Saitama Museum of Natural History

Museum of Natural History

Just a few meters from the riverbanks of Arakawa River is somewhat a secretly-hidden museum. The Saitama Prefectural Museum of Natural History is a small museum dedicated about the ancient history of Saitama Prefecture. We were amazed to see that fossils of ancient sea creature which resembled like a dinosaur, humongous shark and mammoth elephant named Akebono elephant, were actually excavated within the vicinity of Saitama. Furthermore, the museum houses real-life preserved models of different kinds of species found in the region such as monkeys, different kinds of bird species, other mammals like deer, fox and many others. The museum also has an exhibit of the different insects and reptiles. The numerous collection of different metamorphic rocks and Earth minerals can also be found in the shelves of the museum. Oh, and I honestly never heard most of the composite rocks on display. Entrance fee is at 200 yen and the museum closes at 430PM.

Nagatoro

Arakawa River in Nagatoro

While we were on our way to Chichibu, we saw this very scenic river with several small boats cruising along. By then, we decided to go to this famous river in Kami-Nagatoro. After getting off it took us around 5 minutes to reach the riverbanks. Countless people enjoy the spring-warm water in the riverside. Moreover, there were several curious people who also got off at Kami-Nagatoro and tried immersing their feet in the waters of this gushing river. From the base of the river, the railroad bridge can be seen. While taking random pictures, the famous black SL Steam-Engine Locomotive of the Chichibu Railways passed by and we were lucky to have taken a picture of it. Steam-Engine trains in Japan are slowly making a comeback to boost local tourism especially in deep provinces. Afterwhich, numerous boats with two men manually ferrying it cruised our area. Nearby the bank are three men were practicing they kayaking skills against the rapid gush of streaming water among the rocks of the river. Apparently, this river is not only famous for white-water rafting and boat cruise but also for kayak and canoe enthusiasts.

Shibazakura 2009

Shibazakura

Shibazakura is a hill near Hitsujiyama Park in the west Saitama area in the city of Chichibu. I was truly stunned with how they have carefully and artistically designed each moss phlox plants in a manner which is very pleasant to your eyes when it’s in full bloom. Different colors of pink, lavender, white, and violet amazes you upon seeing it. This wide-open park in Chichibu has been frequently visited by moss phlox enthusiasts both local and foreign tourists within the Kanto Region and surrounding areas. Upon entering the area, we were stunned with how the flowers were lined up to form specific patterns. Most of the flowers within the field are in their fullest bloom and some were just about to do so. The pack of overcrowded people filled the air with too much enthusiasm and loads of “hai, chiizu,” sound. As folks, both old and young, strut their walk in the fields, countless words of “sugoi” can be heard. Also, there are several people to tag their dogs with them. Dogs even acted as models as people take picture with their pose where the pink colored moss phlox field is in the background. This year, I was not able to see the food stalls who sell grilled shitake mushrooms and saury, beer and chilled cucumbers. Almost all people made the nearby vacant fields as picnic grounds and had their noon and afternoon naps after munching their brought lunch packs over some cans of beer. Kids run around while several photography enthusiasts like me, took countless pictures of the flowers and fields in all angles. Comfort rooms are provided within the area but it takes several minutes of walk to reach the portable toilets on top of the hill. Souvenir shops are concentrated within one area just next to the park where loads of Chichibu products are sold. Next to it is a pen which houses around a dozen of sheep peacefully devouring dried grass in the area.Sakura season is over and the reign of the moss phlox flowers is at its peak. Getting there is a tiresome two (2) hour ride via the Chichibu Tetsudou Line from Hanyu City in Saitama. From Hanyu City, Chichibu Railways offer a discounted special ticket of 1,400 yen per day which includes unlimited rides in all stations until Mitsumineguchi. Rates differ if you come from Gyoda, Kumagaya or Yorii Stations. Shibazakura can be also accessed using the Seibu-Chichibu Line from Ikebukuro and get off at Ohanabatake, which is the last station. From Ohanatabatake, a short 15-20 minute trek up to the Shibazakura hill awaits visitors. A meager amount of 300 yen is needed to get in the premises of the park.

Ikimono Gakari - Futari

Theme song of the TV Soap Opera Boku no Imoto (僕の妹・My Sister)
Lyrics to follow.

Last Day of Bento Lunch in Minami Junior High

At the start of the school opening, for about three days, there was no school lunch yet. By then each year-level teachers had to order our school lunch. I can't imagine that this chicken bento (弁当) was only 700 yen. Considering how this was prepared and the stuffs on it. I actually forgot the name of this but surely it was delicious. The presentation itself was enough to appetize my eyes.

