Sept 10th-15th: Last Days

   On Saturday, we do a family trip to Kamakura, souther from Yokohama, a city that was the political and military capital of the country between the end of the 12th century and beginning of the 14th as the siege of the bakufu of the Hōjō clan. Today, the city is mainly the closest beach resort from Tokyo and a religious center: A city of a relative small size which also is a pleasant site seeing destination. We went to two Buddhist temples we weren't during our previous stays and skipped others we already went.

Sept 6th-9th: Kyoto

   Kyoto, established in a large valley in the mid of the inland and designed on the model of the former Chinese capital Chang'an, was the seat of the imperial court from 794 to 1868. The city was named in different ways during its long history, and the current name still means "Capital City" while imperial and political transfer occurred times ago. As a result of its history, the city is built according to feng-shui directions, its streets grid the area north-south and east-west and numerous temples, palaces and sanctuaries are erected. Kyoto is certainly one of the most famous destination for domestic & foreign tourists. Among the high-school students, a day trip to Kyoto is one of their must-do activities.

Sept 1st-5th: Kumano Kodo

   As the typhoon is still approaching and threatening, we also ask to the JR company about traffic shutdown for the next days; indeed they plan to stop activities on the next day. At the hotel, the tenants are definitively discouraging us to try to go in the mountain by such weather. Maybe we'll have to cancel our change our plans. But for this day, we have to visit few places in Shingu and go souther before we go to the mountains.

   On the western edge of the city, against the hills, stands the Kamikura Jingu.

Aug 30th & 31st: Ise trip

   In the evening then, we take the train to Yokohama, and from there the night train up to Nagoya. The night train leave at 11pm, but it is awesome to see how many people are still coming back from work so late, while others are seated powerless and sound asleep on the bank of the platform, defeated by weariness and alcohol. There is also a little group of elderly people waiting for the train; given their clothes and backpacks, they are tourists as well. After a night with very few sleep (not comfortable enough), we arrive at Nagoya at 5.30am, it is already 28C outside.