San’in Maigo 山陰迷子

San’in Maigo – Day 4

Morning Matsue

Day 4, it’s sort of an “eh” day where nothing was committed to during planing. The rough idea is to head to the Conan museum, then maybe swing by to Kurayoshi. I have all the train and bus timetables laid out to make things up as I go.

JR Pass = Any express train!

 

The shrine on an island in the middle of the river connecting Lake Shiji and Lake Nakaumi

The difference between an express train and the normal commute is huge. Getting to Yura takes a transfer at Yonago, which is already quite a way from Matsue. From Yonago to Yura is even further.

Yura Station

Yura/Hokuei is the birthplace of Conan’s author Gosho Aoyama. The small wayward town has embraced their local celebrity and uses the little guy to promote local tourism. Perhaps a little too much so.

Yura station plastered with Conan material

A note to visitors! Yura station has vouchers that give you 100Y off at the museum. If you come by train don’t forget to take one.

Conan statue

 

Plaque using Conan manga covers

Touring the town is based on a theme of “gotta catch’em all”. The town is scattered with statues, manga cover plaques, lamp post hung with sketches. There’s a map that tells you exactly where everything is and encourages you to visit every corner of the town if you want to catch them all on camera…. personally, it feels a little overboard. I’m fine with the yakai statue street at Sakaiminato, but at Yura it felt most things are just thrown wherever their sponsor feels like without adequate cohesion. All except one of the statues are all next to the main street, so at least you don’t have to wander off if you just want to see the statues.

Yura library, Shin-ichi waiting impatiently

 

The kid with his soccer ball

 

The little detective gang

 

Nice mosaic piece inside the museum

The museum is a little vague on what can be photographed so I only took a few. For the most part I am quite disappointed by the place. It all felt too artificial and primitive. A clear lack of focus and design. It didn’t give a sense of walking into the Conan world nor the mind of the man behind it, it just… presented for the most part what you can find on the wiki.

The display duplicating the workdesk of Aoyama is kept in pristine condition, factory-new and spotless, it radiated a falsehood that make it impossible to imagine the author could have sat behind that desk.

Statue at the primary school

The only statue not on the main street sits at the main gate of the local primary school, about 10min walk behind the station.

Matsue canalside

After the museum, I finally decides to spend the afternoon back in Matsue, as getting to the town centre of Kurayoshi would have taken 20min by bus, which means an hour round trip. Doesn’t leave much room to see the town, and I needed to be back early to do laundry, have dinner and still be left with enough time to see the sunset.

I still head to Kurayoshi first however, as although it lays in opposite direction to Matsue, from here there are express trains available that helps with the journey time so very much.

Kohikan

Back in Matsue, I indulge myself with afternoon tea at the Kohikan which had caught my sight two days ago. its vine draped red brick walls giving promises of deliciousness.

Coffee crepe

 

Kyomachi

 

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Back at the hotel, I chuck my laundry into the coin-laundry and while it spins, takes a stroll around Kyomachi and the canal.

Kara-Koro Workshop, former BoJ Matsue branch

 

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Kara-Koro Workshop is on the north side of the canal, hosting a good variety of handicrafts and cafes. I wandered into it entirely by accident, lured by its artful facade.

 

eh.. sushi rice, I guess?

I’m not sure what I had for dinner. I ordered what people on tabelog recommended for Naniwa-sushi….it’s decent.. but.. I just don’t know.

It's the bunny again!

 

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I am very glad I cut back to Matsue early to give the sunset another go. The weather is perfect today and the horizon clear. The sun fell and fell till it fell behind the trees on the island. It is only then I realize why sunset at Lake Shiji is so famous. Most other places will have the sunset drop beneath a flat horizon, but here… you have the beautiful reflecting water, the island with its trees and torii in the short distance, then the sprawling mountain range in the far horizon. All of which presents a cascade of colours and contrasts that moved and shifted to the sun’s dimming glow.

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Album

San’in Maigo – Day 3

Despite the forecast, I wake up to a drizzling Matsue.

Since it is raining, going to the Conan Museum and its 5km walk is probably not the best idea. Touring Matue, at least shelters are nearby if the rain becomes too heavy.

Canal-side

 

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The rain got super heavy as I near the castle and I am forced to take shelter inside the history museum. I duck and dashes from cover to cover, shielding the X10 with the umbrella.

