We decided to visit a couple of museums, the Kamon Strait Museum and the Mojiko Telecommunication Museum.
After breakfast, we set out to walk to the Kamon Strait Museum, but we only got 10 steps from the hotel when we realised that walking wasn't an option. The rain was very heavy, which was one problem, but the biggest problem was the wind. It was so strong that we were fighting our umbrellas, so we went back to the hotel to call for a taxi.
It only took a couple of minutes by taxi and cost just 700 yen, about £3.
The museum had three main areas. A free area, a children's area and the paid area.
The free area showed how the area would have looked during the Meiji Period; it was a mock-up of the town with shops, banks, bars, restaurants, and a streetcar.
Selling bananas
I told Hannah that if she lived back then, she would be the right height!
Inside the streetcar
Outside with Hannah
Looking down the street
Advertisements, not sure of the date on these.
An artist selling his art on the street.
We went upstairs, where there were more buildings, also we could look down on where we were.
The streetcar.
A bank.
From a local high school.
How the area would have looked
A banana poster
More views from the second floor.
There was a whole area about the banana trade in that area.
A barbar shop
Looks like a fight with a drunk man
But the drunk is protecting his cat from the dog.
Cute
Cigarette shop
Resturant
Looking down the street.
The whole space was very well done; you could really imagine walking through this town.
I was going to write more, but I have the most awful of headaches from the storm that we had last night.
I'll try to write tomorrow, but Tuesday and Wednesday are my busy days. I really want to get this trip posted!
We took so many photos and videos that it's taking a long time to sort them out!
After the Kyushu Railway Museum, we walked back to the hotel to check in.
We were on the fifth floor with a nice view of the seafront.
But as we turned the corner from the elevator, this is what we saw.
The corridor to our room.
I haven't watched the movie The Shining, but I've seen clips, and that was what I thought of when I saw this corridor!
The room was comfortable, nothing fancy.
Our room for two nights.
I liked the little table by the window. In the evenings and mornings, it was a nice place to sit and have a cup of tea, watching the people on the seafront and the views across the strait to Shinomoseki.
The view from our room.
After we had refreshed ourselves and had a little rest, we went to the Mojiko Observation Tower.
The tower is 103 meters tall (337 feet). The observation deck is on the 31st floor. The elevator up is an express one; it doesn't stop at any other floors and was rather fast going up.
It was so fast I felt dizzy as I stepped off.
The views were spectacular!
The sun was just setting.
The last building is Mojiko Station.
I took some photos of Hannah.
The signs say where you are.
There's a cafe up there, so we had a drink.
Coffee latte for Hannah, Matcha latte for me.
Of course, we took a selfie.
I never know where to look when taking selfies.
On the way down, I noticed this on the outside of the elevator.
It's the panel showing where the elevator is, but it's in the shape of the building.
After that, we walked back to the station to find a convenience store to buy something for breakfast. As it was getting dark, the lights were coming on, which made everything feel very different.
At the station, we found that even the restrooms had displays of how they would have been.
In front of the station was a little fountain. When we arrived, it wasn't turned on.
A little fountain in front of the station.
We made our way back to the hotel to have dinner.
Obento for dinner.
Hannah found a microwave oven on the floor below us, so we could warm up the obento.
We ate while enjoying the evening view.
That was our first day.
Really great but very long and exhausting. But it was that good kind of exhaustion!
