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The
Oriental Caravan's
Postcard from Nagasaki...
| 7th April 2002
Dear All,
Greetings from Nagasaki! After once again arriving in perfect time to catch the full glory
of the cherry blossom The Oriental Caravan is
now nearing the end of another fantastic journey around Japan.
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Bride and Groom
dressed for a Shinto wedding on Miyajima island
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Tunnel of torii in
the Fushimi Inari 'Fox' temple, Kyoto
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A bridge beneath the
maple trees of Nara Deer Park
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Girls dressed in kimonos
stroll beneath the cherry trees on the 'Philosophers Path' in
Kyoto
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Offerings of torii
at a
Shinto shrine
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Silhouette of a
'guardian' fox at the Fushimi Inari temple, Kyoto
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This huge,
floodlit cherry tree is the focal point of 'hanami' cherry
blossom revellery in Maruyama Park, Kyoto |
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A lantern in the
Gion geisha district of Kyoto.
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From the exquisite temples of Kyoto to the virgin forests
and smoking volcanoes of Kyushu the sun has shone and the saké has flowed. |
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| This is a fascinating time to visit Japan, a land truly in
transition, as it struggles to meet the demands of a changing world.
Although in many ways the country seems ultra-modern, many of its
institutions, particularly its financial ones, are deeply entrenched in
the past. |
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Daibutsu-ji, Nara -
the largest bronze Buddha in the world
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On board the ferry
to Miyajima island
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Hiking in the hills
above Kyoto
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An imp holds up an
incense burner at Nigatsu Do temple, Nara
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| Intrepid
travellers aboard The Oriental Caravan
dine out on Zen tempura in an old Geisha house in the Gion district of
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Mother
and baby fox at the Fushimi Inari temple in Kyoto |
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Shinto bell rope
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Temple moss garden,
Kyoto
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Away from the hustle and bustle of its exciting cities
Japan still has areas of great natural beauty - and some of the finest
gardens in the world.
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| Japanese culture is possessed of a unique and refined sense
of aesthetics. Her most famous artist is perhaps the prolific woodblock
printer Hokusai. |
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Woodblock print (the
Wave by Hokusai)
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Woodblock print
(Fuji by Hokusai). Click here for a
more risqué woodblock print by Hiroshige.
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Picture of a picture
of a parasol
in sunlight
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Yarrow sticks used
for divination, Nigatsu Do, Nara
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The Industrial
Promotion Hall, now known as the A-Bomb Dome, is the only building
that remains from old Hiroshima.
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A model of Hiroshima
before the bomb was dropped - hold mouse over
image for a few moments to see the after effects or click
here for clearer comparison
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Children's Peace
Monument. Around 140,000 people died when the Bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima, including tens of thousands of children. Around 80,000
died instantly, another 60,000 of lingering illnesses in the decades
to follow. Today's nuclear weapons are hundreds of times more
powerful then those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
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The epicentre of the
blast is now a Peace Park. One of the monuments is to the 20,000 or
so Korean forced labourers, anonymous victims of the Bomb, whose
deaths were scandalously not commemorated by the Japanese
authorities for over 20 years.
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The Peace Museums in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki serve
to deliver the clear message that nuclear weapons should, under no
circumstances whatsoever, ever be used again.
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| The two best seasons to visit Japan are in the spring, to
catch the cherry blossom, or autumn, October and November, when the maple
trees explode into a riot of brilliant hues. |
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Orchard of cherry
trees in Korakuen Garden, Okayama
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Blossom
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Senjokaku temple, Miyajima
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Photographing the
ephemeral blossom is not a matter to be taken lightly!
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The volcanic
landscape around Mt. Yufu Dake on one of the many excellent day hikes
possible on the trip.
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After climbing the
(now dormant!) volcano of Yufu Dake what better than a hot soak in the idyllic
outdoor spa at Shitan-yu in Yufuin!
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Reading today's
paper overlooking Nagasaki harbour!
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Positioned as a lotus, with
petals of cherry falling like snow, The
Oriental Caravan's Chief Caravaneer and legendary vegetarian
Phil Colley sits and contemplates his laptop!
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That's about it for now. The next e-postcard will be
from the little-visited Tohoku region of North Japan, scene of the
wanderings of Matsuo Basho, 'founder' of the haiku poem. Anyway,
all is well here as we hope it is with you.
Wish you were here!
With very best wishes,
from Phil, and all aboard The
Oriental Caravan.
p.s. Please forward this postcard
to your friends!
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