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[Japan Travel]: Matsuyama - Day 2
And here we go again ^-^
I stayed 3 days in Matsuyama (maybe 1 day too long), so I decided to use day 2 as my "break day" (it seems I always need one day where I don't do too much to recover again XD
It was raining almost the whole day anyway, so it was a good thing I decided not to do that much that day.
I still visited a few things and went shopping (*_*)
Matsuyama - Day 2 (April 4th, 2009):
Just walking around early in the morning because there was nothing else to do (everything was still closed anyway).
Falling cherry blossoms look awesome no matter where!! (*__*)
People who have been following my journal for a while now might know that I love to take photos of random Japanese gully covers as they're so beautiful (*_*)
I was lurking around a few places but they were still closed, so I just took photos from the outside XD
This was the birthplace of the Akiyama brothers (they were military leaders in the Russo-Japanese War.
Matsuyama is famous for those small trains that are still running through the city (Bocchan Train // 坊ちゃん列車)
I read somewhere that they were built using German trains as model :)
Here you can see one in action.
Here is another gully cover. I wonder what gully cover is in Japanese? I mean part of it is written on there already: 汚水 (おすい / wastewater) or 雨水 (うすい / rainwater). 汚水蓋 maybe??!
Then I went to the "saka no ue no kumo" (clouds above the hill) museum (because it was raining cats and dogs so I needed shelter XD).
Speaking of the drama, there were a few photos of the shooting inside right in the entrance hall :)
Basically the museum wasn't my thing, I've never even read the novel, but I still found a few interesting things like this one: kanji used for different countries (^-^)
(sorry, that's only Europe XD)
Well, apparently the novelist went to Europe (to Germany as well).
There were some really old documents, among them these old postcards.
At least that was really interesting ^-^
Although it was still raining like crazy I decided to go to Bansuiso (萬翠荘)
And the inside. Definitely European style ^-^;
That huge window was beautiful!
Right behind Bansuiso you can find Gudabutsuan (愚陀仏庵).
It was really nice there. I mean .. knowing that Souseki spent part of his life there ... together with Shiki! That was really awesome to just stand in front of it ^^ ... and imagine things XD
Soon I went back as the rain just wouldn't stop and decided to go to the huge shopping arcade, but before that ....
Lunch time! (*___*)
This was in a "typical" ticket restaurant. Before you enter or sometimes right at the entrance there's a ticket machine. There you decide what you want to eat and buy a ticket.
Then you sit down at a table and wait until somebody gets your ticket. After finishing your dish you can just leave.
Probably everybody knows that already, but maybe it's still interesting for some of you ^-^
I love all kind of 丼. I can't remember the name of this one, though XD ... Something with 月見 (^^')
End of the shopping arcade and it was still raining x___X ....
Nevertheless I decided to go to Shikidō (子規堂) as it was really close.
Bocchan / Natsume Souseki monument with a Bocchan Train in the background (*_*)v
Shkidou itself :)
Getting closer (Tanuki 発見!)
I have to admit that during my stay in Matsuyama I became kind of interested into Haiku (well, a little bit), but that's a story for day 3, I guess XD
And inside. A lot of old original documents :)
Went back the whole shopping arcade and then finally took a break in a Starbucks nearby (*___*)v
There was quite a cute male salesman there XD I went there twice and the second time he remembered what I ordered last time and that it wasn't available anymore at that time, so he told me that they have it today.
So cute!~ XD
Sakura cake and don't aks me what kind of drink I ordered ^^; .... Something special, that much I remember and it tasted good ... and sweet XD
The rain finally stopped and I decided to look for the "Freiburg Garden" a small garden that shows the friendship and partnership between Freiburg (in Germany) and Matsuyama :)
The garden was REALLY small and kind of hidden, but cute, especially with all the cherry blossom trees :)
Sorry, in German only (^o^)>
God, that was just too cute! And the name! XDDD *lolZ*
レスQちゃん (read: rescue-chan) XD
Me wants one of these cars! XD
On my way back to my hotel.
I couldn't figure out what exactly that building was. No tourist spot at least!
And that was my day 2 in Matsuyama.
I told you that it wouldn't be very interesting. Hope you enjoyed it nevertheless.
Day 3 was full of awesomeness again (so expect at least twice as much photos as today XD)
チャ(*゜ο゜)ゞ おっす! ～♪
I stayed 3 days in Matsuyama (maybe 1 day too long), so I decided to use day 2 as my "break day" (it seems I always need one day where I don't do too much to recover again XD
It was raining almost the whole day anyway, so it was a good thing I decided not to do that much that day.
I still visited a few things and went shopping (*_*)
Matsuyama - Day 2 (April 4th, 2009): Just walking around early in the morning because there was nothing else to do (everything was still closed anyway).
Falling cherry blossoms look awesome no matter where!! (*__*)
People who have been following my journal for a while now might know that I love to take photos of random Japanese gully covers as they're so beautiful (*_*)
I was lurking around a few places but they were still closed, so I just took photos from the outside XD
This was the birthplace of the Akiyama brothers (they were military leaders in the Russo-Japanese War.
