Japan Diaries 4: Day 421
Day 421: December 27, 2022
Tuesday – Hiroshima Road Trip Day 3
The view from our room in Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima |
Left Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima to go for an early stroll to Hiroshima City |
Streets of Ujina Island |
Tatee Jizo |
Boats are parked near the Ujina Promenade |
Ujina Promenade near Akatsuki Bridge |
Hiroshima City manhole cover 1 |
Hiroshima City Tram |
Hiroshima City manhole cover 2 |
Hiroshima Port |
Kyuhiroshimaminato Park |
Hiroshima Port as seen from Kyuhiroshimaminato Park |
Ujina Seaside Promenade Guide Map |
Breakfast at Main Banquet Hall Setouchi of Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima |
Main Banquet Hall Setouchi |
The view from the room of Mr. Toshi and his family |
I returned to the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima in time for breakfast. Unlike yesterday, we ate at Main Banquet Hall Setouchi on the hotel's second floor. The food was mostly the same as that of the Top of Hiroshima Sky Lounge on the 23rd floor. What it lacks in view is made up of space. After breakfast, we headed back to our rooms for our final preparations. We checked out at around 9:30 AM.
Crossing the Innoshima Bridge |
Nishiseto Expressway |
Our next major destination, as scheduled, is Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture to pick up Mr. Toshi's grandson Ryo. To get there from Hiroshima, we used the Nishiseto Expressway, also known as the Shimanami Kaido. This place has long been on my bucket list. Although I want to cross it by bike, I'm fine with simply driving past it and using it as a reference point for plans.
Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park |
Fish Sculpture near Hakata Beach |
Hakata Beach |
Barry-san inside Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park |
2nd Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge |
We picked up Mr. Toshi's grandson |
We rested a bit before heading back out |
We stopped for a quick bathroom break at Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park on Hakata Island, one of the islands along the route. We arrived at Imabari City proper in about an hour. We unloaded Ryo's belongings that we brought from Osaka and assisted him in packing the stuff that he would bring back home.
Family picture with Todo Takatora Statue... |
... and Imabari Castle as the backdrop |
Imabari Castle |
We traveled to Imabari Castle from his apartment. It was everyone's first visit to the castle. However, due to the difficulty of ascending the steps, only I, Ella, Ms. Sawa, Ryo, and Karin entered and toured the castle hold. Mr. Toshi, Ms. Taeko, and my wife, on the other hand, chose to stroll the castle grounds. Unfortunately, shooting pictures within the castle is not permitted. Visitors are only allowed to snap photographs from the observation deck located on the topmost floor of the castle.
Imabari City manhole cover 1 |
Imabari City manhole cover 2 |
Back on the road... |
Before leaving Imabari City, we visited the Towel Museum |
Inside the Towel Museum |
We traveled to the nearby Towel Museum of Art after touring Imabari Castle. As its name implies, it is a special museum that combines art and towels. It truly changed the way I looked at towels because after visiting the museum, I now appreciate their aesthetic value more than just their use.
Yoshinogawa Service Area Eastbound |
Somewhere in Awaji Island |
We left the Towel Museum in the afternoon and were still a long way from home. We stopped for a quick bathroom break at Yoshinogawa Service Area Eastbound in Higashimoyoshi Town, Tokushima Prefecture.
We had dinner at Royal where robots serve as waiters |
My dinner for tonight |
Akashikaikyo Bridge as seen from Awaji Island |
Lover's Sanctuary |
Crossing the Akashikaikyo Bridge going home |
Before we left, the kids and I walked to Lover's Sanctuary, an open space near Starbucks. This spot provides an excellent perspective of the Akashikaikyo Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge.
We arrived home at 11 P.M. from there. Surprisingly, we had enough energy to unpack our luggage and then take turns showering before calling it a day.
Read more:
Japan Diaries 4: Week 61Japan Diaries 4: Day 420
Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
Imabari Castle
Towel Museum
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