5 March Osaka Castle

We had a speedy journey to Osaka in the Shinkansen and then made our way across the city on the tube. Then it was just a short walk to our 12th floor, central city apartment.

On our walk we passed the Hozenji Temple which has had the city grow up around it. It had a lovely waft of incense as we pottered by. I took this photo during the day today - last night I had my hands full carrying bags and it was dark! 

You probably think I've got a thing about the Japanese loos. But this is a great use of space. In our apartment you can wash your hands over the cistern. When the loo flushes the water always comes out of the tap to fill the cistern - immediately recycling the water! 

Today we took the tube over to Osaka Castle. What we thought was the castle (in pic) is actually the main  guard tower that housed the treasure. The castle is made up of this and other towers in a double high walled moat. 

Quite an interesting history to the recurring destruction and rebuilding of it. It has been destroyed several times in wars and by being struck by lightening. This is actually a rebuild from the 1930s!!

We had some sunshine today and the coats came off!!

The Glico Man in the Dotonbori district - equivalent to Piccadilly Circus with all its advertising boards. The Japanese come here to have their photos taken with arms raised and balanced on one leg!

This is another famous one - a 3D puppy. Pretty impressive how realistic it was.

Mid Thursday afternoon and it was pretty packed. A bit like a Spanish market 😄

The Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel is another iconic thing in Osaka. We couldn't resist a go so enjoyed our 20 minutes spin on it with a good view of the city from the top.

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Dinner tonight was in a Kura Sushi restaurant. You have your own personal booth and sit with the conveyor belt running past your table. You either select plates that go by or you order them on a screen at your table.

We tried quite a variety of foods tonight. Peter had his dessert on the way back. Candied fruit - a bit like a toffee apple but instead this was huge grapes and strawberries. 

Another busy day today and very achy feet from all the walking. At least I'm getting my steps in!

4 March Miyajima - Shrines and Deer

I hadn't truly appreciated Hiroshima districts affinity to deer until visiting Miyajima today. These are another type of barrier used for road works, which we had thought were a late Christmas decoration as they were lit up on our arrival the other evening 😄.

A paper crane manhole cover spotted near Hiroshima station this morning.

After a 40 minutes train journey west from Hiroshima we then took the 10 minute ferry crossing to the island of Itsukushima to visit the Itsukushima Shrine and O-Torii gate. They are the only ones in Japan built where the tide rises and falls beneath them. 

We made sure we sat on the right hand side of the ferry to get the best view of the O-Torii gate as we approached the island. At 16m it's a pretty striking sight as you approach the island. I was impressed that we'd timed our arrival at high tide, so it appears to float on the Seto Inland Sea. If we'd come at low tide we could've walked to it but I think being in the water made it more picturesque. 

Originally built in 593, the gate is made out of decay-resistant camphor wood and rests on the seabed by its own 60-ton weight.

All over the island there are deer roaming. This is why deer are a symbol of the Hiroshima area.

Sometimes they can cause havoc when trying to get into the local shops!

Getting that floating on water pic.

Our first pagoda. Unfortunately the 5 storey one was surrounded by scaffolding as it's being renovated.

Itsukushima is covered with shrines. Some involve a significant amount of step climbing to see them.

Someone's been busy making little hats for the small budda statues.

A Hiroshima delicacy, along with oysters, are maple filled sponges with different fillings. We tried chocolate, peach and red bean - all yummy. Sometimes they're deep fried as well but I preferred the sponge ones.

Back in Hiroshima for early dinner we tried out another Hiroshima dish. Most restaurants cater for small numbers of people - the other night could seat about 8, this one had seating for 16. The difference with this one was that our food was prepared in front of us. 

It starts with batter being baked in a circle shape, topped with a mound of shredded cabbage, seasonings and bacon.

A portion of noodles was then added next to it.

The bacon heap was flipped over for the bacon to cook - the batter now a pancake on top.

The pancake pile was placed on top of the noodles.

This was then topped with a cooked egg and a fruit, chutney sort of sauce. We thought it tasted like the sauce you get with crispy aromatic duck.

There were also different toppings available like cheese and yam! As you can see it's served in front of you on the hot plate. You then use a small bladed shovel to cut and serve yourself small portions which you eat with chopsticks. We're getting quite proficient now.

This evening we are taking the Shinkansen to Osaka to our next base. I'm currently writing this on the train so tomorrow's blog will update you on our arrival.

3 March Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden

Today our original plan to visit the island of Itsukushima has been postponed until tomorrow, as a result of issues on the trainline. So we had a trip to Hiroshima Castle.

Another special manhole cover discovered on our walk there.

I thought I'd share the regimental way that everyone parks in Japan. Everyone reverses into their space and ensure that they are in the middle of it. Maybe they all have hands free parking as it's sooo neat.

Japan is keen on using mascots - this is the new castle mascot called Shirōnya.

It just had to be done 😄. A Samurai helmet - heavy!!

I hadn't really thought about the fact that Hiroshima Castle is a replica. The original was completely flattened with the A Bomb as it's about a mile from the epicentre of the bomb (A Bomb Dome/epicentre circled). It was rebuilt along with everything else in Hiroshima.

Amazingly 195 trees survived after the A Bomb. This is one near the castle.

There is blossom out but not the Cherry blossom everyone gets excited about over here. This is a type of plum blossom.

Around the castle the moat is teeming with Koi carp. We just happened to be crossing a bridge at official feeding time so were given food to throw out to them.

And just round the corner was a Koi manhole cover!

On our walk Ian spotted a car parking stacking system. We were trying to work out how the top car came out if there was one underneath 😄.

Shukkeien Garden originated in the 18th century. It was totally destroyed in 1945, as it was close to the epicentre, but has been replaced and replanted over the intervening years.

More blossom but not the elusive cherry variety.

Today I tried out the do it yourself fruit smoothie from a 7/11 supermarket. After buying the frozen fruit you put the container in a smoothie blender in the shop.

Hey Presto! One yummy smoothie!

With the trains back on track and the forecast looking good, it's off to Itsukushima in the morning.