A Watery End

Last day........it's gone very fast.

I seem to be a little thwarted with the mechanics of posting pictures so here we go with a few to set the scene....my patience isn't up to art direction today!

Our dip into the countryside around Hakone had to be a brief taster and meant we really spent our time in the hotel - but it proved to be a great wind down in preparation for our journey home tomorrow (Thursday 26th).  

Breakfast with a view. We've got used to rice and pickles in the early hours...K&R a even had curry soup. As we sat and ate the strains of Norwegian Wood wafted to us on the sound system; ever since 

my karaoke attempt the anthem seems to be following me around; they played it on the Naoshima Ferry too! 

Last day of using our wonderful rail pass that allowed us to roam where we wanted to  

on  sleek Shinkansen.

 The hotel boasted a really great onsen - and I even persuaded Kate to try it. Rog had already sampled one in our Kyoto hotel. I think there have been a fair few firsts on this jaunt for Kate and Rog. 

This onsen was fed from natural hot springs from the surrounding hills and looked like it was built in  the 30s - but in Deco style certainly. As there are ladies in total deshabille wandering the place, you can imagine that no cameras are allowed ( seems to have been a recurring theme on this trip!) 

So, to describe it - immensely high ceilings, white,brick-shape, tiled walls  and polished dark grey granite fittings. When you arrive in an onsen you settle yourself, totally naked, upon a little stool and wash thoroughly with shower and soaps. It does take some getting used to, this fleshly abandonment and there is the possibility of taking a small towel in with you to provide a little modesty - but after a while it's just normal. 

Along one wall was what looked like a Romanesque arcade of  columns, beyond which were spaces separated by curved screens of frosted glass. Into each of these spaces poured  - out of granite spouts - naturally hot water from a great height.  You sat upon little granite stools at the bottom of this stream which landed with enough force  to provide a liquid massage. It felt just great. 

Add to this 3 other hot soaking pools with jets, a sauna and a cold plunge pool and it was like a superior spa. 

The area is certainly somewhere to return - we missed out on cable cars, funicular railway, open air art museum and more .... A place to visit again. 

Then it was off on Wednesday midday to a hotel near Narita airport. I ended with a swim and jacuzzi there - and I was the only one in the massive pool complex.  The Japanese are scrupulous about cleanliness so one always has to wear little bathing caps..very attractive (not). And whilst I was swimming the pool receptionist came into test the purity of the water....just as well I hadn't done anything untoward in there as there would have been no one else to blame. And that brings me neatly to my other favourite topic, which I have resisted so far on this trip; Japanese toilets. I've added two new specimens to my collection - there's the one with a mini second seat hinged above the first - for child use  - and then the type that, the minute you sit down starts pouring water into the bowl  ( actually I found that a bit inhibiting...don't know why!)

So, it's back home tomorrow. At least the hour change will help with the jet lag a little - I'm looking forward to the lighter nights and perhaps eating a little less! We couldn't face another feast on our last night - so it was actually pot noodles from a vending machine - but very delicious they were too.

As we ate we tied to pin down the highlights of the trip - but there were too many to single out the one. But I'm glad to report that Kouchi's father had his operation today and despite the major surgery of entire stomach removal, he came through well with the loss of a mere 15 ml of blood. So, we'll keep praying for good things for him and the entire family.

And that hopefully bodes well for the attendance of some of the family at Louise's English wedding celebration....that's the next thing to look forward to.

City to Country via Celebrations

On Sunday, having woken a tad fragile - and leaving the young to sleep on (they'd carried on having fun until 4 a.m.) we all went our separate ways for the morning. I walked up to the main Sakae shopping district from our rather brilliant budget hotel. I wandered into the famous department store chain, Mitsukoshi, but was rather overwhelmed by the acres of designer labels. It was also so huge

that I didn't want to stray too far and lose my bearings...if I didn't exit the same way I came in, I didn't trust myself to find my way back to the hotel....However, there were some pretty major landmarks to hang on to...the needle-like Nagoya Communication Tower and - bang opposite my hotel window  - the CBS TV tower.

I was tempted by the loads of small sized shoes on offer - but maybe it was the fact that I had too much choice that stopped me making a purchase. (We've got one more retail moment ahead so all may not be lost...watch this space) Anyway, all I managed was a little face-cloth buying ( they're not just run of the mill in Japan, believe me) before I headed back to meet up with the others. 

