2015 Hiroshima & Kobe/Kyoto

The captain and staff have been busy during the evening and so we have the option of a city tour while he deals with Japanese bureaucracy (difficult!!) and they attempt to sort out the tender, being lowered here.

The tour turned out to be an unexpected pleasure, an ancient castle somewhat more accessible then the previous one, larger and more museum like

with an interesting notice

and a good view from the top.

Inside were interesting artifacts and drawings.

How anyone can read this is a mystery to me, just looks like squiggles rather than the formal printed characters

and in the grounds a tree which survived the bombing.

This was followed by a visit to the art museum where there was a stunning display of Japanese ladies symbolising the seasons, at their toilettes including 'teeth blackening' all the rage in the late 19^th century apparently(!!) and enjoying themselves playing shuttlecock and board games. No pictures but this is a photo of the artistic entrance to the gardens.

A number of ladies had commented on the loo's which up until now I hadn't used whilst out, however I got my chance and I thought you would like to see the controls for a 'western' one, the alternative being the traditional 'squat'. You can get squirted just about everywhere while sitting on heated sometimes hot seats with automatic flush when you get up. There were a number of misadventures!

We then went on to the peace park, amazingly this building only now showing signs of deterioration survived the original bombing.

A peaceful place with the inevitable bell,

clock which chimes at the exact time of the bombing,

a lovely memorial to the children killed (alesso lemon squeezer anyone?) 

and an eternal flame. 

Situated in the heart of what is now a modern city although not very high rise the park is a very gentle place and the very well behaved children get brought to remember too.

Back to the boat and fortunately we were allowed to sail, so Kyoto is on.

Up early to drive through Kobe on the anniversary of a major earthquake so the Emperor was visiting, fortunately not impeding our progress! Kobe is stretched out along the coast between the mountains and the sea and suffered a tsunami as well as the quake. It rather runs into Kyoto and where one ended and the other began was not easy to judge.

Our first stop was the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji Temple), originally built in 1397 (as a retirement home for Shogun Yoshimitsu) the photos show a reconstruction after a disaffected monk burnt it down in the early 1950's. Fortunately there were enough photographic and archaeological records to allow a faithful copy.

As you can see it is in a stunning position , 

whether the phoenix was always on the top I'm not sure!

They are so clever with the reflections too. The gardens surrounding the palace are quite naturalistic in places,

I'm not sure if you will be able to see much of this poster which shows views of the palace inside, not open to the public and one of it in the snow.

After an early and splendid lunch (great tempora) with these stunning orchids and very smiley greeter

our next visit was to Nijo castle built in 1603.

An extraordinary place now a world heritage site where one wanders around in mules as definitely a 'shoes off' place, with the floorboards making a warbling sound so that any intruders would be heard. Unfortunately a no photo's place inside where there are some beautiful wooden panels on the walls, so you will have to make do with this beautiful gate

up close too

and some workmen keeping the topiary up to scratch, most of which is done by hand with fingers rather than secateurs!!

Our final stop was Kiyomizu temple. On the way passing some traditionally clothed young people.

This shrine is on the side of a hill, a very garish temple gate

and city view from the veranda

working our way down we stopped at a fountain with 3 streams, one for good relationships, another for good job prospects and the last for good health. Many people were queuing up to drink the water!

Looking up shows how high the veranda we had come from was.

Plenty of shopping opportunities and this display of fans caught my eye.

Back to the port where the tower reminded me of the 'Orbit' in Olympic Park in London

and as we sailed out in darkness the inevitable 'big wheel' (all cities seem to have them these days) had a stunning light show of which the following shots are a sample.

2015 Kagoshima, Uwajima & Miyajima

South round Kyushu from Nagasaki we reached another great bay with an active volcano and I was up in time to catch the sun rising (I know very out of character!)

Visited some samurai homes and gardens in Chiran which allowed views of the bay and over wooded hills as we drove inland. The town was built as a castle town to protect the feudal lords of Satsuma. 