West Japan in a Week Part 9 (Last Part)

Used seishun 18 kippu image.
Day 1-Kuki (Saitama) to Hiroshima.
Day 2-Hiroshima to Kyoto
Day 3-Kyoto - Nara - Osaka - Kyoto
Day 4 - Kyoto - Kuki (Saitama)
Day 5 - Kuki - Tachikawa (Tokyo) - Kuki

Day 7
Last Day
Our last day was a 10-hour train ride. We stood from Kyoto to Maibara, and we were able to luckily sit from Maibara to Omiya. I was amazed to see two grannies, probably in their early 60s, looking at their Seishun 18 Tickets. As I heard, they were also bound for Tokyo like us. The old folks were skilled in train travel. They already knew where is the next train and always sure of where to go. That is why we failed to line up ahead of them and grab a seat because we always look for train schedule notice within the platform. We left Kyoto at exactly 9AM and arrived in Omiya in Saitama at 630PM.

It was fun traveling the Seishun 18 kippu. Worth the money and it was a nice experience.

Next target, Hokkaido......

Last night in Kyoto.

Kitkat Green Tea Flavor

Spotted at JR Kyoto Station. Kitkat Maccha Flavor. キットカット抹茶の味。

West Japan in a Week Part 8

Day 6
Kyoto Leg 2 Tour

Kinkakuji (金閣寺), The Golden Pavilion
This is probably the mother of all pavilions in Kyoto. The Kinkakuji has been renowned for its reputation as the most beautiful temple in Kyoto. With the aid of the sheer sunlight, the Kinkakuji looks like it glows as it reflects back the sunlight within the area. In front of the temple is a pond where several pelicans and other birds visit the area. So far, this has been the most exotic temple I have ever seen in Kyoto. Random gaijins take turns in taking pictures where the Golden Pavilion is in the background. A beautiful combination of golden yellow and nature green plus the blue horizon adds up to the magnificent composition of the picture. Annoying thing again within the area is the battalion of group tours that literally destroy the serene scenery of the area. This temple is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Imperial Palace Grounds
We went to Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds around 2PM and we have seen nothing except gates closed and numerous sakura flowers in full bloom. We only walked for less than an hour then left as there is nothing much interesting again except flowers of sakura.

Lunch
We had lunch in this side street Japanese yakimeshi (焼飯 / fried rice) shop. I was very hungry for fried rice and we ordered a huge plate of fried rice. A hefty price of 700 yen was quite expensive for us. While eating, I was able to read the city-wide drainage plan within the area. I learned that on the side of the street, a river will be made and parks alongside with it are stores will be put up in the area. After eating and walking several steps ahead, we discovered that there is a Matsuya Gyudon shop, which is obviously more filling and less expensive than what we ate.

Kyoto Traffic
People who probably have lived in Tokyo for a long period of time would find out that the traffic problem in Kyoto is worst, probably in Japan. Because there are no trains plying major routes, people get stuck in traffic and as people use cars, then it aggravates the problem, especially in days where a sudden influx of local and foreign tourists come in. From the nearest station up to Kyoto Station, it took us more than one hour. Our next destination was the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Upon arriving at Kyoto Station, we figured out that it will be the fastest if we go there by train.

Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷神社)
Have you seen the last part of the movie entitled”Memoirs of Geisha?” In Japan the film was “Sayuri.” It was shot in this shrine. The shrine is 2 train stations away from Kyoto via the JR Nara Line. We arrived there late in the afternoon. The shrine is an endless path of torii or orange-colored Shinto archways up to the summit of the hill. We hiked for about 30 minutes, taking short stops for photos, and then we reached the summit. The entire area was lit up until the evening. Many people climb the hill to offer prayers and to see the night scenery of Kyoto’s metropolis during the night. It was a good timing for us in the summit because we practiced taking long exposure photos of entire Kyoto.

After our last destination, we headed back to Kyoto station and had some dinner in an Italian restaurant. There, we met a retired Japanese chemistry teacher, and a history teacher from Fukuoka, who were very good in English conversation. It was a nice chat. They were even surprised to know that we came all the way from Saitama, and of course using the Youth 18 Tickets.

