I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.



I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.



I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.



I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.



I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.



I took a day trip from my accommodation in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In English, it's "Jerusalem," but in Japanese, it's "Eruzerumu." It's strange that the pronunciation is different, but apparently, in Hebrew, it's "Yerushaláyim" or "El-Sharom" (quoted from Wikipedia), so it's called "Eruzerumu" in Japanese. I see, it's Hebrew.

I was able to go without much trouble because there was information on how to get there posted on the bulletin board at my accommodation.

Also, if you search for a route on Google Maps, you'll find similar routes, so I checked the physical locations of the transfers in advance, which helped me not to get lost.

First, I took a local bus from a bus stop near my accommodation to Tel Aviv's Central Station.

First, I entered the Tower of David, which is located right after the gate.
The entrance fee is 40 shekels (approximately 1280 yen).

It seems to be a fortress built during the reign of King Herod in the decades before the Common Era.
Now it is a museum.



First, I entered the Tower of David, which is located right after the gate.
The entrance fee is 40 shekels (approximately 1280 yen).

It seems to be a fortress built during the reign of King Herod in the decades before the Common Era.
Now it is a museum.



First, I entered the Tower of David, which is located right after the gate.
The entrance fee is 40 shekels (approximately 1280 yen).

It seems to be a fortress built during the reign of King Herod in the decades before the Common Era.
Now it is a museum.



First, I entered the Tower of David, which is located right after the gate.
The entrance fee is 40 shekels (approximately 1280 yen).

It seems to be a fortress built during the reign of King Herod in the decades before the Common Era.
Now it is a museum.

In my mind, Jerusalem had an image of "conflict," but in reality, it is incredibly peaceful.



Jews, Christians, and Muslims are getting along (?) and praying at the Western Wall.

As for the stories about this wall, you can find them on some pages.
What's amazing is that this wall felt like it would absorb all thoughts.



When you offer a prayer, the prayer seems to be absorbed into the wall.
What is this?
Does it absorb prayers?
My thoughts aren't reflected back at all.
I've never seen a place like this anywhere in the world.
Not only anger, hatred, or sadness, but even feelings of joy are absorbed.
What is this wall?
I've never seen anything like this before.
What is going on?



There are quite a few people, and it's relatively lively, but when I sense something, the word "stillness" somehow fits perfectly.



People who wear black clothing and black hats, even with longer sideburns, seem to be particularly devout people among the Jewish people (followers of Judaism), specifically the "ultra-Orthodox" (Haredi).
It seems that a characteristic of them is to sway their upper bodies back and forth while praying.
Actually, about half of the people here who are wearing black clothing and black hats seem to be swaying their upper bodies.



Tel Aviv in Israel is surprisingly peaceful, but Jerusalem, especially the Old City, has an incredible sense of tranquility.
There are many people, and there are many shops selling souvenirs run by people who seem to be Arab merchants, but there is a quietness at the very foundation of the land.
There are many Israeli soldiers, and they are guarding the area with guns, but you don't really notice it.
There are Arabs, blacks, Persian merchants, whites, and all sorts of people, but they are all basically quiet.
The children make a little noise, but even that doesn't bother you much.
There was some construction near the Western Wall, so there was some noise, but when you got closer to the wall, the noise disappeared from your mind.



It's amazing how many different races can coexist so peacefully.

Jerusalem was different from what I imagined.
I thought it would be a passionate place full of aura, but it turned out to be a place of tranquility.

It really overturned my image of a holy land.

Seeing people of different religions praying together gave me hope for the world.

Also, my impression of Israel has changed a lot.

My initial image of Israel was somewhat like "always at war," "conflict," or "a villain persecuting Palestinians," but in reality, it's quite different. The soldiers are mostly young people doing their military service, and they are basically peaceful.

Apparently, there was an incident where Palestinians carried out a terrorist attack near the Jerusalem I visited. I wonder if I might have been in danger. The security is surprisingly lax, and I wonder if terrorists could drive a car and start shooting, and if people could escape. In that sense, it's a place where there is peace, but also risk. While I don't necessarily sympathize with the Palestinian cause, I can't agree with terrorism as a means. It's unbearable for those who are caught up in indiscriminate terrorism. It's easy to say things from afar in Japan, but when I imagined being caught up in indiscriminate terrorism while sightseeing, I realized that terrorism is terrorism, no matter what the cause. I'm glad I wasn't caught up in any terrorism.

