The following day led me to Nagoya Castle, where I coincidentally stumbled upon a traditional Japanese festival. Intrigued, I tried my hand at various activities such as kendama, koma (top spinning), hoop rolling, and shageki (target shooting for prizes). Although I was terrible at most of them, I found a particular affinity for shageki. Holding a plastic toy rifle in Nagoya and aiming to knock down items triggered a nostalgic feeling from my youth when I used to hunt with an air rifle.
Exploring the temple grounds was a beautiful experience, especially witnessing one of the castle's main attractions, the shachihoko—a mythical creature half fish and half tiger—perched atop the castle roof. This made me ponder what animal would be perched atop significant buildings in South Africa. I would vouch for a lion. After wandering the temple grounds and enjoying a Vietnamese lunch, I made my way to the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art to view a travelling van Gogh exhibition. Before entering the museum, I shared a small piece of bread with the birds in the nearby park. Little did I know, Nagoya's sparrows have an insatiable appetite for bread. They eagerly approached me even when it was clear I had run out. The van Gogh exhibition was extensive and the other artworks in the museum were equally beautiful. It's a rare opportunity for works by artists like Basquiat, Warhol, Munch, and van Gogh to travel to South Africa, so I feel fortunate to see them firsthand when possible.
Deciding to take a walk back to Sakae, I discovered yet another different side of Nagoya—the more urban and suburban areas. I had such a fantastic time at Taco Fanatico the previous night that I couldn't resist returning for dinner. The staff were pleasantly surprised to see me again, and I struck up a conversation with two charming women in their mid to late 30s seated at the bar counter. As dentists, they exuded both beauty and intelligence and engaging with them was entertaining. The night concluded with more tequila and a peaceful sleep.