Matsue castle in the distance

 

Bridge crossing the moat on the north eastern corner

 

Matsue History Museum

Since the rain showed no sign of abating immediately, I took the opportunity to look around the museum.

Special breed of goldfish nurtured here in Shimane

 

Taiko Drum

In Matsue there a Taiko Drum parade (松江祭鼕行列 dougyouretu)is hosted each year in October, where all the historic districts of the city each wheels out their cart-mounted drums and march before the castle with beats that shakes the heavens.

It’s a shame these festivals aren’t on when I visit. It’s a conscious choice I make to simplify planning and avoid high prices, opting for off-peak seasons, perhaps one day when I’m ready for an extended trip, like over 2 weeks, I’ll be able to plan for some bigger events.

 

Tour boat that traverses the canals

I didn’t take the tour boat because they take far too long and you lose perspective of the layout of the city. Business is good even on a non-holiday season week day, most boats going past have at least two to three passengers.

Boats slowly glides through the canal

From here I swing north, around the outside edge of the wide moat. The idea is to do a full tour of the castle area without repeating the same path. I’ll first go to the northern edge where some of the old historic feudal buildings are preserved, then enter the castle proper from the north western entrance. Cut down and across and see the whole castle before exiting from the south, then swing back up the outer edge on the west side. One of those “traverse all points using shortest path without repeating” problem.

Buke Yashiki - feudal age residence of a mid-ranked samurai

 

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Entry fee is just 150Y (50% off 300Y with passport). It’s not a very big place and it takes under 20min to fully tour it.

I kept wondering how people ever moved around the building without any passages. Even the porches aren’t connected, and rooms joined directly with other rooms. Add in the samurai’s whole family, the servants, the place must get awfully crowded. As I pass the sandy courtyard, a scene of servants hauling water out the wells and pouring into the basin half-buried in the kitchen wall flashes across the mind.

The place also have the area’s taiko drum on display in the back and running recordings of previous performances.

 

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From the north west entrance it’s a long steep climb up the once fortified hill.

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The Jozan Inari Shrine (Harvest Shrine) is watched by a line of slit eyed fox statues that blesses the area with their wisdom. From the torii to the main gate is a long stone stairway, so steep I had to watch my footing.

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Matsue Castle

 

Entrance to the Keep level, watched by a brave samurai

 

Its dark form grim and menancing

The castle consists of 6 levels, built as a true fortification rather than the residence of the local lord, its cellar is vast and deep, capable of storing supplies to support an army of men. It towers above an already raised mound and bristles with arrow slits and chutes to drop falling stones.

City as seen from top of the keep

 

Samurai training in the courtyard

The San’in, especially Matsue and Izumo area, is famed for its agriculture outputs and the variety of soba milled from local buckwheat.

For lunch I go to a fairly well rated place on Tabelog, at Kamiyo Soba.

Kamiyo Soba

The young waitress was kind and when told I can read better than hear, wrote down her question to me on a piece of paper. Turned out she was asking what soup base I’d like for my soba. Out of a choice of more traditional looking meat based stock and seaweed broth, I chose the former.

Chicken Soba, ~900Y

 

Chef making soba from buckweat flour

To get to Izumo Taisha, the best way is to take the Ichibata train. Although the JR train to Izumo then transferring to the Ichibata line is quicker, this way is more scenic.

Matsue Shinjiko Onsen

 

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Just outside the Ichibata station at Shinjiko Onsen is an ashiyu (foot bath), whose warm mineral waters will surely be paradise in the cold of winter while waiting for the train.

Shinjiko Onsen Sta. Ashiyu

 

Ichibata train

 

 

Izumo Taisha Mae

 

Izumo Taisha

 

The pine lined path up to the shrine

Izumo Taisha is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, said to once be the home of the gods and the reason why San’in is birthplace to so many myths and tales. It is believed that the gods gather here in October to have a meeting every year, this is why October is usually referred as Month Without God around Japan, but Month With God here in Izumo.

Apart from the history, Izumo Taisha is also regarded as the shrine for fated relations. People come here from all over the country to wish for finding that destined someone, or becoming closer in the relationship.

I should make it clear here that this did not factor into my choice of picking San’in…

All the same, I did buy a destiny omamori.

Izumo Taisha

 

Hails falls from the skies

 

 

Kagura-den, with the largest shimenawa (the hanging straw rope)

 

Benten-Jima Shrine, on the Inasa beach a short way west from Izumo Taisha.

