anyway since we were unable to visit Kurashiki (倉敷) yesterday, today we tried our luck again. As usual, we took off early and boarded a Shinkansen heading to Hakata. But we got off at Okayama. It took about 1 hour of Shinkansen ride from Shin-Osaka to Okayama. We're into the 8th day of our trip. Comparing the weather on the 1st day and now, i can say that the weather is getting cooler. When we reached Okayama, we had to changed to the Okayama lines that will make a stop at Kurashiki.
Marshes seen along the way to Kurashiki
I did not know that Okayama is that big. Coz from Okayama to Kurashiki, the train ride was about 30min and furthermore, Kurashiki is on the west side of Okayama. I guess this town would be pretty foreign to most people, I also did not know about this town's existence until i went to purchase my JR pass about 3 weeks ago. And it was then that the sales lady told me & Hilda about Kurashiki. Hence, my sister and I decided to explore this tiny town.
As usual when we reached the town, we went to the tourist information center to pick up some maps. When we exited the train station, we saw a group of primary school kids with this knapsack and yellow hats. Immediately i know, this is one of the places besides Kyoto that kids come here for education trips. apprently more groups of kids can be seen when we enter the historic section of Kurashiki.
Garden clock @ Kurashiki station
Sign post welcoming us!!!
It takes about 10min walk from the train station to the Bikan Historic section of Kurashiki (倉敷美観歴史地区). The modern city of Kurashiki was founded on April 1, 1928. Previously, it was the site of clashes between the Heike and Genji clans during the Heian period.
Costumes of Kurashiki. Saw this in the local museum
Kids on school trip
During the Edo period, it gradually developed into a riverport and became directly controlled under the Shogunate. Distinctive white-walled, black-tiled warehouses were built to store goods. During the Meiji period, factories were built, including the Ohara Spinning Mill which still stands as the nostalgic tourist attraction Ivy Square.
Streets of Bikan historical area
Kurashiki Ivy square
Kurashiki art museum
Yurinso villa
1 of the houses i saw there
The old merchant quarter is called the Bikan historical area (美観歴史地区). It contains many fine examples of 17th century wooden warehouses (kura, 倉) painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows. I must say that when we arrived at the historic town, seeing the water canal and the willows, it reminded us of Lijiang, Yunnan, a historical town in China that we visited in May this year. Kurashiki really gave us that nostalgic feeling.
The canal and weeping willows
But the canal here is very much larger and it even allows tourists to board those sort of boat and a person will steer the boat downstream.
Tourists taking a boat ride along the canal
Boatmen resting on the canal banks
we strolled around the town... and its really nice and relaxing. if u were to examine the roof tiles, u'll be able to see designs on them. Apparently, these rows of old-fashioned Japanese roof tiles bask in the sun, softly reflecting the light are emblazoned with family crests.
Traditional roof tiles with the family crests
We also walked the streets of Honmachi and Higashimachi. This east-west street on the southern edge of Tsurugata-yama was once the main route to destinations east of Kurashiki, and thrived as a merchants' and artisans' quarter. It has an altogether different atmosphere from the Kurashiki canal district and gives visitors a sense of everyday life in Japan. Cafes, galleries, and izakaya pub restaurants in renovated storehouses and townhouses make it a charming and picturesque area.
Shop selling peach sake
and it was on this street that we saw lots of old aunties and old uncles standing or sitting around with sketchbooks in their hands. They were there to draw the sights of Kurashiki. nad their drawings were really nice.
Streets of Honmachi and Higashimachi
hahaha... if fire were to break out u know where to get ur water source from... saw this in the center of the road.
Oldest sake shop
I also climbed up to Achi Shrine. Coz its stated in the map that at the top, one can view the town of Kurashiki. I went up, and there were a lot of steps to climb.
Steps leading to Achi Shrine
But the view was not really that fantastic. juz ok... hahaha....
'Panoramic' view of Kurashiki town
Wishes and hopes of people who visited the shrine
and along those streets there was a shop selling a particular Baseball club items. (Japanese are really very crazy about baseball. and this club is 'Tigers' 1 of the famous clubs) there was even a museum of the club!!!
anyway after walking around the town, we decided to leave that place after having our lunch and head back to Osaka. But this time round we're going to another part of Osaka. Osaka ue Honmachi (大阪上本町). Coz we're going to visit the Kansai Ikeda Memorial Kaikan and we need to purchase some stuffs and also to meet my friend Takako Sekiguchi for dinner at 6pm.
We reached the Kaikan around 4.30pm. Apparently in Osaka, in a group of 5 people, at least 1 would be a Gakkai member. That was what was shared with us. So when we reached Osaka Ue Honmachi station (大阪上本町駅), we innocently thought that anyone at the train station would know where the Kansai Soka center is. So we asked the lady at the train station counter. Apparently, she did not know and she had to asked her colleague. hahaha... but we managed to find the kaikan easily. When we reached the Kaikan, a lady by the name of Kazumi, brought us around. We went to view the hall where they exhibited some of the awards, certificates, robes, that Sensei had received. we also went to the main hall and sansho. After that we snapped a couple of pictures before heading for the sales shops to purchase some items for family and also for friends.
Picture taken at Kansai kaikan
Taken with Kazumi
at one of the shops as we were deciding the item that my mum wants, we met a couple from Rome in Japan for 3 weeks of honeymoon. we gave them our map of the kaikans in that area coz they wer going to visit another kaikan. after osaka, they will be heading to Tokyo. anyway by the time we finish our purchases, it was time to meet Takako. we headed to the Tsuruhashi station (鶴橋駅) to meet her. Apparently, the yakiniku in Tsuruhagi is very famous... maybe we'll be having yakiniku with her??
anyway it was great to meet my friend again! we did not have yakiniku, in fact we had okonomiyaki and yaki soba. hahaha... this is a little different from that we had on our 1st day. coz the waiter will bring the ingredients and cook them on the spot for us.
Cooking our okonomiyaki on the spot
we also had to put on bibs..... hahaha... its a sight to behold. anyway... these bibs are to prevent any oil stains from getting onto your shirt especially for those who wear light coloured clothing. when we saw that we were the only ones wearing the bibs, we took them off after snapping pictures with it. =P
the white bibs
Takako & me
we talked quite a bit during dinner... found out from Takako how she is doing and also the kosenrufu movement in Japan etc. Yeah we did quite a bit of catching up. and Takako's english really improved as compared to 2 years ago when we met. and it was in our conversation that we recall some of the memories in the past, then we realised that we've known each other for 8 years!!! hahaha... tat's pretty long huh.... yeah... and i only send her emails once in a while. hahaha... especially when i visit Japan i'll let her know and see if time permits us to meet up.
all good things will come to and end... around 9pm, we left the restaurant and took the train back.
Group photo outside the restaurant
all 3 of us were stinking of okonomiyaki. hahaha.... not sure if we stinked up the train carriage. anyway we baded farewell when my sister and i got off at shin-imamiya. and i'm not sure when i'll see takako again.... i guess we just need to contact via emails then. =D
when we got back to the hotel... its a nightmare. coz we had to packed to get ready to leave for singapore tomorrow. our room was a mess... but we managed to get everything done by midnight before calling it a day.
tomorrow its back to singapore. =D
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