Kate and Roger decided to go to church - but as the only English service was at 2.30 and Kouichi had planned to take us to a blossom park in the afternoon I opted to go with the young. It's really rather early to find most Sakura (cherry blossom) but we hoped to see some plums blooming. There was the obligatory stop for lunch on the way in a sweet little macrobiotic cafe; its vibe and the residential area in which it was situated reminded me of California when David and I travelled there in the 70s and 80s. Everything in the cafe was beautifully detailed - cabinets of ply and wood fittings that suited th ethos nicely. The gentle Japanese curry with unpolished rice suited me nicely too.

Sadly there always has to be a travel casualty - and this time it's the gizmo that downloads pictures from my 'posh' camera....so the pix in this post will be limited.

Kouichi got us all mustered back in the 10 seater tour bus (!) and off we set. Unusually we encountered quite a bit of traffic and by the time we actually made it to the park which was a good 50 minutes out of the city, there was only about an hour left and the sun had been lost behind grey clouds. Also, the blossom display wasn't quite as advanced as hoped but there were some lovely examples - especially one weeping plum which was a great magnet for photographers. One older Japanese chap with cameras slung around his neck - zoom lenses the length of a small car (ok I exaggerate for effect) - offered to take a group picture of us with my camera. Bless his heart, when
I got it back there was a fine image of his finger in front of the lens too;  maybe he was a bit hotter on equipment than execution.....

We weren't back at the hotel until nearly 6 and Kouchi had to take the van back to Toyohsahi that evening because he was working on Monday...so he planned to have dinner with us early and then take the bulk of our luggage with him too, back to the guesthouse. Kate and Rog hadn't appeared back from church but we set off for a Thai meal within walking distance of the hotel with instructions how to join us......which they did around 7, full of the good time they'd had  - and finding connections with a Californian church they'd visited a few years ago. There had been prayer for Kouchi's father too and they felt very buoyant.

So, Monday- apart from turning cold (the temperature dropped 10 degrees from 20 to 10 C ) it was Lou's 27th birthday. We all managed to say it in Japanese! The morning was set aside for more retail therapy and this time Louise led us to the other end of the spectrum; Book-Off - a chain of second hand shops for clothes, and the stunningly tempting 100 Yen store Daiso. By the end of the outing we'd got loaded with some good, packable bits and pieces and Lou had a birthday dress and shoes. Then it was back to Gamagori where Kouichi, having knocked off early to celebrate the day with Louise, met us for a late lunch. Lou chose the cuisine  - she wanted unagi (eel) and we all joined in. It's a world away from ideas of slimy jellied eel. Very very tasty indeedy.

Having had to return the 10 seater for the use of the (properly!) elderly at his family business day care centre, Kouichi only had his car. So Masae, his mum, came to pick up half the party. The seniors

went with her and we did a little detour to Takematsu. I'd visited here in October, it's beside the sea and a long bridge crosses to an island shrine, now shut for the winter. What I hadn't done last time
was visit the little museum, housed in an old hospital building. It was a delightful experience. Outside there was a keen coastal wind blowing and we were very chilled; inside it was all warmth, polished wood, gentle tinkling music and tasteful flower displays. Masae treated us to more whisked green tea made by a woman dressed in a kimono made of local woven cloth. This time we had little dissolving tablets of sugar to put on our tongues before drinking the tea - and this certainly improved the taste! They say you have to introduce a child to new tastes at least 9 times before they grow to like things....7 more teas to go....

Louise, the birthday girl at the museum with her birthday flower- the daffodil (suisen?) and peach blossom.