 

Heading back up the hill out of Izumo Taisha

 

Ichibata Train

As I came via the northern banks of the lake, I now return via the southern bank.

Izumo Station

At Tamatsukuri Onsen I hop off for a quick tour, curious what an onsen street is like.

Tamatsukuri Onsen

The onsen area is just over 1km from the station which is easily covered with my pace.

Tamatsukuri Onsen

The onsen street proved a disappointment. The waterway was filled with weed that had only recently been cut down (probably in preparation for the summer season), and the streets devoid of shops, people, and atmosphere.

Sure, Tamatsukuri isn’t one of the really famous onsen streets, but it still features prominently on all the tourism sites and brochures.

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Upon return to Matsue, I head to the supermarket once more.

A sort of expensive restaurant next to City Hotel

 

Matsue Canal

 

Ooooh, half price bento ---- *knocked out*

 

Day 3 Album

San’in Maigo – Day 2

The bright morning light overwhelms my attempt to sleep in and peels me off the soft bed.

Good morning Matsue

Outside a clear calm sky looks over the still lakeside city. A press of the phone shows the number 5:16…and here I thought it is at least 6:30. The sun rises too early here.

City Hotel does not have its own restaurant so there’s no buffet breakfast, nor does it provide bread buns like many of the rest. Neither does it tell you to go down to Lawson and solve it yourself. City Hotel provide small breakfast bentos and pot brewed coffee at the lobby which you can help yourself to. Not a bad solution actually, I get to eat in my own room, enjoy the vista outside (I specifically paid for the tallest level & lakeside room) while I plan for the day ahead.

While City Hotel is not fancy and is small compared to large chains like Toyoko Inn or Comfort, it definitely does not lose out. The wi-fi is lightning fast, the room is big and everything you can expect to be there is there. Vending (drinks and instant ramen), coin laundry, fully equipped rooms including fridge and kettle (you have no idea how much I hate not having kettle in a room).

It is about 15min walk from the station (less than 10 with my pace) but actually sits in a prime location, next to the Kyomise shopping street where by the looks of it has a lot of good restaurants, and is adjacent to the picturesque canal-side walk, also fairly close to Matsue Castle and very importantly (as I’ll explain later) a supermarket~!

The portion a little small, the taste pretty good

I didn’t have plans for the 3 days here set in stone beforehand. Figured I’ll see how the weather is like and act accordingly. I have notes and timetables for the various potential sightseeing spots and will make up my mind in the morning.

My original plan of 1 day east, 1 day west and 1 day Matsue happens to go out the window at this point, deciding Izumo won’t take take all day and can fit in with some Matsue while there’s much more to do on the east side.

The Shimane tourism site provides a sunset forecast for the next week, as I browses on my phone it is giving a forecast of over 80% for today and tomorrow, and 60% for the 3rd day.

I quickly decides if today is going to have good weather, I’ll do the sunset schedule today in case it rains later. Which means Adachi Museum and Sakaiminato with its Kitara and monster statues, a manga from my childhoods that revolves around Japanese folklore monsters. Just going to 2 places should give me plenty of time to be back in Matsue before sunset.

Matsue station, not as fancy as some but still nonetheless extremely neat

 

A diesel-electric train with just 2 carriages pull into station and I hop on. There’s not enough population here to support the kind of 10 carriage trains in the big cities, with just 2 carriage the train is manageable with only a driver, who doubles as the conductor and checks ticket by opening only the door behind him on non-staffed platforms, and is able to run services more frequently than otherwise.

The train is diesel-electric because as I discover later, though the track is electrified between Yonago and Izumo (probably so they can run the Yakumo without attaching on a locomotive once it gets to San’in), the tracks between Yonago and Tottori is not only not electrified, but also single track only.

A quick 15min ride (15min is very quick in San’in) and I hop off at Yasugi.

Commuting diesel-electric train

No sooner have I passed the ticket gate did a gentleman with greying hair walk up to me and politely bows while asking if I am heading to the Adachi Museum. Turns out he is the driver of the shuttle bus.

Originally I had some concerns whether the shuttle bus stand will be easy to find in just 5 minutes, worry unfounded! Japanese are so well organized and considerate.

Being the first shuttle of the day might have something to do with how full it is, the 15 seater is almost full.

I’m the last one to get on. I ponder how these people got here, I am the only one to get off at Yasugi on my train and the previous train is 30min ago. Maybe they drove, or maybe they arrived 30min ago and waited all this time.

