Foremans' Travel: Many Steps to really old temple - Bridges

April 11: Many Steps to really old temple - Bridges - Kobe Beef


Breakfast noodles? Fresh from the gorge river. Look closely.

The staff at the spa/hotel bow as we leave (they were so much fun), and we head out for the small mountain village of Kotohira and the many steps of the Kotohira-gu Shinto Shrine (Kompira-san). About 1,368 steps up and we can see this 1659 attraction with parts added in the 19th Century. We picked up walking sticks at the restaurant where we will eat lunch upon our return, and Leslie and I climb to the top. Steve and Dick stay at the shopping level. This island is known for its Udong noodles and we see several shops making fresh ones in the windows. We try to tell if they taste any different but come up short. We do, however, learn that a long udong is impossible with chop sticks so we cut them short. Figure that one out.

After lunch we drive to Takamatsu and the masterpiece Ritsurin Park gardens. Our 'coach lecture' is about envelopes. In keeping with the Japanese precision, they have specific envelopes for each gift occasion, and they usually give money because they delightfully have little space for 'sit-arounds.' They use distinct envelopes of money for an old person, another for a wedding, another for a funeral, etc. One should make no mistake. She also explains the wedding traditions but that's too long for here.

The Ritsurin Garden is filled with outstanding Japanese pines of all shapes and sizes. It took 100 years to build the garden beginning 642 years AGO. It was just a villa garden for strolling by 11 generations of Royals until 1870 when it was opened to the public. It received 'special historic place' status in 1953. And, it's only 16 hectares (39 acres?). We see a bride and groom posing for photos. She wears traditional white - about 11 layers of silk - that weigh 45 kilo.

new tradition goodbye

Next to the bridges connecting Shikoku Island to Honshu Island. These marvelously engineered bridges connect to each end of tiny Awaji Island (Asajishima). The water moving from the Inland Sea to the Pacific create such currents that whirlpools often form. Sometimes giant ones. Engineering marvels. Trillions of yen. The 1995 earthquake hit just as one of the bridges neared completion and the islands moved 11 meters farther apart! They just added more bridge. Grin.

Kobe Beef House? Not so much. We went to the city of Kobe and and cooked our own beef in this inn/restaurant on a hill. The marbled beef looked almost like bacon except the fat melted away. Grin again and eat it. Yum.