The spring of the snowy Sakuras.. Japan travel experience

Our journey has been designed from south to north, according to the normal development of the flowering of cherry trees, so going by the Chugoku region in the Kanto, Tokyo reserving final day ... pity though that this time it was crazy and cherry trees are in bloom in Tokyo first and then to the south! It was not a big loss because we have seen millions of sakura blossoms, but in Tokyo had already touched and say that Tokyo held as a last step can be a poo 'disappointing after all the wonderful views ... but let's go with order!

 

We say that the journey is not exactly started off on the right foot because it landed on time in Rome, but then our flight Rome-Tokyo is nicely canceled for the problems to the engine! The Alitalia will keep a couple of hour wait standing next to the luggage belt, saying that they do not know if there riproteggeranno with other flights (seee ... 250 people were kind!), But if it fix the plane, or if you slap us in hotel to find a solution the next day ...
At some point you realize that the plane is not in condition to fly, either that day or the next, the other aircraft do not have room for 250 people and we all placed in the cold and frost in the square at the airport waiting a bus that will take us to the hotel, but did not know if it was started the next day.
Everything was really wonderful because there were businessmen who had to be in Tokyo for business meetings and a group of musicians who had to do a concert on 28! So do not tell you the degree of hysteria. Among other things in Tokyo had an appointment the wheel at 10 o'clock in the morning with our friend Masaki we would have had to deliver a loan phone to use during the holiday (the Japanese phone system is not a GDS, which also Our phones or triband quadribanda there are useless) and he would be distributed to Osaka to 11, for which the appointment was clearly softer.
In the meantime know a sweet Japanese girl, whose name was Erika that we get to chat.

Fortunately my Michelino is a travel agent furbacchione, then immediately call to his brother in the agency and booked us two seats on the flight for Japan Airlines (which is a partner of Alitalia) starting at 9 pm even though the hostess told us that if we do not have a ticket you can not do anything ... well, to make it short in the end we manage to speak to a more important and more prepared which verifies that our reservation as the Japanese comrades and change our tickets at a JAL ticket!
So businessmen and musicians are on the ground, while we're the only ones to leave!
So my advice is to have a travel agent prepared and confidence that you can help in these situations, because if it were we would have parties for albania the day after flying with lufthansa to Frankfurt and then from there to Tokyo, losing almost two days of vacation!
Unfortunately, the same trick does not work for Erika, because since we know at this situation in the meantime Jal had already closed the reservations and she remains on the ground and having come to the visa expired can not pass through any airport for which must wait until the next flight after two days, poor, what a pity not to have known before!

Given the delay in departure and the hands that are moving forward to 7 hours after arriving in Tokyo (in this period, the hours are 7 because there are not summer time) landed at 4:30 local time. Still hear the plane to call our names all'altoparlante: Masaki had left the phone for us to ground crew and we have seen him deliver once set foot on Japanese soil!
Collect your luggage, change money at the airport, collect our Japan Rail Pass and already have made the six o'clock.
In this respect, although now it is known I suggest those who want to make a trip to Japan to buy the Japan Rail Pass, because even if the train does not include superfast Nozomi can take any JR train line (including Shinkansen Hikari and Kodama), in two weeks we have just purchased a pair of tickets to Kyoto station and a subway ticket in Tokyo, for the rest we were able to visit every corner of the city by train! Caution should pass bought in Italy, not available for purchase once you are in Japan, you will be sent a voucher and instructions on where to go to Narita airport to pick up the pass itself.

Tornado travel initially had been scheduled to take the train from Tokyo to travel home the Okada family, other friends who are in a village an hour's drive from Himeji, but we arrived at Narita after 12 hours spent in Fiumicino and 12 were definitely the aircraft tire, so do not feel like doing an hour's train to Tokyo, then 3 hours and a half to Himeji and Kamigori for another hour, so take a night in the same hotel we have booked for the end of the journey.
After a good shower and some 'restoration, will make the nine in the evening and we are among the colorful streets of Shinjuku.
Walk a little 'between groups of "sarariman" in suits and ties visibly tipsy, restaurants with food plastic exposed to mò menus in 3D and look every showcase, every sign of light, follow the scent to find a place to eat. Mistaken for a restaurant we are in a bar (Izakaya) and we order appetizers and beer that devoured in an instant, we would have liked to order more, but also in a neighborhood bar as the Shinjuku accept orders up to 10! What really strange for us Sicilians! Well, today you go to bed with Pancino somewhat 'empty!

Affected by the curse of jetlag, although we were lying down at midnight and were destroyed by the journey we wake up at 4 am! We sleep at 7 to finally awaken to the nine and a half. Since leaving the Shinkansen to Himeji in the morning there were only smoking seats available (the Japanese people smoke a lot! And even in public places like bars and restaurants, a thing that never ceases to amaze me!), The book of 14:00 and we have some 'time to move to Tokyo.

Michele at this point just want to go and see the electric bass in a shop of musical instruments in Shibuya, in contrast to the serious music shops we visited in the United States in Tokyo have fun: there are multicolored electric microchitarrine (for dwarves or children? ), normal-sized guitars, but in the shape of a star, Hello Kitty or even Doraemon ... something incredible and clearly Michael is buying a new low but strangely chooses a regular fender with white bezel hardened ... I could see well with the guitar hello kitty! But clearly it will withdraw when we return to Tokyo at the end of the journey.
Then we start at a time of Himeji after having bought a ekiben (meal ready sold in wooden boxes full of disposable chopsticks that you buy at the station, there may be inside of it!) To eat on the train.

Himeji already arrived to see the beautiful castle illuminated in white in the dusk, and Yuji Okada Yukimi (well-known 18 years ago when I was little more than a little girl on the beach in Taormina) and we are waiting for us in their wonderful house Kamigori, where we have a mini for us: ingressino, room with tatami and futon, a bathroom and kitchenette with fridge with inside any kind of drink.

