We visited a shop located in the service-area under the Kanmon-Ohashi (Kanmon Bridge), Shimonoseki, where we bought a very bagful fresh ‘wakame’ (or seaweed) from a shop’s woman. We packed more than possible, and the woman packed more on top of that. Both of us paid Yen400 each for the woman. It was a nice memory of the trip.
We passed the Kanmon Bridge and entered Kyushu. At Kinryu Service Area in Kyushu we had a rest and made up the further plan, i.e. first to go to the most far-off place and to return through the coastal route, taking print rubbings.
We decided to go and stay tonight at Takeo hot spring, which should be the nearest destination. The name of the hotel was ‘Kagetsu’, the rate for 2 persons with 2 meals was Yen21,600 including both of the consumption and bathing taxes, Yen1,080 and Yen300 each for the two.
12th July
At July 12th, we started from ‘Kagetsu’ hotel at 8 in morning. Heavy Rain started at the same time. I don’t have any fear for this heavy rain, Mr. Nishimura is very skillful driver even if he aged.
Matsuzo grand pa said ‘trust the skipper when you are on ship and trust the driver when you are on car.’
Mr. Nishimura drove his new car to Yobuko, and took left after passing the bridge.
‘Mr. Yamada. Something wrong.’ Said Mr. Nishimura. And after while both are talking ‘this way must be right.‘ we drove car farther and father without dout. However, ‘What? Mr. Yamada, this street is dead end.’
There is no father path. No way, we had to return to the same way we drove. At the foot of the bridge, we asked the passer and he answered. ‘this bridge is Nagoya bridge, not the Yobuko bridge.’. This time, we drove car with asking the way when we are not confident.
About 4 o’clock in the afternoon, finally we reached the big shrine called Tajima shrine of Kabejima after crossing over the Yobuko big bridge (bulid at 1st year of Heisei 1989)
This shrine is oldest in this prefecture. We stepped up stone stairs, there was a square and again from there we stepped up another stone stairs then there was larger square.
At front of the square, there are big hall of warship. we prayed for our safe trip. I looked back to Stone lantern, moment, I said ‘found!’ and watched it closely. ‘Wow!’ Mr. Nishimura shouted. The letters of ‘Yamaguchi-ken Ohshima-gun Kamuro Karatsu fleet’ jumped into my eyes.
And other side of it, ‘Meiji12 January (1879 January)’ was cleary read.
This is not accident or mystery, this must be ‘our ancestor invited us to this place’.
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