Birthday supper for Louise was back at the guesthouse and two types of nabe (pronounced nabay) which is basically Japanese hotspot cooked at the table; the delicious stock is the key...then chuck in veg and meat. Local cabbage, enoki mushrooms, and tender, fine leeks jostled with chicken, chikowa ( a kind of surimi roll) and tofu in one. The vegetarian option was in a spicier liquid and packed a punch. Before we got stuck into that however, Masae insisted on us all having a toast to Lou and eating birthday cake - a delicious light cheesecake. She would have had us eating 'Apple pie' ( actually light flaky pastry apple turnovers ) at the same time because ' Ruizu likes apple pie' but we needed to leave room for the nabe. We did however sing Happy Birthday to You with the same tune - which is apparently the tradition in Japan too!So it was then farewell to the family, one more night in Gamagori ( I'm not that sad to bid farewell to sleeping on a futon on the floor) and we set off at 9a.m. Tuesday to have our last adventure - bidding Louise goodbye too until she's back in the UK in May. By Shinkansen from Toyohashi we travelled to Odawara - getting some even more stunning pictures of Fuji as the visibility was so good. Then it was a branch line to Kowakadani .......an interesting journey where we shuttled back and forth, changing tracks to mount the incline up into the hills near the popular mountain resort of Hakone. We knew we'd have little time here but the idea is to have a taster for another time.

Kate had found the hotel, The Wisterian Life Club ( or Verde no Mori in Some hybrid language they'd printed on the signage ) on the net and it was a knock down bargain....however getting there from the station proved a bit challenging - heaving overstuffed suitcases on and off two buses. But, it was worth it. Although a little elderly in its decor the position is great - we both have immense rooms with sitting areas and balconies sporting views out to the hills and the distant sea. It's very Japanese however...hardly a shred of English to be seen on notices. But we made ourselves understood with hand waving and smiles.

After a swim in the pool (I had to buy a costume here because I'd forgotten mine - and I think it made the elderly saleslady's day - she did have some English, which she shouted at me as she cupped her hand to her ear)
All in all - a relaxing way to end the day.....

Unexpected Stops but Still Singing

Still having a rather tricky time with blog posting I just completely deleted a beautiful graphic layout - so this is what you now have....pictures first and some of the writing I saved!

I completely forgot to include our flying visit to Kobe, on the way to Gamagori. Kobe was the site of a massive earthquake in 1995 and we visited the museum which chronicled it - first very graphically with actual film footage of the collapsing city complete with sound effects. What came over from the displays, apart from many facts ( like nearly 7000 killed and 43000 injured) was the long lasting effect on the community - for the good, mostly. People helped each other so much at the time and that has been carried forward in initiatives to strengthen community and especially to improve the potential isolation of the elderly. Volunteering initiatives multiplied greatly...

So, Thursday night we chose our rooms, in the family guesthouse in Gamagori, spread out our futons and slept well on our tatami mats. Friday was a day of relaxing and just what we all needed. Not a lot was done apart from a short walk to the local convenience store to provision.

Friday night saw the 5 of us gathered together; Kouichi got home from work early at 4 and we looked forward to Masae, his Mum and Achiko, his older sister, and her children, Saimon, Shion and Seirin to arriving with -and for - supper!

Just before they all arrived we were able to see the final championship round of sumo wrestling on the TV - which we'd followed on our travels. Totally to everyone's surprise, the hot favourite - a Mongolian super hero called Hakuho was knocked out by another compatriot, Teru No Fuji. He was so happy to win against all expectations that he kept screwing his eyes up manfully to stem the tears - but he lost that fight!

Celebratory family gatherings are the same the world over...the children careering about and being indulged by all; lots of laughter; plenty of good things to drink (including a superior sake) and eat. We rolled our own sushi choosing fillings of fresh raw tuna, cooked shrimp, tuna mayo, salmon crumbs, aojiso - a delicious fresh green leaf (perilla) and kaiware - which is rather like the mustard sprout of good old mustard and cress. There was more...but these were my favourites, laid on a liberal spreading of beautiful white, clumped sushi rice and folded up into a cone of nori seaweed wrap. Yum. There were clams in miso soup and also in a succulent sauce with fine green leeks.

The most moreish part of the feast was Masae's delicious slow cooked pork - made with soya sauce, vinegar, sugar, mirin and sake. 

When we could eat no more savouries we had sweet Gamagori mikan- the local oranges which are flavour packed satsuma like fruit. And Lou produced the box of yatsuhashi - the milky stuffed mochi sweets they'd bought in Kyoto. Sheer indulgence.

About this time we produced our gifts for the family - mixtures of chocolates, oatcakes, chutney, lemon curd, marmalade and smellies. They all went down very well indeed!

