I don't mean hells in the literal sense. In fact Beppu is a really nice place. It is a small town that is famous for it's abundance of hot springs (onsen). Beppu is also big on sex, it did have a sex museum which closed down recently and has a pretty big red light district. Apparently it was called the Japanese Las Vegas, but I would say it is more like the offspring of Vegas and Bath. Although Beppu is seedy in places, it is more commonly beautiful. The onsen's are lush and the mountains that surround Beppu create a picturesque beauty. A few people we met told us Beppu was only worth a two night stay. It lacked things to do and was quite dull. However, I have to disagree with what they said as so far I have found Beppu to be quite quaint and fun.
Our first day at Beppu was simple. Walk around the town and not do too much. After a long bus ride, we hadn't got to Beppu until quite late in the afternoon, and by the time we had checked in at the hostel, we had decided it was too late to do anything of importance. The next day however was brilliant. We took a bus to the Kannawa area where we went to view the 8 Jigoku (Hells) of Beppu. The town's claim to fame. These Hells are onsen's, natural hot springs, however they are not for bathing, they are for viewing. Some of them reach temperatures of 105 degrees Celsius, and literally bubble continuously. Each of them had a unique selling point and were a spectacle to behold. Also the area of Kannawa has steam everywhere. Literally rising from any hole in the ground. Some of it is funneled and used for cooking, so there are lots of stalls selling steamed vegetables and other goods. Quite unique.
First we visited the Shiraike Jigoku (white pond hell) which was an onsen that had, over the years, turned the water a natural white, it was quite impressive, especially the exhibition that ran alongside the onsen which showed a variety of man eating fish...crazy. Secondly we visited the Onayama Jigoku (monster mountain hell) the onsen was not visible through the thick steam but never the less was not important, as this hell focuses mainly on the fact that the temprature of the waters nearby the onsen creates perfect conditions for breeding crocs. Thats right, about 50 crocodiles all around, some as still as statues, others swimming lazily on by. I love crocodiles so was overjoyed by the vast majority of them. Next was the Kamado Jigoku (cooking pot hell) this jigoku focused a lot on the cooking aspect of the steam and had a few displays of items being cooked, it was made even more fun by the foot bath that Hayley, just couldn't handle... Forth we headed to Yama Jigoku (mountain hell) this was my least favourite. The hell itself was great. It was steam escaping from the side of a mountain and was pretty good. But there was a zoo built around the Jigoku and all of the animals looked miserable. Their cages were dull and boring, and too small for them. An elephant there looked so lonely and sad it made me start to question zoos. Why the hell do they exist, animals should live in the wild, no argument can win against the statement that animals do not belong in cages, they belong in the fields, in the sky, in the seas and in their own world. Our fifth Jigoku was the Umi Jigoku (sea hell). This onsen is the most famous and it's fame did not dissapoint. It was beautiful, a sea blue onsen with steam constantly rising from the surface. I thought the onsen was maybe, ankle deep, i mean it looked really shallow. But it turns out the onsen was 300 metres deep. I still do not belive it. It was easily the most beautiful hell of the eight. Next we went to Oniishibozu Jigoku (shaven heads of monks hell) it is called the shaven heads of monks hell because the hot steam tries to rise through thick mud and makes it bubble in a huge size, making it look like, you guessed it... We then took a bus ride down to the last two remaining hells. We went to the Chinoike Jigoku (blood pond hell) first. An onsen as red as hell itself, i have no idea how it gets that colour, but it looked really cool and it just goes to show that nature can create things of true mystery and beauty. Then lastly we went to Tatsumaki Jigoku (spout hell). A geyser that erupts every half hour. It was frustraing because towards the build up of the eruption everyone was trying to get in my god damn way. Really pissed me off, the lack of consideration for others around. Oh well, I saw it quite clearly after a bit of moving around and was thoroughly impressed.
That night we visited the most popular onsen in Beppu, but this one was for bathing. It was nice, not as good as the Kobe one by a long shot, but any onsen is enjoyable. The hot water not only cleanses the body, but it cleanses my mind. I feel, if i ever have any trouble, an onsen is the best cure, some people drink, some people take drugs, I reckon i would need an onsen, because in my opinion they remove society from the mind, and you relax into a state of near perfection, caring for nothing, but the moment.
The next day was a delight. According to Hayley, this was her favourite thing so far. We ventured out to Takasaaki Yama. A mountain which was a natural monkey reserve. My thought was that there would be a lot of walls and fence that cut us of from the monkey in its natural habitat. I could not have been more wrong. As the deer where in Nara the monkeys were on that mountain, roaming freely, brushing past your feet and going about there own business. Also there were literally thousands of monkeys, just waltzing and sauntering about. It was crazy, a little scary at first but it was so damn cute, the fear soon subsided. Some mother monkeys even had their babies clutching to them as they walked. It was truly fascinating.
Today, we hit the beach. It was stupidly hot, but it was nice. We even saw a giant Jelly fish float on by. Made us get out the water for a bit that's for sure. We have extended our stay in Beppu to see the Hanabi (fireworks festival) on the 31st, and then we head to Kagoshima. A place famous for it's live volcano, that errupts at least five times a day. That I think, is awesome.
Thanks for reading
Arigatou, Sayonara.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Nagasaki, You're So Damn Beautiful.
It's crazy. I have never become so fond of a city so quickly as I have Nagasaki. My short stay of three nights went by incredibly quickly, and with each second of those 72 hours, my love for the city doubled. I'm not really sure why, Nagasaki was such a beautiful place, and such a lovely port that my mind just decided, "I could buy a house here and I know I'd have a smile on my face until my presence on this earth was gone". Maybe you could read this following post and come to a better conclusion than I can. But in short, Nagasaki was a brilliant and unique city that will forever have my attention.
