Quinni in Japan: December 2009

Day 12: Hiroshima

Now I am in Hiroshima and actually all I want is go home to my Kaikan room in Oita. Why? Isn't it crazy to be on travel in such a big and exciting city like Hiroshima, staying in a good hostel room, having already paid and having a Railpass to get around for free? Any other time I would never want to leave early, because I would want to get everything out of my last hours and minutes to explore the new city. But it is just too much. Tokyo alone gave me so many new impressions, that now I am sick of discovering new things! I have had enough. I do not want to go on travelling any more. I do not want to explore new places. I just want to go home, rest, and let the beautiful images and impressions from Tokyo sink in.

Hiroshima was really boring. And the weather was bad. Even the luckiest persons are unlucky sometimes! Who would have thought that on the last day of our journey we would be walking in the rain, when the weeks before the weather was constantly clear and sunny? Too bad :(

The highlight of the afternoon in Hiroshima: eating Hiroshima style okonomiyaki

It is a thin pancake topped with fried soba noodles, much vegetables (shredded cabbage and soy sprouts), egg in form of an omelett, okonomiyaki sauce and some green stuff (kelp). It looks so yummy!

But is was a disappointment. It was not that good. The noodles were dry, the sauce was too salty, I do not like Hiroshima style. I like Osaka style much more!

Hiroshima was a big disappointment for me. It was boring. It reminded me of Nagasaki. If you are interested in places with historical significance and if you like to revel in the feeling of tragedy, then Hiroshima (and Nagasaki) is right for you. But the city itself does not offer anything exciting and it is not paticularly beautiful or charming.

Hiroshima is significant for Japanese history because the atomic bomb exploded over it during the war. The town erected many things to remember the tragedy: monument for the victims, museum, statues, a whole Peace Park,... If you are in Hiroshima you would probably feel like a victim. I think it helps to deal with one's own country's history if you have a part where you can feel like a victim. Maybe the Germans would deal differently with their Nazi past if they would have a part where they feel like victims. Ok, difficult topic, I should stop talking. Have to be careful about what I say here. It is just some thoughts I had when I walked around Hiroshima and was bored.

In the afternoon we did something much more fun. We went to Miyajima island where one of the most photographed sights in Japan is: the Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine. It is a red shrine which seems to float in the water when the tide is high. Unfortunately we had missed to check the times of the tide and so we had missed the high tide in the morning hours and now we went to see the lowest point of the tide, because then you can walk to the shrine.

Too bad the weather was so bad! When we walked around the island I thought that when the weather is beautiful this island must be really fascinating and really beautiful! It must be more exciting than Enoshima Island (Kamakura) where we saw Mount Fuji.

Hiroshima souvenir: momiji manju (a cake in shape of a maple leaf with red bean filling) - it is one of the most famous local confections of Hiroshima.

There are also other fillings: custard, chocolate, chesse, but sweet bean paste is the traditional filling.

Another famous Hiroshima food: oysters. Oysters from Hiroshima Bay are famous for their rich taste, especially in winter. On Miyajima Island there lots lots of booths and restaurants selling
them. Here they are on a grill. But you can also eat them deep-fried, in quiche, etc.

At the end of the day we were lucky: the sun came out and we could watch a beautiful sunset.

It is a good sign. It was a wonderful vacation!

Day 11: Nara

I like Nara. It is a small and friendly heart-warming town. Nara has a lot of charm. Immediately when we stepped of the train at the train station I felt at home. It is like it was 10 years behind all the other Japanese cities that I have seen so far. After being in Tokyo and Osaka, the difference is really striking. The shops are small and old-fashioned, the people are older and more relaxed, there is much nature around. And, of course, we had a clear blue sky, not a single cloud to be seen! We are so lucky! Nara reminds me of a health resort (Kurort). Nara is like the Cuxhaven of Japan. I felt so relaxed and happy in Nara.

A peaceful and charming town

Mochi with soybean powder - I wish I had tried it

Here they are made

At the Five Story Pagoda

Bambi wants some food

Deer everywhere!