Masae proceeded to produce more sweets; Sakura (cherry blossom) flavoured rice wrapped in a preserved cherry tree leaf. Then she unwrapped some very fine tea bowls and made us superior macha (green tea) -the colour of spring grass - in the traditional way using powder and boiled water combined with a delicate bamboo whisk. This frothy, chlorophyll packed drink was a touch bitter to our palates but Shion drained hers with real enjoyment....Kouichi said the shogun drank it before battle to calm their spirits. It certainly calmed ours for we all had the most solid night's sleep since arriving.

The plan on Saturday was to drive to Nagoya to meet up with Lou's friend Emma from schooldays, and her fiancé, Wim, by 12 noon. There was another slight transport delay however.....the borrowed minivan decided to stop at the service station when we did - but then not go again...

We were very impressed by Kouichi's command of the situation as he got a mechanic/ tow truck and replacement vehicle sorted.

Whilst we waited I opened up my email to see a reflection had arrived from the Ignatian Spirituality Website; 

"Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.” 

A good adage....and we just enjoyed hanging around at the service station, watching local vendors selling super fresh veg, plants and bonsai; Roger was plugged into his ipad practising his karaoke numbers - for that is what was planned for the evening ( and he was taking it very seriously!) 

So with only an hour's delay we were on the road again - this time in a 10 seater minivan with lots of room to relax in.

In the afternoon we visited Nagoya castle in the sunshine and warmth. The blossom is beginning to burst and there were some festivities going on with lots of people dressed up.

So, an evening feast of snacks with a few drinks at an izikaya got us primed for the karaoke and I can report that Roger's homework paid off; he did an impressive Louis Armstrong impersonation duetting with Louise on Its a Wonderful World. I think Kate and I were maybe overconfident in our ability to busk it - but we had fun and I think our Everly Brothers Trio with Rog was the highlight - we even injected some harmonies into Bye Bye Love! We had chosen the private room option in a place called Big Echo...so at least we only made fools of ourselves in front of the 8 of us ( Louise's teaching colleague Eileen joined us, along with Emma and Wim, and she had a great line in Disney songs)

Today is Sunday...and like yesterday, it has dawned sunny...so who knows what today brings.......

Uno to Gamagori

Small update; less than week after we had visited Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto Michelle Obama was there following in our footsteps....

Originally we had wondered about a trip to Hiroshima on Wednesday- but our curtailed day on Naoshima meant we returned, this time to see the art museums. the Benesse House Art Museum was filled with Hockney,  Twombly, Rauschenberg and other contemporary artists...but the Ando architecture and the setting was just as much the attraction. Due to the no camera rule, the nearest we got to a photo was of our delicious lunchtime pumpkin soup in the cafe....

After we found our way to the Chichu museum. - another Ando design, built mainly underground with natural top lighting for the artworks. Very contemporary exhibits including the other major James Turrell but also a room full of huge Monet water lily canvasses beautifully displayed in minimalist style. We changed shoes to slippers to enter the space and were blessed by having to share it with very few others as entry was restricted to only eight people at the same time. This somehow gave you the right frame of mind to look properly. The last work was by Walter del Maria - a massive granite sphere perched half way up a flight of steps and surrounded by gilded trios of beautifully cut wooden pillars. 

Leaving- we found it was pouring with rain and the last shuttle bus had left. So, it was a 20 minute walk back to Miyanoura port where, rather damp, we drank coffee and feasted on some pastries before getting the ferry 'home' to the Uno Slope House guesthouse.

On Thursday (19th) morning, from Uno Port we bade farewell to our hosts Momoko - who took care of the breakfasts and general hospitality - and Max, the owner of the guesthouse who is a film maker living half time in Japan and half time in New York. (We benefited from Amercan pancakes and maple syrup as a result...)

Then courtesy of Hyperdia ( fantastic online Japanese transport website) and Kate's planning we boarded a series of trains to take us to Zengo where we were met by Louise and Kouichi. The plan was to visit K's father in hospital where he is having to stay to stabilise him for surgery on the 25th March. It's a huge university teaching hospital - privately funded - and to train as a doctor there would cost you some 45 million yen.

