Akiyoshi Vats

Took a bus adventure to a little mountain town called Akiyoshi that is famous for its geology. It was a little tricky getting the English translation but there was a coral reef a couple hundred million years ago that rose and created the limestone features on the Karst plateau. The plateau is nothing but green grass and limestone lumps everywhere. There is a gigantic cavern below full of interesting stalactites, stalagmites and blind, albino shrimp. And vats, there are vats everywhere. Live, flying vats. The vat is even the official town animal with cartoon vats in every store.

I really enjoyed goofing around taking long-exposure photos in the caves, mostly because it was cool down there. Much better than slogging around with a backpack in 35 degC heat...

I have to admit though, the little mountain town was full of little mountain folk that were not all that friendly. It was a stark contrast to the people of Iwakuni who went out of there way to have a good time with foreigners. I was the only six-foot white guy I saw in the two days I was there, and they definitely went out of their way to avoid me. And so it goes...