Because one flavour is not enough

That's it for this trip. Have to get this phone into the post and me into security. Thanks to everyone for such a wonderful trip!

Last breakfast

At Tokyo Soup Stock. Not Japanese food, but I like it.

That takes me back

The Uniqlo in Narita T1 is doing anime t-shirts - Dragonball, Galaxy Express 999, Cobra, Mazinger and this.

Last train

As usual, I don't want to leave!

Dawn out the window

Woke up - or rather ceased to be able to sleep - about quarter to six. Not sure where this is, but we were popping in and out of tunnels and the dawn was fading as fishing boats set out to sea.

The nobi nobi compartments are as uncomfortable as they look. The carriage is super-heated and the bunks have some kind of under carpet heating as well. It was fun, but I think I'll just plan my way out of needing it again. That or pay for a real bunk.

We've had the wake-up call for Yokohama, and will be in Tokyo in about 40 minutes. There's nowhere to put cases and when I asked the conductor he advised me to move into an unoccupied pair of top bunks and store my luggage in one. I was most grateful for the second blanket to use as a pillow.

Dinner on the move

I had planned to get something to eat at Fukuoka when changing trains, but the shop there was totally cleaned out - not even a rice ball. Thankfully the bullet train's on-board catering had a bento.

Peek-a-boo

The spectacles bridge in Nagasaki.

Last lunch

As I was going to be on the move from that evening, I had a proper sit-down lunch at a tonkatsu place.

Moomintrolls!

Seen in a shopping center in Nagasaki (I was only there because it had a ferris wheel, honest). I'm used to the giant Ghibli plushies (they seem to get bigger every year) but first time I'd seen a giant plush Moomintroll.

Alcohol and tentacles

Sakai took us to a favourite place of his, a bar specialising in shochu that also served food, cooked by the owner. It was amazing, from the fish cake amuse-bouche to the kara-age, grilled mushrooms, deep-fried aubergine and house special mackerel. There was serious talk of my abducting the owner for his culinary skills, but he declined. The shochu sounded equally good, especially one called Nagome.

We then went on to a Chinese restaurant - both places were tiny and would seat no more than 10 or 12 people. I'm not sure if I've ever had Ma Po Tofu before, but this place would take some beating.

And another thing

The cleaner's cart in Himeji station plays a bleepy version of 'It's a Small World After All' when moving.

Night train

In Himeji waiting for the Sunrise Seto sleeper train. No heated waiting room. Updates from Nagasaki once I'm safely on board...

Sailing back from Ioujima

The trip to Ioujima was the idea of Sakai, a friend of Yumi's. (We finally got around to dropping the -san and -sensei and just calling each other by our first names.) The island is lovely, and the slightly salty onsen was amazing. There were rotenburo, outdoor baths, with fantastic views and a lovely cool breeze. On the way back the catamaran was sailing into the wind and it was almost hard to breathe. I got some good photos in while being harrassed by a primary school on a day trip.

Only here

Chocolate sparkling water in the gift shop in Ioujima Onsen. They also had castella (pound cake) and champon flavoured drops. And more Sakamoto Ryoma merchandise than you could shake a sword at. I especially liked the t-shirt with 'Ryoma, what would you think of Japan today?' - and having your cartoon likeness or actor on sweets, curry, coffee, keyrings and who knows what else.

Cherry time!

You can't get away from them. Cherry blossom steamer and biscotti from Starbucks. Being consumed on a blazingly sunny Dejima Wharf waiting to meet people for local champon noodles and a boat trip to an island onsen!

Silence for the views

Kondo-sensei took me to the Endo Shusaku museum north of Nagasaki, in the area where his novel 'Silence' is set. Nice little museum and amazing views.

Elementary cherry blossom viewing

I spent the vast majority of yesterday with Kondo-sensei's friends at a cherry blossom viewing party, or hanami. Then we went to one of their houses. Then we went to Chinatown. A day of eating, drinking, seeing things I otherwise wouldn't have seen and more eating.

This is relevant to my interests

This morning I went to Dejima, the former Portuguese and then Dutch trading post that operated during the period of national seclusion. I thought it would only take an hour to see, but I could have spent most of a day there. The reconstructed buildings are wonderful, and there are loads of exhibits and information.

Some drama about Sakamoto Ryoma is on at the moment, and he's everywhere. There's even a Doumo-kun dressed up as him. And most tenuous of all, curry.

Obviously

A loggerhead turtle at the Canal City shopping centre.

I had ramen at a ticket-based fake stall restaurant in the basement. I'm sure Andy will throttle me next time I see him.

I visited the lovely Kushida Shrine with its carnival floats and then the Machiya Folk Museum - worth the trip for the video of the festival and the chance to buy a tenugui (kind of hand towel) with a rear view of each team's jacket worn by a man essentially naked from the waist down.

