Day 68 – Wednesday 19th
March 2014 – Kobe, Japan
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| Welcome to Kobe |
We were alongside at
08.00 and had the local fire bridge band playing and a bunch of funny people
welcoming us to Kobe.
After breakfast in
the Britannia Restaurant we were at shore at 09.30 and onto the shuttle bus to
the China town area, near to the city centre.
Not too far
away was the Motomachi Railway Station, where we got the underground train to
the main station at Sannomiya. Here we changed trains for the express to Nara,
a journey or ninety minutes.
This was
not the bullet train,but still a fast service in a very comfortable carriage,
where there are very informative signs
and audio messages in English of where the train is, and the next stop. The journey took is through the sprawling
metropolis of Kobe and the adjacent city of Osaka, which are both hemmed in by
the mountains. On the outskirts of
Osaka, we commenced climbing the mountain with fantastic views over the cities,
through a tunnel and on the other side. For the first time after an hour’s
journey, we were passing fields in amongst the buildings.
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| Yoshikien Garden |
 |
| Isuien Garden |
Colin had
been to Nara twenty years previously, and had told be about the city, which once
was the ancient capital of Japan before Tokyo and Kyoto. At the station, the very helpful tourist
information office gave us a map and the route we should take in the time
available, we were on our way.
The first
stop was the Yosikien, a beautiful landscaped garden, where there is no grass
but they cultivate and look after the moss, you are requested to stay on the
stepping stones to protect the moss. Next door in the Isusien Garden another wonderful place with ponds,
stepping stones, watermill and tea houses.
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| Tea House |
 |
| Taking tea and saki |
We then
moved onto the Todaiji Temple and what a magnificent building.
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| Todaiji Temple |
Todaiji Temple was built in the Nara period
(710 – 794 AD) and is famous for the massive Vairocana statue housed inside,
known as Daibutsu (Great Buddha).
Founded in the 8th century, the Daibutsuden Hall which houses
the statute was burned down twice in fires that broke out, as a result of war.
The present structure, which was rebuilt in 1709, was scaled down to two-thirds
of the original size. Nevertheless, it
is the largest wooden structure in the world.
Height 57 metres; length 50 metres; width 57 metres.
 |
| Diabutsu |
 |
| Great Buddha |
The Great
Buddha with height of body 15 metre, length of head 5.5 metres, length of eye,
1 metre, length of ear 2.5 metres is enormous and its sheer size takes your
breath away, as you walk into the building.
 |
| Warrior |
 |
| Warrior |
On other side are other great wooden statutes of warriors looking after
and guarding the Great Buddha.
The whole
wooden building is awe inspiring and a monumental achievement to the Buddha.
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| Deer |
 |
| Alex and Bambi |
Surrounding
the temple is park land, where approx. 1200 wild deer roam around freely and
they are so tame, you can make friends with them.
Legends has it in the 8th century,
the dominant Fujiwaras, a dominant aristocrat clan invited god to come to Nara,
and is said, to have come riding on a white deer, since then, deer have been respected and
protected as divine messengers by local people.
 |
| South Gate |
We left the
park via the Great South Gate which is the largest temple entrance gate in
Japan, suitable in scale to the great Buddha Hall.
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| Kasunga Taisha Temple |
 |
| Lanterns |
We walked
for another kilometre to the Kasunga Taisha Shrine, where both paths to this
shrine are lined with approx. 2000 stone lanterns, and the eaves of the shrine
itself are decorated with around a thousand hanging bronze lanterns.
 |
| Pagoda |
On the way back to
the city centre we passed this five storey pagoda in the Kofukuji Temple, yet
another world heritage site. As time was
pressing and how many temples to do you want to see in one day, we headed back
to the station for our train journey back to Kobe.
 |
| Motomachi |
I had been
to Kobe before and an old stamping ground was around the Motormachi, it was
20.00 and most of the shops were closing and people on their way home.
A side street round the back used to be where
all of the bars/restaurants were, but a lot had since gone but we found a one
called Quarto and this was an excellent choice.
We sat down to refreshing beers and the famous Kobe steak, these steaks
are totally different in taste and texture and do not cost a lot of money. When
we left all of the staff came out of the kitchen and too much bowing, smiles
and goodbyes, we merrily went on our way.
Now being
seasoned train travellers, it was back on the train to the main station and
jump on the portliner, a monorail system, a driverless train running out to
airport passing the ship at the passenger terminal, and we were back on board
for 22.30.
We sailed at
23.30 and once more there were crowds cheering and sending us on our way, only
the Japanese can do this; and it great to see.
It had been
a different, wonderful outing, mixing with the people and thoroughly enjoying
the experience, a great day out.
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