Kudamatsu, Kushigahama and Tokuyama

As promised, a word on transportation in Japan:

Japan has one of the worlds most prolific and oft used public transportation systems. With the extensive use of the Shinkansen (lit. “New Trunk Line”) you can make it pretty much anywhere in Japan in under a day. For example, it takes just under 3 hours to get from Tokuyama to Takamatsu, Kagawa on the island of Shikoku and costs around 6,000 Yen (about $55). Granted, taking trains is rather expensive (the shinkansen even more so because of a surcharge for speed) but they are incredibly useful for getting around. In fact, for the first month, I’m going to be using a train pass to get to work. This affords me with time for self-reflection as well as a good work-out from all of the walking to and from the stations.

In Kushigahama

At any rate, the second day of wandering brought me to Kudamatsu, an 8 minute train ride to the east of Tokuyama and where I work. Kudamatsu is a very small, rural (there are literally rice fields in the middle of the town) and terribly charming little city.

On the way back to Tokuyama, the train makes a brief stop in Kushigahama, an even SMALLER city. I noticed that there was a particularly neat cemetery and decided to get off at that stop.

This type of cemetery (as far as I can tell) is Buddhist, in which the names of the deceased are written on stone pillars or wooden tablets. Flowers, incense, small Buddhist icons and sake are often placed on the stone to honour and ancestor’s memory.

After that, I roamed around and couldn’t figure out how to get back onto the train for Tokuyama. So, I hoofed it the 3 or so kilometres back home. The neat part about getting rather lost though, was that I stumbled upon the coolest little secluded Shinto shrine that turned out not to be too far from my apartment (once I got my bearings). A short note on Shinto; Shinto is an animistic religion native to Japan in which kami are worshiped. Shinto shrines are characterized by torii (lit. “bird perch”) and simplified architecture.

Torii and banner

Guardian

Kick ass picture, right?

Welcome to Japan

After a 14-hour or so flight, I landed in Osaka, Japan on October 19th.

I have no idea what it says but it looks good

Blame the jet-lag, but I didn’t manage to take any photos while there.  I spent a very happy, but ultimately short night in Osaka and was packed onto the Shinkansen (“Bullet Train”) headed for Tokuyama, Yamaguchi. A couple of hours later, I was met by Jo and Rob, a very pleasant English couple that I will be working with. It turns out that my apartment is 15-20 minutes walk from the local train station (which comes in handy – more on public transportation soon) and once settled in, I started to take a look around.

I live in Tokuyama. (Note: technically I live in Shuunan City, Yamaguchi – a recent merger of two big cities in the area – Tokuyama and Shinnanyo – so you’ll hear me switching between often).

The view from our balcony

Considered “rural” by most Japanese, Yamaguchi Prefecture (think “state”) is a fairly quiet area that boasts Japan’s smallest Prefectural Capital. And while there are no huge cities, there are several areas accessible from Tokuyama for day trips; Hiroshima, Okayama, Miyajima and Fukuoka.

Most restaurants don’t open until 5:00pm, however, the people are often very polite and the lack of huge masses makes getting around easier.

The view from my apartment is rather neat – we’re stuck between the ocean to the south and Japan’s gorgeous green mountains to the north. Also, it just so happens that I live above a supermarket which is terribly convenient.

Home; note the super below my apartment

If there’s one thing that I’ve immediately noticed, it’s the Japanese love for things of beauty. Many of the bridges, parks, and even manholes are covered with art, paintings, carefully groomed plants and sculptures. It’s wonderful to be able to walk through the town looking at all of the lovely things.

(Random aside: Each city in Japan has unique manhole designs, often retelling a local legend or myth about an ancient hero. Ours feature the prefectual flower whose name escapes me just now.)

Manhole cover, I forget the flower

Bamboo forests are rather abundant in the area, often hiding some of the larger houses and sometimes Shinto shrines. As much as I’d like to journey into the underbrush, I’ve been warned that big nasty snakes are often lurking about.  And I really don’t need any more experience with snakes.

When I’m not half dead, I’ll post something on Shinto and the shrines that you see everywhere.  I’d be interested to see what sort of belief the religion maintains and how that fits in with Japanese society as a whole.  But for now, I’m going to slap up some more photos and get to bed.

Light filters through a bamboo patch

Downtown

Water bells

At a small shrine around the corner

At the same shrine