Himeji, Okayama, Kurashiki

Today was our first experience of Japanese trains, and we were suitably impressed - surprisingly easy to navigate, ruthlessly efficient and of course fast. The only problem is with such short journey's you just don't get time to relax!


We decided to take a couple of days to make our way down to Hiroshima, stopping at a couple of places on the way. First was Himeji which is famed for having what is reputed to be one of Japan's most magnificent castles. Given that they are mostly built from wood, Himeji-jo, sometimes called the 'white heron', is one of only a handful surviving in it's original form. Despite there being little to see inside, and a large number of tourists, the castle still manages to be an impressive and peaceful place to visit.

Our next stop was Okayama which is home to Koraku-en, reportedly one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. It is small but perfectly formed, with lawns interrupted by ponds full of koi carp crossed by bridges and stepping stones. A lovely place to spend a couple of hours. Okayama itself is a pleasant relaxed town. We also managed to find Richard the perfect lunch in a small restaurant which served nothing but tofu. We ordered one of the two set menus via much pointing, nodding and smiling. It was surprisingly tasting and it is amazing how many dishes they managed to create.
















Our final stop was in Kurashiki where the main appeal is a canal lined by black and white wooden buildings. With willow trees drooping into the canal and arched bridges to pose for photos on, it is a very pretty and atmospheric place.

A short note on toilets: I had no idea how many features were possible on a simple loo. So far I have seen: water that automatically flows when you sit down (apparently to protect your modesty); a speaker playing the sound of running water when you sit down (to achieve the previous yet save water); several different types of bidet water spray including temperature control; hot air to dry your posterior; a lid that automatically lifts when you approach; a heated seat and a light that comes on in the bowl (why?). I wouldn't want to be sitting on one if the software crashed...