Just 48 hours ago we hadn't decided if we'd go to Japan. Then, after medical appointments for Dwight and me, with no follow-ups in the next couple weeks, we said "why not?" So, here we are, about to board a Minneapolis MSP to Tokyo HND flight. From Tokyo, we'll fly to Fukuoka on Kyushu (the most southerly of Japan's four main islands) then take a convoluted route riding the rails back toward Tokyo.
A draft Asahi feels so good after the long flight from Minneapolis. It's Saturday night at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, 15 hours ahead of Central Time. We're staying at an in-terminal hotel tonight, flying to Fukuoka in the morning.
Fuji-san made an appearance as we climbed out of Tokyo en route to Fukuoka today.
Our flight from Tokyo landed us in Fukuoka by 9:30 AM, with a great view of Mt. Fuji along the way. Hiked a new Kyushu OLLE course, opened in October, following blue and red trail markers. Having hiked most of the OLLE trails over the years, I appreciated the new path, even if our hike didn't always follow the intended route. The day included a local train from Fukuoka, a ride on a community bus (about US$0.65), views of the Sea of Japan, ancient shrines, and bamboo groves.
A train, a bus, and one of these ferries took us to Oshima, the island in the distance in the Sea of Japan. Hiked to the highest peak, then improvised the rest of the hike after discovering the path had been blocked by a landslide.
We were reminded of that classic scene in Spirited Away as we boarded this rural train bound for Hagi. Unlike the Sea Train in the movie, we didn't cross a flooded landscape, but the journey was magical nonetheless as we passed lovely views of the Sea of Japan dotted with tiny islands beyond the crenellated coastline. In Hagi, we'll stay for two nights, sleeping in a traditional tatami room and being served multi-course dinners and breakfasts.
Spent the day exploring Hagi's feudal past, including wandering quiet streets of well-preserved houses in the merchant and samurai districts. Very few other tourists were in evidence; most visitors to Japan stick to the "Golden Route" (mainly Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka via bullet trains), drawn by its popularity and the expectations set by social media. Hagi can only be accessed via slow routes, which guaranteed our quiet explorations today.
To break up our journey, we're making an overnight stop in Kobe. Just behind the bullet train station we rode a ropeway up the Rokko Mountain chain, which abruptly halts the city's sprawl.
We put together a day of exploring Japanese design and architecture. We traveled by bullet train from Kobe to Himeji (15 minutes) to wander through Himeji Castle's grounds and Nishinomara Gardens. Back in Kobe, we visited the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, which showcases Japan's excellence in wooden structures. Finally, at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, a building by Tadao Ando, we saw a special exhibition: "Living Modernity: Experiments in Housing 1920s-1970s."
After a day of sightseeing, we returned to this Izakaya from last night. With just 14 seats, we were the only tourists among a bar full of friendly, local characters. Sumo wrestling played on the television, while the walls displayed sumo-themed photos and memorabilia. At one point the barman held up his phone so we could all sing Happy Birthday to an absent customer.
Rented bicycles and cycled along Toyama Bay on the Sea of Japan, enjoying views of the snow-covered Japan Alps. Stopped at a picnic table in the grounds of this shrine for a picnic lunch. *NHK (Japan's public broadcaster) series we enjoy.
Hiked the hills above the town of Kamakura. Descended into a busy town (today is a public holiday) where we checked out this bronze attraction, the Great Buddha of Kamakura (Daibutsu), cast in 1252. This Buddha resides in the pure land of perfect bliss, presumably unfazed by the constant flood of Instagram posts by earthly influencers.
It's Tuesday evening in Tokyo, but it's going to be a long Tuesday, 39 hours to be exact. We arrive Minneapolis Tuesday afternoon.