Weekend Trippin'

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With a little over a month left here in Japan, my weekends are numbered. Add to this fact, the endless "Places I Want to See in Japan" list of mine, and they're really limited! This past weekend, I crammed in a couple of day trips that I've been wanting to do for a while, and visited the city of Okayama and Mount Misen on Miyajima.

Okayama is the neighbouring prefecture of Hiroshima, and the highlights of its capital city are its castle, nicknamed the "Crow Castle" due to its black colour, and Korakuen Garden, which is said to be one of the three finest gardens in Japan (I told you about these top three lists!)

Although the castle is unique in the fact that its black, it had a very new, freshly-painted feel to it, and lacked the ancient charm of Himeji. Okayama jo was originally completed in 1597, but the version that stands today was rebuilt in 1966. However new looking the castle was, it did hold a unique cultural experience within its walls! Inside, Alexis, Heather, and I were able to dress in a traditional kimono and have our pictures taken. As the sign said, "why not spruce yourself up in a kimono?", and spruced we were! The dress-up session included not only the kimono, but also a geisha-hairstyle headpiece, which gave the three of us endless giggles! To have a good laugh yourself, have a look at the pictures.

Korakuen Garden's most stunning feature is the amount of green grass that can be seen here! It was not until recently that I realized how there are hardly any grassy areas in Japan...parks don't have them, school grounds don't have them...Therefore, it's really appreciated at this garden! The garden also featured ponds with koi fish and cranes. It was a nice garden to have a Saturday afternoon stroll in...

Our day ended with a stop in the historic area of Kurashiki, Okayama, on our way back to Hiroshima. Kurashiki is famous for its "Bikan area" which is a small area of historic buildings and old alleyways, which line a canal. Again, it was a pleasant area to have a Saturday late-afternoon stroll around, and it was fun to peek into some of the shops along the way.

On Sunday, I visited the island of Miyajima (about a half hour train ride from Hiroshima Station) to reach the summit of Mount Misen, which overlooks the Seto Inland Sea. If you remember, I have visited Miyajima twice before (once in summer and once in fall), yet I still hadn't climbed to the top of Mount Misen, the highest point on the island. If you also remember, Miyajima is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan (top three...again!) due to its famous shrine gate, known as a torii. Miyajima has gained a soft spot in my heart, and its a nice place to go for a day trip, to wander around, avoid the deer (who will eat just about anything!), eat some momijimanju (a cake-like cookie Hiroshima is famous for), and of course to take just one more picture of the torii. This time, the tide was out, so I got to get up close and personal with the torii! The climb up to the top of Mount Misen was quite tiring, but just involved a lot of steps, and the view was worth it!

Okayama and Mount Misen are two more spots that can be taken off of my "must see list"...and with only about 6 more weekends to go, that list may just have to get shorter. However, I will continue to "gambarimasu" (a favourite Japanese expression, which loosely translates into 'fight!') until my time is done!

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Photos

As the Crow Flies
Okayama Castle, nicknamed "U-Jo" or "Crow Castle" due to its black colour, peeking out from behind the trees. The castle looks rather new, like its just gotten a frest coat of paint.

Watching Carefully
A crane eyes a fisherman along the moat that surrounds the castle. Perhaps the crane is hoping the fisherman will find him some lunch?

Waving to "My Public"
Inside the castle is where the fun began! We were able to climb inside this Empress-carrying vessel, and wave to "our people."

Memoirs of a Suteishi
"Sprucing" myself up by trying on a traditional kimono.

This is Where the Giggling Began...
...and didn't stop! Looking the part, complete with a geisha hairstyle-headpiece.

A View from the Top
A view of Korakuen Garden and surrounding Okayama City from the top floor of the castle.

Korakuen Garden
With the castle as a backdrop, and the green, lush grass (an endangered type of vegetation in Japan!) I can see why this garden may be one of Japan's top three.

A Family Enjoying a Picnic...
...complete with grass!

Old Town Kurashiki
The Bikan area of Kurashiki, where shops line the edges of an old canal.
A pleasant place for a weekend stroll!

Everybody Loves a Baseball Team in Uniform
The Japanese sure do enjoy their uniforms, and I must admit, I love seeing a uniformed baseball team of middle school or high school students! These students also tend to be some of the politest (outside of class anyways) as they are taught by their coaches to remove their caps, bow, and say a "konichiwa" when passing an adult. This is a baseball team I spotted in Kurashiki.

Miyajima at Low Tide
The Miyajima Torii at low tide. I assume all of these people were digging for oysters, as this is a Miyajima specialty.

Making a Wish
I enjoyed watching this couple trying to land a stone on the torii. If you look closely you can see a number of stones already resting on one of the torii's many beams. I am happy to report that they were eventually successful, giving each other a victorious high five.

Looking Down from Mount Misen
A view of the Seto Inland Sea and Hiroshima City from the top of Mount Misen, Miyajima's highest point.

Comments

[Jaime]

.. omg.. that's priceless
.. that picture is priceless.. stacey.. i love it!! .. a geisha can stop a man in his tracks with just one look... (or something like that).. you look freakin awesome as a geisha.. i reckon you should dye your hair a nice black! ;)