Took the marine liner from okayama station to takamatsu. The bridge across the seto inland sea is impressive but there was also a large fog bank so did not see much scenery.
with limited time I took a taxi from the station to ritsurin garden (y1300)
Risurin garden is beautiful enhanced by the hills immediately behind it. It is split into a south garden (60mins recommended time).and north garden (40mins time). South garden is probably more attractive and a volunteer guide suggested I go up this hill shaped like mt fuji and he was right as the view was excellent


Ritsurin garden south pond

Took a taxi back to the station, collected my carryon from the coin locker and got the limited express to matsuyama 2 hr 30 approx.
our train was in anpaman livery (only 5people in my carriage)


Anpanman livery train

Anpanman livery train
Nice to relax for 2.5hrs. Scenery looked beautiful but we had low visibility and rain almost as soon as we left takamatsu ( at least I got ritsurin garden dry)

Did see this railway exhibit (museum maybe) when we had a brief stop at iyo-saijo station

At iyo saijo station

Heavy rain at matsuyama but not sure I will have time tomorrow to go to the castle so put on my overtrousers and rain jacket and walked to the ropeway station( chairlift closed due to rain)
matsuyana castke is very impressive inside with lots of connected keeps ( steep stairs ) and the views would be magnificent on a clear day ( this was not to be today)
as with the rain and low clouds ,you could see nothing


View from matsuyama castle in the rain and fog

However it is an experience to see the castle in the fog


The upper floor of the keep with the fog drifting in
after a tour group left had the floor to myself for a few minutes before the 30min closure warning was broadcast


There should be a castle somewhere. Ground getting sodden

walked down the hill( surprisingly long and steep with quite a lot of steps but nice in the woods((getting drenched slowly not so much) back to the hotel to change
very worthwhile castle to visit
Regards

Tbs

Hi

Typically , for me on a leaving day , the weather improves and today was a partly cloudy day
I thought that I would not have enough time to tour the castle but could do a quick tour of the grounds

Went to the ropeway station and my heart sank when I saw the large queue ( various tour groups) but the chairlift queue was empty so with your daypack against your chest , up i went (you are not thet far above a net)( chairlift photo too large to upload)


View of the castle unlike yesterday



Matsuyama castle


View from matsuyama castle grounds on a clear day

Went back to the hotel and took the Tram train and connecting bus to the matsuyana ferry port for the superjet ferry to hiroshima (free with the setouchi area pass).
paid y 800 extra for a suoerior seat on the upper deck ( only 7 or 8 pax on the upper deck)
1hr 30 to hiroshima ( our boat stopped at kure for a couple of minutes but others do not)
overcast but a very scenic crossing across the seto inland sea. No outdoor deck so some glare from windows show in photos

Shortly after leaving matsuyana port

25mins from hiroshima port to hiroshima station on no 5 tram
had some time to waste before the shinkansen to hakata so had lunch in the station complex
1hr 5min on the nozomi to hakata

A lot colder here in fukuoka than elsewhere (18 degrees) and with the breeze needed a jumper on

Explored the hotel and area tonight



Hilton fukuoka (beside the mizuho pay pay baseball dome) with the fukuoka tower behind the hilton

Regards

Tbs

Really enjoying your report!

The sequential "there should be a castle" foggy and crisp "view of castle unlike yesterday"photos are impressive for both the weather change and your narrative skill. I even showed them to my spouse (rare event)

Today was a relatively quieter day.
I walked to ohori park which surrounds a large lake abd has various small islands linked by bridges


Ohori park with pavillion
there is also a very nice Japanese garden at one end of the park


Japanese garden in ohori park

There are lots of museums and galleries around the lake including the fukuoka art museum.
close by there was an informative free museum on the fukuoka castle ruins ( good English descriptions also)

After lunch went along the beach to fukuoka tower ( observation deck at c 110m). Bit cloudy but still nice views


Beach and tower


View towards the hilton from the tower.pay pay baseball stadium directly behind the hilton