West Japan in a Week Part 7

Day 5

Nara (奈良)
The proximity of Nara from Kyoto is very near. In about an hour, you can reach Nara by JR Nara bound train. Along the way, there were many gaijins. I heard many Americans, French and Russian tourists speaking inside the train. Most of them were bound for onsen (温泉) resorts and hiking camps. Upon disembarking at Nara, it felt like I was in Chichibu City (秩父市) in Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県). It was very serene and the deafening silence echoed through my ears. I could only hear gaijins queuing up to Nara English-Guide maps in JR Nara Station.

Temples and Oh Deer!
The garden outside the Nara Prefectural Museum was crowded with so many deer (鹿). Ernest bought a pack of feeds (餌 / esa) to be fed to the deer. We took turns in taking pictures of ourselves. The funny thing about these deer was that, it seemed that they are always hungry. When you give them the feed, they won’t stop asking for it. When they hear a scent of food, even on your bag, they will keep on following the smell of it. Unluckily, one of the deer somewhat tossed me using his already cut horns. I was petrified. And all of the gaijins around laughed. Ernest was able to catch it on picture. Oh Deer! It is also quite dangerous to feed these hungry ones as they sometimes get envy with other deer and toss you out.

Todai Temple (東大寺), The Father of All Buddhas
I am not so sure if this Buddha in the Todai Temple is bigger than the Daibutsu (大仏 / buddha) in Kamakura (鎌倉) but needless to say, its really, really huge. This was the highlight of the temple. Along with the huge Buddha, there were some tenmangu carved figures in the temple. Also a model replica of the temple can be also seen inside the temple. The Todaiji is again a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Good Deed
I donated one (1) 1,000 yen worth of slab of tile roof concrete which will be used to restore one of the adjacent temples of the area. The sign in the store inside the temple says write your name, date, country, and wish. Of course my wish was not “world peace,” as this is an overused phrase. My wish was “To End World Poverty….” A punch to the moon kind of wish. Below it, I wrote my blog site and sealed my signature. Then, the store attendant offered to take a picture of me along with the slab of concrete tile. It felt I contributed a good deed that time.

Osaka
After a remarkable yet regurgitating temple experience, we went for Osaka. Nara to Osaka is very near. About less than an hour, you will arrive in Osaka. We just strolled within the area of Umeda and check Yodobashi Camera’s branch. After 5 straight days of walking, we finally have had our free one hour body and foot massage in the shop. In Japan, if your feet are tired and feel back pains, look for the nearest Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, Joshin and Yamada Denkis in your area. Hehehe…

West Japan in a Week Part 6

Day 3 continuation....

Osaka
Afterwhich, we set for Kyoto via Shin-Osaka. We slept again for 3 hours then arriving at Shin-Osaka. From there, we drank Starbucks Coffee. Took a short stop, rested and rode again another train bound for Kyoto. From Kyoto to Shin-Osaka, it was only about 35 minutes via JR Rapid Train.

Kyoto (京都), The Metropolitan Capital
Finally, we arrived in Kyoto. My friend’s house was in Shugakuin Station near the Eizan Dentetsu Line (叡山電鉄線). We took 3 change trains from JR Nara Line (奈良線), then at Keihan Line (京阪線) and then finally in Eizan.

Eizan Railways (叡山電鉄), The Kawaii Train
Eizan Railways is probably the cutest train in Japan. This is only a single coach train with one operator. There are three ways how to pay to this train. First is using the conventional tickets. Second is to use the Surutto Card Pass, a SUICA/ICOCA-like card only exclusive to Eizan and other forms of transportation in Kyoto. And last, is paying by cash by getting tickets in the machine near the entrance upon boarding. The third scheme is similar when riding a bus. I only rode this train twice I have had not much enough time exploring the outskirts of these train line. Perhaps some other time. Also, stations along the way have no ticket inspection gates so the third method in paying is followed by most passengers. SUICA and ICOCA cards do not work in Eizan Railways. The train operators are not really strict as compared to Tokyo. If they see people running wanting to catch the train, they would patiently wait for you to board. Afterall, when we rode the train, it seemed like all people knew each other. So it’s like a small community with a small train operating.

Kyoto Home Sweet Home

It was our first night to crash in to my friend’s apartment. It was a 3-day home sweet home away from home. Double bunk beds are in store for us and a wide room was very comfortable. Mike’s wife, Che, gave us a tour map of Kyoto. The sightseeing map of Kyoto was very overwhelming. It was like touring Japan the whole Japan in one place. There are lots of temples, shrines, castles, and anything but the same banana doubled, tripled and probably quadrupled.