I still managed to snap a shot of the station before we departed.

Yasugi station is beautiful with its timber construction, slanted roof and warm palette

 

Newly planted rice fields

The shuttle bus spends around 20min through the paddies covered countryside. I did not even realize we have arrived because the small cluster of inconspicuous buildings are surrounded by endless fields. I had expected something abit more… dramatic.

Entrance to the Adachi Museum

 

Doesn't look like much from the outside

The Adachi Museum is celebrated for its Japanese garden. Its garden truly transcends the level of art, and has been regarded as the best Japanese garden for several years in a row.

Entry is a staggering 2200Y, thankfully like most attractions in Shimane, the Adachi Museum also has a discount for foreigners. Simply present your passport and you get 50% off, making it just 1100Y. Still quite a bit as far as museum entries go, but no longer as scary.

Hope they can keep the discount permanently, but even if one have to pay full 2200Y, I say it is definitely worth the price.

I also pick up the taped tour for 500Y. If you’re already spending then spare no expense. A decision that proves well made.

Every bit of the garden is meticulously cared and arranged, every tree, rock, shrub (and probably koi fish as well). The trees are hand chosen from all over Japan and replanted in the garden. This is supposedly why all the trees are at an angle, this is the natural angle which they stood in their original spot in the mountains. If they were to be straightened the trees will suffer.

At the end of May, nearing the end of spring and approaching the start of summer, the garden is a verdant shades of greens, sparsely decorated with few late flowers.

Already breathtaking in all its tranquil beauty, I can only imagine how beautiful the place must look in autumn with the shades of red and golden leaves.

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The Dry Landscape Garden blends the garden into the distant mountains, creating a rolling visage rarely seen in gardens. Still and zen, without the movement of water

 

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Every turn, ever vista, is a perfect painting. You forget what you are looking at is real. Instead feel as though fallen into a painting itself, a surreal world of vivid clarity. And you are part of this painted world. It embraces you, beckons to you in silence. An unsung song caressing like the gentle breeze weaving between the leaves.

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Lunch is the water garden side restaurant. 1500Y beef curry & iced tea….(I know I know, shocking, I didn’t order coffee)

Even though there’s no adjective fitting for the garden, the food here is… lacking. Not that it taste bad or anything, it’s just too light and felt incomplete. I wish they have something like the Straw Hat at Ghibili Museum, where it was a full restaurant with mains, desserts and expertly brewed coffee. Granted, if memory serves that meal at Straw Hat cost me close to 3000Y, I don’t think I would have minded paying more for a better rounded experience.

Beef Curry set at Adachi Museum

 

Tea with milk & syrup

 

The view outside the cafe

 

A single red amidst the green

 

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The museum also has a large collection of paintings, many of them works of Yokoyama Taikan. Despite having never learned about Japanese art, I thoroughly enjoyed the paintings with some provided background from the taped tour.

You cannot take photos of the inside of the museum, so no photos to provide here.

The Adachi Museum has the power to relax the mind, instill a rare sense of peace and calmness. It is something hard to capture on camera.

Not to mention I took far too few.

After long insightful morning at the museum, I return via the shuttle bus and is back at Yasugi close to 1pm.

 

Yasugi station, the Adachi Museum shuttle bus awaits right outside

 

Again the bus is well timed to connect with the trains. A quick hop and I arrive at Yonago.

Right when I get onto the platform I notice a yellow train at the next platform…

It’s the Conan train, one that runs maybe 3 times a day at the most inconvenient time, one which I had given up on catching. And here it is, right before me.

Conan train docked at Yonago

It never occurred to me that, while it is not easy to fit in a ride on the Conan train, it is not hard to catch it when it is in station. After all it often starts and terminates at Yonago, there’s maybe a 10-20min window to take photo of it at the platforms, one simply has to drop in at the right time.

Conan train

Yonago is much smaller than Matsue, and it shows in the station. It doesn’t have any arcades or department stores, only a row of traditional shops.

Yonago station

The train to Sakaiminato departs from a dedicated Platform 0, and the branch line to is served by special trains painted with decor of the most famous characters in Kitara. There are 4 decors, the blue Kitaro Train, the green Medamayaji Train (eyeball monster), the pink Neko Musume train (cat girl) and the yellow Nezumi Otoko train (rat man).

Kitaro Monster train

Along the Yonago-Sakaiminato line, each station is also nicknamed after a folklore monster, with signs giving backgrounds to the monsters.