Hamas, which is hostile to Israel, uses the Palestinian residents of the Gaza region as "human shields" to protect its military facilities.

In Japanese media, Israel is often portrayed as the villain, as "the evil Israel that attacks innocent Palestinian citizens in the Gaza region." In reality, it's the opposite, and Hamas's tactics of using "human shields" are inhumane. Israel seems much more humane. Hamas's tactics of using civilians as shields are a cruel and inhumane act. It's not right to use humans as shields.

As long as they take such tactics, they may get the biased support of some "self-proclaimed humanitarians," but as people become aware of the actual situation, most people seem to support Israel and judge Hamas as inhumane. Hamas deliberately increases the number of civilian casualties in their own country by threatening civilians and not allowing them to evacuate, or by placing weapons in schools, hospitals, or private homes and firing indiscriminate rockets. This is a little different from what you might call "guerrilla warfare" where civilians participate in the fighting. It's a difficult situation... When images of "poor" Palestinians who are threatened and cannot escape are shown, you might be tempted to easily blame the side that uses weapons (Israel), but it's something that can be understood with a little thought that Hamas is the villain.

In the past, biased opinions in the media led to a lot of anti-Israel reporting, but now there are various sources of information.
http://real-japan.org/israel/Or, if you search on Google, you will find various things.

Next, we head towards the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the tomb of Christ is said to be located.

Christ resurrected three days after his death, so there is supposedly no body there, but many people still come to worship at the tomb of Christ.

The various Christians were exhibiting some strange behaviors.
Each of them probably has its own meaning.

Today, I am going to Bethlehem.

I will take a bus from the bus stop right next to the Damascus Gate on the north side of Jerusalem.
Just like the other day, I will come from Tel Aviv by bus, take the tram to Damascus Gate station, and the bus stop is right there.

One-way fare is 8 shekels (approximately 255 yen).

There was a sign on the hostel's bulletin board that said "number 21," so I will look for number 21.
It seems that the bus number is 231 and the stop is number 21. It is confusing.

On the way, two female soldiers got on and there was an ID check.
Two people were temporarily asked to get off, and then they returned after a while. Perhaps they did not have their ID.

And then I arrived in Bethlehem.

It seems that the number of people trying to solicit business is more aggressive than in Jerusalem?
The taxi solicitations are very noisy, even though I am not going to take a taxi.



As for where I went, I will put that in the next entry.
Regarding the return trip:

I also returned to Jerusalem on the same 231 bus, but this time, people who appeared to be Palestinians were all outside, undergoing security checks. People who appeared to be foreigners or Israelis only had to show their identification on the bus.

Suddenly, I saw a church called "Holy Maria Church" (the Japanese name might be a provisional name? The English name seems to be slightly different, but I don't know the official name), so I went inside.

This church might be minor because it's not listed on Google Maps.

Next, we are heading to the Church of Nativity, the main attraction in Bethlehem.

This is the place where, in 2002, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants engaged in a gun battle. However, it is also the place where a Japanese couple unexpectedly appeared for sightseeing, revealing the "peaceful" nature of the Japanese people to the world (laughs).

■Quote:
Israel: Unaware of invasion operation, Japanese tourists head to the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem.
On the 17th, in Bethlehem, on the west bank of the Jordan River, a young Japanese couple, unaware of the Israeli military's invasion operation, attempted to visit the Church of Nativity, where Palestinians and Israeli soldiers were continuing their confrontation, causing a commotion where they were "rescued" by reporters.
While Palestinian residents of Bethlehem looked on with confusion, the two young men and women arrived in the city by taxi and headed towards the church in the city center on foot. They were so engrossed in reading a guidebook that they didn't notice the unusual situation in the city where a gun battle was taking place.
Reporters wearing bulletproof vests and helmets spotted the couple and pointed to buildings riddled with bullet holes, debris scattered on the road, and Israeli tanks blocking the traffic, warning them of the danger. The couple noticed the anomaly for the first time and canceled their plan to visit the Church of Nativity, where about 200 Palestinians were taking refuge.
The couple had been traveling for six months, and during that time, they had not seen any news on television or in newspapers, and they did not know what was happening in the autonomous region.