Before you sit down to eat an excellent dinner that we prepared Yukimi, Okada to give the presents we brought one for her necklace and a wooden box with "tools" to be a sommelier Yuji of earrings in silver and swarosky for Miot daughter and a diagram of the PC in the shape of spider for her son Yuri, the more gifts from my sister ... clearly we have brought gifts for all the friends that we met with the Japanese view their hospitality, so we thought that once delivered we would have found a little 'more than space in the luggage ... instead each of them returns to us with many wonderful gifts! Between what we give and what we buy our luggage will gradually scale disproportionate!
A further clarification about the gifts in Japan is a serious matter, we deliver with two hands and a little bow and then the Japanese did not open immediately, but once it was separated.

Alarm (traumatic) at 8:30, we must take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima!
Once there, I Yukimi and Michele, just to start with a blow of joy going to visit the park of peace with his cenotaph memorial and museum of peace: Yukimi, which until a few years ago lived in Hiroshima just there follows inside.
Once inside we can immediately see for yourself how this museum is a memory too heartbreaking.
I have often read that was accused to this museum too much to dwell on the sufferings of the people of Hiroshima, leaving out the cruelty of war made by the Japanese and describing the atomic bomb as if it were falling from the sky without insert it into a historical context.
Bhè I sincerely believe that those who criticized these moves should be ashamed, because it is clear that the intent of the museum is not unnecessary or pietism piagnisteo, but you want to paint a section of human folly by telling the story from the perspective of children , whom the war has just suffered.
After all it is also understandable. He does so heartbreaking, impietosa without saving anything to the visitor, and the incredible long series of gruesome photos of shoes, uniforms, tricycles, and another thousand portamangiare items that belonged to children who were swept in an instant, detailed descriptions of wounds and strazi are brutal and terrible, but important.

Let the horror we walk in the quiet peace park, dotted with memorials including one to the small Sadako Sasaki, of which I read the story when I was a child I too, where children still bear in memory of long lines of cranes paper.
The day is beautiful, delay between the cherry trees in blossom and the people who make their usual picnic on blue tarpaulins and come up to Genbaku, what was once the hall of the Prefecture for Promoting Industrial Peace Dome today, a few years ago recognized as a site heritage of humanity. Sorry if I switch from the serious to the ridiculous but I would advise anyone to go to Hiroshima to not miss the experience of the taste Okonomiyaki, typical really inimitable.

Take a bath and then we take the hydrofoil that leads us to Miyajima.
No place could strengthen the heart more than that. Miyajima is an island for the most part covered with a forest intact and uninhabited houses that not a tiny village, a pagoda and a sanctuary but it is both a beautiful place where there is absolute peace (there are no cars on the island ), full of fawns by Occhini sweet and from where you can admire views of a "postcard" the most famous of all Japan: Torii of Itsukushima Shrine. At the beginning of the bay these torii seems really floating on water, as well as the sanctuary itself in times of high tide as Itsukushima-jing is built on piles, in any case even when the tide is low the bottom is not slimy or malodorous as could be expected and is a truly wonderful place.
To enjoy the panorama of the climb by cable car to the mountain where there are Miseno spiteful monkeys who live free and enjoy Scippa tourists!

Leaving the island we go in the beautiful Ryokan Okada Sekitei that we wanted to offer. This is not a gift just because this Ryokan is the second ranked among the most beautiful in all Japan! It is constructed entirely of cedar wood and makes a delicious scent, leave your shoes at the reception and go in our room (there are 10 in all, but it would be better housing because each of these include dining room, bedroom, verandina with chairs from which to admire the Zen garden, bathroom with sink, bathroom with shower, upstairs where there is the bath timber with panoramic views and romantic living room where a fine dinner we were served champagne by candlelight ) is a land of the tatami and rigor to ensure that we cool the feet is clearly warmed up!

Before dinner we walk in the beautiful garden with pond full of carp and wearing our yukata we head to the onsen (hot springs).
The tanks are separate for men and women because it comes completely naked, before entering the pool is necessary to wash well with soap and warm water, and because the tanks are common, and therefore you should not get dirty, but to accustom the body decidedly high temperature because if you enter directly into the hot temperature difference could cause a rise in blood pressure. For the same reason you get into a tub slowly and only after a while 'until you dive behind.
When we went before dinner there was none and I found myself in a beautiful garden with two large basins of stone, to enjoy the hot bath under the foliage of the trees. An almost mystical!

Back in the room we serve the dinner ... an infinite number of flow elaboratissime and delicious, but since it was all written in Japanese do not ask me to tell you what it was! I know only that my Japanese friends to whom I showed the menu told me all this is a special menu moooolto "I recognized some of sashimi fish, prawns, then there was a soup with crab, grilled oysters, lobster, grouper , all cooked and presented in a way that is a joy for the eyes as well as for the palate. We have been eating non-stop for two hours!
And then a nice sleep on our futon covered with silk. Oyasuminasai!

To the eight that we need here is our wonderful breakfast, after a final walk through the zen garden leave Sekitei ... an experience that will not forget!
We go to Okayama, where there is one of 3 most beautiful gardens in Japan: the Korakuen, which can be seen from the Okayama Castle, also called the castle for her raven black. It is a really beautiful garden created even at the end of 1600 and was designed to be beautiful throughout the year: in summer you can admire the garden of iris, autumn in the blazing maples, conifers in the snowy winter and we are touched cherry blossoms!

The day is a little 'gray, but despite this is really nice to walk among the fields of rice and tea. Yukimi me take part in a small ceremony in one of te specific homes in the park, teaches me how to kneel, sit and how to stay above all the cups before and after drinking the green tea macha amarissimo accompanied by mochi, typical of sweets glutinous rice (sweets do I say since they are tasteless and Gommosi!).
In the garden there are three married couples who made the photos below saturated, so we have to admire their beautiful kimono.
Meet the rest of the family that is Yuri Okada and Miot, the children of Yuji Yukimi and now have 23 and 20 years ... when I saw Yuri the last time he was 5! Think a little '!

