Obama and Kyoto

I know, I know. Last Golden week I went on a bit of a tirade about how this Golden Week we'd be leaving the country. However, since the cost of leaving Japan at this time of year is absolutely exorbitant, and since we've been getting very carried away with planning our onward travels for when we finish here...well... we decided it might be nice to explore a bit more of "home".

Last year we headed north. This year, south was calling. So, we headed down to Obama, and then on to Kyoto prefecture, to check out the "third most beautiful view in Japan". (Well, it's more-or-less on our doorstep...we figured we ought to take a look...)

We had a lovely few days (the temperature topping 31'C!), and are now back to the mayhem of packing, sorting and planning in Fukui.

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We stopped off at a konbini in Tsuruga, and found this shrine - with a whole bunch of Torii - just across the road...

...it proved to be a very good photo opportunity.

(And there was a fish market next door...)

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"Fukui has many beautiful nature"

It's rice-planting time again

Check out the groovy automatic rice planter (which we got stuck behind. grrr).

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More of that nature

We visited the temple in Obama where the Omizu-okuri festival starts from...

It was absolutely beautiful, and so peaceful

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Some geta

Tom, sitting on a rock by where the omizu-okuri ends...looking rather cheerful!

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More nature

We stayed right on the coast in Obama. The sunset was really lovely...

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The next day we explored a bit more...

(Not quite sure what Tom's up to...but then again, I never am...)

Note the funky tree - the leaves were actually growing in separate clumps of red and green.

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We hiked up a little hill and found this...um...Buddhist(?) shrine thing (it reminds us of the one up Asuwayama...but we've no idea what either of them are for)

Further along the coast, and into Kyoto prefecture. We made for Amanohashidate - reputedly the third most beautiful view in Japan.

Just before the sand spit, we had a look round a temple...

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...where the usual temply things were going on.

Amanohashidate - The Bridge to Heaven

We walked across, despite the (by now) slightly dodgy weather

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But it was well worth it - the scenery was gorgeous

At the other side of the spit, we took a funicular railway up a mountain to a vantage-point over the bay and the sand spit itself. From here we could see the famous view.

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Now, here's the thing.

"Legend" (or someone with a very odd sense of humour) has it that the view is best appreciated if you stand with your back to it...bend over...and peer through your legs. All the Japanese people were doing it. And (noting the safety net) we decided we ought to give it a try.

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Not sure what all the fuss was about.

Back down the mountain, we took a speedboat back across the bay, and then made our weary way back home along the scenic route.

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