Sankoso Okayama

... just high enough so that all your luggage can slide underneath. There is no box spring, just a mattress on a platform. Now, as a Club member, they gave me a discount on my room (and the desk clerk apologized for my having to give them my credit card again so they could process the partial refund), on my 10th Toyoko Inn night I will get a coupon for a free night, and every night I can designate a four-hour window during the next day ...

... the only visitor there, and hopefully this is because it's a weekday, because it was surprisingly interesting. I though they were the fold out fans, but these require splitting a single bamboo stalk into dozens of spines that then get fanned out and tied with thread. Then papered over with decorative rice paper or fabric. After Marugame, got to Takamatsu in the late afternoon, intending to spend the time until dark in ...

... 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

Dopo qualche giorno a Kyoto si riparte , il riposino ci voleva perche` e` propio una bella citta` con tanti posti da visitare. Il viaggio di oggi e` stato qualcosa di tremendo sono passato attraverso Nara la vecchia capitale del Giappone , Osaka , Kobe , Okayama fino a fermarni a Kurashiki che ...

... in a small black lacquer box, then we had sashimi, then fish in a soup with vegetables, then prawn and vegetable tempura, then rice with octopus and vegetables and to finish off strawberries in jelly. What a feast, both of us were stuffed afterwards. We both took baths after dinner, and on our return found that in our absence our beds had been made. In the morning, we had a breakfast that was every bit as big as the dinner but ...

... 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.

... vase will will give to Yoku tonight when we go to Hiroshima. The Omiyagai bag is filling up with gifts given to us--good thing we brought the bags! Well, I will have to sign off as the group is waiting for me. (Oh we went to the factory that makes this dried bean --sweet and tastes a bit like dates) alk to you soon amelia

... of the day with the family, Went to the coin laundry and while the clothes did their thing, went to the park nearby and played with a frisbee and baseball. We had a smaller dinner (thankfully), checked out Hiroko's fathers Harley Davidson and played with the children.

... Garden which is supposedly one of the 3 most beautiful gardens in Japan. Next, we went to the National Kibi Youth Center which is like a camp, and we were sharing this camp with about 200 elementary school children. After the camp assembly, we had a barbecue and a camp fire. It was actually pretty cold where we were because it was in the mountains of Okayama prefecture. Then, we took onsen style baths (public baths) which was slightly awkward, but it is ...

... look on with indifference to my struggles. I catch my train, and enjoy the air conditioning and the school girls again. Time passes. Time passes. Hang on a second, I`m quite sure it didn`t take this long last time, and I didn`t remember the surrounding area looking quite so suburban... Oh right, of course, I`ve taken the wrong train, and it will take at least half an hour to rectify this. What fun. Despite my best efforts to send the train physic messages of "hurry ...