Archiv der Kategorie: 05 .. SHINNEN /

Diese Reise ist aus der Not geboren, den 2-Jahre-Rhythmus einzuhalten. Auf der anderen Seite gibt mir dieser Wintertermin die Gelegenheit, Neujahr in Japan zu feiern. Als fünfte Reise ist es Zeit, die entlegenen Orte in den Fokus zu rücken: Kanazawa (zum Zeitpunkt der Reise noch nicht mit einem Shinkansenanschluss), Kisodani, Shirakawa-go, Koyasan, sowie Bessho Onsen und Kusatsu Onsen für den Onsen-Teil dieser Reise.

05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.1 .. Tempel in Kansai, 関西   

Kyoto

Today ist Xmas eve and I visit Kyoto. I start at the train station. Maybe that Tokyo Eki is bigger and has more people running around, but Kyoto Eki is just one big building. It is nearly a quarter mile long and provides more than 15 levels above ground (plus several basement levels). The building is like a big hole with a roof. The broad stairway over 15 floor is just impressive architecture. Upstairs is the Skywalk. A small pathway right underneath the roof.

Fushimi Inari Shrine
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Inari Shrine Double Torii Row
Fushimi Inari Shrine Ema
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Fushimi Inari Shrine Torii

Inari Shrine

The next stop is everything but modern: The Fushimi-Inari-Shrine in South Kyoto (the train tracks mark the border between Kita and Minami / North and South Kyoto). Arriving by train I can spot the orange-red big gate from the platform. The buildungs are a sightseeing spot. It was a mistake to skip this shrine in my 2004 trip.

A good idea (to make some money) are Ema. Small wooden plates you can write your wishes on, like a letter the the deity. In this case the plate has the shape of a fox head. They are empty except for two lines that mark the eyes. It it impressive what people draw on this empty plates.

But the real attraction is behind the buildings: Torii. There are more than 1000 of them. It starts with 50 big ones in dark red. Then I arrive at the famous double row. Small Torii close-packed. What a view. What a view if you are standing inside. I stop counting after 200 Torii (in one row). It really is an experience to walk thru this tunnel of gates. The pictures do not capture this moment.

Behind the double row starts a 2,3km pilgrimage uphill with more gates. The guide says, that I need 2-3 hours. Shall I? But it will waste time. But I am already this far. What can I do? Damned. I’ll do it, but speed up. If there is no snow, I can run (this saying loses in the translation) …

Tofuku-ji
Tofuku-ji Bridge
Tofuku-ji Stone Gargen
Tofuku-ji Moss
Tofuku-ji Moss
Kiyomizudera
Kiyomizudera
Jishu Shrine
Jishu Shrine
Tofuku-ji

Uphill. Stairs. The width of one step is to short to walk it with two footsteps. The next time the stars are two small for one european footstep. I try to take two steps at once. This is hard stuff. I need more training. Downhill it shouldn’t do that. On the way up I have a nice view on Kyoto. The train station is easy to find. Now I can see how big this building really is. At the summit is an old shrine, meaning many old stones with ingravings. I do not understand the purpose.

Next stop is the Tofuku-ji. I walk. I pass a residential area with narrow streets. I recognize many red buckets. They are filled with water. Like in many anime. These buckets are for fire figthing. In front of every house are 10 litre of water. In Germany impossible. After the first night on a weekend these buckets would be empty and smashed.

The temple garden must be impressive during autumn color. I am too late. All the leaves are gone. The stone garden is bigger than the one in Ryoanji. It is worth the entrance fee. And there are three different stone gardens.

The subway brings me close to Kiyokizudera. I got myself lost in the maze of narrow, tiny streets of Higashiyama. Back on track I find myself in a shopping street that leads steep uphill to the temple. Or Shrine? I am not sure. In Kyoto you cannot seperate temple and shrines by building shape or the color of the torii.

