To the West, Filling in the Map

Chapter 1: Kure and Okayama—An Unexpected Connection to the Yamato

Seishun 18 Kippu West Japan Tour: 5-Day Series, Part 1 of 5

A Rather Pathetic Story About the Motivation for a Trip

Every trip has its motivation. A work-related errand, a revisit to a beloved land, an expedition for the sake of eating until you drop, or perhaps just a simple escape. All of these are noble motivations. However, to be honest, the motivation for this trip is a bit embarrassing.

There is a map feature on the web service 4forTravel that allows travelers to color in the prefectures they have visited. Before I knew it, I had become obsessed with it. Out of Japan's 47 prefectures, only six—Hiroshima, Okayama, Kagawa, Hyogo, Tottori, and Shimane—remained blank on my map.

As someone from Western Japan, I have set foot in all of these places many times. In the case of Hyogo, I even lived in Kobe for five years. If you ask why they are still white, the answer is simple: I just didn't have the habit of taking photos. For that reason alone, those six prefectures remain blank.

So, I came up with this plan. A budget trip combining ANA miles and upgrade points nearing their expiration, Rakuten Travel points, and the Seishun 18 Kippu. Without being greedy, I adopted a 'one prefecture, one location' policy, visiting places I had never been to before as a rule. The five-day itinerary born from this is as follows.

This is a 'railway fan's' journey. I will travel long distances as much as possible to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the 18 Kippu. I emphasize here that I am by no means a railway enthusiast (a so-called 'tetsu-chan'). Just in case.

Iwakuni Airport, a Minor Trouble

December 11 (Wed), the weather forecast is good. There seems to be no need to worry about rain for the next five days.

I took the airport bus from Yokohama to Haneda, killed some time in the ANA lounge, and boarded ANA flight 633 departing at 8:55 AM. As you enter Western Japan, the mountains become gentler. They have rounded shapes, completely different from the mountains in the Kanto or Chubu regions. Just the change in the ridgeline gives me the feeling that I have 'come to the West.'

When approaching Iwakuni Airport, my bad premonition came true. There was thick fog on the approach path, and the moment I thought I saw the runway, the engine noise rose sharply, and the aircraft entered a go-around (aborted landing) maneuver.

This is a terrifying experience. The captain's voice announced, 'Due to the proximity of a US military aircraft behind us, we were instructed by the control tower to redo the landing.' US military aircraft take priority. Actually, this is the second time I've experienced this. Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport is in a slightly strange position as a shared airport with the US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

I couldn't see the US military aircraft I was looking forward to because my K seat was on the opposite side. Since the landing was delayed by 10 minutes, I didn't have time for the next train, so I gave up on the bus (200 yen) and rushed to Iwakuni Station by taxi (960 yen). Even if time is the priority, it doesn't feel good to go over budget right at the start of the trip.

The Yamato is in Kure

I transferred at Hiroshima and headed south along the coast on the Kure Line rapid train. When the shipyard cranes came into view, I arrived at Kure Station.

First, lunch. I had the okonomiyaki I missed out on in Hiroshima at 'Goemon.' I ordered the 'Hiroshima Mangetsu-yaki' for 900 yen, which they cook right in front of you at the counter, and a small draft beer. This is my second time having Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, but I still prefer the Kansai-style. I might get yelled at by the locals for saying that, but there's no point in writing impressions if you aren't honest.

After filling my stomach, I headed to today's destination.

I paid the 800 yen admission fee for the Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum) and the moment I stepped inside, I felt a little nervous. This is my first time visiting, but my connection to this place began long before I was born.

Standing in the center of the museum is a 1/10 scale model of the battleship Yamato, measuring 26.3 meters in length. It is crafted with such exquisite detail that one can only imagine the sheer power of the real thing. However, it was the main guns that I found myself staring at.

The famous 46-centimeter main guns. A relative of my wife was deeply involved in their design.

I never met him while he was alive. Among the photos left at home, there is only one of a white-haired old man with medals lined up on his chest. That man was involved in the design of the gun turrets standing here. The exhibit description says, "While it is now often spoken of as a symbol of the doctrine of big ships and big guns," it must have been the crystallization of the latest and greatest technology at the time. I couldn't move for a while.

Then, there was an unexpected reunion. Among the photos displayed on the wall, I saw a familiar face.

It was a photo of Mr. Shigeru Makino, the chief designer of the battleship Yamato. It was over 40 years ago, but after he retired, Mr. Makino worked at a company I did business with, and we became close. He even went so far as to introduce a marriage prospect to me, though I politely declined at the time. My marriage to my wife happened long after that, but I truly feel a deep connection to the battleship Yamato. It is also said that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was a mahjong companion of my wife's relative here in Kure.

Looking at the lined-up exhibits—the Kaiten suicide weapon, the Kairyu midget submarine, and the Zero Fighter Model 62—I felt the weight of the Showa era. Outside the museum, the 41-centimeter main gun barrel of the battleship Mutsu is also on display. The people standing in front of the cannon looked as small as grains of rice.

When I returned to Kure Station, the mountains stretching out behind it reminded me of the scenery of Kure depicted in the movie "In This Corner of the World." Some of my wife's relatives also had ties to this city in the past. I thought to myself that I would like to come back here with my wife someday.

The Sunset of the Kure Line and the Night in Okayama

Leaving Kure, I followed the Seto Inland Sea coastline eastward on a local Kure Line train. Because it is a single track, the train has to wait for oncoming trains many times, leaving me with time to kill each time. However, the sea with its oyster rafts, the rural landscapes spreading toward the mountains, and the silhouettes of the shipyards—the ever-changing scenery outside the window kept me from getting bored.

The sun began to tilt to the west, and the Seto Inland Sea shone like gold. The steel frames of the shipyards cast long shadows on the water's surface. It was an unexpected, breathtaking view. I hadn't realized the Kure Line was such a spectacular route.

After transferring at Mihara and Itozaki, I arrived at Okayama Station at night.

For dinner, I went to the izakaya "Naritaya Tamachi Branch," which has a reputation for being the place to go in Okayama. Looking over the counter, I saw a menu where even the most expensive item was only 600 yen. Their famous chicken vinegar, white leek with miso dressing, black rockfish sashimi, oysters in the shell, deep-fried scorpion fish, and grilled fresh shiitake mushrooms. With a draft beer and two hot sakes, the total came to just over 3,000 yen. Okayama really does have delicious izakayas. I walked to my hotel while watching the illuminations at Nishigawa Ryokudo Park.

Hiroshima Prefecture, colored in. Five prefectures remain on the blank map.

Next time: Chapter 2 "Korakuen and Konpira-san — Crossing the Seto Ohashi Bridge and Climbing 785 Steps"

December 11, 2019