Now this takes me back

The train back from Akechi to Ena has a few students on board, chatting to or ignoring each other. They could well be from the school I used to teach at (although the name and uniform have changed since then).

I was able to meet both Akiko and Tomoko, which was great. They both have small children and it was a flying visit, but I'm really glad I had the chance to see them.

Akechi station sells used tickets as souvenirs. I got one for Iwamura and one for Yamaoka.

Meeting hopefully three more teachers tonight for dinner - definitely a better result than last year!

Back to the past

After an hour in Iwamura, I'm back on the Akechi line to meet Akiko, another of the teachers I used to work with.

I remember what I thought the first time I came to Gifu - green, green and more green.

Fire

Imamura No.2 fire station, crewed by volunteers if I remember correctly. Mind you, I didn't even know there were two stations. I knew nothing about anything when I was here.

I can't figure out where I used to live. I will probably get horribly lost if I try to find it, so I'll stay on the tourist route for now.

And Kawai's restaurant is still there, in front of the station.

Biting off more than you can chew

It looked smaller in the photo.

I can't explain this

Having both "horse foot" and "horse fat" on the packaging doesn't help.

You might want to retranslate that

I think you want to say "no additives".

Not blackface, I swear

Charcoal face pack. Really.

All this for only 100 yen!!

I'm back in Ena with nothing to do, so it's time for the yearly 100 yen shop raid.

Nothing changes

Back in Akechi after... 10 years? More? It hasn't changed much, but cheerfully full of day trippers.

Nom

Basically a creme caramel with a hint of soba tea flavour, especially in the liquid caramel. I could eat it again. Daily if neccessary.

Nagoya chicken

Cooked! (Old family joke.) Chicken and egg over rice with a side dish of soba in hot soup with tiny shrimp.

And they have a soba tea pudding. I've never had one before. It is my solemn duty.

I see what you did there

For a moment, I thought the Akechi line was gone... This local goods/souvenir shop is new (to me) and I couldn't see the station. The building on the left is the station entrance.

Ena hasn't changed much. My hotel is behind the home center where I bought a suitcase once after mine disintegrated at the school I was teaching at right before I went to the airport to go home for Xmas.

What's posh for nom?

Today's very nice and fancy lunch at Cepages on the 51st floor of JR Towers in Nagoya.

The height of something

Yes, I'm in Loft again.

Double win

Win on the view, win on the food. Next stop, aquarium.

Kyoto cider

Better known outside of Japan as lemonade.

Table with a view!

I wandered into the restaurant beside the steam train museum for a late lunch. Good choice. ^_^

Choo choo!

At the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum! Just gone on the steam train ride (slow and short with walls on either side - you won't miss much if you just watch it pull in). There's a new aquarium in the same park, which is ideal for hot weather sightseeing.

In other news, 初めてナンパされました. Kazuya helped me find the right bus at Kyoto Station, then decided he'd tag along... He got the message when I refused to hold hands on the train, and dissappeared after I asked him if he was bored. Well, one more Japan experience I can cross off the list.

Late, late, late

The very impressive Kamigamo-jinja shrine. The main hall closes at 4pm so I didn't get to see that, but worth the long bus ride.

Neither is a good idea

Alcohol-free stout, in a hamburger restaurant whose name loosely translates as "surprised donkey". Or it could be "surprise, donkey". I didn't ask.

They have calorie values next to every meal, and the option of a natto burger if you want something less calorific.