As sakura in Tsuyama castle ruins park had almost finished, we drove to Miyasumi Koen in the outskirts. To our surprise, the purple/pink azaleas were blooming along the hillside.
Miyasumi Koen (三休公園)
After staying in Tsuyama for 2 nights, car was returned and train to Okayama city. Visited the Okayama Museum of Art as sakura had finished in Korakuen.
Bumped into an exhibition by the late Wada Makoto, who had drawn numerous illustrations for books, magazines and journals. Some of those are fairly easy to identify.
Okayama Museum of Art
After lunch took Shinkansen to Himeji and transferred to Shioda onsen ryokan in the northern outskirts of Himeji via shuttle bus.
The ryokan was established in the Meji-era and thus it’s well over 100 years old. It has a fairly large premise along the hillside, including its rotenburo.
The Kaiseki dinner was sumptuous and delicious. Checked out on the next day and headed to Kyoto.