DAY FOUR: SHIMABARA > KUMAMOTO

State of mind: fatigued
Current soundtrack: Ultraseven X - Groove of X (Komoguchi Yuuya)

Had ANOTHER hot bath today—in the wine-infused rotenburo! This may yet explain why I feel somewhat drunk and sleepy. :P

Grabbed breakfast and hopped a ferry to Kumamoto (much faster than driving all right round the island).

The guide provided breadcrusts, and nearer the destination we fed the kamome - black-headed gulls, only in their winter plumage so they were pale-headed instead. Noisy rascals all as they snatched the crusts from our hands. Got several shots of them—yay for high shutter speed!

Crossed some water and headed for Kumamoto Castle—it’s almost done up for the 400th anniversary this year. But right at the gate were two young men dressed up in period armour. One was not bishie. The other one WAS. I think you can see my devious little teeth gleaming in that image.

It was only the castle's top bits that were still under reconstruction when I went. Lots and lots of exhibits to see, most of which involve the Hosokawa clan (who, it seems, did many great things). And I DO mean lots and lots! Five floors! Helmets, historical timelines, spears, reconstructions, crests, yokestones, donators...the list goes on.

Had a sukiyaki lunch and heard, of all things, Itsuka no Merry Christmas by B’z. Patutlah it sounded so familiar, I have the House of Strings instrumental…

Next was Suizenji Park, preceded by a stop for ‘ikinari dango’ and tea. The former are slices of sweet potato topped with mild red bean paste and wrapped in mochi. Apparently they’re ikinari because they’re made so ‘suddenly’, according to the auntie there when I questioned her. Not a sweet potato person, so it was a bit meh—but they had sweet potato EVERYTHING there. A fan would have been halfway to heaven.

Headed for the park and fed the ducks—or rather, tried to without the gulls kapo-ing all the food. There are also carp in the big old pond, bloody huge ones, and occasionally they would bump into the gulls for shits and giggles. Well, I giggled. The gulls mostly squawked, and if you had wet, scaly fish nose up your butt, I'm sure you'd squawk too.

What EVERYONE failed to mention kthxbi is that the park contains a Shinto shrine. Hey, I can’t get a proper Buddhist talisman, Shinto will do. Performed ablutions and obeisance, bought an omamori for exams/work and an omikuji. Took photos of the last and tied it to the tying-place, and then we were off again.

Next was, well, Singaporean tour mah. SHOPPING. We headed for the Kumamoto shopping district. It was nice and there was plenty to look at (including a bish or two). They even have a blood donation centre. THAT'S taking it onto the streets! There was an Animate, but being out of touch with that scene (and desperately seeking a toilet for much of that time) I found nothing of interest (…except maybe the stranger who lost control of her bladder, oh, yes, and KIDCHAN’S DOUBLE WORKING THERE.) Got some health tea, a wall-scroll and a second-hand copy of Katamari(!!!) for the PSP. (No UFE 0 D:)

Arrived at the hotel in a state of near-exhaustion (ANA Newsky ailabyu nao), went for station ramen (…not as nice as I remember it), muddled through getting train tickets and stumped back to bed.

Tomorrow I have to learn a few key phrases: namely, ‘please take us to X’ for taxis and ‘is there a taxi stand nearby?’ Becooooos hey hey HEY, TOMORROW IS ULTRAMANLAND!

Merry Christmas, moi! ♥

P.S. – My mikuji said this, by the way.

Yuudachi no//ame wa miru/miru //hareyukite//kozue suzushiku//semi no//naku nari
The evening shower fades; on a branch, the cooling cries of the cicada

Toki ga kite omou koto wo shidai shidai ni dekite koufuku no mae ni atsumaru keredo yoku yoku mono wo kangaete shinai to fui no koto ga ate son wo suru koto ga aru Kore wo kokoroete sureba yoi
While the time will come and your thoughts will gradually come true to bring you good fortune, do things without thinking them through and the unexpected will bring about losses. It is best to remember this.

Unsei Suekichi
Luck: Slightly lucky. Otherwise known as the meh-why-bother result. ;)

Negaigoto: Odoroku koto ga aredo Awateneba kanau
Wishes: Surprising things may happen, but hasten not and it will come true
Machibito: Kuru deshou
Awaited person: Will probably come
Usemono: Chikai tokoro ni arimasu
Lost things: Somewhere nearby
Tabidashi: Sashikae wa nai
Beginning travel: No replacement (wt?)
Akinai (shoubai): Sawaganeba rieki
Business: Profit if a fuss is not made
Gakumon: Ayaushi Zenryoku wo chakujitsu ni yare
Studies: Dangerous. Go steadily at full power. (Alamak!)
Arasoi: Mi wa katsu ga ima wa ashi
Struggles: You will win later, but things look bad now
Renai: Ima wa mada dame desu
Romance: Now is still not a good time (Oh. Tee. El.)
Osan (Shussan): Anzan Sango wo taisetsu ni
Childbirth: Easy birth. Take care during the postpartum period.
Yautsuri (Teni) : Yoroshikarazu
Moving house: Not good
Yamai (Byouki): Ki wo tsuyoku shiteba anshin
Sickness: Remain strong of spirit and all will be well
Endan: Seii de sesshi kanjou wo osae yo
Marriage proposals: Make contact with sincerity and suppress your emotions (Supp—but doesn't that defeat the purpose?)

Chiisai sakaki no sono hitoeda ni kokorometaru mitamagushi Tatoe kyoman no zaihou (takara) wo tsunde mo, takara ni oshimi ga kakari, hokori ga tsukeba, mattaku michibe no ishi (rooftile-stone) mo onaji (douyou) de, kamisama wa fujou wo uketamawanu. Kami-sama ni tsunagu kokoro no tsuna wa, aku made kiyokunakereba kamisama ni tsuujinai.
On a little branch of the sakaki hangs the holy lot. Even if you compile a great treasure, one will be loath to use it; if pride should appear, thou art the same as a roof-tile by the roadside, and the gods will not accept your impurity. The cord that binds the gods to your heart must be completely pure, or it will not get through to them. [+/-] Yuudachi no ame wa miru miru...