Toshihisa looked a little frail perched cross legged on his bed. We stayed briefly so as not to tire him and also met up with Kouichi's mother there before leaving to settle into the family's guest house. She pressed gifts into our hands which turned out to be 3 very lovely yukata that we could relax in.

I'm presently having a bit of trouble with this blog leaping about and being tricky - not able
to post pictures - so I'll try another time...!

Sea, See and Not See

The idea on Tuesday was to board the ferry bright and early to Naoshima. Shima means island in Japanese - and this island in the Seto (Inland Sea) is home to many art sites.  Many of the built structures are the work of architect Tadao Ando - using his favoured concrete and working almost sculpturally with the material. But.....the best laid plans are often thwarted by Weather....in this case a dense fog.
Kate and I had left Rog to rest as we went off to do some culture  and hopefully catch the 9.22 ferry. The lady at the ticket office had a few prepared bits of paper written out in English to keep us up to speed with the sailing status due to the fog; the last said 'you have not decided when to sail'....We got a wee bit impatient that they seemed so cautious about setting off for what was only a 25 minute crossing but found out later, that some years ago, there had been a ferry accident in fog resulting in the loss of more than 150 children on a school trip.

So...we didn't wheel our free rental bikes from our guesthouse on to the ferry until about 1 p.m. and not set sail until even later. Visibility was stil pretty poor but gave us rather poetic views of some of the hundreds of islands that dot the Seto Sea.

On Naoshima we headed straight for the Ando Museum which gave us some insight into a few of his buildings that were not on the islan. Architect Tadao Ando was responsible for the museums and much of the accommodation you can stay in when visiting. His ethos is to design with the environment in mind - following or framing the landscape and, especially in the case of the art museums, creating a place where art, building and nature work together as one.

But with limited time (we had to have in mind being able to get back off the island!) Kate and I cycled at some pace around the 6 'Art Project Houses' which were original old style houses that had fallen into disrepair and then been reclaimed - by giving each to a different artist to create something in the interiors.

Once again, cameras were not welcome - so no illustration of of these places - but this makes it remarkably restful ( not feeling you might have missed the perfect shot!) and it also makes you really SEE things. Your attention is right there.

Out of the 6 houses, 3 really grabbed my attention and imagination. Darkness was a major element in two of them. Walking into the first, the floor area was indistinct for a moment and it was only by being warned 'water!'that our eyes adjusted to the fact that, where tatami mats may have been, there
was a flooded area under which illuminated numbers flashed in random colours and sequence.

But it was the installation by James Turrell called Backside of the Moon that really captured us. Entering a room in total darkness we had to be guided in by a pair of hands that led us forward and then placed our own hands on a wall in order to locate us in the space. An exercise in trust just to begin with.....

For minutes we stood there. At first we could see two tiny and dim red lights up and to the right of our field of vision - then suddenly after about 10 mins there appeared to be a gently lit white screen ahead of us. We thought it had just been illuminated - but in fact this light had been there all the time, it's just that we didn't comprehend it until our eyes had adjusted. Unobserved light. Interesting.
Furthermore, we were invited to move forward and see the 'screen' and it turned out to be a void in the far wall, into which you could lean and look down upon the tiniest pinprick light sources which created this large, probably 5x2 metre lit area.
Later we saw another work by the same artist in the Chichu Art Museum on the Island - playing with space in a similar way but also the effect of colours upon each other. Too hard to describe but I would encourage anyone to see his work - it makes you part of it, it makes you think, it also gives you space and time to just 'be there'. I see there's an installation of his work in the UK this year.....I'm going!

By the end of the day the sun had burned through the mist and the light was just perfect for cycling past great views and some of the beautifully sited outdoor artworks ......and so on to the ferry back to Uno Port and a terrific supper of local fish.

  
 

Just Looking

Actually, the jet lag hasn't been bad for me but poor Kate and Rog have been suffering. Sunday night was pretty short for them and we had to get an early-ish start.

We were heading for Uno, courtesy of our Japan Rail Passes, to make that a base for a visit to two 'art islands' which I'd tried to see 

on my last trip - but a typhoon stymied that. The one place I really wanted to see was shut on Tuesday and the weather forecast for Wednesday, being dismal rain all day, we wanted to get there by Monday afternoon whilst the sun shone.

