South Korea 2015 Pt II: Dining Out And Other Such Cultural Stuff

Posted on June 14, 2015 by tokyofox

Our first taste of Korean food came in the wake of our trip to the War Memorial Of Korea museum. From there we took the train the short distance to ‘Meat-ing’ in the university area of Hongdae to go out for a yaki-niku (grilled meat) meal that would please everyone. With no-one able to speak the local language this was a reasonable choice as signs were in English and some of the staff could speak it. The choice of meats, vegetables and so on was varied enough in my opinion and we were all very happy with it though I get the feeling some locals may look down on such a place for its cheap and cheerful style. Continue reading →

Posted in Asia Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

South Korea 2015 Pt I: The War Memorial Of Korea

Posted on June 11, 2015 by tokyofox

Following the previous nights earthquake interruptions we were up very early on Sunday morning to take the short flight from Haneda Airport to Seoul to spend a few days with my mate Ethan and his family.

South Korea was actually the first foreign country I visited after moving to Japan. That was back in January 2006 when my friend Asif and I went to the capital city for a few days in extremely cold conditions. We went on a DMZ tour which included actually crossing the border (of sorts!) to stand on North Korean territory which I talked about briefly in the inaugural Tokyo Fox post. Continue reading →

Posted in Asia Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Back To The Hitachi Stadium After An Absence Of 11 Years!

Posted on June 8, 2015 by tokyofox

Seven years to see Kashiwa Reysol in live action and then I end up seeing them play on consecutive weekends! The previous weekends game at FC Tokyo was a kind of bonus as when I looked at the fixture list a while back the main match in my mind was the one yesterday at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima; the team that I went to watch whilst I was over that way during Golden Week.

This was my first time to visit the Hitachi Stadium since Continue reading →

Posted in Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Football Match Held Up By An Earthquake!

Posted on June 4, 2015 by tokyofox

During the thirty years I’ve been attending football matches I’ve seen games delayed for injuries, floodlight failure, streakers, broken goals, overcrowding but J1 Matchday 14 added a fairly lengthy earthquake to that list. This wasn’t just any old delay though as it just happened to be at the most crucial and pivotal of moments in the game I was at between FC Tokyo and Kashiwa Reysol. Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Life, Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Hiroshima-ken 2015 Pt VII: Futabanosato Historical Walking Trail & Mitaki Temple

Posted on June 1, 2015 by tokyofox

Going solo on my last day I headed out to do a bit of hiking around a couple of sights which featured in an alternative Hiroshima sights pamphlet passed on by my sister following her recent trip with her family.

The first place I visited is located behind Hiroshima station itself and by taking the Shinkansen exit you can see the white Peace Pagoda (below) sticking out of an area of green vegetation up in the mountain of Futabayama. Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Life, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hiroshima-ken 2015 Pt VI: Okonomiyaki, Tennis & Dog Walking!

Posted on May 29, 2015 by tokyofox

Way back at the start of the Golden Week I had a day with my parents-in-law before my wife arrived in Hiroshima. As mentioned back in part I of this epic series I wrote about going to the baseball with them but earlier that same day I went to the WoodEgg Okonomiyaki Museum building for a cooking lesson! Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Drink, Japan Life, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Hiroshima-ken 2015 Pt V: A Day In The Bordering Prefecture

Posted on May 26, 2015 by tokyofox

Hiroshima-ken shares borders with Okayama, Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures and the more we visit the in-laws the more chances there are to go beyond Hiroshima and visit some new places. Back in May 2013 we went to Iwakuni in Yamaguchi for a day trip and two years later we returned to the prefecture. My father-in-laws sister lives there in Kudamatsu city and so we went to visit her on Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you!) albeit without my wife’s father!!

IMG_0344  IMG_0345

Following a pretty awesome buffet lunch (above), which included sobazushi (something I’ve never seen before), we were driven over to Kasado-jima island which is part of Setonaikai National Park (just like Tomonoura is too as mentioned in my last post) and is connected to the mainland by Kasado Bridge. It was only to be a brief stop on the island where I had a quick look from the various vantage points whilst my wife and her mum had a foot bath and our host looked around the shop. On a beautifully hot day the views across the Inland Sea from the island, which is 36 km in circumference, were quite wonderful and very refreshing.