Nagasaki, where to begin? I guess I could start by saying that the identity of Nagasaki is such a mess that, that itself is its identity. This is because of Nagasaki's intimate, historic relationship with other countries. Nagasaki was the first city to have trading connections with the likes of Portugal, Holland and China. Therefore, a lot of foreign settelement occurred in Nagasaki and houses and manors were built representing different nations architecture. This first became apparent to us as we entered Glover Garden on our first day in Nagasaki.
Glover Garden is a hilltop museum, which shows the foreign settlement of Alexander Blake Glover. A Scotsman that single handedly revolutionized the Japanese trading industry. He had major inclusion in Mitsubishi and Kirin Beer Co. and was recognised by many Japanese as the Scottish Samurai. His house, that still resides in Nagasaki, is the first and oldest western building in Japan. In Glover garden we walked through many houses that belonged to famous foreign figures, such as Glover, and it was a strange experience. To witness such western objects in the far east, and to see such a western influence be accepted in Japan. It was frankly, quite brilliant. The Glover Garden was not only impressive because of it's vast western buildings and it's western history, but it also offered a beautiful panoramic view of Nagasaki, the sun above the hills, not a cloud in sight, my heart was happy for this adventure we have foregone.
After Glover Garden we headed to Hollander Slope. A slope made in the 1800's (by blasting rocks out of the side of a mountain via gunpowder). that saw more foreign settlement, mostly from Holland. A fact taught us that, in the 18th century, no matter where you came from, if you lived on that slope, you were called dutch. That made me laugh, not sure why. I guess it is just the idea that Japan excluded the foreigner so much that they were all just grouped together under the word dutch. The Slope was beautiful, and it felt like we had literally strolled straight from Japan to Holland. Glover Garden had already given us the impression of Britain and now the dutch slope of Holland. I felt like I was globe trotting, to the most literal sense. You could go in a few houses there, and the architecture screamed of Denmark, Holland, Sweden and in general, Scandinavia. I loved it.
The next day we headed to our second, and final peace park of Japan. That's right, as if the horror of Hiroshima's A-Bomb wasn't enough, war sought more destruction and dropped one on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima. The peace park in Nagasaki has so many monuments and statues donated by other countries, but the main statue was the Peace Statue. We really did not expect it to be as huge as it was. It was a beautiful site, and yet at the same time so sad. That statue really should not exist, because man kind should know that killing that many people with one weapon is an idiotic, pathetic and unforgivable mistake. I never really thought too much about war until I came to Japan. Obviously I knew the basics, that war killed thousands of people, but I guess it was put into perspective, and it flicked a switch in my mind. World Peace is something that needs to happen. But realistically, maybe it is just a pipe dream. Too many men yearn for power, and eventually I think that will be our downfall.
After the Peace Park we headed to a temple. We thought "we haven't done one in a while, why the hell not! Ikimashou (let's go)". It was really good actually. The temple was unique because it was erected by Chinese settlers and therefore the oldest Chinese temple in Japan. It was a bright, vibrant red and stood atop a hill. It looked like something out of a story book and was a beautiful sight to behold, inside and out.
That night we headed to the top of Mt. Inasa, a 333 metre high mountain in Nagasaki, boasting on the three best night views of Japan. It wasn't lying, I guess I can't compare as it is the only night view we have done but it was incredible. To be so high up and see a city shaped by the street lights and neon signs was amazing. It was fitting that a city so beautiful in the daylight should be even more so at night. Forgive my romantic views but being up there with a woman I love so much made me stop to think about how lucky I was, it was beautiful Not only because of the city, but because of her also. I guess without her I would not have survived Japan.
We took the cable car down the mountain, after being warned the hiking trail is littered with wild boar, and descended the mountain. It was our last activity in Nagasaki and I really did not want the night to end. We grabbed a few cans, sat on the pier and simply looked at the night sky. A perfect time in Nagasaki, nothing could have improved and I know I will be going back there again sometime.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayonara
Nagasaki, where to begin? I guess I could start by saying that the identity of Nagasaki is such a mess that, that itself is its identity. This is because of Nagasaki's intimate, historic relationship with other countries. Nagasaki was the first city to have trading connections with the likes of Portugal, Holland and China. Therefore, a lot of foreign settelement occurred in Nagasaki and houses and manors were built representing different nations architecture. This first became apparent to us as we entered Glover Garden on our first day in Nagasaki.
Glover Garden is a hilltop museum, which shows the foreign settlement of Alexander Blake Glover. A Scotsman that single handedly revolutionized the Japanese trading industry. He had major inclusion in Mitsubishi and Kirin Beer Co. and was recognised by many Japanese as the Scottish Samurai. His house, that still resides in Nagasaki, is the first and oldest western building in Japan. In Glover garden we walked through many houses that belonged to famous foreign figures, such as Glover, and it was a strange experience. To witness such western objects in the far east, and to see such a western influence be accepted in Japan. It was frankly, quite brilliant. The Glover Garden was not only impressive because of it's vast western buildings and it's western history, but it also offered a beautiful panoramic view of Nagasaki, the sun above the hills, not a cloud in sight, my heart was happy for this adventure we have foregone.
After Glover Garden we headed to Hollander Slope. A slope made in the 1800's (by blasting rocks out of the side of a mountain via gunpowder). that saw more foreign settlement, mostly from Holland. A fact taught us that, in the 18th century, no matter where you came from, if you lived on that slope, you were called dutch. That made me laugh, not sure why. I guess it is just the idea that Japan excluded the foreigner so much that they were all just grouped together under the word dutch. The Slope was beautiful, and it felt like we had literally strolled straight from Japan to Holland. Glover Garden had already given us the impression of Britain and now the dutch slope of Holland. I felt like I was globe trotting, to the most literal sense. You could go in a few houses there, and the architecture screamed of Denmark, Holland, Sweden and in general, Scandinavia. I loved it.
