Japan- heading south along the west coast of Honshu. Samurai residents; walking Dakigaeri Gorge and watch your head; Shibata Castle; Japan’s heat wave; Kurobe Gorge Railway; and a Beach holiday.

Ishiguro Samurai Residences from the Edo period.

This house is 210 years old.

The direct descendants continue to live here even now although half the house is an historical museum.

As it was and is.

Old family portraits line the walls.

Dakigaeri Gorge on the Tana River.

It’s a 1.5km walk that follows the old forest road that was used to collect timber, But…

Watch your head as rocks continue to fall.

The tunnels dark and low… interesting

Shinata Ca

stle dating back to the 1600’s

As all castles a mote around

The western coast- rugged and beautiful.

So many tunnels

Japan like all the northern countries is in a heat wave.

Today 32*C and no wind.

Time for a swim in the Sea of Japan.

The waters warm but somewhat refreshing.

The Kurobe Gorge narrow gauge Railway.

Open air carriages follow the electric engine some 80 minutes up steep ‘V’ shaped valleys.

It was built for supply and support for the power stations along the valley.

Enjoyable

A holiday within a holiday. We find this paid campsite and it’s too nice and too hot to leave.

Spend most of the days in the water.

Battleship Island - The rock near our camp.