And, in a flash, it was over. During 13 days of non-stop travel we had covered almost all of the western half of Japan by plane, rail, and ferry.
We saw castles, ate everything in sight, went to onsen, saw kabuki, saw sumo, visited temples and shrines… about the only famously Japanese thing we didn’t do was go to karaoke!
Maybe next time…
I said goodbye to my parents at Tokyo Narita Airport, then boarded the first of several shinkansen back towards Beppu to go find my girl…
I made sure our last full day in Japan would be one to remember. I scheduled a live Kabuki performance, the famous Fish Market, and the final day of matches for the September Sumo Basho! Are you ready for this?
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 13 – Kabuki, Sashimi, and Sumo ~ Oh My!
Kanazawa Station had been completely rebuilt since my home stay in 2002. What had been a large, rundown stop on the line was now a work of art in its own right.
Just look at this Shinto gate!
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 12 – To Tokyo We Go
On our final day in Kanazawa visiting my host family the Murakami’s, we went out for a bit of a road trip.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 11 – Out and About with the Host Family
Day 10 dawned with an overcast sky – would the rains we had only just escaped catch us again? Perhaps it was meant to be! In any case, the scenery was as beautiful as ever.
Today we were going to visit the two most famous parts of Kanazawa – the gold leaf district and Kenrokuen (“Kenroku Garden”).
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 10 – Gold, Gardens, and Gourmet Chefs
Day 9 saw us view a bit more of Kyoto before taking another shinkansen up to Kanazawa. Once again, some of us had a very hard time getting out of bed!
Mom was in a great mood after sleeping in late, and paid special attention to all signs and instructions.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 9 – Headed to Kanazawa, the Last Leg
Day 8, Sunday, dawned with us on a mission. We had a full day to spend in what is perhaps Japan’s most culturally blessed city, and we were not about to waste it. Furthermore, we had finally outpaced the rainy weather that had been our constant companion since my parents arrived. Ironically, while we were enjoying sunny blue skies in Kyoto, my buddies back in Beppu were hunkered down riding out the year’s biggest typhoon (hurricane) – what luck!
You could honestly spend a year in Kyoto alone and not want for things to visit and study, but with only one day to spare we had to grit our teeth, lace up our shoes, and hit the big 3 – the Imperial Palace, Kinkakuji, and Ryoanji.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 8 – The Old Capital on Foot
So Saturday, Day 7 dawned to find Mom and Drew sleeping soundly in our bunks and Dad up on deck enjoying the sunrise and the final leg of the ferry cruise into Osaka harbor.
Japan is a heavily built-up country as you all know, but the Tokyo and Osaka urban areas easily dwarf the rest of the country with their expansiveness and population densities. I had been to Osaka once before, but this was my first chance to really see it, and it just seemed to go on forever.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 7 – On the Way to Kyoto, via Osaka
Friday, Day 6 began bright and early as we caught a morning train back to Beppu to give us time to take a breather before we boarded the overnight ferry for Osaka that evening. I took advantage of the low number of passengers to grab another hour or so of sleep as we quietly zoomed through the beautiful Kyushu countryside.
The weather remained unchanged with it’s slight drizzle and low-hanging clouds, but I’ve always felt that sort of stuff lends an extra bit of beauty to a lush countryside panorama.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 6 – Shamisen Surprise, Overnight Ferry
For our big day kicking ass all around Kagoshima, mom and I got a great start by pretending to be dead on the floor of our room. Japanese futons, even the ones you get at a cheap hotel, are damn comfortable – something that my parents will willingly attest to methinks.
The most famous geographic landmark of Kagoshima is the island in the harbor – Sakurajima, or “Cherry-blossom Island.” The island itself is solely composed of a volcano, the last eruption of which a few decades ago actually created a small lava landbridge to shore… so if you want to be picky Sakurajima is no longer a jima! Whether the cherry blossoms in the name are literal, or a metaphor for the fiery heart of the island I don’t know, but mom and I duly commemorated our visit in any case.
Continue reading Heaths Come to Japan – Day 5 – Kagoshima, the End of Japan
