Today is my last full day in Japan and the last day my Rail Pass is valid. From Hiroshima, I headed east on the bullet train and took a detour to Akiyoshi Cave after another train and bus. I think it was pretty neat. They say you can walk 1.5km inside the cave and there are some really huge areas in there. It rained most of the day, so I suppose being inside the cave was good.
After a return trip (going through some nice countryside and mountains) I made it back to the main bullet train line and continued on to Fukuoka. There I bought a ferry ticket to Busan, Korea and checked into my hostel.
Some comments about Japanese people after three weeks:
- They are rarely ever seen eating or drinking in public. I think it is considered rude, but maybe more about keeping everything clean.
- Eye contact seems to be frowned upon. One man got mad at me when I was looking at a sign above his head when he thought I was looking at him.
- Many people are afraid of me. I’ve seen kids literally run away from me.
- The average person really cannot converse in English. They have never had any practical experience. I’ve heard people would want to talk to foreigners here for practice, but I’ve been proved wrong.
- I feel so underdressed in the country. The average Japanese person in a city is always wearing some fancy clothes. I’m just wearing a T-shirt and jeans.