Sunday, June 21, 1998

6-21-98

We had to get up early this morning in order to get on the Bullet Train. Standing on the platform, we saw a train. It was white and had a round end. It looked sleek, but not too impressive. It was a regular Bullet train. After about five minutes, this train left. We were still on the tracks. Before I knew it, another train pulled in. This one was much newer looking. Instead of a round end, this train had a long almost pointed nose. It was awesome.

Inside, the train was like an airplane with more room. Our seats were in a block at the rear of car 14. This was a non-smoking car, although we were directly in front of the last two cars, which were smoking cars. I smelled smoke the entire ride.

The ride was easy. After a slow trip through the Tokyo area, the train picked up speed. Soon, we were out of Tokyo and into the country. The neighborhoods changed from row after row of short, squat apartment blocks to individual homes and rice patties. Each patty is fairly small. During the rainy season, each patty is filled with water. The rice shoots grow in water until the end of summer.

Steve Glass and I decided to try to find out how fast we were going. We walked through the cars toward the service car. At the service car, we could have bought all sorts of snacks including sushi. We just wanted to know the speed. We tried to continue forward, but the conductor stopped us. We left dejected.

As we walked back we examined the different features of this modern train. In between some cars, were bathrooms. There were Western style toilets and also Japanese style toilets. These toilets are about two and one half feet long, built into the floor, and made of porcelain. The user has to squat over the toilet. I have still not tried this kind of toilet.

Although I did not try the the Japanese toilet, I did go into the phone booth. I could have called home from the train. On my way back from the service car, I saw a school group. These kids looked to be in sixth or seventh grade. Like all Japanese school groups, these kids were decked out in their school uniform. Like all early adolescents, these kids were chatting away and running back and forth between seats.

Back at my seat, the group had settled into the lull of a moving train.

WHOOSH! The whole train shook. On the right side of the train passed another bullet train. I finally realized just how fast we were moving. WOW.

After a three hour ride, we arrived at Shin-Okayama Station (New Okayama). Because the bullet train had several more stops, it would only stop for one minute. We had to run off the train. Just as we stepped off the train it took off again.

We walked in the pouring rain to our bus and drove about one hour to Kurashiki. We stopped at the Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel for lunch and then met a group of volunteers for a tour of Kurashiki. In small groups, we walked to the Osashi house. This two hundred year old merchants house is beautiful. It is part house - part warehouse. It is remarkable because of its size and prominence. When it was built, the merchant class was still considered to be at the bottom of the social ladder. With the Meiji restoration, the merchants began to gain power. For Osashi to build such a large, two story house, he must have been extremely wealthy and powerful.

His wealth was apparent in the furnishings. There were several gorgeous cabinets and chests made from a dark, hardwood. I wish I could have taken some of those pieces of furniture.

I did not steal any furniture. I did, however, go to the Ohara Art Museum. This collection, started by the Ohara family, had some great impressionist and modern European pieces. Although it was impressive, I must admit, I was not interested in seeing Western art.

The evening was quiet; I had dinner out and called it an early night. So ends another day in Japan.

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