Japan, Year 3 - part 3

On his second full day in Hyogo prefecture, Yugo went to the pirate playground and Doji-yama in the morning, then embarked on a fateful drive north. The first stop for the unsuspecting travelers was a pottery center near Sasayama, known for its Tachikui yaki. While Yugo was tempted to run into the kiln, his talents were better spent running wildly through the pottery displays (we hope everyone enjoys their bag of shards) and especially crafting a few clay shapes of his own.



Then the weather started getting rough. The tiny car was tossed. The ominous clouds in the first picture above were no joke. The rain started at lunchtime and followed us through the mountains. We were determined to see the Japan Sea and the western coast, maybe even a few beaches, but a constant downpour and an utter inability to use the helpful GPS navigator, led us on a six-hour tour of rain-soaked mountains and highways. We did, however, come close to the coastal town of Obama (no, not a typo), which was basking in a summer of celebrity thanks to its presidential namesake. Whether Barack himself is aware of the coincidence or whether it will help him in November, I know not.


The next morning, it was time to say farewell to Nishiwaki and climb onto the bus for Osaka.