There were a lot of animal statues lining the road toward the temple.

The park had numerous shrines or possibly graves that looked quite old.

Japan is known for its vending machines. I’ll try to capture as many different ones as I can along the way.

The local McDonalds delivery car.

Apparently, special cakes for Christmas are very popular here. Places that make them are starting to take orders.

It has some fun architectural touches.

Soufflé pancake break! Unique from any other pancakes we’ve had before.

We toured the Sapporo beer museum.

A vending machine specializing in merchandise related to a bird found only on Hokkaido.

The path we took down.

Our first Ramen which was miso based.

There’s a lovely park adjacent to the shrine.

There is a cute coffee truck in a park near where we’re staying.

They have ironing boards for tables.

We visited an interesting park called Morenuma park with a man made mountain called Mt. More. This is the path we took up the hill.

In the museum gift shop they were selling these Pringles. We passed on this flavor.

In central Sapporo is an Eiffel Tower looking structure called the Sapporo TV tower. We took the elevator to the top observation deck for a view of the city.

Tasting at the end of the tour. I had a cold tea made of corn. It tasted like corn! It was not sweet. Very interesting!

Lots of beers made here over time sent all over the world.

There are some fall colors starting in this park as well.

View of another park feature, a glass pyramid, from the top.

But we did have lunch there at a restaurant where customers grill their food at the table. Hence the bib.

Fall colors are just starting.

The Hokkaido Jingu Shinto shrine entrance.

Cute cat art in a subway station.

The seafood market had the biggest crabs I’ve ever seen. They were enormous. They had a several foot leg span.

There was a lot of other seafood as well.

There was a super cute bakery that focused primarily on creations that incorporated rabbit themes.

A fun roofline and street lights.

Melons are very popular, as is soft serve.

Enticing ramen option.

Cute art for the cat people ❤️

We opted for a break with cakes and tea at a patesserie called Le Tao.. Strawberry cake and a Mont Blanc (Chestnut paste, cream and a macaroon like cookie).

Vending machine of the day: chicken dinner!

These are some of the examples of glass items we saw.

This was the music box museum which was 90% retail and 10% history. They had music boxes in every imaginable shape and size and price point with soooo many songs, all playing randomly together.

Art in the Onsen.

There is a striking red suspension bridge over the river that runs through town.

Bento boxes.

An interesting fire escape in town.

These were our desserts at lunch. Miso pudding and a cleaver custard with mango and passion fruit made to look like an egg.

And some nice strolls in the woods to get to the bridge.

More unique vending machines.

At the fish market here there are many shops serving fresh seafood bowls. These are all very realistic versions in plastic as examples for customers.

Taking a soft serve break. Jessee got half and half vanilla and chocolate and I got melon. Yum!

The fort.

Many rooflines.

Halloween themed mochi!

The park and fort from the top of the tower. It’s outlined by a moat in the shape of a star. There are apparently a number of these types of forts throughout the world.

Mt. Hakodate at sunset.

The Hakodate art museum is adjacent to the fort and had some examples of calligraphy in different styles.

Looking the other direction from the tower to Mt. Hakodate.

Our first sushi dinner.

More melon flavored snacks.

Mt. Hokkaido Goma-ka-take in the background.

There are bridges that connect paths between the floating islands.

There are boat tours.

Lots of fall colors.

Some interesting flora.

There is a trail to the rim.

Our ride back to town.

A transportation option in the town supporting the park entry.

Like in the US, each park has a stamp that can go in a stamp book.

And fun paddle boats.

Mt. Hakodate and the observatory in the background.

Love the decorative manhole covers. The squid is the mascot for Hakodate.

Persimmons are in season.

Russian Orthodox Church.

So we gave it a try.

A greeter outside a restaurant.

Community center.

A number of streets slope down to the water with good views.

A popular Hakodate burger chain. The clown is a bit scary but people love it.

Old warehouses along the waterfront have been repurposed for retail and restaurants.

Lots of brick maintenance here.

Then we walked down one of the many paths to a neighborhood at the base.

Fishing boats.

The neighborhood at the base of the mountain has historical importance. Hakodate was one of three ports that opened to westerners after Japan had closed itself off from foreigners. Folks from the UK, Russia and the US came to live here, mainly in this neighborhood. The architecture is different as a result and there are a number of churches which aren’t super common here.

Episcopal church.

Who could resist the worlds second most delicious ice cream melon bread? Not us! Melon bread doesn’t have any melon in it. It’s shaped a bit like a melon and has a crispy crust! Shell and soft interior.