Let's go together in Kurashiki.
This village has no attraction in particular, but it is absolutely delightful walk along the canal lined with craft shops, small museums, taverns of sake and watch from the bridge that carp dart. A charming town! Go buy the glasses ceramic type Bizen-yaki specific beer, these glasses apparent almost raw ceramic earthenware color and reflections are wonderful metal for bercé beer, have the characteristic of making the foam-bodied and are really exceptional.
Yuji us for dinner in a restaurant brings incredible stories covered and delicious dishes presented in an exalted by his Taisho.

Let's go to Himeji to visit the spectacular castle. This is the most beautiful castle in Japan, the only original, never rebuilt from medieval times to today. This is a castle whose form was fortified, not to be a residence of nobility, even if several Shogun lived there and there is the tower which was the residence of the princess happy Sen.
It is a fortress of 5 floors with 3 smaller facilities around (dojon), all around the entire structure, there are ditches and stone walls without mortar.
While leaden sky this Sunday, with the beautiful cherry blossoms every corner, every corridor, every time an opening used to harass the enemy is a wonderful view, the Harakiri maru, which is the place of all'harakiri and seppuku the ritual of samurai suicide seems like a corner of paradise.

Not go up with little effort on to the top five floors in the dark belly of the castle, pressed together with hordes of local tourists and then enjoy the magnificent view from the floor. Here there is also the altar OSAKABE is the place chosen for the construction of the castle there was a small altar which was moved elsewhere, but after some time for reasons scaramantici was rebuilt in the upper room of the castle. Truly a strange combination: an altar with offerings on top of a fortress!

Since the Okada spoil us in everything and this is our last evening together we bring in Kobe, in the panoramic restaurant of the New Otani, here we accommodate around a steel counter for up to 10 place and we have a chef who cooks with Cappellone for us delicious Kobe beef (Kobe gyu), the meat's almost to be slaughtered steers these are massaged by hand to distribute the fat in meat, the result is a moire likely to make the fat dissolves fully cooked meat to make this 10 times more tender meat of the best I ever eaten (including meat or American Argentine).

After dinner we stroll among the shops in Kobe and until we come to a terrace from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the harbor lights, it's amazing to think that just 12 years ago this city so attractive and viable has been devastated by a terrible earthquake which, together with scatenatisi fires, caused the destruction of vast areas.
Okada the salute and take the train to Osaka, there are expected to Masaki, another friend first met virtually and then hosted for a few days in Sicily. Are already 23:30 and takes us to our accommodation and gives us time to the next morning in Kyoto.

Our accommodation is close to Osaka Station, but to take the fast train that will take us in Kyoto in just 20 minutes we have to go to the station to Shin-Osaka (ie the one served by the JR Shinkansen) to the nine and a half we are in Kyoto , precisely where we meet Masaki. The first place that leads us to see Higashi Honganji is that we reach on foot from the station, it is the mausoleum of Shinran Shonin, the founder of Buddhism-shin or so I read the leaflet that gave us ... I am not exactly a particularly religious and in my general knowledge about the Buddhism are very limited. Anyway we cross the immense portal Goei-do mon and admire the great hall of the Goei-do. Inside there is a religious function and we remain somewhat 'knees to admire the decor of the room and listen to the melody of cantilenanti prayers.
A curiosity: in the transition between the two rooms is a huge rope that was used at the time of reconstruction of the temple after a fire as the traditional rope could not carry the heavy equipment needed delaying the ricosruzione ... then you use this special rope made with the hair of the devout! It built 53 copies, the largest of which measures 110 meters, has a circumference of 40 cm and weighs 1000 pounds ... all in human hair ... brrr!

We shall then see Nishi Hongan-ji, which is composed of 5 buildings of the school premises Buddhist Jodo Shin-shu. It is a very nice, pity only that several buildings are being restored so impacchetati in scaffolding.

A few isolated farther we reach the garden of Shosei-en, this is a garden in traditional Japanese style, with its wooden bridges, small houses in which to drink the tea, its scenic cascade, and the thousand flowers you ... give even a small calendar in which you describe as admired flowers throughout the year. It 'truly an oasis of serenity in the midst of the city, there are also many banquet facilities for picnics in front of the lake ... if you makes you give bread to the carp, as soon as you get closer to the shore of the lake many rush!

We continue and we are moving towards the north, the roads that we are not particularly dramatic, we are close to the Teatro Miyagawacho Kaburenjo, then we enter into a garden with its many temples virtually deserted and with free admission. In one, the ceiling is decorated with a huge painting in shades of gray representing two splendid dragons. Then we arrive at the entrance of a temple from the outside that does not say anything at all and pay ... well, I strongly advice you to leave your shoes at the entrance, pay the ticket and enter because this is the temple of Kenninji, ie oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, although the head of Lonely Planet does not even say a word about this oasis of serenity we conquered by the beauty of the painted panels with the allegory of the gods of wind and thunder and its quiet gardens zen. There are 3 one that uses a sort of "borrowed scenery" with gravel grooves in concentric circles to simulate the waves of the sea, an island created by a circle of earth covered with moss and a tree in the middle and a stone to represent a mountain, then there is a garden of moss and stones, and another that is exactly the garden of rocks like all we ever imagined: grooved boulders on gravel. It is really striking and beautiful, there are hordes of noisy tourists and you can sit comfortably in their rooms to contemplate peace.

Walk through the streets of Gion and then move on from the temple and its Kodaji gardens designed by an architect for the external master of the ceremony. We admire the colorful pagoda Yasaka and arrive at Kiyomizu temple. This temple is for some reason that escapes me, frankly, one of the most famous of Kyoto. For charity ... is not that bad, but do you think about is being on a platform supported by wooden columns facing a steep hill full of cherry trees in bloom, but today the weather really sucks, and clouds, the sky is nothing short of leaden and really do not understand what the taste tested by this immense crowd of Japanese faces to admire the panorama greyish. To make a photo it takes virtually eliminates the code ... definitely prefer the angles less tourist!

