shimoda

From Tokyo it takes about 3 hours to Shimoda, a tiny town in Shizuoka.

As soon as we arrived we headed to find Uodonya, a conveyor belt sushi shop.

It turned out it was right across from where the fish come off the boats.

We both ordered the local fish set…2200 yen (tax included) each

Bummer that the photo I took of what each sushi topping was got lost, so no explanation (insert frown)

My favorite was the kinmedai oshizushi, 2nd row, far right. The rice had aonori and shiso in it and was topped with kinmedai that had a kabayaki type of sauce

After lunch we explored Shimoda.

This was apparently the area where Commodore Perry landed in 1854 and where the U.S. met with Japan to end the isolation of Japan and open it up to trading and foreigners.

There is a short road named Perry Road and it reminded me of Kyoto.

Loved this huge bouganvillea tree in front of a cafe.

Satoshi went into the Shimoda Kaikoku Museum.

While he did that, I got a free aloe plant and waited outside and people watched.

Apparently the fishermen of this area brought back aloe from Southern tropical areas.

The plants really grew well in the Shirahama area of Shimoda, so you'll see them there as well as around Shimoda.

(Shimoda people: I was surprised to see these elementary students with these helmets as they walked home from school)

There was a trick art thingy inside of the gift shop of the museum, so I had Satoshi pose.

Geishin no matsu (about 200 plus years) near the Shimoda Hachiman Shrine

 

Teeny origami that was made into a tree! at Hofukuji

This temple is apparently where Okichi the most popular geisha in 1854 was engaged to a carpenter, Tsurumatsu.

She was ordered by local officials to work for Townsend Harris, the first US consul in order to get a better negotiation deal with the US.

After giving up her fiance to do this job, she was "tainted" by a foreigner, and Harris returned to the US after being reassigned.

Her life had many misfortunes afterwards and she eventually drowned herself in 1890.

An actress, Yaeko Mizutani who played Okichi in a movie had Okichi buried next to her fiance, Tsurumatsu, so they could be reunited.

Apparently this temple is also where Sakamoto Ryoma asked Katsu Kashu for forgiveness after he (Sakamoto) left the Tosa domain without permission.

Black soft cream...flavored with chocolate and bamboo charcoal

Black ship, kurofune, is the color of the ship that Perry entered Japan on, so many things/foods are black.

This was a bit gritty from the charcoal, but I enjoyed the chocolate flavor...500 yen (tax included)

Gyokusenji is the place where the first US consulate was.

while Satoshi went to check out the Harris Memorial, I headed back to the hotel

The sunset was pretty

And I got to see the Ryoma Sakamoto statue at the Madogahama Park

Dinner was kaiseki style...the most impressive part was the abalone that was cooked with butter (should've taken a picture before the cooking)

And I was impressed by this huge kiriko (Japan glass) my vitamin container for size reference

Shimoda Bay Kuroshio

4-1 Kakisaki

Shimoda, Shizuoka

Kaitenzushi Uodonya

1-1 Sotogaoka

Shimoda, Shizuoka

Open daily 11:00-15:00 (lunch), 17:30-20:30 (dinner)

*cash only

Shopping Kiss'a

inside JR Shimoda station

hours: 8:00-17:00

*cash only