Islands of Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, JAPAN

The Hikari Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) delivered me from Tokyo to the town of Tokushima (southern island of Shikoku) faster than your local pizza boy could bring home your order. The Hikari flies by at an average speed of 163 km/h, slower than its big brother, the Nozomi (avg. at 263 km/h). The Hikari passes the Nozomi in opposite directions in a split second!

I spent some time on Shikoku island and from there went to Hiroshima to see the left overs of the first Atomic Bomb and visited the Atomic Bomb Memorial Park including an excellent museum. This visit to Hiroshima was indeed an emotional experience for me and if I ever could recommend one museum, its this one. One darn fine museum to remind us all of the destruction of an atomic bomb.

The rest of the time I spent on the most southern big island, Kyushu, and visited several hot springs, the active volcanoes of Aso and Sakurajima. Both are very impressive: steaming and smoking! On Kyushu island I visited the areas of Fukuoka, Kamamoto, Kagoshima, Oita, Pebbu, Aso, etc.

Its really great to be back in Japan. Unquestionably one of my top destinations! Japanese people are so polite, well organized, and their consumer products are years ahead of the rest of the world. The food -- awesome! Had some great fresh sashimi and sushi at Tsukiji fish market -- the largest in the world. What I like most of Japan is that in all my 8 days traveling, I have seen hardly any garbage; unlike so many other countries I visited where garbage is in your face everywhere, notebly Central America!

This is my 7th visit to Japan and I vowed to be back as soon as I can. Next will be northern Honshu Island or Okinawa.