Our visit to Japan in 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Our visit to Japan in 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Next Friday, we're going to visit Japan for 3 weeks. It's one of my busiest activities this year. We're going to Tokyo first, then take the high speed rail Shinkansen to Osaka for a week stay. Then we shall move to Fukuoka on the northwest tip of the Kyushu Island for the second week. After that, we're going to Akita on the northwest of Honshu Island for the last week. On the last day, we're going to take the train again back to Narita Airport to catch our flight at 4:45 pm. It's amazing of the high speed rail.

It's the hanami time in Japan, the lovely cherry blossom. We're going to enjoy the season of the pink scenery all over Japan. There is a flower garden by the famous Osaka Castle with not only cherry blossom but also the red peach and the white plum blossom. We can also view the spring flowers along the farm field where the high speed trains passing by. Of course, we're going to have daily visits to Kyoto, the ancient capital, Himeji Castle, Hiroshima, and many other Kansai area cities.

Fukuoka is facing the Sea of Japan, the head quarter of the Japan Rail. Kokura and Shimonoseki are nearby and I like to see if I can make it this time to visit Izumo, the city that the famous battleship is named after.

I figure that the only way for me to visit the famous Go No Line is to stay at Akita on the northwest part of Honsiu Island. Go No Line means the costal rail line from Akita to Aomori on the northwest coast of Japan facing the Sea of Japan. There is a song called Go No Line first sing by Mitsumori Kori existed in my mind for more than 20 years. I previously made several wrong moves to reach Aomori to start the trip, actually the trains are taking off from Akita in the morning and coming back from Aomori in the afternoon and no wonder trains are all full to carry passengers who make round trip visits. Once trains arrive at Aomori, it is connected to the Tsugaru Straights, the narrow path to connect the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. There is also another famous hit by Ishikawa Sayuri in the 70's called the winter scenery of the Tsugaru Straights or Tsugaru Kaikyo furuyushiki. I have many experience to take trains high speed rail included to pass the straight before. Recently, a Russian battleship challenged Japan Self Defense Force by passing this straight.