Olive production is a niche in Japan. A 6 1/2 ounce bottle of extra virgin olive oil costs $38. I’ll stick with Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.
The trail downward from Kankakei Gorge nicely balanced the breathtaking upward ride. Less show. More serenity.
Kankakei Gorge is one of Japan’s top three gorges. Even with uncooperative weather the view from the ropeline/gondala was spectacular.
“Places everyone.”
Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Village is an island attraction for cult film aficionados. A nice buzz about the village with equal number of period dwellings and trinkets shops.
A true test of my travel skills was deciphering the Japanese island bus schedule. Perhaps the real test of my travel skills was riding the local bus 1 hour for 8 miles.
Achi-jinji Shrine was a welcome quiet place in Kirashiki’s history district.
Kirashiki’s canals were constructed between large warehouses to float rice to the port. Today they float tourists. Which is more profitable?
OVERVIEW
WALK: 10m from Hotel Best Grande Okayama to Okayama Station
TRAIN: 30m from Okayama Station to Kirashiki
WALK: 10m from Kirashiki Station to Historic Kirashiki District
TRAIN: 30m from Kirashiki Station to Okayama Station
WALK: 10m from Kirashiki Station to Hotel Best Grande Okayama
Thirty minutes by train from Okayama is Kirashiki, a historic district that flourished from rice trade from 1600-1850’s. Canals were constructed between large warehouses to float rice to the port. Today the warehouses have become shops and eateries with a small peppering of period residents.
Okayama’s Crow Castle maybe the only black castle in Japan.
Linda Scandore 