Ofuna Kannon / Ofuna, Kanagawa

Have you ever been to Kamakura from Downtown Tokyo by train? If you said "Yes", I guess you noticed that you see the Giant statue from the window of the
moving train on your way to Kamakura. What the hell is that? That's a "Ofuna Kannon".

Access:
Take a Tokaido Line 東海道線, or Yokosuka Line 横須賀線,  or Keihin-Tohoku Line 京浜東北線 to get to Ofuna 大船 Station. When you get off the train at Ofuna Station. heading to west exit.

Take this way

Go down the stairs.

Cross the small river and take your right at traffic light.

Take your left when you pass through at Lawson.

Take your left like this.

Go up this way, it will led you to the entrance of the site.

Pay 300 yen as admission fee at this booth.

you are almost there.

That one is a "Ofuna Kannon" which means Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. This statue is 25 meters high. Construction of the statue began in 1929, but suspended at the outbreak of the World War 2 and was completed in 1960.

Inside of the statue.

Let's pray. It is said that to prevent natural disasters, cure the sick and assist women in childbirth.

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The nearest America from Japan

When it comes to Japan, Have a look at the world map, Japan is located on the Far East. We realized that Japan is very far away from western countries.

It is said that Japan is the land of the rising sun. but, actually Japan is 4 hours behind than New Zealand. I mean New Zealand is the first sunrise country in the world.

How long does it take to get to Japan from the western countries like America or England? From Europe like a Paris or London to Tokyo, it takes about approximately 12 hours. From New York to Tokyo, it takes about approximately 14 hours. Even the Seattle that the nearest American city in the mainland of America from Japan, it takes about approximately 9 hours. Japan is so far away from western countries. But wait a minute, There's a place where you can be reached American in 3 hours and a half, it's a Guam.

Guam is a territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the subtropical region, you can swim all year round. Local people at there speaks English, some people speaks Japanese as well. And it is safe. To see the sunset from the beach is amazing. you will be in paradise.

Guam has rainy and dry seasons. Usually the rainy season begins from June to October, so you should better to avoid those months. I think January and February
are the best season because of the nice weather and cheaper traveling expenses. Please take a look for the travel agencies which offers reasonable travel like a HIS.

https://www.no1-travel.com/

I recommend you to purchase 1 day shuttle bus pass that cost $10 each for the hotel route. They also have 2 days($15) but $4 per ride. The hotel route goes from Micronesia Mall, K-Mart and Guam Premium Outlet stops in many hotels. So you don't have to Rent-a-Car.

Guam that isolated Island depends on imports for everything from U.S mainland. So prices are high in there. but you don't have to pay consumption tax when you
buy something.

Guam is accessible location. near, not so far from Japan. Time difference between
Guam and Japan are only 1 hour earlier than Japan. Usually, Japanese people plans on itinerary for 4 days. However I rarely seen the tourist from South America and Europe except Russian.

Guam, An Island of accessible and surrounded beautiful nature and beach. you might to consider to go there on you way to visit Japan.

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HongKong's Rampage

Now I came all the way to HongKong, I wanna have the chance to authentic Yumcha which small amount of Chinese cuisine and snacks served on small dishes or in a bamboo baskets are eaten with tea. HongKong is its place of origin.

I raised in Japan, but there's ChinaTown in my hometown. so Yumcha is familiar

to me since I was a child. 

What's the difference between Japanese Yumcha and HongKong's Yumcha? I wonder if a pretty waitress who wearing cute skirt Chinese dress serving foods and drinks on me? Are there any foods that I've never seen in Japan? How many kind of teas do they have? My heart leaped up with expectation.

There's so many Japanese tourist those who thinks the same thing, when it comes to Yumcha, many Yumcha restaurants is presented in the travel guide book which published in Japan. But I didn't want to go to a Yumcha restaurant in the travel guide book. so I wanted to find out a Yumcha restaurant that wasn't in the travel

guide book. Subject to choose its restaurant, you know that it's not in the travel guidebook but bustling with local people. 

A week day lunch time, I went to the business district in central HongKong. Look for a Yumcha restaurant that bustling with many customers for a while. After a little while, I was able to find out ideal Yumcha restaurant. so I went into there.

When I went into a bare appearanced Yumcha restaurant, elderly middle aged man waited on me. I was expecting a pretty waitress wearing cute skirt Chinese dress take my order...

He said what would you like to have a tea? I said I'll have jasmine tea. He said 

we only have oolong tea, no jasmine tea. You only have oolong tea? Don't ask me about drink order! I don't want to perform a comedy with you.

All employees at there were elderly middle aged man. There was no one those who pretty waitress in wearing cute skirt Chinese dress. About the menu? Basically its taste were plain and soggy. Those were unpalatable for typical Japanese just like me. so I leftover some foods.

I beckoned the waiter for the bill. He look around at leftover foods on the table, 

He mumbled something and shook his head.

No matter the Yumcha restaurant are commercialized, I should've go to a Yumcha restaurant that recommended in the travel guide book. I made a big mistake on that day.

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