The next day we headed to our second, and final peace park of Japan. That's right, as if the horror of Hiroshima's A-Bomb wasn't enough, war sought more destruction and dropped one on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima. The peace park in Nagasaki has so many monuments and statues donated by other countries, but the main statue was the Peace Statue. We really did not expect it to be as huge as it was. It was a beautiful site, and yet at the same time so sad. That statue really should not exist, because man kind should know that killing that many people with one weapon is an idiotic, pathetic and unforgivable mistake. I never really thought too much about war until I came to Japan. Obviously I knew the basics, that war killed thousands of people, but I guess it was put into perspective, and it flicked a switch in my mind. World Peace is something that needs to happen. But realistically, maybe it is just a pipe dream. Too many men yearn for power, and eventually I think that will be our downfall.
After the Peace Park we headed to a temple. We thought "we haven't done one in a while, why the hell not! Ikimashou (let's go)". It was really good actually. The temple was unique because it was erected by Chinese settlers and therefore the oldest Chinese temple in Japan. It was a bright, vibrant red and stood atop a hill. It looked like something out of a story book and was a beautiful sight to behold, inside and out.
That night we headed to the top of Mt. Inasa, a 333 metre high mountain in Nagasaki, boasting on the three best night views of Japan. It wasn't lying, I guess I can't compare as it is the only night view we have done but it was incredible. To be so high up and see a city shaped by the street lights and neon signs was amazing. It was fitting that a city so beautiful in the daylight should be even more so at night. Forgive my romantic views but being up there with a woman I love so much made me stop to think about how lucky I was, it was beautiful Not only because of the city, but because of her also. I guess without her I would not have survived Japan.
We took the cable car down the mountain, after being warned the hiking trail is littered with wild boar, and descended the mountain. It was our last activity in Nagasaki and I really did not want the night to end. We grabbed a few cans, sat on the pier and simply looked at the night sky. A perfect time in Nagasaki, nothing could have improved and I know I will be going back there again sometime.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayonara
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Food For Thought.
Japan has allowed me to discover some amazing things in the time that we have been here. One of these is the delicious cuisine. I am a massive food fan and had dabbled in some of Japan's dishes before arriving, but what I found what I got here was way beyond my expectations. Taste overloads and succulent food that made my taste buds quiver at the mere sight of the food. Japan definitely knows how to cook. So I thought I would compose a top 5 list of my favourite dishes since I got here. These top five will be sorely missed upon my return to England, where the only great dish we came up with was marmite, and that's more of a condiment.
Number 5: Sashimi
Sashimi is raw fish. Nothing more complex than that. But the way that something so simple becomes so beautiful with a dab of wasabi and a sprinkle of mustard is a mystery. The juicy fish literally fills my mouth with joy. We first encountered sashimi in Kamakura when we went for a late night drink with the guesthouse owners. The bar/restaurant we went to whipped up two courses before winning me over with its third (and main) course of three different fish, sashimi style. Beautiful food made by beautiful people.
Next in at Number 4: Sushi
I had tried sushi before I came to Japan. I thought it was amazing when I visited restaurants like "Yo Sushi!", but after the sushi I have eaten here the chances of me returning there in England, are zero. Unbelievably fresh sushi right off the chiefs blade, being made right in front of you is what I am talking about. From salmon sushi to tako(octopus) sushi, all making the taste buds feel alive again. That crap Tesco sell might aswell be dogshit compared to Japan's great creations.
Middle of the table, Number 3: Ramen
Ramen was my favourite dish before I came to Japan, however I have tried so many amazing things since I got here that it has been beaten to the top spot by a few others. The Ramen here is a million times better compared to the stuff that I had eaten before, and it is also unbelievably cheap. In England I would probably pay 9 pounds for a bowl of Ramen. Here it is about 4 pounds for a bowl of bigger size. That always makes me smile. I will always relate Ramen to Japan and it will always be something I could eat forever, the fact that there are so many types makes it an adaptable meal that could never get old.
Runner up, Number 2: Shabu Shabu
Picture this if you will. A huge table full of mass amounts of meat and vegetables. In the middle of the table is a large bowl, filled with a delicious soup. It is constantly hot because of the open flame that it sits on. Then you swipe up all that meat and veg and chuck it right in the bowl of soup. Wait for it to heat up, then dig in. My good friend Jun took me for my first Shabu Shabu, and I think that he may have introduced me to the greatest banquet food ever. A feast so delicious that anyone could dig in and be happy. Come to Japan, eat Shabu Shabu, die a happy man.
The Winner, Number 1: Okonomiyaki
The Hiroshima Okonomiyaki is cabbage, layered with noodles, layered with pork, layered with egg. Add some cheese, the tasty okonomiyaki sauce (which is a lot like BBQ) and some mayonnaise, and you have a delicious, surprisingly healthy and beautiful dish. Hiroshima's Okonomiyaki is the only type that is made with noodles and therefore my favourite type of Okonomiyaki. I really could not be enthuastic enough at describing this dish if I wanted to. My awful english, and inability to describe anything would not do this dish justice. The soft egg mixed with the crunch of the cabbage and the sweetness of the sauce all mix to become a taste orgasm. My taste buds wept with happiness when my teeth sank into the dish. Okonomiyaki, take a bow, you sir, are a champion.
Special Mention: Gyoza
Gyoza is more of a side dish than an actual meal but it is pretty much served in every restaurant and is insanely tasty. It is a dumpling filled with duck and cabbage, usually, and comes in all shapes and sizes. Cheap and tasty, they go well with all five of the dishes mentioned above, and I would feel a little guilty if I at least did not write a little about them. Gyoza you beautiful sod, never leave me.
Here are some of the foods that are really nice, but unfortunately did not make the cut: Takoyaki, Yakitori, Udon Noodles, Soba Noodles, Chanbon Noodles, Osaka Okonomiyaki, Nato, Chicken Intestine.
Number 5: Sashimi
Sashimi is raw fish. Nothing more complex than that. But the way that something so simple becomes so beautiful with a dab of wasabi and a sprinkle of mustard is a mystery. The juicy fish literally fills my mouth with joy. We first encountered sashimi in Kamakura when we went for a late night drink with the guesthouse owners. The bar/restaurant we went to whipped up two courses before winning me over with its third (and main) course of three different fish, sashimi style. Beautiful food made by beautiful people.
