Surprise, surprise the train left on time down to the second. What an amazing train, the front looks like the front of a plane, when it pulled into the station an army of cleaners in pink uniforms were waiting to clean and turn the sits around so everybody is fronting forward. Once we boarded the train the sits are huge and recline, you have power the charge up, a table and coat hooks. We had window sits but the train goes so fast you can't really see anything, we glided into Nagoya station dead on time.
Headed for the metro to find our hostel Ohsu Plaza which turned out to be a hotel at hostel prices. We were only booked in for one night but they found us a room for two extra nights as we had changed our plans. Our hostel was right next door to the Osu Kannon Buddhist Temple so we wandered around for a couple of hours only stopping for pizza and a beer like you do in Japan......
We woke to it pouring down so out came the waterproofs and we headed to the station to book our train tickets for Monday to Nagasaki and then to Hiroshima on Wednesday. Absolutely mayhem in the station but we quened up and managed to explain where and when we wanted to head to. While at the station we went to look at the sky scrappers that were around us but as it was raining so hard visibility was very bad so thought we would try tomorrow to go up them. Tickets in hand we jumped onto the metro and headed for the Nagoya castle. Expects at the metro sysyem, not much difference from the London underground, all colours and numbers.
Nagoya Castle was orginally destroyed in the last war but is now in the process of being rebuilt by hand using all hand tools. The workers on the project are trained for years and the build will take another 6 years to complete. The structure is all made from cypress trees that are over 200 years old. We had an english speaking guild to show us around which was helpful. Met an old Japanese lady that I song "Love me tender" too as she didn't know who Elvis was. Viewed a displayed of Bonsai Trees which were lovely and huge flowers.
Headed back to hostel to sort the next few days accommodation and chill before we head out to eat. We found a little Japanese place where you ordered tour meal by a machine and 5 minutes later it arrives with sticks. I did manage my meal as well as a runny egg with my chop sticks.
We woke quite late at 10 but who cares we're on holiday, wanted to walk to the TV Tower but ended up walking 2 miles in the wrong direction but we turned round and eventually got there. It was an ok tower but decided not to go up to the top as we wanted to go up a higher one. In the park there was an international food fest which was nice to walk around but no British stall, but we did eat some foot long chips. Walked through the park and saw the science museum which was interesting with all the kids dancing in the park. From there we walked to Midland Square and went up the tower that has the highest open air observation platform in Japan, by now it was raining.... I've decided I don't do heights as my legs went to jelly and I felt sick looking over the edge of this 247 meters tower.
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