View down from the tower to a restaurant area on the beach. Wedding pavillion area at top ( closed to public ) and ferry (limited hours) to a seaside park leaves from here. Restaurants looked like having a beach bbq vibe ( this was going past at 4pm so empty and the weather was overcast and coolish so not great beach weather though one couple were having their wedding photos taken on the beach

Regards

Tbs

Hi

Today was another constant rain day.not as heavy as on my previous reports but still enough to get you wet quite quickly.
Decided to go to the fukuoka art museum in ohori park and they had this special exhibition on until June


The special exhibition on the british designer terence conran

I wonder who thinks up what exhibitions to have because from June for the next few months they will have


Next quarters special exhibition


The conran exhibition was very good covering designs from his early days through habitat, conran shops and restaurants with very good English descriptions. Price was y1800 but rest of museum was free
example of the displays


Example of display in exhibition

The other museum section were very good with some interesting pieces including this one

Work called wonan shooting sakura


Exhibition was reasonably busy and people semed to be their time examining the displays but still plenty of room

The cafe is run by the new otani hotel and was good for a quick coffee and cake ( reasonably priced)
went for a walk round the lake in the rain


Pavillion in ohori park lake with a bird resting and did not move when i walked past

Went to canal city shopping centre ( grand hyatt hotel part of the complex and looked like some parts of the lobby could see the fountains and whilst having lunch saw the water fountains below.
It runs every 30mins I think but at certain times of day ir noon, 3pm, they have music to the fountain shoe
waited till three and saw this


Fountain show at canal city

Music was the Mission impossible soundtrack and other songs from the new movie.fountain jets getting up to the third floor at their highest

Went back via a quick look around hakara station ( over 100m queue for taxis on sat afternoon due to the weather.
went back to the hotel for some pool time( not too busy)

Regards

Tbs

The hilton has a hot rock bath (y1800 per person but got a free ticket). Tried it tonight after a light workout and it was very good if a little busy ( open till 2400 though last entry is at 2300. Also open until 1000 in the morning

This morning the weather was overcast but dry in fukuoka and had a quiet morning in the gym.and pool before heading to huis ten bosch for 1 night
staying at the jr okura just outside the gates
compared to my last visit when it rained the 2 days I was there ,, it has been beautiful weather with minimal crowds..lots of roses.went up the tower with no wait for terrific views
went into several 3d projectprojectionnd the water fountain display to music was very good.


Huis ten bosch with my hotel to the left


View from the tower on a clear day

Field of lights by the tower . Fountains over to right

Stayed till 10pm so quiet later on
​.cool though once the sun went down ie needed a jumper

Regards
tbs

Hi

I had bought a day and a half day ticket yesterday as I had the .morning also to enjoy the park before heading to nagasaki. Left my luggage with left luggage at the hotel and hit the park


The stadthuis in the park with the tower behind it. At night this has a beautiful 3d projection onto the facade to music. Inside has a very nice if small glassware museum


Also there was a beautiful porcelain musem in the park

saw a just married couple being driven in a horse drawn carriage round the went into a few exhibits with no wait and saw a small flower parade

Ferris wheel in the park

Took the train to nagasaki ( about 1hr 30with 1 or 2 trains an hour)
checked in then went to the 26 martyrs museum which was very impressive and informative with good English descriptions


Monument to the 26 martyrs in nagasaki

Explored amu plaza and went to the roof garden afrer dinner before it closed at 8pm
warming up today with a good forecast for next few days
Regards

Tbs

Had a bit of a blocked nose and cough last night so was not feeling 100% but it was a beautiful hit sunny day in nagasaki so went to oura cathedral first then to glover garden which is having a lantern festival at night and offers some great views


View from glover garden


More views from garden
saw 2 smallish ceuise liners at dock


Lanterns in glover garden

I began to feel a little lethargic so decided to skip thr confucious shrine and headed back to the hotel via the seaside park abd the wharf. Sat fir a while and felt better


View from the seaside park

had some payments to make so had a quiet after noon and felt better so had an early dinner and went up mt inasayama. Just missed the bus so took a taxi for 2000y
views of nagasaki at sunset and as the lights come on are magnificent and it got busier as sunset approached