Day 4

Kyoto Leg 1 Tour

We decided to target only four sites within the day since we figured it out that we may feel wanting to regurgitate after seeing endless temples and castles. So our target was the famous and the ones that are UNESCO World Heritage designated sites. Riding the bus was easy. My training in riding a bus in Tokyo was very useful in Kyoto. The problem with riding the bus in Kyoto, which proved to be annoying for me, was 1. traffic; 2. complicated change bus routes, and; 3. delayed busses. Traffic, especially during the peak of travel season will consume your time in commuting. Also, the bus does not have any change bus information (乗換案内) when you get off the bus stop. The result? You would be embarking on a guessing game where is the correct bus station of your destination in any of the side of the street. If you bus stop is only within a one-way area, then not too tough, but if it is within an intersection, then good luck. The worst, no signs would tell you where is bus number XX and where it is located. However, bus fares are very cheap. For a 500 yen one-day unlimited ride card on green (government) and Raku Bus (semi-maroon colored), it’s a real value.

Ginkakuji (銀閣寺), The Silver Temple
The Ginkakuji is currently under restoration, but we went there just to see it. A lot of my Japanese colleagues have been talking about this temple so we visited it out of curiosity. We went there in an uncooperative weather. It rained slightly and out photo op was not very good. The Silver Temple actually looks like gold. Since it’s under restoration, the windows are covered with white cloth. Wooden support frames were installed within the walls of the temple. Along side with it, a circular garden, called karesansui (枯山水) can be found with beautifully arranged pebbles.

Heian Temple (平安神宮)
The temple is remarkable because of its huge bright orange Shinto arch spanning the two sides of the street. About several meters from the arch, a Nikko-like Shinkyou bridge can be found in perfect red-orange color. Furthermore, sakura blooms anywhere within the area. A serene gush of river can be photographed on both sides of the bridge. Furthermore, a lot of women, in their kimonos (着物), stroll the area, paving a way for a perfect Japanese sightseeing experience. The huge archway is probably the only interesting thing in that area. The Kyoto Design Museum, Kyoto International Exhibition Hall, and the nearby Art Museum can be found within the area.

Kiyomizu Temple (清水寺)
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Kiyomizu Temple. From the bus station, you have to walk uphill to about 10 minutes from Kiyomizu Bus station. The narrow road that leads to this famous temple is a hotpot of omiyage shops, and restaurants. Photos here, photos there, photos everywhere. That was all what we did. The temple resides just below the summit of the hill and from the top you can see the bustling city of Kyoto. While taking some pictures, we met two Filipinas from Singapore who had their 4-day vacation in Kyoto. I offered them to take their pictures and it was nice talking to them. It was nice to hear different impressions from Filipino tourists about sakura season in Japan. The temple entrance is decorated with huge pale orange gate which welcomes the visitors of the temple. Slightly above it is the main temple which is very huge and quite old. From there, a uplifting scenery can be seen. Troops of people also take in turns photographs of themselves and in pair and groups. Trying to capture the beauty of this old and great temple maybe is as the same as visiting several temples in Kyoto. After the tiresome walk up, we descended from the hill and had a cup of coffee before going to Nijo Castle.

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)
After lost where is the nearest bus stop bound for Nijojo, we passed by a local okonomiyaki shop Kiraku. I was excited to see live demonstration on how to prepare okonomiyaki. We were seated in a table with a hot teppan (鉄板) or hot iron plate. The okonomiyaki chefs prepared the mixture along side with sliced veggies and everything. Ernest ordered yakisoba (焼蕎麦) with fried rice and bits of meat and anything. It was a perfect meal.

Nijo Castle Illumination (二条城)
Kyoto has almost been gridlocked due to traffic. I reminded me of commuting by bus in Manila. The only difference was Kyoto was a bit cool that time. Traffic, crowded city streets, bustling shops and lost people were some of the things I have noted during this time. There was an illumination event in Kiyomizudera but we have chosen Nijo Castle for a change. We arrived around 730 in the castle gates. Upon entering, the façade of the castle gate was wonderful as the light has catalyzed the gigantic aura of the structure. This was a test for my camera for the night photography. It was truly breathtaking as I played with the night’s colors which were mixed with the flowers of sakura. We left the area around 930PM and it was slightly drizzling.

