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Morning tour of Kumamoto Castle.08:50:03
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Some of the (recreated?) interior.
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Lots of gold leaf here!09:27:47
Rather impressive ceiling.09:27:57
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On the tram to Kumamoto station.09:56:55
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We met up with Chie's parents on the shinkansen between Kumamoto and Kagoshima.11:31:55
Impressive shochu bar in Kagoshima station.11:33:51
...and a lady working a loom.11:35:18
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Chie bought some new glasses here.12:36:26
I went for Indian food for lunch, and realised this is probably the closes to India I've ever been.13:25:39
Volcanic ash on the streets of Kagoshima.13:27:58
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On the bus tour now.13:59:56
...which started and ended with the ferry to Sakurajima.14:01:02
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There's Sakurajima brooding in the distance. Unfortunately the weather wasn't that good so it was hard to distinguish the ash clouds from the rain clouds.14:05:04
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On the island now, an awful picture taken through the window of the bus.14:37:13
The observation point which was the closest we could get to the actual crater. Still quite a way off!14:37:33
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Some volcanic rock.14:40:31
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Back on the bus - those are mikan (satsuma) trees in the background.15:00:20
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The bus then took us round the island.
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One of several touristy stopping off points en route - out the back of a shop selling souvenirs here.15:36:44
A replica of a shrine gate that was buried by lava (the real thing was about 100 yards down the road, but didn't have a souvenir shop next to it so we didn't stop there).15:37:10
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Another stopping off point, with another chance to view the mountain.16:00:22
....but still rather inclement weather.16:02:08
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On the ferry on the way back.16:41:50
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Later on, the view from outside our hotel, up in the hills above Kagoshima city.17:51:23
This and the next picture were just a few minutes apart...17:56:59
....and suddenly yhere was a big ash cloud coming out of the mountain.
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Menacing isn't it?19:06:34
We split up again for dinner to begin with at least, and I went and had some terrible Italian food, accompanied by beer served in this rather unusual looking joki.19:38:23
After that I met up with Chie and her parents in the izakaya where they had dinner.19:55:29
Some tofu.
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After dinner we went to a place that did shirokuma - a local speciality involving crushed ice.20:50:30
....it's far too big as well. The decoration on top is meant to look like a bear's face.20:51:05
I had a slightly more modest sized chocolate sauce version. 20:51:36
It wasn't that great.
21:19:40
A rhino in a suit of armour.