Hiroshima

O-hayo gozaimasu! (means "good morning").

I`m in Nagasaki today, the rain hasn`t stopped. I was looking on the internet before and it seems most of Asia is taking it, rain wise. China seems to be in a particuarly bad state. Meanwhile, Europe is in a heatwave. Ho hum. Well, if I was back in the UK I`d probably be stuck in a lab staring out of the window wishing I was in the pub.

The temple stay at Koyasan was fun and interesting, but it was ruined slightly in the morning. Myself and an American couple who were also staying there were up at 7AM to watch the monks chant in the main hall. The chanting went on for quite some time, the four monks were really getting into it (apart from the older one who kept coughing up phlegm). After wards, the head monk gave us a quick tour of the hall, telling us about how after a big fire in teh past, many of the temples in Koyasan had been destroyed, but a wealthy samurai lord had donated money for their rebuilding. Then the monk asked us for a donation in order to help with reconstruction, 1000 yen (about 7 pounds) and we`d get a nice set of chopsticks in return. Well, I did the moral thing, packed my bag and sneaked out of there, ninja style, and jumped on the next train to Hiroshima.

I didn`t do too much in Hiroshima as it rained constantly and I was getting fed up of being wet all the time. I had a look at the A-bomb dome, the remains of which are quite eerie, and the museum which has lots of stuff about the bomb. I gathered that the Americans (backed by the British of course) had three reasons for dropping the atomic bomb on Japan:
1) put a swift end to the war
2) to test the weapon - a uranium bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and a plutonium one on Nagasaki, and the sites were chosen as much for the ease of observation of the effects as for the strategic importance
3) to show the Russians who was boss

I also visited Miyajima Island, which most people who go to Hiroshima do. It was very wet and foggy when I was there. I tried to climb up the mountain but got drenched and gave up 600m from the top. Not that I would have ahd a good view anyway.
At least the hostel there (K`s house) had a guitar, it was great to sit around on the sunday and just play for the first time in ages. I almost wrote a new song too (no words though).

So now I`m in Nagasaki (even more rain). Free internet so I`ve been arsing around all morning. Will have to get out eventually though...

Til next time,
Rob

Fuji to Koya san

Hi, a quick one today. I didn:t climb Fuji, it was pouring down. Instead I took the train to Osaka, spent the night in a capsule hotel and ate fried octupus balls (Takoyaki). The capsule hotel was cool , each room has an upper and lower set of capsules down each wall. Each capsule is about 2x1x1 metres, made of plastic, and with a blind at one end to seal it. It reminded me of a suspended animation capsule from a science fiction film. There is a thin matress inside and a tv (or I had the option to choose one with a charging socket). The end of the capsule I watched the last England game in there (vs Sloveni). There was a coin slot in the room and I was curious on what it did so I put my 100 yen in and was treated to two channels of Japanese porn. In the interests of journalism I watched on, as a man and woman got it together in a car and the woman made noises like a wounded cat or small child. On the other side a woman was tied up by the wrists as a man used various implements on her nipples, including the type of wide brushes they use here for stirring tea. The slurping noises were horrific.

Er, so after that I took the Nankai express and cablecar to Mount Koya-san. This is one of Japans three power spots as places with spiritual significance, along with Fuji and Takai. I went into the tourist office and booked a night at a temple, 9500 yen which is the most I"ve paid for a room yet (about 70 quid I think). It was a lovely day in Koyasan and I wandered around the graveyard, temple area and did a bit of a walk up the side of a hill. The temple meal was great, lots of small (vegetarian) dishes but I was quite full after (lots of tofu and pickled veg, and a really nice miso soup). After that I tried meditation with one of the monks, and had a great sleep in a big airy room.

Ok, my internet times up, see you later!