Koyo Maigo 紅葉迷子

Koyo Maigo – Day 12

Yesterday was a terrible day, probably the worst day I’ve ever had on any trips, that includes that time during my very first travel when having burned myself out in the previous days, threw up soon upon arriving in Kamakura and had to call it quits that day before even 9am.

It’s always darkest before dawn.

And dawn is here.

During the night I had a dream, a dream about the story I’ve been working for some time now. Set in the 1870s, in the dream I assumes the main character and traveled across the countryside with his companion. Details aside, it was one of those vivid dreams I have not had in recent times, months, perhaps even year.

It was beautiful, across the dark landscape, the train carriages rumbled rhythmically, thumping and jarring at banks. An endless and quiet journey in a swaying cradle toward distant lands, the monotony broken by only the occasional shrill sound when steam shoot up through the whistle atop the locomotive.

This is what it was like to travel by train in days bygone, I reminisced.

No hurtling at 300km/hr, no blaring horn blown from speakers and no noise insulated carriages. When journeys are measured in days not hours, and visiting friends the next town over took an weekend not single afternoons. A single reading lamp by the bedside was a luxury and calm that keeps away the lone dark. A period incomprehensible to modern urban dwellers.

I goes to the lounge car, the cloud over the mind slowly parting.

Lounge car in the early morning

Lounge car in the early morning

Not long, a young Japanese man comes in and sat down, awaiting for his allocated time to use the shower located at the end of the lounge car. We have some brief chat, but he does not know much english so the conversation is slow and awkward.

At 6:30, a train attendant comes over from the adjoining dining car and announces breakfast are now being served.

There’s a choice of western or Japanese breakfast. I chose western of course.

Dining car

Dining car

 

Dining car interior

Dining car

 

Juice

Juice

 

Salad

Salad

 

Bread

Bread

 

Main platter

Main platter

 

Looking out the window

Looking out the window

 

Coffee

Coffee

 

Breakfast is 1650Y, the food is okay, nothing noteworthy.

I stayed in the lounge car, enjoying the view outside while planning the day out.

The train is meant to arrive in Ueno in Tokyo around 9:30, but is running quite a bit late. I thus wondered if it’s possible to disembark early and make up some time with the Shinkansen.

Having checked against the timetables and ran a few scenarios in the head, I hop off at Utsunomiya.

At Utsunomiya

At Utsunomiya. The locomotive is different from the diesel one at Sapporo, having changed at Hakodate

Even including the waiting time for the Shinkansen, it’ll still shave at least 30 minutes off compared to if I stayed on with the Hokutosei. Then at Tokyo, if I’m really lucky, I might be able to make one of those rare Hikari express that goes all the way to Okayama, I’ll just have to make the connection in 3 minutes.

As soon as the train stopped and the door opens, I run madly down the stairs to transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen. In my hurry I actually overshot and had to backtrack to the correct numbered platforms. Miraculously I still made it with seconds to spare.

The JR Pass cannot take the fast Nozomi trains which takes up about 70% of the trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen, which means foreigners are crammed into the few Hiraki trains (about 2 every hour). This one is no different, with I estimate about 50% of the passengers foreign tourists.

The morning passed as the train passed Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto then Shin-Osaka. At this rate I’ll probably get to Takamatsu at about 3:30pm. In time to check in to the hotel but not do much else. As I had known, day wasted.

The train’s announcement then sent a jolt through my mind. Next stop will be Himeji.

Maybe I can make up some of the day at Himeji. With the time a bit after 12:45, include a quick lunch and travel time to castle and back, assume sundown at 4:30, that should give me close to 3 hours.

I hesitated, the shadow of yesterday yet lingering.

The white walls of Himeji castle comes into view. The last time I traveled past on the way to Matsue the castle was still under renovation and covered by a giant shelter. This time it stand bare in the distance, imposing its bright form and many eaves over the city.

Through the train windows, Himeji in the distance

Through the train windows, Himeji in the distance

The body acts on its own, and moments later I am off the train.

Himeji, the mind snap back into travel mode, the excitement of being in unknown city once again flowing through the veins.

