The rail from Shimonoseki, with Kate in Hagi, and arrival Yamaguchi.

First when I checked out from my hotel this morning I looked out the window. Snow, not falling, but thrown violently around in the wind. I appreciated the short walk to the station, but not having to wait for my train in the cold. There were people shoving snow off the platforms as I got up there. (yes up! For those that haven’t seen a Japanese railway station I can tell you that most of them have ticket offices and ticket machines and timetables etc. on ground floor, and then the platforms and the rails themselves one floor up, or more, from there.)

I had decided to take the longer train ride to Hagi in favour of the view, rather than taking the (possibly) fastest route inland. After a while I managed to get a seat in the right direction to fully enjoy the view that was not completely obscured by heavy snow or sleet clouds and the amounts of such stuff in free falling towards the ground. It was cloudy ad snowy most of the way along the coast, with the occasional surprise of sun and blue sky shining through the clouds for a short while.

It was a very nice ride along a very, very, local line. When there was people on the train I was people-watching. I was able to observe the locals commuting; mostly high school kids half sleeping on the train on their way to school, and less sleepy-looking middle aged men going to work. The flow of people came and went like tidal waves, leaving the two carriages almost deserted in between the busier stations. I was the only one travelling as far as Hagi, but I was never completely alone in the train. ((picture!))

When there weren’t any people on board I observed (what was visible of) the view. I saw the smallest train station I’ve ever seen; it had a short stretch of cement platform, a unisex toilet with 3 walls and no door, and a 3-walled waiting hall big enough only to squeeze in 3 people, with one of them standing in the doorway –which made out the 4th wall. There were miniature shrines accessible from no visible path, roadside Kannon (statue / goddess of mercy) and a surprising number of cemeteries in remote and inaccessible places. (In many cases I can see why they chose the place, but not how they use it; how do they get the heavy gravestones up there?)

I enjoyed most of the journey, with the exception of the 1hr 42 min waiting time at Nagatoshi station, where I had to change trains. The first thing I did was digging out a warmer sweater from my backpack, put on my beanie (hat/cap/lue/whatever) and gloves. This waiting hall had more than 3 walls, but one of them was still open directly to the platform area. At 11:11 I was glad to finally settle down in the warm and cosy 1-car train to Hagi.

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Hagi with Kate
Waiting, Kate’s apartment, food, wandering around Hagi, Hina doll exhibition, Hagiyaki (also mentioned in the Yamaguchi text), Hagi-latte w/mikan, purikura, bus terminal and bus ride to Yamaguchi.

Kate @ the 1# place to B!

Arrival Yamaguchi
Taxi-Youth hostel