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@ Cliff Path, Shikoku
Cardamom begins its journey through Shikoku!

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@ Cherry Blossoms in Bud

Blue And Copper Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

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@ Naruto Bridge, Shikoku
"A bit of trivia here, Chewbie!" remarked Cardamom. "Can you name the Japanese film that was remade in the USA as The Magnificent Seven?"
"I don't think I can, Cardamom!"
"The 1954 film, Seven Samurai, tells the tale of seven samurai who band together to protect a village from the bandits who threaten it. Each of the samurai comes from a different background, but they all find meaning in protecting those that cannot protect themselves."

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@ Ritsurin Garden, Shikoku
"It says here that Shikoku is the smallest of the main islands, Cardamom. The population is about four million."
"There's still plenty to see and enjoy, Tiger!"

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@ Autumnal Ginkgo Leaves
"Hey, you should have joined Foxy and me for lunch at that café, Cardamom!" said PeeJay.
"Oh, I couldn't resist touring the shops! Anyway, what did you eat?"
"We had butternut squash miso soup, sprinkled with fresh coriander and with a slice of sourdough bread on the side. It was yummy!"
Autumnal Ginkgo Leaves
Soft focus golden/orange ginkgo leaves in autumnal sunshine make a soothing picture.

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@ Stone Lantern in Japan
Entranceways of Japanese houses called genkan signal where you should take off your shoes by means of its raised floors. The lower area indicates where you should remove your shoes and the raised upper area, often in a different type of flooring, is considered indoor living space.
Stone Lantern in Japan
This type of Japanese stone lantern is typically found by a pond or lake. The "fire box" beneath the crowning stone umbrella is usually hexagonal. This traditional stonemasonry dates back to the Edo period.

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@ Samurai Warrior at Sunset
"Japan—the perfect choice for our travels this January, Cardamom!" enthused Piff.
"Yup. That Japanese Food & Cultural bazaar was incredible! I bought so many souvenirs I can't close my suitcase!"
"Oh! I was thinking more of its rich history, the Shoguns, Samurai, architecture and so on," said Piff.
Cardamom selected a glazed mochi donut for itself, popped it in its mouth and offered the box to Piff. "Sure!" it said, a little indistinctly. "You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Samurai Warrior at Sunset
Stylish artwork featuring silhouette of lone samurai warrior with sword against a setting sun.

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@ Pink Lotus Flower
"As well as the castle, there are hot springs at Matsuyama, Cardamom!" announced ~smiggle~.
"Sounds good to me!"
Pink Lotus Flower
Lotus flower; lnelumbo nucifera.

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@ Tiny Green Frogs
"Remind me how to say 'good morning' to a Japanese pet, Chica?" queried Cardamom. "I know one of the US states comes into it!"
Chica grinned. "You mean ohayō gozaimasu! Yes, pronounced 'Ohio goz-eye-mass'!"

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@ Traditional Japanese Dwelling
"Japan—the perfect choice for our travels this January, Cardamom!" enthused Bill.
"Yup. That Japanese Food & Cultural bazaar was incredible! I bought so many souvenirs I can't close my suitcase!"
"Oh! I was thinking more of its rich history, the Shoguns, Samurai, architecture and so on," said Bill.
Cardamom selected a glazed mochi donut for itself, popped it in its mouth and offered the box to Bill. "Sure!" it said, a little indistinctly. "You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Traditional Japanese Dwelling
Traditional wooden Japanese-style house.

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@ Japanese Hair Ornaments
"Hey, we're going to see a castle today, Cardamom! It's one of Shikoku's four original castles."
"Wow! What are they called, Choose a namebecky?"
"Marugame, Kōchi, Matsuyama and Uwajima."
"You know, I was hoping we'd see Takeshi's Castle while we were here."
"I do hope that was a joke, Cardamom!"
Japanese Hair Ornaments
"kanzashi" - hair ornaments

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@ Origami Sphere
Sudoku was introduced in Japan in the paper Monthly Nikolist in 1984 as Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru which can be translated as "the digits must be single", or as "the digits are limited to one occurrence" (In Japanese, dokushin means an "unmarried person"). The name was later abbreviated to Sudoku, taking only the first kanji of compound words to form a shorter version. "Sudoku" is a registered trademark in Japan and the puzzle is generally referred to as Number Place.

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@ Rice Wine with Guinomi
"As well as the castle, there are hot springs at Matsuyama, Cardamom!" announced Pynelope.
"Sounds good to me!"

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@ Sea of Clouds, Japan
"It says here that Shikoku is the smallest of the main islands, Cardamom. The population is about four million."
"There's still plenty to see and enjoy, Blue belle!"

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@ Japanese Calligraphy
Oh look ... you won a pet!

