Misono Ryokan Kurashiki

... directions and being understood. The key is to speak simply--for example, "Takamatsu des" literally means "Takamatsu is," but it works just fine if you want to know if you are on the right train platform to get to Takamatsu. Japanese people are very sensitive to how others are feeling and very skilled at making correct assumptions from context. Their language and culture require it!

YOU ME TOWN

It's a half-hour walk ...

... 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 ...

... the stark white and black of the castle, I think I got some good pictures. On a related note, Matsuyama area is famous for oranges. I've longing for them for a while (scurvy?) and I've been put off either by them being overripe at the markets (Uchiko) or overpriced (Matsuyama). However, at the castle a man was selling some really sweet oranges and despite the expense (500 yen for two), I couldn't hold off buying them. Anyway, after the castle, I headed back the ...

... 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

... Japan country side. However when we arrived there,I noticed there were so many people and couldnt find the car park. All the parkings were full, and one guy took us to a parking inside one small road. So lucky! There is 785 stone steps to the Main Sanctuary, and another 1,368 stone steps climb up to the Inner Shrine. If you couldnt climb the steps, there are ...

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.

... not so much to our tastes. Neither of us really took to the pickles and fish with rice for brekky! Overall it was a really enjoyable - but expensive stay in a ryokan. The welcoming was first class as was the service throughout, the place in general just had a lovely peaceful ambience, very civilised, we would defintely recommend it as a must-do to any visitor to Japan. We headed back to the station and caught the shinkansen to Hiroshima.

We stopped off on the way from Kobe to Kurashiki at Imbe in the area of Bizen which is very famous for pottery and ceramics. Daniella had read in the guide book that there was a place where she could try her hand on the pottery wheel. It was a small town and there were not many restauarants open as it was a Sunday so we grabbed a bite to eat from a local supermarket. While Daniella did her stuff on the wheel, Jon took a ...

... had sections and we could sit anywhere in the section. We were a little behind third base and I think our seats were great. Rachel and Charlie moved over and we all sat together. The game started not long after, it was the Buffaloues and the Lions, the Buffaloues (that's how they spell it) were the home team. We were almost alone in our section, although throughout the game a few more people showed up. Across the field the section was full, and we decided that it was because ...