So it was Shinkansen from Kyoto then two local trains. A lovely girl from our traditional guesthouse met us at Uno port, relieved us of our baggage, provided us with maps and timetables and - thus - by half past one we were on the ferry, bobbing across the Japanese inland sea to Teshima Island.

We were blessed with sun and warmth and also the beautiful sight of the islands rising mistily from the water as we made our way to Teshima. It made the traditional ink paintings and woodblock prints of such landscapes totally real....

I'd heard of the art museum at a lecture in an Oxfordshire garden two summers ago...and although it sounded an experience not to be missed, I wasn't exactly sure what it would be like. It actually exceeded our expectations.

A low dome of white concrete nestles into a hillside. It's punctured by two large oval openings which 
allow in light, air and weather. Indeed the creators - an artist (Rei Naito) and an architect  (Ryue
Nishizawa) - call it a 'fusion of the environment, art and architecture' hoping ' these three elements work together as a single entity'. But it's more than that. Yes, the enveloping structure is a kind of building but it's more like being within a sculpture. And as you traverse the space the contours and the light change with each new perspective. Glimpses of trees, hillside and sky are framed by the curved openings. Strung across each opening is a gossamer - like white ribbon that billows in the air, creating a moving curve that mirrors the static one of the opening.

The concrete has a velvety patina and the most engaging experience in the place is of water - that runs and pools upon the floor. So difficult to describe - it's as though it has animate life. Water bubbles through tiny holes in the floor and creates mercury-like beads of moisture upon the surface, which, once they reach a critical mass move down the shallow curve of the floor - sometimes as a thin silver trail, sometimes dividing like a family of small lizards as they make their way to the lowest point and coalesce. The surface tension on the larger pools of water makes them appear like sheets of mirror with a deep curved edge.

The loveliest part is that no one is allowed to take in a camera - and silence is fostered. So the experience is quiet and calm and people really look;it would be easy to watch for a long time - the variety of movement in the water droplets alone seems infinite. People walk, stand, sit, kneel, squat or lie - watching the moving water with full attention.

So, the only photos were of the cafe and reception areas to give a sense of the style of the architecture

Intensive Tourism

So...it was soba noodles with Kouichi and Louise on Friday night...oishi (delicious) and some tasty Asahi beer too. 

Saturday morning dawned a little wet but the skies were gently brightening by the time we visited the Bhuddist silver temple, Higashiyama Jisho-ji - also nicknamed the Moss Temple because of its greened garden; it looked perfect adorned with droplets of water and the verdancy was even better under the grey skies. There was silvery raked gravel, zen-style, and textured rocks and bark abounded.Temple gardens are mini landscapes and you're taken on a proscribed walk past carefully managed trees, micro waterfalls and, generally, up to a viewpoint where you can marvel at the building from above.

For me, Japan is the land of patterns - you see them everywhere and the temptation is to be constantly behind the camera, netting them. It's also the land of consumerism so, having had an aesthetic fix of beautiful garden and architecture you can then treat yourself to some sweets or omiyage (souvenirs) which are always  presented beautifully.

Lou and Kouichi bought packets of mochi Kyoto-style; some for family and some for Kouichi's employees. It's a bit hard to describe but mochi is made from rice - it's a kind of glutinous paste that can be rolled out - similar to stretchy pancake - and then filled with different fillings. a favourite combination is green tea flavoured mochi stuffed with red bean paste. An acquired taste...but one that grows on you. My fave is cinnamon flavoured mochi.

Then it was off to Fushimi Inari Taisha... A Shinto shrine, famed for its thousands of orange 'gates'. 

These bright archways straddle several walkways, some of which lead up to Mount Inari -a sacred 
spot to the Japanese. Inari is the god of rice, depicted as a fox, and statues of the animal are scattered around the shrine grounds. It was a feast of colour and there were plenty of Japanese all dressed up in sumptuous robes to add to the photo opportunities....

Lunch was in a little place nearby, the usual great flavours, and Lou's soba had added aburaage (fried tofu, a Kyoto specialty - meant to be a favourite food of foxes!) but you can't usually find a sweet 

dessert in the same place you eat your savouries. In search of a pud we found a rather good coffee shop. Japanese pastries are surprisingly good; I kid myself they're lighter interpretations of French patisserie. 

