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.
Calayer curry shop in Osaka! Spicy curry!!
Calayer curry – the only curry shop that specialises in Slayer!!
Korean barbecue!!
Cooked Korean barbecue in Tsuruhashi!!
Tsuruhashi with friends!!
Ready to hit the road…
Hello Kitty mentaiko!!
In the yatai area of Hakata.
Grabbing some Hakata ramen!!
Ready to ride to Nagasaki!!
Nagasaki train station…
Nagasaki Chinatown…
Nagasaki Chinese food!!
The Peace Memorial in Nagasaki.
Nagaski ice cream!!
This cathedral was only 200 metres from ground zero, but it has since been rebuilt.
Ground zero.
Never again.
Nagasaki a-bomb museum
A thousand cranes for peace.
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
Nagasaki – Zen restaurant!!
Nagasaki
Nagasaki’s other cathedral. Beautiful!!
View over Nagasaki.
Glover Garden.
View of Nagasaki from Glover Garden.
Foreigners’ house museum in Glover Garden.
View of Nagasaki port from Glover Garden.
Sakurajima, an active volcano near Kagoshima.
Yummy beer!!
Sashimi!!
Dinner in Kagoshima. We liked the city so much, we stayed two days – one day longer than we’d originally planned.
Breakfast in Kagoshima.
Heading out to Sakurajima.
Checking out Sakurajima.
Hot spring.
Heading back to the city.
On our way to Ibusuki by special train – the Ibutama. Very cool!!
At the Ibusuki hot spring.
People are buried up to their necks in hot sand. It’s supposed to make you feel good. Naoko and Zen loved it!!
While Naoko and Zen did their hot sand therapy, I wandered around the Ibusuki shore. Nice town!!
Kagoshima cool!!
Great breaded cutlets!! The restaurant was a bit gloomy, though…
Polar bear shaved ice dessert!!
Misty morning hop…
Beppu!!
Beppu shopping alley…
Weird drawing!!
Beppu’s onsen jigoku tour first stop – umi jigoku.
One of the hot spring places had a zoo, with this scary hippo!!
It’s hot!!
A crocodile!!
A sea of crocodiles!!
Hot hut.
Beppu – hot spring town!!
The gift shop…
A geyser!!
Our lovely dinner – sashimi!!
Fish maw – doesn’t look like much, but it was probably the best food I had in Japan on this trip!!
On our way to Yufuin!!
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Yufuin
Heading back to Hakata
On the road to Hakata
Himeji skies
Naoko’s parents’ family altar
The village temple
The memorial service.
Himeji’s smallest house.
Daijobu restaurant…
Fujino…
Nice dinner, cool people, great food!!
…and plenty to drink!!
Zen and Speedy!!
In front of the temple. Zen wore his school uniform.
The men’s corner…
Dried octopus…
My niece made this funny picture of me…
Catfight!!
Heading out to Koshien stadium to see the Hanshin Tigers play!!
We brought our dinner!!
Weird platform warning sign…
Warning signs on the road to my second Osaka visit!!
Great Osaka food!!
Awesome dish!!
Cliff ‘n’ Matt in Osaka!!
A downtown Osaka eatery!!
Out for some lovely okonomiyaki!!
Found this old radio in the room…
old radio in the okonomiyaki shop
Cycling around Himeji one day…
Trying out Hope-ken’s spicy ramen – yum!!
Spicy!!
Himeji castle!!
Speedy!!
Barbecue fun!!
Meaty!!
Getting ready for a barbecue on our second-last night in Japan!!
Tastes great!!
Awesome barbecue!!
Daichi and Naoko!!
Himeji Castle!!
