Japan, again.

Starting from the clarification: a hobby is a hobby only if it does not involve monetary compensation, IMHO.

So, I don’t get paid for my ship spotting trips – even if I (obviously) use free time available on my (few and far between) business trips to take photos of ships.
So, on with another 2-day trip to Japan.
I started at Onomichi, taking the ferry to Tsuneishi, to see Onomichi shipyard, as well as Tsuneishi shipyard.
Onomichi shipyard, bulker “Amis Benefit”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2705616Note that I am going with the photo from 5 months ago; she’s obviously not in a hurry, staying at the exact the same spot, although with a bit shabbier looking hull.
Tsuneishi shipyard, Aframax tanker “Southern *something*” (maybe “Performance”, but I’m not sure):
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2785352Maybe the most scenic subject is actually this ferry I took to Tsuneishi, “Momokaze”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2506412Then, a short train ride to Mihara, where I was supposed to take a ferry to Setoda, and then a cab to Takaneshima island, overlooking Imabari shipyard. That is, until I saw an ad for the “Rabbit Island” Okunoshima. I was not very much into those cute little pests, but I realized that the boat trip to Okunoshima would take me much closer to Imabari shipyard, which was crawling with new K-Line container carriers.
Yard overview:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784930Imabari Hiroshima 2575:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784799“Milano Bridge”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784474“Maduridu Buriji”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784735Just starting her sea trials, there was also “Monaco Bridge”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2785358Then, ferry to the main coast, where I took the wrong train, which did not take away too much of my short winter daylight time, but was enough for the weather to change when I arrived to Kure, taking a ferry from Hiroshima. So, instead of the sun shining directly on the ships at JMU shipyard, I got something close to a blizzard. Anyway, some “Birds” were still there:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784731And so was that big pink/magenta ship:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2784739Then, the ferry proceeded to Matsuyama on Shikoku Island, arriving already after dark. A two-hour train ride took me to Marugame, and a hotel with a nice Japanese style hot bath; as this time was not considered the high season, it was possible to get a room for about 50$. So, that was Day 1.