Hiroshima, Japan

Kara didn't particularly want to travel to Hiroshima- why would you want to visit the streets were hundreds of innocent people died? When a country was devastated for years as radiation seeped into the land. What kind of tourism is that? Isn't it sadistic, or even just plain wrong?

A-bomb memorial, Hiroshima peace park

Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Island

However, we were recommended to go by fellow Japanese travellers and we are glad we did. Contrary to some western belief (or Kara's belief), the city has picked itself up and moved on. Hiroshima has washed away it's war history and is a vibrant and modern city. Yes, it's hard to forget the tragedies that occurred there and it's possible to visit the A-bomb memorial and peace park to reminisce- but that's all it is now a memorial to remember so that history is never repeated.


A local soba noddle and tempura dish

What Hiroshima offers now is an amazing city full of delicious foods- in particular a maple walnut cake filled with red bean paste (and if your lucky even deep fried!). We were super fortunate to also be there for the annual food festival- it seems a Japanese can't turn away from a baked and salted oyster! Us? We heart the Japanese rice balls... mmmm yum!

Japanese forest rat snake, Mt Misen

The area surrounding Hiroshima is also an outdoor paradise with plenty of mountains and islands for exploring in the local prefecture. We spent a day on Miyajima island off the coast and successfully submitted Mount Misen at a peak of 570m. The views from the top, but also the hike itself were outstanding and gave us a panoramic of the area. In addition the island is covered in wildlife, from deer that seem to have a taste for clothing (and aren't shy to have a nibble) to an array of venomous and nonvenomous snakes! This is a picture of the Japanese forest rat snake we encountered on the mountain trek. Exciting!!


Waterfall on Mt Misen, Miyajima island

A local treat in Miyajama Island

Best we run a little! On Mount Misen

On our arrival and for the second day after arriving in Hiroshima another typhoon hit the country (imagine heavy rain, strong winds, flooding)... It was all quite exciting considering we've missed winter this year! We met up with our NZ friend Nate who was also traveling in Japan for a hot 'Hiroshima style okomomiyaki' before wading to a hostel. Our second day, was very relaxing- we caught up on some sleep, drunk miso, talked with other travellers, tried to dry out our clothes and read- all as the rain pounded the windows... Ahh blissful!

Sake! Sake! 

When Sunday rolled around, we ventured to Saijo, a town located in the Hiba District (40 minutes by train). Saijo is a renowned Sake brewers area with 8 breweries in walking distance. To be honest we don't really remember much of that day, but we had a great time and tried many new (warm, cold, fruity, dry, sweet) sakes.


Sake tasting

Now that our three an a half weeks in Japan are coming to an end, we're gutted. Japan is an amazing country and traveling through the country it's evident that the Japanese also love and care for their country. We are going to miss quite a bit about Japan but in particular:
the delicious convenience store triangular sushi!!
the cleanliness of everything, streets, toilets and walkways,
possibly the most delicious thing available on earth-red bean rice balls and rice pancakes,
ordering our food from a ticket vending machine,
and lastly the fact that everything is on time. If the bus says it arrives at 11.34am it arrives at 11.34am!

We now have another short bus trip back to Osaka and will be flying onwards to Malaysia!

Tot siens,
John and Kara

Ps. Just a quick update... our next blog will be coming from Victoria, Australia!!- We plan to be sharing some very exciting news about the next year ahead! Stay tuned!!

Hiroshima peace park

Heiwa Odori shopping street, Hiroshima central

Catching the local trains by our hostel

How to order food in a Japanese restaurant

Inside the temple on the top of Mount Misen



Back to Osaka, Japan

Kara taking a quick nap on the bus

We arrived to Osaka after our stay in Nara. Osaka seems to be a bit of a base for us in Japan, with its amazing culture of Japanese anime and exotic foods!

As mentioned in our previous blog we had planned to visit Spa world. Spa world is an amazing, eight storied spa complex.... decked out with over 20 different themed spa rooms. However, it still remained very Japanese (meaning no clothes/togs/swimsuits in the water area). We said goodbye to each other and ventured off to the individual men's and women's floors for several hours, before meeting again for dinner and then retiring in the spa's sleeping rooms.






After our stay in spa world we quite frankly explored Japans 'underworld' yip- we went to a love hotel. Notorious in the western world for being dirty and sleazy but to our surprise, very clean and extraordinarily private!
We didn't go for a themed room, but just a normal Japanese room with the tatami mats. We would strongly recommend staying at a love hotel! You can't book rooms online in advance you do need to just turn up, but they are 1/3 of the price and at least 80% larger than any other hotel room in Japan. Bargain! And! you get plenty of free shampoos, soaps and hair ties!


Asahi capsule hotel, Osaka

For our last night in Osaka, we tried out the iconic Japanese capsule hotel!
Although guest reviews are quite mixed, we really enjoyed it! The capsules are spacious and each floor has a spa and sauna to relax in. In addition, you are given a lounge suit to wear and there are plenty of free activities (tv, games etc) to play if your bored.
Us? we skipped the games and made it our mission to try some fugu, our more commonly known as the blowfish... only the most poisonous food available for consumption.



