Nine Days in Japan - 19 November 2015

Kousanji Temple

This magnificent temple complex was built by Koso Kosanji, an early 20th Century industrialist from Osaka, in dedication to his late mother. The temple complex was built over a 30 year period.

The main hall of the temple

The Kosanji Koyomon Gate is the entrance to the temple 

Pip, Denny and Soon Kuan pose at a picturesque spot

Tatara Shimanami Park
Tatara Shimanami is a roadside station where one can rest, have some food (the menu is limited but the food is not bad), shop for fruits, especially oranges and bicycle through a nearby park. For those of us who do not cycle, there are places to take a stroll.

Pip, Soon Kuan and Uma

Towel Museum Ichihiro
The Towel Museum is located in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. I was surprised ti find out that it was actually a large and rather posh departmental store filled with branded textile items - toys, handkerchiefs, bed linens and of course colourful patterned towels! The museum itself was quite interesting and there were art pieces made of towel materials - Moomins figured very largely in the design.

Hotel Kyukamura Setouchi-toyo

We spent the night at the KyuKamura Setouchi-toyo hotel. This is a traditional style onsen hotel set in a park. We were served food which were local to the region, for the non-meat eaters, this included six different types of fish and various types of seafood! Soon Kuan joked that we had the entire weeks ration of fish in one meal. We had a surprise visitor that night, Motoharu Matsukura, who was a student guide all those years ago at Sophia University, turned up to visit us!

Moto is seated between Chow Peng and Rich

Setouchi Toyo Park
Early the next morning, some of the members of the group went for a short walk through the park, which included the hotel grounds...