Land of the Rising Sun; Day 8 | Mostly Needlepoint

Last I left you, we were getting on the bullit train to travel to Okayama for our next 2 fabulous days in Japan. The first day will be spent at the Toho bead factory in Okayama. I was very excited about this when I first saw it on the intinerary! We were going to see how beads are created. Orginally we were supposed to go to both Toho and Miyuki, but Miyuki thought we were too big a group. This day has so much to share, that it might take 3 days of postings as there’s just too many pictures. Something to look forward to, I hope!

Okay I digress as I want to tell you more about the bullit train. Part of our tour package was a Japanese Rail Pass which would allow us to travel on the train, and also some other public transportation including the ferry to Miyajima tomorrow.

Okay I have seen it spelled bullit and bullet. It is a beautiful way to travel is all I have to say! The Shinkansen (新幹線, new trunk line) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by five Japan Railways Group companies, which can travel up to 200mph. Pretty fast!

The first time we were using the train, I noticed someone poking their head out on the approach… but this would take me a few days to figure this out.

Not the same person as the other picture, and I still wonder what the name of this job was that was being taken so very seriously.

Maybe checking the time? or maybe adjusting the gloves? Do you see the numbers on the floor? You would stand at that number that was printed on your ticket. When the train stopped you would enter that car that matched the number on your ticket. Very organized!

As I watched and observed (as how else do you learn?) that this conductor would make sure that the train lined up exactly so that the doors opened at the correct place. They would point to the ground as the train stopped and being that this all happened in the blink of an eye, it was really hard to get a picture!