Off, first, to one of Tokyo's other prime stations, Ueno-eki. Mukōgaoka-yūen to Shinjuku (Odakyū-sen), then Shinjuku (Yamanote-sen) to Ueno-eki. Once there it is all-aboard on the deodorantly-named ‘Hitachi Semi Express Fresh’ bound for Mito, capital of Ibaraki Prefecture and about 100 kms east and north of Tokyo. But, as you step towards Platform 16 of Ueno station, there is a yet further touch of France-in-Japan. It is the Wine and Dine store with its own ripe advertising-French flourish in the window:

Suitably word-fortified you head for your seat, two tickets in hand, one for the journey, one a species of Hitachi receipt. Ninety minutes or so later, having moved from city to countryside, and past mural drawings and a huge communication tower at Ishioka Station and huge oil or grain vats at Tomobe Station, it is arrival at Mito Station. A morning in the city, with trips to the Tokugawa Museum to see something of the shogunate history begun by Shōgun Tokugawa bakufu which ran from 1603 to 1868, and to the beauteous Kairaku-en park and gardens where the annual ume or plum festival is held. Our afternoon-and-evening destinations, however, are elsewhere, to two major sites, two contrasting Japans, Kashima Jingu and Tokai Nuclear Power Plant.

KASHIMA JINGU ENTRANCE

Stunning shrine-complex within sight of the port city that shares its name. Shinto. One of the Three Great Shrines of the East (the others are Ikisu in Kamisu, Ibaraki, and Katori in Chiba). Supposedly founded in 660 BC and in honour of the kami deity Takemikazuchino-mikoto, a god both of martial grace and unity of the people (he helped the Emperor to power).

Set amid over two hundred cherry trees in Kashima Ōgidaira Park. A whole treasury of sights: the cherry wood gate (sakura-mon), the major shrine itself in full Shinto panoply and each subsidiary lesser shrine, the stone lanterns, the deer (shika).