IMG_0349  IMG_0348

We later went to Hanaoka Hachimangu shrine which was a nice, peaceful place amidst some fine natural scenery. Not sure about the exact details but it seems like this place is dedicated to horses which was quite interesting to me as I am always keen to see such places of worship devoted to different animals like the elephant one in Minami-Shinagawa or the wolf one in Shibuya.

IMG_0353  IMG_0350

As well as all the horse pictures on the underside of the main gate (above), there is also a full-sized horse in a stable-like wooden building which supposedly cures you of your ailments if you rub the horse.

IMG_0355  IMG_0351

The elaborate woodwork comprising Taho-to (multi-treasure tower) is perhaps the most beautiful part of the complex. This two-storied pagoda (below) stands at 13.5 meters high (relatively tall for such pagodas) has been preserved in its original form since it was renovated in 1928.

IMG_0354  IMG_0356

My wife’s aunt drove us on to a nearby dam (below) for some more views and then it was back to the lovely Japanese-style house where she and her husband live.

IMG_0357  IMG_0358

Time for some relaxation and circus tricks from Momiji before taking the 75 minute drive back to my in-laws place in Hiroshima to get ready for our trip to Okunoshima (a.k.a. rabbit island) the following morning.

IMG_0341  IMG_0577

Posted in Family, Japan Life, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hiroshima-ken 2015 Pt IV: Tomonoura Music Video Locations + Other Sights

Posted on May 23, 2015 by tokyofox

Is this really happening? You better believe it! Filming locations without any prejudice is very much the ethos of Tokyo Fox. Japanese idol girl group AKB48 are everywhere in Japan but apart from the name I wouldn’t know or recognise any of its many, many members (there are way more than 48!) if they passed me by. However, whilst doing my research on Tomonoura I came across a music video from 2014 by Misaki Iwasa who is a member of the group.

‘Tomonoura Boujou‘ is a fairly catchy enka (popular Japanese music genre) song about feelings and the harbour and the video was filmed in and around the port town and I just couldn’t resist seeking a few of them out whilst I was in the Ichichi ward of Fukuyama.

Watch the video here

First up is Tomonoura’s most recognisable symbol and that’s the 11 metre tall Joyato Lighthouse which dates back to the Edo period (1603 – 1868) and is located  on the waterfront.

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 09.42.52  P1000795

Forming part of the Setonaikai National Park, Tomonoura has a calm and laid-back atmosphere and nowhere is that more noticeable than on some of its narrow streets which are lined with wooden buildings such as the iriko (いりこ – a kind of little fish) one seen below.

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 09.43.58  P1000790

In the eastern corner of the bay is a long pier in the foreground of some lush green mountains that stand over this picturesque fishing port town.

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 09.48.08  P1000814

If you didn’t know about her video in advance then you’d certainly know on arrival in Tomonoura as images of her were fairly frequent whether it be on the buses (interior and exterior!), shop windows, the ferry port and of course the tourist information centre.

IMG_0121  IMG_0150  IMG_0123  IMG_0147  IMG_0149

Bonus: Here are some random other shots of Tomonoura which don’t really have any place in my blogs about this music video, the shooting locations for ‘The Wolverine‘ (2013) or the inspirations depicted in ‘Ponyo‘ (2008).

First up is Ankokuji Temple which was founded during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) and is situated up in the hills (below) with some fine views overlooking the bay that faces the Seto Inland Sea.

P1000850  IMG_0136 

Yodohime Shrine (below) is just over a kilometre away to the west and gave me something to aim for as I walked along the horseshoe-shaped bay and again there was a nice panorama of the bay.

P1000803  P1000802

Enpukuji Temple (below) has been mentioned in both the Wolverine and Ponyo features though only as a focal point for finding other locations in the vicinity of it. It was constructed around 400 years ago and stands on a hilltop where a castle once stood.

P1000835  P1000837

Tomonoura stands on the southern point of the Numakuma Peninsula and there are actually two islands nearby with the closest one being Bentenjima (below) which is noticeable for its pagoda. However, it’s inaccessible to tourists but you can get a good view of it as you go beyond it en-route to Sensuijima which is just five minutes away and costs only ¥240 (return). The time I spent on the island was short to say the least as I had to take a ferry back 20 minutes later!

P1000859  P1000860

However, I did take a quick look round the island (below) which has a hotel, camp ground, observation decks, boardwalks, walking courses and some beautiful coloured cliffs covering the rugged coastline.

IMG_0146  P1000861

Finally, half a dozen photos below of random stuff from Tomonoura which I have nothing to add word-wise! Enjoy!

