Niigata - Typhoons and Eathquakes!

I rejoined my host family and we headed up to Niigata - they are going there for a family event and had invited me along. I spent a couple of days with them in their family home (there were about 25 of us in the end!) before having a tour of the area. We went to Aizu Tsuruga-jo castle and had a walk in the Bandai region past many lakes. It was a shame that it was raining! We also stopped off at a glass factory that made some pretty impressive glass figures.

On the day of their family ceremony, I went into Niigata alone and got a little wet in the post-typhoon rains! I did manage to explore the Hakusan Shrine and gardens where they had a little market on as well as cross the Bandaibashi Bridge. That night was my last night with my host family and we got a little silly as we all tried to squeeze into the lounge to sleep!

The next day I was due to leave Niigata to go to the Nippon Alps but managed to get caught up in the earthquake that hit in the sea 30km west of Niigata. I was on the train when it began to rock but it wasn't until later that I realised that it was an earthquake! The end result was that I had to sit in the train station for 8 hours as all the trains had been stopped and felt the after shock waves rock the train station. I stayed the night in Niigata and managed to leave the next day! Its not something that I want to go through again!