View of nagasaki as sunset approached and the low kevel areas went into shade first. It was a little cool.after the sun went down but the fleece was fine

Towers changed colour to green every 30mins Queue for the ropeway was long but no wait for the slope car to the car park and waited 5mins for the bus to leave The road down from the slopecar station is curvy and steep in bits ( almost like a miniature victoria peak drive in hong kong


Regards

Tbs

Hi

I am finding that in a few places here the a/c is powerful enough that you ca. Feel a bit chilly especially if you have been walking outside in this weather
still got a few sniffles but feeling ok
went to the one legged torii gate which was impressive


The one legged torii gate

went the memorial hall and saw at least 8 full size coaches parked then the hundreds of school pupils left the city museum beside the memorial hall.
the memorial hall was quiet but by the time I entered the atomic bomb museum I was just ahead of them..it was unfortunate timing ( 1hr later and they would have passed through ) as
the sheer numbers of students all arriving at the same time made the museum rooms feel crowded and difficult to see some exhibits ( been here a few times and the friday forecast is showery so might go back. It is a moving museum and exhibits
walked to the hypocentre monument( more impressive than hiroshima but nagasaki has a small park compared to the area around the hiroshima hypocentre monument

Hypocentre monument

Went to the peace park and got a few photos of the main statue before the hundreds of school children arrived to have their class photos taken.


Peace statue from the side

as I was leaving it looked like they were laying something by the side of the statue and 2 of them then addressed the classes

Went to urakami cathedral which is impressive and this bell wil be rung on 9th August at 1102 to mark the 8oth anniversary of the bombing

Bell at urakami catherdal

Went back to the hotel then went to a few temples in the late afternoon including sofukuji ( impressive), yasaka shrine ( under scaffolding for renovations . Dud see plain wooden torii gates) and kiyomizudera
stopped off af the dejima retardation area for a little while ( only 520 yen ) and open to 9pm.
very good. Will probably go back over the next couple of days


Minuature model of the dejima area

Tomorrow will be less interesting in the morning as it will be laundry day

Regards

Tbs

Went to the wash n fold coin laundry by the city hall Tram stop ( 2 stops or about 1km from the hilton) but all machines were in use. They offered a wash and deliver to the hotel (next day) for y 3960. ( the hilton is now charging y1100 per tshirt and y440 for socks). Did not remember the prices being that high last time and hotel laundry prices at the nikko and ana crowne plaza were less than half price.
did seee some nice new balance shoes in the abc store in amu plaza reasonably priced abd done uniqlo shirts for y1200.
went to suwa temple which was empty and had torij gates

Torii gates at the back of suwa temple

Went to the tateyama air raid shelter which had very good descriptions of the staff trying to find out what happened in the hours after the bombing ie some early reports suggested 2 bombs. This is free to enter

One of the rooms in the tateyama airraid shelter

walked to kofukujj temple which is very nice


Kofukujj temple

then along the canal with the stone bridges to meganebashi (spectacles bridge) and crossed the canal on the stones



Meganebashi from the stones in the middle of the canal
water was at tines not cooperating to give the best reflection
walked through the covered shopping arcade , through chinatown ( most restaurants closed in the afternoon till 6pm so it was quiet) then past dejima back to the hotel to go in the hotel baths ( no swimming pool at the hiiton)
bought tickets for the shinkansen to hiroshima on saturday (y15500 for reserved seats)
nagasaki trams are cheap (y150 regardless of distance)

Regards

Tbs

Hi

Today turned out better than forecast with no rain, partly cloudy and turning to be a beautiful sunny late afternoon
nagasaki has felt relatively tourist free this week ( missed the cruise liner pax and there have been a few at the atomic bomb museum and up mt inasa but temples have been quiet and expected to see more.
went back to the peace memorial hall


The peace memorial pond ( lit up at night till 8pm i think) and the city museum behind it

Went into the city museum ( free for main hall and y100 for the exhibition) and some of the exhibits were interesting
the atomic bomb museum was busy but better spread out than on my last visit


