Putting my Motorcycle on a Ferry to Shikoku Island
Update 51 (January 2024)
Wakayama Ferry to Shikoku Island
As we all know, not doing your homework when it is due is a bad idea. This update is about 7 weeks overdue, which for me is a little too long. I start to forget exactly where photos were taken and end up spending too much time remembering.
My map recordings do come in handy. I will zoom right in and start to look for evidence of where I had pulled off the road. It triggers memories of where I stopped to take a photo or even where I had a “pit stop” and looked around. The map recordings are actually a very useful way for me to recall my journey.
I was heading south and my next destination was the island of Shikoku, one of the major five. I had realised that instead of driving north and going through the city traffic of Osaka, I could catch a ferry across from Wakayama.
Taking the inland mountain road to Wakayama city.
It was fun riding. I had some reasonable snow at times but apart from some occasional old ice patches, the road was pretty clear.
My timing was okay, the snow was starting to get heavy but still melting as it hit the road.
The next morning I caught the Nankai ferry across to Tokushima. It was a two hour trip for about 70 AUD with the motorcycle.
Backing in to take us on board.
It was a week day, outside school holidays so pretty quiet. Some trucks to come still.
I met a terrific couple that now lived near Osaka and were going to a special location near Kochi to see a white flower discovered by the famous Japanese botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino. They had travelled overseas a lot and spoke some English, so I sat with them and ate their snacks while we chatted about life in Japan and Australia. Their travelling van was humble and very cool.
Getting ready to disembark.
Unloading through the bow of the ship.
Lunch time. I found a very nice restaurant nearby. It was a little fancier than my normal standard for lunch. I had the sashimi and tempura set, 2,400 Yen or about 27 AUD currently. I still need to ask for instructions sometimes on the right way to eat some meals. It was mainly about the semi raw egg (which goes with the little bowl next to it and mixed in with the rice).
My next major stop was the city of Kochi. I ended up staying in the more premium Jyoseikan Hotel (if a little dated). And with special parking right at the front door.
It was about 4pm when I checked in and I noticed they had some bicycles for guests (no charge, as usual). I was far enough west and south that I had daylight until about 5:30, so I took off for Kochi Castle.
The construction is quite elaborate, to mark the importance. As I ride around Japan, I do come across old homes with a similar design, on a smaller scale. Most are appreciated and well cared for, with nicely maintained gardens and trees coaxed into a Niwaki form.
This was an original small, hand carried carriage. It was tiny, but in the day obviously carried significance.
When I returned to the hotel I was guided by a sweet lady to see their event of preparing the Bonito fish for the night’s meal. It is related to Tuna and Mackerel and the seared preparation is a specialty in Kochi.
Rice straw is used for the searing. It soon becomes a very theatrical way to prepare dinner. You can see the handle is not very long.
My Japanese style room. At 8pm the staff came and moved the table and made my futon bed for the night. I stayed two nights. The buffet breakfast was a step above my business hotel breakfast, sorry no photos,