#Japan16 Shikoku

Waking to my alarm at 6.30, I decided to take the ferry from Wakagama port to Shikoku. From there I could get to the south coast of Honshu, ready to re-join my itinerary by Sunday evening.

Unfortunately I spent too long over the breakfast buffet (I was delighted to get Belgian waffles, but not so delighted to see deep fried whale! So I just missed the 8.30 ferry and had to wait two hours for the next one. The crossing took two hours itself. The ferry was huge, and besides a strange lounge are which looked like the middle column of seats from an aeroplane, randomly placed in the interior deck, there was also a carpeted room with shoe racks where people were sat on the floor. I joined them and researched where to go next, breaking occasionally to look for dolphins (there were none), or buy an ice cream from the vending machine (I only did this once for the record). I also got an amusing badge which has the ferry name written on it, with a picture of a scantily clad manga girl offering her hand, I assume to invite you onto the boat...

Due to their own gulf stream, Wakayama area
is a lot warmer than Osaka, and as a result
 has a lot more Sakura (and palm trees!)

The time passed quickly, and we soon alighted at Shikoku. Shikoku means 'four regions' in Japanese. The island is split roughly into quarters, and I would be limited to the north-easterly region of Tokoshima, and a little of Kagawa.

I chatted to a Swiss couple as we waited for the bus from the port into Tokushima city. They were very friendly although they didn't seem confident in their English, they too were backpacking and told me (as Tsusonoka had also reported) that Kyoto was amazing. I was very excited for the city that would be the grand finale for my trip. on the 25th March, Japan Guide (my go to guidebook website) had announced that Sakura Season had officially begun in Kyoto, so my hopes were high.

From the bus, Shikoku didn't seem much different to the mainland. The city however was very unlike Tokyo or Osaka. Tall palm trees swayed above raised walkways. (the walkways had escalators) and the city had the bright, breezy vibe of a hot country. I grabbed a map and walked to the Tokushima museum of Awa Odori, a festival in the summer when the whole city lours kut into the streets to dance the traditional awa Odori dance, in beautiful costumes and folded straw hats. The museum had a 3D video of the carnival as well as a number of miniature models of it, with tiny dolls dressed in kimonos of carrying octopus banners. The music was very catchy, I would love to return in August for the real thing!

Tokushima:s main drag. Not how I imagined Japan, but I'm not
complaining!

My favourite part of the day was the train journey through Shikoku. It was much more lush and rural than Honshu (the main island) and interspersed with conical green mountains. A beautiful place.

Next, I had to change train at Takamatsu, so I wandered around the city square. It was very smart, and dominated by the yellow brick Symbol tower. Aided by a surreally helpful (and sharply dressed) security guard, I made it up to the 30th floor of the East tower of the Symbol Tower building, and when the lift doors opened I couldn't suppress a gasp. The low afternoon sun had cast the city in gold. The deep shadows defined every building, and I could see them wrap tightly around the base of each hill, and jut out in peninsulas into the south sinto sea. The sea itself sparkled so brightly it dazzled me, and my camera couldn't do it justice.

My favourite Japanese security guard

When I returned to the ground floor (they call it the first floor in Japan), I thanked the security guard, and he asked where I was from. We had a chat and then he lead me across the building into the lift for the west tower. On the eighth floor the doors  opened to a spectacular view of the sea, speckled with islands of every shape and size. The guard pointed out every island and told me their names, then bowed apologetically and told me he must get back to his post.

I enjoyed the beautiful view, trying to absorb that this was Japan, and I was really here! After a while I wandered down to the harbour wall, took some more photos of the sun over the islands, and then got onto the Marine Liner train, bound for Okinawa!

The marine liner wove through north Shikoku before taking the Seto Ohashi bridge from Shikoku to Honshu (the main island). Somehow I timed it just right and as the train came over the bridge, I was able to see the sun setting over the sea from my window. It was the most amazing, beautiful sight, and I think it was the cherry on top of a beautiful day on the island.

It was a lot more magical than it looks, you'll have to take my
word for it!

I had dinner in Okinawa's underground shopping mall, ordering a vegetable and rice dish which I had chosen from the array of plastic replica dishes on display ("yasai?" "Hai!") it was absolutely delicious and surprisingly normal! If was also fantastically cheap and filling, so I was a happy bunny. There didn't seem to be anything worth staying late for in Okinawawa. There was a castle I couldn't be bothered to visit (I'd been castling at dawn and dusk the day before after all) and after I'd got a photo of the golf ball shaped waterfall, and got the obligatory stamp, I took the shinkansen to Fukuyama, where I spent the night in an un-noteworthy business hotel.