Through the beautiful park Maruyama (Maruyama koen) dotted with blue tarpaulins on which indigenous sbevazzano festive singing and flowers under saturated, we arrive at the temple Chion-in guys ... oh we ... are practically destroyed the 6 o'clock and nine and a half the morning we walked non-stop (the only break to eat a sandwich!) Masaki but persevere and continue to walk animated by a desire to show as many things as possible.
Yet we walk through the streets of Gion and like the beautiful Shinmonzen-dori, then continue to the characteristic way of Ponto-cho, go take a walk Masaki sent early this morning because Michele had told him that he would like to visit the market Nishiki food and then gentilissimo as he always wanted to lead us there too ... pity though that we are literally destroyed, Michele also has a terrible cold and not do it more so in the end we can make them understand that we will go another day and return the station.

Let us say that our accommodation is not exactly the most practical to visit Kyoto in exchange for the train station and travel and leave at least 45 minutes if not an hour, so Michele and I think about it and decide that perhaps we should take a room in Kyoto for a couple of nights, even to go out at night in the streets of Gion.
During nosro wandering ask a couple of Ryokan and hotels if they have free rooms, but it is all full (except a Ryokan which has room for just 30,000 yen a head for just one night, and honestly does not seem appropriate to spend about 375 euros per night for a Ryokan not worth even a tenth of the beautiful Miyajima Sekitei) and at the end to 100.00 euros a double take the PA Hotel next to the station from the next night and now way to take the train to Osaka!
After a good shower and relax a little bit of taking the circular line of JR and going to dinner in the colorful district of Dotombori, we turn to the crowded streets and admire the insignia dell'Ebitsu Bashi ... seems to walk on if Blade Runner! Experience a must for pris (s)!

We are in Osaka for the morning and meet the Masaki family to eat together around 11:30. So we know his wife Yuko and her wonderful children Luke and Ryo, but both love: Ryo plays happy with his books and does not care about us (just 3 years) and Luke is a show with his cap of Catania! There has counting in Italian and with a series of phrases that Masaki has taught and our common friend Andrea, eat Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba and we exchange gifts the inevitable!
Then together with Masaki take the train to Kyoto, but he must go to work. We do check in at hotel and then in front of the station (about two euros) to buy the pass two days on buses and underground, while we obtained a good piazzale carina free city, and so we take the bus to go to Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion.

Originally in 1220 there was a complex of temples called Rokuon immersed in a splendid garden, at the end of 1300 the pavilion was built of gold as a habitat of a shogun and converted to Zen temple after his death, made the temples were in ruins, but the garden is still a marvel.
As for the Kinkakuji to say that there really is a beauty as breathtaking: its three floors are constructed with three different styles, the first is that of imperial palaces, the second one of the homes of samurai and the third in style of Zen temples, the last two floors are entirely covered with gold leaf and the whole construction is reflected in the beautiful lake, we could not describe how light is light in the sun. It is really wonderful!
The incredible thing is that, however, that we admire is not the original pavilion as it was destroyed in 1950 by a couple who gave monaco fire so obsessed with her beauty and convinced that his aesthetic sense was brought to perfection only after destroying what had bewitched! As described by Mishima in the book use "Kinkakuji".
To walk around the garden admiring the small waterfalls and beautiful views of well-established 700 years ago.

Following the map and asking for some information here and there, we reach the Ryoan-ji temple or the peaceful dragon, this really makes us of the great Kyoto: According to the map we thought that the two temples were very close, there is at least half way between the two. We are now in a huge garden with a pond bordered by trees in bloom, there is also a small peninsula on which there is a torii, and a small row of statues "Mizu Jizo", that literally "child of" Numi tutelari of unborn children, all with front shield and their distinctive bib for not dirty with food on offer, then we head towards the temple with its famous Zen garden.
It is a painting made of stone and sand, rocks, 15 are arranged so that from any perspective, a look at the visual escape, the provision was designed by gardener and painter Soami in 1500, beautiful harmony arcane and mysterious, with its shadows and bare gravel striped sweets in corrections. I advise you strongly to come here soon to visit this place with the crowd would risk compromising the pleasure zen!
Well ... the sun was covered by a po 'di vento Nuvoloni there is ice cream, for the moment we return to the hotel!

After a while 'rested and refreshed Gion go for a walk and dinner, dinner here soon so we are already eight in search of a restaurant, actually it is not easy to understand when you are faced with a restaurant, or to a bar or a Ryokan out there seem to be all the same: wooden buildings with lanterns!
In the end we opt for a small restaurant with a display of photographs of beautifully prepared dishes, this is indeed the finest cuisine kaiseki ryori. We take away the shoes and will accommodate upstairs, crouch on the tatami, dinner consists of sashimi, soup, vegetables in the form of flower, salad, and many other things very good but indecipherable, a series of cups, bowls and trays of shapes colors and different materials are there on our table, in a very elegant and cared that justifies the price does not exactly cheap (but not as expensive restaurants OUR), the only thing that I think is absurd, however, that even in a place so sophisticated is smoking!
Thanks, and we pay and when we look out the door to leave here there follows the owner of the restaurant that continues to give thanks, to make a compliment by saying that Michael is beautiful and we recommend that you go back ... because gourmet 'ste old Japanese?

