26/05/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Kanazawa Walk in cherry blossoms　金沢歩き

7th. April, 2022 Kenrokuen　　兼六園 A beautiful, fine morning as we walk a few hundred metres to Kenrokuen a large park in the city centre. It is adjacent to City hall and a large, modern art museum ‘Kanazawa 21century Museum’. Kenrokuen is one of three famous Japanese gardens (The other two are in Mito and Okayama), it was created in the Edo era by a Daimyo in Kaga. There is as a rule an entrance fee to Kenrokuen but, unusually, in cherry blossom season this fee is waived. There are various paths to follow, a couple ponds and blossoms everywhere. In a separate area there is a plum grove, but these […]

26/05/2022 / Last updated : 23/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Otsu to Kanazawa via Nata-dera　大津から金沢

6th. April 2022 This is a driving day as we head for Kanazawa. Crawling up the west bank of Lake Biwa becomes tedious, so we opt for the toll-free motorway. This is a better choice as it is faster, we have a long way to go, and the view is much superior. Instead of car-lots and derelict hotels you get lake and mountainscapes. At some point, we hit the coast and drive with a placid Nihonkai (Japan Sea) on our left and high vegetation covered cliffs and small fishing communities on our right. But we are losing time, so cut inland again to find Route 8. We want to visit […]

26/05/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Daigo Temple Cherry Blossom　醍醐寺の桜

5th. April. 2022 Daigo Temple Cherry Blossom　醍醐の桜 This is Kyoto day, so we take the Keihan train from Hama-Otsu to Daigo Station on the Tozai (subway line). Daigo Temple is a world heritage site. Its garden has been famous for cherry blossom, at least, since Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a sakura viewing party here in 1598. There is a 1500-yen entrance fee, that I thought a bit steep, but it gives you entrance to 3 sites. I was amused to note two men with padded ladders carefully holding weeping cherry branches clear to allow a couple of large trucks to edge past without disturbing the blossoms. Diago Temple is large and […]

19/05/2022 / Last updated : 13/07/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Hirafuku and Mii-dera cherry blossoms　平福、三井寺

Following the Sakura Front 2022 4th. April Chugoku Expressway Wake in the Hirafuku Michi no eki after a long drive on the Chugoku Expressway. What a wonderful road this is, broad curves winding up and down with almost no traffic. It is possible to see a long distance both ahead and behind on both carriageways and not another vehicle in sight. The only drawback is the absurd 60kph speed limit. Hirafuku Michi no eki　道の駅平福 Hirafuku Michi no eki is a reasonable place to stay. It has a restaurant and provides an interesting walk around the old post town. There are castle remains on the hilltop across the valley, two huge […]

30/03/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Mt. Aso, Climbing Kishima-dake and Hourei no yu　阿蘇杵島岳

December 2021, Minami Aso, Kugino michi no eki Waking in Minami Aso on a frosty, misty morning that promises a fine day, we walk around the large, flat area that comprises this michi no eki. We note the dog run and the large Christmas illuminations that are unilluminated at this time of the morning. There is also an artificial, rectangular pond. It reflects the mountains and a series of cartoon figures in silhouette so I conclude it is for Instagram purposes. Nevertheless, the soft morning light, the mist and the hazy blue mountains are an absolute delight. Mt. Aso From the road station we set off for Mt. Aso. As […]

26/03/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Ebino Plateau and the 3 Lake Course Hiking　えびの高原

December, ’21 A bright full moon and a very cold night. Ebino Plateau We set off on a beautiful morning for the Ebino Plateau, making sure to buy supplies on the way before getting into the mountains. It is often difficult to buy food in very rural areas. Around midday, we arrived at a large car park of Ebino Eco Museum Centre. From here we could see the snow on Mount Io and Karakunidake glistening in the bright sunshine, there was, however, a bitterly cold wind whipping across the open space. The 3 Lakes Course　池めぐりコース We had planned to hike around the three crater lakes, but part of the route […]

10/03/2022 / Last updated : 19/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

National Route 445 and Takachiho Gorge　　国道445号、高千穂峡

December 2021, National Route 445 Today we are making for Takachiho and its famous gorge. It is many, many years since we were last there. First, we have to cross the Kyushu Mountains. The highway is the easy but dull option, so we take Route 445. This is a national route, but the actuality makes this hard to credit. Long sections of this road are far too narrow for two vehicles to pass, and it is very windy indeed. There is evidence of rockfalls, and road subsidence everywhere so considerable maintenance is essential. This in turn means construction traffic, so the possibility of meeting oncoming dump trucks is constant. As […]

28/02/2022 / Last updated : 03/11/2024 d.d Temple / Shrine

Tamatebako Onsen and Kirishima 　玉手箱温泉、霧島

December 2021, Tamatebako Onsen 　玉手箱温泉 Woke in Yamakawa-ko michi no eki. This is an unspectacular place down in the fish docks, but it is quiet, the toilets are surprisingly reasonable and there is an izakaya next door. More importantly, it is only 12 to 15 minutes’ drive from Tamatebako onsen. This is probably the reason there were 6 to 8 other shachuhaku vehicles in the place on a cold December night. We make straight for the onsen and arrive just as it is opening at 9:30 am. There is only one other person in the bath as I enjoy the morning sun over the sea, the bleak massifs of Takeyama […]