Thursday September 30th

I have rearranged my trip a little bit so my intention is now to stay in Kyoto for four days and do day trips from here. I have this hotel one more night, then I will find a new one, hopefully a Ryokan hotel which is suppose to be a traditional Japanese Inn.

So this mean that it's Hiroshima day today - I got up real early and took the 7:20 Shinkansen. I arrived about two hours later (slept most of the way) and went to the Peace Memorial Park.

Now, the thing is, that the only real reason I went here was that this city was the first ever A-Bomb target. I am not really that much into it, but figured that if you are nearby, you should probably check it out. So that's why I am here.

Maybe the most famous building here is the A Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left standing when the bomb went off here 65 years ago.

And while I am moving into the park, I am trying to avoid the hordes of tourist group that are here - and in every other city it seems - because I really don't want people to think I have no willpower of my own and therefore go on those trips. I am sorry, but it's just embarrassing seeing them walk around.

There are many, many monuments and statues in the park for those who died by the bomb and for nuclear disarmament and peace.

One of them is the cenotaph (here seen surrounding the A Bomb Dome in the distance). The ark in the middle contains the names of all those who died by the blast and of the after effects.

So how was all this affecting me?

Well to be honest, I did feel it a bit, but not that abundantly much.

However I also decided to take a quick look in the Memorial Peace Museum - and in there you got the chock of it all. There were pictures, videos, documents and pieces from the devastation. Some of it went straight to the heart. It was real tough just to walk around there.

The museum was mainly focusing on the importance of peace and nuclear disarmament, not that much in putting the blame on anyone. But still, one can not stop wondering what all the Americans where thinking when walked around in there.

After Hiroshima, I took the train down to Miyajima, an island most famous for its big, red, Torii port in the water outside. And it was really wonderful to watch.

I also walked around a bit on the island (deers roam free here as well, just as in Nara) and visited the shrine of the island and the Daisho-in temple.

There were a lot of small interesting things about this temple, one was all the little statues on this path up to the temple itself.

But, at risk of sounding spoiled, having seen this many temples in just a few days, I left pretty soon and didn't go in everywhere to look.

After that it's ferry to the mainland, train to Hiroshima and Shinkansen to Himeji - I thought.

But I noticed that I would arrive too late to see the castle there so I quickly jumped on the other train in the station, which was headed for Kyoto (via Shin-Osaka). I will probably go to Himeji tomorrow instead.

Back at Kyoto I went to the travel agency to try to get a Ryokan hotel for the two extra nights in Kyoto. Unfortunate almost all were full and I got a cheaper-than-I-wanted in the end. Seems like the toilet & bathroom is in the hallway. Guess we'll see tomorrow. Just hope they have internet. :)

I went out for a stroll in the evening and went to the cinema, but no good movies (with English voices & Japanese subtitles) were shown. Maybe I'll try again back in Tokyo.

I also ate some sushi at a restaurant. It was expensive - and not really good. :(

A reflection I have made here in Japan is that the Japanese must love pastries. There are bakeries everywhere! If one likes those kinds of things you could probably walk around for ages and tasting something new in every corner. Lucky for me, I'm not into these things at all...

Friday October 1st

Today's main event was to go to Himeji and look at the castle there, supposedly most beautiful one in Japan. But already at Kyoto station I got the sense that the trip would be a disappointment when the clerk asked me if I really wanted to go there, apparently it was under renovation...

But of course I went anyway and as the train pulled in at Himeji station my fears seems to be coming true. I couldn't see the castle at all - it was all under renovation cloth & building structures

and when I got there they told me the whole main building (inside & out) was closed so I could only walk around in the gardens, some baileys and a castle wall corridor (where you had to take off your shoes).

They day was also very sunny and very, very hot, just like most days has been on this field trip around Japan. Not ideal when you walk around as much as I have. But of course better than the alternative.

But despite all the setbacks , it was worth the trip.

The buildings that was visible was lovely and I got a feeling how it all looked underneath.

But was I disapointed? Yes, I was.

