hagi

IMG_0580.JPG, originally uploaded by renfield.

Absolutely perfect weather, so we spent the day wandering all over the lovely and historic town of Hagi.
Went through the downtown shopping district and checked out the pottery, then into the main historical area. Several very cool old houses open to the public, and the whole neighborhood looks basically like it did centuries ago.
The town is divided into 'outside the wall' -- the merchants and townsfolk just outside the first castle wall, and 'inside the wall' -- the samurai houses and and whatnot just inside the castle wall.
The town has done a brilliant job of keeping the place looking good for the tourists. Much of the old architecture is either still around or painstakingly replicated; the first moat, the walls lining the narrow roads, the signs and doorways. There are several blocks that are national historical landmarks, and of course the castle grounds are expansive and awesome. The castle itself is no longer there, but the retaining walls, moats, and grounds and still cool to look at.
And of course we shopped for Hagi's famous handmade pottery, scoring a bowl and several small sake cups and goblets.