When It's Cloudy In Hakone And No Mt. Fuji, There Is A Japanese Solution

The Japanese trip continues on.....

Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka then Hakone

Hiroshima.

A must see, for all the destruction the bomb caused. The museum showcases photos, original pieces of burnt clothing and buildings after the bomb was dropped, quite a moving experience.

Nearby Miyajima is where you find the famous Torii Gate.

Unfortunately for us, it was bucketing with rain so we couldn't experience the long wonderful walks that were recommended around the island BUT we discovered.....oysters, the local delicacy. The fried ones were especially delicious (forgot to take a photo) but so were the grilled ones (see below).

On to Osaka, a shopping mecca. Endless stores, restaurants, malls, walkways. (another day, another suitcase).

Then we discovered the Osaka Aquarium. A most wonderful surprise, a seemingly endless experience: penguins, sharks, jellyfish, rays, seals showcased in floor after floor (8 floors) of connecting tanks.  Very impressive!

We also had a unique experience.  We did a morning of Tate-do sword fighting with the choreographer/advisers of "The Last Samurai" and "Kill Bill".  Anna and I had to learn the "moves" of fighting like a samurai and throwing black ninja darts.  They taught us how to act and kill each other as do they in the movies (with a very embarrassing DVD as evidence for the action scene).  It was hysterical and loads of fun.

Finally, Hakone.

Unfortunately for us, the weather was not the best. In spite of not seeing Fuji-san (thus the photo at the top) we managed to go to the Open Air Museum which was truly world class.  A large collection of Moores, Picassos and other famous international artists were displayed in the most beautiful gardens (the leaves were autumnal reds and oranges) and four indoor galleries.

Ryokans

A word about Ryokans. We now have stayed in various Ryokans throughout this trip.  My least favourite was the ryokan in Takayama (food not as good as the rest),  but the standard of the rooms and food was generally very high throughout the trip.  Hoshinoya was exceptional, though it did not have an onsen.

Matsumoto: Tobira Onsen Myojinkan
Takayama: Ryokan Asunaro
Kyoto: Hoshinoya
Miyajima: Kurayado Iroha
Hakone: Yamanochaya Ryokan

The food is tasty but plentiful.  Normally, after staying in each ryokan for two days and having breakfasts and dinners that are feasts for three rather than one (and those who know me know that I normally consume a large amount of food) even I have had to start waving the white flag. Ten courses is a big ask, per meal per person, on a regular basis. I am looking forward to staying in our hotel in Tokyo tomorrow and just eating a nice big plate of sushi for dinner!

Breakfast

 Dinner

I know it's getting old but here it is definitely appropriate.... un oeuf food!