Shikoku Day 1: Ritsurinkoen and the Train Ride to Kochi

     Well, I left the island of Honshu and rode a train across the Great Seto Bridge to Takamatsu on Shikoku Island. In Takamatsu, I went to Ritsurinkoen, which is registered as a national treasure in Japan. It was probably my favorite garden so far: very quiet, and a lot of walking space as well as many meditative spots. I would have liked to stay longer and explore more, but due to the restrictive train schedule, I had to move on. 










     I then transferred to another train and rode it through the heart of Shikoku towards Kochi. I just have to say that the blurry pictures I took from the train would not do the beauty of rural Shikoku justice. There were cliffs, deep valleys, and beautiful rivers. Someday, I wish to return and maybe bike or hike across the whole island.
   Today's blog was mainly pictures...and I didn't have a lot to say. Tomorrow, I am going to visit three temples here in Kochi, so I will probably have some comments on religion. I hope all of you are having a good week!

Location: Kochi Prefecture, Japan

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