Higashiyama District
Higashiyama District
Higashiyama at Night
Geishas at Gion
Higashiyama at Night
Higashi-yama und Gion

I enter an unspectacular hall. From the padio I have a nice view on Kyoto. Behind the  handrail it goes straight down. There is a path along the rock wall. The gallery on the other side is construction site. Bad timing. But now I have a good view at the padio and its wooden construction. This is the famous one. Wow. The path leads down to a tiny water fall. Also famous. It is the Ootwa-no-taki.

I spot a small shrine on the temple area that is filled with tourists. The attraction seems to be two stones. The shrine is the Jishu-Jinja and is dedicated to the deity of love. That explains a lot.

It is 3:30pm. I have to increase my speed. Back at the shopping street I almost miss the entrance to street with the old houses of Higashiyama. A nice place. A narrow street with stairs (and no cars). There are many shops inside the old houses to the left and right. Why I missed this place in 2004 … Maybe the same reason I missed the Kiyomizedera. I was stupid. Then I spot the first Geisha. Right. Gion is not that far away and the Chaya will open soon.

On the way Gio I get lost again; despite a map and a police box. What use is a map without the red „You are here“ dot? Argghh. I try the street on the left. It should end in a right turn. Yes. It does. This is Gion Corner. This area is filled with old tiny wooden houses and narrow alleys.

Minamiza Kyoto (Kabuki)
Kyoto Eki
Narrow Street in Gion
Pontocho
Street in Higashiyama
Kyoto Eki Christmas Tree
Gion

It starts to snow (a little bit) and dawn is beginning too. Last stop for today is Pontocho. Not an attraction like the usual ones. It is a narrow street with many Izakayas. Too small for a car but filled with tourists.

It is almost dark, when I am back at Higashiyama to take some night pictures (without a tripod). After that I walk home to the hotel. A long walk. Next time I’ll use the subway. Half way I decide for some snacks. I skipped lunch. The streets of Kyoto can be pretty dark. A brief stop at the train station for some Xmas feeling. Changing into something more stylish, abandon the camera and get into the next cab. Next stop: a Chaya.

I celebrate Xmas eve in compony of a meiko (Geshia still in training). She is speaking perfect english and serves all food and every single drink. There are some performances and drinking games. They know how to entertain. It is not cheap. Oh no. But it is awesome. I enjoy every single second (and the blog of today will end right here … *evil grin*).

[deutscher Blogeintrag]

05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.1 .. Tempel in Kansai, 関西   

Amanohashidate

Amanohashidateis one of the three famous sceneries. And today I move to a hotel in Kyoto. But how? With the loop line to Oosaka Eki.  And then? I view on the board. Platform 4 in two minutes. I ask the conductor if this is the correct train. It is. Lucky. Then the next question: I only have 1 minute to change the train. Is this possible? The conductor says yes. The other train is wainting at the same platform (and is waiting for us). Wow. In Germany this would be unthinkable.

I arrive in Amanohashidate at 11:25 and no coin locker left. The tourist information suggests a souvenir shop. Practical. I can store my luggage (even the big bag) and have breakfast. Prefect Timing. It starts to rain. I order Asari-Don, a local specialty. Don is always rice plus egg plus X. And in this case X are clams. Delicious. No comparsion to Germany. And a beer from a local micro brew: Kölsch, yes with a „ö“.

Chionji
Amanohashidate
Amanohashidate
Chionji

Southern side

I visit the small temple. Nothing fancy but really worth a visit. The ropeway brings me up to a viewing platform. The sandbank is not looking that long. I don’t know what I had expected. Because of the strong wind I cannot use the full zoom of the camera. There is also a small amusement park here for kinds. Really small.

I start the walk to the northern side. The travel guide says that there are more than 8000 pine trees. The sand bank is 200m wide and has a nice beack on the right side. The view reminds me a little bit of the baltic sea. On the left side the pines are close the the water line. The wind is coming from this side. Here it is stormy. On the right side is now wind at all.  Both within 200m.