Himeji station front, the stairs leads down to the arcade

Himeji station front, the stairs leads down to the arcade

 

Lower courtyard connecting to the arcade

Lower courtyard connecting to the arcade

 

Burger king

Burger king

I grab a burger in the station front arcade, it’s the first food place I see coming down the stairs.

Station front underground arcade

Station front underground arcade

 

Shopping arcade leads all the way to the castle

Shopping arcade leads all the way to the castle

 

Himeji castle

Himeji castle

Himeji castle, the largest castle in Japan and one of the twelve surviving castles in their original form. Also known as the White Heron Castle because of its outline and bright white walls.

Like many Japanese castle, Himeji has an outer moat surrounding the outer wall enclosing wide areas that hundred years ago would have housed the government and official’s buildings.

Entrance

Entrance

 

The outer grounds

The outer grounds

 

The keep and inner walls

The keep and inner walls

 

Himeji

Himeji

 

Himeji was greatly expanded around 1600 by Hideyoshi then Tokugawa to exert control over the daimyos in western Japan. It had several close calls throughout the years but managed to survive through the meiji reformations and world war.

Himeji

Himeji

 

Inside the perimeter corridors

Inside the perimeter hallways

Though the exterior cover have been dismantled, the renovations aren’t fully completely yet and the castle interior remains closed to visitors.

As close as allowed to get

As close as allowed to get

 

Haunted well associated with a famous folklore

Haunted well associated with a famous folklore

 

 

Display about Kuroda Yoshitaka, a famous strategist to Hideyoshi

Display about Kuroda Yoshitaka, a famous strategist to Hideyoshi

 

Armors of Kuroda

Armors of Kuroda

Next to Himeji is the Kokoen gardens. A collection of gardens each with a distinct theme, such as water, pine, bamboo.

Kokoen garden entrance

Kokoen garden entrance

 

Kokoen water garden

Kokoen water garden

There’s a teahouse here for visitors to enjoy a meal with the view of the garden.

Kokoen water garden

Kokoen water garden

 

Kokoen

Kokoen

 

Apart from the water garden, the remaining gardens are inconsistently maintained. Depending how familiar one is with japanese gardens it may be passable.

The more I see the more I appreciate the Adachi garden in Shimane, how much sweat and love the caretakers must put in to have it as pristine as it was.

Before Himeji castle

Before Himeji castle

 

The main street leads from the station right to the castle

View from the main street connecting the station to the castle

 

Taken from the station

Taken from the station

I’ve timed it almost perfectly. I reaches the station just as the sun begins to fall beneath the western skyline.

Himeji station

Himeji station

 

A short shinkansen hop to Okayama, a familiar sight.

Okayama station

Okayama station

The spontaneous pause at Himeji did much to bring back confidence.

Sometimes the choices we make turn out differently, sometimes they work out and other times they don’t. All I can do is do the best to evaluate the options before me and trust in myself to make the right one.

I step onto the Marine Liner headed across the Seto inland sea to Takamatsu, ready for the last phase of my journey.

Marine liner

Marine liner

 

The marine liner is an odd train. Its first carriage is a double decked, with green seats on top and reserved seats below, while the rest of the carriages are the long distance commuter layout common throughout Japan, about 8 row of seats and plenty of standing room by the doors.

Initially there are no seats as the train doubles as a commuter train for the Okayama area, it’s not about 2 or 3 stops later that a seat frees up and I am able to sit down.

The Marine liner gets to Takamatsu in about an hour. But I do not exit the station. Instead I transfer to a local train that goes to ritsurin, two stops out. Takamatsu is one of those cities which the city center is not focused around the JR station. In theory the quickest way will be to transfer to the private train line whose station is closer to my hotel than JR ritsurin, but since I have the JR pass and the connection works out, I decides to take the JR train even if it’s a little bit further.

Super Hotel Takamatsu, non-smoking hall

Super Hotel Takamatsu Non-smoking

I almost missed the hotel. It’s very easy to spot its sign atop the building from afar, but once up close it’s no longer visible and with it tucked behind a car park instead of next to the curb, you can walk past without noticing.

As soon as the manager found out I am Taiwanese he called out a chinese student part-timing there to speak to me (unnecessary, but don’t mind either way).

