Little Kids and Kurashiki, WTRD 25 of 49, September 28, 2017

Goodbye Hiroshima, Hello Okayama

We said goodbye to our little abode in Hiroshima. More train wise than before, we boarded the correct train to Okayama late morning and arrived at lunch time after passing through numerous tunnels.  We found our hotel, but check in was at 2:00, so we dropped our bags and went out for lunch walking around our neighborhood within a few blocks from the train station.

Our hotel is the big white one, across from canal street.

Another old street covered over and now indoor, outdoor mall. 

The pastries in Japan look wonderful.

We couldn't resist trying the Terryaki Burger at McDonalds near the train station, and sat next to this  little cutie.  She was with her Mom and infant baby brother....and the burger was great!

Our room is smaller than the shoe box in Korea.  We have twins beds and since there is no floor space for the luggage, we have it stacked between the two beds.  Fortunately, we can get up on the outsides of the beds so we don't have to crawl over our suitcases.

I am backed into the corner diagonal from Russ taking this picture with my iphone.  Talk about tiny...this is it.  Good thing we don't spend much time in our room.  After we got ourselves organized, we went back to the train station to take a local train to a destination we had read about but wanted to see for ourselves. It is the city of Kurashiki.  Just as in Okayama, there is a canal that runs through the town, and the old section of town is still well preserved and very picturesque on the canal.

Our train took about 20 minutes to reach Kurashiki.  We sat across from another cute little kid.  He was mesmerized to sleep by the train and the warm afternoon sun.

His eyes grew heavy, his head began to droop.  His mother pulled him over onto her lap and he crashed within seconds.

One of the things we have learned about the train stations in Japan is that they are large indoor cities with shopping malls and great restaurants.  We surmise that many Japanese just eat on the way home from work.  The restaurants we have tried in the stations have been excellent, and we have been the only non-Asians in these restaurants.

The view of Kurashiki from the train station

Utility Hole Covers Are Very Artistic.  Hiroshima was a maple leaf.  Here it is wisteria.

We only need to walk about 500 meters to the old section of Kurashiki along the canal.  It was overcast and cool when we left Okayama, but by the time we got to Kurashiki around 4:00, the sun was out and the sky was blue.

Tourists

Local Artists Working in the Mellow Sunlight of Late Afternoon

Beautiful Courtyard and Event Center at the Kurashiki Ivy Square

After a lovely afternoon walking along the canal and adjacent streets we headed back to the train station, the contemporary focal point of every city.

We returned to Okayama, had a terrific dinner again in the train station and headed back to our hobbit room.

Tomorrow, we will explore Okayama.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's In Okayama.

So many photo OPS on Miyajima Island, WTRD 24 of 49, September 27, 2017

Shrines, Temples, and Deer, Oh My!

We missed our blue sky window by one day for  Miyajima Island on either side of today.  It sprinkled, it poured, it misted.  Turned out to be a pretty good day though for photographs because of the lighting and the glisten of new rain on the foliage that is just starting to turn from greens to oranges and red.  Plus the island of Shinto Shrines and Buddhist temples provides excellent opportunities to capture beauty and interest without much work on the part of the photographer.

Our Japan Rail pass took us by train from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi station and then onto the ferry to the island in the inland sea.  We had our rain jackets, an umbrella we bought in Korea, and some recycled plastic bags to keep the camera from getting wet.  I brought the big girl camera along to take photos from the top of the mountain if it cleared.  It never cleared, but the long lens came in handy taking photos while not being obtrusive of people going about their daily lives

Here are some of the best photos  of the day.  It was pretty magical in the mist.

SHRINES

The tide was low when we arrived at Shinto Itsukushima Shrine, a large sprawling structure elevated on poles.

The Shrine is covered so it made excellent protection when the sky opened up and the rain poured down.  We took advantage of the shelter to watch people received purification and blessings, and later in the day when the tide crept in under the shrine to be married.  

Shinto Priest

Young Family, Father, Mother, Toddler, and new infant kneel while Priest Prepares the Blessing

This little girl was restless but well behaved during the ceremony.

Later in the day we caught the last of a wedding ceremony

The Bride

Wedding Party

The tide comes in and the Shrine appears to float.  With a very high tide , the water is right up to the floor boards.

Temples

In addition to the Shinto Shrine, there is also a large Buddhist Temple with small temples ad gardens.  The Daisho-InTemple.

One thousand Fudo images of Immovable King

Shaka Buddha, entering Nirvana surrounded by his sixteen disciples.

Hen Jyokutsu Cave

Hakkaku Manpuku Hall - Seven Deities of Good Fortune are enshrined in this octagonal hall.

Knit caps designate different sects of monks that line the path.

Oh Deer!

And let's not forget about the deer.  The island is loaded with these miniature deer.  At first because of their size and their spots, we thought these were fawn.  No they are full size.  There are signs posted not to feed the deer, but it doesn't seem like folks pay attention to the signs.  The deer are expecting food.  All you  have to do is rattle a plastic bag and they come up to you ready to snatch it out of your hand.

As we walked up the stairs to the Buddhist Temple we heard what sounded like a baby crying.  A doe had come up to investigate the plastic bag I had wrapped around my camera to keep it dry from the rain.  When she heard the baby cry, she turned and ran up the stairs to a little ravine where her baby was hiding.

This must be the Granddaddy of the Deer!

We walked back to the Ferry Dock and along the way we saw some rickshaw drivers working very hard pulling their rides up the hills.  

Looking for a ride or for some exercise?

And there are always places to shop.

All is Well With the Worrall Travel R's Leaving Miyajima  & Hiroshima and heading for Okayama tomorrow.