Next in at Number 4: Sushi
I had tried sushi before I came to Japan. I thought it was amazing when I visited restaurants like "Yo Sushi!", but after the sushi I have eaten here the chances of me returning there in England, are zero. Unbelievably fresh sushi right off the chiefs blade, being made right in front of you is what I am talking about. From salmon sushi to tako(octopus) sushi, all making the taste buds feel alive again. That crap Tesco sell might aswell be dogshit compared to Japan's great creations.
Middle of the table, Number 3: Ramen
Ramen was my favourite dish before I came to Japan, however I have tried so many amazing things since I got here that it has been beaten to the top spot by a few others. The Ramen here is a million times better compared to the stuff that I had eaten before, and it is also unbelievably cheap. In England I would probably pay 9 pounds for a bowl of Ramen. Here it is about 4 pounds for a bowl of bigger size. That always makes me smile. I will always relate Ramen to Japan and it will always be something I could eat forever, the fact that there are so many types makes it an adaptable meal that could never get old.
Runner up, Number 2: Shabu Shabu
Picture this if you will. A huge table full of mass amounts of meat and vegetables. In the middle of the table is a large bowl, filled with a delicious soup. It is constantly hot because of the open flame that it sits on. Then you swipe up all that meat and veg and chuck it right in the bowl of soup. Wait for it to heat up, then dig in. My good friend Jun took me for my first Shabu Shabu, and I think that he may have introduced me to the greatest banquet food ever. A feast so delicious that anyone could dig in and be happy. Come to Japan, eat Shabu Shabu, die a happy man.
The Winner, Number 1: Okonomiyaki
The Hiroshima Okonomiyaki is cabbage, layered with noodles, layered with pork, layered with egg. Add some cheese, the tasty okonomiyaki sauce (which is a lot like BBQ) and some mayonnaise, and you have a delicious, surprisingly healthy and beautiful dish. Hiroshima's Okonomiyaki is the only type that is made with noodles and therefore my favourite type of Okonomiyaki. I really could not be enthuastic enough at describing this dish if I wanted to. My awful english, and inability to describe anything would not do this dish justice. The soft egg mixed with the crunch of the cabbage and the sweetness of the sauce all mix to become a taste orgasm. My taste buds wept with happiness when my teeth sank into the dish. Okonomiyaki, take a bow, you sir, are a champion.
Special Mention: Gyoza
Gyoza is more of a side dish than an actual meal but it is pretty much served in every restaurant and is insanely tasty. It is a dumpling filled with duck and cabbage, usually, and comes in all shapes and sizes. Cheap and tasty, they go well with all five of the dishes mentioned above, and I would feel a little guilty if I at least did not write a little about them. Gyoza you beautiful sod, never leave me.
Here are some of the foods that are really nice, but unfortunately did not make the cut: Takoyaki, Yakitori, Udon Noodles, Soba Noodles, Chanbon Noodles, Osaka Okonomiyaki, Nato, Chicken Intestine.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Yakyuu no Geemu (Baseball Game)
As mentioned in the last blog post, me and hayley were hoping to go to a baseball game at the beginning of the week. So on monday we met up with Ed, a fellow we met in Nara, and John, a new friend Ed had met in Fukuoka. We took the bus to the Yahoo Dome, the stadium which would be hosting the game, and were informed to wait in a long line to get our tickets. We were unsure about which line to wait in, but in the end, we choose the line with the shortest queue. Turns out that was the wrong choice. We had waited 45 minutes just to find out we should have joined the other line. Things were going great so far. As we started to make our way to the back of the now even longer line a miracle happened. Ed spotted Benjamin and Paola, a couple staying in his hostel. They offered to get our tickets and meet us later on. Upon meeting we found that they had success in obtaining the tickets and that they were also given free Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks jerseys for us all. We kitted up, got some beer, and made our way to the stadium.
The game was amazing. I have never been to a baseball game before, mainly due to its unpopularity in england, but I found it fully entertaining. Even more so than a football game. The cheerleaders and mascots added to the upbeat atmosphere, and when Matsuda hit a home run for Fukuoka the crowd went wild. That was probably my favourite moment of the night. It was made even more special because of the new friends that we had made, and the conversations we all had.
Halfway through the sixth inning everyone was given a balloon. Every person in the stadium blew them up to their full size and held on to the end to make sure they didnt blow off. When the sixth inning came to an end and the cheerleaders finished their dance, everyone let go of the balloons. It was a crazy spectacle of balloons flying in all directions, my eyes ran crazy trying to find a point to focus on, but enjoying the madness all the same. It was fantastic. In fact, Iam not really sure what happened to the balloons. They were not on the floor when we left the stadium, just goes to show you how effecient and clean Japan is.
After Fukuoka secured victory, we all made our way Hakata, the main town to have dinner. After some delicious food and even more exciting conversation, we all said goodbye and headed our own way. It was a great night that I will not soon forget. I love meeting all these people from different countries. It constantly reminds me that there is a whole world out there to see and that where you are born and raised is nothing more than a drop of water in a huge sea.
The rest of the week in Fukuoka has been great. Unlike the weather. A typhoon recently brushed passed Japan and although Fukuoka was only near the edge of it, it was still powerful enough to make the weather rainy and windy. We headed to the remains of a castle which were okay, but the miserable day kind of made it a bit boring. There was a great lake nearby though so it was nice to sit by that and watch all the turtles swim by us.
Today we headed to an amusement arcade. I had my ass handed to me at mini golf due to my awful hand eye co-ordination and hayleys inexplicable abality to play really well at niche sports, like mini golf and darts. I made a come back at table tennis however, something I do not like losing at.
We have even eaten at a Yatai aswell. Yatais are these food stalls that line the streets of Fukuoka. We tried the Hakata Ramen which was delicious and it was really cool to eat outside on this little cart. We even met some of the locals and have generally had a brilliant time at Fukuoka.
