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Published: March 1st 2007
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See central and south West Japan, 2 of the former captials, the largest wooden building in the world, be on TV, live in the Inland Sea for a week, meet real Japanese people (!) ride the bullet train, visit a Japanese primary and secondary school, get a free kendo display, and all during the annual cherry blossom season!!!!!….well, they said it couldn’t be done, but, well if I do say so myself I think that it fell into place rather nicely.
Parents are a crazy breed of man and sometimes you have to take them by the hand, reverse the roles and lead them down the path to raw fish, rice breakfasts, wooden temples, slippers, island living and ultimately glory.
Yes, I will look back on the last two weeks with a profound feeling of a missed calling in life to be a tour guide stroke diplomat.
If indeed the folks return one day they will be received by people glad to have them back as they became the talk of my island for the time that they were here.
In fact I think they might have even enjoyed living on my island more
Our bell boy (girl).
Living the high life, ryokan style. than the tour.
We began in Osaka after I arrived a bit late because of the pointless hell of the “Local” train which I often get on by mistakes, and takes forever. However, all was good and we entered are old school Japanese style inn just after midnight, and it was probably a big surprise for all involved.
However, 2 day in Osaka was enough to acclimatise to the Japanese super city style and soon moved onto Kyoto the cultural capita of japan and former capital.
My favourite aspect of the journey was the next inn that we stayed in, which after being erected in 1801, was still in the same family and still rocking the same style.
I am a big fan of the Japanese style 'ryokan’ and this was far and away the best one, neigh place I have ever stayed in.
I hope to return there one day and to sit listening to the chefs in the kitchen below into the night, or catch a glimpse of the kimono’s disappearing to the garden again.
Or most importantly, to soaking in the cedar wood private bath once again.
Keiseki ryori
Kyoto cuisine We managed to see quite a lot in Kyoto but there are more famous temples and sites to see there than could be accomplished in a month, so we moved onto the former former capitol Nara where we thought we might escape the crowds.
No such luck but the general feel of this older, and more secluded town was a welcome change.
This and Miyajima were my favourite places on the trip (not including the ryokan in Kyoto) and I enjoyed the time that we had there. You can walk around Nara in one day and get a general feel for it and in fact it had some of the more amazing buildings of the trip.
The famous Daibutsoen, the largest wooden building in the world with a 2om statue of Buddah inside along with the something something shrine on the hills with thousand and thousands of lanterns was enough to get me a good rapport for Nara and we left after saying so for Nara TVs local station in an interview on the second day.
Next to Hiroshima city, which was meant really only as a stop off point to
Miyajima, but a nonetheless fantastic modern city with a peaceful atmosphere and infamous past.
I hired a bike whilst I sent my mum and dad to the peace museum as I felt that it was not the sort of place that you need to visit twice.
After touring the city and getting lost we ate out a Yakiniku or DIY bbq restaurant.
Next a quick jump across the pond to Miyajima, and to another historical site.
I will not try to explain the history of any of the places as you should come and see them for yourself or buy the book, but they are all very old and littered with beautiful temples, shrines and amazing garden and nature.
And Miyajima was no exception.
We (I) had made the right choice to stay the night, and as the hordes began to leave and the sun slowly set, you got a glimpse of how beautiful a country Japan can be.
But, bedways is homeways and homeways was where we were next scheduled as I had to startthe grind again with a fresh set of 13 new teachers, and a general complete change
Geisha
Kyoto sakura dance in the structure of the school.
The next week was a normal school week for me and my mum and dad joined in for a number of the lessons including at the primary, secondary, and both my adult language classes - as well as siting uncomfortably on the floor whilst I got beaten with sticks at kendo.
All in all a quality 2 weeks, and good to see pee and em for a brief time.
Next time christmas.
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Alex Soskin
non-member comment
Another year - You selfish f***er
All very nice mate. Good to see they're letting you off the island once in a while! And I'm sure it was nice to see the folks. So I'm taking it as a personal attack that you're staying another year. What about yer ol' pal Alex? Honestly.....