Japan 2019

Monday11November

8 PM, we arrive in Onomichi at the View Hotel Seizan, located at the very top of the cliff facing the city.

The night view of Onomichi city from the hotel window. We walk down into the city to buy some provisions.

From the city below, the hotel where we are staying overlooks a cliff. Right next to it, a pagoda adds a Japanese touch to the scenery...

A now classic covered shopping street.

Back to the hotel.

Tuesday12November

Waking up at the "View Hotel Seizan" where the Sun didn't wait for us to rise. It's a little past 7 AM, and our star bathes the Seto Inland Sea in beautiful light, because indeed, it's not a river facing us, but a sea with a small island where the main part of Onomichi city is located. Even further away is one of Japan's four main islands: Shikoku.

The hotel and its neighboring pagoda.

Not far from the hotel, a path known as the "cat path" begins, leading to the Buddhist temple Senkoji.

As its name suggests, this path gives pride of place to small domestic felines, adored here as much as a deity.

We pass in front of the city's art museum where some "fake" cats are displayed behind the bay window...

View of the northern part of Onomichi.

A bridge connects to the island where the southern part of Onomichi is located. To the right, one of the city's cemeteries.

We arrive at Senkōji Temple located in the park of the same name, on the southern slope of the mountain of the same name... glasses.gif

"Founded in 806, the first year of the Daidō era (806-810), Senkō-ji is the tenth stop on the Chūgoku Kannon Pilgrimage. © Wikipedia

Small Jizō statues. These representations of Buddha in the form of small toddlers are specifically dedicated to the protection of children. When they are larger, the statues are often adorned with red hats and bibs in homage to deceased infants. Here, the small figurines only have a tiny little red bib.

Slightly more classic Buddhas.

Lots of omikuji papers hung to ward off bad fortunes that portended ill omens.

A large Jizō with its red hat and bib surrounded by several hundred small Jizō.

Ema plaques in the form of "Daruma", the name given to the red figurine representing a monk and supposed to help its owner fulfill a wish. Daruma figurines are normally sold without drawn eyes. The owner draws the first eye himself. The second will only be added once the wish is fulfilled. If the wish fails, the figurine can be returned to the temple to be burned...

And right next to it, a bear cub lends its effigy to form the Ema plaque.

A chōzubachi fountain and its hishaku ladle.

Cable car lines connect the temple and the city.

A bonshō bell to ring the time for Buddhist prayer.

A superb Jizô statue holding two origami cranes in its hands.

This short morning walk finished, we hit the road again to reach Hiroshima, located an hour from Onomichi. We approach Hiroshima and drive alongside a curious red structure... It's not a bridge or an aqueduct under construction but an ALS!   ALS stands for Approach Lighting System... Does that help you any more? We are next to Hiroshima airport... And now?... Well, in fact, this structure extends the runway and with its lights allows pilots to better position the plane to land the craft safely...