First sum up: Amanohashidate is nothing special. Of you are in this area, you can take a stop but it is not worth a 3 hour train ride. The sand bank may be unique but that is all.

On the northern side is a nice shrine. Behind it is a ropeway. At the top there is a viewing platform (again).  There are some strange poles with a ring on top. A saw them on the other side too. Looks like you can buy some wooden plates and try to throw them thru the ring.  I don’t know why. I book this thing in the category „fathomless Japan“.

Amanohashidate Beach
Amanohashidate Sand Bank
Amanohashidate Sand Bank
Amanohashidate

sand bank

There is a bus to temple. Shall I? Another 1100yen? Japense are the Ferengi of the planet earth. And the are successful. It would be stupid to go back without going the last mile. The bus is going uphill on a extremly winding and extremly narrow road. Koyasan flashback.

The temple was worth the money. Here at the top it is anowing a little bit. At the ropeway it was rain. This is snow line live. The temple is old and weathered. But this is its charme. Hundreds of lantern are hanging from the ceiling. Beautiful and impressiv. I only have a few minutes until the last bus is going back to the ropeway. I run. The driver is waiting for me. He stops. Because there is reason why this temple is mentioned in the guide. The pagode. I nearly missed it. I take some pictures. Next stop at the daimon. Just for me and a second tourist.

My rule to be always nice to the UPS guy, is also applicable for japanese bus driver and conductors. I talked to the driver at the ropeway station. Asked him, if the temple is worth the trip and if the remaining time of 20 minutes is enough. He said, that this is ok. He recognized me while I was running to the bus and also saw that I missed the pagoda.

To save some money I walk back to the southern side. Dinner at the souvenir shop. Udon. I don’t have to pay for storing my luaggage. Maybe because I visit the resto twice. The concept is working: You store your luaggage and maybe you visit the resto or buy some souvenirs. It is working for me. I saved 600yen for the coin locker *).

Nariai-ji
Nariai-ji Lantern
Kono Shrine
Nariai-ji Pagoda
Amanohashidate Bridge

Nordseite

The express ends in Kyoto. The famous central hall is 10 stories high. At the bottom of the big stairway is a Xmas tree. I takes some time to find the north-south-passage. It is not easy to find the south exit. After that it is also not easy to find the hotel. Where is it? I check all streets and side alleys. Then I see the entrance. A small door and two elevators. That is all. The reception desk is in 3F.

Btw.. Internet! I am back online after three days without network. Sorry for this break. Pictures will follow within the next days.

*) If you are in Japan and cannot find a coin locker – this happened to me several times before – ask the tourist information or the station staff. Before the rise of the coin lockers many shops close to the station offered storage space for a small fee. For the shops this was an additional customer and some money. This old tradition is still existing today in some places. My advice: In a small town ask for a store with a storage service. In the worst case you spend the same money than on a coin locker. But usually you get some additional information that are not mentioned in the guide. Only disadvantage: The closing time of the shop. — On this trip I did this three more times. In Inuyama, Kisofukushima and Fukui. In Inuyama I placed my bag in the office of the train station because there was no locker of the right size. In Kisofukushima were no locker at all. In Fukui I could store my stuff in in the bus station office for my short trip to Eihei-ji.]

[deutscher Blogeintrag]

05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.1 .. Tempel in Kansai, 関西   

Koyasan

With breakfast from a 7evelen I start the ride with the Loop Line. After two stations I change into the Koya-Nankai-Line. This time the gates are clearly seperated. Even with Kansai Pass I have to pay a Ltd. Express fee. From the second last station Koyashita the train tracks are winding uphill; rock on the left, abyss to the right. It is a mystic atmosphere, fog is hanging in the trees.

For the last mile I have to use a cable car. The thermometer is showing 46°F. Upstairs it is fallen to 39°F. The next half mile is a compilation of curves and pedestrians are not allowed. Fog everywhere. To be precisely: clouds. And I am inside. Drizzle. It is cold.