Monster named station

 

 

Sakaiminato monster statues

The main street of Sakaiminato is lined with several hundred monster statues. I remember several from the mangas but for most of them I only have vague inklings about. It would be great if they present more details on the statues with more than just the monster’s name.

Taking photos of the statues is a game of gotta catch them all. I’m sure I missed a few.

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Everything here is tied to the monsters

The street is lined with shops that sell monster shaped buns, candies, sandals and various other merchandises. I browsed a few but didn’t find anything particularly interesting.

Sakaiminato

 

Scary old lady

 

At the end of the main street is the Mizuki Shigeru Museum, creator of Kitara manga.

Mizuki Shigeru museum

Around the halfway mark, there is also a monster shinto shrine.

Monster shinto shrine

 

Rolling eyeball fountain before the shrine

 

Piece of rock kept at the shrine said to manifest with spirits

 

Monster spring

Mizuki’s success is the design of monsters, unsettling but cute and endearing at the same time. All this make Sakaiminato an unique experience. You can spend endless hours studying each monster statue and the designs, picturing terrified villagers running from these creatures in the dead of night and getting their head… salivated on.

Or a young man walking home alone when he sees an old woman with sandals walking slowly up ahead. He calls out to the old woman, only to be greeted by an empty featureless face illuminated in the pale moonlight.

Ahh.. childhood memories. This is ghost stories in a very innocent, childlike way, with the aura of history and mystic.

Sakaiminato station

On the the train back to Yonago I fell asleep. The roughly 3 km walk was more tiring than I realized.

At Yonago I jump out and bought a sushi bento. Before the Edo era nigiri sushi weren’t so popular (from what I’ve read). Because fish, especially ones like mackerel, goes bad easily they often had to be preserved in some way, either marinated and cooked, or salted and fermented.

The Komego Gosaemon (米屋吾左衛門鮓) is very famous for its traditional pressed mackerel sushi.

Sushi dinner

 

Pressed mackerel sushi

The taste is nothing like what I’ve ever tried. Haven’t only ever experienced sashimi nigiris, the first bite was cringe inducing. Then it quickly grows on you. The flavour is richer with a very heavy “sea-like” feel but not the revolting kind you get from bad oysters.

To be honest, I think 5 pieces is too little for me to fully experience the complex taste.

The trip back to Matsue is on the Yakumo. How I love JR Pass, I get to jump on any train at will, even limited expresses. This saves me almost 20 min.

Matsue station, looking in direction of the food stalls galley

The sun is already leaning west. I head to the Shinji-ko lakeside, very grateful I decided to head back early instead of spending an extra hour at Sakaiminato. The sunset time is 7:18, when I planned the schedule in the morning it didn’t set on me that you have be there before then to watch the sunset…

Shirakata park (白潟公園) waterfront

 

A mirrored sunset

 

These rabbits on the lawn of the Art Museum is quite famous

 

The bunny stares in awe

 

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Sun falls over Yome-ga-shima (嫁ヶ島)

 

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Then suddenly it’s all over. A layer of clouds over the horizon hides the sunset prematurely. A disappointment.

On the way back I take a little detour through the Kyomise canal-side and up to the Mishimaya (みしまや) supermarket to see if I can get some cheap bentos.

City Hotel, viewed from the main bridge

 

Matsue canal-side

 

Vines covered Kohikan

 

Left over bentos 20% off

Sheepishly I glance left and right, half expecting some silver haired highschool girl to somersault out and drop kick me in the head, thankfully these are 20% off ones and not half price so I should be safe.

Only an anime can promote tourism in supermarket bentos.

Kyomise at night

 

Supper~ nice and cheap

That 1L bottle of milk tea lasted me 3 days.

 

Day 2 Album

San’in Maigo – Day 1

Technically this starts at Day -1. After the flight from Sydney to Taiwan, I stay for the night at the family’s place in Taoyuan, drops off extra luggage and sees to some errands. The next morning I catch a taxi back to the airport.

My plan was to have no checked-in luggage to make it quicker to clear customs at Kansai. The stupid departure customs decided that my tripod, that can easily fit inside my backpack, poses a danger and must be checked in…….. had to go back out to the airline counter then back in again through customs.

Having headed out before 6 and delayed by the pedantic self-serving customs, my growling stomach is finally sated and breakfast is served at the free airport lounge provided by my credit card.