Last Trip
I have realized that buses in Kyoto have early last trips. Most buses are only up to 10 to 1030PM depending on the route. Upon arriving on our last change bus station, we realized that our bus had already ended its last trip by 1020PM. Oh God! I forgot that this is not Tokyo. Most buses in Tokyo have their last trip even up to 1110PM. So we were in panic mode as we knew that taxi from that opposite side of the city was quite far and would cost us even more than the usual 740 yen. Until I figured out an alternative route so we quickly searched for that hard-to-find bus stop. It was in an intersection and damn, it was really difficult to find. I hope someone in Kyoto would realize that their bus stops are not friendly for non-Kyotoites. It was totally troublesome to find the next bus station plus the mere fact that it was drizzling already that time. Finally, we reached the last bus station…. Only to find out that our bus has already gone…… in its last trip. So we actually had two options, to walk or to ride a taxi. Of course we chose to ride on a cab. Before riding the cab, we bought something for our late dinner and breakfast. We only paid for the flag-down as our area is not really far from the house. By then, we felt totally relieved.

West Japan in a Week Part 5

Day 3
Himeji Castle(姫路城)

Himeji is a city in Hyogo Prefecture accessible along the JR Sanyo Line. It was my first time to use my ICOCA card since I bought it from Kansai last December. We used it in the coin locker. The terrible thing about it was I forgot to insert back the memory card of my camera and I had to pay twice for it. Grrr.. Anyway, we walked about 20 minutes from the Himeji Station to the castle. The area was filled with so many tourists. Flag-bearing tour guides along with a squad of travelers fill the castle and its grounds. It was Hanami Season and the garden was filled with families in picnic mode. Sakura was everywhere. The entrance fee was about 800 yen. The Himeji Castle is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This castle was my third in Japan. Japan is indeed a place of endless temples, shrines and castles. The whole castle was a fortress. The walls were equipped with small holes where probably canons, and/or archers would fire their weapons in case of an attack. Stone walls were high and a bit steep. The slope of the wall was designed carefully so that invaders would find it hard to climb the walls of the castle.Below the fortress.

Upon entering inside the castle, shoes off and we have to wear slippers. The wooden stairs of the castle were very narrow and a bit dark. The old folks who are on tour find it hard to climb and descend the mighty fortress. The castle itself is a museum of old materials that were used by the Samurais and the previous leaders of the castle. Also in the exhibit are materials used in constructing the castle.

Side view of the castle.

The castle was jam-packed with so many tourists. Castle staffs would have to halt for the moment the entry of people in the castle because people were just staying within the area of the castle to take photographs. Of course that includes us. After descending, we went to the garden and took pictures of sakura, again. After touring the area for 3 hours, we left and decided to eat real food for our late lunch. We walked further for 20 minutes to find a decently priced rice-based food. We finally found one Brazilian-Japanese restaurant and it was a relief.

Front view of the castle.

K's House Hiroshima

Thanks to K's House Hiroshima for our accomodation. Though we only stayed in the hotel to sleep, take a bath and surf the net for free, K's House is still one of the easily accessible and affordable hostel with the best and beautiful English-speaking staff. Ahem. :-D Check their website for more details. Thanks to K's House. I hope we will be given discount the next time we reserve for any K's House Hostel around Japan.

West Japan in a Week Part 4

Atomic Bomb Dome (原爆ドーム)

After a tiresome 1 hour ride, we stopped by Gembaku Dome Station (原爆ドーム駅) or A-Bomb Dome Station. For a typical Japanese, they would say that the Gembaku Dome was the evidence of man’s destruction. But for me, it was a significant symbol of Japan’s lust for power. We took enormous photos. While carefully observing the site, it felt like Japan deserved this. As a Filipino, where my grandmother used to talk about her experiences as a cigarette vendor during the occupation of Japan, she said that it was a very hard time for them. So it was like Japan finally met its match with this Genbaku Dome. Well, enough of reminiscing. The A-Bomb Dome area had this big stone which engraved a kanji (慰霊) irei, which means, “comfort the spirit.” Eerie isn’t it? Imagine how many souls in Hiroshima are still roaming around up to this day. I wish to hear ghost sightings in Hiroshima but up to now, I haven’t heard any of it. The A-Bomb Dome site was the former Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Hall. The A-Bomb was detonated 600 meters above it and 200,000 people within the 2 kilometer radius died and the whole radius turned to ashes. The river beside and the small ferries that ply routes within the area are picturesque. Hiroshima was beautifully re-designed and there are parks everywhere. People keep on having drinking spree and hanami (花見) or cherry blossom parties under sakura trees. The A-Bomb Dome is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sidetrips
We dropped by the old Hiroshima Baseball Stadium as the new Hiroshima Baseball Arena was recently opened near the Sanyo Mainline. It was my 2nd time to see a huge stadium after the Seibu Lion’s Dome in Tokorozawa. The Japanese are really serious about baseball. Numerous parks can be found within the area. Children’s Peace, and Peace Memorial Monuments.

