Kobe and the Sacred Japan photography group

Saturday March 25

After breakfast and switching rooms ( as we will be part of the group booking tonight),we caught a super rapid JR train to Kobe ( 30 mins) hoping to see some quainter buildings. It was busy at the station, and after buying tickets at a machine we were befuddled which platform to go to. Train tickets don't show anything discernible!

Like Tokyo, there are no conductors checking tickets, but, similar to the London underground, you go through a machine before and after your trip. The train was crowded so we stood, and the entire way saw nothing but characterless buildings.




 Kobe is where the famuous beef comes from. Folklore has it that the black cows are massaged, fed beer and have music played to them inducing this wonderful meat that melts in your mouth. Kobe beef is a trademark for the Tajima breed of cows that are born, raised and slaughtered in Kobe's home prefecture, Hyogo. Given this notoriety, I, wrongly, assumed we would be going through pastureland.

On arrival at Sannomija station we were surrounded by pachinko halls, a type of slot machine. The noise inside is deafening. Very depressing to see men spend entire days in there with so much else to do.

We caught a taxi to the Kitano-cho area, a hilly neighbourhood with well preserved homes of Western trading families made of weatherboard and brick. It was a pretty area but with a western feel so we didn't bother queuing up with Japanese tourists enthralled with the idea of entering a german home.

The Kitano Tenman-jinja is a shrine dedicated to academic pursuits. At the top of a hill, the views were lovely over town to the Inland sea.

We walked back to the station past many patisseries and coffee shops, then numerous alleys of colourful restaurants and pachinko halls.

With ringing ears and glad to be out of the noise and bustle, we spent the rest of the afternoon resting in our much larger and pleasant new room.

At six o'clock we met the 14 people in our photography group. More than half were friends from previous trips. After orientation and discussion of our itinerary and projects, we got a lecture on haiku poetry. These three liners are concise, short and humurous. The intent is lighthearted. We are urged to write some everyday to train our eye and give more meaning to our photography.

After dinner we packed for early morning departure to Nara tomorrow.