Japan 2022 Day 10

Day 10: Kamikochi to Tokyo

Robyn wanted to reassure us that we return home, we can come to her place to get some Japanese vibes

We got a VIP sendoff when we left Kamikochi with all the staff lined up to farewell us (there is no shortage of staff here!)

The road to Matsumoto was very scenic as well as having lots of, what looked like, hydro electricity plants ( i didnt consult the engineers on our tour as to accuracy of this)

Matsumoto castle dates back to the period of civil unrest in Japan. Starting out as a simple fort, it was enlarged and fortified in the late 1500s. The main keep of the castle, built between 1593 -1594, was designated a national treasure in 1952. It is the oldest castle in Japan.

The moat surrounding the castle is filled with carp who seemed to be hungry

There were many interesting design features of the castle….like the way in which the bottom level overhung the top of the sloping brick wall, so that if the enemy was assenting the wall, rocks could be thrown down on them.

The day we visited, there was a show featuring all the different samurai and their weapons. We didnt see the show but saw some of the actors

Arrived Tokyo on the Shinkasen train around 4 pm. Warm and balmy…. a distinct contrast to the very rainy city we had encountered when we first arrived. Cheap dinner at local department store. Okonomiyaki.