(T)rain to Kurashiki

The radar map

When I opened the curtains this morning, there was another curtain of rain outside as the water poured down from the rooftop. It had rained incessantly all night at various levels of intensity. This morning there was another deluge. Even I was beginning to believe that these were normal weather patterns, and then the 9 o'clock news reported flooding in several areas of Japan. The weather charts showed a front more or less permanently stationed over the whole length of Japan.


Our friends on the 26 bus

The rain didn’t bother us particularly today. We were travelling from Kyoto to Kurashiki, halfway between Osaka and Hiroshima in Western Honshu. I was just anxious about having to wait for any length of time at the youth hostel bus stop without any shelter. As it happened, I needn’t have worried. The rainclouds relented for several minutes and we boarded the bus unscathed, albeit with shoes still sodden from last night’s spate.

Once again, the bus crawled into town. By now we had spent a good few hours on the 26 bus and were almost on first name terms with the bus drivers and some of the passengers. An hour later, the bus deposited us at Kyoto railway station where we made our way to platform 5 for the rapid train to Himeji, over 100 km to the west.


Pearl Bridge across to Shikoku

It would have been possible to take the Shinkansen all the way down the line to Okayama from Kyoto, but that would have entailed spending an inordinate amount of time in tunnels, which seems pretty silly if you want to “see” Japan. As we had no plans to get off at Osaka and Kobe, two of Japan's largets cities, our first-hand knowledge of them was limited to a view from the train window. Likewise, Pearl Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, and Himeji-jo, Japan’s most famous castle (for reasons explained elsewhere in this blog).


You can just about make out Himeji-jo

There was a 15-minute wait at Himeji, where we changed onto the Shinkansen for the short journey to Okayama. The fastest bullet trains do not stop here but fairly fly past. There was just a blur of speed as one passed by. From Okayama, we jumped on a local train for the four stops to Kurashiki. Our hotel - the pokiest place so far - was located just round the corner from the station. Convenient rather than comfortable.


Typical view on the Shinkansen run between Himeji and Okayama

The main attraction at Kurashiki is the Bikan quarter. According to Wiktravel (you can tell I’m starting to get lazy here): Situated along a scenic canal, these white-walled storehouses are beautifully preserved and open for exploration. The storehouses with lattice windows share space with weeping willows along the banks of the old canal, which is illuminated at night. The canal has led some overly optimistic tourist associations to call Kurashiki "the Venice of Japan".


Canalside view, Kurashiki

But it’s not just the canal area. In town too, is the restored spinning factory which goes by the name of Ivy Square. As well as the Achi shrine on top of the Tsurugata hill. There are several museums that can be visited. If you only have an afternoon, a stroll around town is sufficient. And anyway, it was late and we were getting hungry. So we headed off to the nearest sashimi (raw fish) restaurant.


Kurashiki bridge

It should be mentioned that Kurashiki has the Ohara Museum of Modern Art (why do I persist in thinking Ohara was Irish?). Ohara was a textile magnate who built the factories around town and he collected works of art including European works by Picasso, Cezanne and El Greco. We didn’t visit, but – to let us off the hook – Lonely Planet explains: if you’ve spent time in major European galleries, you may find the collection disappointing.


Picturesque street complete with overhead power cables

The Kurashiki canals at dusk are delightful. They are just 10 minutes away from the Young Inn, a snappy name for the hotel where we are staying and where my supply of Sapporo awaits.


Kurashiki at dusk