Aomori has a busy waterfront with impressive bridges.

Sampling the Apple products. Apple and sweet potato tart and apple and cream cheese tart.

And no city is complete without a uniquely shaped observation tower!

For one of our initial meals we went to a fish market where you buy tickets used with any vendor to then buy fresh fish to put on rice. It was super fun. So much variety!

The rainy view that wasn’t the tunnel.

Aomori is also known for their delicious apples and orchards. Apple juice even has a dedicated vending machine in the train station.

The train stations have bento boxes to buy for your meal on board. They are specific and special to each station.

The city mascot.

Aomori hosts the Nebuta festival with amazing lanterns. These are on display in the train station.

A sun break.

And comfortable!

And inside.

We also went to the art museum. The first 4 gigantic paintings are backdrops for a stage for a ballet called Aleko that was produced in the 1940’s in New York. They were painted by Marc Chagall.

Another giant piece is a statue called the Aomori dog. Maybe sad that it’s having sprouts for dinner.

A cute minibus shuttle from the art museum back to the train station.

Pie and tea break!

Smaller pieces.

We had a fun dinner at an atmospheric restaurant with lanterns both outside…

The focus of the floats is on famous people from the past and mythical beings.

We walked along the trail next to the river for several hours.

Some fun flora.

I love the snow on just one side of the tree trunks.

A video of the view from the front of the bus. A tunnel of leaves and snow.

The trail mascot (the shape of Aomori prefecture I think).

Our lunch break spot.

A truly special place and amazing day.

There were many gorgeous waterfalls.

Sunset and alpen-glow on the fresh snow as we headed back over the pass.

There wasn’t any snow in the gorge at the lower elevation.

There was a really fun ninja performance that unfortunately didn’t allow photos.

As part of Halloween, some of the employees were dressed up as supernatural beings called Yokai.

There was also a parade with the Geisha group.

There were spiritual aspects.

And food like these mochi balls.

Attendees can opt to also dress in period clothing for the day. I love this modern day Samurai dad…

Pot sculpture.

This was a magic show with water.

This was a play about Geisha.

These are train snacks on another train with assigned seats. They are rice triangles. One with tuna and mayo in the middle and one with kelp and sweet soy sauce in the middle. Perfect travel food.

Did the house or the tree come first?

And we grilled our own rice crackers.

And fun crafts and art.

Our first day in Nikko we went to Edo Wonderland. It’s a theme park focused on the 250+ years of the Edo period of great prosperity and peace. They kindly provide a shuttle bus as it’s a bit out of town.

There were many experiences on offer like swordsmanship, ninja training, archery, indigo dying, etc. It was a fun day and we learned a lot about this period of Japanese history.

Fun street light.

There are impressive buildings, many of which are theatres that have shows throughout the day.

Video of parade below.

The shows are historical but also incorporate humor and audience participation. They are completely in Japanese so we didn’t always know what was happening but they were fun nevertheless.

This was a play about politics.

All the other employees were in period dress including this group of ninjas.

And hungry Koi and natural settings.

There are over 160 rooms and lots of views to the gardens outside.

Some of the sliding doors feature beautiful paintings.

Bonsai for sale.

The shrine and statues overlook a river.

Apparently there are bears in the area!

A shrine along our walk dedicated to rabbits.

Mailbox embellishment.

Daikon just harvested hanging from a neighbor’s car port.

And there is intricate metal work throughout.

Funny neighbhood sign.

I love the decorative manhole covers.

Strawberry pound cake.

There is a lot of moss and mushrooms.

We also visited one of the prior residences of the emperor that is now a museum and exemplifies 3 architectural eras. Below is the room where the emperor worked with a desk and chair.

This tree was 400 years old when it was brought to this temple several hundred years ago. It gets lots of support.

Lots of cats are incorporated into signage.

Little jars of pudding/custard.

Sake containers.

Neighborhood shrine.

So much moss!

Freshly harvested Daikon hanging on a neighbor’s carport.

Rin-noji temple.

Each has a distinct label.

Cheesecake and matcha latte break.

Goju-no pagoda.

Super cute and quite delicious.

Some lovely colors.

The gate to the temple. It was a national holiday in this day, Culture Day, so likely a bit busier than normal. A lot of visitors!

A war memorial with the ashes of millions of people inside.

We visited the Zenkoji temple complex. This was a small building on the path up that I stopped at to admire the persimmon tree.

Amulets that visitors use to write wishes on. They are uniquely designed at each temple.