Thinly sliced and raw Fugu

The fugu translates as 'river pig' and can be lethally poisonous. The preparation in Japan however is strictly controlled and chefs have to go through rigorous training (were talking Masters level degree) before being allowed to work in a restaurant. We went all out and tried the raw (sashmi) and cooked (fugu-chiri) varieties. Although it was exciting to be adventurous the fish itself was slightly chewier than we had anticipated.



A Japanese fav- 'Oden' found... everywhere!

There are two other photos we would like to share that to us, are quite memorable! Although both are found all over, and we mean everywhere! They seem very 'Japanese'. The first is the Oden, which is a hot soup food found in every convenience store and more. To us, its a bit tasteless but we love the shapes!





Japan's favourite past time- Pachinko

The second is the Pachinko! Actually a local was horrified,  beyond belief and thought we were pulling his leg when we said we didn't know of it? Well pachinko is a highly addictive Japanese slot machine game. However we have been lead to believe that there is some skill involved.... imagine your normal arcade fighting game but your betting little silver balls on the game. Its all rather complicated as to who is actually winning, but nether the less these pachinko's are rampant across Japan.

They are usually associated with bright lights, loud music and a very smoky interior. Seeing the significant amount of pachinko outlets you could easily be lead into thinking Japan may have a gambling problem.....

Tot siens,
John and Kara



Tsukiji fish-market, Tokyo, Japan

Waiting in line outside

The alarm on John's phone buzzed and vibrated on the computer table, it was 1.50am. We didn't speak, we didn't even look at each other, we just focused on moving our aching limbs through a foggy haze of our overpowering drowsiness. 
John said "I'm going to get an ice-cream, I'll get you a coffee". Mouth too dry and parched to speak yet Kara raised her eyebrows and nodded simultaneously. 

We had spent the last six hours cramped together in a 1.2 by 1metre cubicle, half under a computer desk, smothered by cigarette smoke and our skulls perpetrated by the continual soft tapping on keyboards.

We both stood by the free drinks and soft serve machine, our six hour time limit was due to expire in only six minutes. 

Inside the Tsukiji Market

It had been another cheap night at a comical manga cafe. Outside on the dark cold street we begun our walk down towards the Tsukiji fish-market. 

Tokyo's wholesale market just outside of the upscale Ginza neighbourhood is home to the world's largest and busiest tuna auction and seafood market. 


Over two thousand tons of fresh and frozen marine products are brought in every evening and auctioned off the following morning and then shipped or freighted over the entire country. It is hectic, fast paced and loud. In order to attend as an official guest you need to arrive VERY early, so there we were on our way at 2am in the morning. 

Tsukiji Market is made up of an inner market, where most of the wholesale business and the famous tuna auctions occur, and an outer market with retail shops and restaurants which cater to the general public. 

Pre- auction assessments

Let the auction begin!

Big healthy tuna

Ready to buy- at the auction

The number of visitors to the tuna auction is limited to 120 people per day and in order to get in on the action we needed to apply for a permit on-site.

Sussing out the quality

As first ones to arrive at the Osakana Fukyu Center (Fish Information Center) it was a long cold wait until when the doors opened at 5am. But this was first come first served and we didn't want to miss out! At around 4.15am a really long line had already formed outside and the first sixty people were invited inside a small waiting room. 

We collected our fluorescent green safety vests and waited patiently, sitting on the lino floor waiting to be ushered out into a neighbouring shed. 

We remember thinking at the time that perhaps more sleep would make the experience far more enjoyable, however once in the auction building the bright lights, fascinating speed of the auction and size of the tuna captivated us. Bidders walked around with hooked iron sticks every so often taking a great whack at the fish, testing it for maybe bounce? Maybe tear-ability? Maybe there was some special fish whacking technique.

Checking out the tuna- pre auction

Front row at the auction

This tuna's had a few whacks already

It was very, very cold in the auction house and all around us people raced on small forklifts, moving the fish around. 

That's so big fish

In front of us and behind us two auctions were taking place at immense speeds. At the sides of the room men were using huge carving swords to effortlessly slice the fish, passing them across the table to someone else who, with less grace hacked up the pieces of giant tuna. 

Boxes of fresh seafood were being carted constantly across the room on motorised scooters at phenomenal speed. 

Delivery van on its way out

After twenty minutes we moved back outside, the sun was slowly rising and the sky was a purple blue hue. 

Chopping up the fish

The onslaught and frenzy of traffic hadn't decreased in the wholesale area as more hacking and chopping was taking place and delivery vehicles queued, loading boxes of the freshly purchased stock. We were able to wander quietly through the wholesale market in the inner sanction for another twenty minutes before returning our vests and being ushered towards the outer market.

Freshly cut tuna

Frozen Tuna

Fisherman John

Cutting the fish 

By then we were starving and went off on a hunt for breakfast. There are restaurants both in the inner and outer market area, but we were also interested in checking out the smaller retail stalls open to the public so we followed some others (who seemed to know where they were going) to a line of tiny small restaurants. 

