. . . a.k.a. Himeji Castle and Kokoen.Last Saturday Emma and I took a train to Himeji to see its famous castle--the first castle I had ever visited since Kryal Castle in 1988. (Kryal Castle is Australia's most well-known medieval castle--which is interesting, since Australia was only first settled by Europeans in the eighteenth century.) I won't say too much about it--I'll let Photobucket and Wikipedia do most of the talking--other than to remark that one of the first things you notice as you emerge from the train station and gaze down what has to be one of the widest streets in Japan (one of the JTEs at my school informs me that said street was purpose-built for a visit by the Emperor soon after the Second World War), is that--despite the fact that Himeji is a city of half a million people and is abundant in tall buildings--the eponymous castle really dominates the landscape.
The other thing you notice is that Himeji itself is roomy--big in the way an Australian city or large town is roomy--which is most unlike the Japan we had hitherto experienced. (Well, certainly unlike Tarumi; though I suppose Seishin-chuo, the Joondalup-esque area of Kobe where I work, is roomy in its own way.) Japan is one of the world's most populous nations, and all of those people have to squeeze onto a set of very small islands--so often you find yourself on very narrow streets, hemmed in by towers and tenements. Central Himeji just doesn't feel like that.
Anyway, here a couple of Himeji Castle slideshows. (I apologise if they slow down your browser.)
And here is Nishi-Oyashiki-ato Kokoen. It is adjacent to Himeji Castle, and used to be the residence of a samurai lord, apparently. Now it comprises a series of serene and beautiful gardens (let's just say Jamie Durie and Scott Cam couldn't hold a scented candle), along with a teahouse. (They don't do Devonshire, alas, but the lady at the desk is very helpful and speaks excellent English.)
We also visited Himeji's art gallery, having bumped into Daniel Carter at a park along the way. (Where the three of us discovered that not only are some dogs just as skilled at frisbee as humans, they are also permitted to drink from our water fountains. Now, that's just wrong.) The gallery featured an exhibition on Surrealism to which we arts graduates--true to form--couldn't say no. ALTs: if the exhibition reaches an art gallery near you, it's well worth the admission.
2 comments:
Wow! Himeji seems like a rather interesting place. I tell you, who ever operates the camera has skills =]
You both look so dangerous with those sword-things, haha. (What are they, plastic?)
I don't get the joke about the scented candles... But I'd have to agree with the idea of dogs sharing a fountain with people being slightly wrong.
So much to see there, wish some of the museums or attractions in Perth were half as good.
Hi Kym: sorry for the late reply, unbeknownst to us comments were being filtered to a different part of the blog sit; however, Matt has now fixed the problem.
Himeji is such a beautiful place you almost have to try to not to take a good snap. Japan is very photogenic.
I'm looking at the photo and seeing myself in short sleeve tee-shirts with the reflection of sweat smeared across my brow, well not anymore. It's now really cold and I'm all huddled up in scarves and beanies, and they tell me the worst is yet to come--in Feburary! That's more months of cold!
I hope you have a great Christmas and safe holidays!
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