Sunday 3.26.00

     We had so much to eat at Okuda-san's house that there wasn't much need for breakfast.   I lingered around the vending machines downstairs and then got a POCARI SWEAT sports drink.  There was a JR poster of a tour that had expired I brought my translator to decipher some kanji.  I checked out two words uruwashi for beautiful and miyabikana for elegance.
Kyoto is laid out in simple grid pattern. Streets run north-south and east-west.  In wanting to experience as much of Japan allowable I decided on as many different modes of transportation as possible (except rickshaw).   Today's mission was to ride a bus to Kiyomizu temple.  It was rather cloudy and cold so Maddy would rather have taken a taxi.  I had determined the bus we wanted stops at Ritsu...daigakko (university).  I spotted the same kanji on bus #15.   We followed it to its stop.  It turns out that one came from the university and was going the opposite direction.

     We had to walk around the block to catch the 206 bus.  Of course I discovered that after speaking with a couple obaachan waiting next to us.  The bus was crowded--now I know why Maddy wanted taxi.  You enter at the back and exit near the driver.  Kiyomizumachi was announced and I had to scramble to get to the front.  We had the wrong tickets so Maddy and I were fumbling for change.  We were holding up the bus and the driver just wanted us to get off!

      Once at the bus stop the temple was a steep walk uphill.  Along the way there were several souvenir shops.  From the temple ground there was a panoramic view of Kyoto.  I wasn't allowed into part of the temple where people were lighting candles because I was carrying a video camera.  Maddy said I didn't miss much--outside was better.

     Before heading back to our Ryokan we took a taxi to Nijo castle.  We made it there just in time before closing so we did "speed castle" with Jennifer.  It is too bad she really liked castles.  One of the buildings we walked in squeaked a lot---I guess that acted as a kind of alarm.  Our tour was brief and the walk back long.

Monday 3.27.00

     At the ryokan Maddy and I always have a very traditional Japanese breakfast.   It consisted of grilled fish, miso soup,  pickled vegtables, assorted condiments/sauces for the rice and tofu.  Today was a special treat--natto.  At first I was afraid but it wasn't bad at all.
I had read in one of our many Japan tour books that visiting the Imperial palace in Kyoto required prior application.  So I rushed the family to Karasuma Oike station carrying Jennifer on my shoulders.  We did just get to Imperial Household agency in time to complete the forms and join the 10 am tour.  Inside they indicated no english tour available.  We went to the waiting area and eventually an english tour guide appeared.

     The tour was actually quite enjoyed as well as informative.  The palace grounds were VAST, hugely expansive.  I wanted to check out what a JNTO pub mentioned as "Rozanji temple" near imperial palace.  No signs confirmed this in english and Maddy said she felt like we were trespassing.  There was only enough time to hurry to the nearby Kyoto University Hospital of Medicine to find a taxi noriba (stand).  It was by taxi we could make to to our designated pickup spot for the Nara tour that Mr. Goto had arranged for us.
Arranged tours have their good points and bad points.  On the good side they are informative and in english.  The bad side is the guide usually puts their own beliefs/attitudes/opinions into the tour.  So we got the Japan is a shameless male dominated society from the feminist tour guide.  As least it was spinkled with actually interesting factual tidbits such as the decline in the amount of rice comsumption and what speeds the three green lights on trucks in Japan indicate.

      The main reason I dislike pre-programmed tours it that they have to stick to a schedule and it is usually pretty tight.  Maddy and Jennifer walk slow--they cannot help it because they take small strides.   Also rushing thru things and enjoyment are mutually exclusive.  As soon as Jennifer saw the deer she did not want to leave.  The Japanese word for deer is shika this was a little factual tidbit our guide failed to mention and they have no fear.  One actually bit Maddy's behind!

      Needless to say we did not return to the tour bus on time so we told them to go on without us.  We figured we'd just catch a train from Nara back to Kyoto.  On the way back there were some youths hanging around Nara Kintetsu station.  One was strumming a rendition of Mr. Children's Hana.  I had Jennifer throw some change in his guitar case.  One corner up from there we ate at Katsuga Wafu Resutoran.  The saho boxed dinner was excellent and only cost about $20.

    After dinner I completely forgot my video camera.  A nice waitress returned the lost property.  I repeatedly offered as much appreciation as one could muster with bowing domo arigatou gozaimashita.

Tuesday 3.28.00

     Breakfast today did not have grilled fish.  It did include Udon which Jennifer likes and is quite capable of eating with chopsticks or hashi.  Mr. Goto had purchased another tour (of Gion) for this evening.  Last week in Osaka I was impressed with the taste of Suntory Whiskey and wanted to take their daytime  tour.

