.
We leave tour tomorrow to go back to Tokyo for the night flight to Sydney.
Another lovely meal this timer our burner had a ceramic top on which we could grill our meat a lovely small piece of wagu beef and assorted vegetables. We also had a lovely crab au gratin dish which was magnificent.
A small dessert of strawberries to finish.
There was a small ceremony by the management presenting us with three cherry tree saplings which we would plant tomorrow. Owen told us later that this happens every time he has stayed at this ryokan.
Monday 7/4
9:30 start another lovely day 20c max
Before going to station we had the tree planting ceremony each person had to shovel some dirt around the tree. The trees will be replanted in 3 years time to a more suitable location.
We all went on the Local train to Nagoya about 2 hrs
We then took the Shinkansen down to Tokyo (Shinagawa) and then the Express to Narita airport for the JAL flight to Sydney. The others took the Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Our slight adventure was negotiating Shinagawa station to get from the Shinkansen platform to the Narita Express platform. We didn’t have Owen to guide us.
A shortish walk at Shinagawa between platforms and we found where we had to stand to get into the right carriage since we had reserved seats. This was thanks to good instructions from Owen.
Found the JAL counter and then ensconsed ourselves into the lounge for about 2 hrs till we boarded about 7pm
It was another Dreamliner on the way back I managed to catch up with “The Widows” a film by Steve McQueen. Not bad it had Jacki Weaver in a minor role.
Another great SJR trip. As you can see from the photos I think the theme was the food
WY & J
2019-04-19
Looks like a wonderful trip. Have not seen the tide at the Torii gate at Miyajima that low before.
Oliver
2019-04-19
Great stuff, David & Leith. You tell us exactly what is worth seeing, but with our grand kids in the Solomon islands we are reluctant to travel elsewhere. We spend about a month with them each winter, and they touch down with us (briefly) each Xmas when they catch up with all their Australian friends. Quite frankly, we have seen all we need to overseas and are content to spend the rest of our lives catching up with our Grand kids where ever they happen to be each year. Dan (our elder son) is just about as peripatetic as I was. Love to you both. Oliver & Carolyn.
Jo Hamilton
2019-04-20
Looks fun ….. love your cooking outfit Leith :)
Peter O
2019-04-20
The range of activities you did and the places you saw made a great trip.
Pamela Mason
2019-04-20
Hi David and Leith, Thank you for your second blog. Really enjoyed your description and photos. Home safely by now. love Pam,Coll and Brian.