First part

Even today the poor Masaki works, is not that for us is a big problem here things work so well and we will rule with such ease that we are operating without any difficulty.
To visit the Imperial Palace of Kyoto and take the subway down to imadegawa and we suffered at the Imperial Household Agency to request permission to visit, but when we arrive there, tell us that today is a special day and entry is free for all.
In the good fortune to be able to visit and to book directly without waiting for the entrance, we are still some 'nerds because free means that there are hordes of us with Japanese tourists, and as I said not particularly like having to space between the crowd for be able to watch something. However, it must be said that the Kyoto Gosh is made up of several buildings that stand out among the Shishinden which is the main building and its plaza in front was used for official ceremonies, the Kogosho used for ceremonies on the occasion of the increased age inheritance to the throne el'Otsunegoten built later (in 1590) which was the residence of up to 1869, when the capital was moved to Tokyo.
It must be said that the architecture of these buildings is not in itself particularly majestic or impressive, it is very simple, but what fascinates me is its essential harmony and its outer walls that literally disappear, leaving those who stayed there a very clear view, The large roof is governed by columns, and this means that the walls are not walls, the rooms are divided by screens and decorated with gilded wallpaper. I love this sense of continuity with the outside world, because what we find once again are wonderful especially the gardens.
All the gardens we visited in Japan have a characteristic that makes them very different from any other natural area never visited before: all the components of the landscape were combined with great sensitivity and compositional harmony. Surely we are dealing with a less "natural" than they see elsewhere, in the sense that nature is manipulated for purely aesthetic, sometimes as in the case of rock gardens we have a totally artificial landscapes, but their grace is likely to render the grateful hearts of those who contemplates these trees pruned and miniaturized, the lakes topped by wooden bridges, the carpet of moss and bare rocks that dot.
Left the imperial palace and garden of the national Kyoto Gyoen ask for information to reach the Temple Ginkakuji, a boy tells us to go on foot because it is so straight from Imadegawa-dori attention ... even if they give you this advice NOT FOLLOW, c 'is more than an hour to walk the road!
Kyoto is great, but beware what the map looks quite close because of the schematic division of its streets in reality it is not at all. So I would advise you to take the bus, among other things are common and it is easy to understand when you are right at the stop because the head of the bus there is always a display that shows the current stop and what will be next.

To arrive at the temple pass for an avenue of trees completely load cherry flower, is a true spectacle! Perhaps you may you asking what is this fixation with the cherry trees, in fact even before I came here I wondered why the Japanese went down to head up to this point for the trees in bloom. But I must say that once you got here my doubts were dispelled in a moment: there are many varieties of cherry trees, most of which are purely decorative (and I believe that later in summer to recover wagon cherries!) some are falling branches and pink flowers, others (including the variety of someyoshino is certainly the most delicate and spectacular) buds have a pale pink and white flowers that stand out on the black trunk, in addition to more delicate flowers have reddish leaves.
However trees are very tall and imposing, and when you walk along an avenue lined by saturation seems to be under a sky the color of flowers of snow. I assure you that at that point the urge to get a photograph every bud there is!

second part

Arrived at the temple Ginkakuji, or Silver Pavilion, given the name we were expecting the equivalent of the silver pavilion of gold, and once entered the garden we look around in search of a building covered in silver leaf ... ma n ce 's only one in brown wood ... uhm ... well reading the guide we learn that the project of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa silver coating of the villa was never completed. Who knows maybe the construction company has exceeded the estimate! The fact is that we feel vaguely scrubbed, why not call it "brown wooden pavilion, ever silver lining, but still pretty?
Evvabbè ... consoliamoci admiring the architecture particular (first floor with the style of the building and the second floor with the style of Chinese temples) and the Zen garden with its mountain of white sand that is the Fuji and walk among the tall pines, the lakes and climb up the path that leads us to admire a beautiful panorama of the garden, the palace and throughout the city. Pity only that now the sun is hidden. A small curiosity: in the garden at some point you are in front of a counter top with lots of pots with all kinds of moss in the park sorted according to their importance: from moss "pariah" to the "VIP" (or maybe I should say VIM in the sense of very important moss?).

Well enough temples! Let's buy knives for sushi!
Which brings us to the Nishiki food market, is truly amazing to watch the huge quantity of fish, crustaceans and plants absolutely unknown who are on the desks! What is most striking is the complete lack of smell while we are in a close (and crowded) on which the tunnel covered face food stores of all kinds. One of the most amusing things in addition to sympathetic and recurrent riddle "but this thing is that?" (Constantly unresolved), you watch the benches ready to taste appetizers: tempura of any kind, but mainly stick on which they can have a mò leccalecca tentacles of marinated octopus, Italian tuna sashimi and all sorts of raw ... a child looks at them as we are watching an ice cream! It is a wonderful thing and if we had not just eaten a sandwich I would have bought me a nice sashimi leccalecca!
Along the gallery come from Aritsugu a magazine that, according to Japanese would be the supplier of knives of the cooks in the imperial house. This shop is now 400 years and its knives are all handmade sweet tempered steel, there's all kinds and of all sizes and prices are not as high as one might expect. Do we explain the specific characteristics of the knives to cut the sashimi and gift to my two Patato, buy the stone to sharpen and a couple of shapes to cut leafy vegetables to flower. The incredible thing is that in this store where between one thing and another we end up paying about 250 euros you can pay in cash! So I have to give up a run to the post office to pick of the money, now affecting our names on the knives!

Let's go back to the hotel, we rest a while 'and then go back to walk along the beautiful shimonsen dori, I must say that this road with its beautiful cherry blossoms is one of my favorite. In addition to what has already been said about the beauty of sakura, I might add that even at night and have a magical, so much so that the Japanese call them "yozakura" or "cherry night" almost like another tree. In the light of lanterns seem to float in the darkness, the wonder!
Let's eat yaki soba and yaki Udon in a restaurant whose room overlooking the river bordered by cherry trees. What with these tables hot plate with embedded hot!

Masaki us on the sacred mountain of Koya. At eight and ten and already here, says that there is much to be done to achieve Koya-san although kilometers away from Kyoto are only 110! In fact we are 3 hours to arrive and the route is not the most straightforward: in the last stretch to go up on the bends of a mountain road, between huge rivers and trees, the beauty is that this way is absurd double sense of movement and even if faced with a blind curve the Japanese do not use the horn ... so to a certain point we were doing a good front with a truck!
Masaki arrived we would have liked to know a monaco Buddhist Swiss origin that we could explain everything in Italian, so buy 5 kilos of rice to be offered to the monastery on which to write our name. Unfortunately, today the Swiss monaco went to Osaka!
In its place we accept a monaco woman, but speaks only in Japanese with Masaki and that when we say something in English is only to make us a sort of question about Buddhism ... and clearly we are about two goats and we know nothing of Buddhism Shingon esoteric (and also any other Buddhism!) of Kono Daishi or Kuka and passing for two beasts came there to do who knows what. Vabbè let's leave!