By now, queues were already forming outside some and thinking quickly we entered a small door covered with hanging black and white cloth, where people were milling but were still indecisive on what they wanted! 

Sitting at the bar, barely keeping our eyes open, we were so grateful the menu had pictures. 

We went a little food-crazy and certainly ordered more than the average Japanese would. 

Starting with piping hot green tea we got tuna rolls with wasabi and ginger, miso soup and we each had a platter of fresh sushi. So fresh that were sure it was still wiggling about even after we had seen the chef chop it up, right in front of us. 

Our chef preparing the breakfast

Sushi time!

Welcome to Tsukiji

Tuna starter with soya sauce

Although it was an early start and bound to be a long day, munching down on the freshest sushi for breakfast made it all worthwhile. 

Fresh sushi platter for breakfast 

After a second glass of tea we thanked our chef personally and went in search of the outer seafood sanction. 

Tea cups in the restaurant

Outside hordes of white polystyrene buckets held oodles of fish, crabs, octopus and other seafoods in the multitude of alleys. Everything is at the Tsukiji market from whale meat to sea urchin. If it lives under the sea you'll find it in Tokyo. There were fascinating looking animals that we had never seen before, salesmen shucking fresh oysters and small sellers enticing buyers with their beautiful displays.

Fish eggs

Crayfish

Oysters

Fish and Squid

Fresh squid

As we left the bustling market, on the way to the train station we bought two memento tea mugs at an antique store. It was already mid-morning but we were looking forward to a lie down.

Tot siens,

John and Kara

To, To, Tokyo, Japan

Hello Kitty anyone?

Our arrival into Tokyo wasn't exactly stylish but, more or less classy. Ten hours on a bus from Osaka, we stumbled off with our bags into Tokyo's biggest suburb: Shinjuku.

Not worried that we had no idea where we were, we managed to locate an undeceiverable Japanese map (English maps are very notoriously hard to come by) and on a whim Kara decided we should head Eastward. Yip, That was the way to go! So... we went East.
We found Shinjuku train station, hahaha! left our bags in a locker and ventured out into the Tokyo night to burn off some of the energy we had accumulated on the bus. It didn`t take much; the bright lights, the noise, the everything, until we were famished. Looking for somewhere to eat we went into a small restaurant and were quickly led to the basement where many tables had been set up for the hungry Japanese clientele.  
  

Exploring Shinjuku

Learning Shinto prayers with the salary men

There we were immediately befriended by two 'salary men' who were very amused at being placed on the table next to our. Thus seating arrangement began our adventure to several watering holes in the city with our two new found comrades. The night changed to morning and we continued to venture around Shinjuku, with thousands of others, making their way through the establishments in Tokyo's entertainment area.

By 3am we were pooped and our long day was quickly catching up with us! We had spent at least an hour trying to find how we had come out of the underground train station with our useless Japanese map (visualize little meerkat holes) before realising that it closes at midnight!! The entry doors literally disappear behind unremarkable shutters. 

Mega- man!

Manga cafe cubicle

So like all over-tired, sensible people who shouldn't really have gotten themselves into that situation BUT are stranded without bags in a city that never sleeps, we crashed for the night at a 24hr Manga-cafe (strange Japanese style internet cafe) complete with your own 2-person lying down flat cubicle (and all you can drink tea, coffee, soda and ice-cream). In Japan, Manga is the form of anime comic. Perfect a surprise cultural experience!

Our couchsurfer's home in Nishi-Ojima

After an early morning tour of the government observatory the following day we have found our way to Nishi-Ojima and to our couch surfer's house in suburban Tokyo. The suburbs are a dangerous mix of tiny apartment housing, young families on three person bicycles and fast talking, slow walking people. 

Shibuya- world's busiest intersection

Went spent 3 nights with our very quiet host in a Japanese style house- full on tatami room with Japanese futon. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep, your body just molds into the futon so if you move around a lot it's quite difficult to get comfy. During our time at Nishi-Ojima we explored more of Tokyo, spending a day in Shibuya; Tokyos trendy suburb and home to the worlds busiest road crossing (see if you can spot Kara in blue above) and also in Ginza; Tokyos suburb for the rich and elite.

Toyko skytree (background) and typhoon (foreground)

One scary looking building

After a few days with severe typhoon warnings in place (we later found out a typhoon is a hurricane, unbeknownst to us kiwis) for the city we attended a couchsurfing party in probably Tokyo's most dangerous building... but to our defence it was dark and the storm was lashing when we arrived so we didn't see the cracks and we assumed that the neighbour was doing some washing rather than acknowledging the earthquakes shaking the building all night. From our Japanese home-party experience we recommend that Sake should be consumed in small quantities .. although you can get 2L for only AUS$5 it leads to the actual worst sake hangover ever!

Morning view of Tokyo from the government observatory

Crab time!

We really enjoyed our trip to Tokyo, its such an action packed city and certainly for us the cleanliness and hospitality of the people is a real drawing card in want to move here!

Tot siens,
John and Kara