09 September - 11 September 2004

Last Updated: 25/1104

Tom actually managed to get a day of work, and making the most of the long weekend we headed to Shikoku - the smallest of Japan's four main islands.  We had a wonderful, relaxing holiday, although we were sat on trains for far too long.  Although we travelled by express and shinkansen, our journey down to Uwajima from Fukui took around 7 hours!  

 

We visited a Sex Museum, stayed in a capsule hotel, went to an onsen, rode a Ferris wheel, got drunk, went on a boat trip, found a London bus, hired a car and explored a valley.  Amongst other things.  Not bad for three days!

 

A typhoon was due to hit on the day we arrived, but thankfully the weather held off (the typhoon hitting further up the coast instead), and the worst we experienced was a little rain on Sunday.  

 

  

    
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At Matsuyama station - Tom meets

Anpanman

The Sex Museum and Fertility Shrine

The shrine itself is actually very old, and apparently

there used to be many such shrines in Japan. 

   
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In Tom's dreams.

Yes, even we were shocked.

This was taken just after we left the sex museum.

Unfortunately (?) we don't have and photos of the museum itself, as pictures

 could only be taken for the cost of around £300, I think.

    

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 Uwajima Castle

One of the onsens in the Dogo onsen area of 
Matsuyama.

 

This one was totally over-crowded, so we headed to the newer one instead.

  

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Awww!

In a Ferris wheel on top of a Matsuyama

department store

Tom tries out his capsule at the

Capsule Hotel in Matsuyama

The capsules were well kitted out, with a TV, phone, radio, mirror and light. 

Guests also get a locker, and every two capsules have their own private

area that screens off.  We were even provided with yukata and slippers!

  

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Our two capsules are in the background

A London Bus?  In a remote(ish) city in Japan?

    

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Beautiful scenery in the Iya Valley

We spent a day pottering around the Iya Valley in a rather nice 

little hire car.

Gorilla Navi!

 

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Tom gets control of the car keys!

Crazy rafters

 

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We decide to take a (rather expensive) boat trip down the river.

 

Would you believe we actually had to take our shoes off when

we clambered into the boat!  only in Japan!

One of the other boats

 

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A vine bridge

This sums up everything Japanese.

Anyone who's lived or visited Japan will understand...

 

  

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Yes, this is a statue of a boy relieving himself over the

edge of the ravine.

Why?  No-one seems to know.

 

 

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