Typical Superhotel numlock door

Superhotel rooms are num locked. Which is good because then you don’t have to worry about leaving keys at the front desk or losing them (but you can lose your pin, so don’t)

 

Superhotel's signature bed + upper bunk

Superhotel’s signature bed + upper bunk (sleep together or separate, it’s up to you)

I saw a supermarket back at ritsurin station, but I check google map to be sure and finds me there’s another one even closer.

A small shrine passed on the way

A small shrine passed on the way

 

Supermarket

Supermarket a block from superhotel

 

I can't believe there's standalone supermarket

I can’t believe it’s a standalone supermarket

Imagine my surprise when I find that they do half price bentos… the bentos I’ve had so far on this trip are mostly 20% off, at best 40%. Now that’s a real treat.

Oh and milk is cheaper than coffee, what nonsense is this?

Half price bento!

Half price bento!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Koyo Maigo – Day 11

Whatever joy I had from yesterday is lost with the knowledge that this is the last day for getting a Twilight Express ticket. If there’s still no tickets for today or tomorrow then it means I won’t be taking the train ever.

I’ve prepared for the worst, but when the lady at the JR Counter shook her head I am still crestfallen.

Down to Tokyo and take the Sunrise Seto sleeper to Takamatsu I guess.

But wait… I notice the vacancy board, on it is a circle next to the Hokutosei.

There’s seat on the Hokutosei. It’s the oldest of the three sleeper trains travelling from Hokkaido to Honshu, and it’s a lot more expensive as there’s a surcharge for some of the private rail it travels over. But it is a sleeper train.

Perhaps it’s the low sugar level, or I’m still not fully awake. Without thinking too much I asked the lady for the Hokutosei.

The full realization of what I just did only dawned on me at breakfast (it’s a real crappy breakfast btw, worse than Super Hotel’s stock standard breakfast. Smile Hotel is on the cheap end of business hotel chains).

The poor breakfast does not help the mood

The poor breakfast does not help the mood

I just paid 15000Y for a bunk bed (on Twilight Express a single room would be 12000Y). But it’s not so much the price, but the should have been obvious fact that Hokutosei goes to Tokyo, not Osaka. There was a reason why the Hokutosei or Cassiopia never factored into any of my backup uplans and it’s precisely because it doesn’t put me where I need to be the next day.

What’s done is done. I catch the next available train to Sapporo in preparation to board the Hokutosei.

Onuma lake

Onuma lake

I get to Sapporo at about noon, this gives me about 4 hours free time, not quite enough to go very far but about enough to do some quick sightseeing around the main street.

Sapporo station

Sapporo station

 

Sapporo station

Sapporo station

The former Hokkaido Government Building is just two blocks from the station. It’s a red brick building fairly typical of the Meiji periods.

Former Government Building

Former Government Building

 

In the hall there’s several exhibits. One is the development history of Hokkaido. The other is a little more curious, it’s a display on the tangled history and treatise of the Sakhalin and Kurils islands. Of how the Japanese came to settle the two areas and build up of tension against the Russia over these territories. When Japan defeated then Csar Russia it won control of of Kurils and southern Sakhalin, a treaty I imagine the Soviet Russia have trouble accepting or feel obliged to honor.

When Soviet invaded Manchuria in WW2 (Truman and his treaty with the wolf) it also attacked Sakhalin and the Kurils and snatched them, then like many other territories Soviet “liberated” it remained in Russia’s control.

There’s a detailed timeline of how Russia betrayed the non-aggression pact with Japan and how many soldiers and civilians died in Sakhalin from the Russia attack.

While Japan gave up claim to Sakhalin and northern Kuril (withdrawing to pre-1900 borders, land which before WW2 had never been controlled by Russia), Russia remains adament on keeping all the Kurils. Because of the territory dispute Japan and Russia never officially signed a WW2 peace treaty (surprised I never knew that, whoaa).

The exhibit is no doubt part of the rising nationalism in Japan. At the end of the exhibit is a petition calling for the return of southern Kurils.

Map of Sakhalin

Map of southern Sakhalin

And hey, I managed to read and understand all that in Japanese.

