A Strange Northern Sector

So After the highlights of Korea, it's hard to believe we could find anywhere quite so strange in Japan. Enter an idea of Stu's to check out Tottori, a place famous for one thing, and one thing only. A giant sand dune. Not one to nitpick over a measley 3.5 hour train ride to get there (for one afternoon), and then the same journey home, I though what the hell, let's go and see a giant sand dune. So we did, and I'm kind of glad. It's the closest I've come to seeing genuine coastline, with real waves, since I arrived here. Mind you, being overcast, cold and rainy did detract from the beachy vibe. So too did the disappointing amount of refuse washed up on the sand. It's amazing considering just how into cleaning their streets the Japanese are, every morning that damn truck comes down our tiny street sweeping and washing away... well... to my eyes, absolutely nothing. Yet here is a lovely stretch of coast blighted by oil drums, detergent bottles, old pieces of rope, wait, I'm sure there's more but I can't remember. Anyway, that's not to say we didn't have a lovely day ambling along the coast, battling rain and wind.

Later we went to check out an absurdly English-looking manor built by one of the Emperors, or one of their relatives atleast. It was surreal to say the very least to be in a musty-smelling, mahogany-clad house, bathed in the wintery afternoon light set in a very Japanese-style garden complete with carp. Then we got back on the train (my butt is not so happy after more than one long train journey of late). It was a fun, strange day, complete with okonomiyaki for lunch.