Tokugawa Mausoleum
Koyasan
Koyasan
Koyasan Stone Lantern
Arriving at Koyasan
Koyasan
Koyasan 1

I take the bus and get off at the Tokugawa Mausoleum. Looks good. A nice beginning. It starts to rain. I walk to the city center, passing several temples. There are more than 100.  In ancient times there were over 1000. Koyasan is looking like a cozy little town.

I reach the beginning of the forest track Sando. It leads to the most important temple, Torodo. The whole forest is a graveyard with thousand of tombs, stone columns and Stupa. The are weathered; covered with moss. High cedar trees, drizzle and a little bit of fog. The perfect atmosphere for this place. Here the time has stopped.

Behind the bridge no cameras are allowed. A monk is giving me some powder that I have to rub into my hands. An incense. He also gives me a small package to take it home. Here are only monks, pilgrims and I. This is like the end of the modern world and the beginning of the spiritual.

The main hall is impressive. I would like to take some pictures but I respect the rules. I embrance the moment. I hear chanting. Next to the main hall a smaller one with hundreds of iron lantern hanging from the ceiling. Where is the Okunoin? I ask a monk. I have to enter the temple, turn right. It is behind the sliding door.

Okunoin
Gokusho
Okunoin, Koyasan
Gokusho
Koyasan 2

I take a taxi back. Next stop Kongobu-ji. No shoes. At 39°F. That is mean. There are many rooms with sliding doors with zen-paintings on them. The corridor is a leading to a big hall with tatami floor. There is a small stone garden between the buildings. Tea is served. Behind the hall is another bigger stone garden.

The next point in my list is the Jakai. This is no temple. It is a buddhism ritual at the Daishi Kyokai temple. There is some time left before it starts, so I go to the museum around the corner. Acient scrolls and pictures. No I have to hurry. I forgot my umbrella. Back to the museuem. I am back on time but I am the only one. Ups.

I monk is asking my name. I follow him into the main hall. We are passing the golden Buddha statue and enter the „off limits“ area into a hall. It is dark. No light but two candles at the altar. I sit down at the tatami mat. A monk is closing the sliding doors. The priest is entering and sitting down in front of me. I only see his silhouette. Drums. Chanting. Chimes. The Jukai starts with a Mantra. Then I have to repeat his works. Aiyee. Now my japanese knowledge is needed. A monk is repeating with me. That is a lot of help. I syncronize with him. Then I have to step forward. The priest is giving me a envelope. Another mantra and it is over. Impressive ritual. Nothing special but powerful.  A special holiday experience. The Jukai vow!

Garan
Koyasan Daimon
Kongobujin
Konpon Daito Pagoda
Garan
Kongobujin Garden
Koyasan 3

The fog is vanising. Koysan is loosing some of its mysticism; I need more fog. Sadly enough that there is no snow. It was a good idea to do the Sando first. Without the fog it would only be a pathway in the forest. The last stop on my list is the Danjo Garan; a pagoda (Konpon Daito); Huge. 157ft. There are three „smaller“ one. Also the Kondo, the big hall, is really big. The entrance is closed. A warning sign. Snowslides from the roof. Damned. Looks like the had plenty of snow a few days ago. I visit the inside of the pagode before the close. Dawn is starting. The fog is back. A lot of fog. Hard to take pictures. My tripod is still in Tokyo.

There is time left to visit the daimon, the big entrance gate to Koyasan. It really is dai = big. The roof ridge is hidden in the fog. The exposure time is on its limit. No more pictures without a tripod. Now it is dinner time an the then the ride back to Oosaka. The last open resto is next to the bus station; Tendon; Sake; Souvenirs.

