Kyoto to Onomichi (by shinkansen): we get up and head to Shin-Osaka, where we meet up with David and Tom and catch our second reserved shinkansen to go the 270km or so to Shin-Onomichi. At that station we meet our guide Paul and our van, and transfer to the hotel. Sarah and Dana take the local train directly to Onomichi, and meet us at the hotel.
the Kamo River in the morning |
canals and buildings including our hotel |
instructions for safely boarding the Kyoto subway |
subway station ad for an exhibit about lacquered wood |
leaving Kyoto |
on the non-reserved shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka |
glimpse of a town in the mountains |
this parking lot is the closest we got to seeing Osaka |
also these many train tracks |
a shinkansen, so pointy |
Catherine, David, Tom, and Gina, reunited on the train platform at Shin-Osaka |
good sign: this train will stop in Shin-Onomichi |
Tom and David, on the train |
leaving Osaka: train tracks and construction equipment |
leaving Osaka: a large apartment building |
crossing the Kanzaki River |
today's onigiri: leaf mustard and spicy cod roe |
look! it's the Hello Kitty shinkansen |
it has a Hello Kitty for each city |
this building's symmetry is unexpectedly radial |
view towards the ocean |
lakes, fields, and buildings |
city roofs |
fields, factory, and mountain |
a street and many roofs |
this isn't a good photo, but the building-through-wall optical illusion is neat |
river crossing |
hey, look, it's Himeji Castle |
hanging out behind the city of Himeji, being a castle |
this carton says it contains a soft-boiled egg |
check it out: it does |
nice wall pattern |
field, river, roads, town, mountains |
water crossing |
tower, field, road, solar panels |
a building under construction |
pedestrian mall entrance |
lots of JR train cars |
interior of a private car on the shinkansen |
maybe an anchor, maybe a cat |
more onigiri: two plum, one egg yolk and soy |
roofs and mountains |
view through the platform window at Fukuyama Station |
it's Shin-Onomichi! |
leaving our shinkansen |
waiting outside Shin-Onomichi for our van |
our van pulling into the station! |
leaving the station: we're moving into plum blossom season |
this attractive building is the Onomichi Nishi Fire Station |
glimpse of foxes and lanterns on the way to the hotel |
glimpse of the Onomichi outdoor shopping arcade (we'll see more of this later today) |
Around Onomichi (on foot and by cable car): we have a couple of hours before the bikes are ready, so we wander through the Onomichi shopping arcade, then walk up the hillside to a viewing area and shrine, passing through the Onomichi Cat Alley. We take the cable car back down, then go back to the hotel to shake down our bikes and get ready to ride the next day. Dinner is at the bike-themed U2 Restaurant.
fox statues and lanterns in front of Sowainari Shrine |
the beginning of the Shimanami Kaido! (we'll take this ferry tomorrow) |
looking up the hill of Onomichi to the viewing platform (we don't realise it yet, but we're about to walk up this hill) |
a few small repairs |
public sculpture, presumably titled 'don't give up your art for that guy, he's not worth it' |
houses on the hillside |
we find ourselves in Onomichi's shopping arcade |
rice balls and polar bears this way |
as advertised. we were too cowardly to press the polar bear button |
a space for rent in the shopping arcade |
we did try the cotton candy vending machine |
transport company logo with bonus kitten |
we found some cute mostly-bike-themed art at the Onomichi Creator's Market |
row of houses near the arcade |
all things ube (purple yam) |
the Shimanami Kaido ferry |
Tom and David as cats with an umbrella |
signs in the shopping arcade |
Gina and i as cats with an umbrella |
the protagonist of Spirited Away, in an alley |
a display of metal footprints, in Onomichi |
a cable car goes to the top of the hill |
an impressive tree, i think in front of the Ushitora Shrine |
station at the bottom of the cable car |
we're walking up this way because we heard about Cat Alley |
torii gate in front of a shrine |
there's a certain amount of climbing on this path |
possibly a homemade map of the path we're walking on, with pictures of where the cats live |
cat-themed gate at the Musee de Maneki Neko |
unfortunately it's closed (fortunately the 'closed' sign has cat art) |
possibly a little shrine, definitely a little statue with cute eyes |
wall art: the pen and the clock |
rooftop lightning rod visible through trees |
cable-stayed bridge across the channel |
fog on Mukaishima Island across the channel |
a very active citrus tree |
plum blossoms |
trees growing by a stone wall |
masks optional |
climbing some more stairs |
the Onomichi downtown riverfront |
nice roof |
little earth sculpture on a stone, across the hilltop shrine |
tree trimming in progress behind the shrine |
stones near the shrine |
a very small pinecone |
view of Mukaishima from the hilltop |
view west along the channel |
view east of Onomichi and beyond |
Green Hill Hotel, where we're staying |
houses, roads, hillside, and ferry, on Mukaishima |
curved ramp down from the viewing platform where we took those photos |
equipment at the Mt. Senkoji ropeway station (we walked up, but opt to ride down) |
hills on Mukaishima |
looking down from the cable car at a path we walked up |
rooftops and cemetery in Onomichi |
hillside building and tree, and view across the channel |
the building with the lightning rod next to a green hillside |
the city along the hillside |
descending into the roofs of Onomichi (also: first wisteria!) |
one last view up to the hills |
we are not impaled on this roof at this time |
Cats of Japan: sleepy |
we walk back to the hotel along the main street |
a freight train passing |
bicycles along the edge of a pedestrian bridge |
a stone doorframe |
art of a bird in Onomichi |
no bicycles? but we came here to ride bicycles |
hotel room in Onomichi |
our window overlooks these boats |
view from our window: Mukaishima Dock Yard |
David and Tom, shaking down their bikes |
Tom's bike seems good |
David's bike also seems good |
Gina tests the van |
my bike! |
bird on the water |
Cycleship Lazuli: a ferry |
boat on the channel, with bikes |
cyclists waiting for the ferry |
a barge carrying flat things |
decoration at U2 restaurant: a glass wall map of the Shimanami Kaido |
a negroni |
caesar salad with dried shrimp and a runny egg |
chorizo and squid ahijo |
skateboard prevention ramps which are surely in no way a temptation to skateboarders |