That church is now completely peaceful.

It seems that it is currently undergoing renovation.

In the town of Bethlehem, I found a familiar mark... but it seemed a little different.



In the town of Bethlehem, I found a familiar mark... but it seemed a little different.



In the town of Bethlehem, I found a familiar mark... but it seemed a little different.



In the town of Bethlehem, I found a familiar mark... but it seemed a little different.

Today, I will take a day trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Originally, I had planned to take day trips to various places in Israel from Tel Aviv, but if Jerusalem is this attractive, I should have stayed in Jerusalem instead of Tel Aviv. However, although Jerusalem has a peaceful atmosphere, the risk of terrorism is higher than in Tel Aviv, so staying in Tel Aviv is probably the right choice overall. It's a difficult decision.

As before, I took a bus to Jerusalem and then a tram to the Damascus Gate station.

From here, I walked east along the wall of the Old City.

The distance and elevation changes were surprisingly significant.

First, visit the Church of the Assumption (Mary's Tomb).

It seems to be located in a cave.

Next, we went to the Garden of Gethsemane (Church of All Nations), which is very close by.

Actually, the Church of Maria Magdalene, which is also very close, closes at 9:00 AM, so we should have gone there first.
I failed.
We missed the Church of Maria Magdalene by 10 minutes.

And, I went up to the Olive Mount.

There are many Jewish graves in this area.
A person who seemed to be a guide was talking nearby, and apparently, it costs several thousand dollars now to place a single grave.

From here, you can see the Old City, including the Islamic "Dome of the Rock."



And, I went up to the Olive Mount.

There are many Jewish graves in this area.
A person who seemed to be a guide was talking nearby, and apparently, it costs several thousand dollars now to place a single grave.

From here, you can see the Old City, including the Islamic "Dome of the Rock."



And, I went up to the Olive Mount.

There are many Jewish graves in this area.
A person who seemed to be a guide was talking nearby, and apparently, it costs several thousand dollars now to place a single grave.

From here, you can see the Old City, including the Islamic "Dome of the Rock."



And, I went up to the Olive Mount.

There are many Jewish graves in this area.
A person who seemed to be a guide was talking nearby, and apparently, it costs several thousand dollars now to place a single grave.

From here, you can see the Old City, including the Islamic "Dome of the Rock."

Just inside the old city through the Lion Gate, on the north side of the passage, there was the place of Marie's birth, so I went inside.
It feels like a church, but it's a little small.

From the path leading from Lion Gate (likely the "Path of Sorrow"), I went west and found a church called Church of Condemnation, so I went inside.

It seems to have a museum attached, but it appears to be lunchtime.

From the Lion Gate, I proceeded down what is likely called the "Path of Sorrow," and there I found the Ecce Homo Convent. I decided to go inside.
It seems this place is also related to anecdotes about Christ.

It's a small entrance that's easy to miss, but I noticed it because a group of people were exiting.

The atmosphere feels like an educational facility. There are three areas on the first floor that seem suitable for lectures for a small group of people, and there are Roman-era ruins in the basement.

The Dome of the Rock, an Islamic mosque, is located in the Muslim Quarter west of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

At first, I didn't understand how to enter, so I tried various gates, but I was always told "Close" and told to "go away," although I didn't quite understand where to go (laugh).

In the end, after trying several gates, I found out that you can enter from a gate next to the Western Wall. That's how it is. I thought this passage was a construction passage, but it turns out it leads to the Muslim Quarter.



At the entrance, there was a clothing check.

It seems that if your knees are exposed or you are wearing inappropriate clothing, you need to cover up.
I was okay and was allowed to proceed.


Only Muslims are allowed inside the dome.

A guide standing nearby explained that because prayers begin at 4:00 PM, people other than Muslims are asked to leave the area by 2:30 PM so that the air can be cleansed.

It seems that I barely made it, as it is now around 2:15 PM.

At 2:30 PM, staff members said "timeout" and guided people to leave.

Today, I am going to the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum.

Yesterday, I stopped by, but the gatekeeper told me, "It's closed today!" So I'm trying again.

The admission fee is free.

It's truly the Rockefeller Foundation, a wealthy organization. They are very generous.

While walking around the Old City of Jerusalem, I saw the Old Yishuv Court Museum, which recreates the life of Jews in the past, so I went inside.

