Onomichi, Kurashiki, 尾道、倉敷, May, 30, 2010

On May 30th, 2010, I went to Onomichi, Hiroshima, and Kurashiki, Okayama. Trip to Onomichi from Takehara. Next day I attended the architecture lecture tour in Onomichi and after that I travelled by myself in Kurashiki, Okayama pref before heading back to Osaka.
Japan May 2010.

I was expecting my partner to come to Japan someday, and fix our own house, so I went to see the group that doing renovation project. Okayama is just for fun, and I thought that he might want to see the old town, so I went to see there too. It seemed like there are more tourists at Kurashiki than Onomichi. Good places of Onomichi, you need to hike up the hill and see the local houses and wild cats, but Kurashiki is already established as a tourist town which has renovated old Japanese houses to tourist attractions, museums and souvenir shops and restaurants. And Kurashiki old town district is very close and walking distance from the Kurashiki station, so it is very convince.

Only I wanted to save money and ride a long distance bus back to Osaka, but the bus stop was far away, and there were long distance bus stop in Onomichi or Okayama station, but not near the Kurashiki station, so I gave up and ride trains back to home.

View from the Onomichi Bay.

Onomichi Station. It is smaller than Hiroshima station, but it is nice little bay side town and popular for movie locations.

Behind on top of the hill, I see a castle?

A Onomichi Hill Hotel near the bay. I thought that I would have staid there the night before instead of a cigarette smoke smell Takehara hotel.

This boat goes back and forthe between Mukai-jima island. It has a cute house on top of the boat.

NPO renovated movie theater.

Some shopping arcade is doing self-renovation by a young shop owner. In Japan, self build is not common, NPO helps to re-build a city old house to anybody who apply, so that they can save money to own houses or shops.

A Reflection of the window people looking inside from the street.

「チャイダー」, A community cafe selling souvenir and drinks especially local artists and Hiroshima Carp run.

「鉄板や」I thought it is fun old building that has chimneys? inside shopping arcade.

Wondering around the assembly hall that no longer use. It is used as  a information center downstairs.

A candy and snack store that was used to a public bath. It says Yamatoyu 大和湯 which was a name of the hot bath. It is architecturally important so they just leave the building and re-used it.

And old sawing machine for making jeans.

Neo Classical style. I have seen in downtown Osaka too!

This is very similar with the building at Osaka bay (Nanko 南港）that has a cafe and gallery that I used to visit. I think it was the same architect and same era.

You go under the railway to go up to the hill. Two poll are for temple sign. They are many temples at Onomichi.

I was very fascinated by the sign of Keito shop 毛糸 (woolen yarn) which has a lots of woolen yarn are inside the sign and top and bottom bars.

まちなかきゃんぱす？Maybe there are doing some discussion how to make the city more popular.

Old sign says Ebisu tyou, (Ebisu town) I was surprized that it had a same name as one of the district in downtown Osaka.

From here it is old district of Kurashiki. I liked the old wooden building feel.

I was surprised that the tunnel goes under the house behind. I wonder the house shakes every time car pass by??

The sign indicated the tunnel was built very on 1926 very old. I guess that was why they could not re-moved the tunnel.

But I think an old tunnel makes little spooky feel... (-_=)

Muni, I forgot but I think it was a modern store, clothing or French restaurant there...

An old stone sign leads to the ancient road.

It is very popular one the tourist attraction at Kurashiki. The river is not that long though.

I like walking down little arrays. Sometime you better be careful, not to make a lot of noise because local people still live there.

Ohara Museum. They exhibit and store many important Western art.

They design and take care an ivy very good. They also have a building of souvenir shops and museum, restaurant called Ivy Square near by.