Today's entry in "I Forgot to Mention This Yesterday" is:
Yesterday I forgot to mention that it got to about 26°. So it was quite warm walking around Kyoto and it was humid as well.
Caught
the Nagoya City Loop Bus to Nagoya-jo which is yet another example of
the recreated in ferro concrete after being destroyed during WW 2
castles. This one made it all the way to May 1945 before bombing burnt
most of the structures to the ground. Like Osaka-jo you climb to the top
via the upstairs flight and come back via the downstairs flight.
Because they form a double helix there is no possibility of people going
up or down getting in each other's way. Pure genius. The better
alternative is to climb up and get the lift down. Each floor focuses on a
different aspect of the castle and the second floor contained a special
exhibition with 100+ exhibits on the theme "The Unification of Japan"
about the efforts of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa
Ieyasu to become the ruler of a united country. Then I went to look at
the reconstruction of the Honmaru Palace. Seeing the amount of wood that
goes into building such a structure is mind boggling and the smell of
fresh cut cedar is a sensation not to be missed. After looking down on
the work in progress you then go inside the part that has been completed
so far and it is extraordinary. Definitely a must see and I will
definitely go back to see the next stage/s when completed. It is
expected Stage 2 in 2916 and Stage 3 in 2018. Very good reasons to
return. My first "Where are You From" moment of the day occurred as I
was leaving the second floor viewing area looking down on the builders
at work. Turned out to be an older chap who was on some sort of work
trip from Tokyo who obviously keeps tabs on the progress and said he has
seen the whole process from the reconstruction of the Castle Keep on.
Also he was born in Osaka. Nice man.
Went back to the bus
stop intending to go to the next stop- the Tokugawa Art Museum and
realised I had just missed a bus. So walked over to a nearby building
and found out it is the Nagoya Noh Theatre. Wandered inside and signs
stated that the actual theatre was open to visitors FOR FREE. I love the
serendipity of situations like that. Didn't even know Nagoya had a Noh
Theatre!
Back at the Bus stop the second "WAYF" moment.
Malaysian guy and his girlfriend had flown into Nagoya this morning and
this was their first stop. They live and work in Singapore and are in
Japan for 10 days.
Now I had asked him where to next and he
said the Toyota Museum (Toyota started in Nagoya as a textiles firm)
which was the first stop after getting on at the Station and I said I
was headed to Art Museum as mentioned before. Suppose I should have
wondered but because it is a loop bus I just presumed they would stay on
the loop back to the Station and on again to Toyota. Now bearing in
mind the Tokugawa Museum was one stop on when the bus came and headed
off the announcement was that the next stop was Noritake Garden ( the
second stop) in other words we were obviously heading back to the
station. My first misdirection this trip.
So when I got back
there I decided to take a short train ride to Atsuta Jingu which is
probably the third most important Shinto shrine after Ise and Izumo
(which, as you no doubt remember, I have visited both on previous trips-
Ise 2012 & Izumo 2013). The shrine houses the Sun Goddess Amaterasu
and the Sacred Sword "Kusanagi". The other two Imperial Regalia are the
mirror (housed at Ise) and the jewel (Tokyo Imperial Palace).
I will definitely be returning to Nagoya so will do the Tokugawa and als Toyota another time.
Trains
back to the hotel and my decision to take the brolly paid off a few
times today whereas yesterday I carried it around for nought.
Bought dinner at Lawsons including another one of that delicious dessert cup I bought in Kanazawa.
Dinner, bath, writing- quite the routine.
On
the news just before they were talking about this being the 50th
anniversary of the first Shinkansen service. I remember hearing a week
or so ago someone saying the reason was to have it working for the 1964
Tokyo Olympics.
What an invention. Brilliant.
At
the moment there is a history show about the Nobunaga/ Hideyoshi and I
presume Tokugawa will turn up. Really do wish I at least understood a
bit of Japanese-all I'm getting is the odd person's or place name but
interesting all the same.
Tomorrow off to see Shige-san at Vermillion
Till tomorrow then....
Lotsalove,
Tim xoxo
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