Shimonoseki

Shimonoseki

We visited Shimonoseki at the end of October, 2023.

Shimonoseki has a population of 248,000.

Getting there is interesting, accepting that the journey is an integral part of a trip.

We flew to Tokyo, where we stayed overnight near the airport, popping into the nearby convenience stores, and watching the trains cross the road.

Next ? A flight to Fukuoka , an underground train to the big Hakata Railway Station, a normal train for 20 stops to where we change trains for a two stop trip to Shimonoseki.

On the return trip we substituted the 20 stop ordinary train for the bullet train. A 17 minute trip as opposed to an hour and a bit trip was prefable with a plane awaiting.

ITSUKUSHIMA SHRINE

Look, moss like stuff growing on the branches.

AKAMA SHRINE

 

Naughty, taking pictures of a wedding

EARLESS HOICHI SHRINE

Hoichi the earless, a blind minstrel. Wiki has a summary of the legend.

MIMOSUSOKAWA PARK

The bridge connects Honshu to Kyushu over the 500 metre wide Kanmon Strait. AND there is a 780 pedestrian tunnel underneath, at most 58 metres down, for those wishing to walk over n back.

KAIKYO YUME TOWER

Thank goodness the elevator at the glass edge doesn't go too fast.

The clerk at the ticket machine apologised profusely, so much so, I thought the observation deck must be closed. Then she asked "are you over 65?"  Rick said "yes" yet I indignantly replied 

"I am 34 !"    Ah, she smiled, "then you can get a half price ticket ! "

CHOFU

Many sites in Simonoseki are a bit more than walking distance from each other. 

We often chose a taxi. I asked the taxi to take us to Chofu, as there were temples, shrines, a splendid old family residence, and a well regarded Japanese Garden. The taxi driver dropped us at a bus stop near the sign below.

Great place for an argument.

Up the street where the arrows pointed we could see a possible shrine.

Rick said "let's go" yet I didn't want to leave the main road and the possibility of a taxi, so I said "no, once there, how much more walking to find the other sites ?"

After a little abuse and anger, I gave in, and we walked up the side street, only to find a taxi rank. I know, why would there be a taxi rank up a side street ?

I asked the taxi driver if we could charter him to go to the places on the road sign, and gave him a Y10,000 note ($100) as a deposit.  ('charter' in Japanese sound similar to 'charter' in English) 

Feeling unease at leaving a driver waiting, we rushed through 3 sites plus the residence, forgot the garden, and paid a $20 chartering fee. NEVER offer a tip, so when I gave him the extra money, I raised a query eyebrow, and said 'charter dai', 'dai' being the Japanese word for 'fee'.

Knowing what I know now, I would have arranged a charter at the railway station, and had a more relaxed tour, AND gone to the Japanese Garden.

HINOYAMA ROPEWAY

GUNRYUSHIMA

The wee island destination was simply an excuse to go out on the water in this bobbing boat.

AQUARIUM

I don't like zoos or aquariums much, so it is surprising how captivated I was by the dolphin and sea lion show.

This fish below is a puffer fish, it has vile poison if you eat the wrong bits. It is a Shimonoseki speciality. Taste ? wouldn't rave about it.

I love sculptures and Japan has some interesting ones. This is a ....

TRIP TO KAWATANA FOR KAWARA SOBA

About 45 minutes on a local train is fun. Rice paddies, stuff to look at. Food to eat.

 

Kawara is Japanese for roof tile.

He (below, not above) was quite frisky I think, his courting romantic, yet, she'd only stick by him a minute or two, and fly off. He followed of course.

Gooses ?  Ducks ? There were two more as well, waddling behind the tractor, pecking up the seeds planted by the farmer.

 

Soba noodles on a roof tile is a speciality of this prefecture. The tile is SO hot, the bottom noodles go crunchy. This was Y4,100 for two. ($40)  Delicious.

BRITISH MUSEUM

Ah, I forgot. Many museums, art galleries etc are closed on Tuesday. Thank goodness across the road was a restaurant / coffee place that also sold green tea soft serve ice cream. Disgustingly yummy.

PUFFER FISH / KAMAYAMA HACHIMANGU SHRINE

Well, it must have been a shrine to the fish. So many sculptures of them. This place wasn't on my tourist pamphlet, but should have been. Pretty.

 

RESTAURANT

After getting the name of this nearby sushi restaurant from the receptionist, with a circle around a street block on a map, off we went in search.

There's no accounting for some drongs. At the little corner store nextdoor, I asked "ummm sushi restaurant?" and the shop lady gave me a look, that kind of look drongs are used to, as she pointed next door.

The service was friendly and unobtrusive, the food great, so we strolled there nightly. Sushi and a wee jug of sake, around $60 total. Ummm to be honest, I usually had 2 more pieces of salmon sushi, and eel for Rick.

HOTEL

I book our hotel on hotels.com, as they have twice given full refunds when we have cancelled (more than 24 hours before). They can be trusted.

We enjoyed Shimonoseki, yet it wouldn't be listed by some as a tourist destination. Shame.

So it was surprising that 6 months before our trip, this hotel was the only one that had 5 consecutive nights available.

Although it was small, it was bigger than a Tokyo hotel priced twice / three times as much.

One suitcase lived on the chair to the left, whilst the other lived on a suitcase stand next to the bench. This saved having to get to ground level whenever wanting anything.

The staff were friendly, the room spotlessly clean, the window opened to save using air con, the railway station across the road. The size of the room made no difference to us, it was totally fit for purpose.

It depends on angle... 

MISCELLANEOUS

A can in a shop.

Supermarket takeaway sushi for $12

Disgusting and nothing like a portrait !

Really ? As a selling slogan ?

Our doggie on the train door ?

A London bus ?

Pedestrian walkways above the road to speed traffic flow.

Coffee and KFC at the railway station.

Outside Shimonoseki Station.

Cherry blossom coloured lighting on JAL international planes.

IN SUMMARY

In 'Little Britain', Matt Lucas loved to say 'I'm the only gay in town'. Well Rick n I would love to be able to say, whilst in outback Japan, that we were ' the only gaijin in town'. (Gaijin = foreigner)

Sadly a damn Swiss gent ruined our line. He was on his 30th Japan trip.  

Shimonoseki can be fun for those relaxed about time n place. Mostly taxi drivers, bus infomation clerks, were incredibly helpful after a patient interchange, and you'd get to your destination. Why rush when an new experience awaits ?  It helps to have a tourist brochure with you so you can show your desired destination. The tourist bureau at the railway station can give you English and Japanese pamphlets.

Shimonoseki was a great Japanese holiday.  Nice people, stunning food, good sites, stairs, .....