Hiroshima Castle (広島城)
The castle was around 20 minutes walk from the A-Bomb Dome. The Hiroshima Castle is the 2nd castle visited in Japan next to Gyoda City Castle in Saitama Prefecture. The castle is surrounded by heavily fortified walls around a water canal which sits at the center of the city. Along the way, you can see several survivors to the wrath of the A-Bomb. I saw two of them. A eucalyptus tree and willow tree. Amazingly, how could these trees have survived? And does that mean that they are still a bit radioactive? Perhaps not. Along the way, a huge sakura with pink flowers are in bloom already. We took several pictures, again. Ascending to the nth floor of the castle costed us 400 yen. I only viewed one video about the history of the castle. As with the history of other castles in Japan, it was a stronghold for most rulers to keep their protected lands away from nearby invaders. The history and the people behind this castle were also foretold in the video presentation. One name caught my attention; it was again the famous Hideyoshi, an Edo Period Samurai. Arriving at the summit, the scene was breathtaking. There were several tall buildings in Hiroshima but since the castle was a bit far away from tall structures, you could visibly see the entire land and mountain stretch. Parks were already filled with blooming sakura. One thing caught my attention was the pollution in the horizon. Since Hiroshima is not really like Tokyo that is filled with so many trains and subways, visibility was a bit clouded with smoke.

Lost in Hiroshima
Upon retreating for home, we forgot that Hiroshima is made up of 6 major rivers. What I only remember was that to follow the river from the station. We were a bit confused only to find out we are following the wrong river on the wrong side of the map. The map was not even drawn to scale so we even got lost further. As we kept on walking we passed by the night district. Ooopppss! Filipino Bars! Feels like Tokyo especially in Roppongi again. What I really hate from these bar owners is their display of the Philippine Flag in front of the bar. I hope this practice ends. The names of APRITADA (should be F instead of P) and Mestiza are some of the clubs we took note of.

Finally, we reached home, tired, and exhausted. We drank the beer that we bought and planned for our trip to Himeji. The following early morning, we rode the first trip of JR from Hiroshima to Maibara and Maibara to Himeji. It was a very tiring 5 hour journey. Slept the entire time and did not care at all of if I snored loudly. All I cared was for me to gain much energy since our trip to Himeji will be endless walking again.

West Japan in a Week Part 3

Day 2

Miyajima Island and Itsukushima Shrine (宮島と厳島神宮)


Tram
One day unlimited train and ferry ride was around 840 yen. We decided not to use our Youth 18 Tickets since we won’t be traveling that much within that day. We went as early as 8AM in front of Hiroshima Station in the tram station. We purchased one-day value cards and had our first tram ride in the wide island. From Hiroshima Station, it was about an hour until Hiroden Miyajimaguchi Station (広電宮島口). There are two kinds of tram in Hiroshima. The first type of tram are the new ones with are only manned by one person. Riding the tram is like riding a bus in Tokyo. Insert the card upon embarking in the machine near the entrance door then when you get-off, insert the card again in the machine placed in the exit. The 1-day 840 yen was really cheap considering the unlimited rides in the tram. The other type of tram is the old-type two-manned tram. There are also card reading machines within the tram. Aside from the tram operator, there is a conductor that walks from end-to-end in between stations and received tram fare payments for those who do not use cards.

Miyajima (宮島)
The ferry was a breathtaking ride. It reminded me of Davao City-Samal Island ferry ride. The ferry departs almost every 15 minutes and would actually take around 15 minutes or so to cross mainland Honshu (本州) to Miyajima. Along the way, from afar, you can see a torii (鳥居) or a Shinto Shrine archway painted in bright orange. From that distance, it was my second glimpse of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Itsukushima Shrine archway is very famous all over Japan and many tourists, both local and gaijins, visit the site. This was like the great grandfather of all Shrine archways in Japan. One of the annoying things about our trip was the flock of flag-bearing tourist-guided tours. It’s like they basically just occupy the entire area especially the scenic spots ideal for taking pictures. Within our travel, we saw many Chinese, Korean and Singaporean-speaking tourists. The first thing that welcomed us in Miyajima Port exit was the enormous deers (鹿 / shika) which gallivant the area. It was like Oh! Deer. These animals were very cute, friendly and sloth. They just love to sleep in the middle of the spring’s mid-warm temperature. As I have observed, all of them were very cooperative during photo ops.