The entrance fee was probably 18 shekels (about 580 yen).

Next, we will take a walk through the Jewish Quarter.



During the trip, I found a place where you can see the underground ruins called The Herodian Quarter, so I went inside.
Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside, but it was possible to see the well-preserved foundations of old buildings.



And I strolled near the Western Wall.
In the distance, I could see "Rachael's Tomb."



There are exhibits of archaeological remains in various places.



Suddenly, I saw a sign that said "The war of Independence memorial," so I went into the building, but it was only one room.



And for now, let's leave the old town.

Next, I will walk from the Old City of Jerusalem to the Israel Museum.

The admission fee is, I believe, 58 shekels (approximately 1870 yen).



The purpose of this place is the Dead Sea Scrolls (The Shrine of the Book), but there were also many other exhibits, so I slightly regret not having more time. I felt a bit rushed because I only had 2 hours before closing.

First, when I entered, there was a guided tour by a volunteer, so I participated.
Using miniatures, he explained the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Old City of Jerusalem.

He explained that the place in the west of the town, which is now the "Dome of the Rock" and an Islamic mosque, has been rebuilt twice, and that it was previously a Christian church. He also explained that the current "Dome of the Rock" was built based on the foundation of that church.



There was something that looked like a Roman Colosseum in the miniature.
Although there is no record of such a thing existing in the past, it is certain that a city of this size must have had something like that, so it was added to the miniature.



Most of the old city walls no longer exist.
Only one place, marked in red, corresponds to the current location of the "Wailing Wall."



And then, finally, to the building that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls (The Shrine of the Book).
Photography is not allowed inside.



And we also visited the museum's exhibits.

Because we only had about 45 minutes left before closing time, we looked around hastily, but since it was the most comprehensive collection in Jerusalem, we should have taken more time and looked at it more carefully.



Inside, photography is prohibited (probably).

Because I didn't have much time, I prioritized sightseeing over photography, but since no one was taking pictures, it's probably prohibited.

Today, I am going to the Church of Mary Magdalene, located on the Mount of Olives in the eastern part of the Old City of Jerusalem.

I tried to go there the other day, but it was closed, so I am trying again.
It is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

When I arrived at the church, a quiet and shy nun (she looks like an aunt) was guiding visitors at the gate.
The people inside also seem to be generally shy. Perhaps these are the people who are called nuns.

Maybe this guidance is part of the nuns' training.

From the outside, it is the most prominent building on the Mount of Olives, with its golden exterior.
Photography is not allowed inside, but there are magnificent murals.

Today, I walked all the way to the Mount of Olives just to see this, and it is definitely worth seeing.

Today, I went to Mount Herzl.

I didn't know about this cemetery, and I didn't know there was a place like this. I happened to pass by, so I decided to visit. It seemed to be a place for education for the Israel Defense Forces and schools, rather than for tourists. Groups of people were listening to a guide with solemn expressions.

There was a very peaceful atmosphere, as if to console the deceased. It's a quiet place.

When I see places like this, I can see a different side of the Israeli citizens, who love peace, than what is often portrayed in the Japanese media as the "cruel and barbaric Israeli army." Since the military is based on conscription from citizens, they are fundamentally the same.

I can see a strong will to not repeat the history of the Holocaust in which people were massacred, but at its core, it is a love of peace. Perhaps one of the achievements of this trip is that I have come to understand that Israeli citizens are people who love peace so much. They have weapons, but their hearts are peaceful.

It is in Israel that the Jewish people who were previously killed without resistance have stood up, and I am gradually beginning to understand that the underlying principle is a desire for peace.

There was not a single person who seemed frivolous here. Everyone was quietly paying attention to the hearts of the deceased.

Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.



Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.



Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.



Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.


Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.



Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.


Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.



Go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, passing through the Mount Herzl National Cemetery.

When I passed through the old town, a church that was previously closed was open, so I went inside.



The entrance fee, including the underground ruins, was probably 15 shekels (approximately 480 yen).
I'm not sure about the exact price.



This church has a tower that you can climb.
You go up to the top of the tower by climbing a narrow spiral staircase.



The view from the tower was quite a spectacular sight.

I may have misunderstood something about Palestine and Israel. 38:45 onwards.


I may have misunderstood something about Palestine and Israel. 38:45 onwards.