We ducked out of the rain to visit the Nagano Prefectural Art Museum which had an exhibit of Higashiyama Kaii. His art is beautiful! The piece below was a practice version of a mural he painted in the imperial palace. It covers a huge wall.

Fountain floaty baubles.

There is a story about a raccoon dog who became a monk to bring a lantern to the temple. These statues are related to the story.

A different artist using woodblock, also focused on fall.

There are so many cartoon creature worlds we’re unfamiliar with that have stores filled with related merchandise.

His trees reflect the amazing fall colors we’ve been seeing.

The temple.

The Nagano manhole cover design.

Leaving the temple.

The top of an incense burner at the temple.

Smaller versions.

And cute food like these sponge cakes with chestnut dipping sauce.

People can also soak in nearby pools in this complex. The monkeys are free to join in if they want.

A monkey mascot.

Apple turnover break!

Sunset from the bus window.

This is their soaking pool. Pretty deluxe in terms of scenery.

Some gorgeous fall colors along the way.

The Macaque monkeys are native to most of Japan. In this area, the park puts out food to attract them and have built them a hot spring pool to soak in when they are cold in the winter. They choose when to be in the area and typically live higher up in the mountains. There were dozens in the park area on this day.

Larch trees. One of my favorites!

Sunset colors from the train station.

After the castle we went to a miso factory. We took a tour and had lunch. The company president, who is the 6th generation of family ownership, gave the tour. The large metal pot was used for boiling soybeans up until the 1990’s.

It was a great place to stroll around.

Miso soup makings, dashi bouillon and miso paste. This is the best miso soup I’ve ever had.

The carp on the roof are supposed to ward off fire.

Lovely garden with a persimmon tree.

And vending machines.

Samurai suit of honor.

And is put in this delicious ice cream.

Creative drainage.

The castle grounds was hosting a Chrysanthemum competition. These were huge!

First year miso cedar vats. The miso, which is soybeans, rice bran and salt, ferments for 3 years in a series of vats.

Castle visitor stamps.

Statue of a frog reading a book.

The Matsumoto art museum has a permanent Yayoi Kusama exhibition. She grew up there. It’s an amazing exhibit but largely doesn’t allow photos so there are just a few.

A couple other paintings in the museum that I liked.

A friendly Samurai greeter.

As usual, there are unique man hole covers.

These are chrysanthemum plants trained into bonsai over one season. They were gorgeous.

This lake is known for the beauty of the reflections of scenery on still days. It was a bit breezy while we were there.

Larches!

Soba (buckwheat) noodles and tempura for our post walk dinner. Yum!

A beautiful beetle along the way.

There are a couple of guardians at the gate.

And a lot of maples of different hues.

The middle shrine.

Tori that lead up to and away from a small shrine along the route.

The uppermost shrine is known for the avenue of huge hundreds of year old cedars that line the path. They are impressive!

Below the castle is a shrine.

The castle houses a collection of Samurai armor.

A neighborhood shrine with lots of foxes inside.

We crossed a river on our way to the port area of Odawara and spotted this heron.

Perfectly coated!

Unique use of umbrellas.

I love the moss on the ties of this fence.

A couple more unique vending machines.

We came across a shave ice place where rather than shaving ice, they shave frozen fruit. It’s served with a small container of condensed milk to pour over it. We got peach and strawberry. It was delicious!

Restaurant/market in the port area.

We haven’t seen many building murals in Japan. \240This is the first.

Video below…

This was a kids play area.

And foliage

The most fun was this stained glass tower.

They have some fun interactive pieces.

A few sculptures.

With a super cool net play scape.

Cool bamboo.

Looking down the spiral staircase.

Trippy final piece.

With a spiral staircase up the middle inside.

View from the top looking down on a hot spring foot bath.

And the first view of Mt. Fuji!

And saw almost all of Mt. Fuji.

Then a train to Gora.

After a quick walk through Gora park.

Then ropeway # 2 down to Ashi Lake.

And some beautiful sunset clouds.

And a curry lunch

Where we caught a lift on a pirate ship across the lake.

Then Ropeway number one to the Owakudani station at the top of a volcanic crater.

Then a cable car up.

Then our last bus back to Odawara. Quite a circuit!

Our changing room.

Signs of harvest around the Onsen.

The shower and soaking pool.

We had Inari Sushi and little sweet adzuki bean filled Mt. Fuji shaped cakes.

Pretty little arrangement.

Snacks that we got at the train station. The packaging here is great.

