This past weekend I went with fellow photographer Anthony Wood to the Narita Gion Matsuri. Since coming back to Japan in 2012, I haven’t been to that many festivals, so when Anthony invited me to join him at this one, I was excited to take him up on it. And this one did not disappoint!...
I’ve shared many photos here before from cherry blossom season in Japan, but many of these photos come from Tokyo. Tokyo is, of course, a lovely city with some great sakura viewing spots, but having lived in several different places in Japan, I know that the feel of the season in the city and the...
Japan has no shortage of famous locations to visit. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Mt Fuji are just a few of the major destinations on many a person’s travel list. While it’s great to visit such places, I believe if you want to really experience Japan, you have to make some time for some of the smaller,...
Hi Les,
Your photos really bring back memories of my youth. My Mom was from Shimotsui and I visited the town a few times in the early to mid 70’s while a youngster living on Yokota AFB. At the time, there were few foreigners to be seen, and our family would arrive in a full-size station wagon to the amazement (amusement) of the locals. I was back again in 1990.
My wife and nine year old son and I will be visiting next month from the San Francisco Bay Area. Would you be so kind as to advise the easiest way to get to Shimotsui from Okayama where we’ll be staying. We plan to just wander around as the memories flood back to me. In the 70’s, we took a two car train into Washuzan. I recall walking down a seemingly endless number of steps to the town. The fishermen took us fishing and to nearby islands to swim. Really fond memories of a quiet little town, but with plenty to explore.
Anyway, look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the comment! Very interesting reading your own experiences. Quite a time you had there for you sure, so I can see why you’re looking forward to the visit.
The best way to get there now from Okayama Station is to take the marine liner (I think it is called) to Kojima Station, then take a bus from that station to Shimotsui. That bus also continues on to Washuzan, so you could take the bus to Washuzan and then walk down from the mountain into the town, or you could stop earlier and walk around the town and walk up the mountain. There might be a bus that goes directly to Washuzan, as well.
Great post, I’ll have to bookmark it for when I get another chance to visit Japan and tackle off the beaten path cities. I especially love that last shot at night with all the glowing lights.