Government building

Government building grounds

Next, I head to the main promenade before the Sapporo TV tower.

Luck seems to have abandoned me, the fountains on the promenades are undergoing maintenance. Instead of a beautiful vista of trees and water lined up with the tower, all there is a bunch of fences and empty pool in the ground.

Sapporo TV tower

Sapporo TV tower

 

The fountains under maintenance

The fountains under maintenance

Back at the station, I grab a quick burger and kill some time in the station’s department store.

A quick bite

A quick bite

 

Sapporo station

Sapporo station

 

Sapporo bus terminal. Also a scene from Sora no Method

Sapporo bus terminal. Also appears in Sora no Method

 

Hokkaido University

Hokkaido University

 

At last, I head up to the platform for the Hokutosei.

Hokutosei

Hokutosei

 

B Bunk carriage

B class Bunk carriage

 

I more or less got the whole 4 bunk room to myself

I more or less got the whole 4 bunk room to myself

 

Narrow corridor

Narrow corridor

 

Lounge car

Lounge car

I am quite disappointed with the train. It’s old and creaky, sort of like that one time when I boarded what must be one of Cathay’s just about retired 747 and gave us a retro trip back to the 80s. Nothing close to the train ride I had imagined when I started planning this trip.

And I blew my budget for this, plus wasting half of tomorrow traveling from Tokyo to Kansai. What am I doing.

A few tour of the train, then I ate a few riceballs and sandwich I’ve filled my bag with and tucked into bed.

 

 

 

 

 

Koyo Maigo – Day 10

Today is a fun day.

I mean fun, even if this is a day that will appeal or even make sense to very few.

It’s anime pilgrimage time!

Yeah yeah, why are we doing this again, is this becoming trip tradition?

Honest, I didn’t start out intending to do a pilgrimage this time, most animes are set in Tokyo or Kansai with virtually no animes set in touhoku or Hokkaido. Until a month from the trip (wait, this seems familiar).

The new anime season has a show called Sora no Method (The way the celestial moves, roughly meaning) which I absolutely adores. The show is about a group of girls and a UFO that floats above their lakeside town. My characterization of the show is it’s like a bunch of adorable kittens, you don’t really know or care why the kittens are playing or batting each other but you just love to watch them because they’re so cute and cuddly. (Look… don’t question the analogy)

Sora no Method

Sora no Method

As it turns out, the anime is set in Lake Toya in Hokkaido in cooperation with the Toya tourism office, ie. an anime aimed at promoting the town as is getting ever more popular these days.

Lake Toya is just an hour and a half north of Hakodate, fitting into the schedule conveniently whether I luck out on the Twilight Express or not (Twilight Express stops at Toya so I could board the train from there if need be).

The only downside is I have to leave on the earliest train so I miss out on the hotel breakfast which I have already booked, alas, it’s just hotel breakfast. I have some bread bought the night before and is on my merry way.

Hakodate station

Hakodate station

 

Mt Komagatake seen from the Onuma lake

Mt Komagatake seen from the Onuma lake

 

Toya station

Toya station

Getting to Lake Toya requires taking a 15 minutes bus from Toya station, about 330Y. But I won’t be staying all the way to the lakeside terminal, instead to streamline the trip I jump off early at the Nishiyama volcanic trail.

Lake Toya is a caldera lake by an huge ancient volcanic eruption and the area is still full of volcanic activities. In 2001 a minor eruption wiped out then road then leading to Lake Toya and the village along the road. There were no casualties having all been evacuated but most of the area was deemed too dangerous to continue live in and many buildings were abandoned.

The area is now a boarded walk where one can observe up close the effect of a volcanic eruption.

The entrance to the walk

The entrance to the walk

 

Used to be the main road through the area

Used to be the main road through the area, the hill on the far side was raised up by tens of metres and created a lake over the road

 

The board walk

The board walk

 

The eruption left several small craters

The eruption left several small craters

Smoke still rises from many of the craters in the area, and signs strongly warn against stepping off the boardwalk.