Bus, ropeway and train are coordinated perfectly. This is Japan. I leave Koyasan behind me in the mystic fog. 2 hours later Namba, Oosaka. What a contrast. Neon lights. People everywhere. Sky scrapers. Loud and hectic. Amusement. The combination of food, drinks and women (optional). I discover a small booth on the street with Takoyaki. Looks like a gaijin like me was not expected. The is not the typical tourist street and food supply.

Osaka Namba
Tsutenkaku Tower

On the way back to the ryokan I do a small diversion to the radio tower, the landmark of Oosaka. No anime in Oosaka without a reference to this tower. Green illuminated. They want to tear it down but the people of Oosaka stopped the project. On the way back I have a feeling of dejavu. Maybe I walked this way in  2004.

[P.S.:i took a picture at the train station in Oosaka. A departure every 4 minutes. This is only possible if trains are on time. Not possible in Germany. For the Deutsche Bahn a delay of 15 miuntes is still „on time“. In comparsion the japanese rail network is a swiss clock. The time table for the train driver is listing seconds for the departure time. No kidding.]

[deutscher Blogeintrag]

05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.1 .. Tempel in Kansai, 関西   

Asuka and Yoshino

Today I have a double header: Asuka (Hasedera and Tanzan shirne outside the city) and Yoshino. I start early (for me). At 8:45am I arrive at the Kintetsu Station „Osakaabenobashi“. But I am wrong. I have to go to Tsuruhashi and from there to Asuka.

With a lot of routine I am moving forward, not impressed by all these Japanese. I am used to this chaos. I am stopped by the exit gate. Wrong ticket? No, just the wrong exit. The Loop Line is JR. But I tried to use the exit that is also the entrance to Kintetsu (Kintetsu is also running the subway in Oosaka). I show my Kansai Thru pass and everthing is fine. The next train is a  Sub-Semi-Express.

Hasedera Mon
Hasedera Stairs
Hasedera Stairs
Hasedera
Hasedera 1

Half way I nearly got undocked. Only the first 6 cars go further. A nice conducter warns me before this happens. At Hasedera Eki is a small stairway downhill. The street and the old houses look cozy. The weather is sunny. A right turn, passing the city and uphill to the temple Hasedera, founded in 686.

I am walking thru the Mon and climb up the corridor with its more than 300 steps. This is the first time I see somthing like this. It is like walking into ancient times. At the top there is a big hall with a nice view into the valley. A patio is errected on several feet high piles. This is how the Kiyomizudera may look like. In three days I know the answer.

The big hall contains the second greatest Kannon in Japan. 12m high. Impressive. The legend says that the tree trunk was big enough to carve two statues. The second one was thrown into the see and was washed up in Kamakura. This is the Kannon at the Hasedera temple there. Now I have seen both and a picture of neither. I respect the ban of taking pictures. Monks are praying and I record a 20min audio track. [It is silent and overlayed by wind noise.]

Hasedera
Hasedera Terasse
Hasedera 2

On tThe way back I pass a pagoda and then I need to hurry. I only have 20min. left. The stairway up to the station is harder to take than it looks. We are talking about a heigth difference of about 100m. I am finished but I get the train.

From Sakurai it is a 7km walk and there are only 4 busses a day. I jump into taxi to get stuck in traffic. Arghh. Then it goes uphill. Switchback. The drivers tells me that in winter the street is sometimes closed if snow and ice cover the road. To steep for driving. I believe that. We are going up and the taximeter too. This will be an expensive ride.

The shrine is old and not in a good shape. The dark red colour is weatherd. The honden and the 13-level (!) pagoda are still worth a visit. The were errected in 1532. Here the kami of Fujiware Kamatari, founder of the Fujiwara Clan (Heian period) is enshrined. In the honden some exhibits from this area can be visited. During autumn color the view from the patio into the forest must be amazing. But now, without the leaves, everything is grey. All the iron lantern are a nice motif for a picture.

