daily slice-of-life photo blog of a Gen-X dad
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On our walk to dinner we crossed the Tatsuno Bridge, over the Ibo River (Ibogawa). Then on the way back home, I grabbed a few more photos while there was still just a little light left in the sky. 🌆📷
Today we ate curry for lunch at 温（おん）, and it turned out the building used to be a sento, a public bath. The owners kept part of the original baths intact, and there are actually dining tables set up right inside where the tubs used to be. Such a neat idea!
The curry itself was really good too. It wasn’t like typical Japanese curry at all, more like an Indian curry with all kinds of spices layered in. The plate was loaded with different veggies, so every bite had a little surprise waiting. Such a fun lunch! 😋
Today I went to Himeji and took a leisurely stroll around the castle grounds. Quite literally, since I didn’t actually enter the castle this time. I just walked around the grounds, visited Himeji Shrine, and got my omikuji (fortune) in English. And I got a good one! Yay! 🙌
I skipped going inside because I’d been there before and remember it being a pretty strenuous walk. It’s a huge castle, and getting up to it means climbing a big hill. Add in today’s heat, and I was happy just admiring it from outside.
As an aside, I used my new umbrella, the one with UV protection, and let me tell you, it’s a total game-changer for sunny days. What a difference in comfort. I highly recommend picking one up if you spend any time walking around in the sun. ☀️
Before heading home, I got a Himeji Station stamp for my stamp book. It’s filling up nicely.
On today’s afternoon walk I visited Kura Terrace again and treated myself to a shoyu flavored soft cream. It was featured in a recent episode of Tsurube’s tv show, so I figured I would give it a try too. It was pretty good! Honestly, the shoyu flavor was very faint, but that was okay by me. I was a little worried it would be overpowering, and I’m glad that wasn’t the case.
After getting back home, I relaxed with a non alcohol beer, and there are so many to choose from here in Japan. We’ve actually bought several different kinds, and I’m doing my own informal taste tests to find a favorite. 🍺
Today I went on a little hike around town, and even up into the hills. I came across a mysterious sculpture in a clearing, and it felt like something straight out of a video game. So cool! We’ve been having some really nice clouds in the sky lately, so I spent a good chunk of the walk just taking photos. A fun afternoon all around. ☁️📷
Mariko and I wandered around Himeji Station today, doing a bit of shopping before ducking into Ekisoba for some soba. She went with kitsune soba, and I had chicken tempura soba. Both were good, not spectacular, but the little shop was quick and hit the spot after all that walking. Definitely not a bad pick, but with so many great options around the station, I don’t think it will make the return list. 😊🥢
Today we visited the town of Fukusaki to check out the yokai scattered about town. It was so fun to see these Japanese monsters, ghosts and demons! The kappa were actually quite terrifying, but it was also fun to see their cute characters, like the ones shown in the stamps I got. If you’re in the area, or you’re a yokai otaku, I definitely recommend finding a few. Take some photos and scan the QR code next to each one to learn more about them. 👹📸
