Archive for the ‘Himeji’ Category

Japan and Hawaii trip 2018

Saturday, June 30th, 2018

This year, we combined our annual return-to-Japan trip with a trip to some place we hadn’t been to before – Hawai’i! Actually, I’d been there before, but not to all the places we’d been to on this trip. Here is a series of pictures showing what we did in Japan & Hawai’i (as usual, click on the pics to see larger versions).

We started off the trip getting acquainted with newborn Yousei, less than one month old and Naoko’s first great=nephew!

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Proud grandpa Masayuki (Naoko’s brother).

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A cute little snake that Zen’s cousin keeps as a pet.

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Giving grand-dad a massage.

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One of many visits to fabulous Himeji Castle.

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Home cookin’!

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Local flavours.

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On the road to Hawai’i!

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Waikiki beach!!

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Our first full day in Hawai’i – a hike up Diamondhead!!

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Waikiki Beach boogie-boarders.

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The Royal Hawaiian Hotel… cool place.

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Waikiki beach.

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Breakfast at the International House of Pancakes… yum!!

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Heading off to Pearl Harbour.

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The USS Missouri.

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The Pacific Aviation Museum

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View of the hotel pool from our hotel room.

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Driving the rental car in Maui.

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The view from our awesome Maui apartment.

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Our friend’s home!

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Barbecue time!

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Going down to the beach on a Sunday afternoon!

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Local food for dinner!!

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Day trip to Lahaina

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Barbecue dinner!!

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Watching a beautiful Maui sunset from our balcony.

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Day drip to the Haleakala crater.

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Another day at the beach.

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An afternoon on the north shore with our friends.

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So long, Maui, it’s been awesome!!

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Back in Oahu.

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Our hotel had one of the best views in town!!

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We took in a free hula show!!

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Last morning in Hawai’i… we mainly spent it gazing at Diamondhead from our room.

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Heading back to Japan…

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Welcome back!

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I wanted to buy this tiger plush doll!

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Himeji castle!

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See you next time, baby Yousei!

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On the last day we hiked up Mt. Mega…

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…and went to the fish market!

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Book store.

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Himeji Castle.

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Our trip to Japan!!

Sunday, June 26th, 2016

So we were in Japan from June 9th to June 24th. It was a great trip – we’d planned to be there for the 50th anniversary memorial of Naoko’s great grandfather, when there’d be a family gathering and a special ceremony at the temple. But that was only one day, so we spent a week taking the train around Kyushu, seeing that beautiful island for the first time, hanging around in Himeji, and also doing fun things like going off to see friends in Osaka, eating good food, and drinking beer. We also saw a Hanshin Tigers game!!

But why don’t I let the pictures tell the story!! Sorry, some of these pictures are out of order, not sure why that happened…

As usual, click on the picture to see a larger version of it.

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Calayer curry shop in Osaka! Spicy curry!!

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Calayer curry – the only curry shop that specialises in Slayer!!

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Korean barbecue!!

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Cooked Korean barbecue in Tsuruhashi!!

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Tsuruhashi with friends!!

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Ready to hit the road…

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Hello Kitty mentaiko!!

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In the yatai area of Hakata.

Eating ramen in Hakata!

Grabbing some Hakata ramen!!

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Ready to ride to Nagasaki!!

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Nagasaki train station…

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Nagasaki Chinatown…

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Nagasaki Chinese food!!

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The Peace Memorial in Nagasaki.

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Nagaski ice cream!!

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This cathedral was only 200 metres from ground zero, but it has since been rebuilt.

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Ground zero.

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Never again.

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Nagasaki a-bomb museum

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A thousand cranes for peace.

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Nagasaki

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Nagasaki

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Nagasaki

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Nagasaki – Zen restaurant!!

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Nagasaki’s other cathedral. Beautiful!!

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View over Nagasaki.

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Glover Garden.

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View of Nagasaki from Glover Garden.

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Foreigners’ house museum in Glover Garden.

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View of Nagasaki port from Glover Garden.

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Sakurajima, an active volcano near Kagoshima.

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Yummy beer!!

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Sashimi!!

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Dinner in Kagoshima. We liked the city so much, we stayed two days – one day longer than we’d originally planned.

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Breakfast in Kagoshima.

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Heading out to Sakurajima.

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Checking out Sakurajima.

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Hot spring.

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Heading back to the city.

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On our way to Ibusuki by special train – the Ibutama. Very cool!!

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On a special tourist train to Ibusuki.

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At the Ibusuki hot spring.

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People are buried up to their necks in hot sand. It’s supposed to make you feel good. Naoko and Zen loved it!!

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While Naoko and Zen did their hot sand therapy, I wandered around the Ibusuki shore. Nice town!!

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Kagoshima cool!!

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Great breaded cutlets!! The restaurant was a bit gloomy, though…

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Polar bear shaved ice dessert!!

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Misty morning hop…

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Beppu!!

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Beppu shopping alley…

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Weird drawing!!

Beppu's onsen jigoku tour first stop - umi jigoku.

Beppu’s onsen jigoku tour first stop – umi jigoku.

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One of the hot spring places had a zoo, with this scary hippo!!

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It’s hot!!

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A crocodile!!

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A sea of crocodiles!!

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Hot hut.

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Beppu – hot spring town!!

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The gift shop…

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A geyser!!

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Our lovely dinner – sashimi!!

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Fish maw – doesn’t look like much, but it was probably the best food I had in Japan on this trip!!

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On our way to Yufuin!!

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Heading back to Hakata

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On the road to Hakata

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Himeji skies

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Naoko’s parents’ family altar

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The village temple

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The memorial service.

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Himeji’s smallest house.

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Daijobu restaurant…

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Fujino…

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Nice dinner, cool people, great food!!

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…and plenty to drink!!

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Zen and Speedy!!

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In front of the temple. Zen wore his school uniform.

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The men’s corner…

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Dried octopus…

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My niece made this funny picture of me…

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Catfight!!

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Heading out to Koshien stadium to see the Hanshin Tigers play!!

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We brought our dinner!!

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Weird platform warning sign…

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Warning signs on the road to my second Osaka visit!!

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Great Osaka food!!

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Awesome dish!!

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Cliff ‘n’ Matt in Osaka!!

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A downtown Osaka eatery!!

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Out for some lovely okonomiyaki!!

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Found this old radio in the room…

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old radio in the okonomiyaki shop

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Cycling around Himeji one day…

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Trying out Hope-ken’s spicy ramen – yum!!

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Spicy!!

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Himeji castle!!

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Speedy!!

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Barbecue fun!!

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Meaty!!

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Getting ready for a barbecue on our second-last night in Japan!!

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Tastes great!!

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Awesome barbecue!!

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Daichi and Naoko!!

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Himeji Castle!!

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