Classic rock type gardens but with vegetable areas alongside. The samurai kept in groups so they could train together to be ready to fight but were given land so could be self sufficient .

They have some interesting use for old cans tied up on the main street.

The airfield in Chiran which is close by, acted as a base for kamikaze pilots and is now a memorial/museum for all. Each one of the 1026 pilots has a stone memorial.

No real explanation of why it was felt to be necessary and for me the most interesting thing was that some pilots became aerial 'crashers' and sometimes survived having damaged the allied planes but not their own. Topiary definitely their thing although there were actual planes used inside the museum one of which had survived two sorties!

The small onsite shrine

Again it wasn't as horrific as I feared and one could only feel pity for the very young men who were mainly coerced into believing they were doing good for their Emperor and country. We left to more flag waving

 and more fine shots of the volcano

and this arty shot of some of the other islands.

We arrived at Uwajima for a short afternoon visit, great excitement for the locals who clearly don't get many visitors! 

We passed by small coastal villages with their burial plots on the hillside,

More gardens, they certainly have the knack of placing water, plants and rocks in beautiful constructs.

Below is a wysteria bridge, one of the few times I would have liked to be visiting later, as the reflection would make for a stunning scene.

This was followed by a visit to the local museum founded by one of their lords, somewhat marred by the lack of translation but some samurai swords, the very small carriage that a bride travelled in and a collection of miniature items made to show off the gifts given for a wedding which since there was furniture as well as smaller items, just as well!

Our last visit was to the castle glimpsed as we had arrived, as you can see not very imposing, just visible on the top of the nearest hill.

Close up

Up a very steep slope and lots of steps, should have kept up more exercise ….... Unfortunately nothing in it but views of the local area and very easy to fortify.

No pretty sunsets this time.

Our arrival close to Miyajima coincided with grey clouds and light rain. Since this is the site of the Itsukushima Shrine one of the most famous in Japan it was disappointing. We were tendered to the island, of which more later, but our driver resorted to this

in order to see where he was going! We walked to the Shrine through this stone torii 

and accompanied by the local deer who roam freely around the island.

The Otorii (grand gate) it is very beautiful even without the surrounding water and in the rain!

We walked through the temple, all on stilts so surrounded by water at high tide

and some of the monks were around and laid out items for 'blessing'

They receive gifts of saki, delivered in these colourful barrels.

This is a Noh theatre where the scenery is always similar wherever the theatre, the shrine is a strange mix of religious and entertainment space.

On leaving we passed a very useful statue of a god who helps relive pain, so lots of offerings in the box and rubbing going on.

We saw this pagoda from the shrine and it shows how close the Shinto and Buddhist places of worship can be. Also one of the shishi lion dogs which guard the entrances to Shinto shrines in Japan, one is open mouthed the one on the other side will be closed and they represent the birth and death of 'all things'. In Buddhist temples the guards take more human form but are very fierce.

We climbed up to the pagoda but as with many couldn't go inside, they generally are deemed to hold some relics associated with Buddha.

The rain eventually stopped and so walking back to pick up the tender through the inevitable shopping street was more pleasant, passing the largest 'rice paddle' in the world. More usual size serving implements are of course on sale as souvenirs.

Small houses and lots of overhead wires in the back streets of the large village associated with the shrine,

I nearly walked up to another temple, (lots of steps) but fortunately there was a gate keeper who I didn't want to disturb!

The tide was much further in before we had to catch the tender back to the ship so I managed this good shot

and this one of a new and contentious Buddhist temple, since it is in direct line to the shrine, on the opposite bank, the outskirts of Hiroshima.

We couldn't depart for Kobe because one of the tenders had damaged some fishing nets and it's propeller, and since the tenders double up as life boats it would not be safe, so we crossed the straights to Hiroshima an unscheduled stop on our itinerary. Meant good shots of Miyajima though which we wouldn't have had as should have been going north.