China - Tibet Autonomous Region and a bit of Japan on the way home

[Matt_01]

When you get back to the car park it is best to call a cab to get back down. It is highly unlikely there would will be one there, it took around 15 minutes for one to show up. Back at the station I realised it was around 4pm and had not booked a place to stay. I have stayed in these smaller towns in the past so would be pretty confident not much would be open after around 6pm so I decided to push on to Kyoto. The fact there was a limited express arriving within the next 15 minutes was also a factor. So back on the train to the next stop. On the way I just booked a room at the Kyoto dormy inn, it was quite late when I arrived however the bath was still open and dinner was the free noodles. No photos of either of those, the baths you are not allowed, and the noodles I had left the phone in the room to charge.

 

[Matt_01]

After a couple of days milling around in Kyoto and catching up with others (friends in Japan) I decided to relook at my plan. Originally it was to head to Hikone, Inuyama and then casually make my way back up to Tokyo with a couple of stops along the way. Well after a 5 minute thought process I had the mad idea to see if I would be able to knock off Maruoka and possibly Hirosaki and then all 12 would be done. New plan, early start with Inuyama Castle being the first stop. Shinkansen to Nagoya and then change to Meitetsu Railways to Inuyama. Inuyama Castle is interesting as I believe that the castle complex had been given back to the family in the 1880/90s and was basically in private ownership until the late 20th century or early this century (I will need to check).

 

[Matt_01]

Next on the list Hikone, I considered using Meitetsu Railways but in the end went back through Nagoya and the Shinkansen back to Maibara. I just left my stuff at Maibara and caught the seperate train to Hikone. Hikone Castle is a larger complex that also has a museum and gardens.
The museum and parts of the lords residence.

 

[Matt_01]

The castle

 

[Matt_01]

And a few of the gardens than back to the station.

 

[LinaLee]

On arrival at Bicchu Takahashi Station I just jumped in a cab and was not that expensive. If you started earlier in the day you could walk to but it is all up hill and narrow roads. At the top carpark there is still around 700m to hike up hill to get to the top.
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I must have accidentally changed something on my phone as the image colour is not correct and I didn't notice it to later.
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But the effect is very authentic like those period photos! I think you can correct it back in the photo edit mode. Had the same happen to me too.

 

[serfty]

Had the same happy to me too.

Nothing like happy snaps ...

 

[LinaLee]

Nothing like happy snaps ...

Fixed it but you’re quick

 

[rbjhan]

Ha, I saw the Izumoshi Station photo (I actually stayed at that Dormy Inn in 22!) and was confused for a minute

 

[Seat0B]

@Matt_01 I am loving both parts of your TR and definitely buckled in for the full ride.

 

[Matt_01]

After leaving Hikone Castle I returned to Maibara and started checking the map thinking to myself surly Muruoka Castle cannot be that difficult to get to and after all it is some where on this side of the Island. As my fingers zoomed the map in and out I found Maruoka Castle, zooming back out I thought to myself so it looks like it is somewhere between Tsuruga and Kanazawa. I know those places so if I get horribly lost I will be able to find my way to one of those locations and at least find my way back to Tokyo.

Decision made off to Muruoka Castle, I went to purchase a ticket (train) and for the life of me could not work out how to get there so I asked for some help. The JR staff looked at my phone, took out their cards, played with the ticketing system and let me know the price, all very reasonable and that was it job done. I noticed that the ticket indicated 1-4 so I made my way to carriages 1-4 hopping I was going to the correct place. It was a local train and after a while I arrived in the middle of nowhere and it was time to change trains.


Next train only went 2-3 stops and I was in Tsurunga then onto Hapi-Line (I just liked the name) only one train change to go.