The taxi driver is waiting. He drives me to Asuka Station. Expensive ride. $100. But without the taxi is wasn’t possible to catch a train to Yoshino in time. The driver stops at Ishibutai, a megalithic tomb from the Asuka period (and the reason for the name).

Tanzan Shrine Lantern
Tanzan Shrine Pagode
Tanzan Shrine Pagode
Tanzan Shrine
Inside Tanzan Shrine
Tanzan Shrine

The Local to Yoshino passes buildings, forests and bamboo groves. The houses are very close to the tracks. 5m or less. A bridge, narrower that the train cars. Just even wide enough for the tracks. For the last meter up to Yoshino I have to use a cable car. Made in Germany! It looks old, very old.

Yoshino: The Kuromon above the street builts the entrance. Behing  small road with old houses; shops and restos, but all closed. Zombieland feeling. During Sakura this place must be awesome and crowded. At the moment I prefer the Zombieland. It is peaceful and quiet.

Next Stop: Kinpusei-ji. The temple is a construction site. Mon and Main hall are big. Here the second biggest Buddha statue can be found. It is to dark for pictures. I walk to the Yoshimuzu shrine. It is small and compact but worth a visit. It has a small courtyard with honden, stone garden and a pond.

At Chikurin I forgot to visit the temple garden. Damned. If I can walk to the Mikurimari shrine before dawn? The last cable car leaves at 5:40pm. The way goes uphill. A junction. I walk back. Am I wrong? No. This is the way. Uphill. The town ends. A small sign („Less than 1 mile“) is directing into a forest. A tiny trail. Uphill. Exhausting.

Yoshino Kuromon
Yoshino
Yoshimizu Shrine
Kimpusenji
Chikurin-in
Chikurin-in
Yoshino

Dawn is beginning. The latest time for my return is 4:40pm. 20 minutes until then. I see some houses. The incline is unbelieveable. Close to 50%. Every single step is hard work. Again a trail; with stairs. 650m. I am finished and at the finish. It really is getting dark. I am back on tarmac. A car passes. The smell of hot brakes is in the air. No surprise if I remember the incline. The shrine is closed. Arghhh. Winter Time. 4pm was closing time.

And now: Downhill. In the dark. It starts to rain. The trail is slippery. 40 minutes until the last cable car. A mixture of hurry and caution. I am back in time and I am exhausted. On the train ride back I fall asleep. I get up a few minutes before I arrive at Abenobashi. It is raining. Dinner is an intersting combination for 890yen: salad with japense dressing, miso, rice, chicken nuggets, sausages and meatballs. Unusual but tasty.

[deutscher Blogeintrag]

05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.1 .. Tempel in Kansai, 関西   

Kobe

9:50am. I have japanese soil under my feet. The entry formalities are routine but this KIX is new for me. I have no orientation. I don’t find a shop with Atarime, so a Teriyaki burger it is; plus the traditional can of Asahi beer (picture of the beer at top of my duffel bag). Me has arrived!

First stop is a ATM, then I buy the Kansai Thru Pass. Hm … Wakayama or Kobe. The decision has to be made now. It decides if a 2-day or 3-day pass is necassary. And Kobe it is.

Ikuta-Jinja
Ikuta-Jinja
Ikuta-Jinja
Autumn Colors
Kitano
Kobe Gallery 1

At 11:50am a bus brings me to the ferry terminal. The „High Speed Ferry“ (a catamaran) is connecting KIX and Kobe Airport with a speed of 30 knots. This connection wasn’t mentioned in any guides. There is no outer deck, therefore the view is limited. Another shuttle bus brings me from the ferry to the monorail that is connecting the artificial islands with Sannomiya Eki. All together it is a 90-min ride. I get the last coin locker that my bag is fitting into.

First stop in 2012 is the Ikuta shrine. The way to the shrine is a typical japanese amusement street; bars, cafes, restos and shops everywhere. I am in Kobe the first time but everything is looking so familiar. I don’t feel like a tourist, it is more like I am dreaming. A strange feeling.

