Travel Notes | An Invitation from Himeji Castle

Kobe is a metropolis that emerged in modern times. In addition to its world-famous beef, it also has ancient buildings of great historical value. Tradition and internationality blend together, just like an advertising slogan: I love tradition but want fashion! Kobe is a must-visit place.
 

Kobe Hidden Route Revealed

After arriving at Kansai International Airport, there is a cost-effective and niche route to Kobe, which is to take a boat! But you need to make an appointment in advance. Foreigners can get discounts with their passports, and it’s a straight line to Kobe!

 

▲Boat and ticket to Kobe

 

There is a point to pick up ferry tickets at Kansai International Airport . There is also a free bus from the airport directly to the pier, which takes about 15 minutes.

Tip: Ask about the specific discounts and purchase methods for boat tickets in advance!

 

Kobe·Red Rock Higashi

Our stomachs were growling, so we kept looking for this store on the commercial street. Hidden in a small alley, the store is very inconspicuous. We are curious next door Long queues I went to a store in Higashi and finally found the Red Rock Higashi.
As soon as I entered the store, I went to the vending machine and ordered the signature TOP1 roast beef slices rice bowl and TOP2 steak bowl . They were both made to order. While waiting, I poured a lot of cups in the store. Cold tea…

▲Roast beef slices with rice
It is said that there are fourteen layers of beef slices! Try the cheese sauce first. The salty and sweet cheese flavor is rich, but it masks part of the taste of beef. Mix it with raw eggs. Take a bite of the tender beef slices wrapped in egg liquid and rice , and The salty and sweet taste of cheese, all blend together, there is no problem eating a whole bowl of rice.

▲Steak Don
 
The steak was fried to a crispy skin, was perfectly cooked on the inside, the beef was tender and juicy , served with black pepper sauce and served with hot rice. , chewing the meat with rich beef flavor! Well, this is what adults taste like!

Tip: The beef is American beef, you can change it to Japanese Wagyu beef for extra money!

Kobe·Naruto Taiyaki

After finishing our first meal, we wandered around the commercial street for a while. There was an old woman sitting in front of the dessert shop eating dessert. She enthusiastically kept introducing that this dessert was delicious.
In fact, we didn’t quite understand the general content, but it didn’t stop us from being amused. Later (I checked online before writing this) I found out that turned out to be a very famous store! I accidentally tried the specialty again.
 

▲Menu on the street
There are only red bean paste and sweet potato paste on the menu! Later I read online that there are other fillings available, I guess they are limited to season.
 

▲Taiyayaki
The taiyaki is filled with hot and plump red beans, which taste soft, glutinous and sweet! Come in autumn or winter and it will be so warm!

▲Ice cream cake
 
The ice cream pie printed with a soft penguin pattern is packed with milk ice cream that will instantly take you to the North Pole! It's super cold after entering the mouth. The texture is not very smooth, and it feels like a smoothie. The milk flavor is not very strong. It feels great with a cup of warm tea!
Because it is cooked to order, after ordering, we sat on the bench in front of the store and chatted while eating. I don’t know if it was because we looked particularly hungry, but many people were attracted by purchase……

Hyogo Prefecture·Hokoen Garden

Yokoen is a Japanese garden built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Himeji City's municipal administration. It was named from the school "Okodo" that existed since the Edo period near the entrance to the courtyard.
 

▲Encountered a creative market on the road
 

▲Hokoen Garden & Himeji Castle Package
Kokoen is right next to Himeji Castle, so it’s very convenient to visit! There are not many touristsespecially suitable for lazy people like me. Buy the package ticket of Hokoen + Himeji Castle directly, which is convenient and cheap.
 

▲A corner of Hokoen Garden
After checking the ticket at Okoen, you will see a long table next to it, with a Okoen stamp on it that can be stamped. Students who are doing accounting must bring a good notebook, write a few more chapters, and collect materials!
 

▲Haogu Garden Plant Planting Area
 

▲Haogu Garden Plant Planting Area
 
There are also packaged seeds of kombucha on the long table that you can take for free. But I didn’t take them because I thought I couldn’t take them on a plane. You can admire the kombucha pergola at the door, which looks like a lantern. Same, very cute.
 