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@ Shikoku Mountain Range
Why are melons in Japan VERY expensive? These fruit play a large part in the country’s gift-giving culture. Samurai would give tangerines or melons to their shogun as a mark of appreciation. Nowadays, fruit farmers tend to these fruits extremely carefully by hand, which adds to their attraction. Cantaloupe melons are one of the most famous varieties and can cost over $200 each.

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@ Shimanami Highway, Ehime
"Let's learn a bit of Japanese from our brochure, Cardamom!" said Choose a name. "So to say 'yes' is 'hai'—pronounced 'hi'."
"That seems simple enough! How do you say 'no'?"
"That's iie—two syllables, pronounced 'ee-eh' ".

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@ Mt Tsurugi, Tokushima
Sudoku was introduced in Japan in the paper Monthly Nikolist in 1984 as Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru which can be translated as "the digits must be single", or as "the digits are limited to one occurrence" (In Japanese, dokushin means an "unmarried person"). The name was later abbreviated to Sudoku, taking only the first kanji of compound words to form a shorter version. "Sudoku" is a registered trademark in Japan and the puzzle is generally referred to as Number Place.

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@ Mountain Road, Shikoku
"As well as the castle, there are hot springs at Matsuyama, Cardamom!" announced Camo.
"Sounds good to me!"

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@ Japan Sign
"Japan—the perfect choice for our travels this January, Cardamom!" enthused Pandette.
"Yup. That Japanese Food & Cultural bazaar was incredible! I bought so many souvenirs I can't close my suitcase!"
"Oh! I was thinking more of its rich history, the Shoguns, Samurai, architecture and so on," said Pandette.
Cardamom selected a glazed mochi donut for itself, popped it in its mouth and offered the box to Pandette. "Sure!" it said, a little indistinctly. "You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Japan Sign
In our January 2023 Travel Game we celebrate the amazing country of Japan, its culture, traditions and food. This symbolic sign, in the colours of the Japanese flag, evokes the vibrant nightlife of Tokyo, the Japanese capital.

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@ Japanese Sake Ochoko
Why are melons in Japan VERY expensive? These fruit play a large part in the country’s gift-giving culture. Samurai would give tangerines or melons to their shogun as a mark of appreciation. Nowadays, fruit farmers tend to these fruits extremely carefully by hand, which adds to their attraction. Cantaloupe melons are one of the most famous varieties and can cost over $200 each.
Japanese Sake Ochoko
In Japan there are very precise traditions around eating and drinking. The ochoko pictured here is for the ceremonial drinking of cold saké, as compared to the guinomi.

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@ Onaruto Bridge, Naruto Strait
Entranceways of Japanese houses called genkan signal where you should take off your shoes by means of its raised floors. The lower area indicates where you should remove your shoes and the raised upper area, often in a different type of flooring, is considered indoor living space.

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@ Shrine Purification Ritual
“You know, I'd like to spend a whole week in this region here, Cardamom!” said Pinky Tuscadero.
"It's very pleasant indeed—but you never know, the next part of the tour might be even better!" replied Cardamom.
Shrine Purification Ritual
Chozuya have historically been vital parts of Shinto shrines across Japan, acting as a purification gateway between worshippers and the sacred area of a shrine. Purifying yourself is a very important step to take before making any prayers or offerings at a temple or shrine in Japan. Chozu (cleansing yourself) is the customary way to clean or purify yourself before making any prayers at shrines or temples in Japan. The Chozuya is the large basin with special wooden dippers that is usually located at the entrance of shrines and temples. It is customary for visitors to purify themselves here by washing their hands before stepping on sacred grounds.

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@ Windmill, Kagawa
"Wasn’t it worth coming all this way, Cardamom," said BoobooBaloo, "for this experience alone?"
Cardamom, admiring the scene they were now in, heartily agreed!

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@ Rice Fields, Japan
Cardamom has now completed its journey through Shikoku! As it prepares to go home, it receives a wonderful gift!
Fox, Skating On The Pond
Hello, all my dear friends. Glad you could join me on this crisp winter day. I brought my skates, and I see you have yours too. Skating is a popular wintertime sport. Nowadays, with indoor rinks– can you imagine such a thing–you can skate all year round. But I prefer to be outside, and this pond is large enough and smooth enough to provide a lot of fun for all to skate.

I am going to warm up a bit— always a good idea—stretch those muscles and then do some pirouettes. I have been practicing some double axels I have a problem with the second one. After we have skated for a while, how about we play some hockey? Then we can enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies at my house.

Rice Fields, Japan
Nakayama rice fields, Shodoshima. Rice is a staple part of the Japanese diet, for example, in sushi, and it is felt more important in Japan to have a rice cooker than an oven.
Cardamom has enjoyed its journey through Shikoku, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy a journey through Japan!