By then we were temple and shrined-out and the time changes were catching up with Kate,Roger and me...so it was back to the hotel for a rest.

Surprisingly, I recovered enough to go out in the evening with Louise and Kouichi, grazing on rather delicious snacks at izikaya - which are like tapas bars - and culminating in karaoke. I slaughtered a version of The Beatles' Norwegian Wood but the clientele were very kind. We all encouraged each other madly and I particularly appreciated an older Japanese gent's interpretation of some Perry Como standards. He wanted to duet with me - but I pleaded jet lag (!) Louise did a stonking Janis Joplin version of Summertime and then sang with Kouichi in Japanese - after he'd delivered a fine rendition of the very first Japanese rap song.....

I made it to bed after midnight, feeling like Longworth was indeed many miles away...

Sunday was meant to be sunny and warm but it actually didn't turn out that way. A shame we didn't have the brightness for our visit to the Golden temple -Kinkaku-ji-  but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Being a weekend it was pretty full of visitors - not that you'd realise that from the photos; the viewpoints are nicely arranged to allow a serene image...

And for balance, we went on to lunch and sampled a great selection of okonomiyaki - Japanese fast food at its best. It's a kind of pancake batter filled with vegetables, sometimes meat or seafood, and topped with piquant sauce and tuna flakes. Sort of bubble and squeak on steroids....totally more-ish. They're served on hotplates at the table and you carve slices like pizza. Fortified, we wandered the adjacent Nishiki market and marvelled at pickles, meats, sweets and every other sort of comestible and consumable...

Lou and Kouichi had to get back to Nagoya but dropped us off at church before they left. We'd found the Kyoto International Church on the Internet and it turned out to be on the 6th floor of a building downtown. Christian churches are very thin on the ground - certainly Japanese people aren't hostile to Christianity but it's viewed rather as a 'western religion' not particularly relevant to their culture. Pastor Tomo gave us a stirring address about evangelising the message of hope - which was simultaneously translated into Japanese at short intervals to reach the mixed congregation of Ozzies, English, Americans, Japanese and Chinese. As we left to find our own way back to our hotel we were helped on out way by a Japanese lady from the church - Mariko - who turned out to have lived in Cambridge for a while. She guided us through the subway system (different private lines needing different tickets) and gave us the all important business card with the name of the guest house she runs in Kyoto...so maybe next time?

After an intensive tourist weekend, it was good to get back to the Sakura Terrace and relax with our (free!) evening drink...and retire early, ready for our departure in the morning.

A Very Good Friday the 13th

I realise this blog isn't happening in Japanese time...it's still the same day here as my last post but hey ho, it's been a good one so far and it's not over yet.

So...above that's me enjoying life business class on British Airways,
And then a couple of views of Mount Fuji as we streaked past on
the Shinkansen on our way from Tokyo to Kyoto.

The sun shone on our arrival, albeit that temperatures are still cool,
and has continued to shine today. It's been a perfect day for our first taste of Kyoto walking to the Gion area and doing some temple
viewing.



A little early for full on blossom viewing, we have seen a few blooming trees that have made the architecture look even lovelier.

We made our way gently toward the Kyomizu-dera temple to be rewarded with some amazing images of beautiful buildings, land and cityscapes - and people dressed in traditional robes; it seems that it's 

the done thing to hire kimonos and be photographed in this special place.

Kiyomizu dera seen from the nearby cemetery 

And still to come....supper with Louise and Kouchi.......

Kyoto in Style

Good morning from the Sakura Terrace Hotel in Kyoto.
Still not quite sure which way is up but having had a great night's sleep here, I'm looking forward to exploring this city today with Kate and Roger. We got off to a great start by being bumped up to business class on the flight out and so am fully anticipating that the style of our start will continue!

And this evening we meet up with Louise and Kouichi who will be driving from the Nagoya area to spend the weekend here. It'll be good to have our gourmet advisers as we had to do a lot of pointing at pictures on the menu last night. Still, that reaped us a delicious supper ( lots of Udon noodles, shrimp, clams and broth) and included a conversation (of sorts- thanks to Google translate!) with three older Japanese men who ended up giving us gifts and bowing delightfully as they bade us farewell.

Now to address technical difficulties....can't seem to access photos to post on this blog. Watch this space...