Kii - Blog Posts
Bowynn Gods: The Heather
Heather (Heh-thur) Kii folk that tend to the flowers, wild and domestic. These forms of Kii are diminutive in size, no bigger than a small bird and bare insect like wings. Heather are mostly spring and summer Kii, spending winter asleep. They are keepers of flowers both wild and domestic. They are easily drawn to any area that has flowers. It a said that Heather Kii are born from flowers. In many ways, The Heather bare a strong resemblance to “fairies.”
Space Port Kii (from a distance)
Japanese company Space One has been in the news recently for their second attempt at launching their rocket, Kairos - for Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System; as far as acronyms go, I'd give it a 5/10, it's rather long-winded but has some good ideas at the right moments. The rocket, designed to be a cheaper option for lighter satellites, unfortunately didn't make it into orbit, losing control after 95 seconds.
The launch site is located on the North-East edge of Kushimoto, Honshû's southernmost city, its entrance building visible from the railway line. The action area is further into the woods, by the coast. I didn't visit the site obviously, but the entrance and some support posters in Kushimoto town were hints of the project's presence. They have a neat little mascot too, a space puppy!
The train to Kushimoto: a JR West 283-series Kuroshio express. The sets are getting on a bit, they were introduced in 1996 and the livery could do with a refresh, but the "dolphin nose" is distinctive, and I, for one, really like it. They're also quite rare, only 4 sets exist.
The Kisei Main Line is essentially the coastal route from Nagoya to Wakayama. The full trip around the Kii peninsula takes 8 hours by express train, with a change required at Shingû or Katsuura, but it's definitely scenic as it gets very close to the sea (photo between Kii-Tahara and Koza).