    We hopped on the local train to Osaka and got off at Yamazaki.  Yamazaki is a small station.  It is what I now dub a "one taxi town."   Maddy for some reason forgetting we were in Japan went into NYC mode by running to a taxi on the street!  The driver calmly pointed towards the noriba.  There were a dozen already in line.  It was about 5 to 10.  He picked up one guy then 2-3 minutes later returned to pick up the next guy . . .9:57, 9:59, 10:01...we missed the 10 am tour.
Actually Suntory Whiskey had tours on the hour at 11, 12, 1, 2 and 3pm.  It did not matter as none of them were in english.  I videotaped a lot and could use it to study the language more.  At the end of the tour they had free kakino-tane and candy that Jennifer liked.  Maddy bought some whiskey for gifts and I bought a 30 yr old bottle (her last trip to Japan was over thirty years ago).

     We had to return to same tour pick up spot--Hotel Kyoto.  At the hotel Jennifer and Maddy shopped a little while I had some go-shun sake.  The first kanji character is "originating from China" or "Kingdom of Wu," the second character is haru or spring.  I think it just means special spring sake.  The bartender was from Okinawa.  He seemed concerned I wasn't eating (the evening tour includes dinner), so I asked for edamame or some other snack.

      The evening tour of Gion Corner was much more enjoyable, even though it rained a little.  The guide was not a feminist and I imbibed the "pre-programmed" yet traditional evening entertainment all the better. Japan is a country that retains its traditions, while the US becomes increasingly conflicted and confused.  As for the performance "snippets," Jennifer and I really liked the bunraku part.  Next time we'll have to go specifically for the puppet theater.

Wednesday 3.29.00

      Travel day.  To lighten the load of souvenirs I went to nearest post office and mailed a pakage.  After stopping at McDonalds for coffee and a Happy Meal for Jennifer (they really imitate everything down to the I am sorry we are out of toys!), I return to the ryokan.  Maddy had to rush to pack the bags because I missed checkout.  With the bags in the lobby we sat for a while with our coffee while Jeenifer  s l o w l y   ate her nuggets.

      By taxi we got to Kyoto station.  After Maddy and Jennifer took care of business we had to run to catch the train to Fukuchiyama.   I blurted Fukuchiyama made desu ga to a conductor and he pointed to front of train.  We ran and Maddy tripped and fell with the 30 yr old whiskey.  I paused long enough to ask if the bottle broke!

     It was good we got on one of the front trains as midway to destination a huge backend section was disconnected. It was good to see some inland terrain.  JR pass did not cover trip from Fukuchiyama to Miyazu.   On the Kita Kinki Railway I gave some US quarters (newly issued coins e.g. Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Georgia) to kids or kodomo.  We were well received at Ammanohashidate Hotel Kitanoya on the Monju side.  Our room was big and had a bay window!!

Thursday 3.30.00

     The day started out cool with small drizzle by midday.  I had walked the entire sandbar known as the bridge to heaven. I like pine trees and the sandbar was packed with them.   Maddy and Jennifer took a boat in Asoumi Lagoon to meet me on the Ichinomiya side.  I tasted the water of Miyazu Bay and it was not very salty.
Cable car took us up to a viewing area.  Matanozoki is how you are supposed to view Ammonahashidate.  I have to admit the cloudiness and the color of the bay/lagoon actually gave it a mystical appearance from the Ichinomiya side.  Something I have never seen anyplace else.  At times Japan can be absolutely thrilling to the senses.

      Next we made the mistake of hiking from the observation area to Nariaiji temple.  It was steep and cold enough for patches of snow along the winding mountain road.  I was surprised Maddy did not complain more.  I told Maddy to go ahead and return to hotel while I took Jennifer to byu-rando (viewland).  At the top the sun came out and the view looked almost the same as on the ticket--picture postcard perfect!  We had the amusement park almost to ourselves.

      Meanwhile Masako Maeda-san was going over the train schedules with Maddy to Hikone via Tsuruga.  I had insisted on this route because it was the path less traveled by visitors.

Friday 3.31.00

     Instead of breakfast in our room we ate downstairs because Masako offered to drive us to Nishi-Maizuru.  She did much more than that.  First she drove us around the Tango penninsula and to Ine town. The coastline is very beautiful,  the mountains just drop right off into the Japan Sea.  Then we dropped in on Masako's friend Maiyu-san(sp?).  Maiyu-san  is a sake brewmaster.  We got a brief tour and then she gave us a nice gift.

     I had interesting conversation with Masako.  She is very knowledgable in a worldly fashion.  The train route was rewarding as well.  We saw obaachan and ojiichan working in fields.  Transfering train at Tsuruga was not easy we went to #4 when we needed to be on #7 platform.  The conductors were quite helpful.  The hokuriku line stopped at Nagahama and we transferred again the stop at Maibara was very jerky and finnaly Hikone.

      Ohmi Plaza Hotel was not very clean. The under ground walkway near it showed some signs of graffiti.   The hotel people were nice and helped us with our luggage.  There were not many guests staying there.  It had bowling lanes next door.  I took Maddy and Jennifer there.  To rent shoes you need to know the size of your feet in centimeters.  Luckily I have small feet 26cm.  The bowling lanes had an autoscorer with a heads-up display showing information such as ball speed in km/hr and a replay of the ball striking the pins.

     Dinner was most westernized--Ohmi beefsteak for example.  The steak was delicious.  Even Maddy had indicated she was getting tired of Japanese food all the time.