Not only was this one of the top sites I wanted to see in Japan, but it was also featured in the Bond movie "You only live twice" (it was Tanaka's ninja training camp)!

So this means I needed some cheering up. So directly from the Himeji Shinkansen I took the local train to a suburb of Kyoto where Gekkeikan makes their famous sake - and they also have a sake museum.

I wandered around in the narrow streets to get to the museum (and almost got lost), but after a while I found the place:

Unfortunate there was no tour of the distillery (might not be located in these parts anymore?), but I did look at the museum - and bought some sake.

One notable thing I enjoyed a lot was that during this whole trip (local train, suburb, museum and local train again) I didn't see one Westerner, only Asians.

I liked that, that should indicate that I did something outside the normal tourist tracks and that's good. :)

However, while I was in the southern Kyoto, I also went to a Shrine nearby (full of tourists of course); the Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine.

And as a side note, I have almost got used to see these reversed swastikas all over the maps (they point out shrines). But just almost.

Anyhow, this is a place where they really like Torii gates.

They have put them after one another so the form passages.

Like this:

It wasn't too bad, but I didn't stay long. I was too tired after this long day.

So I went back to my hotel. My new hotel that is, hotel #2 in Kyoto, the Ryokan Nishikirou.

As I mentioned earlier, a Ryokan is a traditional Japanese Inn and this one has a small pond inside:

You have to leave your shoes at the reception and wear slippers - or just socks if the slippers are too small, which they always are.

The door to my room (23); it almost looks like an outside door :)

As for the room, very old fashioned:

Yes, I am suppose to sleep on that mattress (futon). And there are no chairs, but it does have a small table - where you have to kneel to sit next to it.

And to expand our knowledge of Japanese toilets (the shower/toilets are in the corridor btw); this toilet has a digital watch (not sure if it has an alarm function though. ;)

And it has a remote control! I don't know the functions on it yet, but I will probably try it out tomorrow just to see what it does.

My first intentions for tomorrow was to visit a Japanese hot spring, but when I looked it up on the internet, it said they did not allow anyone with tattoos to their spa, wtf?

This seems to be a general belief here - tattoos are bad (might have to do with the Yakuza).

So I will have to change my plans, but I have a few ideas...

Saturday October 2nd

So last evening/night wasn't so much fun.

This really looks like a Japanese house and I noticed last night that this wasn't always a good thing. It looks just like a Japanese horror movie!

I was expecting to see Sadako any second. Or that girl from Shutters!

It was seriously creepy!

Anyway - today I decided to please my engineer gene and took a local bus up in the mountains to the Miho Museum.

I think it must have been 10 years ago I saw this program on Discovery channel(?) about a museum they had build and incorporated it as much as possible with nature. It was very interesting to watch and somehow it stuck in the back of the head.

When I got to Kyoto I saw a poster for the Miho Museum and realized it was the one in the program so many years ago.

That is why I went there. I don't know whats in the museum, but that's of less importance. However the whole thing turned out pretty interesting. It wasn't an ordinary museum at all.

The museum was ordered by this spiritual organisation (*coughsectcough*) called Shumei. They believe in happyness for all in the world and that you should always try to surround yourself with beauty (kinda "if you only see beauty, you will do beautiful things and be happy").

They asked the famous Japanese architech I. M. Pei to design it and he did a marvelous job.

The whole structure plays well with nature (about 80% of it is below ground).

So what's in there then?

Well, beautiful things.

It could be anything from pottery, statues, artwork and the like. Unfortunate it wasn't allowed to take photos, but if you are interested there is a little more information here: (Miho Museum)

It was a different, but very pleasing tour in the museum, but also outside. Worth the trip!

After this I had planned to go and see a Noh play, but their last show started at 15:00 (I was there 16:30). Didn't expect that :(

So instead I went to the nearby Heian Shrine, maybe the largest in Kyoto.

It certainly has the largest Torii gate!

It's about 24 meters high. One of the largest in Japan, if not the largest.

Before I continue, I would like to talk to you about vending machines. They are everywhere in Japan!

And it's not just water, soda and juice. Some also has beer!

Does the Japanese drink so much that so many vending machines are needed? Apparently so.