Tomorrow we are off to Nagasaki, which seems to have a lot to do. It is another port town of Japan but that does not mean that it will provide the same sights. I am quite excited about Nagasaki.
Thanks for reading
Arigatou Sayounara.
The game was amazing. I have never been to a baseball game before, mainly due to its unpopularity in england, but I found it fully entertaining. Even more so than a football game. The cheerleaders and mascots added to the upbeat atmosphere, and when Matsuda hit a home run for Fukuoka the crowd went wild. That was probably my favourite moment of the night. It was made even more special because of the new friends that we had made, and the conversations we all had.
Halfway through the sixth inning everyone was given a balloon. Every person in the stadium blew them up to their full size and held on to the end to make sure they didnt blow off. When the sixth inning came to an end and the cheerleaders finished their dance, everyone let go of the balloons. It was a crazy spectacle of balloons flying in all directions, my eyes ran crazy trying to find a point to focus on, but enjoying the madness all the same. It was fantastic. In fact, Iam not really sure what happened to the balloons. They were not on the floor when we left the stadium, just goes to show you how effecient and clean Japan is.
After Fukuoka secured victory, we all made our way Hakata, the main town to have dinner. After some delicious food and even more exciting conversation, we all said goodbye and headed our own way. It was a great night that I will not soon forget. I love meeting all these people from different countries. It constantly reminds me that there is a whole world out there to see and that where you are born and raised is nothing more than a drop of water in a huge sea.
The rest of the week in Fukuoka has been great. Unlike the weather. A typhoon recently brushed passed Japan and although Fukuoka was only near the edge of it, it was still powerful enough to make the weather rainy and windy. We headed to the remains of a castle which were okay, but the miserable day kind of made it a bit boring. There was a great lake nearby though so it was nice to sit by that and watch all the turtles swim by us.
Today we headed to an amusement arcade. I had my ass handed to me at mini golf due to my awful hand eye co-ordination and hayleys inexplicable abality to play really well at niche sports, like mini golf and darts. I made a come back at table tennis however, something I do not like losing at.
We have even eaten at a Yatai aswell. Yatais are these food stalls that line the streets of Fukuoka. We tried the Hakata Ramen which was delicious and it was really cool to eat outside on this little cart. We even met some of the locals and have generally had a brilliant time at Fukuoka.
Tomorrow we are off to Nagasaki, which seems to have a lot to do. It is another port town of Japan but that does not mean that it will provide the same sights. I am quite excited about Nagasaki.
Thanks for reading
Arigatou Sayounara.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Sun, Sand and a Serious amount of doing Nothing.
After a very comfortable four hour bus journey we are now in Fukuoka, the biggest and most populated city of Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. Apparently Fukuoka is nearer to Seoul in South Korea than it is to Tokyo, I don't know why, but i found that fact rather cool.
We haven't actually done much since we got to Fukuoka, we have seven nights here so I guess we just want to relax a little. We achieved this by going to Momochi Beach twice in a row. It is a very nice beach and is located right near the "Yahoo Dome". A baseball stadium for the home team of Fukuoka, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, we may even be going to watch a game on monday night if we can get the tickets. Seeing as it is not sumo season, baseball is the next big one in Japan. So we really want to give it a go. Momochi Beach is also a great place to meet the locals. Me, Hayley, Ed and Annika got involved in a volleyball game with two Japanese fellows. Annika was with the two fellows, Naruto and the others name has slipped my memory. However, we won the match. Whatever anyone tells you.
Tonight we are heading to the streets of Tenjin, which are lined with food stalls called "yatai". These food stalls do a variety of foods, but I am really hoping to sink my teeth into some "Hakata ramen" a local speciality, and as the name suggests, a ramen dish.
We plan do to a bit more throughout the latter half of the week in terms of sight seeing and I hope my next post has a bit more content to it. On a personal note, I had a skype chat with my mother a few nights ago, she recently had a major operation, yet she looked great. It made me think about how the world has thrown so much shit at her, but she never let it beat her. She always fought back, and she always got back on her feet. She has never been a coward and has more strength than anyone I know. She is my hero. I really hope that the operation, was the last.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara
We haven't actually done much since we got to Fukuoka, we have seven nights here so I guess we just want to relax a little. We achieved this by going to Momochi Beach twice in a row. It is a very nice beach and is located right near the "Yahoo Dome". A baseball stadium for the home team of Fukuoka, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, we may even be going to watch a game on monday night if we can get the tickets. Seeing as it is not sumo season, baseball is the next big one in Japan. So we really want to give it a go. Momochi Beach is also a great place to meet the locals. Me, Hayley, Ed and Annika got involved in a volleyball game with two Japanese fellows. Annika was with the two fellows, Naruto and the others name has slipped my memory. However, we won the match. Whatever anyone tells you.
Tonight we are heading to the streets of Tenjin, which are lined with food stalls called "yatai". These food stalls do a variety of foods, but I am really hoping to sink my teeth into some "Hakata ramen" a local speciality, and as the name suggests, a ramen dish.
We plan do to a bit more throughout the latter half of the week in terms of sight seeing and I hope my next post has a bit more content to it. On a personal note, I had a skype chat with my mother a few nights ago, she recently had a major operation, yet she looked great. It made me think about how the world has thrown so much shit at her, but she never let it beat her. She always fought back, and she always got back on her feet. She has never been a coward and has more strength than anyone I know. She is my hero. I really hope that the operation, was the last.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara
Friday, 15 July 2011
Life's A Beach.
Well. The last couple of days in Kobe were great. The day after our Shabu Shabu adventure with Jun was a day filled with walking...unfortunately. Basically we tried to find this park in Kobe, and on the map it didn't look too far. But after 2 and a half hours of walking up a very steep mountain, we still hadn't come to it. So we gave up and headed back to the port where we were just happy to be sitting down. On the trek to the park however we did find a beautiful spot called the "venus bridge". It was a bridge with a complicated structure that over-looked the entire area of Kobe port and even some of Osaka. It was a clear day so the view was incredible. It was a great reward for the ridiculous climb.