A huge moat.

Amazing stonework.

There is also a shrine next o the castle.

And very well maintained and pruned trees!

A Shinkansen speeding by in this video as we were waiting for another one.

Holiday lights starting to appear.

Osaka castle. It’s impressive!

A lot of gold embellishments.

The first Osaka manhole cover.

Unique vending machine in the train station that juices apples on demand.

The 11 stories of stairs at the train station lit up at night.

A cool tree outside the museum.

Looking over to the observation tower.

Lots of incorporation of mirrors.

This is the first room we entered off the main pathway in the museum. It was my favorite. Photos don’t really do the exhibits justice so there are a few videos.

Lots of interactive things.

The tower at night.

Lots of projections.

There were some lovely fall colors.

And fall fruit including persimmons and quince.

The Darumas come in many shapes and have various expressions. Pilgrims purchase a one of the larger figures which don’t have pupils in their eyes initially. The pilgrim colors in the right pupil and writes a personal goal (one short term to be accomplished in the next year and one long term that the short term goal feeds into) on the figure. When they accomplish the goal they color in the other pupil, bring the Daruma back to the temple and leave it \240as an offering.

It seems as though the smaller Darumas already have their eyes completed and pilgrims write a wish/goal on the figure and leave it at the temple.

There are thousands and thousands of Darumas all over the grounds. My understanding is that at the end of each year they are collected by the monks and burned in offering and the year starts fresh.

There are a lot of interesting buildings!

Video below.

This is the Osaka Tenmangu shrine close to the end of the arcade.

The night was super still so there were fun reflections on the waterin the garden.

These were larger softer orbs. They also changed colors when pushed and emitted tones.

Jessee has been wanting to try Omarice, basically a fried rice omelet. It didn’t disappoint.

We topped off the day at another TeamLab exhibit. This one is an outdoor night light experience at a local botanical garden. It was really lovely.

These orbs were the only crossover with the indoor TeamLab experience in Kyoto. They change colors when moved and also emit sound tones.

Possibly my favorite exhibit. Taking the inflated noodle concept to a whole new level. So simple and so mezmerizing. Both are videos.

The Dotonbori area of Osaka is known for its neon and nightlife. There’s a lot going on here!

Video below.

A local specialty is spheres made of batter, scallions, and octopus cooked in cast iron molds.

Pond lanterns.

A very cool forest parade with a variety of creatures. Video.

And lots and lots of matcha. Not a traditional preparation but we enjoyed matcha lattes.

I love the bright green!

Lots of treats in Ugi including this stick with confections.

Persimmons.

Treats we brought back for dessert. Matcha pudding, pancakes filled with red bean paste and chestnut, a fruit paste confection.

The back of the 10 yen coin.

Matcha product vending machine.

I love the matcha pancakes highlighting the phoenix statues on the temple roof.

The temple is next to a river with some lovely bridges across.

The man hole cover design in Uji.

Our train back to Osaka.

So many options!

Curious wood statue.

In addition to the phoenix’s there are some great faces incorporated into the beam ends.

Sunset from the train station.

A fun train seen on the way back to Osaka. Cats!

Doorman robot. Love the hat! We’ll call him Leonard for all the Only Murders in the Building fans.

Kobe ultimately meets up with Osaka. From up high it appears as one giant city.

Christmas decorations are in full swing here. They had hot chocolate, Gluwine, pretzels, etc. on offer.

Quick video below. Don’t mind the exit sign arrow reflection in the glass. 😜

There is an observation tower.

The loop bus for tourists looks like a trolley.

Kobe has one of the largest Chinatowns in Japan.

There is a glass house with tropical plants.

The waterfront is part entertainment and part working port. There are great pathways throughout.

And to cap things off we tried Kobe steak prepared right in front of us.

The view back down to Kobe.

We stopped for drinks and chips to see the sunset at a bar with a view.

There were still some flowers in the garden hanging on into fall.

Kobe had a lot of great utility hole covers.

Lit up buildings at night.

We had giant sumo bowls of sake.

The mural on the ceiling at the base of the tower.

We also saw the first cat cafe of the trip.

It’s a happening place!

There are also amusement park type games like archery and throwing ninja stars.

We went to 5 different restaurants with different local foods. The first was fish.

Then chicken wings and lemonade.

There is a lot of fun and big signage including this tribute to a local chef who was known for always being angry.

The view of the neon street from the top of the tower.

Lots of neon.

There were also udon and gyoza and skewers of fried foods including a fried mochi ice cream ball.

