Funny thing happened on the way to Kansai…
…I never made it!
The day started out with me standing in front of the Solar Café with a sign reading ‘Kansai’. About an hour later, Suzuki, an older gentleman who has been frequenting the café recently, showed up for lunch. When he found out what I was doing, he offered to give me a lift to the Tomei Expressway, where I would have an easier time getting picked up. After lunch, he drove me to a rest stop in Hakone. Once we arrived, he wouldn’t let me out of his car… that is until I accepted ¥5000 to help fund my safe travels through Japan. I tried to refuse, but he was pretty insistent. What a cool guy! I only hope my poor Japanese conversation skills during the ride were enough to repay him.
I was standing in the rest stop for less than an hour before a friendly couple from Nagoya picked me up. The basic Japanese I spoke and rudimentary English Hiroku knew was enough to allow a bit of conversation during the four hour drive. They convinced me that Nagoya was not to be missed, so I decided to stick around for a few days before heading to Kansai. On the way, we also stopped in Shizouka to shop at a fish market, famous for its fresh tuna.
Upon arrival in the city, they dropped me off at Nagoya station. I checked my guidebook to find out what was around, and then set off to do some night photography of the local attractions. I got a few cool shots of the two most famous: Nagoya-Jo Castle and Atsuta Jinja.
It grew late quick, and I was anxious to drop off my full pack that following me for the last fourteen hours. I caught the last train back to Nagoya station and holed up in the coolest internet café I’ve ever seen. Along side the usual perks (showers, blankets, free drinks and DVD rentals, etc.) they gave me a rather spacious cubicle lined with a mattress and small folding leather chair. I passed out watching X-Men III which was lame enough to put me asleep (What happened to that series? It had such a great start!)
So, now I’m in Aichi prefecture. Unexpected stop, but that’s the best thing about independent travel without an itinerary. I only wish I had more time to explore before my visa expires.
Tags: - Photography, - Transport & Travel, Asia, Japan, Japan: Aichi, Japan: Yamanashi, Nagoya, Photo
Adam Shane
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