Wake up super walt to get train to Matsumoto. Leave at 8 and are here for 1pm, head to castle- oldest castle in. Got a free tour from tadayama a retired engineer. Castle was awesome. Not used as home but battle place, store room and landmark. Met fake ninja and samurai. Ask guide too many questions! Wander downtown (tiny) with amazing mountains all around and sunshine +++. Ate at cafe- so much junk food today :( then walked home to sketchy hostel.

Woke up at bonsai guest house.set off for mount Koya early- get train (not jr and expensive!)barrier by about lunch- get snacks then go to konibori/ big Buddhist temple. Witness procession ?dali lama. Probs not. Next walk 7k through graveyards in mountains- see some shogun relatives graves. Met cute little japanese man who practiced Japanese on us, then back to Osaka via train. Disembark at namba but bored of shops and food thee so back to jap tapas bar we went w...

Train to osaka this am. Arrive by 2.30 pm, ditched things in hostel then straight to osaka castle and museum- amazing. Weather awesome. Next to dontonbori to explore, lots of shops and restaurants, ended up eating in ok okonomyaki restaurant- good food and good wine!

Early trains and ferry to Miyajima this am. Land and greeted instantly by deer!had impromptu photo shoot with samurai (what a dream) and walked to ocean front temple and torii gate. Next to 5 story pagoda followed by park and cable car. Cable car up shared with cutest Japanese family (father thought we were in high school!). View from top awesome, pestered by 2 18 year olds. Then last cable car (nearly stranded) to ferry and home. Underground Japanese tapas for t...

Breakfast in hostel of strawberries, yogurt and coffee then off to Hiroshima by tube train train then bus and walk. Reach hiro by early afternoon and head to peace park and a Bomb site followed by memorial museum-all too sad. Asked for video with random japanese man in mask- not sure why but highly alarmed. Wandered round local shops and got some pasta to cook for tea with red wine. Skyped dave- have missed him so much!