I hope to make this a shorter post as it’s been mostly a day on the move. However, it does give me an opportunity to make a few more observations. If they bore you, just skip down to Wakayama Castle and Food for the holiday stuff!
The first observation concerns climate change and the environment. Despite Japan’s continued high use of packaging, we have seen changes since we were here last in 2011:
- We saw at least two wind farms, and multiple large solar installations on Awajijima.
- The hotel provided “green” instructions on how to use the two toilet roll holders in the toilet: use one up first before starting the other! Otherwise, apparently, if both have been started they have to throw out both between guests. Really?
- Also at the hotel: not only did they have the usual system for not replacing towels each day, but they had a card system for bed linen. Maybe you know this one already, but it involves a green card that you put on the bed if you don’t want the linen changed when they make up the room. I love having the bed made when we travel, but we don’t need new linen every day. So, we did this, and in the afternoon, we found a blue card on the bed thanking us, and telling us not to put the green card out the next day if we wanted the linen changed. We played this green card-blue card game each day we were there! We can manage three days with the same bed linen! It’s tough, but someone’s got to do it!
I also have some final Tadao Andō observations. The whole Yumebutai complex is fascinating, and beautiful to look at when you are outside, but more difficult to conceptualise, or comprehend holistically, when inside. That said the interior spaces in the hotel, including our room, were beautiful. As far as I know, every room had a view! I also should have mentioned, yesterday, the gorgeous Shell Garden. It comprises a series of shallow ponds/pools, with concrete floors “embedded” with 1 million concrete shells. Simple, classic, beautiful, and evocative of the sea which you can see from the hotel. (Part of this garden is visible in yesterday’s photos of the hotel exterior.)
Finally, for now anyhow, there’s the matter of gender. Japan is still, it seems, a man’s world. At pretty well every restaurant we’ve been to, Len has been served first. I don’t recollect noticing it before, but maybe that’s because I’ve been focused on other things. This year, though, it’s hit me in the face.
Osaka – and Japanese ugliness
Alex Kerr, who wrote the now classic Lost in Japan, says something along the lines – I don’t have it with me to check – that Osaka is Japan’s ugliest city, but also his favourite because, if I remember correctly, it’s the least conformist. I can’t comment on this, specifically. Except for driving through it twice this trip, we’ve only been to Osaka once, and that for only one or two nights.
However, it provides a good segue to a point I want to make to those of you who haven’t been to Japan. I might have misled you into thinking that everything here is beautiful, aesthetic, and perfectly maintained, but this is not the case. There are many ugly buildings. And you do see all manner of messiness. Most cities and towns have areas of hodge-podge buildings that seem quickly built and just plonked down. In a way, it’s a relief. Perfectionism is boring.
What is not ugly though is Japan’s legendary honesty. One thing you can’t avoid noticing are the bicycle parking “lots”, large and small, where bicycles are just left, unlocked and untethered. No owner would fear for a minute that their bicycle wouldn’t be there for them when they returned.
Getting here
This morning was spent driving, driving, driving – at least it felt like it but it was only 2 hours. However, in that two hours we experienced (second-hand) an accident on the freeway, and the challenge of filling up at a petrol station. You were right Carolyn. It looked straightforward – and probably would have been if we could read Kanji at the self-service bowser and Len’s credit card worked! – but we were challenged until a helpful attendant saw our struggles. We learnt a new Japanese skill.
We had a pleasant time returning our car to Toyota. Not only were the staff friendly, but we came away with a Wakayama dinner recommendation for tonight!
Then it was the train – two in fact – down to Wakayama. We did struggle with our bags, though, when we could find no lift or escalators at two of the three stations we used. We can still carry our bags up and down stairs ourselves, but only just. (And we travel pretty light, with bags weighing under 13kg)
Wakayama Castle
We managed to fit in one bit of sightseeing today, Wakayama Castle. Like almost all of Japan’s castles, this has been reconstructed. (Of the few remaining “original” castles, we’ve seen two previously, Matsumoto and Himeji.) However, this castle is still interesting to visit, because:
- it has been faithfully recreated and has displays of original objects and building parts inside.
- it provides wonderful views of the city.
- it has gorgeous grounds, including the Nishinomaru-Teien Garden which was created in the early Edo period (and would be stunning in late autumn, when the maples turn) and the Ohashi Rouka covered bridge (which was also built in the Edo period, but was only rebuilt in 2006). Its style of diagonally descending bridge is unusual in Japan.