Our timing was very good since it was Sakura season. Sakura was in the height of its bloom and the weather was very kind to us since it did not rain. It was like boastfully saying, “I had my first glimpse of sakura this season in Miyajima.”

The Miyajima torii was picture perfect. Taking photographs in any angles would seem committing no mistakes at all since it was just pretty damn awesome. There were a lot of shrines, pavilions and temples within the area. A sakura tree below a bright orange tower of temple was like a picture from a postcard. Along the way, we witnessed a traditional Japanese wedding. They had their portrait taken where the back draft was the huge shrine archway. All of the passing tourists also took their pictures. The scene looked like there were local celebrities and crowd just flocked the area knowing their presence. After the photo ops was their parade on board a rickshaw (人力車 / jinrikisha). The rickshawman (車夫 / shafu) looked very authentic from the Edo Period (江戸時代). And it was awesome. Seeing more than the usual things we expected in Miyajima was a real experience. It was like a real bargain.

Next stop was to taste and shop for famous Miyajima sweets, the momiji sweets. Momiji (紅葉), or Japanese maple leaf-shaped manju, filled with sweet anko (餡こ), a read-bean paste. A local shop selling for 75 yen a piece, sells it as hokkahokka, or straight from being cooked/baked. To note, the kanji of momiji has two readings. Momiji, which pertains to the maple leaf and “kouyou,” which pertains to the changing of its colors during autumn.

Furthermore, another thing on our list was to taste Hiroshima’s oysters (牡蠣 / kaki). We went to one local restaurant and ordered kaki udon (牡蠣丼), or oyster noodles. The oysters were really delicious. One order, for about 700 yen contains 5 fresh oysters. The oysters were very tender and crisp to the bite. They don’t disintegrate when bitten. It’s was just totally fresh. The taste was indescribable but I can guarantee that it was really delicious. After our meal, we went back again to the mainland.

Sakura Season at Its Peak

Spring is one of the seasons in Japan, as with many others too, like it the best. Average temperature, good food, season of barbeque parties and picnics in nearby sakura parks and rivers, and most of all, beautiful sakura blossom sceneries. Tulips, plums and other flowers are also in full bloom this month. So don't miss them out in your nearest park or block. Below are the pictures of different sakura I took across Japan.

Dog walk at Tachikawa Showa Kinen Park. (立川昭和記念公園)
West Tachikawa, Tachikawa City, Tokyo.

Fields of willow-like flowers.

Purisima Tulips.

Garden of tulips.

Bustling lonely tree in a vegetable field in Hanyu City.

Night Illumination in Hanyu City.

Facade of the sakura road.

Close-up.

Sakura road near my house.

Ladies check the picture they took of the sakura.

Blooming flowers in Kyoto Imperial Palace.

At Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Sakura blocking the Toudai Temple (東大寺) at Nara.

At the outskirts of Nara.

Night Illumination at Nijo Castle (二条城)

Sakura fans flock in front the tree.

Kiyomizudera Sakura Fields at Kyoto. (清水寺)

Travel buddy Ernest poses at Hei'an Shrine Bridge in Kyoto.

Sakura road heading for Ginkaku Temple in Kyoto.

Sakura in full bloom with Himeji Castle at the background. Taken at Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture.

The garden within Hiroshima Castle with sakura in full bloom. Taken from the summit of the castle in Hiroshima City. At the background is Hiroshima metropolis

Lucious pink sakuras in Hiroshima Castle.

Sakura in Miyajima Island.

Shidarezakura in Miyajima Island. In the background is one of its tall and bright orange temples. Shiradezakura (枝垂桜) is a variety of cherry tree with drooping branches.

West Japan in a Week Part 2

Day 1

Sanyo Line (山陽線) The Mountain Side
The Sanyo Line is a train line stretching from Osaka-fu (大阪府) as further as Hiroshima. We took this line and there were endless stretch of mountains. The silence especially in the towns was deafening. So this was the other side of Japan. Despite living in a semi-province so-called city in Saitama, there was even more province (田舎 / inaka) in these stretch of mountains. The kanji of SANYOU line literally means “the southern side of the mountain,” which basically pertains to the Sanyo district in this side of Japan. Along the way, we stopped in Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture and ate udon. This was our 4th change train from our “hacienda” in Saitama. Well, for the 1st time, we overlooked our route and rode the slower train. Afterall, it was our first time to be in that place. C’mon, even the Japanese make mistakes! :-D

We arrived in Hiroshima at 230PM. It was tiring because we had to endure sleeping in the train. The best part of the Sanyo Line trains is that it is seats are reversibly designed to face each other and it has toilet inside. The painful part is that most of the schedules are local trains so travel takes longer time compared with the Tokaido Line.

