Nick
January 17th, 2005, 03:33 PM
Here are the day three pictures of my tour of West Japan,taken early last December.This is the last of the series.The old mountain town of Tsuwano,Yamaguchi perfecture,is where I spent day 3 before taking the expressway on the 5 hour ride back to Osaka.
http://img95.exs.cx/img95/6340/CopyofCopyofCopyofja.gif
The map showing the three days of touring.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6052/dscn71731mj.jpg
The beautiful town of Tsuwano.Famous as a refuge for Christains during the Edo era(1600s-1860s).To escape persecution,Christains fled to this isolated town from Nagasaki and other cities in Kyushu.Well protected from the surrounding mountains,the residents of this quiet town virtually lived in Isolation from the rest of the country.Trade with Hagi and other nearby areas kept the economy alive.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/5756/dscn71755eq.jpg
Many small towns in Japan have their Temple district.Here is the enterance to Tsuwano's temple area.In the foreground are some of the local bikers causing a bit of a disturbance with their helmets!
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/729/dscn71786ps.jpg
A typical scene in most touristy Japanese towns.The tour guide guiding around groups of retired Japanese on weekend tours.This one was from Hiroshima.The nearest large city,about 120km away
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/3847/dscn71920cl.jpg
The local church.Very rare in most of the country except for the southern and western parts.Christanity really took hold of the southern tip and western part of Japan before the shogan outlawed it in the 1600s.This church only dates back to the 1930s.The original building was built in the 1600s before fire destroyed it sometime in the early 20th century.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/8495/dscn71930af.jpg
Have you ever wonderd what a Japnese church looks like inside? Notice the absense of pews.Here the worshipers sit on the Tatami mats.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6667/dscn72126sj.jpg
The quiet backstreets.Dating back hundreds of years.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/8494/dscn71875zt.jpg
Another local tour guide! This one is wearing a some kind of funky mask.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/8912/dscn72222mh.jpg
Such a busy little town.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/512/dscn72313bi.jpg
The gateway into the temple district
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/5793/dscn72375kx.jpg
To get to the main temple,you have to walk up a series of red gates following the mountain path up about 200 meters
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/55/dscn72446iq.jpg
The climb was tough.Ah ah ah ah half way there.Just a little rest.Wow! check out the view of Tsuwano!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/3363/dscn72531wj.jpg
Finally got to the top.What a climb.The temple area was very busy with tourists from all over the west Japan enjoying the atmosphere.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/358/dscn72579ek.jpg
Perched up on the top of the mountain,this temple area is one of the finest ive seen in Japan so far.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/1724/dscn72504ob.jpg
Tourists paying their respects to their ancetors infront of the shrine
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/7936/dscn72668tl.jpg
My lucky day.The taiko drumers getting ready for a preformance infront of the temple/shrine area.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/8306/dscn72802eb.jpg
Off they go!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/2026/dscn72788ha.jpg
So much intesity!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/2954/dscn72693uj.jpg
The base drumer in action.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/4541/dscn72815vp.jpg
Looking away from the town out into the distant mountains from the temple
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/9185/dscn72837hz.jpg
Ahhh Tsuwano.Thankyou again for joining me on another tour of Japan brought to you by the Suzuki SKYWAVE!!! .Feel the power of the ride!!!!!! Ride your dreams!
http://img95.exs.cx/img95/6340/CopyofCopyofCopyofja.gif
The map showing the three days of touring.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6052/dscn71731mj.jpg
The beautiful town of Tsuwano.Famous as a refuge for Christains during the Edo era(1600s-1860s).To escape persecution,Christains fled to this isolated town from Nagasaki and other cities in Kyushu.Well protected from the surrounding mountains,the residents of this quiet town virtually lived in Isolation from the rest of the country.Trade with Hagi and other nearby areas kept the economy alive.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/5756/dscn71755eq.jpg
Many small towns in Japan have their Temple district.Here is the enterance to Tsuwano's temple area.In the foreground are some of the local bikers causing a bit of a disturbance with their helmets!
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/729/dscn71786ps.jpg
A typical scene in most touristy Japanese towns.The tour guide guiding around groups of retired Japanese on weekend tours.This one was from Hiroshima.The nearest large city,about 120km away
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/3847/dscn71920cl.jpg
The local church.Very rare in most of the country except for the southern and western parts.Christanity really took hold of the southern tip and western part of Japan before the shogan outlawed it in the 1600s.This church only dates back to the 1930s.The original building was built in the 1600s before fire destroyed it sometime in the early 20th century.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/8495/dscn71930af.jpg
Have you ever wonderd what a Japnese church looks like inside? Notice the absense of pews.Here the worshipers sit on the Tatami mats.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/6667/dscn72126sj.jpg
The quiet backstreets.Dating back hundreds of years.
http://img138.exs.cx/img138/8494/dscn71875zt.jpg
Another local tour guide! This one is wearing a some kind of funky mask.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/8912/dscn72222mh.jpg
Such a busy little town.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/512/dscn72313bi.jpg
The gateway into the temple district
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/5793/dscn72375kx.jpg
To get to the main temple,you have to walk up a series of red gates following the mountain path up about 200 meters
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/55/dscn72446iq.jpg
The climb was tough.Ah ah ah ah half way there.Just a little rest.Wow! check out the view of Tsuwano!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/3363/dscn72531wj.jpg
Finally got to the top.What a climb.The temple area was very busy with tourists from all over the west Japan enjoying the atmosphere.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/358/dscn72579ek.jpg
Perched up on the top of the mountain,this temple area is one of the finest ive seen in Japan so far.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/1724/dscn72504ob.jpg
Tourists paying their respects to their ancetors infront of the shrine
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/7936/dscn72668tl.jpg
My lucky day.The taiko drumers getting ready for a preformance infront of the temple/shrine area.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/8306/dscn72802eb.jpg
Off they go!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/2026/dscn72788ha.jpg
So much intesity!
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/2954/dscn72693uj.jpg
The base drumer in action.
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/4541/dscn72815vp.jpg
Looking away from the town out into the distant mountains from the temple
http://img16.exs.cx/img16/9185/dscn72837hz.jpg
Ahhh Tsuwano.Thankyou again for joining me on another tour of Japan brought to you by the Suzuki SKYWAVE!!! .Feel the power of the ride!!!!!! Ride your dreams!