Nowhere is safe

Another amazing shop, Beniya, with kimono, yukata and lots of things made of traditional fabrics. I got some gorgeous t-shirts on sale.

Why? WHY?

Sky Dream Fukuoka, the world's second largest ferris wheel, ceased operation in September 2009. Dammit, this was one of the reasons I decided to stop over here!

I was wondering on the way in why an outlet mall needed two ferris wheels. I rode the smaller Sky Wheel which mostly gives you views of the car park and, well, Sky Dream. It's hard to miss from that close. I got a free ticket for the Sky Wheel after buying something at a shop - I passed.

This coffee is as strong as Godzilla

It's all about that powerful body.

Surfing rabbit

Statue outside Meinohama Station. On my way to the world's second largest ferris wheel!

If only it were that simple

Fukuoka's 'subway diet' - walk to the station, take the subway, walk from the station.

Walk in the park

The wonderful Ohori Park in Fukuoka. I think people would move here just for this.

Pink cocktails in the GReen Room

My one night out! Andy, my boss at Nintendo, lived in Fukuoka for many years and the GReen Room bar is owned by a friend of his. I had some delicious food, including three kinds of mushroom with garlic, and cocktails made with coffee syrup and sparkling water. Ended up chatting all evening to the bartenders and two of the patrons (one gave me a cut-out Mickey Mouse) and time flew, leaving me hoping I hadn't stayed out past Fukuoka's last tube. If only it was non-smoking. I got back to the hotel with no problems and now that I have tomorrow planned out, it's time for bed.

Muji

I miss the Muji in Reading (neither it nor I am there any more). But it never had cheese cream or matcha marshmallows.

What Zurich needs is a 100 Yen shop like Beppu's. Far better selection of origami paper at a fraction of the price.

Mine?

This beauty came and demanded bits of my lunch as I ate on the promenade. Sat on the seat beside me, swatted food off my chopsticks and nearly got up on the table.

Shochu!

One of the two attractions at the bottom of the mountain, the Kyushu Shochu Kan with over 300 varieties. The other place to go is a lovely Japanese garden you can see from the cable car. But I'm going to wait at the bus stop in the sun, listen to the hideously cheesy music on the loudspeakears and eat my ginger senbei.

What season?

It may be spring on the ground, but it's still winter up here! The cherry trees are covered in hoarfrost. The ride up is 10 minutes long, and one sharp-eyed passenger spotted two deer on the slope. Watching the scenery unfold as you go up is amazing. I think I was one of the few who didn't turn back right away - mine were the only tracks in the snow further up, and I only met guys clearing snow and the service men who came up with me.

Up, up and away

I'm happy to report that the onsen was great - I went again this morning. It's big enough that it doesn't feel crowded even with 20 or so people, and the outside rotenburo is smaller but lovely - sitting in a warm bath with cold drizzle falling through the wooden slats above.

After the bath I finished off my hot spring boiled eggs from the Sea Hell, checked out and left my case at the hotel, got my one day bus pass from the tourist office and had a coffee and doughnut at Mister Donut before taling the bus out to the Mt. Tsurumi Ropeway. The mountains look great, so looking forward to it.

Tonight's menu

Tofu and vegetables with inari, tamago (egg) and rolled sushi courtesy of the supermarket next to the station. With green tea, assuming the prehistoric hot water pot doesn't blow up, break down or set the room on fire. For my supposed luxury hotel of the trip, I'm not impressed. They've put me in a smoking room as well. The onsen had better be good, but I'll wait for a bit as a fraction of the population of China were on their way in when I got back from making my seat reservations for tomorrow.

What could be cuter than animals?

Animal sweets. Of course.

Obviously

Collagen marshmallows, to make you beautiful from the inside (Note: found in the in-hotel 100 yen shop). They were selling drinking collagen in the supermarket too, at the till where you normally find sweets.

Hell at night

Not even 7pm and it's dark already. Most places seem to shut at 5, but I'll head out and see what there is to be seen. Will get up early tomorrow and head up Mt. Tsurudake, then try a sand bath and maybe the aquarium.

Dragon Hell!

The Pond of Blood

Welcome to hell!

I'm in Beppu, town of the many hells! Some have been pretty tacky (the ones Rough Guide says to miss in particular) but a lot of fun and impressive too.

The one in the photo was closed and wasn't in the guidebook. Sounds awesome.

Lunch time

My healthy Tokkaido bentou from Shin-Osaka.

All change - going south

My next train, the Hikari Rail Star 553 to Kokura.

Because dogs need presents too

A display of presents for dogs and dog lunchboxes at Shin-Osaka station.