Hiroshima (広島), The Wide Island
So this was it. This was the land where men first saw terrible destruction in an instant. The entire city block of Hiroshima can be better enjoyed when you ride their trams. Notable sites like the A-Bomb Dome have tram stations plying the area. We walked for about 15 minutes from the station to our hostel. K’s House Hiroshima was very affordable and decent in terms of price. For only 3,900 yen a night, it was a real budget and money’s worth. Staffs speak fluent English (Yahoo!) and equipped with amenities like a real house. You could hang out with other gaijin guests in the living room area. Wireless Internet access was free and overflowing supply of coffee.

After checking-in, we decided to eat first before touring the whole city. We ate my deliciously cooked chicken “adobo” and my colleague’s fried fish. The hotel receptionist also tried to sample my adobo and she liked it. She even asked for another chicken leg.


After the voracious meal, we set off with our DSLR cameras. It was like a real photographers’ photo shoot session. First stop? BIC CAMERA. Whew. Ernest was craving to buy a compact camera bag for his NIKON D60 with zoom lens attached. So we head off. Along with the gaijin-friendly map we took from the hostel, we went to the station then from there, walked towards different spots. We took a lot of pictures and it was quite a bit of trial-and-error session. Most bicycles in Hiroshima were small. People rode them all around carelessly. If people in Tokyo were mad riders of bicycles, people in Hiroshima were even more careless. Speeding, riding without lights lit on and most of them don’t ring their alarms to warn people of their presence. But despite this, people were very warm. Maybe it is because of the long presence of gaijins within the area. I felt like I was home in Hiroshima. Hiroshima was quite laid-back and not so crowded. It also felt like I was not in Japan since the scenery resembles like that of a city in Europe.

West Japan in a Week Part 1

West Japan in a Week

Saturday Night
Japan in a week using Seishun 18 Kippu (Youth 18 Tickets) was terribly cheap and fantastic. For only 11,500 each, me and a colleague was able to tour west Japan. From our place in Saitama, we head of to Tokyo central station to ride the Moonlight Nagara, a midnight train from Tokyo to Ogaki (Gifu Prefecture). From Ogaki, numerous and tiresome change trains occurred going to Hiroshima. Our original plan was just to have sightseeing in west Japan but later we found out that we were already hunting for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our itinerary was Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, then back to Hiroshima, Himeji (Hyogo Prefecture), Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Nagoya. But we did not have enough energy to stop by Kobe and Nagoya so we skipped those places. Afterall there are no UNESCO World Heritage sites in these areas. Perhaps next year we will visit them.

Seishun 18 Kippu (青春十八切符) or Youth 18 Tickets
Youth 18 tickets are seasonal (except Autumn) tickets of unlimited Japan Railways (JR) train rides all over Japan and JR Ferry ride from Hiroshima to Miyajima. Youth 18 tickets can be used by one person for 5 days or can be used by 5 persons in a day. The tickets are stamped with a validity date from the time you get in a JR station. Tickets can’t be used in ticket inspection gates (改札口/kaisatsu guchi). Instead, you pass within the station master exit and present your ticket. As a piece of advice, print a copy of all the possible stations of each train lines that you have to pass. The purpose is for you to know what train to board when changing trains in every terminal. Most seasoned travelers (especially the Japanese) are very well aware of their routes, so when in doubt, practice your Japanese and ask beforehand if where they are heading. Thus, a copy of the timetable would be also handy to pacify your fears of being lost along the way.

Moonlight Nagara, The Budget Train
Moonlight Nagara is a very popular train used by many Seishun 18 Kippu travelers. Ticket reservations to this train are booked as early as two months before departure so better book right away for a round-trip ticket. We were not able to ride the Moonlight Nagara on our way back home since I was kinda stupid not to have the return booking ahead of time since our schedule then was not yet fixed. The result, we have to take the tiresome day train with 4 change trains for more than 8 hours. Moonlight Nagara coaches are equipped with comfort rooms. Lights were not turned off during the duration of the trip so it was stressful especially when you are not used in sleeping when the lights are lit on.