The last day was another day that I shall never forget. After relaxing for most of the afternoon we met up with Jun and his girlfriend at Kobe Station. He took us to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge. It looked very nice in the sunset, but it looked even more beautiful at night time. Made even more amazing by the awesome onsen that Jun took us too. Their was a moment in that onsen where time stood still. I was sitting in the most relaxing hot water, outside whilst next to a new friend that I had made, looking up at the moon, whilst the bridge shone greatly in front of us. A moment that tops my list in Japan. A moment that made me thankful that there are great people in Japan and great places to go to with them.
The day after we took a 7 hour journey, which involved about 5 trains, to Hiroshima. We met Annika at the station, after a sneaky McDonalds, and went for a drink. The day after we went to The Peace Park, which commemorates the lives that were lost when an Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The Park itself is very beautiful, but the massive contrast in the museums is unmissable. I thought the earthquake museum at Kobe was hard to bare, the Hiroshima one was a lot harder. The earthquake museum was tragic but the event itself was a thing of nature. The destruction of Hiroshima was a choice made solely by man, and that itself is worrying. If man can decide to drop an atomic bomb on a city full of thousands of people, then there is no telling that there will ever be true peace in our world. I pray for peace, as does Hiroshima. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb was a failure of mankind. I learned that at that park.
However, on a cheerier note, we went to the beach the next day and it was very lovely. A paddle, some sun and an ice cream meant the day at the beach was a successful one. That evening we went for Okonomiyaki, the Hiroshima specialty, with Annika and her friend Laura. It was very delicious. If I keep eating all this great Japanese food, I may cry when I return to the bog standard fish and chips that England has. Okonomiyaki is noodles, cabbage, cheese, egg and pork all friend in an omollete stlye fashion. Truely goreous, especially with some Mayonaise.
The day after we headed to Miyajima Island, where we took a ferry across the sea. It was great. First we saw the not so "Floating Shrine" due to the low tide, but the shrine itself was still very nice. I would have liked to see it with the tide in but due to it being summer, it was only in really early in the morning and then really late at night. After the shrine me and Hayley took the cable up to the top of Mt. Misen. That was an experience for Hayley, she may have been a little nervous when the cable car started moving, and then even more so through the journey. But once we got of the cable car we took a fifteen minute climb to the summit, where the beautuful paranomic views took our breath away. The skies were clear, the ocean was blue, and at the moment I realized how beautiful the world could be. A truely amazing experience, even if the climb was a little tiring. Also, the Mountain claimed to have wild monkeys, but we never saw any, and even Annika tells us that she hasn`t seen any. I think this must be a lie. And the wild deer were a lovely touch to Miyajima too. I would have been more excited to see them, but Nara just had more.
Today we went back to Miyajima for more beach, and this time even a bit of swimming. The other beach had a bit of a dirty feel to it so we waited for today were we swam out to the floating platform and generally just lazed about. Pretty sure I've been stung by a Jellyfish but I can not be sure, if so it was a baby one as the pain has gone, but it was pretty sore when it happened! Also on the boat ride to Miyajima (the second time) We listened to "I'm On A Boat" by the lonely island. That was hilarious.
Tomorrow we are going to the south Island, Kyushu, where we will stay in Fukuoka. I am very excited to head to a different part of Japan as Honshu is the only one of four islands we have been on so far. Hopefully Fukuoka will provide its own version of the beautiful Japan.
Thanks for Reading
Arigatou, Sayounara.
The last day was another day that I shall never forget. After relaxing for most of the afternoon we met up with Jun and his girlfriend at Kobe Station. He took us to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge. It looked very nice in the sunset, but it looked even more beautiful at night time. Made even more amazing by the awesome onsen that Jun took us too. Their was a moment in that onsen where time stood still. I was sitting in the most relaxing hot water, outside whilst next to a new friend that I had made, looking up at the moon, whilst the bridge shone greatly in front of us. A moment that tops my list in Japan. A moment that made me thankful that there are great people in Japan and great places to go to with them.
The day after we took a 7 hour journey, which involved about 5 trains, to Hiroshima. We met Annika at the station, after a sneaky McDonalds, and went for a drink. The day after we went to The Peace Park, which commemorates the lives that were lost when an Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The Park itself is very beautiful, but the massive contrast in the museums is unmissable. I thought the earthquake museum at Kobe was hard to bare, the Hiroshima one was a lot harder. The earthquake museum was tragic but the event itself was a thing of nature. The destruction of Hiroshima was a choice made solely by man, and that itself is worrying. If man can decide to drop an atomic bomb on a city full of thousands of people, then there is no telling that there will ever be true peace in our world. I pray for peace, as does Hiroshima. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb was a failure of mankind. I learned that at that park.
However, on a cheerier note, we went to the beach the next day and it was very lovely. A paddle, some sun and an ice cream meant the day at the beach was a successful one. That evening we went for Okonomiyaki, the Hiroshima specialty, with Annika and her friend Laura. It was very delicious. If I keep eating all this great Japanese food, I may cry when I return to the bog standard fish and chips that England has. Okonomiyaki is noodles, cabbage, cheese, egg and pork all friend in an omollete stlye fashion. Truely goreous, especially with some Mayonaise.
The day after we headed to Miyajima Island, where we took a ferry across the sea. It was great. First we saw the not so "Floating Shrine" due to the low tide, but the shrine itself was still very nice. I would have liked to see it with the tide in but due to it being summer, it was only in really early in the morning and then really late at night. After the shrine me and Hayley took the cable up to the top of Mt. Misen. That was an experience for Hayley, she may have been a little nervous when the cable car started moving, and then even more so through the journey. But once we got of the cable car we took a fifteen minute climb to the summit, where the beautuful paranomic views took our breath away. The skies were clear, the ocean was blue, and at the moment I realized how beautiful the world could be. A truely amazing experience, even if the climb was a little tiring. Also, the Mountain claimed to have wild monkeys, but we never saw any, and even Annika tells us that she hasn`t seen any. I think this must be a lie. And the wild deer were a lovely touch to Miyajima too. I would have been more excited to see them, but Nara just had more.
