I was able to reserve seats at a ticket office in Haneda, then took the Monorail to Hamamatsucho, followed by the Yamanote line to Tokyo Station. Then it was a case of finding platform 14 for the Hikari Shinkansen to Okayama, the first stop on the way to Onomichi. Hikari is one of several types of Shinkansen; one of the slower ones because it stops at more stations.

From Okayama it was 15 minute Shinkansen to Fukuyama, a 20 minute local train to Onomichi, a 5 minute ferry across to Mukaishima Island and a 30 minute walk to the Island Country Inn where I'm staying for 2 nights.

This guesthouse is run by Yuji and Junko Miyazaki. Yuji is an English teacher, a football fan (George Best is his idol) and has toured round Scotland with a Cowdenbeath supporter he met during his youthful travels. This house is where Junko was born and belonged to her late parents. The top three countries from where guests come from (after Japan) are: Australia, France and Taiwan in that order. I am the first guest who lives in Scotland. Yuji and Junko kindly helped me book an electric bicycle for tomorrow's adventure.

Tonight’s Konbini haul includes: a small bottle of sake, a fizzy fruit drink, a can of Scottish Whiskey Highball, tuna mayonnaise onigiri, three different meat salads, cheese wrapped in ham, a cake with cream, two salad dressings, three portions of cheese, and a chocolate bar with ice cream in the middle. All for only about £15!