The rain got progressively worse as the day went on and we headed north to check out the bamboo groves at Sagano. Truth be told, once you've walked through the main pathway here there's not a lot more to see and it felt like a long way to have travelled, even if it did make for a good photo.
2015 sees the 70th anniversary of the first nuclear bomb dropped on people. We made the long trip down to Hiroshima on an early train from Kyoto, to better our understanding of what happened to the city and its people, both on and since 6th August 1945.
Walking the few kilometres from the station to the peace park, we soon arrived at the Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall the A-bomb dome, which remains as a sobering reminder of the devastation unleashed on Hiroshima that day.
We spent the remainder of the morning in Peace park looking around the Memorial Cenotaph, Peace Flame monument and most importantly, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - a very humbling experience.
We spent the remainder of the morning in Peace park looking around the Memorial Cenotaph, Peace Flame monument and most importantly, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - a very humbling experience.
In early afternoon we headed back to the train station via Hiroshima castle, then back up the line to Himeji to visit Japan's most famous castle.
Shirasagi-jō or 'The White Heron' because of its brilliant white exterior, has remained largely unchanged over the last 400 years and is considered the finest surviving example of Japanese castle architecture, making the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1993.
Shirasagi-jō or 'The White Heron' because of its brilliant white exterior, has remained largely unchanged over the last 400 years and is considered the finest surviving example of Japanese castle architecture, making the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1993.
It was late in the day but we squeezed in to look at the castles interior just as the gates were closing. Inside it's every bit as impressive out, with huge wooden beams, ornate carvings and commanding views over modern day Himeji.
Stopping for dinner & beer at an awesome pizzeria on our way back to the station rounded off a long but memorable day.
Stopping for dinner & beer at an awesome pizzeria on our way back to the station rounded off a long but memorable day.
Back in Kyoto for a final day of sightseeing but first it was time to wave goodbye to Stu and Tamsyn, who were heading home via Tokyo, leaving me to fend for myself for a few days.
After their departure, I headed north by bike to see the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion). As one of the most visited attractions in Japan, it was rammed with tourists of every conceivable nationality. To be honest, it ranks about 'meh' on the scale of places to see and I was through it in an hour.
In the afternoon I had a brain wave to pack some of the clothes I knew I'd not be needing again and send them home in the mail to save some weight. I'd found carrying the bike & panniers by hand when getting on / off trains was starting to give me back trouble and anything to reduce the weight was welcome!
In the afternoon I had a brain wave to pack some of the clothes I knew I'd not be needing again and send them home in the mail to save some weight. I'd found carrying the bike & panniers by hand when getting on / off trains was starting to give me back trouble and anything to reduce the weight was welcome!
Later on, I headed out on foot to the Kiyomizu-dera temple on the eastern edge of Kyoto and got properly rained on along the way. The shrine complex is impressive though with its grand views over Kyoto and must look amazing on a clearer day.
An early checkout from K's was required to make the 6:42 Shinkansen out of Kyoto. I caught a few glimpses of Mt Fuji from the train but nothing prepared me for the scale of the volcano as I got off at Shinfuji station. Still over 15 miles away, I was surprised how intimidating the mountain is and how much in it's shadow the people of Fuji city live. Fuji is still an active volcano that last erupted in 1707 and many believe is long overdue.
My plan for the day was to cycle clockwise around to Fujikawaguchiko. This looked a fairly flat ride as I never planned on turning in towards the mountain itself but I should have studied the map contours more closely! After clearing Fuji city late morning the road started to climb.
My plan for the day was to cycle clockwise around to Fujikawaguchiko. This looked a fairly flat ride as I never planned on turning in towards the mountain itself but I should have studied the map contours more closely! After clearing Fuji city late morning the road started to climb.
Seeing Fuji was a big reason for coming to Japan and with only 1 day in the area, I was taking pot luck with the weather. Fortunately there were blue skies with only light cloud, too high to spoil my views.
After slogging it out for a few miles on a busier road, I joined the quieter route 71, which continued to climb as it wound north east with Fuji to the right. As the day went on the views got more spectacular, culminating in my lunch stop near Fujigane, at which point I'd climbed well over 1,000m.
After slogging it out for a few miles on a busier road, I joined the quieter route 71, which continued to climb as it wound north east with Fuji to the right. As the day went on the views got more spectacular, culminating in my lunch stop near Fujigane, at which point I'd climbed well over 1,000m.
It took many attempts with the camera self-timer not to mention strange looks from motorists to get a half decent selfie with Fuji in the background!
By the time I arrived at K's house, Fujikawaguchiko it was late afternoon and getting hazy but I felt I'd been lucky enough with the weather. I had a private Ryokan style room with tatami-mats and a futon, only this time I had to settle for a local curry instead of being treated to a Kaiseki dinner.
By the time I arrived at K's house, Fujikawaguchiko it was late afternoon and getting hazy but I felt I'd been lucky enough with the weather. I had a private Ryokan style room with tatami-mats and a futon, only this time I had to settle for a local curry instead of being treated to a Kaiseki dinner.