Today we went back to Miyajima for more beach, and this time even a bit of swimming. The other beach had a bit of a dirty feel to it so we waited for today were we swam out to the floating platform and generally just lazed about. Pretty sure I've been stung by a Jellyfish but I can not be sure, if so it was a baby one as the pain has gone, but it was pretty sore when it happened! Also on the boat ride to Miyajima (the second time) We listened to "I'm On A Boat" by the lonely island. That was hilarious.
Tomorrow we are going to the south Island, Kyushu, where we will stay in Fukuoka. I am very excited to head to a different part of Japan as Honshu is the only one of four islands we have been on so far. Hopefully Fukuoka will provide its own version of the beautiful Japan.
Thanks for Reading
Arigatou, Sayounara.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Shabu Shabu
It has been a while since my last post. I dont have any excuses except for that the hotel we are in at the moment makes you pay to use the internet, and I`m pretty tight. So you can imagine my fury when I find it cost me the equivalant of a pound for ten minutes. Anyway, ranting aside...
We have moved on from the city of Osaka and are now in the port town of Kobe. The remaining few days of Osaka were pretty great. We headed to Osaka castle which was quite nice, but I think I may have seen enough castles now to get me through the rest of the trip. There is one Castle in Himeji, which is the only one I would willingly go see from this point foward as it is one of the few remaining castles that is in its original state. All the other ones seem to have caught fire, and then several years later hit by lighting. I guess maybe they should stop making them on top of large hills. It would have saved a few pennies and it would have saved me having to walk up large heights.
After the castle we decided to try the local speciality in terms of food, Octopus Balls. I don`t mean the testicles of a octopus silly. It is simply octopus friend into a type of doughy ball. They are really delicious and if you ever head to Osaka you should definitely try some.
That day after that we headed to the out skirts of Osaka to where the main Otaku scene is. Otaku is a phrase used for the over-emotional anime fan. The area was great and probably my favourite part of Osaka. It is so gritty and messy, yet full of Anime shops and maid cafes. We wanted to head to a maid cafe just for the experience but they all seemed fairly expensive. The beverages alone were a lot of money, and then on top of that you have to pay by the hour for simply being in the cafe. So we decided not to. Walking down the Otaku street and seeing Japanese girls in maid outfits and buildings with large anime pictures posted on the outside of them was an awakening moment for me. It suddenly hit me that I was in Japan, and that is country is so different from our own. It was a great moment.
Kobe is beautiful. It is an amazing port town and I think i like it more than Yokohama. Our first day was simple. After checking into the "you have to pay for the web" hotel we headed to "HarborLand" A shopping district with a small theme park and a nice view of the port and shipping yard. We simply window shopped but it was nice to walk around and breathe in that salty sea air.
The day after we headed to the China town of Kobe. Although not as big as Yokohama`s it was still really nice. Simply made up of four streets the China town, know as "Nankin Machi" is full of restaurants and souvenier shops it was pretty great.
Yesterday was a great day, and an even better night. Kobe hasn`t been the most accessible place and there wasn`t really an easy way to get to the earthquake museum so we decided to walk. It took the best part of an hour but was well worth it. The earthquake museum was a mix of emotions. The earthquake known as "Hanshin Awaji" happened at 5:46am, 17th January, 1995. It claimed the lives of 6,000 people and destroyed Kobe. The museum takes you through what happened and gives you an insight into the people that were affected by the quake. It made me realise how weak man is. It doesnt matter how much we prepare for a disaster like that, we can never truely brace ourselves fully against mother nature. We are babies in her arms and she can decided how badly she wants to hurt us when she wants to. However, the museum shows that people have the will to rebuild and be kind to others. The restoration after the quake shows that man can survive and that we are able to push through the bad times to make something better of the future. As Humans we learn and adapt and that museum shows how truely beautiful the power of man can be.
On the evening of that night we met up with our friend Jun, who we met in Nara. Jun was a gentlemen and treated us to Shabu Shabu. Shabu Shabu is literally a large pot of soup that you fill with meat and vegetables and then eat away at. It has replaced Ramen as my favourite Japanese Dish as it is just so delicious. Jun was great company for the night and we are glad we have met someone so great on our Journey. He is even taking us to an Onsen tomorrow that overlooks the longest suspended bridge in the world. We are both looking foward to it immensely.
I hope this post isn`t too up and down. As you have probably guessed I only have ten minutes so have rushed this post in order to save money. One more night in Kobe and then we are to Hiroshima where we will be staying with Annika, which I am most grateful for. I`m really excited. Apparently she is excellent at downing drinks, this i have to see.
Thanks for Reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara.
We have moved on from the city of Osaka and are now in the port town of Kobe. The remaining few days of Osaka were pretty great. We headed to Osaka castle which was quite nice, but I think I may have seen enough castles now to get me through the rest of the trip. There is one Castle in Himeji, which is the only one I would willingly go see from this point foward as it is one of the few remaining castles that is in its original state. All the other ones seem to have caught fire, and then several years later hit by lighting. I guess maybe they should stop making them on top of large hills. It would have saved a few pennies and it would have saved me having to walk up large heights.
After the castle we decided to try the local speciality in terms of food, Octopus Balls. I don`t mean the testicles of a octopus silly. It is simply octopus friend into a type of doughy ball. They are really delicious and if you ever head to Osaka you should definitely try some.
