Fifteenth day in Japan

 

Eihei-ji

The morning view from our table while we were having breakfast at the Hotel Fujita Fukui ホテルフジタ福井:

I've heard foreigners speak fondly of Fukui 福井, but while the downtown area where we spent a night seemed pleasant enough, world wars and earthquakes have decimated much of the old city. The sights of interest are instead located out in the surrounding countryside, so we rented yet another hybrid, this time for the day, to take us through some nice scenery to our first stop, the Buddhist temple Daihonzan Eihei-ji 大本山永平寺:

 

The temple was established in 1244 by the Zen master Dōgen 道元, founder of the Zen Buddhist sect Sōtō 曹洞宗. The complex today comprises more than 70 buildings set among the cedar trees and moss in the mountains:

Unlike most temples popular with tourists, Eihei-ji is a functioning religious center. Priests and monks were constantly going about their business, and we witnessed one large service taking place during our visit:

All those temple buildings sure worked up a thirst. One of the few disappointments of this trip so far has been the realization that Japanese vending machines have become ever more standardized. There was a time when I would travel the country and discover canned or bottled drinks that I could never find after I returned to my home(s) in Tōkyō 東京. To this day I still fondly recall a sweet bottled coffee drink could Parade パレード that I've only ever come across in two disparate locations: once at the Konpira-san 金刀比羅宮 Shintō shrine in Kotohira 琴平, Takamatsu 高松; and the other on the grounds of the Kawasaki Daishi Temple 川崎大師 in Kanagawa Prefecture 神奈川県. Now, however, it seems no matter where we go, the drinks for sale in the 自動販売機 never change. Which is why I was willing to try a "Craft Cola" that I saw in a vending machine on the way back to the car, even though the can described the concoction as containing "fruits and spices". I don't know if it was because of beverage desperation, but I actually liked it:

Our chariot for the day, a Nissan Note, with its easy to locate color scheme:

From the temple it took less than twenty minutes to reach our other desired destination, the Ichijōdani Asakura Clan Ruins 一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡. Said ruins are of an early 15th-century fortified town situated in a beautiful, narrow valley. One section requires an entrance fee; visitors wander the street between the empty spaces where samurai mansions once stood, and the more humbler merchants' quarters on the opposite side:

A nearby restaurant sated my hunger with its cold soba noodles ざるそば:

After lunch, Amber and I visited the free part of the ruins, following the building remnants as we slowing made our way back to the car, and taking note of the wildlife encountered en route:

If reincarnation is real, I would like to return as a spoiled house cat. My second choice would be as a well-fed Japanese ornamental carp 鯉:

Eventually the time came to return the car, and depart from Fukui, but not before saying our goodbyes:

Two trains, a Shirasagi しらさぎ limited express from Fukui to Maihama 舞浜, followed by a quick Shinkansen 新幹線 ride, brought us to our present location, Nagoya 名古屋, where we had rāmen ラーメン for dinner in the bowels of Nagoya Station 名古屋駅:

JR Nagoya Takashimaya ジェイアール名古屋タカシマヤ:

Nagoya TV Tower 名古屋テレビ塔:

I've been to Nagoya many times, but this will be yet another first for the girl. Don't change that channel...