 

The Moore lounge

JAL is the choice this time, they had the best times with early departure and late returns (other than Jetstar, but I am NOT going there).

 

JAL brunch, yum! Delicous wafuu salad and ice cream

 

I had been quite worried that now with checked-in luggage I won’t be able to make my 1st choice of train. Thankfully the Kansai customs is extremely quick and I cleared it under 30min (highly impressive, can’t ever expect this kind of efficiency in Taiwan or Sydney).

The JR terminal is in another building next to the Airport terminal, connected with a skyway.

Before I can catch a train though, I must exchange my JR Rail Pass voucher into the actual Pass.

Kansai's JR Midori no Madoguchi

In and out, crappy Japanese + English + mediocre but adequate English from the counter guy, I get my ticket!

JR Rail Pass, with shiny embossed cover!

I also book seats for all 3 trains to Matsue. The Haruka Express to Shin-Osaka, then the Shinkansen to Okayma, then finally the Yakumo to Matsue. All of them the earliest choice on my page long list of “potential connections plans A, B, C, D”

Vending machines, how I miss you

 

First of many trains to come - Haruka Express

45min later I arrive at Shin-Osaka.

As I step off the Haruka and immediately surrounded by hurried passengers squeezing through crowded platforms, it is only now I truly feel that tingling of being in Japan

Shin-Osaka and oooh look, Doutor!

Transfer time is 50min. How I wish JR Pass allowed use of the Nozomi 🙁 Japan have very well organized train networks and they connect seamlessly… except I cannot use their intended connection.

As I take a tour of the station and the underground shopping arcade it struck me. There’s no reason for me to get to Matsue as early as possible (even the earliest arrival puts me there at 6:30pm). I may as well spend some extra time at the next transfer Okayama, familiarize myself with the station layout and most importantly, locate the lockers so I know where to go when I return later in the trip.

A quick visit to the JR office and I exchanges the Yakumo ticket for the next one. This gives me 1 hour and 20min at Okayama instead of just 20min, plenty of time to tour the station and buy eki-ben for dinner at a leisurely pace.

My first very Shinkansen

The Sakura train was being cleaned when I got to the platform and I wandered in clueless before quickly realizing something was amiss and hurried got back out.

The trip to Okayama takes 45min, but actually felt much quicker as I was lost in the landscape outside the window. It is surprising how different it looks to the area around Tokyo. I cannot quite put my hands on the difference, but it certain felt more… Taiwan-like. Perhaps it is the climate and vegetation, or the way the houses are fashioned. Whatever the reason, it felt more chaotic and more aged.

Okayama station

The size of Okayama station shocked me. While it is no Shinjuku, it is still massive. A wing of eateries and various other food stalls, a wing of trendy labels like Muji, bookstores and fashions, then a huge underground arcade at the front. For what is a 2nd line city with population of 700k, and it already puts anything in Taiwan and Sydney to shame. Granted, Okayama is one of the most important connecting junctions west of Osaka, situated halfway to Hiroshima it is a crossroad between east and west San’yo, and the gateway to San’in and Shikoku.

Okayama station underground arcade

 

Picking my first eki-ben took a long time. There was so many choices (and fairly expensive ones too).

 

Yakumo Limited Express

The Yakumo is a tilt train that starts from Okayama to Matsue and onward to Izumo, at a frequency of 1 per hour with a few extras sprinkled. Winds through the mountains separating San’in and San’yo.

Eki-ben dinner, in the shape of a peach

The train is surprisingly full, with another guy sitting next to me. Reserved seats will assign one person to a pair of seats unless there are no more pairs left (at least that is what I observed throughout the trip).

On the train to Matsue

I tried to stay awake after dinner, but fell asleep after some time. By the time I woke up again the train has already exited the mountains and is nearing Houki-Daisen.

The train arrives in Matsue at 7:45pm, the station is sparsely occupied and I fuzzily navigates the narrow streets toward City Hotel Matsue.

City Hotel is just at the other end of the bridge

The friendly hotel staff has been expecting me and greeted me warmly when I entered. One thing that’s definitely different is how nice the guy is, like genuinely nice, and patiently introduced the hotel and amenities while we conversed with my broken Japanese. People in Tokyo doesn’t have the kind of patience for me to explain that while I can’t understand spoken Japanese very well, I can read Japanese just fine.

 

My room at City Hotel Matsue, notice the river outside

First day of the trip. All travel, but already there was plenty experienced.

 

Day 1 Album