- it looks good.
The original castle was built (or building started) in 1585. It was destroyed by fire (caused by lightning) in 1846, and was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again by bombing in 1945, to be rebuilt again. Both the industry and commitment to history and heritage impress me: rebuilding these castles is neither a simple nor cheap thing.
Anyhow, we enjoyed our bit of sightseeing. The rain didn’t come, and we got some exercise, albeit perhaps a little too much given our less-than-fully-well states. Japanese castles are at the tops of hills – necessitating a decent walk up – and are multi-storey necessitating many stairs. And yet, we still managed to walk the 4kms back to our hotel. We’re glad we didn’t opt for the taxi as we considered, because there’s nothing like seeing a city on foot (as I know we don’t need to tell any of you.)
Food, glorious food
On today’s menu:
- Breakfast, at the hotel, and more of the delicious same. I’m not a big buffet fan (for any meal) but a good breakfast buffet like this one is worth the effort!
- Lunch was a lovely find. It can be tricky, sometimes, finding cafes and restaurants in Japan, as many are hidden away on quiet streets and don’t advertise themselves loudly outside, though there are usually hints (such as lanterns for izakayas.) We stumbled across our gorgeous little place, while looking for another one found in Google, and couldn’t have been happier. It was quiet, modern in decor but still Japanese, and the food was presented beautifully. The lunch set of toasted sandwiches, included a little salad, a couple of tiny pieces of fruit, a little (and I mean little) glass of yoghurt with a tiny dollop of jam on top.) Of course, I couldn’t eat all of this, but I did cheat, out of desperation, and had some bread. The staff were friendly and, as we are finding more and more among the younger ones, use Google, Siri, and translation apps, to help with communications. They usually talk into their phones while Len mostly types!
- Dinner was at the restaurant recommended by our Toyota rent-a-car friend. Again, we would have been unlikely to find it without her naming it, but it was, as she said, only a few minutes walk away. The food was a little different to the usual fare, but still Japanese – deep fried tuna; omelet (Japanese-style) wrapped around eel; and a bowl of sashimi, with sushi rice underneath (deconstructed sushi, I suppose). I tried a different drink – sparkling sake! It was too sweet for me, but as least I tried! The servers were gorgeous, and so willing to please. They had minimal English, but they advertised at their entrance, and did indeed have, multilingual menus which helped a lot.
And some Stills…
Shell-lined pond, in Tadao Andō’s Shell Garden 
Cycas revoluta lines main entrance road to Awaji 
ETC, e-tag booth, on freeway 
Len’s toasted BLT, Wakayama 
Manhole cover, Wakayama 
Wakayama Castle: Don’t run at the slope 
Wakayama Castle: Len not running but walking at the slope 
Wakayama Castle: with traditional Japanese pines 
Wakayama Castle: sign re mobile phone use inside the castle 
Wakayama Castle: main view 
Wakayama Castle: Ohashi Rouka (bridge) 
Wakayama Castle: in Nishinomaru-Teien Garden 
Wakayama Museum of Modern Art, designed by Kisho Kurokawa 
Less than beautiful Japan 
Example of narrow, vertical Japan 
Small bicycle parking lot 
Eel wrapped in omelet
And some Movies…
Click here to view today’s video clips
Challenges Won…
- Figuring out how to drive the washing machine and clothes drier in the Wakayama Toyoko-Inn.
Challenges Lost…
- Driving back to Kansai airport without misunderstanding our GPS navigator. Sadly, we ended up in a local amusement park.
- Figuring out how to get the bowser to pump petrol. Fortunately, a helpful proprietor appeared before too long to click the right on-screen buttons.
So that threatened weather from yesterday …? – looks like the gods are with you.
Do the Japanese call them “castles” ?
I wonder if the builders who do this kind of re-building are specialists; or if it’s simply the case that Japanese workers all specialise in being good at what they do ?! Things are very not like that here !
Every place you travel through has awful bits. We found the awful bits in Europe when travelling by train: the tracks seem to be laid through all of them. :\
Honesty – bushido, no ?: not just for warriors, but a whole cultural thing …
So far the gods have been with us M-R. Rain is threatened again for today and there are clouds, but we’ll see.
The Japanese word for castle – as far as I know – is “jo”. Himeji-jo for example is Himeji Castle. I assume it has roughly the same meaning as our castles, given what I know about them and their history.
You are right about the awful bits.