That day after that we headed to the out skirts of Osaka to where the main Otaku scene is. Otaku is a phrase used for the over-emotional anime fan. The area was great and probably my favourite part of Osaka. It is so gritty and messy, yet full of Anime shops and maid cafes. We wanted to head to a maid cafe just for the experience but they all seemed fairly expensive. The beverages alone were a lot of money, and then on top of that you have to pay by the hour for simply being in the cafe. So we decided not to. Walking down the Otaku street and seeing Japanese girls in maid outfits and buildings with large anime pictures posted on the outside of them was an awakening moment for me. It suddenly hit me that I was in Japan, and that is country is so different from our own. It was a great moment.
Kobe is beautiful. It is an amazing port town and I think i like it more than Yokohama. Our first day was simple. After checking into the "you have to pay for the web" hotel we headed to "HarborLand" A shopping district with a small theme park and a nice view of the port and shipping yard. We simply window shopped but it was nice to walk around and breathe in that salty sea air.
The day after we headed to the China town of Kobe. Although not as big as Yokohama`s it was still really nice. Simply made up of four streets the China town, know as "Nankin Machi" is full of restaurants and souvenier shops it was pretty great.
Yesterday was a great day, and an even better night. Kobe hasn`t been the most accessible place and there wasn`t really an easy way to get to the earthquake museum so we decided to walk. It took the best part of an hour but was well worth it. The earthquake museum was a mix of emotions. The earthquake known as "Hanshin Awaji" happened at 5:46am, 17th January, 1995. It claimed the lives of 6,000 people and destroyed Kobe. The museum takes you through what happened and gives you an insight into the people that were affected by the quake. It made me realise how weak man is. It doesnt matter how much we prepare for a disaster like that, we can never truely brace ourselves fully against mother nature. We are babies in her arms and she can decided how badly she wants to hurt us when she wants to. However, the museum shows that people have the will to rebuild and be kind to others. The restoration after the quake shows that man can survive and that we are able to push through the bad times to make something better of the future. As Humans we learn and adapt and that museum shows how truely beautiful the power of man can be.
On the evening of that night we met up with our friend Jun, who we met in Nara. Jun was a gentlemen and treated us to Shabu Shabu. Shabu Shabu is literally a large pot of soup that you fill with meat and vegetables and then eat away at. It has replaced Ramen as my favourite Japanese Dish as it is just so delicious. Jun was great company for the night and we are glad we have met someone so great on our Journey. He is even taking us to an Onsen tomorrow that overlooks the longest suspended bridge in the world. We are both looking foward to it immensely.
I hope this post isn`t too up and down. As you have probably guessed I only have ten minutes so have rushed this post in order to save money. One more night in Kobe and then we are to Hiroshima where we will be staying with Annika, which I am most grateful for. I`m really excited. Apparently she is excellent at downing drinks, this i have to see.
Thanks for Reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
One Month In
Wow. What a month it has been. I can not believe that I have been that we have been in Japan for 30 days. We have done so much, yet there is so much left to do. We have 2 months left of this adventure and I am hoping that the fun we have had so far is only a fraction of what is left to come. If I had to pick three highlights so far... I would put the Studio Ghibli museum first, not only because it was insanely cool, but out of principal too. Miyazaki is my boy, and I`ve got to keep him happy. The Open Air Museum in Hakone would be second. Hakone was a ghost town, so finding The Open Air Museum as like striking gold. It was educational and really fun due to all the hands-on stuff they had. The thrid isn`t really a place as it is a moment. Staying up till 3 in the morning, drinking large amounts of sake with some lovely Japanese people and eating a lot of sashimi, that is a moment I will take to my grave. Something that I was glad to be a part of, and something that probably will only happens once in my lifetime. A rare occasion where two cultures come together, and just get drunk and have fun.
Now however we are in Osaka. Japan`s thirds largest City and although it started out a bit rough due to the Hostel that we stayed in being held together with paper and cellotape (seriously it was rough), we have moved to our third out of four hotel of the trip and are having a great time. Yesterday we hit up Osaka Aquarium which is probably the best aquarium that I have ventured to. Although aquarium`s are everywhere in the world and are something I could quite easily visit outside of Japan, we really wanted to go. To be honest it was nice to see the Japanese respecting the aquatic life without it being on their dinner plate.
Today we sauntered into "Namba". The downtown district of Osaka. This shopping area is probably my favourite by far just becuase of its ludicrous appearance. There are thousands of shops and a silly amount of plastic figurines on the fronts of buildings. Ranging from giant moving crabs to a large chef holding a penguin. It`s easy to become disorientated in such a large place like that, and I solely believe that is it`s greatest highlight. A city so big and overwhelming that it swallows you whole, that`s the way to explore in my eyes.
There are four more nights for us to explore Osaka and after the bumpy start I believe it is going to be a pretty memerable place, because who could forget a city that has a half naked lady dancing on a 20 foot electronic billioard by a canal? Not me, that`s for sure.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara.
Now however we are in Osaka. Japan`s thirds largest City and although it started out a bit rough due to the Hostel that we stayed in being held together with paper and cellotape (seriously it was rough), we have moved to our third out of four hotel of the trip and are having a great time. Yesterday we hit up Osaka Aquarium which is probably the best aquarium that I have ventured to. Although aquarium`s are everywhere in the world and are something I could quite easily visit outside of Japan, we really wanted to go. To be honest it was nice to see the Japanese respecting the aquatic life without it being on their dinner plate.
Today we sauntered into "Namba". The downtown district of Osaka. This shopping area is probably my favourite by far just becuase of its ludicrous appearance. There are thousands of shops and a silly amount of plastic figurines on the fronts of buildings. Ranging from giant moving crabs to a large chef holding a penguin. It`s easy to become disorientated in such a large place like that, and I solely believe that is it`s greatest highlight. A city so big and overwhelming that it swallows you whole, that`s the way to explore in my eyes.
There are four more nights for us to explore Osaka and after the bumpy start I believe it is going to be a pretty memerable place, because who could forget a city that has a half naked lady dancing on a 20 foot electronic billioard by a canal? Not me, that`s for sure.
Thanks for reading.
Arigatou, Sayounara.
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