Travelog for: Matsya

Ogijima is an island in the Seto Inland Sea. It is next to Megijima, a few kilometers from Takamatsu port. It's a very small island just 4km around, about 150 people lives.
Today we go to the island by ferry boat. 

But...
The weather in the island suddenly turned to bad.
We reached the lighthouse in the stormy rain
This is the northernmost tip of Takamatsu city.

Kobe is the 5th-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyogo prefecture.
We changed a train at Okayama station. Here the Shinkansen Express "Sakura" is coming. It's hard to take pictures of them, because they come quickly and stop just a few minutes
After 45 minutes, we reached Kobe. The weather was a little bad

From the window of Marine Liner train
Our train is running across the Seto Ohashi Bridge over the Inland Sea. If it were sunny day, we could see a beautiful scenery.
Sakura, the Shinkansen Express train
Sakura N700 Series Shinkansen
Port of Kobe
From the center of the city we walked to the port of Kobe. That red tower is very famous as the Kobe landmark.
The Former Foreign Settlement
The modern-era western style buildings remain standing in the new city.
China Town Nankin-machi
Nankin-machi is a compact chinatown in central Kobe, one of the three Chinatowns in Japan. (others are in Nagasaki and Yokohama) This area was developed by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port after the port was opened to foreign trade in 1868.

The weather is a little bad also in Takamatsu, but it's warm. Sakura cherry blossoms start to bloom.
Walking around my host hanachan's house, we can see many Sakura trees beside the streets.
Soon they are in full bloom.

This is Ritsurin Garden, a typical Japanese garden. It is located in the center of the city, among the modern buildings. Stepping inside it is like slipping into another world and another time.
For 228 years long since 1642, the Matsudaira family, the feudal lord of Takamatsu owned and maintained the garden. Today the garden is open to public.
What a wonderful world!


more about Ritsurin Garden

Sakura is full blooming
This is a small Shinto shrine near hanachan's house.
The sky is blue. It's a beautiful day.

Izakaya --- A kind of Tavern, Brewpub... I think. Izakaya is popular for drinking. You can also have good food with non-alcohol drinks there.
I ate Sashimi, Tamagoyaki and Tofu salad
Surprise! BBQ on the table

Ichigo Daifuku
Before I leave Japan, I'll show you one of Japanese sweets, mum.
They call this "Ichigo Daifuku".
Daifuku is very traditional sweets in Japan. Ichigo means strawberry. Ichigo Daifuku is a relatively new variation.