As for honesty, I guess it could have originated in bushido.
(BTW If the videos didn’t play before and you want to see them, they should be up now. Mr Video put the wrong link in last night and the bandwidth was too poor here for me to be able to check.)
I do like the descriptions of life and ways more than that of castles! And, of course, the Japanese grunge – everywhere needs plenty of grunge to be real. Also, the joy of not having to lock your bike – that and the grunge makes me want to go!
I thought you’d like the bicycle bit Ian. I loved on the first day in Awaji watch a woman, roughly my age, get on her bike, open her umbrella attached to the handlebar, and ride off. Perfect.
As for grunge, life would be boring without it though it probably depends on how grungy and how the person whose grunge it is feels.
Loved the picture of the Nishinomaru-Teien Garden! Loved the pics and video of the castle! Was flummoxed by the on the road video…..hats off to driving in a strange and foreign land. The writing on the road makes my blood pressure rise when I can read what is says…. I would have jumpy stomach throughout the road trips. Always like to see Sue walking around and followed by Len’s lens. =) Could not resist.
Regarding climate change and the environment…. here in Arkansas, the groups we volunteer with are made up of people very concerned about lifestyle changes. We will be walking in Fayetteville’s little downtown square on 09/27/2019 in the midst of the very popular Bikes, Blues and BBQ festival.
It will likely be packed with Motorcyclist from all over and with many events happening in the downtown area. I was impressed that the city will be giving over the square for climate change concerns and demonstrations. Since our country’s manufacturing is really one of the worse offenders of disregarding or not thinking through the total life consequences of innovations like plastic, it is comforting to be in a small place that seems to care about the planet. (stepping down from soapbox)
You mention many things about Japan that go over my head. And in all honesty, I know I would be
looking everywhere for those desserts you pictured and the proverbial cheeseburger. The eel, not so much. I was tempted by Len’s BLT which looked very pedestrian and delicious compared to ya’ll’s usual exotic and even more picturesque fare. In many ways it is fortunate that we are NOT world travelers. But that is also part of what I love visiting places with you two. I find you both to be adventuresome and anything put pedestrian – except that you do both walk a lot! I love seeing how you enjoy every where you go and I admire your never really challenged ability to find and truly enjoy something other that the mundane.
Thanks Trudy. You’ll smile when I say that for our last night in Awaji we eschewed the Japanese style hamburger joint in the complex!
I love that you are getting involved in your new Arkansas community so much. Good on you for taking part in the march. As for Len following me around, I feel very self-conscious about my gawky walk, but I guess yl all have seen me walk so who am I kidding?
Yes, I think it’s true that the best place to see the less enticing bits of any city is by train. Land is always cheaper by a train-line and that is where the cheap housing tends to be.
You know, I would be starving by now if I’d tagged along carrying your suitcase. (Gosh, don’t you miss porters these days!!) Japan is the one place in the world where I might be tempted to go into MacDonalds to have a hamburger, not something I normally eat, and I’ve never eaten at MacDonalds in my life, but I really don’t like Japanese food. (And I’ve had plenty of it. The Spouse loves it so I have taken him to some very fancy places for his birthday, and we paid a fortune (over $300) for a meal at a Japanese restaurant in Auckland.)
What a shame Lisa! What don’t you like about Japanese food? Anyhow, maybe this is not the place for you. You can find western food, and westernised food, but it probably isn’t easy. Most breakfast buffets will have some western food because Japanese people like it.
Interesting re porters. I have never liked them – maybe it’s being Aussie rather than British. they’re always made me feel uncomfortable, and 1 prefer managing my own bags. But, with our advancing age now, l think I see it differently!
When you’re fine and fit and healthy, of course it’s no problem to carry the luggage. But my first trip to Europe (when I was only in my late forties) was three weeks after my first ankle operation and I was walking with a stick. We were away for six weeks in places both hot and cold so I had one big, one small suitcase, plus handbag. I could just manage it on the flat, but stairs (i.e. at every underground train service we used) defeated me because I had to use the banister (and still do, my balance is poor). The Spouse had to shuttle both his bags and mine…
This experience has made me more alert to older passengers. I see them in their tired old legs in the queue for security, and again at passport control, I see them struggling with their luggage once they’ve had to part with the trolley, I see them not coping very well with the luggage carousel. Our systems are not kind to our older travellers, or to disabled people. There should be separate queues for them, and there should be porters allocated to help them out.
