Phoenix Rising and the White Egret

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The title kind of sounds like a fable, doesn't it? A lone samurai warrior goes on a great quest, seeking the Phoenix rising from the ashes, and the mysterious and elusive White Egret (What is an egret? Apparently it's a type of bird...learn something new all the time!). However, this title basically sums up my weekend visit to the city of Kobe and nearby Himeji Castle. Although, I am far from being a samurai, and for most of my journey, I was among friends!

Dob and I took the shinkansen from Hiroshima on Friday evening, and arrived in Osaka in a quick hour and a half (you don't realize the speed of the bullet train until you're standing on a platform and witness one flying by...scary-and impressive-stuff!) Osaka served as our "home base" as we visited the nearby city of Kobe and I later saw the sights of Himeji.

Kobe experienced a devastating earthquake in 1995, in which over 6000 people were killed. However, the city is vibrant and alive today, as if nothing had ever happened. Therefore, it's kind of seen as a Phoenix which has risen from the ashes.

The city has not forgotten the earthquake though. We visited the sobering Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Museum in which many testimonials of the earthquake victims are shared, as well as an impressive film, which effectively simulates the scenes that took place on the streets of Kobe and surrounding areas during the quake. Dob and I joked that we're on a mission to visit some of the most depressing museums in Japan: the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Kobe Earthquake Museum, and most likely, the Nagasaki Peace Museum...Although a sad place to visit, it was an impressive memorial to the victims of the earthquake, as well as a tribute to the courage the people of Kobe have in rebuilding the city that they love.

In my guidebook it states that Kobe is just a really great city to walk around and view on foot. It's true that Kobe has a great feel to it, and there's lots of exploring to be done just by walking. However, we managed to fill a day and a half with many impressive sites as well! After visiting the museum in the morning, we travelled by train to see the Akahashi Kaikyo Ohashi (bridge) which apparently is the longest suspension bridge in the world, linking the island of Honshu (which is the largest island of Japan) to Awajishima, one of the largest islands in the Inland Sea. The bridge offered a unique view, in which you could take an elevator to just beneath where the cars travel, and visit a viewing platform, on which you could also walk around outside and over a partially glass floor (frightening, but fun!)

Dob and I discovered the true "magic of walking" that the city holds for tourists, as we were in search of a well-hidden ropeway to take us to an elevated viewing area of the city. We had many choices as there are quite a few cable cars around Kobe, but we for some reason, decided this would be the best! After walking about 30 minutes uphill to find the station, and asking numerous people, who always insisted it wasn't much further, I will contest that indeed, it was a great view! Perhaps one reason we had so much trouble finding it was it wasn't a cable car at all, but rather a tram that went up the mountain. The view was stunning (if not a bit chilly!) and is apparently one of the top three nighttime views in Japan (I love how everything is part of a top 3...it's hilarious!)

The next day, I parted ways with Dob as he stayed in Osaka, and I returned to Kobe on a quest to pick up a Hello Kitty Kobe. This is my Japanese collection! Every Japanese city has their own unique Hello Kitty, and everytime I visit a new place, I have to buy one! After picking up Kitty chan, I ventured into the area of Kitano, which is where many foreigners used to live. Kobe, being a port city, has had many international influences in its history. I was amazed at how "un-Japanese"-like this area is. The streets were dotted with cafes, and Italian and French restaurants, as well as old homes in European and Western styles. A couple of times I had to shake my head and remind myself that I was still in Japan!

After wandering through Kitano, I ventured into a restaurant and had a taste of the famous Kobe beef. Someone once joked that they massage the cows in Kobe, and I wouldn't be surprised! The meal was a treat, and it melted in my mouth...The poor chef was a bit at a loss serving the foreigner, who didn't understand his Japanese question of how I wanted the beef cooked...but we made it through okay!

The final part of my trip was visiting the castle town of Himeji, to see Himeji Castle, also know as the "White Egret," due to its white colour. Apparently, if there's one castle you're going to see in Japan (and there are a lot!) Himeji is it! It's very rare, as it stands in its original form, built during the 17th century, avoiding natural disasters, such as fires, and war, that destroyed many other castles in Japan. The castle complex was impressive, and quite expansive, as I wandered around for about 2 hours.

My journey back to Hiroshima was made via the shinkansen, as I sped at the speed of sound (or so it felt like!) back home...

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