In the Footsteps of Dragons - Part 8
Shikoku Island
September 30th
Tosashimizu to Kochi
Forget all plans, the Dragons are woken by Kato Shihan at 06:15, and after cold showers and no breakfast are on the road by 07:00 and are supposed to be heading for a tourist attraction but the chief navigator, Guinness Dragon, falls asleep at the vital moment and the Dragons complete a circular tour of the southern coast line of Shikoku Island.
At 09:00 the Dragons stop for breakfast at the Japanese equivalent to Little Chef called Joyful. Dragons are back on the road 45 minutes later.
Change of drivers close to Kochi as Windy Dragon is fighting tiredness behind the wheel.
At Kochi the Dragons check into the Minatoya Hotel and meet an old school friend of Kato Shihan who works there.
Each Dragon has their own room but unlike all previous stops, where they slept on traditional Japanese Tatami mats, here the Dragons find proper beds………....luxury.
Again the Dragons have internet access via two laptops in the hotel lobby and later the facebook fanatics go into overdrive uploading news and photos.
That afternoon the Dragons visit Kochi Castle in their own time and Kato Shihan disappears with an old friend Hamachan to attend to some banking and personal matters.
Lunch is taken later in a Japanese style fast food arcade washed down with beers that Kato Shihan has purchased. The Dragons then go window shopping in the city mall.
Driving back to the hotel, Kato Shihan points out a statue of a local Samurai and proceeds to tell the Dragons that the warrior was his Great, Great, Great Grandfather………...wow.
Back at the hotel the Dragons shower, rest and then go out for a meal at a Japanese restaurant across the street. Surprisingly Kato Shihan’s friend Hamachan, pays the bill for all of us, a real gent.
Today’s drivers: Windy and Oriental Dragon
October 1st
Kochi
07:00 get up and breakfast (almost English) at 08:00. The hotel has coin operated washing machines so all keikogi are washed prior to an expected day of shop browsing in the city. However, the Dragons hang around the hotel too long giving Kato Shihan time to change their plans. The Dragons end up sightseeing in the magic bus.
The Dragons visit a monument with a statue of the famous local samurai Ryoma situated on a high peak just outside Kochi. This is followed by a long walk to another hill with a shrine. Shihan’s friend Hamachan at the age of 80, leaves the Dragons standing and he was not even breathing heavily.
By 14:00 there is no sign of lunch, although Kato Shihan seems to have had his while Dragons were looking around in the tourist shops.
Further travel in the magic bus leads to the Ryugado caves. Fantastic climb in through the cave with amazing rock formations, stalagmites, stalactites’ and narrow passages that spoil Big Dragons day and he has to turn back. Hamachan is way ahead of the Dragons again on the climb through the caves and eventually everyone emerges into daylight at a sign stating 322 metres, which was assumed to be the distance climbed within the cave.
By 17:00 there is still no sign of lunch and the Dragons drive back to Kochi in solid traffic for two hours where they head straight to a city restaurant to eat. The establishment gives free lager refills and after a lot of drinks, the Dragons go to Kato Shihan’s cousin's son's restaurant for a quick drink. Afterwards the Dragons head to a rather classy karaoke bar owned by one of Kato Shihan’s old lovers and everyone is surprised to see on the wall a 2007 IJKA seminar year calendar featuring pictures of the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. After a walk back to the magic bus via a street noodle bar the Dragons return to the hotel and some stay up drinking beer from the vending machines and get to bed around 03:00.
Today’s drivers: Oriental and Big Dragon
October 2nd
Kochi
The Dragons that stayed up late are not full of the joys of spring this morning and one Dragon misses breakfast and the departure of the magic bus.
The day rapidly goes from bad to worse as the Dragons realise that what should be an easy 40 mile journey for more sightseeing at Cape Muroto will take forever because of the never ending traffic lights of Kochi and it’s suburbs. Almost three hours each way in the minibus to see a large Buddha statue by the coast, including an interesting lunch stop on the return leg………….enough said.
19:30 the Dragons drive into town to a restaurant for a much needed nice meal.
A speech and presentation had been planned for the last night in Kochi, as it was Kato Shihan’s birthplace and home city so whilst waiting for the food to arrive, Welsh Dragon stood up and made a short speech on behalf of all the Dragons thanking Kato Shihan for organising a great tour and presented him with a small gift as a token of the Dragons appreciation.
The meal was followed by a return to the hotel for early retirement for zzzzzzz.
Today’s drivers: McStanley and Windy Dragon
 CONTINUE THE DRAGONS TALE |