Microblog

Making the most of a sunny day, I hopped on a ferry to Ikuchijima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, planning to rent a bike. However, the only option available was an electric one, so I opted for a hike instead. The sight of submerged rails, likely for a boat launch, evoked the wonderful train scene from the anime Spirited Away.

Google Maps helped me escape a grey drippy day via a steaming bowl of Hakata Ramen. Posted When Google Maps Knows Ramen.

Encircling the room, on the upper part of the wall, a grim cityscape frieze consists of 140,000 tiles to represent each individual who died. A water basin in the center commemorates those who died begging for water.

Monday. On a bullet train from Hakata (Fukuoka) to Hiroshima (red pin) for the day. 66 minutes for the 180-mile distance, including a stop. Trains depart Hakata for Hiroshima every 7-8 minutes.

On board a bullet train to Hakata (Fukuoka). Indeed the rain bucketed down all day in Kagoshima, but I was able to visit the Meiji Museum and get my ears lowered. Also popped into MontBell, one of my favorite outdoors stores, to replace my folding/disintegrating daypack. Finally, I enjoyed a coffee and sandwich in a cafe in a lovely public library.

Moving to Fukuoka today (Sunday) for 3 nights. Since it’s raining, a big city makes sense. En route, stopping in Kagoshima for a few hours to visit the Meiji Restoration Museum and get a haircut at Hot Pepper Beauty (3rd time).

It’s Saturday. Sometimes I like to figure out what locals do at weekends, so, I hopped on a train to the seaside. Familiar sights greeted me: a beach, children exploring tidal rock pools, surfers, a pleasant beachfront esplanade, and ready availability of ice cream. Less familiar was a shrine located on an island, reached by a footbridge.

A ferry brought me to a small island where I followed OLLE trail markers—like these—along a route with varied terrain, going from sea level to the top of a small mountain. At the beginning, an old man suggested I rent a bicycle. Later, a car stopped next to me and the driver offered me a ride. In both cases, I thanked them then continued walking.

Today (Friday) I’ll move my “base” from Oita to Miyazaki, 128 miles to the south, with a journey break in Saiki for another OLLE hike, this time on an island (Onyujima). After a couple nights in Miyazaki, the plan is open. I’ve managed to keep ahead of rain but by late on Saturday, western Japan is enveloped.

Spent most of the day hiking an OLLE Course, a scenic hiking trail. Despite venturing out to a remote area, the route led me to the ruins of the most massive castle I’ve ever seen, and a large, 800-year-old cliff carving of a Buddha. But most of all, I simply enjoyed exploring the quiet trails of the beautiful Kyushu countryside.

Trains were cancelled because of high winds, so I had to change my route to Oita today. I describe the replacement journey in a blog post, A Surprise “Sea Cruise”.

It’s pouring rain all day today (Wednesday) here in Takamatsu, so I’m taking advantage of my Japan Rail Pass. Since the pass removes the financial disincentive to travel, I’m relocating to Oita, which has sunny skies this week and is close to a couple of OLLE hiking courses. The journey is 360 miles, much of it by bullet train.

I mistakenly ended up at what I thought was Temple 83. Buddhist temples often incorporate Shinto elements, but this particular place felt excessively Shinto, with a plethora of kami (deities, spirits, etc.) on display. The vibe was almost like a scene straight out of an anime theme park. Eventually, I realized the temple was right next door. Oops!

Stitched together a journey along the less-traveled east coast of the Muroto Peninsula and beyond to Takamatsu. Three local buses on a road hugging the spectacular coastline, a local then an express train, ending at a pleasant hotel towering over the station plaza. Somehow I got in 10,000+ steps exploring between rides.

Checked out of the ryokan I’ve been staying at. I’m so glad the owner insisted I take a selfie with her! She’s a real firecracker–always manages to communicate with such humor. Speaking of humor, click through to check out a cartoon she drew to explain what was in front of me for breakfast.

On my walk to temples 25 and 26, I exchanged konnichiwa greetings with actual Shikoku 88 (temple) pilgrims. Two dragons guarded the purification basin at Kongochoji, temple 26.