Day two at Himeji

We had one more day in Himeji so we got a bit adventurous and caught a bus to the bottom of Mount Shosha to get a cable car to the top.

Immediately you notice how different Japanese culture is to what I am used to. On the busy bus the driver welcomes on board every single passenger and the same when they leave. Even if 10 people got off he would wish them all a safe journey and a good day!

I liked it (it made me smile). 

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Featured in The Last Samurai film! Shoshazan Engyoji Temple. A thousand years of history on top of Mt Shosha

I was in the most stunning Buddhist Temple I have ever seen and from a high Veranda I was admiring the intricate woodwork in the roof that went together like a wooden puzzle. Just inside a group of Monks were chanting around a blazing fire surrounded by a large number of other worshipers. There was the distinct aroma of in-scents in the air and looking out from high on the mountain it made for an incredibly beautiful scene.

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For Isabella my Grand Daughter I decided to take a couple of photographs of Dino Pig looking down the valley from the temple. A young man caught sight of me and I thought I was in trouble but, the next thing I knew a crowd of Japanese men and women were wanting to hold the Pig. Being a slight celebrity he was not adverse to the lime light and was soon posing with his new friends.

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The young man who spoke the best English started to explain that today was really very special as one of the most learned Monks in Japan was touring the country and was here for this important ceremony. It was also being filmed so local Monks could learn the rituals which involved believers writing a wish on a small piece of wood. The Monk would read every single piece of wood individually and then he would carefully place it on to the burning fire. His chants and the other worshipers chants would then take the wish in the burning flames skyward to a higher place to hopefully be granted. I listened on intrigued because it did come across a quite beautiful and peaceful ceremony.

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Then it got a bit surreal as he then suggested he could ask the Monks to see if Dino Pig could maybe meet the Monks for pictures and they could maybe give him a blessing. The young girls who were holding the legend of a pig, thought this was a great idea and were well up for it. Horrified I jumped in and expressed my concerns that maybe having a very badly behaved Dino Pig would be quite disrespectful to the ceremony.

Disappointed he looked to me and said “I was truly a good man for considering others”

“I know” I smiled before making a quick exit with a slightly disappointed Pig!

Crikey he could have ended up as pork crackling

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FOOD AND DRINK

In the afternoon we stopped for a drink in a very small pub, It seated only 10 people and there were two seats left. We were kind of coxed in as we were only walking by. But I guess a western bloke with bright white hair is fair game to wave into your local drinking hole!

The beer was nice and thanks to Google Translate so was the company. Meeting real people is so rewarding!

We moved on to find somewhere to eat. This wasn’t simple! As there are so few English words and not all the pictures on boards outside looked edible! But we were lucky as we discovered a restaurant that had a hot coal fire in the middle of the table. You order the food from a computer and everything is delivered to your table including raw meat for you to cook yourself.

It was a wonderful way to slowly while away a meal time chatting and cooking in our own time. The meat and side dishes were extraordinary and the staff as were were beginning to expect were quite simply lovely!

Before we knew it yet another day had flashed past and it was time to get back to the port again

DAY THREE KYOTO

From the port at Osaka we took the above ground Metro train which travels above the roads and houses to central station Osaka. It gives a perfect view of life in Japan as you look down on the densely packed streets. At Shin Osaka we walked the labyrinth of malls and subways to the Shinbasha Bullet Train terminal. Ten minutes of frustration trying to book a return on the automated ticket machine we gave up and went to the desk. My goodness the lady was just so nice and for just $10 each way we had the tickets and a big smile on our faces. Upstairs platform 14 in 3 minutes!

Our preconceptions of the Bullet train were very much turned on their head.

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It looks stunning when it glides into the station with a front designed around the shape of a King Fisher and the feathers of an Owl. It has fins on the roof and body is a very shiny white. The whole experience inside is rather like an aeroplane with forward facing reclining seats, luggage racks and small windows which have blinds. There are booked seats, extra and oversize luggage sections and of course a business class.

As it serenely pulled out of the station I could not help but laugh and show my excitement, I have always wanted to be on one. And “wow” was it fast! At one point we were alongside a motorway and the cars looked like they were almost stood still. In well under twenty minutes were were in another city Kyoto and had reached a maximum speed of I believe of 200mph.

Across Kyoto this time by underground and we found our selves at the Imperial Palace Grounds. It was a massive enclosed city with noble men’s temples and houses. A nice place to have a quick look around we thought and then move on but, we saw quite a crowd at the main Palace gate and decided to go in. The entrance had security but was free which was almost a disappointment as we hadn’t snuck in anywhere for quite a while (only kidding).

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We were so glad we did go in as it was quite impressive but the acres of gardens were breathtakingly stunning! It was a lesson in patience and precision. Every single plant and tree were shaped, pruned and manicured to look and grow a certain way.

Little Japanese bridges crossed streams and pools full of Koy Carp. Around rocks were small trees like bonsai followed by trees of ever increasing size but even the very tallest had been clipped and shaped. There were no gardeners there so I can only presume at night they must have a team of “Umpa Loompers” doing the hard work.

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Lunch was cool; I just popped my head inside a backstreet restaurant and was literally dragged in by the collar and sat down. Before I new what hit me I was looking through the menu! And this was all done very politely of course. No English a bit of pointing and we had a wonderful meal. No idea what it was though.

By late afternoon early evening we reached the district of Gion the main reason for our trip here. It is the Gaisha area we had both read about in books. The Gaisha are not as some people think prostitutes but highly sophisticated companions. Anyone can buy a women but who wouldn’t want the good company of an intelligent society revered individual. The district is incredibly well preserved and much like it has always looked with wooden houses like out of an oriental movie. Intricate wood roofs with exposed carvings on timbered frames. The uneven narrow streets are cobbled and alley after alley snakes through lines of little tiny shops, bars and restaurants lit with traditional lanterns of mostly red or white. It is simply enchanting.

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There is only one thing though, it is absolutely rammed with tourists. I am one of the offenders but after encountering next to no other tourists on our trip it was quite a shock. There were walking tours on every corner, girls walking around in rented Gaisha Kemonos and one main Street purely selling tat.

It was still the most amazing experience and we did find a little locals bar down an alley that only held eight to ten people. We had a drink with the locals and toasted Wendy’s birthday before going back to Osaka and home by midnight. Wow what a great day and a birthday to never forget!