Some of the exhibits in the museum


Went to the hypocentre monument

Hypocenter memorial from the side

Went to the peace park then back to the hotel
I had not been to the cinnabon/ seattles best coffee shop in nagasaki station on previous visits but saw a sign for a cherrybon and had to try it.it was pretty good


The cherrybon and an iced coffee

After a little while back in my room went to the nagasaki museum of history and culture which had a special exhibition and the main exhibition on trade with China and the west which was impressive


Sone of the displays in the nagasaki museum

Went back to the hotel and there was a note under the door saying my laundry from washnfold had been delivered and phoned up guest services to bring it to my room.

it came in a holdall which might be handy for dirty washing to take home ( to be checked in)

The washnfold holdall

got a noon train to hiroshima tomorrow and might go to the shukkeien garden in hiroshima tomorrow after hotel check in as it is open to 6pm

Regards

Tbs

Had a quiet morning, packing my overnight bags and trying the hot baths in the hotel before visiting the roof garden at amu plaza (nice and relaxing)

Roof garden at amu plaza with the marriott in the background
due to nagasaki not being fully connected to the rest of the shinkansen network you gave to change 2 or 3 times to travel beyond hakata ( exact routing seemed to vary on the jr ticket machines) but my routing was
kamome shinkansen to takeo onsen (1145 to 1213)
​​​​​midori limited express to hakata (1227 to 1328)
did see most pax transfer at takeo onsen to the relay kamome limited express but did not see this as an option when booking. Overall travel time might be a but longer( 2hr 57m against 2hr 45 for the fastest train but you also save a few hundred yen( 15300 against 16100 or so)
transferring at hakata for the1336 nozomi to hiroshima due to arrive 1442.
you do see more of the countryside at a slower pace on the limited express than the shinkansen.

with 8 minutes to connect at hakata you do not much time to waste but it is doable. Got to the shinkansen platform by carriage 12 and my seat was in car 4 and made with 3 mins to spare
apart from high overcast clouds in hakata it was sunny all the way to hiroshima
Looks like they will be moving the trams closer to the jr line gates as a new team station in the station can be seen behind fences

lots of baseball shirts being worn in the station
after checking into the hilton i walked to the shukekien garden which was beautiful in the late afternoon sun


Shukkeien garden hiroshima



Shukkeien garden hiroshima

Regards

Tbs

Today was a beautiful sunny day ( tomorrow has rain forecast in the afternoon) so decided to visit iwakuni and miyajima island
started with the shinkansen to shin iwakuni then the bus
area was fairly quiet


Kintaikyo bridge iwakuni
the bridge is also worth being seen from the waters edge.
bought a combo ticket for the bridge ropeway and castle
took the ropeway then a nice shaded wooded 10min walk to the small castle. The views from the 4th floor are wonderful

View of iwakuni and the kintaikyo bridge from iwakuni castle

Explored the park and the bridge once I got down from the castle , took the bus to iwakuni station then got the train to hiroshima which stops at miyajimagouchi for the ferry
island was busy but no wait for the ferries. Tide was going out when I was there ( low tide around 1820)


Torii gate with tide going out

about 4pm people in shorts were wading to the gate.
got back to the hotel and had not intented going out again but the sunset from the lounge looked great so walked to the peace park.very peaceful


Fountains outside atomic bomb museum



The Atomic bomb dome building (a bomb dome) just after dusk from the otherside of the river
Regards

Tbs

Great trip report with wonderful pictures. My wife and I spent about 25 days (total) in Japan and Jeju in the fall of 2023 and 2024. Not surprisingly, we visited many of the same places. My wife is enthusiastic about all-things-Japanese but after two comprehensive trips we feel like we've seen enough that we may not return for a while.

The "dome building" you mention is in fact the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, now referred to commonly as the Genbaku (atomic bomb) Dome. Amazingly, it withstood the bomb despite being a mere 150 meters from the hypocenter. I'm not 100 per cent sure, but I don't know that there's even a scientific explanation for how it survived.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

LPD

The Three Famous Bridges of Japan are: Megane-bashi in Nagasaki, Kintaikyo in Iwakuni and Nihon-bashi in Tokyo, if you are interested. Not sure if the latter is worth visiting (see the photo).

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