“Go 9.7 km to the 13th light (you will go over a river, then a sharp corner, eventually go under the bullet train tracks and pass by KEKU home-made spaghetti restaurant). There is a sign that says Tomabechi above this light. I am going to call the 13th light POINT A. All directions will now start from POINT A.”
This is how you get to Nanbu town, at least according to a recent article in the local Insiders newspaper on base. There are no named streets in Japan and only major highways have numbers. Directions to anywhere off the beaten track always include such details as how many traffic lights to count or the color of the nearest Ramen shop.
On July 5th we led a caravan of 4 families to Nanbu town. First stop: an unnamed ceramics shop. Closed. However, we did manage to get a self-guided tour of the grounds (while a Japanese family nearby raised more than one eyebrow) and several handcrafted artifacts (?).
The statues were so lifelike, it felt like they were actually speaking to you.
Who knew random pottery strewn around a big rock could be so pleasing to the eye? (that’s a rhetorical question by the way, Doug)
I had a strange feeling around this particular collection of misfits.
A backboard-eating tree is at large (har har)
This is one of my favorite gardens in Japan.
Eventually we realized that the ceramics place really was indeed, no kidding, actually closed and not open, nor was it going to be open anytime in the near future, we ventured off to our next stop: the Dragon Tower!!!!
And it was closed, so I didn’t take any pictures of it. Then it rained—hard. I got soaked.
Next we went to Hokoji temple (700 years old). It too was technically closed, judging by the vacant parking lot and the booth where they charge the entrance fee was shut tight. I guess if the place is closed that means it’s free, right? (that’s also a rhetorical question, Doug) And if three other families agree with you, then it’s okay to just walk in.
That’s not the famed Big Buddha statue. That’s actually the lesser-known Teeny-Tiny Buddha statue.
Everything about this picture says true Japanese: the torii gate, the peace signs made by the girl in the photo, even the Sumo wrestler walking up the steps in the background.
Walked in on a local during prayer service.
Gotta have a bathroom photo. No blog is complete without one.
And this potty is just right.
I wish we had taken pictures of the next and final destination: the Fukuchi water park. Several indoor baths/pools (bathing suit required) and one big waterslide (50 yen per ride). At least it was open. Sorry, no pictures of that one. Too busy swimming.
Hilarious post. That sign about the bathroom for short people, kills me!! Gotta love all out adventures in Japan.
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