Matsuyama is famous for those small trains that are still running through the city (Bocchan Train // 坊ちゃん列車)
I read somewhere that they were built using German trains as model :)
Here you can see one in action.
Here is another gully cover. I wonder what gully cover is in Japanese? I mean part of it is written on there already: 汚水 (おすい / wastewater) or 雨水 (うすい / rainwater). 汚水蓋 maybe??!
Then I went to the "saka no ue no kumo" (clouds above the hill) museum (because it was raining cats and dogs so I needed shelter XD).
Matsuyama also figures in several works by Shiba Ryōtarō, notably his popular novel, Saka no ue no kumo [Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming NHK Taiga drama adaptation of this novel, a Saka no ue no kumo Museum (坂の上の雲ミュージアム) was established in 2007. (source: wikipedia)
Speaking of the drama, there were a few photos of the shooting inside right in the entrance hall :)
Basically the museum wasn't my thing, I've never even read the novel, but I still found a few interesting things like this one: kanji used for different countries (^-^)
(sorry, that's only Europe XD)
Well, apparently the novelist went to Europe (to Germany as well).
There were some really old documents, among them these old postcards.
At least that was really interesting ^-^
Although it was still raining like crazy I decided to go to Bansuiso (萬翠荘)
This, the oldest French style building in Matsuyama, was constructed in 1922 for the former lord of Matsuyama Castle, Hisamatsu Sadakoto (久松定謨). After having lived and studied in France, Hisamatsu became enamored with the romantic architectural style, and upon returning hired Kigo Shichirō (木子七郎), who later designed Ehime Prefecture Headquarters and Ehime Municipal Library, to build his villa. This Taishō Era estate was the venue of many parties for the elite in its heyday, and the Emperor himself made it a point to visit whenever he was in the area. Currently, it is used as the Museum of Art's annex. The first floor's gallery changes throughout the year and is free, while the collection on the second floor showcases ink paintings by Shiki, Sōseki and other Ehime natives. (source: wikipedia)
And the inside. Definitely European style ^-^;
That huge window was beautiful!
Right behind Bansuiso you can find Gudabutsuan (愚陀仏庵).
"Stupid Buddha" was the name given to this quiet hermitage that Sōseki and Shiki shared for 52 days in the year 1895. Sōseki, who taught English at Matsuyama Junior High, lived upstairs while Shiki bravely fought tuberculosis in a room below. Those few days were a pivotal time for modern Japanese poetry; Shiki invited other haiku artists to debate the merits of the verse and he also taught techniques to students of the Shofukai Haiku School. Sōseki, who was himself at a turning point in his life, was greatly inspired by his college friend's passion and after parting ways, began a serious career in literature. (source: wikipedia)
It was really nice there. I mean .. knowing that Souseki spent part of his life there ... together with Shiki! That was really awesome to just stand in front of it ^^ ... and imagine things XD
Soon I went back as the rain just wouldn't stop and decided to go to the huge shopping arcade, but before that ....
Lunch time! (*___*)
This was in a "typical" ticket restaurant. Before you enter or sometimes right at the entrance there's a ticket machine. There you decide what you want to eat and buy a ticket.
Then you sit down at a table and wait until somebody gets your ticket. After finishing your dish you can just leave.
Probably everybody knows that already, but maybe it's still interesting for some of you ^-^
I love all kind of 丼. I can't remember the name of this one, though XD ... Something with 月見 (^^')
End of the shopping arcade and it was still raining x___X ....
Nevertheless I decided to go to Shikidō (子規堂) as it was really close.
The main rooms of the house where Shiki spent the first 17 years of his life were replicated and set up in Shōju Temple near the center of the city. The desk and artifacts from his childhood are displayed as he would have had them. The facility is complete with literary and artistic works discovered after his death, pictures and even some monuments dedicated to other renowned haiku poets. (source: wikipedia)
Bocchan / Natsume Souseki monument with a Bocchan Train in the background (*_*)v
Shkidou itself :)
Getting closer (Tanuki 発見!)
I have to admit that during my stay in Matsuyama I became kind of interested into Haiku (well, a little bit), but that's a story for day 3, I guess XD
And inside. A lot of old original documents :)
Went back the whole shopping arcade and then finally took a break in a Starbucks nearby (*___*)v
There was quite a cute male salesman there XD I went there twice and the second time he remembered what I ordered last time and that it wasn't available anymore at that time, so he told me that they have it today.
So cute!~ XD
Sakura cake and don't aks me what kind of drink I ordered ^^; .... Something special, that much I remember and it tasted good ... and sweet XD
The rain finally stopped and I decided to look for the "Freiburg Garden" a small garden that shows the friendship and partnership between Freiburg (in Germany) and Matsuyama :)
The garden was REALLY small and kind of hidden, but cute, especially with all the cherry blossom trees :)
Sorry, in German only (^o^)>
God, that was just too cute! And the name! XDDD *lolZ*
レスQちゃん (read: rescue-chan) XD
Me wants one of these cars! XD
On my way back to my hotel.