▲Falling bell
The scenery of Haoko Garden is cleverly arranged, with courtyard landscapes full of small bridges and flowing water. It occupies a large space (my short legs are very tired from walking) and the doors and walls are very low.

▲Familiar pattern
 

▲A corner of Hokoen Garden

▲A corner of Hokoen Garden

Tip: Be sure to wear sunscreen and don’t wear socks with holes.

Haokoen·Shuangshuan Teahouse

When I was tired from walking, I saw a teahouse. I debated for a long time whether to go in (poor smile), but finally I went in. After all, you have come! Be able to experience the tea ceremony (refreshments are the key point) and appreciate the garden (air conditioning is the key point). There are already several foreign tourists sitting in the big tea room... but the person who receives them can only speak Japanese.

▲Maple tree
You have to sit down on your knees to have tea. If you are not used to it, you will be given a chair! Set meal for one person: a bowl of matcha and a wagashi.
The matcha flavor is very strong and the taste is a bit powdery and astringent. The tea snacks are relatively sweet, which goes well with the astringency of the tea. The theme of the tea that day seemed to mean listening to the sound of the wind, which was very suitable for summer and full of poetry.

▲Matcha + wagashi
 
It is very pleasant to have refreshments while looking at the scenery outside (the air conditioning is very cool). People suddenly became peaceful, we could order in Japanese, and the aunties who received us enthusiastically introduced us to the teahouse and various tea ceremony cultures and helped us take photos (maybe in their eyes we have already Become a foreigner who loves taking photos!)
 

▲Window view of Shuangshu Temple

▲Tea room
 
They also took us to visit a small teahouse that was not open to tourists (it was a bonus). There was a painting written by a Chinese calligrapher hanging inside: A day of leisure, a day of happiness . After playing in the small tea room for a while, we went back to the big tea room for refreshments.

▲Egret potted plant
 

Tsujikawa Hobei

We were hungry... We looked for a nearby restaurant to eat, and it took us a long time to find it. Because the storefront and the pictures online are different. Then the name of the store is written differently (You can’t even eat without education, so reading is really beneficial). When I arrived at the store, I saw that the menu said coffee was free! The savior of sleepy stars (if you are poor, you rely on money). When ordering food, you were told by that it is free only on working days.

▲Half baffle for part-time bulletin board
The real signature is paella , but I don’t want to eat it raw. You can only order one of ’s signature tempura (eel, shrimp, etc.) and oden. The dishes are mainly traditional Japanese dishes.

▲Lunch options
The eel tempura is a bit fishy, ​​which I don't like very much. The oden is surprisingly delicious, and the clear soup is also delicious. It doesn’t look like much, but actually it’s enough for two people . The sauce that comes with the tempura is also delicious, and the bibimbap is very good! But I have soup! Tempura is no longer important...
 

▲Oden

▲Tempura rice
After happily finishing my lunch, I was packed up and dragged to Himeji Castle by my friends.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is known as "Japan's No. 1 Castle" and is also called White Egret Castle due to its white and elegant shape. is one of the few most intact castles in Japan.
 

▲ Himeji Castle Lawn Plaza
There is a very wide lawn square in front of Himeji Castle, it is also very nice to take photos. Then when I went to get the brochure at the door, door-to-door sales came, oh no, a door-to-door tour guide came! I was very lucky to meet a tour guide who could speak Chinese. A very energetic old man in his 80s. Later we chatted and found out that he can speak Japanese, English, Chinese and French, and his learning ability can directly beat me and other low-school students.

▲Himeji Castle
It’s better to read up on Japanese history before going to Himeji Castle. At least look at the general names of the people and the general events, otherwise you will be very confused. I relied on the shallow plots of Japanese dramas before to understand a little bit...
Remember to pick up a brochure at the entrance. The brochure of Himeji Castle is the most conscientious one I have ever seen. The introduction is so detailed that it can give you a good local history lesson! You can seethe locals ’s pride and love for Himeji Castle.

Himeji Castle·Secret

How many floors does Himeji Castle have? It’s hard to count based on their appearance. Himeji Castle actually has seven floors (one of which is a basement and a mezzanine). The purpose is to confuse the enemy from its appearance. The lack of explanation is half the fun... There are some secrets in the brochure that you have to find by yourself, but you need a prop flashlight. The light inside is very dark, and you need a flashlight to see the secrets in the brochure.

