Japan in the Spring - Shimizu

Shimizu has a lot of attractions but it is mainly known for its views of Mt. Fuji.  The mountain would magically appear out of nowhere and also disappear without notice - it is also stunningly beautfiul, no matter how many times one has looked at it.  This means it is the subject of pursuit by tourists - every time it is visible, everyone gawks, never mind what else the guide was pointing out.  

We were lucky to get many views of Mt. Fuji with different foregrounds.  And this post is mainly about this magical mountain, the symbol of Japan and worshipped as sacred.  I did not get iconic shots with reflections or with cherry trees in the foreground but being able to see it and capture shots of it was already a wonderful treat for me.  It rather reminded me of Mt. Rainier in Washington which also habitually appears and disappears, equally elusive and has a haunting presence over the Seattle skyline as does Mt. Fuji over the many cities in Japan from which it can be visible - sometimes.

First sighting from the ship - wish I had remembered that at sunset when I could have seen the sun hit the top right from the ship's deck, but I missed that, much to my regret...

Framed by cherry trees but no blossoms yet...

On the way to the Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine - this is where climbers come to pray before their ascent.  It is known as the protector from natural disasters and easy childbirth.  At the temple, we were lucky to see a wedding, a bride to be with her family and a newborn baby in traditional costumes.  

Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine

Bride and groom in traditional costumers (Photo credit: D. Quon)

And cherry trees in bloom!

A bride to be

A newborn at the shrine for a blessing

Wakutama Pond where climbers would traditionally wash before making the ascent

Our next stop was the splendid pine grove at Miho no Matsubara with its 33,000 pine trees and of course - its view of Fujisan!

Mt. Fuji from the beach at Miho no Matsubara - it was covered by haze when we were there so I was really grateful for the Dehaze feature in Lightroom!

I was also grateful for this serene gentleman sitting in the square at the pine grove

 - with all those prayer beads, no wonder he was serene...

The small Miho Shrine and its Tori Gate

The waterfront at Shimiu with its many modern silos and the obligatory ferris wheel

Shimizu was the last port before we made our final docking back at Yokohama.  It was a lovely two weeks in charming Japan, certainly a place I would return to, perhaps one autumn for its famously gorgeous fall colours.  Thank you for coming along on the trip.

Meanwhile, on to the next adventure... 

 

Japan in the Spring - Kobe & Osaka

We were docked in Kobe for two days but we never got out to see Kobe as Kyoto and Osaka seemed more interesting.  However we were treated to a performance of Japanese drums while we were in Kobe.  These young Taiko drummers were so energetic with such a great rhythmic sense, it was a totally immersive experience.  The intense pulse of the beats reverberates through our senses - a memorable encounter with a 12,000 year old art form.

The following morning we set out on an adventure to Osaka, testing our wits with the Japanese train system. It turned out to be not a big deal because of the amazingly connected transit system and the helpfulness (once again) of the Japanese locals.  There was a port liner train that stopped right by the Kobe port terminal.  We stepped off the boat into the terminal and onto the train that took us to the train station in Kobe from where we took a train to Osaka.  After hearing me ask another passenger whether we were headed in the right direction to Osaka, a very helpful lady came up to me and shared her screen with me - she had a list of all the stations that we would be passing through before we get to Osaka.  

Commuter fashion...?       

My interest in Osaka was strictly seeing the Dotombori area with its vibrant street life. We didn't have a lot of time as it was an early port departure so we kept an eye on the time to make sure we don't miss the boat.  The area was an eye-opener for us, coming from the staid North American cities we are used to.  Take a look at the images to get a sense of the flamboyant billboards and signage all vying for your attention.

Note the famous crab with moving claws!

An octopus and a dragon...

The noodles in this place must be good - customers slurp their noodles standing up

Long lineups in front of this octopus

The canal runs through the district

Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel

The must-see must-pose-in-front-of Glico running man sign!  It's been there since 1935 and one of the most well-known landmarks in Osaka.

The designer shopping street

After two weeks in Japan we had our first bowl of soba noodles in this restaurant - I just needed to know that the soba I tasted at home are close to the real thing...it didn't disappoint.

The return trip was smooth - we just did everything in reverse and made it back to port! 

The lit up low building on the left is the terminal for the port liner that took us to the train station.  The deck of the ship is in the foreground - that's how close it was.

Last post:  Shimizu (Mt. Fuji)

Japan in the Spring - Kyoto

We were docked at Kobe for two nights which theoretically would give us lots of time in Kyoto.  Unfortunately there was a stormy sea the night before and the ship arrived more than an hour late at Kobe which threw our tour plans out of whack.  Our booked private tour that was supposed to start at 8am and hopefully missed the rush hour traffic into Kyoto didn't start till close to 10am by which time the roads were packed and it was a long two hour drive into Kyoto.  It was our only day in Kyoto because it coincided with the Easter weekend over peak cherry blossom season and all the guides were booked.  Lesson learned - try not to go to Japan during cherry blossom season.  True, you may get to see the blossoms but it was crowded everywhere and really detracted from the whole experience if cherry blossoms are not the only reason why you are in Japan.

Our first stop was the bamboo forest. The streets leading to the forest were all jam packed, as was the hike into the forest. The bamboo forest was spectacular, as long as you look up and not around you!  

                       

Our guide took us down a rocky slope to hike down to the river in order to avoid the crowds.  It was very peaceful and lovely along the river.  We even encountered a great white egret and a few other shore birds, including what looked like a red-headed duck.

Cherry blossoms out by the river

Egret in breeding plumage foraging on the river

River cruise boats

This is what the streets leading to the bamboo forest looked like

Our second stop is the famous Golden Pavilion Temple (Kinkakuji), a Zen temple.  It was originally the home of a shogun but he wanted it to become a Zen temple after his death.  The top two floors were completely covered by gold leaf.  It was especially golden when caught by the sun.

From the back, the gold leaf is not so obvious because there was no sun on it

This is the hojo, the living quarters of the former head priest beside the pavilion - it has a zen garden on the side

Kyoto Tower 

Our next stop is the Fushimi Inari shrine - the highlight is of course the thousands of red Tori gates.  It was a challenge to get the right frame with a crowd in front but our guide told us to take it on the return trail and it was a good tip.   

Fushimi Inari shrine

Cleansing fountain

The dog is the usually the guardians at Shinto shrines but at Fushimi Inari, they are replaced by foxes 

This is the way up

This was taken on the way down

The exit gate

Our last stop was a visit to the Gion district, Kyoto's famous geisha district.  We were not able to encounter a geisha on her way to work but lots of tourists.

Interesting restaurant entrances

Night view of Kobe port