Saturday 21 April 2012

Kobe to Takamatsu, Uno and Shodoshima

Part 2 of my recent trip to Japan begins with a day trip across the Inland Sea from Kobe to Takamatsu on one of Jumbo ferry's two ro-pax vessels. Then, we go from Takamatsu first to Uno and back and then to Shodoshima and return by local ferry.


My first Japanese ferry ever - the Risturin II of Jumbo Ferry in Kobe:







Strange advertisement on a bench on deck:



A new bulk carrier is born at the Kawasaki shipyard:




En route from Kobe, we passed one ferry after another on the Inland Sea:







Soren Lund Hviid and a Japanese ship photographer, unknown to us:









Approaching Takamatsu, with Olive Line local ferries much in evidence:





Downtown Takamatsu:



Luncheon curry in Takamatsu:


 A local trainspotter in action:



On Olive Line's ferries, one can have a slash in full view of the saloon, while also enjoying panoramic views of the passing scenery through picture windows:



Is it the colour, or the fact that it's there at all, that's alarming this doggy?



Cute local ferry with unusual hull decorations:


Matthew Murtland proudly shows off the view from his hotel room window - a fine panorama of... breezeblock:


Evening light at Takamatsu Pier:



 Breakfast:


 Models of the ferry fleet serving Uno since the 1960s:


The vessel nowadays operating for Jadrolinija in Croatia as the Valun:


 One of the real things approaching Takamatsu:






 Uno:




Looks like a Japanese Burtons or Woolworths:







The shipyard at Uno with new bulk carriers being born:






The weather forecasters predict a typhoon - how exciting:


 The Panda ferry to Shodoshima Island:


And her charming fleetmate, the Giraffe ferry:


Onboard the Panda ferry - gotta love the funnels:




Blowing up a bit en route to Shodoshima:





A bus stop on Shodoshima:


The local dentist:



Warning - elderly crossing:




Really blowing up quite a lot:


The Giraffe ferry fails to dock due to the tempest - and so all sailings back to Takamatsu are cancelled:






The local ferry terminal's kind staff found us a seventies-tastic hotel in Shodoshima in which to spend the night:



The view from my room, overlooking the port:



Some of the hotel's marvellous signage:






Things seen in Shodoshima during an early evening walk around the town:























Back to the hotel for dinner:


Most charmingly, they tried to make British-style food to keep us happy:


What the stylish gentleman in Shodoshima wears to dinner these days:


The next morning, we returned to Takamatsu, then took another ferry to Uno:


Where we caught a train:


 Which looked like this inside:



Good old Leicester:


Back to Kobe:





Luncheon:



 Heading for the port by local train:




More to follow soon.

No comments:

Post a Comment