Farewell Japan

We've just stepped of our plane from Tokyo and waiting for our Melbourne flight, so our final day isn't over yet but we have bid farewell to Japan.

Our final few hours were spent back in Tokyo exploring the area near our first hotel that we didn't get a chance to see.

It is mainly a sea of tall office buildings and shopping but in between there are a few hidden surprises.

One if these is a Kite Museum that was jam packed with not only kites but photos, ribbons, badges and just about anything with a kite on it.

A short walk away is the bridge that all distances in Japan are measured from. It is hidden under a freeway that runs over the top of the river and a very busy thoroughfare but it has some ornate decoration befitting its importance.

Finally back to Tokyo Station where the sheer number of stores and people is hard to comprehend. We have walked around here a number of times on different days and still found places we hadn't seen before.

After returning to our hotel to collect our bags we boarded the airport bus and bid farewell to Tokyo.

It has been a much more rewarding experience that either of us could ever have imagined, hopefully we will be back to discover more of Japan soon.

Tokyo DisneySea

We have covered a lot of ground over the past two days and now we're enjoying our final night in Japan. The poor wifi at our hotel resulted in a post about the past two days - the journey back to Tokyo and DisneySea - rather than individual posts.

We had another decadent meal at our Miyajima ryokan before starting our 1000km journey back to Tokyo. The trip involved a ferry, 2 local trains, 2 Shinkansen, a monorail and finally a bus that took us roughly 150 meters.

The highlight of the journey was being able to finally see Mt Fuji clearly. We have had a lot of overcast and misty weather in Japan but it was brilliantly clear as we passed Mt Fuji. It is an incredible site.

The part of the journey that really made us tired was carrying our luggage up and down numerous stair cases and ramps. Luckily we just missed Tokyo peak hour otherwise I'm not sure our bags would be in one piece.

The Disney Resort area in Tokyo consists of 2 different Disney Parks, hotels and shopping centres all connected by a monorail and not easy walking distance from each other.

The first night we ventured to the shopping area for dinner and a look around. Prices here were higher than elsewhere in Japan, some if the merchandise was high end international designer goods, bit not too bad. Tamie managed to find a new handmade optical frame that was a lot cheaper than it would be in Australia.

DisneySea took us most of today to tackle . It is not as big as other theme parks but there is a lot packed in. Designed around 5 different themed harbours it is different to Disneyland in a lot of ways but similar all the same. A lot more characters wandering around, more restaurants and shops plus unique rides.

So back in our room after the fireworks display getting ready to come home tomorrow. A half day to look at a few things we missed first time in Tokyo them homeward bound.

Miyajima

A short train and ferry ride from Hiroshima this morning took us to the world heritage Miyajima island. It is widely known as one of Japan's three most beautiful islands.

While the island is quite large the town is small and easy to walk around. As soon as we left the ferry terminal the wild deer appeared. Unlike Nara they are not tame and basically ignore humans but will eat any paper products in sight - especially maps.

After dropping our bags off we headed straight for the waterfront and some of the main highlights of the island. The most identifiable icon of the island is the Otorii (Grand Gate) that is a actually in the water. Late in the day at low tide we were able to walk out to within 30m. It is part of the Itsukushima Shrine that sits over the water but is connected to the island. Both are bright orange and amazing sites.

Overlooking both of these from atop a hill are the Gojunoto pagoda and Toyokuni Shrine. Both were different to the others we have seen elsewhere in Japan, particularly the shrine as it was never completed and has no doors.

We continued on past some smaller temples and shrines into the hills before boarding a ropeway and cable car to near the summit of Mt Misen (535m) that towers over the island. After a challenging 1km walk up and down an uncountable number of steps we reached the summit. We were rewarded with some spectacular views of the surrounding area.

Once back at ground level we walked through the town shopping and trying one of the local specialties; a maple leaf shaped small cake called "Momiji Manju" that were filled with various things from bean paste to chocolate. Very nice.

As the sun was setting we were able to take advantage of the departure of the day trippers and get up close to Otorii. Sunset really brought the colour out. Walking back through the town was a bit odd with almost no one around, a rare site for us in Japan.

