As we had some days left before our planned trip to the island Naoshima we tried to explore Shikoku (or at least the North eastern part of it) a bit more…
This led to the experience (once more…) that Japan can be quite strange for us. They worship or praise places which seem rather simple to us like this one here where there are some 4,000 pines on sand. Well… Pines, sand – welcome to the Baltic States Would you like some 40 million pines?
But you have to admit they are very proper people – harking sand everywhere on the territory…
Even providing this for the innocent wanderer – we had to play anarchy. Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves…
And yes, they are precise – I just wandered why they didn’t put the centimetres on?
Regardless – the temple at the end was nice and the pig-dog (no it’s supposed to be a fox I guess…) as well
It’s blooming season
Japanese school excursion
Another evening we went to a small finger on the island which had no big roads (hard to find) and the pilgrim path as well.
There we discovered another side of Japan we hardly ever had seen before and were absolutely stunned and amazed by. Peace, tranquillity and just silence…
The small shrine was so nice
Just old (sometimes abandoned) houses
With the old structure clearly visible
And well manicured pines
And suddenly – nothing… Just a simple path through the woods. For Japan this is the big “terra incognita” or even better “hic draconis”
Those flowers we have never seen before
Reaching temples is always an arduous task…
Wonderful old head stones (well, woods actually )
The view from the top was very nice
And on the way back the sunset kicked in
turning everything into a wonderful pastel coloured image
The other side of Japanese life and culture…
micro hothouses
volcanic landscapes
just over the breakwater
The next day we took a trip to the dolphinarium where we once more were mesmerized by the uncanny ability of Japanese to translate directly to English…
The good old “Bundt cake” (Gugelhupf in German)
Just kidding and joking…
This was the reason were here for:
She allowed a stroke as well
Nice Japanese motive
Being on the 88 temples island we had to visit one more… This time the last one (the 88th – where 8 is a lucky number in Asia this is double luck)
nice claws dude…
Pilgrims in complete outfit
and the whole arrangement
It was flowering season
Huge ones…
And the Japanese go crazy once more
Well, we too…
Checking the view
Cherry blossom – the other big folly of Japan
A real late one
Gorgeous bud
And a rather creepy one, too. As Japan has loads of butterflies, there are loads of caterpillars as well… (there have to be ). What makes them a bit annoying is that they hang on small silk threads from the trees and wherever you walk you are covered by them pretty soon. And some of them even bite – nasty greedy beasts.
Like this one here…
As we had some time left before our ferry we went to the open-air museum to experience one of these rope bridges. Nothing for the faint-hearted I have to assure you.
Looks nice, is tricky…
Another interesting fact, when wandering through the museum and seeing the old houses, came up. Most Japanese admire and adore the “old times”. But they always forget that in the “old times” their lives pretty abysmal – no rights, no food (starvation was the norm), tough work, tough nature… Well so much for “the good old times” – easily forgotten
So perhaps this is a reason why everybody clings together even if there is enough space around. Everything very well organized and social control in place…
Another example of Japan for you:
Dust off after leaving the park
Having a bit of time left we visited the other attraction of Takamatsu – it’s park. Technically the biggest in Japan, but that usually is just a classification without meaning. We simply admired the trees
Tenderly cared for
And as usual the wonderful bridges
With the ponds and the unavoidable Japanese tourist group being taken around in boat… (the lake has perhaps 10,000 m² )
Another example of artful trimming
A picture in itself
And at least one person who did the right thing – relax!
Kommentar verfassen