Japan, March 2014: Discovery voyage in a country on the other side of the world

Japan, March 2014 - Annet van Betuw 1

Japan, March 2014

Discovery voyage in a country on the other side of the world

By Annet van Betuw


Japan, here I come!

Amsterdam, March 6 Seoel, March 7 Hiroshima, March 7

Meeting my husband Rob Jongman in Japan, no more skyping but IRL


Saijo

Hiroshima airport > Saijo, apartment Rob Jongman

Rob worked 3 months at IDEC, Graduate school for International Cooperation and Development, Hiroshima University

4

Lots of excursions, starting in Saijo

March 10, Sake excursion in Saijo

What do you say in the Netherlands if someone makes a photo, asked the guide. ‘Cheese’ we answered, so he did and we laughed. In Japan people count 3, 2, 1 and take a picture.

Japan, March 2014 - Annet van Betuw

From spring in the Netherlands to cold Saijo… brrr

Rob tasting the good, healthy pure water in Saijo. Therefore there are Sako breweries in this town.


With Dutch eyesIn traffic cars come first, even if there is a pedestrian crossing. One gets used to it. But surprising is that pedestrians and cyclists join one road. Walkways are only at main roads. Mostly there is no or a small walkway. And often cars are parked there. Parking is an other issue: Japanese are very good in parking backwards, even without inside camera’s.


Traditional houses

Saijo area


Hiroshima

• 13-18 March, 61th Annual meeting of the Ecological Society of Japan

• Earthquake 15 March, early in the morning! Read my blog, sorry just in Dutch http://www.vanbetuwadvies.nl/een-aardbeving-zonder-social-media/

View from our room, 20th stock

http://www.vanbetuwadvies.nl/een-aardbeving-zonder-social-media/




Conference

Rob giving his presentation at 61th Annual meeting of the Ecological Society of Japan. Nice dragon play after conference dinner.


Hiroshima, peace memorial park

Being in Hiroshima, I had to go to the museum and parc. In the museum (of course) you are not allowed to take pictures, but I forgot and remembered after making this picture. Sorry. I was impressed by the tekst on this poster: nuclear weapens are the fruits of war.The tree is one of the two or three trees that survived.http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775


Miyajima

On Sunday, March 16, we visited the nice island of Miyajima, the island of Gods, known from the floating Torii gate. There were many tourists, a samurai and deers used to beg for food. Actually we did not visit the temples and shrines, but decided to go up with the cable-way and walk down. That was very nice, although my knees complained a lot!

http://visit-miyajima-japan.com/en/




IDEC

March 20, dinner IDEC staff

Rob’s official farewell from IDEC took place on March 20. We were invited to the staff’s dinner. In all Japanese houses and some restaurants (like this) you take off your shoes. If you go to the toilet, you can use slippers that are waiting for you.

Rob talking to Prof Nakagoshi. They already know eachother from 1986!


Kyoto

20-23 March

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen After dinner we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. A very nice city. Here are some impressions from the wonderful market that we visited on March 21.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen


Kyoto – Kiymizu-dera

March 22 we visited the amazing temple of Kiymizu-dera. If you climb there, you pass a big cemetary. It was very crowded, we did not know that it was a day off in Japan http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/lang/01.html

http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/lang/01.html


With Dutch eyes

“What is this?”We wondered in Hiroshima, seeing a lot of young girls walking with the front of their feet bowed to each other. ‘Fashion’ we heard. Yes, it probably will cause knock-knees or other physical problems, but if it is fashion… Once we noticed it, we saw it everywhere like here in Kyoto and not only teenagers. We were also fascinated by all the girls walking with short skirts and bare upperlegs… even when it was very cold or freezing! Fashion…


Kyoto – Highashi-Hongan-ji TempleThe Higashi-Hongan-ji Temple is amazing. Just look at the picture from the website InsideKyoto and you understand. But I was even more touched by a small ‘incident’. At the temple there were posters about collecting money for the victims of the tsunami three years ago. While having a look from a distance I saw a woman slowly walking there and starting to cry, soundless and holding her hands before her mouth. Of course I did not make a picture. The photo that you see here, was made the next day, when we went to the railwaystation, passing the temple again.

http://www.insidekyoto.com/higashi-hongan-ji-temple





HimejiMarch 23 we had to go back to IDEC, Saijo, being present at the graduation of the students. We stopped at Himeji, to visit the castle. Unfortunately the castle was under construction and we were short of time. Then a young teacher asked if her students could ask something in English. The girl in the white jacket did and was very happy that we understood her and answered some questions. Some days later we experienced the same in the hotel in Aso: young children really enjoyed asking some questions in English. This is very good, because most Japanese who we met (apart from students and staff) hardly speak or understand English.