Nara's symbol

Quiet streets, narrow pavements

What is also immediately striking when you get off the train is that there are so many tourists! The ratio tourist-locals is much higher than in Tokyo and Osaka, because Nara is so small.

The thing that I enjoyed most in Nara was to walk around in Nara Park. Nara is so small that everything is in walking distance. It was a perfect day: Sunny weather, surrounding nature, deer,... Yes deer! Nara's probably most attracting feature for me are the deer, which run around freely in the city. You can feed and touch them! It is funny, everywhere you look, begging Bambi-eyes look at you, craving some deer-cookies. These begging looks reminded me so much of our dog Lucky at home when she smells the dinner on our table! They give the whole city a very friendly flair. This is also because children love feeding and touching the animals, so Nara is also a family-friendly town.

Deer in Nara Park

More deer in Nara Park

It is so cute!

Tourists can buy deer food. The deer already wait there.

Fabian has some food and a follower

A very relaxing walk in Nara Park

You can touch the deer

One of the funniest moments of the day:

Here is city where I can say without being accused a liar: "the deer ate my homework" ^^

Why are there so many deer in Nara? According to a historical document a deity appeared behind the Kasuga Grand Shrine (in Nara Park now) on a sacred white deer. Since then people started to sorwhip the deer as a sacred symbol. They have been carefully looking after them since then. Today, deer in Nara are a National Monument of Japan!

Moss on lantern in Nara Park

Surrounded by deer. They want food!

Feeding a small one

Sight in Nara Park

Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine - looks like Kyomizudera in Kyoto.

Actually a lot in Nara reminds of Kyoto.

Nice view from the Shrine.

Still at the shrine

Todaiji Temple. There is a big Buddha statue (Daibutsu) inside. But I did not go inside.

Outside Todaiji Temple

Many families with children in Nara Park

My friend the deer

The deer are sacred animals in Nara.

Going downtown

Ara-ike pond

Deer everywhere. Even on the ground.

It is too bad, that we only had one day here. I would have loved to have two days to explore the city, drink in the atmosphere, look around in the small shops, take one more relaxed stroll in the park, look at some more temples and gardens...

I love Nara. Nara makes happy! (^_^)

Day 10: Osaka

We were very pessimistic about Osaka. After going to Tokyo, what can possibly be as exciting and interesting?

We took a Rapid Train from Kyoto to Osaka (less than half an hour). It is so funny how all the big and busy train stations like Kyoto and Osaka, which had wowed us before, now seem so small after experiencing Shinjuku station in Tokyo.

What I like about travelling is that every city has a tourist information center, where you can get city maps for free and where English\speaking people can help you. Especially if one has no clue which sights to go to, the tourist information center can always tell you the most important places.

First we went to the Osaka Sky Building near the station. And we were pretty disappointed. The city seems ugly and boring.

After that we went to Osaka's main sight, the Osaka Castle. At first, I did not want to go there, because the Nagoya Castle had been such a bore. But as we had so much on our hands, we went. And we were not disappointed! It is not the most exciting castle I have been to, but the Main Tower looks very impressive. It has been erected so high, that it is visible over the castle walls. When it was built it must have been a clear intention of gaining the respect of (unwanted) visitors.

Gloomy

Impressive height

And then it fot even better. One of the highlights of the day was the American District (Amerika Mura), where mostly young people hang out and where one crazy and colourful shop is crammed next to the other. It is flashy, loud, colourful, lively. It was similar to being in Shibuya!

The next highlight was Shinsaibashi and Dotombori, huge shopping arcades with masses of stores and restaurants. It was full of people, very lively. The mere number and diversity of design, style, food, price ranges of the places to eat is aamazing! In Japan I often find that the selection of restaurants, bars, izakazas, small booths, etc. is really impressive. Many have beautiful and interesting designs, walking past them and looking from outside already catches my attention and I wonder how it might look inside.

I think that Kyoyo lacks places to go in the evenings, but Dotombori and Shinsaibashi in Osaka nearby burst of a busy nightlife!