And of course a tower!

There is an art installation if kimono fabric in illuminated poles at the train station.

The bamboo is impressive.

After the temple we headed to Arashiyama and the bamboo grove there that has become a tourist destination. But first, lunch! A Wagyu dog and rice porridge.

There is a river and park next to the bamboo grove where people can rent boats and paddle around.

There is a nearby temple as well with its own pretty garden.

Sunset at the end of the path.

Sweet shrine plaque.

Cherry tree leaves. This must be gorgeous and packed in spring when they are blooming.They run along the whole way.

Temple guardian.

Ducks!

The Kyoto utility hole cover.

Fungus!

The temple complex from the hillside above.

Some sights between the temple and the Philosophers path. Rickshaws are available for hire!

Potato tornado break!

Dessert at Kura sushi, the conveyer belt sushi place that somewhat recently opened in Bellevue. Highly recommend for all the Washingtonians. It’s fun.

A Shrine along the way is focused on animals, especially mice.

The canal that the Philosophers path runs along for about 2 kilometers. It’s in a residential neighborhood and pretty mellow. Not huge crowds. Lots of shops and cafes.

A Heron fishing.

Sake containers.

There was a garden as well with lots of cherry trees and a couple Ginkgo trees as well.

Fun restaurant facades.

We had ice cream immediately.

Other sights walking around include these go-carts that people rent and drive around while dressed like caracters. I’d heard of this being a thing in Tokyo but apparently Osaka too.

The other temple we visited, Namba Yasaka, has a super unique building in the shape of a lions head.

This is an impressive multi-story rooftop garden at a shopping center.

Another fancy utility hole cover.

And other treats after dinner where we’re staying.

We couldn’t pass up Strawberry mania!

All the lanterns at the temple probably look impressive at night lit up.

Fun train decorations on the way back.

The cheesecake. It’s more like a soufflé. Very light and fluffy and eggy. Definitely worth trying!

There’s a cheesecake here which is very popular. We stopped and got one on the way back to our lodging. Below are ones just out of the oven.

There were some great utility hole covers along the walk. Yuzu is an important crop in the region and the Minoh mascot has a yuzu head.

The box.

Their phoenix guardian.

There was a peaceful tea house with indoor and outdoor seating.

Love the small islands in the pond.

Some lovely fall colors.

Sunset from the train ride back to Osaka.

Then went out for ramen 😀

We sat outside and enjoyed matcha and a sweet.

A really wonderful soba lunch we had in the neighborhood we were staying in. One woth soup and one with tempura.

Treats at a bakery across the street from where we were staying.

Holiday origami at the grocery store.

Translation on this sign isn’t clear but it’s cute!

Delicious coffee place with a Hawaiian name. It means finished work. The time after work has ended and social fun can begin.

Treats we brought from the golden temple. Beautifully packaged as always.

I think this is the type of gourd that if allowed to dry becomes a loofah sponge. It was big!

A story related to the area involves a diety arriving here on a white deer. A reason why deer are not hunted here.

The temple has striking orange coloring.

Tori gate to the forest and mountain which are considered sacred.

There are dozens of stone and metal lanterns in and around the temple.. Each one is unique.

Stained glass window that I liked at a school.

The Nara utility hole cover.

This is soy milk ice cream with the cutest measuring cup of mango sauce.

Bento tray.

The deer have learned that bowing gets them more crackers. They are very good at it. See Jessee demonstrating in the video below.

Buddha bowl with falafel.

She loves cats and the profits go to cat rescue.

The cafe where we had an excellent vegan meal. It was run by one woman who did everything.

There are a number of very old rock carvings of Buddhas in the area including along the path we took.

Plant life.

Floating flowers.

Bamboo forest from the inside.

A lion figure guarding a house entry.

This is the pagoda at Gansenji temple.

Temple cat.

We took a bus to Gansen-ji temple a few miles away then walked through forest and villages to another temple called Joururjii. There were self serve farm stands along the way.

Gourd offerings.

And from the outside.

And pagoda.

These are figures in each corner of each level that are said to hold them up. Each is supposed to have a slightly different facial expression. These are unique to this pagoda.

The temple bell.

Part of the path to the next temple.

Joururiji temple.

Lunch at a restaurant near the temple.

Fruit for sale along the way.

The complex has some very large boulders with large Buddha carvings. This is just an outline waiting for a future Buddha.

Someone had fun with these pine cones in a hole in a tree.

The restaurant had a cute cat living on site and this stitched likeness of him was at the register.