We look at the temple complex of Garan, although there is the sun, Koyasan is quite high and there is a cold monster, so much so that although it is almost noon on land there is ice on roofs and in shadow c ' the snow is nice ... in everything Michael is still very cold and herpes came early on a nostril, do not tell you how happy each time to enter a temple or a monastery, we must remove their shoes!
The largest structure is the Dai-to a two-storey pagoda painted a huge bright orange and Kondo, which is the main hall. We admire the statue of the cosmic Buddha and his four guards, but you can not take pictures. Then there is the western pagoda, I must say that the whole complex is a pleasant stroll, unfortunate that there is so cold, I think that if we had just come here with bad weather we would be dead on the floor!
To eat hot tempura soba in hot broth and tendon.

After lunch we visit the cemetery Okuno-in, Masaki says that many people are buried here also only a few bone or a lock of hair of their loved ones so that they be close to those of monks and guarantee him an important position with 'coming of the Buddha.
The cemetery is huge and the scenes of submerged trees, passing through crowds of statues with their red hats and wool bibs, there is a log cut in whose slots you put the coins are ... there are many things that escape me but even Masaki is trained on this, so if any of you knew that the law giving the function would be happy!
Very beautiful the Toro-do, or the hall lanterns, two of which burn more than 900 years, here is a small crowd in prayer, and a row of statues on which the faithful pour water from the river in bid (but even here Masaki is not certain). A small curiosity: In this cemetery there is also a monument to the termites' required by a pesticide company, perhaps in a motion of repentance or as a simple compensation!

I must say one thing in all fairness, perhaps the stories of enthusiastic Masaki and our friend Andrea had brought me to have expectations about who knows what this place, and I must say that it is beautiful, especially for its outdoor setting, but perhaps not a Buddhist and failing to understand fully in mysticism I have not found a destination stop, especially because it is so difficult to reach. Maybe I would have preferred to continue the exploration of Kyoto.

Let's go back to Kyoto and Masaki invite to dinner: sushi tonight, so many excellent assorted nigiri!

We meet with Masaki Nara station by car and we go immediately to visit the complex of Horyu-ji. Here is the oldest wooden building in the world, in fact dates back to 607. in the west cloister are the pagoda and the Kondo inside with a group of bronze Shaka Triad which appears to have the typical archaic smile, abstract lines, draped dresses and a flamboyant almond, but sin that are practically in the dark and even though c 'is a beautiful sun is not that you can capture the detail. One of the pleasures of Horyu-ji is a walk on the cloister, an example of art that influenced the construction of temples throughout the East Asia. Before leaving the cloister look along the walls of Casotto wood on the right: there is a specimen of a beetle Tamemushi the wings of a green iridescent as oil, within the en-Daihozod (great hall of the treasure) which at the end of the avenue there is a mini-shrine decorated with its wings, even if the original color is now faded. Inside the hall of the treasure, there are also some beautiful statues of Kannon, pity that here perhaps was better to bring a pair of infrared goggles to see the good works!

But now move to Nara, this beautiful city was the first permanent capital of Japan. Prior To keep Shinto ritual purity, the imperial court moved to new premises the location of each new emperor. At the time of the founding of Nara, the Japanese culture suffered a strong influence from the Chinese, with the introduction of Chinese characters and a great spread of Buddhism. There was thus a cultural and artistic renaissance that religion and this led to the construction of numerous temples, some of which arrived intact until today.
In 784 the capital of Japan moved to Kyoto and Nara became, from the imperial city, a quiet town. This "forgetfulness" actually turned out to be a big advantage for the city since the saved from the devastation of civil wars that affected the artistic heritage of the major Japanese cities.

Nara is now a small town full of historic buildings located at distances walked on foot, turn to the rest of the city is very simple because it is a kind of chessboard.
One of the major attractions of the city is the famous Nara-Koen Park, inhabited by about a thousand fawns which are limate by the horns, the deer are sacred and it is clearly possible without ... accarezzarvi indeed in a sense it is inevitable accarezzarvi since long the street are for sale from offer of biscuits, so the fawns for granted that you have something for them and look for him there stick their nose wet!
In Nara-Koen Park, the large temple of Todaiji, is perhaps the most important historic building, you enter after passing under a huge portal to the sides of which there are two huge wooden statues depicting two types (demons?) Incazzatissimi and robes svolazzanti, very beautiful, but because they were enclosed behind a grate, I have not photographed.
Daibutsuden The temple is very famous because it is the wooden structure of the larger world, though that is not a representation of the original temple which was still larger (it is said that the current building is about two thirds) and houses a large statue of Buddha dating all'VIII century, clearly is the largest statue in the world is high and something like 20 meters to 437 tonnes of bronze and 130 kg of gold. To give you an idea of how great the photos look at the hole from which emerge a little girl: this is a passage at the base of a column that is the size of a nostril of the Buddha. All children are stuck inside because the one who manages to cross it has provided the lighting.
The statue is accomodata on a lotus flower symbol of Nirvana and the right hand raised to show the palm to mean "Do not worry 'and that lying on the knees" Come to me, I will save. "
Then there is the Temple Kofukuji, whose museum contains a collection of old Japanese statues.
Pity they can not spend more time in Nara, is truly a beautiful city, but we must go back to Kyoto, taking our bags and go to Tokyo. Masaki and salute with which we hope to rivederci yet ... in Sicily or in Japan ... who knows!