A cookie factory left twisted by the eruption

A cookie factory left mangled by the eruption

 

Abandoned kindergarten

Abandoned kindergarten

 

Abandoned primary school

Abandoned kindergarten

 

Abandoned bus stop

Abandoned school bus

 

Many rocks in the area were spewed out in the eruption

Many rocks in the area were spewed out in the eruption

 

I didn’t quite make it back in time for the bus. It’s not too far to walk to the lakeside onsen town and it’s all downhill, so I got there in no time.

View of Toya Onsen

View of Toya Onsen

 

Lake Toya and the island in the middle

Lake Toya and the island in the middle

 

Bus terminal, see, easy

Bus terminal, see, easy

 

Sora no Method on display

Sora no Method on display

 

The bus terminal is also the communithy centre and tourist centre. In the lobby of the tourist centre they have trailers of the anime and cardboard stands of the characters on display. Seeing them makes me so happy, like a big warm welcome.

 

A local restaurant that appears in the anime

A local restaurant that appears in the anime as the home of two of the characters

 

Toya Onsen

Toya Onsen

 

Toya Onsen

Toya Onsen

 

Toya Onsen

Toya Onsen

 

Toya onsen

Toya onsen

Some of the scenes of the anime are set in locations some distance from the onsen town so I rent a bike from the bike store just across the road opposite the bus terminal. The owner of the bike store is a very enthusiastic man in his 50s or 60s who seems quite glad to have a visitor. It’s off season and with Toya on the decline, there’re probably not many tourists in town.

Bike store

Bike store

 

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

There’s bike trails along most of the lakeside, the bits where there aren’t are very frustrating as I’m forced to ride on the side of the road.

 

Appears in the anime

Shop appears in the anime

My end goal is the observatory that appears in the poster for the anime, about 5km out. The observatory is part of an educational camping facility.

I am in very good spirit to have thought of renting a bike instead of trying to get there by bus and walking. I’m almost singing as I pedalled along the scenic lakeside.

The good mood does not last. No one quite told me it’s on side of the hill and involves a really steep climb.

Ahhh that's a steep climb

Ahhh that’s a steep climb

I pushed the stupid bike, cursing all the way, up to the top of the hill only to be met by a barricade sealing off the road branching off to the observatory.

It turns out the place is only open during summer and they close the roads during winter. I tell myself they’ve only closed it now as a pre-emptive measure before snow falls. Which means it’s probably, probably okay for me to ignore it.

Checking that there’s no one around, I ride past barricade and continues on.

The entrance to the observatory is chained off, with a sign saying it’s a private property and any trespassers will be prosecuted.

The observatory

The observatory

 

Now I’m really in a conundrum. On one hand I doubt there’s anyone inside. On the other hand, if there just happen to be people there, even if nothing comes out of it it’ll be a real hassle to explain myself, plus it’ll give a bad name to anime pilgrims.

But I’ve come all this way, do I really turn back now? When the observatory is right before my eyes.

The observatory

The observatory

I hope I made the right choice then, sighing and turning away.

Toya lake

Toya lake

The ride back to the onsen town is hard and arduous. As if taunting me the wind blew right at me from the west, making me fight for every pedal forward.

Eventually I triumphed over the wind and made it back to town right on time, the bike trip being just under two hours and returned my bike without needing to pay any extra.

Foot onsen

Foot onsen

 

Toya Onsen

Toya Onsen

 

Toya onsen

Toya onsen

 

foot onsen

foot onsen

Despite some setbacks, the day has been the most fun I’ve had for a few days.

By the time I get back to Hakodate the supermarket is out of bentos so I’m having to look for options. While wandering I run across the Lucky Pierrot, I guess they’re actually kind of everywhere in Hakodate.

 

Lucky Pierrot near the hotel

Lucky Pierrot near the hotel

 

Pork cutlet burger

Pork cutlet burger

The pork cutlet burger is again incredibly fatty, it has a really nice rich sauce that makes up for it.

It’s laundry time again, I brought enough change of clothes for 5 days.

The laundry machine is exactly the same as the one in Color Hotel Aomori. 300Y to use the laundry machine, 100Y per 30min for dryer.

