Tsu

We went to Tsu in early November, 2017

Tsu is a town of 280,000 people.  It is the capital of Mie Prefecture.

WE flew into Tokyo, and stayed overnight in Shinagawa. The Narita Express goes to Shinagawa from the airport in about an hour.

Next morning we took the bullet train to Nagoya.  That took about 95 minutes.  We changed trains to a Limited Express for the 50 minutes trip to Tsu.

TSU

The castle gardens, walls and moat.

Our hotel was a 5 minute taxi trip from the railway station.  The plus was this stunning inexpensive restaurant, just around the corner from the hotel, in a three quarter empty shopping arcade. Food and sake for two growing boys was around $50.  The service was jolly.  The Japanese  do NOT take tips.  I worked out how to thank exemplary service and food.  Just before I asked for the bill, I ordered another bottle of sake.  Then after paying the bill, I took the sake up to the staff at the back, bowed and thanked them.

Taking the dog for a walk.

Sculptures everywhere.  And coloured tiles on the footpath near the hotel.

A temple near the hotel.

Part of the old castle in Tsu.

FUTAMINOURA

It took about an hour by train to go south to Futami-no-Ura, where there is a shrine out on a wee rock.  The walk along the beach was beautiful and relaxing.

 Many frogs around Futami-no-ura.  Shrine for frogs ?

TRAINS

The joy of going on intercity non express trains in Japan.  Most of which you can stand next to the driver and look out the window.

There are pretty painted trains throughout Japan.  For kids big and small.

GOZAISHODAKE

The trip north west to the mountain Gozaisho took about an hour and a half, with a change of trains at Yokkaichi.

Once off the train there is a bus trip !  All this sitting downs should prepare you for the stairs !!!

The cable car takes you up 2,000 metres !  AAagh !

Once out of the cable car, there is a chair lift to the summit.

NABANA NO SATO

This series of gardens and tea houses and bars is well worth a visit.  It is accessible from Nagoya or Tsu. There is a bus that takes you from the train station.  Check with your local tourist office how to get there.

KUWANA

Kuwana is about 40 minutes north of Tsu, (on the way to Nabana no sato.)

The Kyuka Park is pretty, but you'll need a taxi to get to it.

Ah !

As the sun was setting we wanted to go back to our Tsu hotel. But we forgot to get a taxi  card with a telephone number on it.  And the big park had more than one gate.  So how would a taxi driver find us ?

We stopped a nice young 50 year old man on a pushbike and asked for help. Wriggled our mobile phone and said "taxi". No need to speak Japanese.

He looked around and thought ~~~~  ummm ~~~~  .  So he waved to us to follow him around a long corner to a hotel from where he called the taxi.  As it was about 5 or 6 pm, the taxi took ages.  Yet the kind man waited till it came, then waved us off. 

Sculptures, everywhere. These in Kyuka Park.

 

ISE SHRINES

The trouble with the large beautiful Ise Shrines is that 39 trillion people want to see them.  I solved the congestion problem by copping out.

MATSUSAKA

So beautiful so beautiful are the castle ruins park in Matsusaka.

There are also old Samurai residences there.

As we were leaving we asked a lady the way to the train station, and she insisted instead of pointing, to walk us the whole 2 kilometres there !

NINJA MUSEUMS AND FORMULA ONE CAR RACING

Ah, I do so much research before leaving home, we often just buy the train tickets and go. On Saturday we would go to the Ninja Museum, about two hours from Tsu.  Easy.

This trip there had been a late typhoon two weeks before we left Sydney.

Well, ummm typhoons can damage train tracks.

So after a 2 hour trip on substitute buses going to places I didn't know, I accidentally asked, in some small place somewhere, if the train track was broken.  The nod said it all.  We asked where to catch a bus back to Tsu.  Rick said " look, that was an experience".  As it was ?

Now, if we had asked at the Tourist Information Office, I'm sure we would have been advised the best way to get there.

Also near Tsu is Suzuka Race Track for those interested in Formula One Car Racing.

Apologies for the spacing.  Sometimes one can be amazed at what one doesn't know how to fix...