Miki d'Japan 2 - Part Two: Osaka

After leaving the Ferry "Fukuoka 2", I took a tram and subway to Matsukuri station. Osaka is active industrial and business city. It is not tourist destination, with so many more interesting ones around. Maybe some idustrial reason could bring me here, if I would be CEO of HyperGigaMultiMegaElectronic Global Company. But I came to visit dear friend, and not do any business, so I had time to look around.

Direct from the ship, I went to my hostel, called "U-en", to leave luggage. One problem: I did not print the map. All I had was the name, and that it is 5min walking from the Matsukuri subway station. So typical for me. So, I had a massive task. And it is not Grand Hyatt, oh no. It is small no-hyatt. I remebered this pic from their webpage:

New place, existing since few months only, made to be retro-Japanese, 2300yen/night, so I could imagine it's not much known around. Anyway, I asked few people in the street. Forget it. Some half hour I walked around such streets

Also, I ate my breakfast-it was nice one, pumpkin something with something. Good thing.

So, after half hour I did a right thing. I entered real estate agent, in hope they could have some idea or internet connection, that I'd check myself. Lady was VERY helpful and, after a short search in internet we had address. She pointed out "down the street, 4th street right!". Really good will to help, and genuine effort. Then I found the street, but anyway, could not see the place. Another lady, when I asked for "U-en", went to her car to check on gps locator! But could not be sure, so she said I'd best goto Christian Mission nearby. What I did and the guy there said
"oh,it's nearby, but you would not find" and went out with me. He brought me to the bell of U-en (which was 50m from the car of the lady trying to locate it by sattelite. This I call hi-tech society, James Bond, ha-ha).

Really, I would hard be able to find it myself. And to think I had only name of the place and general idea where to go! In general, japanese people were always of
good-willed effective help, whenever I asked for direction or so. With a smile they'd take me there, if otherwise was not clear.

After lodging I went to the nice bar downstairs, retro style also, as the place was old mill refurbished to be bar and hostel, without much changes in the original building structure. Because of this, hostel had air of mountain hut-quite pleasant and unexpected in such a city. Really good backpacker's base. Also, both the hostel owner and the girl working in a bar below, are very dear ladies. I did some good for improvement of bar-tender's girl English, with having my (morning!) Guinness.

When Keiko and 2yrs young sweet Yuna came we went for the Museum of history.

Nice views from the resting places on the highest floors. This is the Castle of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, somewhat infamous ruler, as it was him who closed Japan for trade with West, isolating it for more than 200 years. Only with the battle near Mojiki, site of which I presented in the 1st part here, this isolation was stopped, by brutal force.

Hideyoshi was not lucky with his ideas, even places like this castle, which was built to last thousand years, in large stone blocks, was demolished only 30 years later, and what we see today is concrete copy. But not less magnificent show of japanese style-I find even this Castle, because of the scale of walls, majestic. Sure, it is kind'a Toyotomi-land, haven for nationalist's teachings-as Hideyoshi is certainly their patron in Japan. It is not much worth to go inside, "exibited" are screens with the story of Hideyoshi. In Poland I read monography about him by A.A. Iskender (good old Russian school), and felt a bit as meeting an old acquaintance.
The castle is somewhat pompous, but...it is meant to be so, no?

One view to contemporary courtyard of the Castle, Osaka:

At the end of our time together, as Yuna had enough of walking around, (and I was to go to see Osaka by night), Keiko took me for a boat tour on the river. Kind of thing we did in Tokyo, only here on much smaller scale. We disembarked and said bye-bye. Curious where we'll meet next time, in which constellation?

I went further, direction Dotombori, night, fun part of Osaka. LOTS of young people, incredible atmosphere-I thought this is comparable to Shibuya in Tokyo. But is order of magnitude lower intensity, really, as I checked few days later.

Anyway, nice. I came back, slept like bear in "U-en", and next in the bowl for me was Kyoto! Finally. One hears about this city, added to the "London, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome" recently, and when one is there...it is justified, this addition, completely.

Next to come, when I find time, please visit here soon: KYOTO

Miki d'Japan 2 - Part One: Kyushu (Fukuoka and northwards)

Last 2 weeks I continued my learning Japan. There was a conference in Fukuoka (where I was one of 3 non-asians among about hundred people), after which I went on my own backpack tour of South Japan.