 

[Matt_01]

I realised at this point I did not have a place to stay for the night and after a quick search there was no accomodation in Maruoka but seemed to be some at Fukui. For some reason this place rang a bell I had no idea why but booked accomodation and just got off the train there. On arrival I realised why Fukui was in my mind for some reason. There is a large dinosaur park out of the city and I had planned on going there with Mrs&MissM on previous trips however on all occasions we just would have run out of time or it wasn't high on the agenda.
My accomodation

During the check in process both the checkin staff were not Japanese (not that really matters), both could speak reasonable english. After been in the room for a while trying to work out the easiest to get to Maruoka Castle I just went back to reception to enquire about the cost of a taxi. After a bit of discussion and letting me know how much it would cost (not the cheapest but a lot easier) one of the check-in girls said she will book a cab for me. She also mentioned words along the lines of see sister number 2, at the time it did not make a lot of sense but I will come back to that. In the morning after breakfast spoke with who I thought was the same girl, and asked about a taxi, informed yes, dropped off my stuff and waited for the taxi. I discovered that she must have requested an english speaking driver and during the trip he was happily telling me about his visit to AU for his honeymoon some 40 years back. He was a very nice chap.

My taxi driver

 

[Matt_01]

Anyhow after a while we arrived at Maruoka Castle.
I know the steps in castles are steep but this one where both higher in rise and narrower in pitch and I had not seen ropes before. From memory I think the recording mentioned they were at 79 degrees.

 

[Matt_01]

A few more.

The next thing to deal with was how to get back to the hotel. There were no taxis in sight, I had read there was a bus that came to the castle and while thinking about the best way to get back along came a bus so I just got on. I asked if he was going to Fukui and the driver just smiled and nodded, I have no idea if he had understood me or not.
At some point along the journey the Shinkansen line came into view and my thought process was if I can see that and see a station I will just get off.
It soon disappeared
We did arrive at a train station (local) and I was going to get off and just work out where I was however the driver indicated no so I sat back down. Eventually we arrived at the Fukui station.

 

[Matt_01]

After getting back to the hotel I realised I had lost my baggage receipt. Initially I was having some difficultly explaining what I was after then I saw the same girl from last night and the one who had directed me to the taxi so I approached her. She also seemed to be having some difficulty understanding in what I was after and her english was not as good as the previous night. After looking at her I worked out what 'sister number 2' most likely meant, I suspect they were twins. Thinking about it was just a comedy of errors, on one hand there was me talking to a girl, thinking she was the same person as the night before and on the other hand a girl most wondering what the hell is this guy on about. It all work out, I got my stuff and I was off to the station.

 

[Matt_01]

By now it was just before mid day on Friday, all I knew was I had to be at NRT on Saturday evening, I thought stuff it I can fit in 1 more so Hirosaki Castle here I come. There is only 1 small issue to deal with, that been they are around 900km apart, time to settle in on the train. First get some supplies for the trip.
The train and if you are having to spend hours in it you may as well get comfortable.

Change at Ōmiya into a slightly different green class

 

[Matt_01]

A train change at Shin-Aomori and joined to evening commuters to Hirosaki.

The train was pretty much empty by the time I arrived.

Apples must be thing here, once out of the station time to find Blossom Hotel. This hotel pickings had been quite slim and this one was a bit old school with physical keys which you had to hand back when leaving the property at anytime. The air conditioning was also old school i.e. a fan.

 

[Matt_01]

I figured I had come this far and tomorrow I had to head back why not take a look this evening. The chap at reception said it was a 20-30 walk but I took a little longer.


I was actually happy to come out in the evening as I am not sure if you can go into the tower.

 

[Matt_01]

A few more as I just started playing around with some evening photos.

And a couple on the way back to the hotel

 

[Matt_01]

The following morning it was off to NRT. So just back on the local train and at Shin-Aomori just get on the first train available to Ueno. The green class was full so there was only one thing to do.

Somewhere a long the line another trained must have joined on at the back as in Shin-Aomori I was in the last carriage of the train. By Ueno we had picked up another.

Jumped on the Skyliner, the transfer bus to my final home, Hotel Mystays.