PS The food? I find it bland, and no matter how much you pay for it, raw tuna and rice tastes the same.
I wondered if you found it bland. I understand that, really. Japanese food tends to be very delicate in flavour, but even with rice we’ve got to notice differences. Some rice I find pretty plain, but others can be very aromatic. And, I love love love raw tuna. It’s my favourite sashimi. I always save it to last. They use a lot of light vinegar in dishes which often enhances flavour, and many of their vegetables dishes can be well flavoured and/or interestingly textured. But clearly, if the Spouse isn’t convinced you, I won’t be able to. I’m glad you answered though.
And yes, I understand the challenges of travelling when you are old, less than physically able etc. I have never travelled with two suitcases, though I usually have a second bag in addition to my handbag, but it’s either a large shoulder bag, or a small backpack, for my papers, camera, and other incidentals. Two suitcases would defeat me, I agree, because I like to use banisters too. It’s the only sensible thing. We don’t want to fall do we! My balance is my worst “skill” if you can call it a “skill”!
I think you have grounds to sue whomever one would sue in these cases because after checking all day and starting to believe you might have gone on strike I found today’s post in my Junk folder.
However it was worth the wait.
I was interested in the Castle – how authentic do these restored places look – I mean as far as ‘antiqueness’ is concerned? Do Japanese castles bear any resemblance to Europe ones?
I am always amazed at your photos of the food. The servings never looks as though they would satisfy the appetites of busy, active tourists.
We’ll have to look into this Junk Mail business, but I’m glad you found it.
They “look” reasonably authentic, but, for example, the interior stairs of this one are, as I recollect solid stairs and covered in vinyl, whereas in the original ones we’e been it they’ve been lovely old, worn wood. They look different to European ones because they have a “pagoda” sort of look rather than having, say, round or square towers, and turrets. They all, though, have holes for lookouts, for poking guns through etc!
As for food, rest assured we are not going hungry. There’s always rice, but we don’t photograph that, for a start.
Oh my gosh! Where to start with responding to your Day 5 posting. I am falling behind and amazed at your energy to travel all over the place and still write and respond to your readers. I’ll list up my reactions to your posting.
1. First of all, that egg wrapped eel morsel looked SOOO yummy. I want one right now. Eel is probably my favorite Japanese food and the rich Japanese egg only makes it better. The recent eel shortage has made it so hard and expensive to eat eel.
2. The changing of the linens at the Toyoko Inn. It is great that they are instituting green methods, but I was perplexed as to why any hotel would ever change the sheets every day? Really?
Is this a Japanese custom I didn’t know about? I have a confession to make. In high school, I worked as a hotel maid at the Hilton Hotel in Portland and I changed hundreds of beds and we only changed the sheets when a new customer was coming in. By the way, it is a horrible job and I now always tip hotel workers–except in Japan of course.
3. You wrote that you noticed that Len was always served first. OMG!! I never noticed this in Japan. Is it true? I just spent 20 minutes googling in English and Japanese to see if it is a custom to serve men first and I couldn’t find anything. I do know that in the U.S., it is the custom to serve ladies first. I am going to have to do some more research into this observation of yours. Hmm, maybe it is the custom to serve elders first and the wait staff thought that Len was your elder. Haha.
4. That was very smart to only take the baggage you could carry and hoist on your own, I noticed train stations with many more elevators than in the past, but that is too bad that you couldn’t find elevators in some of the stations you passed through. Your observation strengthens my resolve to only travel with what I can hoist and carry up and downstairs.
5. I’m glad you were able to figure out the filling stations. I have a question about the toll roads. How do you pay? Do you pay with credit card? Cash? Do you charge it to the car rental company? How expensive was it? I’ve heard that the toll roads are exorbitant.
Thank you for a very thought-provoking post. As you can tell I’m interested in your anecdotes.
Now I will study your post for Day #6
Was the sashimi over rice called chirashi? Love the photo of the ‘narrow Japan’!
Yes, I think it was, Hannah.
Love that stuff 😀
Which stuff?
Thanks Sue, it’s interesting to see the beautiful and persistently rebuilt castle and your and Len’s photos of the ‘grunge. I was intrigued with the multi-storey grey (almost metallic looking) one and wondered if it was several tiny apartments or one residence with a different room on each level. As you know three storey townhouses are now going up in some of our new suburbs… going more vertical on a small footprint now than in the past! As I’m running a few days behind, I hope you and Len are both back in good health now!