day 80 - old Hagi

Today, March 18 - this is posted retrospectively since we were beyond internet access for a week -  we explored old Hagi (pron.'huggy') all morning. Hagi was a prosperous town from the building of its castle around 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in the late 1800s when, to show his loyalty to the Meiji, the Mori lord was forced to dismantle the dominating castle (only footings, a few walls and the moat remain.) Fortunately a whole residential district has been preserved, including the homes of merchants and samurai. Hagi pottery, famous since the art was brought from Korea and a kiln was built around 1600, tends to emphasize the colour and texture of the local clays. The glazes are often made to crack, creating amazing random textures.

In the afternoon we caught a local bus to walk through a virgin forest of camellias which grow on Kasayama and right down to the rocky beach.

day 79 - Nagasaki - Hagi

Today we left Nagasaki, went by tunnel from Kyushu back to Honshu, and headed north up the San-in coast by local train, (that's kelp drying), stopping at Hagi. 

The Hagi Honjin hotel is built on a fantastic onsen. We were a bit suspicious of fugu at first (we call it 'toady' in South Australia), but this delicacy accompanied all our meals as sashimi, grilled and in a nabe and so far we're still alive...

day 78 - nagasaki 2

1. What happens to your shape when you eat too many fortune cookies.

2. The beautiful lights of Nagasaki Bay as seen from the cable-car and taken wthout the use of a tripod.

3. Koi looking very interested in Lyn's finger, Glover Gardens.

4. Paper cranes fallen to earth, Peace Park.

day 77 - nagasaki

Watching the old Chinese men play mahjong.

Shinchi district, Nagasaki.

Not sure how you pronounce the street...

day 76 - more toilet humour

Quick! Have a pee!

Something Center Bookstore, downtown Himeji.

... and Happy Birthday, Lyn! - XXX Rob.

day 75 - curved & straight

Apartment blocks, Tegara.

day 74 - bunraku

Last night we experienced the National Bunraku Theatre, which visited Himeji for just one show. We found out later we could have seen it at its home in Osaka with headsets and english translation, but it was still worth it to appreciate the skill of the master puppeteers and the emotion portrayed in the subtle movements of the puppets - the quick glance, the sigh, the heavy breathing...

Even more enjoyable when you can watch the puppeteers in action at their ancient craft and admire their one-ness with the chanter (providing all characters' voices, male and female) and the shamisen and koto players. And like any form of drama, the audience's willingness to suspend disbelief and appreciate the narrative and the artists' skills on two separate levels of reality.

PS: Ok, I fess up. I didn't take these images (there was no photography allowed). They come from the theatre's website. Thanks for letting me use your photos without permission.

day 73 - a shit day...

Some days you're the bird. 

Some days you're the statue.

day 72 - Sumo!

Last Sunday we went to Osaka for the Opening Day of the Sumo Spring Tournament. Coming out of the exit from the train station we crossed paths with a rikishi who was heading for the stadium. He not only posed for us, but also showed us the way! Unfortunately we didn't get his name. Can anyone help?!

It was a really entertaining day and for us the processions, traditional costumes of the gyoji (referees), the ancient rituals of dohyo-iri (entering the ring), yumitori-shiki (the final bow-twirling ceremony) and the posing and salt-throwing were just as impressive as the bouts themselves.

day 71 - sweet & sour plums

On Saturday we went to a beautiful plum forest near Aboshi called Ayabe Bairin. The ume (wild plums, the ones that provide the sour plums often accompanying rice) have just begun flowering in the last week or so. It was a very peaceful atmosphere with mostly family groups spreading themselves over the hillside to relax, picnic and paint or draw the emerging blossoms to the sound of the traditional koto. The weather has become warmer in past few days and people seem to be coming out of their hibernation...

day 70 - noël?

Shopping centre, Fuji City.

day 69 - no talent...

Zero tarent at this acting school, Tegara.

day 68 - organic curves

Bamboo, Shirahama.

day 67 - erection curves

The curvilinear structure of the Himeji International Exchange Centre ( "The Egret") reflects the classic "folded fan" curve of Himeji Castle's walls and moats, which it faces. This rather cool building contains shops, restaurants, a modern library - and our weekly Japanese lessons.

day 66 - generous curves

Ballerina in the rain.

Mido-suji-dori, Osaka.

day 65 - dangerous curves

Another shot of the disused monorail in downtown Himeji. 

(See also days 11, 15 and  57.)

day 64 - curvystrasse

Early-morning tyreprints outside Himeji castle.

day 63 - sake,ramen & karaoke

So many Japanese experiences yesterday... In the afternoon we went to a sake factory and did a lot of tasting. In the evening we went to our local ramen restaurant for Marie-Louise's birthday and on to a karaoke studio for a bit of singing. I really liked the curve in the "tree" over the bar in the restaurant, so this is a good time to forget the different angles and move on to soft curves...

day 62- stuck on angles

Caution. Stairs steep and slippery.