Sunday 9^th April 2017

Much to Phil’s disappointment, there was no fish on the breakfast menu this morning, the first time in 19 days!

Before leaving Iwakuni we wanted to see the Kintaikyo bridge and not having any directions we drove along the river before coming to a dead end and some amused locals. We got on to a major road and found an exit to the bridge. Hundreds of people were there already.

The wooden bridge was built by a feudal lord in 1673 and at that time only the ruling class were allowed to use it. It has five high arches over the wide river. It was spectacular with all the cherry trees along the river banks. High on the hill looking down over the bridge is the Iwakuni-jo castle, rebuilt in 1960 after being demolished in the 1600’s.

                                    Cherry blossom coloured hair and matching phone.

                                       Having their hanami (picnic) under the cherry blossoms.

Leaving the bridge we followed the coast along to the Kiminoseki peninsula, through small villages with fishing industries.

We came across a large section of roadworks where the road barriers were held in place by moulded plastic rabbits, ducks and bent-over workmen.

Arriving at the hotel we found that our car parking space was via a stacker and the Puce Goose was taken up to a higher level.

We have just read in the paper about something we saw in Kyoto and wondered about. We saw several brides wearing white hoods on their heads, a bit like a monk’s hood but stiffer.

The article in the paper said they were often worn at a Shinto wedding ceremony and the hoods were called “tsunokakushi” which means “horn-hider”, and that nearly all women have “horns” of anger and jealousy. On her wedding day the bride should hide such horns, at least at first, to get along with her husband and in-laws. Wonder what the grooms had to hide!