I couldn't figure out what exactly that building was. No tourist spot at least!
Camera used: 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5And that was my day 2 in Matsuyama.
I told you that it wouldn't be very interesting. Hope you enjoyed it nevertheless.
Day 3 was full of awesomeness again (so expect at least twice as much photos as today XD)
チャ(*゜ο゜)ゞ おっす! ～♪
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I'm surprised that Masuyama has a sister city in Germany.
I never would've imagined. Do you know how it happened?
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I'm hoping to go to Japan this summer. I'm feeling really pleased cause I recognised the hiragana for "chan" ! haha
I'm still learning japanese, can you exist in Japan knowing only hiragana?
I'll have my native friend with my but he's told me he's not going to let me speak english. o.O
xo
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Matsuyama is also a partner city of Sacramento (USA) and Pyeongtaek (Korea).
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Danke jedenfalls fürs Nachschauen <333
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Well, there are a LOT of (especially American) guys who are married to Japanese women and believe me when I say their Japanese is veeery basic.
You can live and survive here with no to basic Japanese, but it's no fun, I guess. It wouldn't be for me at least. I wanna understand the tv shows, magazines etc. and everyting else as well XD
Where exactly are you going in Japan? :)
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The two gully cover are beautiful... Why here didn't we have this things?
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God, that was just too cute! And the name! XDDD *lolZ*
レスQちゃん (read: rescue-chan) XD
Me wants one of these cars! XD
RESCUE~
Starbucks need to be like it is in Japan. There isn't very many yummy foods to choose from at Starbucks here in the U.S. and I bet there are lots of super yummy drinks that they don't have here. xDD
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so pretty! :D I remember how some of them had the street names on them too XDD
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otherwise I'll be staying in Ome city with my friend.
My parents can speak no japanese at all, and I'm basic too, that's the only thing that's holding me back from going to Japan this summer. I'd only be going for two weeks and I'm hoping to find an english speaking hotel if the rents are joining me.
So basically, I'm not going to get completely 100% lost and confused and dazed and frightened if I show up in tokyo without being fluent in japanese? as that is my fear XD
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wow!! That cake looks so good! Did the guy look like he could be a Johnny? lol
I think the building in the past pic might be a church or something close to it cause there is a cross at the top of it.
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He looked better than a Johnny! (*-*)v .... XD
Nope, it wasn't a church, that's why I thought it was strange o_O
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There are so many tourists coming every year, do you think that all of them can speak Japanese? XD
Japanese people usually won't try to speak Japanese to you anyway (unless their English is really zero), because they assume that all foreigners can't speak Japanese anyway and that all of them CAN speak English on the other hand ... well, but that's another (annyoing) story XD
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@ Freiburg Garden. That wooden train! We have those things over here too! There used to be one in front of the IKEA in Amsterdam when I was a kid. I always went to play there when we went to the IKEA. Lol.. even the colours are the same.
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I always find it odd that the Japanese have to learn english at school, the most popular languages are mandarin chinese and spanish isn't it? I mean it's not like they have much day-to-day use for it unless they live in a tourist hotspot.
Then again why did I learn french at school? haha.
By the way, what touristy things are there to do in Tokyo? I'm trying to convince my parents to come with me, I don't feel like going it alone first time. and I want to convince them that they dont have to speak japanese and there's much to do :)
xo
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Actually they mainly use Japanese only here. More Japanese people can speak English than Chinese or Korean and most of them don't even want to learn Chinese or Korean.
Right now French seems to be quite popular among my students (don't ask me why though). That means they tell me that this is the language they MIGHT want to study if they COULD choose.
I "had to" learn English, Latin, French and Spanish in school XDDDD Apart from English I never used any of those again. Well, Spanish in Spain and I LOVE SPANISH, so once I've mastered Japanese (if that ever happens ...) I wanna get back and restudy?! XD Spanish :D
I actually prefer to travel alone here in Japan ^^;
Uhm, what exactly do you understand under touristy things? XD
In Tokyo directly there's not SO much to see. You can go shopping, visit Tokyo Tower, the Imperial Palace, Asakusa, Akihabara, the Meiji Shrine in Harajuku and a few things like that.
You can do day trips to more beautiful spots like Nikko and Hakone or Kamakura and Enoshima :)
Somewhere in the depth of my journal XD I posted photos of all those locations :)
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Well, I often here "Beikoku" (米国) for America and "Eikoku" (英国) for England but apart from that it seems to be more common to use the more modern katakana versions o_O
IKEA (*____*) .... XD
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That German is interesting (but at least comprehensible; I've seem some curious French over there...)
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Mmmm...that sakura cake looks so lovely! It's so fun how that barista remembered you and what you ordered :)
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