Some of you will maybe remember my 2005 visit to Tokyo, it was a short and monothematic one (but nice, thanks to dear friends there). This time I visited Kyushu, walked under the sea to Honshu, then visited one of these friends who moved from Tokyo to Osaka meantime (I arrived there by ferry, so I sailed Inland Japan sea), then I spent 3 nice autumn days in Kyoto, and finally took a nightbus to Tokyo (to cut cost). To be, after quite a while of flying trips, again 'on the road again' with my backpack, was nice change.

I made some 600 pics, in this I was real Asian ;-) . Here I will take care to pick representative ones. Japan is very photogenic country, especially its newer appearances. In explanations I will be somewhat detailed, but I decided to make this blog educative, as I think many of you have not been in Japan yet. As it is still new to me, I also learned and observed a lot of new things, and it might be also useful to you one day.

Let's start as usual, view of Taoyuan airport (ex CKS= "Chiang Kai Shek" airport, last year they changed the name, in recognition of CKS wrongdoing as a dictator).

These bus stops and green U-buses are where I always come and go from this of my islands, before/after landing.
Typhoon Krosa just passed Taiwan and was directed towards China and later Japan. When it reached Japan, 2 days later, following me, it was only a tropical storm, but brought rain to the beginning of our conference.
I arrived at the late evening monday, and had some minor troubles entering Japan: pass control was not puzzled by my heavily stamped passport (filled after 2.5 years only), but custom control was suspicious about my old backpack. Well, it IS old one, 15 years of travels in mountains and cities left some marks on it, and I looked rather odd for usual tourist in Japan, obviously. And I made this mistake to answer on "where?" with a 'conference' instead 'tourism'. Guys just looked at me and politely asked me to open my backpack. Slooowly they took out everything, unrolling my socks and underpants (and neatly packaging it back). They recognized I could not be having suit, essential for "conference", in THAT luggage. When they failed to find laptop or anything like poster, they expressed their surprise that I plan to go for a conference "so casual"? I said "yes, this is why I studied astrophysics, not to have to wear ties and suits". I showed them my ultra-mini USB with 'and here is my talk', and list of speakers in the conference with my name on it. Their faces, when they were probing every bit of my luggage, became more relaxed when they realized I am really rather some weird scientist, and not narcotic smuggler. In any case, after some 15 min of hard work, we smiled to each other and I went into the hall of Fukuoka Airport, where Vivien had fun of me, as colleagues were waiting for me, that we'd take taxi to hotel together. Umhhh.
And in hotel, 'Skycourt Hakata", I was welcomed with such a piece of information inside:

I understood imediatelly that I changed the land of chinglish for the Land of Japglish. Incredible.
Hotel was not too bad, it immediately gave me some flavor of Japan. Here is supertech toilet (with heater, shower of warm or cold water for Ur back and I do not know what, I was using it rather classical way, I would be afraid to have it "working" below me when I am sitting...

Shower in Japan does not come with separate installation. Anyway, I find this system very economical and sufficient, very sawy, we should copy it elsewhere:

It is somewhat in contradiction to the previously shown VERY complicated, high-tech toilet, huh? Weird, really.
There was (it is Asia, does not matter how much Japanese would try not to consider themselves Asians) TV in the room. On TV some examples of Japanese fun:

Presenter lady in rather classical style:

Among 9 free programs available were (it was after 22h!) "Alice in Wonderland"

and course on sewing:

No movie channels. Even you could not buy it. There was vending machine for buying card for 3 soft porn channels (1000yen), and this was all. Shows the interest of average Japanese when in such hotel? Curious.

I was sleeping well, it was quite silent place-maybe as it was nearby cemetery:

In the morning, conference started.
This is one view through the window of the Conference Center, Fukuoka Harbour in rain:

But it was only one day, next days it was much better:

Another direction, towards Fukuoka Tower, in these two different weather conditions:

Here is conference room:

It was in this large Conference Center near the harbour:

Nearby is Fukuoka sports center, where Sumo championships are held:

Conference ended with (standing party) reception in Grand Hotel downtown, food was delicious, and beer and wine unlimited:

After my experience in the airport I was somewhat worried if I will be allowed to enter Grand Hotel without black tie, but it showed I was 100% right: even in Japan astronomers remained casual. Good, world still has some safe havens for us weird people who do not like black ties. Good to know ;-)

Fukuoka is a merge of two cities, Fukuoka and Hakata. Here one scene at day and night, classical Fukuoka.

