New Years at Korakuen

Mani & I took the train to Kobe to check out the stunning illuminated harbor but we were sucked into the Bon Odori festivities happening on the same day. Food and beer stalls were everywhere. Surrounded by a sea of Kimono clad couples, on a small wooden stage, a group of lovely ladies were dancing to traditional music. It was great fun watching this 500-year-old tradition that is celebrated yearly to honor the spirits of their ancestors.

Shuri Castle served as the center of politics, foreign affairs and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom since the 14th century, until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. The World Heritage Site with its brilliant colors and stylish Ryukyu architecture is strikingly different from any castle I have witnessed in all of Japan.

We ride into the misty mountains of Mie, to visit Iga Ueno, the birthplace of Ninjas. At the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum, dedicated to the history of the shadow warriors, we discover the awesome escape routes, hidden doors, traps and fake hallways of a Ninja dwelling.