Cat Trail in ONOMICHI

Onomichi is a gate way to Shimanami cycling routes. The hillside by the waterfront is also good for strolling. Leave your bike and explore the hills and alleys on foot. The Cat Trail is particularly unique. There are real cats, happy stone cats, a happy stone cat shrine and a museum of beckoning cats. Some old houses along the alley are remodeled into stores, cafes or artistic places. But they are not open every day, which enhances the mystery of the alley zone. This time, my friends and I walked from Ushitora Shrine at the bottom of the hill (the big old camphor trees are magnificent and the shrine looks powerful) and eventually went to the Municipal Museum of fine arts on the hill (renovated by ANDO Tadao, a world-famous architect). Here are some pics from there.

See the official site below too.

http://ihatov.in/cattrail/

Ginkgo trees in Hiroshima

Two ginkgo trees from two different places in Hiroshima: one in SHUKKEIEN Japanese garden and the other in Miyajima. Both are from the fall of 2014. The one in the garden is a survivor of the atomic bombing, slanting toward GZ. The gorgeous yellow stands next to Senjokaku on a hill in Miyajima.

 Old ginkgo tree in the garden

 Reflection on the floor was gorgeous

Takamatsu and Kinashi make a good day tour

Udon diner in Takamatsu

Here's what my guests and I recently did:

Start the tour from Okayama Station;
Take a JR train to Takamatsu;

Ritsurin Garden black pines

Take a taxi to Kagawa Prefectural Gov. building designed by TANGE Kenzo who also did the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & Park;
Look at the details of the building;
Walk to one of the most popular Udon noodle shops and have Udon for lunch;
Walk to Ritsurin Garden - spacious and grand, one of the most famed Daimyo feudal lord gardens dating from the Edo period (1603-1868);
Fully appreciate the garden and the cottage standing by one of the ponds in the garden;
Take a taxi to Kinashi and visit two Bonsai places that I contacted in advance;
Walk to JR Kinashi Station, take a local train, transfer at Sakaide, and go back to Okayama Station;
End of tour.

This makes a very fun full day tour. It was a fantastic day focusing on Japanese gardening, local cuisine, and Bonsai techniques. 

Tending a black pine in Kinashi

Kagawa Prefectural Gov. building

Osaki-kamishima scenery

There is a ferry service between OMISHIMA and Osaki-kamishima. A short ride takes you Osaki-kamishima. The island has a hotel on the hill which offers a splendid view of the inland sea. Off the main route of the SHIMANAMI scenic sea route but a great way to relax your muscles after cycling.

 From the ferry

 Seen from the hill

 And an electric car displayed in front of the hotel

Itoyama Koen, imabari

The Sunrise Itoyama is known among cyclists. You can rent or return your bicycle there. However, Itoyaka Koen offers you much better scenery. 

 

Kurushima Strait Grand Bridges, the world-first complex of three continuous suspension bridges seen from Itoyama Koen

Tea store in downtown

There are quite a number of kinds here. Some are reputed products and others try something new ro be local or seasonal. The store is of easy access from Peace Park. 

Operation to create pearls

A lady at Doi Pearl Company demonstrated how a piece of mantle membrane of a mollusk and a core made out of freshwater mussel shell are inserted into the gonad of a pearl oyster. The mantle tissue secretes nacre or mother of pearl and layers of nacre eventually produce a pearl. 

Echigo Tsumari Art Firld

This art site has a different touch from benesse art site in the Seto inland sea. Both are very attractive and Mother Nature is simply fantastic. Artworks in Tsumari are spread and the whole venue is large. I rented a car at Echigo Yuzawa and it's essential. You need a car. Perhaps situations are different when the art festival goes on. Driving more than ten kilometers to go from one point to another is a common thing here. I am just staying one night this time and I am happy enough but two nights will give you more time to leisurely explore the artworks.

Just a few pics from the first day.

MAX TOKI Shinkansen @ Tokyo station

This SHINKANSEN train bound for Niigata is named after TOKI, or nipponia Nippon. Sad because the Japanese species is already extinct. Those exist in Japan are from China.