Dinner at the ryokan we are staying in was an experience we'll never forget. We had at constant stream of dishes presented to us, some with gold leaf and some with burners to cook them as we finished the course before. It was also a chance for us to try Fugu - and teach the hotel staff how to say "puffer fish" in English.

We return to Tokyo tomorrow via 6 different transport trips over 1000km and the last part of our time in Japan.

Hiroshima

Sunny warm weather was a welcome addition today as we left Kyoto and explored Hiroshima.

The city itself is quite compact and had a number of tram lines running through it. Waking around was easier than other places because of the wide footpaths here.

Our first stop was the Peace Memoral Museum. It was an account of the history of Hiroshima and the atomic bomb that was very moving. It is definitely somewhere that you should visit if you come to Japan.

From the museum we explored the rest of the Peace Memorial Park that has several different tributes for different groups. The most striking memorial is the A-Bomb dome that a standing skeleton from before the blast.

We moved onto the rebuilt Hiroshima Castle that provided some amazing views of the city from the top of it's pagoda. The gardens surrounding it also contain some ruined from buildings destroyed in the blast.

The final daytime stop was at Shukkeien Garden. A very pretty spot with a huge number of koi and turtles floating in it's lake and a variety of different Hanami trees growing with the traditional pine trees.

For dinner we tried the local speciality of Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes). The place we ate at was on level 4 of a building just for Okonomiyaki."

We hit the furthest from Tokyo we go tomorrow, hopefully it's as good as everywhere else in Japan.

Horyuji and Nara

The rain wasn't the biggest issue today, it was the wind. It was gusty and forceful, breaking one of our umbrella's so we had to purchase our 3rd this trip.

A bit over an hour train ride from Kyoto brought us to our first stop for the day: Horyuji Temple. Before we left the train station we were approached by an elderly gentleman who volunteers to take people on a guided tour to keep his mind active. In fact there are a number of them who officially do this. We thanked him but did not take up the offer as the weather was atrocious at that stage.

Horyuji Temple is a staggering place to visit. It was founded in 607 and some of its wooden structures are the oldest still intact in the world. The size and craftsmanship is superb. It also contained a large collection of important Japanese artefacts that date back to the 6th century.

Back onto the train and onto Nara, capital of Japan from 710 to 784. Much like Kyoto there are a huge number of shrines and temples to see here so we concentrated on three main sites: Five Storied Pagoda, Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. These are all centred around Nara Park.

When we arrived at the Pagoda the first thing we saw was the "tamed" wild deer wandering around. For most of the afternoon anywhere we went, deer were there. People we feeding them special deer cookies, patting them and surrounding them for photos which the deer didn't seem to mind.

The pagoda was interesting, unfortunately the Kofukuji Temple next to it was under repair. So onto Todaiji Temple which had some spectacular buildings and a massive Buddha inside its central shrine.

Our final stop took us on a walk through Nara Park to Kasuga Taisha Shrine. This shrine had an uncountable number of lanterns leading towards it and hanging from its buildings. They rattled a lot in the wind.

A long walk back through Nara Park to the station and onto the train back to Kyoto for our last night before we head to Hiroshima.

Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Royanji and Arashiyama

We awoke to driving rain this morning that only relented at 9pm tonight. This made for a very tough day of touring. Disappointingly this also prevented us from using bicycles instead of walking and public transport.

On to the bus we went for our first stop at Kinkakuji, better known as the Golden Pavilion. This is truly one of the most spectacular sights I have ever seen. The setting was actually added to by the weather, and the gardens surrounding were just about at there best.

Next stop was Ryoanji Temple that is known for its zen garden and Sakura. Again the rain actually added to the serenity of the temple, which also allowed a much closer look at the original artwork on the walls than most other places.

By this stage we were beginning to struggle keeping the rain out so we headed for the nearest station that just happened to be for a tram. The ride actually took us into the heart of our next destination, Arashiyama, when our original plan did not.

Arashiyama is a beautiful village surrounded by hills and a river but the real highlight is the Path of Bamboo. This forest of bamboo makes a magical path to walk along with several temples and shrines along the way. It was also a chance to look up close at some of the different ways of Japanese life as we passed a number of house, farms and workshops.

