Himeji was next on the itinerary. My guidebook mentioned a famous old Samauri castle located there. I planned to just stop over for the afternoon on my way to Osaka; I had no idea how much I would fall in love with the place!
It was a gorgeous afternoon. Walking a short 15 minutes form the station down a gorgeous tree lined avenue, I approached the castle. Situated on the top of a hell, it is dually impressive and awe-inspiring!
Inside the expansive grounds, there is a ton to see. The princess' quarters, suicide room (the Samauri had a ritual in which one took his own life it dishonored or ordered to by his master) and gardens were fascinating - here they have many signs and markers with a wealth of information provided on neat metal plates. I soaked in in.
I climbed up the main tower, all six floors. The stairs were steep and slippery, especially since the provided slippers (again, no shoes!) kept sliding off of my feet. The wooden structure was really beautiful, and the view of Himeji, surrounded by mountains, was breathtaking. Expected, but so unexpected.
Now, before heading to the castle, I had stopped at a tourist information book on the way out of the station. Quickly grabbing an English map. I noticed that there was a temple located nearby that was used in the filming of the "Last Samauri". I asked the clerk about it, and she told me that the area was a huge one, on top of Mt. Shosha. I had a bit of time left, and so decided to take a bus ride there. Up the mountain by cable car, I only had one hour to see everthing. The two temples used in the filming were a 25 minute walk. Waking to make it in 20, (as to safely make it mack for the last cable car, again, obsessing over time... but with cause! I didn't want to be stuck on top of a deserted mountain all night alone!) Anyhow, this place was not in my guide book, and , when I asked the hostel clerk about it in Osaka, she had never heard of it. Yet, it was the most wonderful place I have seen in Japan.
On top of the mountain, it was heavily forested and nearly deserted. Handed a vague map on the main trails, I set off towards the main temple. Now if you know me, you know that I would get lost. And I did. But luckily, I also know myself, and made sure that, when I got lost, I would be able to make it back. So, after 45 minutes of walking accidentally half way down the mountain and laboring back up the incline with self loathing, I finally reached the first temple. There it was, nestled in a blanket of forest, where I had walked for nearly an hour and met not a soul, not even an animal. It was enormous and astounding. I climbed up the stone steps, removed my shoes, and, after bowing to the two monks that ran a small tattered shop in the entry way, stepped inside. The wood was cold on my feet, and, as I looked out over the expanse of green and the setting sun, all was still. In a blanket of silence, it was just me, the forest, and the crisp mountain air. I made it back with 5 minutes to spare, and promised id I would come back. I wanted to fully explore the place, and experience that feeling again. There aren't too many places like that left in the world.
Himeji town is a nice one, There is a cute covered shopping street, like Hondori in Hiroshima, with a plethora of shops and restaurants. it was a great feeling to it - not too touristy, like many of these main attractions are, but proud. I stumbled upon a puppy show with these adorable puppies in class cages, peering up at me and inviting me to take them home and love them. Fortunately, I don't have a thousand dollars, and wasn't able to take one with me. Bummer!
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