We arrive in Tokyo and we go to the Keio Plaza in Shinjuku. When we stayed here the first night of the trip we had booked at the last minute and we were allocated a room "comfort" in the south tower, I must say that it was not a bad room, modern furniture clearly recently renovated, good size, so as the room I had reserved was by far more cheaply feared finding a room from furniture definitely dated, as some of those who see in their site.
Instead, perhaps because we were entered in the "International Executive," or perhaps because it returned so soon after our arrival we were seen doing a spontaneous up-grade and assign a WONDERFUL camera to the 31st floor of the main tower (one of the plans already renewed ).
The room was huge (plaza is the premier of their site), furnished with great taste, Latvian and comodissimo huge, absolutely silent, with a courtesy service and complete a breathtaking view. Not to mention that this is a hotel that has a really comfortable being just a few minutes through the tunnel directly from the deck of Shinjuku station. If I had to return to Tokyo I would not stay nowhere else!

After all these days of hectic travel by train and car now comes the rest! Among other things, Michael is looking forward to picking up his bottom ... I clearly un po 'meno, so I'm going to do shopping from Takashimaya and let us meet there for 12.30.
These stores include 12 floors of shops sciccosi and 3 restaurants, and even though my maritini I said "see in my absence to find something you like" with obvious intentions regalifere, but I must say that many of the shops here are I absolutely devoid of interest ... and because I have no intention of buying a pair of Ferragamo shoes and a Chanel bag in Tokyo, and partly because the Japanese fashion is really a 'worrying fiocconi improponibile, flowers and cute balloon lines ... nothing to fit within the prisstyle!
But I do not believe that this has managed to make me to desist in order to find a very cool shirt though not exactly cheap! Macchissenefrega!

In addition to Takashimaya you can find lots of nice thoughts in the store Tokyu Hands, which is practically everything: from carnival costumes to wash cards (improperly called rice paper), up to my beloved tablet computer cabinet!
Michele finally arrived with his new bass, but before going to place, in hotel, go to the 11th floor of Takashimaya where there is a demonstration of coffee machines with Nespresso system and finally we drink a good coffee at home like!
Today is one day dedicated to shopping, because we must buy a camera to take as a graduation gift for the brother of Michael, then turn to several electronics stores in search of new Pentax K10, in Shinjuku, there are provided two very but Masaki told us to go in the district of Akihabara (also known as "electric town") before you buy, so it is there that we head for the afternoon.

I must say that this area of electronics is quite picturesque: there are some great shops, and lots of shops specialize in certain types of products, along with stores of manga and video games. Not a very elegant, but is rather scalcinato and prices from one shop to another does not change much and we are looking for the Pentax is more expensive than in other places in which we view. But our afternoon is not only fruitless, because in this neighborhood can be found in electronic devices already in place for foreign countries and so we can buy a real car for the Zojirushi rice made in Japan with keys in English and current at 220 v.
Needless to say that to the camera the price is cheaper than the shops a few steps away!
Now we would like to go and see the phenomenon of Cosplay in Harajuku, which means the guys who go out on weekends wearing the clothing of their favorite characters, with a theatrical makeup in the Gothic style ... but unfortunately, after a day without a cloud begins to rain violently so we walk blurs. That sin was something that I am very curious!

After watered well from a restaurant in Shinjuku to another, not finding even a small hole where dinner, we decide to return to the hotel and have dinner there. But even if they are only 20.30 all the Japanese restaurants (there are at least 5 different) tell us to be coming to closure, because there goes to dine ristante Italian, nor French, nor in that Chinese opt for Korean cuisine. The Korean restaurant of Keio is very beautiful and luxurious, are asking us if we want to eat something grilled and our positive response accompany us to a table in the center with the cooker for the barbecue. Eat soft pancakes with shrimp, eggplant salad and chicken and grilled king prawns cooked directly to our table by a chef! Really good nor particularly expensive because we paid less than 30 euro a head ... I dare not think how we would have plucked in Italy for a dinner in a restaurant as equals! The only warning with Korean meals: some dishes are very spicy, however the menu had indicated clearly.

You must know that when I was 16 years, I studied a little 'Japanese and now we find Taeko, my Japanese teacher! See you there for 16 years ... carramba!
We heard through the phone call from prestatoci Masaki, and gave us all directions to reach the Izu peninsula, just south than Tokyo.
So we take the train to Atami, where we are here to take Taeko with her husband Mario emotion ... that guys! She is always the same, does not seem to spend a single day since the last time that we have seen, is truly incredible (as well as some 'commuovente) be found after so long!
Taeko and Mario live and work as translators and interpreters of English, Italian and Japanese to Ito, a small town in the beautiful peninsula of Izu. They married in Italy (the rest as he will have derived from the name is Italian, Bergamasco to be precise) and were transferred to Japan for the past 10 years. To reach their house, walk down a beautiful road along the coast. A person has the opportunity to visit the strongly this peninsula overlooking the sea, its dark rocks and the waters shining remember some glimpses of Liguria, or even on the coast north of my town. The sun shines and the coast, along which you can see some small medieval castle, it's really wonderful!
Upon arrival at home and Taeko Mario gives us a wonderful antique obi, it's incredible to think that is long over 3 meters and a half ... who knows how it can be difficult to wear the kimono! Then prepare a great barbecue in their beautiful garden and is really nice chat together while enjoying the delicacies prepared by them! Best of all, thinking he had to deal with two italianacci Mangione prepared a quantity of food really Pantagruel! It is a true banquet with sashimi, crab Hokkaido, of unknown conchiglioni grilled cooked inside with a bit of sake and then Yakitori and sausages ... in short, a mountain of delicious food!
After this abbuffata, since we have talked so much to bring us food at the supermarket and help us buy a little 'of sauces and sauces: the raw material for our future dinners Japanese home-made.
Then do a walk and go in a very beautiful park at the foot of a small volcano, sakura sin that are already tapping here because there are many and must be a truly spectacular when in its full splendor. However, it is a beautiful park, it is a pity that at the time of the photo with Taeko and Mario hides the sun!
Then we back to Atami for resuming the train by a panoramic road in the midst of wooded hills, then normally you can enjoy spectacular views of Mount Fuji ... but not today because they arrived at the cloud cover. Also with this mist, the landscape is really impressive.
It was a wonderful day!

