November 2016, part two - Kobe and Himeji

Cover photo: Flowers on the streets of Kobe

Previous blog:

Part one - Kyoto

In Kobe, we visited the museum dedicated to the earthquake that struck in January 1995 (more info about the earthquake here and here). It was a really strong experience similar to our visit to the Atomic Bomb Museum in Hiroshima, that we visited later. We went through an earthquake simulation, a film screening in a cinema-like room, dioramas and numerous photos and videos capturing the disaster and its aftermath. The Japanese have documented this catastrophe down to the smallest details. Part of the exhibit also focused on natural forces and disaster prevention. Throughout the visit, there were also really enthusiastic volunteers (mostly elderly Japanese) who offered commentary on the displays and insisted we really explore everything, but there was just not enough time (and we were really hungry).

We stayed in a traditional Japanese-style accommodation with futons (thin mattresses that fold up easily) laid out on tatami (floor mats maid from compressed rice straw). You're supposed to leave your shoes at the reception and use slippers in the common areas of the accommodation. Then you leave your slippers by the door of your room and only step onto the tatami in socks or barefoot. I enjoyed sleeping on the tatami. It was surprisingly comfortable and carried a pleasant scent of bulrush and wood.

Our room in Kobe

Japanese conveniences

The next day, we took a Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) to Fukuoka, with a stop in Himeji. Travelling by Shinkansen is very comfortable - there's no shaking or vibrations. Inside the train, you almost feel like you're standing still, despite it reaching speeds of up to 300 km/h! Bullet trains run on dedicated tracks, so they are not affected by any other train delays. Currently, the northernmost city connected by the Shinkansen is Hakodate on Hokkaido, and southernmost is Kagoshima on Kyushu. The two cities are around 2,240 km apart, yet the journey by Shinkansen takes only 11 hours and 31 minutes with just one change in Tokyo. By comparison, driving would take about 29 hours! The trains are clean, with modern toilets and powder rooms. One thing to mention is that you are expected to be quiet on the train (there are even signs which warn you not to type too loud on your laptop keyboard!). If you need to make a call, you should step into the designated quiet room. There usually aren't restaurants onboard, but you can buy a bento (Japanese take-out meal) at the station beforehand. The conveniences continue on the platforms, where signs on the ground tell you exactly where the doors to your reserved car will be when the train stops. There is no pushing when getting on the train and people simply make a queue because they exactly know where to stand. Since major stations can get very crowded, there are signs and arrows that indicate where you should stand on the stairways not to be in the way (people will usually go up on the right side and down on the left side).

In general, most people in Japan are polite and one reflection of this is wearing face masks. It is not because of the air pollution but mostly for health reasons. For example, if they are sick and don't want to spread germs or they don't want to get sick especially the ones who interact with lot of people (sales clerks, organizers at the train stations...). Due to lot of crowds, especially in big cities like Tokyo, there are certain restrictions. For example, it is not permitted to eat or smoke while walking. Personally, I really appreciate that people don't smoke while walking and I don't have to breathe it in when I walk behind them. There are also many places reserved specifically for women, such as train cars, train toilets or entire floors at the hotels. This has a bit of a darker reason - it is due to gropers or men who would bother the women. This way women feel more safe.

Platform with car number that is 'Woman Only'

Hands-free sensors for flushing and seat lowering on a Shinkansen train

You always know where the door will stop

Now to shopping. In the convenience stores, like 7-Eleven, Lawson or Family Mart, you can get all kinds of food, magazines or practical items. They are on every corner and also include ATM machines and seating areas where you can eat what you've bought. Knowing Japanese is useful, especially when buying pastry, because sometimes you don't know if the stuff you buy is sweet or savory. I once thought I was buying a chocolate-filled bun, but it turned out to be with curry paste instead :). Other tasty specialties include omelette wrapped in ham inside fried pastry or soy noodles in hot-dog bun. The bread as we know in Europe is practically non-existing in Japan. You can ocassionally find baguette-style loaves, but most shops sell US-style toast bread (usually sweet :).

My typical 7-Eleven shopping basket usually contained:
1 banana (which is quite expensive in Japan, approximately 1 EURO for 1 piece),
1 onigiri (or omusuby, which is cooked rice in seaweed in a shape of a triangle, usually filled with salmon or tuna with mayo),
1 piece of pastry (melon pan is the best),
1 package of Pringles (or Chip-star),
1 beverage (usually green tea).

It is no exaggeration if I say the vending machines are on every corner in Japan. Keep your change (or charged Suica/ICOCA card) and try the crazy flavors. I mostly bought tea but they also had things like corn and beans in a can...

The beverage selection in vending machines is really huge. Red-colored are hot ones and blue-colored are cold ones.

Geishas, Samurais and Ninjas

In Himeji, it took us a while to find lockers to store our baggage, because we were en route to Fukuoka and had only made a short stop to see the famous castle. Himeji Castle is overall the largest and most visited castle in Japan. It was originally built in 1333 and underwent a major renovation between 2010 and 2015. More on the castle here.

This is it - the magnificent Himeji Castle

Right from Himeji train station, we could see the castle in the distance. On the way there, the streets were lined with food stalls, markets and a lot of tourists - unsurprisingly. The castle complex is quite huge and features a water moat. We had to take off our shoes inside the castle, place them in plastic bags and carry them with us. I was glad I brought thick socks because it was pretty cold inside the castle. The interior was a bit underwhelming, as there were no weapons displayed and you could only use the app on your phone to virtually 'see' them. There were lots of wooden stairs, slopes and empty rooms with a shrine located on the top floor.

The top floor of the castle: shrine with sake bottles,  tourists with shoes in their plastic bags, cool masked CCTV and a guy posing for the picture :)

The castle is really photogenic

Exiting from the castle, we were 'cut' by a ninja with a plastic sword and then took pictures of geishas and samurais on the castle grounds. They were posing happily and were urging us to take a photo with them (for free), but I rather take photos of them.

Geisha within a crowd of tourists

Overall, I recommend Himeji castle to tourists who want to experience Japan as they know from movies. History (and with it all the cliches) seems to come alive around every corner. Although the castle interior is a little dissapointing, the castle grounds are big and worth exploring. You will take a lot of pictures.

The longer sword wins the battle

Lastly, a video of one of the most 'Japanese' views I was able to film.

Next blog:

Part three - Fukuoka