Interesting thing about taxies in Japan: automatical opening of the door! Surprising thing... Taxies are not too expensive, from airport to Hakata it was 1800yen~11 eur, for some 15 min of driving. In the city we were below 1000yen, when the bus fare was 220yen, so if we were going in 3 persons it was OK to take taxi.

In general, prices in Japan are low compared to anything I saw in Europe recently. It is surprising, as Japan is generally known as expensive destination. But, these days yen is low and euro high, so if you think in euro, it is CHEAP. Come to Japan now, it could change soon.
One example of parking in Japan-in fact I was surprised by amount of bicycles in Osaka and Kyoto, in Tokyo they were not so prominent:

I went out with my japanese colleagues from TIARA, and we ate and drink without having to constrain ourselves too much. Sure, we could spend tenfolds the sums we spent, but we went for cheaper places, and mostly we went for about 2000yen/person (=12.5 eur only!) all together with drinking.
And food was (Jose, you are already a big boy, don't cry!) mmmm!
Starter is something for Ranko:

And the continuation is something for everybody.

With it went appropriate drinking-here is pic of wines and sakes from one restarurant. I like these 2L bottles.

And sake, pure and tasty:

When they pour it in the glass, it overflows to the box below. You drink both, from the glass and from the box, afterwards. It tastes as watered delicate rakija. Bevanda od rakije, for my croatian readers. In any case, GOOD! New experience for me was to drink it HOT! So, after hot wine (usual throughout Europe in winter) and hot beer (only usual in Poland), I had hot sake. Only usual in Japan, I think.
One detail: when you need a waiter in Japan, there is a bell on your table! It is written "push", so push it!

After Fukuoka, I went with Kazutaka, colleague from Hsinchu, some hour by train north, to see Moji, where it is possible to walk through the underwater tunnel to the largest japanese island, Honshu. Interesting occasion for little seeing of part of Japan which is not in the touristic itineraries. In Lonely Planet tunnel was mentioned under the cuty of Shimoneski, which is on the Honshu side. It was following trip-costed 780 or so yen=6 eur, one hour in local train.

North Kyushu is plain surrounded by mountains, one feels this is volcanic island:

Space park near Fukuoka, large place, even Shuttle found its place there:

Moji main station, where from we took a local bus towards the end point of Kyushu.

Nobody there, except dead cat "waiting" for the bus:

No, it is not dead! Just enjoyed the sun!

After ten minutes ride we reached bank of the strait between Kyushu and Honshu.

Tunnel is below the bridge, from the place where we stand, 780m, towards the white building right below the bridge. Here is picture back towards Kyushu. It is buffer space below the freeway in the tunnel:

Strange thing is that you go down by elevator, and then have this curve of tunnel in front of you (see the profile in the tunnel sketch above), you can not see the end.

This is battery of guns back on Kyushu, where from Japanese tried to defend themselves against Westerners. It was here where the Meiji Restauration started, back in XIX ct., after the defeat in this strait.

Afterwards I arrived to Kuruma station. This is LUCKY city, it was the 1st target for the 2nd USA atomic bomb, but because of clouds above Kuruma, americans exercised their supremacy on Nagasaki, a bit south.

Some interesting architecture around:

And interesting trade center:

but it was only wherefrom I catched the free shuttle buss accross, towards the pacific coast of Kyushu, some 40min drive. Nice of ferry company to provide such service, it would otherwise cost fortune by taxi, or I would have troubles to find my way to Shin-Moji, where the ferry harbour is. I even could not find it on the maps, except google maps, where I had to ask japanese friend to read the name of the place for me. In such places in Japan English is Alien language, I could equally be having 8 legs and 3 heads and try to communicate in plain Betelgeuzian (one star in Orion constellation), southern or northern dialect, probably would not make a big difference...
Next night I was going to spend on the twin of this ferry, through the Inner Japan Sea, to Osaka:

One idea for Mediterranean ferry operators: this is japanese overnight ferry cheapest offer, our D (Deck) passenger. Please provide such place at least, for people from which you take money, that they would not have to search for their place around the ship.

This was my place:

Btw. it did not cost more than 5300yen=40eur, for 20h-8h ride. Good service. I slept well.
In the morning, I knew I am in Japan. Nice view to the looong bridge near Wakayama. I always like to hear about some bridges in Croatia how they are longest in the world and few villages around-curious why they rarely look as this thing here. Probably as this would mean to have the bridge Zadar-Ancona, Croatia being too small country for something really large.

This was coast part at some moments, from Hiroshima to Okayama, somewhere before Kobe. DENSE packing

Osaka, Miki coming!