In the evening I headed for a part of Kyoto called Gion, home of Geishas.

There were some walking down the very nice looking streets and I since I was hungry I decided to eat at one of the restaurants here.

It was nice to be served by Geishas, but unfortunate that was all they did (no, I am not thinking of that - I was more thinking about playing music, dancing or doing the tea ceremony - things that real geishas should be doing).

But they looked nice.
I took this picture without them noticing it. It was probably OK to take photos, but didn't want to ask.

After the meal (which was good, but also very expensive), I went home to the hotel again. Last night on the road. Tomorrow I will be heading back to Tokyo again.

I am soon going to sleep. Fun times. Hello there Sadako, are you in my closet?

Sunday October 3rd

Unfortunate my last hotel didn't have internet access which is why the last days haven't been posted. Until now.

So finally my Tour de Japan is over, time to head back to Tokyo.

Finished reading Neuromancer on the train and will start on Count Zero tonight.

Back in Tokyo, I got frustrated. Especially when I got to the station close to my hotel, Shinjuku. This must be the worst planned station ever built. Impossible to find your way (in or out) to the place.

And if that was not enough, I had real problems finding my new hotel, the Shinjuku Kuyakushomae Capsule Hotel.

Yes, that is correct, Patrik is sleeping in a capsule (aka coffin) tonight. And just because one night doesn't test your limits, I will stay here three night (unless I get fed up of the place and leave before that, we'll see).

So here's the deal in a (this) Capsule hotel:

You put your shoes in a box and give the key to the reception and you will get another key. This will unlock a larger cupboard. There you can place a bag, but of course not your big luggage, no. This you have to place behind the reception. And ask them to give you access when you need something.

Then you stay in this coffin-like capsule (mine was #7018):

No door, no lock. Nice.

Three nights in here... >.>

Anyway. Still a bit frustrated so I go out and do something to cheer me up, I go to the only place I know in Tokyo where Bond has been seen, The "Osato Chemicals" building (in "You only live twice"). In real life it's a hotel, The New Otani:

And to top that off with good feelings, I ate a pizza with all meat on it I could find in the menu. And walked through the red light district.

Well that last part wasn't planned. Apperently I live right in the middle of it. I didn't notice that during the daytime.

I guess I need to be a little on my guard when I get home at nights. But Japan is the safest place I have ever been, I think. Crime is very rare here.

Todays thought about Japan:

It's very clean here on the streets and sideways. But still there is very hard to find waste baskets. I wonder what the Japanese do with their garbage? Eat it? Wait until they get home and throw it away?

Monday October 4th

Started the day by going towards the Asakusa district to see the Asahi brewery (or so I thought).

It turned out to be their headquarters only - and some Asahi owned resturants. The building looked cool enough though:

In the background you can see the new broadcasting tower, Tokyo Sky Tree, being built. It's already Japans tallest building, but it will reach 634 m when it is finished in Spring 2012.

It will replace Tokyo Tower which broadcasting capabilities has decreased due to all the skyscrapers that has risen around it since it was completed in 1958.

After this I planned to go to the Edo-Tokyo Museum, but apparently it was closed today so instead I went to Akihabara.

The Tokyo district famous for the Kirsten Dunst music video "Turning Japanese" (search for it on YouTube, they usually remove it after a while so no meaning of me linking it).

Oh, and it's also famous for the Electric City - a place where you can buy almost everything electronic; from capacitors to refrigerators.

I bought some small stuff, then went to a "Maid Café" and got me an ice cream that looked like this:

Cute. :)

After Akihabara, I decided to wait for the darkness of night (which comes early, about 6pm) by eating dinner, then head for the Tokyo Tower to look at Tokyo by night.

Tokyo Tower is Japan's copy of the Eiffel tower (but a little bit higher of course - 8.6m to be exact).

The view from the main observatory (at 150m) was great.

And then you could also go up another 100m to the special observatory. Heading up there, a voice on the elevator speakers said, "You may hear a cracking sound, but this is perfectly normal".

OK..?

You could pretty much see the whole Tokyo from up here!

