Toyama is bicycle-friendly: city policies push for more bicycles and fewer cars. While bikeshare stations dot the city, I rented a cross-bike (USD$8) more suitable for exploring. I cycled a scenic trail (look at those mountains!) for a few hours that mostly follows the shoreline of Toyama Bay. Along the way, stopped for a picnic at a table clearly intended for that purpose in the grounds of a shrine.
Category: Honshu
Plan for remainder of trip
Today (Monday) after walking the Grand Ring at Expo 2025 in Osaka (1), I took an express train then a bullet train to Toyama (2) where I’ll stay for three nights. I’ll then spend three nights in each of Niigata (3) and Akita (4) before heading for Yokohama (5) then Tokyo’s Haneda airport to fly home.
Walking the Grand Ring at Expo 2025 in Osaka
Walked the paths atop the beautiful 2-kilometer structure encircling Osaka’s Expo 2025. Up close, the amazing workmanship features traditional joints reminiscent of temple construction. The laminated wooden beams are meticulously finished and appear suitable for interior work. Its theme, “unity in diversity,” is something most would surely support.
Kobe: art, architecture, and a look at history
Visited the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe, designed by Tadao Ando. I always feel at peace in Ando’s buildings. Walked around galleries featuring Ando’s building models and timeline. Took a look at a large Paul Klee retrospective, his Bauhaus pieces particularly resonated with me. His work was condemned as degenerate in 1930’s Germany and was confiscated from museums. In the USA we’re on the thin end of that wedge.
A quiet stroll through Hagi’s feudal streets
Spent the afternoon walking around Hagi’s old town. It has retained the street grid from feudal times, and there’s still many merchant and samurai homes from that era. If this was on the other side of Honshu, near a bullet train line, it would be overrun with tourists. Thanks to the town’s relative inaccessibility, with infrequent and slow transit options, I got a quiet walkabout.
Plan: Osaka the long way
This morning (Saturday) I make a quick getaway from Fukuoka (1) to Hagi (2), a less-visited castle town, for the night. The next day (Sunday) I’d planned to continue to a second castle town, Tsuwano (3), for the afternoon before heading to Osaka (4) for Sunday night. Rain is guaranteed in Tsuwano, so scrub that plan, I’ll go directly to Osaka. Ultimately, I’m aiming for northwest Honshu, but breaking up the journey.
A reconfigurable art gallery by the Inland Sea
Woke up to rain, so took the Shinkansen 130 miles to sunny Iwakuni on the other side of the weather system. At the Simose Art Museum, designed by star architect Shigeru Ban, I enjoyed a dessert lunch overlooking the Inland Sea. Eight brightly colored, rearrangeable gallery modules can be configured by two people to suit exhibition needs.
Yokohama: familiar hotel, familiar treats
Took the Keikyu line from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Yokohama and checked in to the JR (Japan Rail) Hotel as the sun was setting on Thursday. I’ve stayed here before, the rooms are compact, but have everything I need. Note the pajamas on the bed. At a konbini (convenience store), picked up nigiri (rice ball), an egg salad sandwich (Japan does these well), and a small dessert to bring back to the room.
Cherry blossom time at Himeji Castle
The cherry blossoms have opened at Himeji Castle, Japan, prompting an update to our LEGO model today. When I visited exactly a year ago, the blossoms were late, allowing me to experience the castle without the usual crowds.
2125 LEGO Pieces Later…
Completed Himeji Castle today. It was a team effort, with Dwight building the top three floors. There’s a surprising amount of detail, including ancillary buildings and a walled courtyard. It can be opened to reveal an interior. I’ve taken this low-angle photo to highlight how the vertical tapering of the main building creates an illusion of extra height. Click through to see how tapered it is.