The shrine is a perfect start, and the weather is too. 50 degrees and sunshine. It doesn’t feel like December, more like late September in North Germany. The vermillion shrine buildings are glowing in the sun surrounded by a blue sky.

Next stop is Kitano (kita-no = northern field). Here are many old european houses, that were built during the Meiji restauration. The streets are small, steep and charming. Kobe was the correct decission. There is a place in front of an old english house where I forget, that I am in Japan. Here in Kitano is a shrine with a nice view over the harbour area and a statue of a cow. I am not sure if this has something to do with the Kobe-beef.

Observation: Kobe seems to be „wedding village“. I never saw that many shops and restaurants concentrated that are specialized on weddingsin one place.

Suwayama-Schrein
Suwayama-Schrein
The Bund
Kitano
Kobe Gallery 2

On the way down to old harbour aera I stop for some ramen. From the harbour I have a good view to the city and the express way in front of it. It is located at the 7th floor level. Nothing unusual in Japan. Here is a part of the old pier that was destroyed during the Hanshin earthquake in 1995. The rusty lamps and the tilted and broken concrete reminds me of Toya.

Here at the harbour is Merikan Park with the Kobe Port Tower, the TV tower. One of the few, that doesn’t look like the Eiffel Tower. On the next pier is Mosaic, an old warehouse that now contains restaurants. Passing Kobe Eki I walk up to Minatogawa Jinja. The way is not easy to find. The train tracks and a express way is to pass. And the entrance to the train station is not easy to find either.

When I arrive at the shrine, dawn is in progress. Two big lantern on both sides of the torii show the way. The main hall is illuminated. I spot a tiny Inari Shrine on my right with tiny Torii. A moment later it is dark. Wow. I am still surprised about how fast it turns dark in Japan.

At Mosaic Garden the trees are illuminated. Xmas is close but we are in Japan. This may be an all-year illumination. In a side street I find a nice dutch draw bridge. Back at the pier I have a nice view to the Port Tower, completely illuminated in orange, and the Marine museum, whose roof construction is illuminated in white.

I spot Xmas booths with hot win, German Hefeweizen and fried squid. Why is the later not available on German Xmas markets? The guy in charge is from France (no joke). I learn: The same agency is also running the Oktoberfest, But this Xmas market fails. He says Mosaic is the wrong place for it. Not for me, but the Japanese may thing different. Lucky for me. Because they have so much squid in the freezer that they give it away for free before it turns bad. Last stop is China Town. Small, but I was here.

Minatogawa-Schrein
Minatogawa-Schrein
Merikan-Park
Kobe Port Tower
China Town
Kobe Gallery 3

I pick up my bag and get on the next Local to Oosaka Eki where I change to the Loop Line, the Yamanote of Oosaka. Exit North in Tennoji. There should be a narrow street on the other side of the pedestrian light. Oh boy. Not this really tiny thing. It is only 1,5m wide and surrounded by third class Izakaya. But, yes it is. The ryokan is in second row in the third side streets. All I can see from the street is a big sign and the typical entrance with the curtain.

The owner of the ryokan is about my age and his daugther (2 years old) is keeping staff and guests busy. The breakfast room shows an interesting roof contruction. There is a gallery with hundreds of Mangas on the second floor. Next to it is my room. Tatami. The bath room is on the first floor. That is what I really need now. A hot tub. It is not an onsen but it does the trick. Relaxing.

There are only two problems. (a) My AC is batteling with the ventilation of the neighbour bar. I should start it after the bar is closed.  (b) Like typical for Japan, the floorway has no heating. It is chilly if you are only wearing a Yukata.

After a relaxing time in the tub I ask the owner for a good Izakaya close by. He suggest one of the bars I mentioned earlier. Benefit: No tourists but me. No gaijin would enter this place by accident. The first day is ending.

[deutscher Blogeintrag]