http://www.japanquest.jp/ en Copyright 2009 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:29:05 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/kagawa_1.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/kagawa_1.html Movie Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:29:05 +0900 We scratched our heads, shook hands, and with a nudge and a wink were off in different directions. As i returned to my flat, i reached into my bag and felt a long wooden staff with bells, i smiled and thought, yes!, i will be returning again, sometime soon.

]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/yokogawa_station.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/yokogawa_station.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:13:22 +0900
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/as_if_by_magic.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/as_if_by_magic.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:38:42 +0900 During the~Obon~holiday period in Japan, when departed spirits return home, travel is so busy . Reserve your seats in advance if you want to sit next to your friends...
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/prebooked.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/prebooked.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:05:40 +0900 ~...and now the end is near..-
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/finale.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/finale.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:43:19 +0900 From Takamatsu to Okayama, island hopping over the beautiful ~Seto Nakai~ is the ~Seto Ohashi~. Meaning 'big bridge', it's a whopper!!. At 12.3 km long!, including six bridges and four viaducts, two train tracks and a four lane motorway, it is an incredible feat of engineering and architectural wonder. I have in fact mistakenly tried to cycle across before, but you won't get very far as it's all motorway!!. I suggest catching a local train, one stop, then back. The view, especially at sunset is simply breathtaking. The Inland Sea has thousands upon thousands of islands, pristine and secluded, most too small to be inhabited...a huge natural zen garden!.
Anyway next stop, (as i dab my eyes), is Okayama and then the end of our Quest, boo! hoo!.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/the_inland_sea.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/the_inland_sea.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:37:13 +0900 You feel totally refreshed and slip into a natural meditative state. You can clearly imagine a Samurai pushing his boat out with his female companion or giggling noble ladies picnicing in the shade. The tall pines ~takai matsu~ hold a regal and saintly status as you stare up and sip cool green tea ~Omatcha~..



]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ritsurinkoen.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ritsurinkoen.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:45:32 +0900 We have now arrived in Takamatsu on Shikoku's north coast.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/a_rare_lily_oh_really.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/a_rare_lily_oh_really.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:44:04 +0900 With hundreds hungry patiently in line, the open Udon kitchen is a frenzy of activity. Ghostly white flour covered dough kneaders, rollers, slicers, boilers, servers and slurpers. http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/family_business.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/family_business.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:02:28 +0900 ...and he has beaten me again!!. At our first stop at the riverside restaurant~Tanikawa~ we had plain Udon with spicy green chilli sauce, the taste really lip lingering. Our second stop ~sowewhere over the mountain~ at ~Yamagoe~, we ate ~kamatama~ Udon, believe it or not, yummy raw egg!.. Originating here, this flavour is now famous throughout Japan, highly recommended.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ding_ding_round_2.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ding_ding_round_2.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:20:07 +0900 YAMAGOE Udon is in the middle of no where its worth the time and effort]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/no_where.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/no_where.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:15:44 +0900 " ...and remember boys to traditionally slurp and burp?!! to show enjoyment and appreciation!`. Wow! it's so delicious! Ray has already finished!!....buurpp! Toyko has 12,000,000 people and 900 McDonalds, Kagawa has 1,000,000 inhabitants (in the whole prefecture) and 900 Udon restaurants!!. Although it took me three attempts to pass my G.C.S.E maths, i can easily see that that Kagawans simply love their traditional reputable dish. Udon here is mouthwateringly delicious, without any exaggeration, you will never taste better. Japanese from all corners, make a slurp and burp pilgrimage to satisify their savoury senses. In otherwise quiet and remote rural areas, you find long drooling queues and packed car parks. As you Udon hop from restaurant to restaurant, valley to valley, bowl to bowel, there is an exciting animated atmosphere bumping into the same people. Groups of bikers, cyclists, students, grandmothers and families, singing and smiling in the summer sun, make it all great fun.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ittadakimasu.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/ittadakimasu.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:53:03 +0900 Even arriving 90 minutes before opening time, we were not the first in line. We spoke to fellow queuers who had travelled far and wide, Awa O Dori last night and Udon touring and tasting today.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/mouth_waterers.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/mouth_waterers.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:33:19 +0900 Kagawa is famed for it's freshest of the fresh, buckwheat noodles. People make a pilgrimage from all corners of the land to sink their teeth and slurp.
]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/udon_mania.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/udon_mania.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:27:03 +0900 We arrived at the Udon shop in the mountains thats in the middle of no where at 9:45 to eat 1 of the best japanese dishes at 1 of the most famous places I was like what is so spcial and now I know why its the noddles]]> http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/get_in_line.html http://www.japanquest.jp/2008/08/get_in_line.html Diary Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:15:00 +0900