P1000815  P1000817  P1000798  P1000805  P1000799  P1000855

How to get there: Take a bus from stop #5 on the south side of JR Fukuyama station. It’s 14km away and takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the tourism information centre or you can get off a few minutes later at Tomokou bus stop; the final stop down the road from there.

You can see ‘The Wolverine‘ locations in Tomonoura here

You can see the locations which inspired ‘Ponyo‘ here 

Posted in Japan Filming Locations, Japan Travel, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tomonoura Filming Locations – Ponyo (2008)

Posted on May 20, 2015 by tokyofox

This small fishing port in Fukuyama City was indeed brought to my attention thanks to its role in the sixth X-Men movie but whilst searching for the locations of those scenes I saw an article saying that Tomonoura was where the Wolverine and Ponyo crossed paths. That was in June last year when I had no idea who or what Ponyo was!

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.13.47  IMG_0129

Once I’d booked my ticket to Fukuyama for Golden Week the wheels were set in motion and I set about getting my hands on a copy of ‘Ponyo‘ (2008) which is sometimes also known as ‘Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea‘. I asked around a select few friends who are into animation and got lucky when my friend Ben quite literally delivered me the dvd of it as he just happened to move from my hometown to Tokyo at that time.

Having watched it, I think I even surprised myself as I was quite moved at times by the cute story (albeit a bit weird) of the fish-girl and the five-year-old boy from Oscar-winning animator and director Hayao Miyazaki who I’m ashamed to say I only knew about due to some tribute in ‘The Simpsons‘ (S25E10 – Married To The Blob) where Homer and a Japanese guy both drink habushu (snake rice wine) and then stumble home intoxicated, where Springfield turns into a wonderland based on some of his Studio Ghibli work.

Now it has to be noted that there are no exact filming location match-ups in Tomonoura for this port town was the inspiration and basis for Miyazaki’s story. He spent two months there in 2005 before production started on the movie and his experiences helped inspire and shape the animated town where Sōsuke lives. The house that it was modelled on is a private house on the cliff lying just beneath Ankokuji Temple which was founded during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333).

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 19.46.54  Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.55.21  P1000851  P1000853

The place where Sōsuke finds Ponyo is the rocky beach situated near to the ferry pier and Enpuku-ji temple.

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.54.02  P1000820

Sōsuke and his mothers commuter route takes them along the road seen below and his school is the building in the distance on the left. The exterior of the school even has a painted signboard featuring Ponyo on it.

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.57.31  P1000842  Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.58.12  Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.12.11  IMG_0128  P1000844

Sōsuke and his mother are determined to get home on the stormy day despite the horrendous conditions and the danger involved. They pass an intersection similar to the one below which is basically just looking back the opposite way to the aforementioned commuting route.

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.56.49  P1000843

The tunnel where Ponyo loses her human form is about 3km west and was too far away for me to reach within my time constraints sadly. However, Rila Fukushima did go there during a break in filming of ‘The Wolverine‘ (2013) in September 2012 and tweeted a picture of her in front of the tunnel where Ponyo reverts into a fish due to using too much magical power to help Sōsuke and others along the way.

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.52.37  Screen Shot 2015-05-09 at 20.35.15

Just before I left Tomonoura I passed the ferry terminal and noticed a boat was about to depart for Sensuijima so I thought I may as well take a (very) quick trip to the island which is just five minutes away and costs only ¥240 (return). The fences in the screenshot and photo’s below are very similar and both lead to similar shaped cabins with the reality one being the ferry passenger terminal.

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 20.50.13  P1000865

The time I spent on Sensuijima was short to say the least as I had to take a ferry back 20 minutes later. I took a quick look round the island though which has a hotel, camp ground, observation decks, boardwalks, walking courses and some  coloured cliffs covering the rugged coastline.

IMG_0148  photo12069

First port of call before all of those locales though should be the Tourist  Information Centre which stocks a good selection of Ponyo merchandise. It is the penultimate stop on the bus route from Fukuyama station to Tomonoura and they can print you off a Ponyo map of the area for free though sadly not the one like above. Wolverine maps are also available.

IMG_0116  IMG_0117  IMG_0122  IMG_0139

As you walk around the main town there are other a fair few posters on shops and noticeboards showing how proud they are that Tomonoura was the inspiration for  the town depicted in this visually stunning fairy tale.