After walking down the mountain we were early for the next train so stopped for dessert.

There was a lovely maple grove where people were picnicking.

Sign to the temple.

Autumn bounty.

At this very cute cafe.

The temple bell.

The flattest part of the path. The rest was quite steep.

The view from the complex at the top of the mountain.

We walked through town to get to the path up to the temple complex.

This is the cute logo on the path signs.

The local utility hole cover.i think it’s mushrooms, strawberries, yuzu and something I’m not sure of.

A chicken farm.

A happy figure on a house wall.

A small shrine.

The chicken coop in the yard of the house we’re staying in.

A bamboo forest.

And the hill ahead. It ends at Koyasan station.

Which was lovely.

This is the second entry gate in Koyasan to the largest temple complex, Danjogaran.

There were a few fall colors remaining but since the town is at a fairly high place on the mountains the leaves had mostly fallen.

The temple bell.

This is the Daimon gate. The first entry to Koyasan which has approximately 117 temples with monasteries in a small town that is a few kilometers long and a couple kilometers wide. It was founded in 816 AD by a monk name Kukai, now know as Kobo Dashi, who founded Shingon Buddhism in Japan.

Bear warning sign. It looks a lot like a wombat! We miss wombats!

Each lantern is an offering to the temple on behalf of/ in memory of someone who has passed away. The practice, which is now fairly common, originated here in Koyasan.

We went back to the Daimon gate for the sunset.

It has a very sizable pagoda.

We took a walk in the evening when the temples are lit up.

This is the cable car. It climbs about 1,100 feet in 5 minutes.

Each has a unique inscription which isn’t visible in these photos.

A smaller pagoda.

Purification area near the entry.

With all the pathway lanterns lit it’s a special place to be at night.

Most grave markers are composed of these stacked shapes which represent the 5 elements: earth, water, fire, air, space/energy.

A few last leaves hanging on.

We took a meditation class at this temple/ monastery.

This was a sweet painting in the temple.

Another roof beam support person.

Dinner between meditation class and a night tour of the Okunoin cemetery. Yum!

Temple building dragon and animal adornments.

Okunoin is the largest cemetery in Japan with over 200,000 graves. The founding monk of Koyasan, Kobo Dashi, is believed to be in eternal meditation in a temple at one end of the cemetery. It is a common goal of most Japanese Buddhists to be at least partially buried here. A monk led the tour we went on and explained a lot about the cemetery.

The Japanese cedars are huge and range in age from 200 to 800 years old.

Jessee had many bowls.

Impressive Temple doors.

And a lot of trees. Some even growing out of the grave markers.

Monks leaving from a morning offering at Kobo Dahsi’s shrine.

After the morning in Koyasan we transitioned to our new base of Okayama. This is an array of bento box options at the Okayama train station. Check out the Shinkansen train boxes in the lower right.

Okayama has several canals. This one has festive holiday lights.

They like cats!

But most markers look like these.

There are some figures in the cemetery.

Some Okayama utility hole covers.

Pizza night!

The statues with red caps and/or bibs are of a dirty named Jizo who is associated with protection of children. Even the nooks in trees have markers.

And half an apple pie.

This is peach boy who I’ll share more about in a bit.

There is a lot of moss.

Jessee enjoying the tea.

Sparkly!

Fun paddle boats on the river.

Bright Koi clustered around something attractive.

We came across a variety of fun signs and art walking around.

There was a nice holiday light display along one of the canals.

Peaches are a big deal here.

This is Okayama Castle. It was bombed in WWII and rebuilt in the 1960’s. It’s known as black crow castle because of its dark exterior.

We stopped for a hot drink as the weather was chilly. I liked this planter table.

Marigolds are very popular here in planters and in gardens.

Still a few leaves hanging on!

It’s lit at night.

A fanciful hedge.

A peach filled pancake, a chocolate filled pancake, and peach gelatin cup.

We didn’t try any denim blue food but it was available!

A boat tour of the canal.

This is super cool! An underground bike garage with a bike escalator to bring them back up.

Utility hole covers for Kurashiki.

Holiday lights down a shopping arcade corridor.

A tile roof that isn’t black or blue. The first I’ve seen like this.

Himeji utility hole covers.

The local temple.

Coffee and muffin break!

We got there just before sunset.

A treat we brought back to our lodging for dessert. Peach boy is featured on the package with his friends the talking dog, monkey and pheasant. There is a myth about Peach Boy which is easy to find on the internet and is claimed to have originated in Okayama.