After this, back to my capsule hotel. I am really tired.

I think it's jacuzzi time (the hotel has both a hot bath, cold bath & jacuzzi - I tried them all).

Tuesday October 5th

Something I have been noticing a lot here in Shinjuku is the many young couples walking around - and several hotels renting rooms not just per night - but also per hour.

I get the impression that Japanese youth go here and have sex in the hotels (since they are still living with their parents).

If this really is true, I don't know, it's just a feeling I get.

Anyway, headed out to the Edo-Tokyo Museum, which is in a very different building that some say look like a AT AT, but I personally think it looks more like a Space Invader.

The museum shows how the small fishing village Edo got to be the capital in Tokugawa's Japan, how it grew and changed during the centuries and at the Meiji Restoration was renamed to Tokyo 1868.

There were also exhibitions about 20th century Tokyo (like the western influences, Kanto earthquake 1923 and the WWII bombings).

After this I walked a little in Tokyo City

and then went to the Imperial Palace and its gardens.

The main part is closed, since the emperor lives in here somewhere:

But the Imperial Palace East Gardens are open to the public.

It was like a normal park

and maybe a bit nicer in some areas.


You could also see the walls and moats from the old days when the Shogun (and later the Emperor) lived and conducted their business here.

Then it was time to head back to my little hotel room again.

And here the Shinjuku station hits again! Now, I don't normally have problems finding my way, but this station is just insane. If I ever get to be overlord of some sinister organisation, this will be the first place I will destroy so they can build it up again - and this time do it correct.

So I went from the station to the hotel. And figured after a while that something was wrong. And no map could set me on the correct course.

I finally gave up and took a taxi. The trip took about 15 minutes (~100 SEK), but then I was at home at last!

But before getting inside, I bought a ticket to the Ghibli Museum, where I will go on Thursday. Only way to get a ticket is to buy it in advance. And that can only be done in a ticket machine - where all text is in Japanese.

Seriously, you can not understand a thing. Fortunate, I got a clerk to fix the ticket for me.

Anyway, back at the hotel, quick dip in the pool and then I figured I try some massage.

Now, I am not sure how you imagine Japanese massage, but in my best dreams it goes like this; a beautiful young Japanese woman (preferably naked) walks with her small feet on your back and you are having the time of your life.

That was not what I got...

I had a female sumo wrestler, who seems to have had some kind a trauma in her life where a Westerner had done something horrible to her or her family.

This was one of the most painful experiences of my life - I thought I would be finishing this blog with my mouth, paralyzed from the neck down.

It took me 10 seconds from wishing I had choosen the 30 minute session instead of the 60 minutes.

Afterwards, I had to feel that my eyeballs were still in their sockets and not hanging out of all the intense kneading.

Fortunate(?), but a bit surprising, was that the whole massage was done with me fully dressed (in the hotel pajamas that is) + some towels as a special precaution.

Edit a bit later about the massage for clarification; she pressed (hard) with her hands and elbows , more than a normal kneading. And she didn't seem to care that there were (unbendable) bones and especially vertebrae where she did her work.

She did tell me afterwards that she was from China. Does that mean this was not a Japanese massage? No clue - but I will not try it again to make sure. At least not on this trip.

Wednesday October 6th

Moved from my small Capsule hotel to (another) high-end hotel, the Dai-ichi Annex Hotel in Ginza.

Smart move by me to make sure my last stay is a nice hotel - and for four night.

Because it will be very nice to stay at the same place this long and no more carrying heavy bags around. And they are heavy; I am not sure how to manage the maximum luggage weight. I was only 2 kg from the 20 kg limit on my way to Japan...

But lets worry about this on Sunday! :D

The view from my hotel room:

Didn't do much after I settled in. Went and bought a ticket to a Kabuki show for tomorrow afternoon and had dinner (The Yebisu Black was good, but the Half & Half I had in Kyoto was still better).

Another Japan reflection; I have yet to see a place that sells sunglasses (and I have looked). Strange.

Maybe the Japanese don't want to hide their eyes? I don't see many (if anyone) wearing sunglasses here.