On return to Kyoto we caught up on some washing before dinner. We ate on the 6th floor of a department store near us. It actually has 12 or so restaurants on the one floor. The really enjoyable part of the evening was looking around the store after dinner at the appliances and devices we don't get in Australia.

Our last day in Kyoto tomorrow will be spent at the ancient capital Nara a short train ride from town. More rain is forecast but we're determined to make the most of our time here.

Kyoto: Higashiyama, "Path of Philosophy" and Gion

We covered no less than 15km on foot today in the warmest weather we have encountered in Japan - 28 degrees. It also felt like half of Kyoto had the same idea as us with masses of people in almost every place we visited. Having passed over 30 temples, shrines, mausoleums, pagodas and so forth; it's been a very long day.

The highlights of the morning walk were the Kiyomizudera Temple perched high atop a mountain overlooking all of Kyoto; Chorakuji Temple with it's masses of steps; and the Heian Jingu shrine not only for the bright red torii gate but its spectacular garden full of Hanami.

The afternoon took us to Nanzenji Temple that had the largest entrance gate either of us had ever seen, Ginkakuji Temple that is around 600 years old, and the magical "Path Of Philosophy".

The "Path of Philosophy" is a canal that is lined with Hanami and stretches a good 2km. It was very busy but probably the best Hanami we have seen.

After a brief rest back at our Ryokan we took to Gion, famous for the historic shop fronts, nightlife, Hanamii and home to Kyoto's geisha (known as geiko). It is a very charming area by night and we were lucky enough to spot two geiko.

Time for a rest and tomorrow we're off to the hills of Kyoto, hopefully the forecast of rain is wrong.

Takayama to Kyoto

Another day and another long train trip. This time the sun was out so we were able to see a lot more on our way down the mountains than on the way up.

We had under 8 minutes to change trains and after sprinting through Nagoya station we made it with a minute to spare. Before we had a chance to catch our breath we were arriving in Kyoto.

After dropping our bags off at our Ryokan we headed for Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, it was home to the first shogun of Japan for 265 years during the Edo period. The original palace is fascinating to walk through and the immaculate gardens with the sakura in full bloom are a wonderful sight.

Crossing to the other side of Kyoto our next stop was Fushimi Inari Shrine. It was starting to get dark when we arrived but it didn't stop the hoards of people coming to see not only the shrine but the thousands of torii gates lined up in rows. It is a spectacular sight to behold.

We headed back to Kyoto for dinner and a walk around the town at night. It is easy to know where you are as the Kyoto Tower is lit up and higher than anything else in the skyline.

Early observations of Kyoto: There are a lot of bicycles here, more than any other place we have visited, and a lot of women (only a few men) dressed traditionally.

Tomorrow we have one of the busiest days of our trip exploring a lot of the old Kyoto shrines and temples. The forecast is for warmth so hopefully some good photos for us to share.

Takayama

Heavy rain once again greeted us this morning in Takayama. Unfortunately it took its toll on the two morning markets that are a feature of this town. It also made for slow going as we walked around the town between the markets.

A short bus ride from town centre took us to the Hida Folk Village. A lot of work has gone into preserving a number of original houses from the area in this one spot. It was amazing to see all the different styles of architecture spread over centuries and really only changing on the 1960's.

This was also the first place we saw snow today. Not a lot but enough to remind us just how cold it can get here.

We returned to town for lunch and made an elderly restaurant owners day by giving her a small koala in thanks for her hospitality. They really do get very excited whenever we pull one of them out, I'm not sure how they'd cope seeing a real one.

Finally a break in the weather gave us a chance to walk around the hills surrounding Takayama to explore the 20 plus temples and shrines that make up what is known as "Little Kyoto".

The Cyprus pines that surround a lot of the path are beautiful and being the only people on the path for most of the journey was a little surreal after the hoards of people we have encountered at most other sites.

Making our way back to the hotel from the shrine walk also gave us an opportunity to try some of the local sake and warm up. There are a lot of sake breweries here all identifiable by the ball of pine that hangs from their doorway.

After dinner at an Izakaya (like Japanese tapas) and a relax in the open air onsen at the hotel we're ready to go to Kyoto tomorrow.