FUKUROMACHI elementary school peace museum

This small but really impressive peace museum stands on school grounds. The old structure inside has been preserved. It has a basement and part of it was where the shoe cupboards were placed. There, three kids survived the atomic bombing. The school stood 460 meters away from Hypocenter. Not really away but rather close. Some seventy children standing on the school playground for a morning assembly were sacrificed along with four to five school staffers. 

People left messages on the school walls with a chalk soon after the bombing. They were about their whereabouts or inquiries about their beloved ones. The walls were darkened with soot and they looked like blackboards. Some of the messages slightly remain on the walls.

Both Japanese and English descriptions about displayed items are provided and a twelve-minute-long film can be viewed in the basement. It has English captions.

The museum is easily accessed on foot from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park/Museum. 

Very much recommended. Please go.

 Exterior. 

A familiar brown memorial plaque is seen. This type of plaques are easily found all around the city.

No photography inside except this area. Through the window, the present school ground is seen.

From the second floor of the museum is seen modern Hiroshima. The museum has a beautiful wooden staircase. It feels so warm and comfortable to your feet. The inclination is just right for everybody. 

ART IN SAKAGURA

 This year's ART IN SAKAGURA and a new store Amitabha selling products environmentally friendly. The store opened in June 2014. 

 Stamp rally sheet and a prize

 Store named Amitabha 

 A family shrine at the store

Good air is flowing and the spirit comes around every morning.

TESHIMA, cycle of life

 A few weeks ago, I finally climbed BIG BAMBU, an artwork which nestled up the bamboo grove. Now I feel urged climbing it once again. This artwork is only available until September 23, 2014. It was installed for the SETOUCHI International Art Festival last year. Probably because it was popular, the artwork is still open but it has to be gone due to expenses and safety. Totally fantastic to climb the artwork and stand on the edge of the BAMBOO SHIP. 

I am also working on analyzing the YOKO-O KAN, a newest addition to TESHIMA. It's a museum showing the works of YOKO-O TADANORI. His paintings need investigation. It's much better to know their backgrounds and YOKO-O's personal history. A glance at the museum will be already thought-provoking but you can get to think more by knowing more. So, I'm trying to know more and think. Below are some of the recent photos from TESHIMA. It's a satisfying experience to rent a bike and ride it around in Teshima the whole day. I might be riding a bike again in Teshima soon.

 A friend of mine, other climbers and a staffer

 I'm a skipper!

 Climbing down

 Bamboos tied together

 A scene from biking

 Water is abundant in Teshima 

 This artwork is always kind to Teshima scenery

 

Each island seems to have their way of stacking stones

 You are allowed to take pictures of this artwork.

Beautiful colors but my neck hurt looking up at it for a few minutes.

 Going back to Uno Port

One of the highest tide @ Itsukushima Jinja, Miyajima

Just once in a blue moon, Itsukushima Jinja is off limits due to high tide. Today on September 11, 2014, the tide was marvelously high and the entrance was closed by a rope; poor travelers could not go onto the corridor of the shrine but others including me barely did. A five-minute difference dictated the good or bad luck. The seawater made some part of the corridor wet, breaching onto the floor in some part of the corridors. The photos below will convince you how high it was.

Ocean view at Futamigaura

Make yourself cleansed with sea water at Futamigaura before your visit to Ise Grand Shrine. Looking at a photo like this, it's easy to imagine there should be a place of wonder somewhere beyond the waves.

YABUUCHI Satoshi in Tamatsukuri

Some interesting statues are placed along the stream of Tamatsukuri Onsen resort. They were done by YABUUCHI Satoshi. His works are now easily found at many locations. 

SHIMANE, where Tamatsukuri is one of the cities, is a rich deposit of Japanese mythology. YABUUCHI's works are based on some of the mythological stories remaining in SHIMANE.

Descending approach of IZUMO GRAND SHRINE

Rare case of a descending approach to the shrine.