AKA endless shopping pictures from the mecca of department stores – Don Quijote. Night falls in Hiroshima and casts new shadows on the brooding A dome. Still ominous and dominating the riverside vista after 70 years. But the horrors of history are not the whole story of Hiroshima, it’s vibrant and bustling with a neon nightContinue reading “Hiroshima by night”
Category Archives: Japan
Horror and hope
Our next stop is a sombre one – the now infamous town of Hiroshima, forever synonymous with the horrors of the atomic bomb. Whenever we travel, we do our best to try and get beneath the surface of a country, to see all sides of it and it’s history. This can sometimes mean uncomfortable, orContinue reading “Horror and hope”
Photo dump!
Last lot of Takayama photos now folks before we head onward to Hiroshima. Random snaps galore! The man poses in front of yet another gorgeous little wooden homestead. If only we could dismantle one and rebuild it in our back garden! Here’s a few colourful snaps of posters, banners and stuff to buy. There’s lotsContinue reading “Photo dump!”
Sake warehouses and canals
Hot on the heels of the Hida folk museum we hop on a train to the quiet little town of Hida Furukawa. The historic, canal-lined streets, temples and museums of Hida-Furukawa are less crowded than Takayama and the town has a wonderful calming feel, due to small canals full of carp that flow through theContinue reading “Sake warehouses and canals”
Hida folk village
Our final outing from Takayama is to the Hida folk village, a pretty, open air museum showcasing the architecture and lifestyles of the area. It’s also an excuse (as if we need any) to dress up in some traditional costumes . . don’t we look cute Covering approximately 99,000 square meter site of sloped- andContinue reading “Hida folk village”
Tiny Takayama treats
I can’t seem to drag myself away from reminiscing about Takayama. This tiny town really captured our hearts! So this post is just a random collection of things that caught my eye around the town. From cutesy posters to tiny food stalls, everything is just so novel to us Westerners! I love the overly designedContinue reading “Tiny Takayama treats”
Tiny and traditional
A last look at the wonderful village of Ogimachi now. Just a glut of photos of all the quirky little sights. Below are several statues of Studio Ghibli, famous anime creations. To the left is No Face from Spirited Away, the large cuddly looking one is BIG Totoro and the little witch is Yubaba. TheContinue reading “Tiny and traditional”
Step back in time
More snappy snaps from the wonderful little town of Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go. We’re aptly reminded that wild beasties roam the area with some cute little bear warning signs – they haunt apparently! Then we take a sedate turn around the village and it’s like stepping back in time. The village is fairly compact and the majorityContinue reading “Step back in time”
Stunning Shirakawa-go
Early in the morning we head out of Takayama by bus for a day trip to the stunning Shirakawa-go area. I’ve been waiting for this ever since I saw photos on the interweb!! Shirakawa-gō is an area that encompasses several small, traditional villages showcasing a traditional building style known as gasshō-zukuri which means ‘praying hands’ toContinue reading “Stunning Shirakawa-go”
Tiny Takayama details
This post is mainly random shots of more delicious details from around Takayama. Above the man sticks his head in a regional icon – a Sarubobo – AKA monkey baby!. These are red human-shaped dolls, with no facial features, made in a variety of sizes. Traditionally, sarubobos are made by grandmothers for their grandchildren asContinue reading “Tiny Takayama details”