Laundry

Laundry

 

While waiting for the laundry, why not have a drink

While waiting for the laundry, why not have a drink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Koyo Maigo – Day 8

Matsushima, a bay of scattered small rock islands east of Sendai. It was severely damaged by the tsunami in 2011 and I am quite interested to see how it looks now, I’ve even planned to travel to Oku-Matsushima further east where the tsunami hit hardest to see the area as well as see Matsushima bay from the east with a different angle.

Originally I had tried to see if I can get there early enough to view the sunrise but eventually gave up, no trains run early enough.

Early morning in Sendai

Early morning in Sendai

The train to Matsushima takes about 40 minutes. Interesting enough the train line does not start at Sendai but about two blocks west of it, closer to the city centre.

Matsushima is covered in a light fog, but it’s still early morning so not overly worried.

Matsushima

Matsushima

 

Matsushima

Matsushima

 

Matsushima

Matsushima

 

Matsushima

Matsushima

 

Godai-do temple

Godai-do temple

 

Bridge to Fukuura island

Bridge to Fukuura island, this bridge was destroyed by the tsunami in 2011 and was rebuilt with donations from tourism operators at Sun-Moon Lake in Taiwan.

 

Fukuura island

Fukuura island

 

Bridge connecting Fukuura island

Bridge connecting Fukuura island

 

The fog is so thick you can't see the other shore

The fog is so thick you can’t see the other shore

Instead of clearing up, the fog thickens that I can barely see the next island out. The bay tour ferry kept sounding its horns as it navigated the waterways. There’ll be nothing to see even if one take the ferry.

I grabs a snack and sits down, waiting to see if the weather will get better.

Curry bun shop

Curry bun shop

Matsushima is famous for its oysters and one of the local shop has a popular curry oyster bun.

Curry oyster bun

Curry oyster bun

 

Melon bun

Melon bun

The weather still shows no sign of improving as I wander the area and nearby temple.

Near Zuiganji

Near Zuiganji

 

Zuiganji entrance

Zuiganji entrance

 

Entsuin

Entsuin, temple garden

 

Zuiganji

Zuiganji

 

It nears 11am regrettably the weather still shows no sign of improving. I am forced to make a choice. Do I stay or do I go?

With the fog as it is there is nothing to see in the Matsushima bay, forget paying for the ferry, I can’t even see anything from the shore. It may improve, but there’s no guarantee. I could cut my loss and go back to Sendai to make use of what time I have but potentially miss out should the weather does clear up.

I left.

Back in Sendai

Back in Sendai

I’ve done some research on Sendai so thankfully I’m not without options. Zuihoden, about 2km west of the station is the mausoleum of the Date clan, the daimyo that ruled northern Japan during the Edo period.

Zuihoden entrance

Zuihoden entrance

 

Zuihoden main door

Zuihoden main door

 

Zuihoden

Zuihoden

 

Zuihoden

Zuihoden

 

Zuihoden main building

Zuihoden main hall

The main hall of Zuihoden was destroyed by bombing in WW2 but has since been rebuilt. Within the hall sits a wooden statue of the daimyo.

Zuihoden

Zuihoden

 

Kansenden, tomb for the second generation daimyo

Kansenden, tomb for the second generation daimyo

 

Zennoden and Kansenden, tomb for the third and second daimyo

Zennoden and Kansenden, tomb for the third and second daimyo

After Zuihoden, feeling a bit hungry I head back to the main shopping arcade where can I grab a lunch and do some window shopping. I tried to find some Japanese games I’m interested in in the electronics and games store but they’re all more expensive than what I can get on Amazon.jp

Lunch is at McDonalds. After so many days I’m actually craving for some western food.

Late lunch

Late lunch

 

Sendai has many beautiful tree lined promenades

Sendai has many beautiful tree lined promenades

 

A street band performance

A street band performance

 

Kokubuncho, one of the main shopping streets

Kokubuncho, one of the main shopping streets

Sendai is quite a likeable city. It’s very modern and full of life, not as crowded or sprawling as Tokyo. A Tokyo lite if you may. Again they must really like their izakeya (Japanese bar). I wonder if Japanese have a habit of going to the bars after work everyday.

 

Dinner

Dinner