▲The view outside the window of Himeji Castle
The amazing thing is that the entire Himeji Castle is actually supported by two approximately 35-meter wooden pillars, the east pillar and the west pillar. Himeji Castle has been renovated, and some places are obviously new. , after all, wood is different after being used for a long time. The tour guide said, There is a time capsule hidden in one of the big pillars, which can only be opened after 300 years! He asked us naughtily if we wanted to see it? We act like uncles and we don’t want to date!

▲Decoration with fire protection function
After reaching the top floor, there will be a sacred cabinet where you can worship, but there are many gods in Japan. In fact, I think they may not know what god they worship.
Himeji Castle is a building from the Cold War Age, so many things that appear to be decorations are actually prepared for war, which is very clever, including many darkroom passages used by ninjas. Such a building reflects the aesthetics and environmental wisdom of the times , which is amazing.

▲One of the best angles to take photos at Himeji Castle
 
The tour guide uncle told us a good angle to take pictures of Himeji Castle . It’s really beautiful! Also introduced a lot of Japanese customs and culture:
●Heart-shaped is called pig head in Japan;
●The Japanese like to carve a hexagram in the northeast corner of the building to ward off evil spirits (the Japanese believe that devils come from the northeast);
● Go to the shrine for good things (such as marriage), and go to the temple for bad things (such as funerals);
●Mount Fuji, eggplant and eagle symbolize good luck and luck;
We listened to the history while looking for the secrets of Himeji Castle. The whole tour can be completed in about 2 to 3 hours.

 

When passing by a well, my uncle said There will be ghosts coming out of this well at night to count plates, 1, 2, 3... My uncle asked us if we wanted to stay and count the plates together. My friend and I said Don't don't!

▲The picture comes fromfrom"Doraemon" comic excerpt

さらやしき

"Bancho Sarayashiki"

The story "Bancho Sarayashiki" is one of the most famous ghost stories in Japan. It is probably about a young woman named Aku who lived in a noble family. She accidentally broke a precious plate of her owner one day. When the master found out, he was very angry and severely punished and tortured him. Finally Aju committed suicide by throwing herself into a well. Aju turned into a wraith, appearing every night and starting to count the plates in a faint way. In the end, the owner of the house suffered various disasters due to Aju's troubles, and his family was destroyed...

▲The versions in different places are slightly different.

Under the intimidation of the tour guide we ended the tour of Himeji Castle in horror. I also taught a staff member to say drink more hot water in Chinese. When I left, I heard the radio playing Drink more hot water. It was a very interesting experience. The tour guide uncle said that when he was studying, ancient Chinese poems were also taught in the textbooks. I slept in the spring without waking up and heard birds singing everywhere... He said he didn’t understand it at the time, but now that he has learned Chinese, he feels like China The poem is actually very beautiful...

Tip: Bring a flashlight, read some Japanese history first, and don’t wear socks with holes.

Mount Maya·Jixingtai

▲Picture source network
 
This is a night view that is said to be worth 10 million US dollars , a must-visit attraction! You can print attraction coupons online in advance. Summer nights are very cool, so you need to take the tram to the mountainside, and then take the aerial cable car to the top of the mountain (Jixingtai).

▲Cable Car Ticket
The observation deck has a vast view, overlooking the entire Kobe! If you don’t want to be crowded, go to the restaurant, where you can see the terrace and there are not many people. I went up mainly because... I was hungry. Inside the scenic spot, it is the only restaurant on the top of , and the important thing is that it is not expensive!
 

▲Hamburger Steak Set
 
I ordered the hamburger steak set, and then I fell in love with Japanese hamburger steak! There is a huge window in the restaurant. It is recommended to sit by the window. Eating while watching the night view is a real winner in life.

▲Hamburger steak set + unlimited Coke refills
After checking out, go look at the peripheral products. Postcards are cost-effective and the styles will change. Poor choice! If you want to give it to a friend, you can send a postcard. On the way back to take the cable car, you will pass by the mailbox. After delivering the mail, you can go back and have a good sleep.

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