Saijo - IDEC

March 23. After graduation at IDEC of course a lot of pictures were taken. After that there was a small farewell party were Rob was thanked by the students and received a nice present.


Nagasaki

24-26 March, travelling to Nagasaki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dejima

March 24, Dejima (Dutch: Decima)

Dejima (Japanese: 出島 ?, "protruding island"), in old Western documents latinized as 'Decima', 'Desjima', 'Dezima', 'Disma', or 'Disima', was a small fan-shaped artificial island built in the bay of Nagasaki in 1634 by local merchants. This island, which was formed by digging a canal through a small peninsula, remained as the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the Edo period. Dejima was built to constrain foreign traders as part of sakoku, the self-imposed isolationist policy. Originally built to house Portuguese traders, it was used by the Dutch as a trading post from 1641 until 1853. Covering an area of 120 m x 75 m (9000 square meters, or 0.9 hectares), it later was integrated into the city.In 1922, "Dejima Dutch Trading Post" was designated a Japanese national historic site.

Rob and Mrs Nakagoshi, who joined us on our first day in Nagasaki, looking at the first cherry blossoms in Dejima.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_sets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinization_(literature)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_island



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasaki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakoku

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolationist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanban_trade



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trading_post

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trading_post

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monuments_of_Japan







Nagasaki – Botanic garden (1)

March 25, warm welcome by Prof Nakanishi who showed us the botanic garden


Nagasaki – Botanic garden (2)


Nagasaki – story of HashimaFrom the botanic garden we saw Hashima Island, now a ‘ghost island’ but being a coal mine island in the past. Coming from a colemine family myself, I was hit by the idea that people actually lived here. It must have been a hard life. Prof Nakanishi took us to a small museum, showing pictures of the island when used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashima_Island picture from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashima_Island

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashima_Island


KumamotoWe continued our travel on the south island via Kumamoto. We arrived in the evening of March 25 and the next day Dr Abe showed us the castle and one of the gardens. It rained and once again we had to use the umbrella’s that we bought in Kyoto. But it was nice, especially when the two gentleman suddenly changed in people from another era.


AsoMarch 26-28Very interesting is Aso (Kumamoto) and Mount Aso, a vulcano. We were not allowed to go any further. Walking road and cable car were closed. You can see the steam coming from the vulcano. We decided to go to the museum.


Aso

Mr Hoashi showed us Aso area, vulcano, museum, the caldera and temple. To give you a better impression, I wrote a blog, which is translated into English: smart communication in Japan

http://www.vanbetuwadvies.nl/slim-communiceren-in-japan/




Shrine Aso

Streetview


Shrine Aso

From streetview to courtyard


Shrine

From courtyard to shrine


Shrine

Having a look inside the shrine


Kumano brush museumOur visit to Japan was about to end. On March 29 we visisted Mrs and Prof Nakagoshi’s house and Mrs Nakagoshi took us to the Kumano brush museum. Of course, being guests we had to try some kalligraphy. I designed my childrens names; read it from right to left, from top down. It ends with my signature.

30

KureIn the afternoon we visited an island close to Kure. It happened to be ebb tide and we could walk to these ‘wild’ oysters. Some 100 meters further we noticed several (cultivated) oyster breeds in the water, as we saw on other places.

Japan, March 2014 - Annet van Betuw


March 31

Hiroshima - Seoel


SeoelIn Seoel we had a whole day to spend, waiting for the flight to Amsterdam. We took the train from the airport and next to that a tourist travel hop-on-and-off bus. Soon Rob found the spot next to the river where he was in 2005, visiting a conference in Seoel.


Reconstruction Cheonggyecheon River

This river was changed into a highway and later into a river again. Rob was very pleased to see the changes in the past years. Citizens of Seoel are using it as a meeting point. I found a nice short video on Youtube: best restored river in the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEPIBFdWLqo







What did you do at 13.00 h

While walking next to the river, we saw this girl working on her exhibition in an open space. Nice idea.


Seoel, mix of old and new

Seoel is a very modern city, but mixed with tradition. The bus passed the residence of the president.


10 meters from the road

Close to the busy highspeed road, suddenly there are people walking, shopping, selling on the street.


Spruitjes

We enjoyed Japanese (and French, Italian and Indian) food. But coming to the lounge for frequent KLM flyers as Rob is, we were very happy with ‘spruitjes, Brussel sprouts!


April 1

Leaving at 0.55 Seoel, arriving 04.45 Amsterdam


www.vanbetuwadvies.nl

http://www.vanbetuwadvies.nl/

Japan, March 2014: Discovery voyage in a country on the other side of the world

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