Matsuyama to Suooshima (by ferry): Gina and i went out before breakfast to look at Dogo Onsen, and then the van took us all to the ferry terminal. After a 90-minute ferry crossing, we're ready to start our bike ride.
morning in Matsuyama |
looks rainy out there |
hotel umbrellas for our convenience |
we took an umbrella and went out to look at the Dogo Onsen |
roof detail at Dogo Onsen |
it's still raining |
exterior of Dogo Onsen, which was the inspiration for the onsen in Spirited Away |
metal bird on the onsen roof |
side of building (note lantern with bird) |
wood railing detail |
roof dragon |
a bamboo grove, just hanging out in town |
facade of Hotel Chaharu |
Dogo Onsen |
little metal roof with a little metal leaping lion-dog |
we go to check out the outdoor foot bath |
Gina, with an umbrella, near the foot bath |
streets of Matsuyama past the onsen |
roofs, a pedestrian arcade entrance with a decorated facade, and a number of solar panels not having their best day |
decor in hotel: rocks in a cage |
our hotel room in night mode, with futons |
banner and bamboo in hotel lobby |
decorative plates at hotel |
after a quick breakfast, we drove through Matsuyama to the ferry |
boats at a dock |
next step: ferry to Suooshima |
leaving Matsuyama |
corner of Matsuyama from the water |
channel marker in the mist |
the center of the ferry was a giant tatami mat, for napping |
nameplate of our boat |
ramp in its upright position |
mist over a mountain |
ferry wake and islands |
a complicated mountaintop situation, plus mist |
there is definitely a mountain in the fog there; it's not Mount Fuji this time, though |
fish over the tatami mat area |
various islands in the water |
a green island |
passing a number of islands |
approaching the channel into Suooshima |
houses, mountains, and mist |
coast, with mountain behind |
houses in front of many trees |
leaving the ferry on Suooshima |
it's a certain amount of work to get the bikes off the van and tuned up |
best blue roof photo of the trip |
road into the trees |
across Suooshima (by bike, 37km): a subset of us biked the length of Suooshima in the rain. It was very pretty, but also a bit of a race to get to lunch before the kitchen closed.
north coast of Suooshima |
Sarah, Dana, Gina, and Paul are the riders; everyone else opted for a van ride given the rain |
Sarah, riding along the coast |
Birds of Japan: on a rock |
roof of Chosenji Temple |
roof detail |
the inner building, which also has a good roof |
marker in temple courtyard |
orange flowers in temple courtyard |
street in front of the temple |
we have entered the Yamaguchi license plate domain |
little islands north of Suooshima |
a working boat |
onward |
a very geometric breakwater |
a different shape of geometric breakwater |
road, water, mountains, geometric breakwater |
it's wisteria-o-clock |
Sarah and Gina, regrouping as we cross to the south side of the island |
yet another shape of geometric breakwater with beach and mountains |
beach and mountains ahead |
beach and mountains behind |
Rei and Paul discuss: if we don't get to the restaurant by 2pm, we don't get pizza |
i took this photo because i couldn't figure out what was going on in it, and i still can't |
we were biking past a road race; the runners shouted encouragement at us (ganbatte!), even though they were working harder than we were |
the runners also seemed very damp, but the scenery continued to be good |
we made it! |
seated at Salvus pizza restaurant at 13:59, lunch is saved |
Birds of Japan: flying over the water in the fog |
gorgonzola and mushroom pizza |
the road race finishing tent was outside our restaurant |
kitchen at Salvus |
Suooshima to Yanai (by van): Dana and Sarah biked the end of the Suooshima route, while the rest of us opted for the van.
around Yanai (on foot): it was raining fairly hard, but we wandered around a few blocks of Yanai, and spent time at an extremely cool soy sauce warehouse and factory
a cemetery in Yanai |
a candle-holder |
entrance to a shopping street in Yanai |
walking down the street in the rain |
entrance of the Kunimori House, a merchant house built in the 18th century |
Tom picks up some car snacks at this pastry shop |
it is having some sort of strawberry-related special event |
our destination in Yanai, the Sagawa soy sauce maker |
i am confident you would like to read an informational sign about this soy sauce warehouse |
every soy sauce warehouse needs a fish tank |
cartoon art of part of the soy sauce process |
more soy sauce process cartoons |
a storage container |
the soy sauce process in diorama format |
beginning of soy sauce diorama: grinding and roasting |
soy sauce vats (apologies for bad lighting) |
different colors of soy sauce |
fish wall hanging |
large fish art over many small fish arts |
many varieties of soy sauce for sale |
a branch with fish art |
outside of soy sauce warehouse, trees and frogs |
fish manhole cover |
Yanai street manhole cover |
Yanai to Murozumi (by van): the van took us the rest of the way to our hotel, where we found the onsen and otherwise relaxed until dinner, another multi-course set meal at the hotel.
more green landscape with houses |
driving around the coast to Murozumi |
coastline with rocks |
our hotel is up a hill overlooking Murozumi Bay |
garden view from the hotel window |
hedges visible from the hotel window |
mobile in the lobby at Kamenoi Hotel |
our room was futon-style, but the futons were already set out when we arrived |
Cape Zogohana lighthouse, across the bay |
Murozumi Bay |
Sarah and Gina examine their vegetarian banquet plates |
beginning of my non-vegetarian banquet plate |
banquet dinner menu, with wisteria |
the black bowl was a gelatin cube with scallions, and the sashimi was really good |
wagyu beef, a soup with a great broth, and shochu on the rocks |
pufferfish tempura |
layered rice cake with salmon roe; also let's admire that bowl lid |
panna cotta! |