What we Did on our Holidays

[steepholm]

Would you like to see some rather dusty holiday snaps? These (and more like them) would have been posted in May, but for reasons discussed in my previous entry I had neither the heart nor the mental energy to do so. Still, there are some good memories here, and I can take you through the highlights of our stay in picture-book form.

Last year, it being C&W's first trip to Japan, we did the classic Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo route - with just one side quest to Matsuyama in Shikoku. This time we decided to travel north, on the Tohoku shinkansen (the one used in the book, though not the film, of Bullet Train) - as far as its terminus at Hakodate in southern Hokkaido. Along the way, we stopped at Aizuwakamatsu, Sendai (with side trips to Matsushima and Yamadera) and Hachinohe. Afterwards I returned to Tokyo to see various friends and to visit an exhibition that was being held at Kanagawa University in Yokohama, based on my book, while C&W spent a few nights a deux in charming Nikko. Our final few days included a trip to Yokohama's famous Cup Noodle Museum with Rei, Tani and Yuko, and an early-monring session watching sumo practice at a heya in Tokyo.


This temple building (dedicated to Kannon-sama) in Aizuwakamatsu has an internal double-helix structure - you ascend on one staircase and descend by the other.


The view of Matsushima Bay that made Basho go wobbly at the knees, and who can blame him?


Channelling Caspar David Friedrich at Yamadera - an incredibly beautiful place, and far from crowded, at least on the day we were there.


Torii and pagoda at Nikko


"At a Nikko konbini all covered in vines, there were two rows of shoppers in two straight lines..."


An unexpected highlight was this musical version of Tom's Midnight Garden, which I very much enjoyed. Thanks to my friend Miho, I was able to enjoy a drink with the cast and crew afterwards.


Our cup noodle creations.


A post-keiko photo op at the sumo stable.

Gosh, it seems quite a long time ago now, but the wanderlust is already stirring and I'm beginning to ponder my next trip - perhaps to Nagasaki? I've not been to Kyushu since 2019.

Comments

[sovay]

Would you like to see some rather dusty holiday snaps?

Yes!

An unexpected highlight was this musical version of Tom's Midnight Garden, which I very much enjoyed. Thanks to my friend Miho, I was able to enjoy a drink with the cast and crew afterwards.

Oh, that's so cool. You were its target audience!

I like the view of Matsushima Bay.

[steepholm]

You were its target audience!

I really was! I didn't catch every word, but it was fun to anticipate the famous lines and see how they were rendered in Japanese.

[heleninwales]

It looks like you had a good time, and how delightful to meet the cast and crew of the musical. I'm sure that C & W got more from their trip with you as their guide. You previous travels and being able to speak the language must make a big difference.

[steepholm]

It makes a huge difference, in terms of access and being able to "curate" the experience - though I think they also valued their time alone in Nikko quite a lot!

[cmcmck]

The town where we lived previous to moving to Shropshire, Gillingham in Kent, is twinned with Yokusaka and Ito. It's the Will Adams connection! :o)

[wellinghall]

I certainly enjoyed seeing them - thank you.

[steepholm]

That makes sense! I've never been to see his monument in Yokusaka - perhaps next time!

[steepholm]

My pleasure!