Hiroshima Carp !

This is a special train infused with Carp spirit, captured at Hiroshima Station.

Grassy Korakuen garden

One fifth of the garden is covered with grass at present. But three quarters of it was rice and vegetable field when it was built in 1700. The lord loved to see the farmers work. And he wrote, "I almost forgot to go back to the castle when I was looking at their daily work." The garden went through transformation due to the interest and preference of successive Ikeda lords. The founder's son built a small hill in the middle of the garden. At the same time, a watercourse, which linked the two existing ponds and was made into additional pond later, was naturally formed since the soil was dug up to make the hill. Another lord made most of the field into grass due to financial reasons. He laid off the farmers for streamlining. Some interesting shift can be observed but basically the garden retains the style as the strolling type garden of the feudal lords in the Edo period. The Ikeda clan was dispatched to Okayama as the governor of The domain by the then central government Tokugawa Shogunate and they were here for most of the Edo period. Glass spreading over the garden and meandering streams which show sensitive dynamism by flowing rapidly or slowly have to be the visible characters of this garden. 

Gunkan-jima or Battleship Island off Nagasaki

This gives you a different type of experience. Several businesses offer cruise tours, most of which include landing on the island. This island used to be a mine which supported Japan's modernization. Mitsubishi employed a lot of miners and their families lived there. The workers were paid well and the vendors who brought food, clothing, and so forth to the island enjoyed their good business. 

Ofunagura where Mori lords' ships were kept

This is something, the one and only which retains the wooden structure and stone walls. Built at the beginning of the 17th century, it used to be on a river.

Magical moment in naoshima

The sunset is always magical at Benesse House.

A free udon day in naoshima

A temple in honmura, naoshima, had a regular ceremony of chanting scriptures in the main hall when udon noodle was offered free and a bag of snacks and/or a box of detergent was given as a gift to take back home. My guests and I happened to be in there this time and enjoyed the occasion. I got the detergent and snacks, which I gave away to the owner of the inn where I stayed. He was such a sweet islander. 

Try Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum near Omote-sando, Minato ward, Tokyo

Okamoto Taro photographed

This makes a wonderful half day tour. Start your walking tour from Omotesando subway station. Walk for eight minutes and you will be at the museum. His former residence is now converted into the memorial museum exhibiting his works: just the right building, not too large but cozy in size. 

After the visit, try walking for twenty minutes or more (you might get lost on the way so this could be longer but fun to be lost in Tokyo) to Shibuya Station for whatever line (but Inogashira Line is eventually good for this tour). 

On the way, you will pass Okamoto's outdoor artwork in front of Kodomono-shiro building. That's on your right. 

Kodomono-shiro (Children's Castle)

When you come to a folk, go downward along the right street and soon you will be at the famed scramble cross-ways at Shibuya Station. Travelers from abroad are always taking a movie there.

Take an escalator to the Inogashira Line. Instead of going to its ticket gates, turn back and walk just for a few dozen seconds and you will see the mural done by Okamoto entitled MYTHOLOGY OF TOMORROW. 

MYTHOLOGY OF TOMORROW

This completes a fantastic artistic walking tour featuring Taro Okamoto. The most famous piece done by him has to be THE TOWER OF THE SUN, which characterized the Osaka Exposition held in 1970.

Photography allowed at the museum inside and outside in the garden. 

Okamoto and a miniature tower of the sun

An ambulance was around; thus less pedestrians on the crossing