IMG_0118  IMG_0134

How to get there: Take a bus from stop #5 on the south side of JR Fukuyama station. It takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the tourism information centre or you can get off a few minutes later at Tomokou bus stop; the final stop down the road from there.

Want more Japanese anime locations? Click here to see the Fukuyama locations faithfully depicted in ‘Kamichu!‘ (2005) 

You can see The Wolverine locations in Tomonoura here

Posted in Japan Filming Locations, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tomonoura (Hiroshima) Filming Locations – The Wolverine (2013)

Posted on May 17, 2015 by tokyofox

My main reason for only taking the Shinkansen as far as Fukuyama (rather than just going directly to my final destination of Hiroshima) was not only to see the station locales used in ‘The Wolverine‘ (2013) but also to continue the filming location theme by taking a trip to a place I have long wanted to visit.

This tiny fishing port of Tomonoura may no longer be a place for major cargo transportation trade but it has become a popular place for filming in recent years and is a short half hour bus ride south of Fukuyama. On screen, the viewer is made to think that they Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Mariko (Tao Okamoto) are going to Nagasaki which is the ancestral hometown of the latter. As mentioned in ‘Hiroshima-ken 2015 Pt V‘ they leave the Shinkansen at Fukuyama Station and then take a bus to Tomonoura.

I got off the bus at the tourist information centre which is highly recommended. There was a very nice and helpful guy working there who was able to help me with my extra-nerdy questions relating to the whereabouts of the screenshots I had on my iPad. He printed off a couple of very interesting maps detailing the locations and inspirations for ‘The Wolverine‘ and ‘Ponyo‘ (2008) too.

IMG_0124  IMG_0126

The Wolverine map specifically focuses on when and where filming took place, what Hugh Jackman did on his days off, Tomonoura-related tweets from the directors and stars and short reports detailing behind-the-scenes information of shooting and how the area was decorated and dressed to appear more Nagasaki-like.

First stop was the Tomokou bus stop five minutes away by foot where Mariko and Logan disembark from the bus on 53 minutes. This is the final stop on the route from Fukuyama station and where the bus turns around and heads back that way.

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 22.53.47  P1000784  P1000839  P1000783

They are next seen on the other side of the road next to the harbour with the mountains standing in the distance and Logan asks “Where are we?” to which Mariko replies that they’re just outside Nagasaki. Well if being 530km from Nagasaki is “just outside” it then I guess she’s right!!

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 22.54.03  P1000785

Tomonoura scenes are then blended in with other ones shot on Omi-shima island in Ehime-ken which is about 65km west in the Inland Sea just south of Okunoshima a.k.a. Rabbit Island. The one where Logan chops up the tree that’s fallen across the road is Omi-shima but Mariko’s house is in Tomonoura.

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 22.55.27  P1000828

It’s a private house located on the hill next to Enpuku-ji temple which can only be accessed by a couple of paths leading up there.

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 22.55.40  P1000827

The private house appears again later on 69 minutes when Logan wonders where  Mariko has gone.

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 23.21.23  P1000832

Realising she’s been taken he gives chase to the yakuza and the scenes switch back and forth between Omi-shima and Tomonoura.

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 23.21.49  P1000830

Yukio (Rila Fukushima) pulls up in her car near the ferry pier as Logan hobbles towards her having been shot in the leg by one of the yakuza. They drive off with a roaring sound, go over a mountain and within seconds are back in Tokyo albeit one looking very much like a street in Sydney!

Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 23.25.41  P1000811  Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 23.26.16  P1000807

The movie was actually titled ‘Wolverine Samurai‘ in Japan and there are various posters and signs around town alerting tourists to the fact that the movie was shot in the area.

IMG_0143  IMG_0144  IMG_0119  IMG_0120  IMG_0142  Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 10.18.30

Above is a tweet from main star Jackman (@RealHughJackman) when he was in Tomonoura in September 2012 for shooting which took place between the 5th and the 11th following a day in Fukuyama on the 4th and two days in Omi-shima on the 6th and 7th. I guess I need to visit Omi-shima now to complete the Japanese locations for this movie.

How to get there: Take a bus from stop #5 on the south side of JR Fukuyama station. It takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the tourism information centre or you can get off a few minutes later at Tomokou bus stop; the final stop down the road from there.

You can read ‘Cycling The Wolverine Tokyo Trail…In One Day’ here

The Tokyo Fox review of ‘The Wolverine‘ (2013) can be seen here

Posted in Japan Filming Locations | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments