I just woke up from a dream where my aunt, baby-still-fetal-cousin, my uncle and I were sitting on a grassy hill talking about train routes in Japan. Two things occurred to me in this dream: 1) I have yet to go to Iwakuni so I do not know if they even have grassy knolls and 2) I was talking to my aunt which is sort of a funny idea considering I haven’t actually “met” her yet.
Iwakuni, Japan
Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. 4h 30 minutes out of Tokyo via Hiroshima on Shin-Iwakuni Station by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Line is the city of Iwakuni. Iwakuni is a castle town near the Sea of Aki in eastern Japan. The town does in fact have a feudal castle and the Kintai-kyo Bridge which is known as one of the Japan’s three great bridges. The modern city of Iwakuni is made up of several towns and villages which were absorbed into the greater Iwakuni city in 2006.
I will be in Iwakuni sometime between April 10th and May 6th to visit my aunt and uncle (and new baby cousin!). This family lives on the coast of Iwakuni in the US Marine Corps base. The loose plan is for me to arrive, spend some time in Iwakuni and then travel around with my uncle (i am hoping we go to Kyoto!).
So yeah. Sorta funny but I am going to a US Marine Corps base in Japan. Actually, I am going to two of them: Iwakuni Air Station and Okinawa. As bases are where my uncle and my brother live, that is where I shall be! [between adventures filled with tromping around the island].
And apparently there is this really cool festival while I am there [yes, I took the below from Wikipedia]:
The Kintai Bridge Festival is held annually on April 29 at Kikko Park. The festival includes a parade across the bridge called the “Sankin-koutai” Feudal Lords’ Procession featuring locals dressed in historic samurai costumes. The date of this festival is subject to some controversy as it is former emperor Hirohito’s birthday. From the death of Hirohito in 1989 until 2005, the day was officially called “Greenery Day”. In 2005, it was voted to change the name to “Showa Day” in reference to Hirohito despite the fear of opposition from other countries such as China and Korea, against which alleged war crimes were committed under the direction of the late emperor. However, according to the Liberal Democratic Party, this day would “encourage public reflection of the turbulent 63 years of Hirohito’s reign, rather than glorify the emperor himself.
Iwakuni is coming up faster than one may think. Soon!!
