Business Hotel Appoint Kurashiki

... last night it was noodles and a bowl of rice, and tonight it was a plate of rice with hot curry sauce. Not a huge amount of food, but combined with all the walking I'm doing for sightseeing, the effect is a spa experience that others pay a fortune to get! Toyoko Inn has mastered the design of the small hotel room, fitting all the amenities into a tiny space, with not a square inch squandered. Their major innovation was the bed that's ...

... Since it's not watermelon season, I went with the temple complex to see. It's rather less impressive than I thought, but it is the largest probably of the 88 temples on the Shikoku Henro pilgrimage route. This is a route around Shikoku undertaken by a priest Henro, of 88 temples (big and small), and it's said if you finish the journey, whatever wish you want is granted. Apparently, they didn't know that Zentsuji has sand ...

... from Hiroshima. They were exceedingly nice and I found it hard to refuse them when they offered me food from their table. I'm not sure if my Japanese is really improving (it's not) or if being tired made me think it was easier, but I managed not to screw up having a conversation with the couple and the owner of the inn. Basically I could figure out what they were getting at, and vice versa, though they had no clue what TB is...must find out the Japanese word for ...

... some forest and over some streams and got to site with some deer at the top of mountain looking over the misty bay.

Bypassing Hiroshima, now I'm in Okayama, another big city filled with business men now on the prowl for alcohol and diversion. Had a dinner of convenience store goods because I'm lazy and tired, and tomorrow is another long day starting with a quick tour of the local 'amazing' garden and then the rest of the day in Shikoku.

Tomorrow: Kochi

-mike

... bearers for them to hire.They will carry you up the steps to the Dai-mon Gate. One funny thing was I saw many people even took their little dogs with them to Shrine. Watching the dogs jump up the steps, I guess the dogs must want to cry for coming to this kind of place. Btw, Kotohira produces the best Udon in Japan. Outside one famous Udon school, you ...

Not too long ago I realized that my time in Japan is already nearing its end! (well at least I am over 50% of my time here :P) Inspired by this realization I transformed into a mad-insanely-ambitious traveler, set on experiencing as much of Japan as can possibly be squeezed into various weekend trips. By cutting back on sleep and spending more time studying my lonely planet than any other of my course books, I have so far ...

... veramente da buttare via , non ho idea al momento di quanti km sono ma so molto bene che ho solo guidato nel traffico di quelli da esodo tutte queste citta` e o paesi che ho nominato sono coesi fra loro non c`e` un pezzo di terra libero che ti fa capire che stai lasciando un posto per un`altro.

... which are segregated for men and women as usual. It was not a particularly elaborate onsen, but it was quite nice. The dinner there was however nothing but brilliant. It consisted of a series of courses all brought to us in our room. The lady who served us was really sweet and friendly, and we kept saying to ourselves after each dish - that has to be the last course! We started with a selection of vegetables and various fish ...

... around the town, which is absolutely full of pottery shops. Daniella watched the man make some pots, then it was her turn to produce a mug for tea and plate. She liked them so much she paid to have them fired, then send back to the UK. After this we headed back to the station and took a train to Okayama where we changed for another train to Kurashiki, where we had booked a stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.

Helena and I decided when we came to Kyoto we'd do a tour because it would just be much less hassle - then we realised Nara was included in one of the tours we were looking at so it was a done deal. I was excited when I realised that one of the places we were visiting was Nijo Castle, where the Nightingale floor is. It was great, walking across it.. hearing it sing. It was put in by the Shogun as he was afraid of assasination, and so every step you take makes the floor sing. So, it ...