It goes in search of Tokyo's oldest (although yesterday when we said so Mario has correctly said "the most VECCHIA Tokyo), and so here we are to Asakusa to visit Senso-ji, as I have sore throat, I join the people who the crowd for the incense burner placed in front of the temple: it is said that his health would smoke and then we're all there to let us fly at him, trying to make it penetrate clothing uhm ... I feel better already, is the incense or perhaps the pads that I bought this morning?
Near the temple there is a small pagoda, a cemetery and many lantern.
Leaving the temple we are dedicated to the many stalls along the road: it is time to buy geta we asked Gianni, ie hooves light wood with two straps like those raised in it had I know not what cartoon character ... oh but our loved ones could not get want less bulky? We have accumulated so many gifts (to be received, which lead to family and friends) that we had to send home the dirty clothes!

While the buy geta, there comes the call from Taeko we recommend a good area for shopping, it is the street where I would want to go Saturday between Harajuku and Omotesando, a pity that today Cosplay there is not even the shadow !
Actually is really a very fashionable area, there are small cafes and Italian boulangeries, buy some beautiful prints dell'ukiyoe according to the technique and then bowl and other gifts. A really excellent shop for this kind of purchase is the Oriental Bazaar.
It is almost five and we walked a lot, we go to rest a bit in the hotel and in the meantime take agreements with Erika (the girl who we met at the airport of Fiumicino) to go and find.

Erika's mother has a small restaurant where you eat only chicken skewers, but in so many variations! Is not exactly in Tokyo, but in Kawasaki, take the train and coming to take Erika to the station.
The restaurant is nearby and is a nice place, with the classic counter from which to monitor the various stages of preparation, but also a room with two traditional low tables on tatami. We sit at the counter so you can chat with Erika who must work to help his mother and eat a skewer after another, really delicious!
Erika tells us some of his history with the immigration office in Italy, to me it seems incredible that we face both difficult to issue a permit to stay in this educatissima Japanese girl!
Erika because of Fine Arts studies at the Academy of Bologna for the past two years, tells us some tricks of which the victim was in the early days when he had little familiarity with the language ... what a shame! I wonder just how to make advantage of a girl so sweet and good, even if Italy despite all the pleasure I continue to hope that his return to our country can regain some point!
During dinner, the mother of Erika and her friends some customers are always in kindness, we offer a strange card game with 4 drawings for each month (it is quite complicated and they have to consult by telephone friends to give each month the right cards!) and a cast iron with Pentolina fornelletto. They are all kind despite the language barrier and at the end of the evening one of them even gives us a taxi to go to the station!
Again, this was truly a wonderful evening in good company!

Today it is almost our last day in Tokyo and we had to make an excursion to Nikko, but my cold is worse and because we know that is cold in the mountains there as a Koyasan not want to run the risk of facing 12 hours flight with a fever. So ... it will be for next time!
Then we go to see the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, still lives here and of course the Emperor visited him admire from afar and then we go to visit the East Gardens of the palace, in fact it is commonplace in gardens that have nothing to do with Japanese gardens seen so far.
Then we go to Ginza, the famous shopping district of high-class, our first goal is the Sony Building, where the guide can get plans and plans all'avanguiardia meraviglia technology. In fact you could see if only one knew how to read Japanese ... but it is not our case and given that in most cases we can not even understand what are the devices that we face after 2 floors bother us and there we go ... written in English to sony? No eh?
We continue to walk to Ginza to get to the theater Kabuchi, but I must say that in general I find it a pretty disappointing quarter.
Let's go back to Shinjuku and then we walk among the diverse crowds in the area of Kabuki-cho, the district local "misunderstandings" in Tokyo ... the beauty is that it is a colorful place where you can walk in peace, far removed from neighborhoods to red light of some European capitals. Bho ... that ultimately will not be cut for both quarters, but I prefer a thousand times Shinjuky Ginza!
In fact, Tokyo has a goal to be leaving at the end of the trip, I think maybe Asakusa, or the most "old" to use the definition of Mario could excite us if we had seen before everything else, but after the wonderful temples of Kyoto and Nara, the comparison is really merciless!
But also from the view of the modern metropolis is not up to Tokyo: it is built on a land size of carry-over, n a floodplain often highly unstable and subject to earthquakes its buildings are not worthy of the skyscrapers of the name.
The highest buildings are located precisely at Shinjuku, the rest of the Keio Plaza is to stay between them and even if they do not exceed the 50ina of floors are a beautiful to see in the lights of the night and this is our last "postcard" of this splendid trip.

close the bag and go!
Ultimately I would say that although I have written so much I have told only a fraction of the thousand odd note in Japan.
E 'a land of contrasts, from stunning landscapes, from deep culture. I had never seen such an order in overcrowded stations and such a care for every aspect of common life.
I would also add that a trip is not so expensive as one might expect, for the rail pass for two weeks we spent 250 euros and we have moved EVERYWHERE, hotels where we stayed were wonderful and the most expensive is on sale at 150 euro a night in the major Italian portals (if I think about what we have spent all'hilton or sheraton in new york ... the Keio is much better and costs less than half!) and among other things, there were also many other cheaper alternatives.
The same goes for restaurants: hygiene exists everywhere in Japan, we ate in restaurants is divinely luxury good in places.
Do not buy the finest tours and events, games for your facts and see what that will cost you to go to a European capital as between hotels and restaurants to amortize the high cost of air travel.
Another thing worse spoken English is better! The Japanese speak badly, but we make every effort to help the first few days after the information or asked me in Japanese or in English michele ... for them with my English verbs conjugated and adjusted terms was too difficult, so if your vocabulary is reduced to "I go" or "I want to eat" all the better!
Well, then ... Now I really written a novel so good journey to all!