This past weekend Tyler and I met up with CJ who had a work trip to Nagoya. While CJ finished up his last day of work Tyler and I visited the Noritake China Kiln Area, Nagoya Castle and walked the streets in search of sights of daily life there. When we went into the castle they were filming a TV program for kids with superhero like characters and so that was fun to watch. Something called Fire Rescue Team or something like that ??
We then went to Shooters...NO not Hooters for supper.:-) The day before at the Int'l school meeting I met the president Chris of the food service company that supplies the cafeteria lunches and he invited us to his restaurant Cj's tag line-- "Shooters just one S short of Hooters" when I told him I was going to Nagoya the next day. So CJ,I, Ty and 2 guys from Graco all enjoyed a night at the sports bar. Juan from Spain the bartender gave us each a Kamikaze shot which I let him have as I already had my Mango Margarita. John the Korean chef who lived in USA brought out some crab filled pita pockets and then we had our meals of ribs, chilly cheese steak, enchiladas, All Black Chicken Salad, taco salad...The food was good and the extra service Chris told me he'd give us was GREAT. It was nice for all of us to speak English and chat a bit. We met his wife and kids as well.
The next day we headed north on the train to the old EDO road which ran from Tokyo to Kyoto about 300 years ago...for a hike in the Kiso valley. This is the heart of Japan and it is called NAKASENDO HIGHWAY the road through the central mountains past 11 post towns. It was to be 11 km but I think we ended up going about 17km. It was a lovely day of walking through the Japanese country side past many tiered rice paddies, fish ponds, tree tunneled stone paths, bamboo groves, old temples and shrines.
We walked up many a slope and over the rolling hills. It was so green and beautiful, as well as quiet and tranquil. We walked a short portion in the Kiso Valley from Nakatsugawa through Magome to Tsumago where we ended up spending the night and happened upon another lovely and quite reasonably priced ryoken. The hostess Ito was just lovely. So friendly, cute and very helpful. She picked us up at the information booth as her place was outside of the town center a bit. Funny when we arrived, as we had walked past there earlier on the way into town and we stopped to sit for a bit on her front porch by the fish hatchery ponds for a rest. Her place was then blindly recommended to us at the info booth.
Ito showed us our room and the shower area so we could clean up quickly while she went and made our supper. Boy did that hot ofuro bath feel good even though it was short and sweet after carrying my too darn heavy backpack. The little foot stools were very, very tiny where I sat first to wash myself clean with soap before rinsing off under the low shower head and then sitting in the hot cedar tub of water for a very quick soak. I felt a bit like Goldilocks as I sat on it and also like Alice in Wonderland... as everything was too small :-)
It was a delightful and delicious dinner and everything I could eat and LOVED except for the raw salmon. The boys were of course very happy to split my unwanted sushi mi fish. We each had a little grilled fish from the hatchery tank, cukes, asparagus in that brown sauce whatever it is, hearts of palm I think, rice, tea, tomatoes, pumpkin and tofu squares, sweet marinated eggplant...YUM!
Then Ito gave us each a piece of wood and told us to write our name on it and also a free beer ticket. She told us the shuttle bus would come and take us to the Lights Festival back in town on the main street. So we quickly ate and then went into town with about 10 other folks who were also staying there. The boys enjoyed a free beer and some free sake as we watched and listened to Japanese drummers, Kiso dancers and then Tyler and I danced around the lanterns with many a Yukata clad local man and other foreigners who were staying at other Ryokens in town. We were told to write something we like and a dream on our stick and toss it into the fire. I of course wrote I Love Japan on one side and that was well received by the little local men serving Sake who wanted their photo taken with me the BIG American :-) IT wass a lovely night in a samll local town sharing bon Odori with the local folks of Tsumago.
Here we again slept on futons which we do at home as well, but this pillow felt like a sandbag. I did get used to it and fell asleep finally after lots of tossing and turning. Mostly my shoulders were so sore from my too heavy backpack which was digging into my shoulders all day long. They felt like bricks as well.
Next day we got back up and after I took my morning walk around the ryoken neighborhood in my Yukata I decided I wanted to hike yet another 2km up to Nagiso to get our train back to Shinjuku area of Tokyo. So after another lovely breakfast, photos and goodbyes with Ito we made our way up a few more slopes and down to the train. Saw many old folks working out in their gardens in the early morning hours before it was too hot and also a man shaving on his front porch. They are so cute and tiny little people. Some all hunched over from too much bending in the garden patch and rice paddies. I said to the boys I wonder if they can even lay flat on their futon or if they sleep like a seesaw. Looks so darn uncomfortable as their posture is so hunched over. Makes me tired just watching them and also makes me conscious to sit up straight up here at my desk as I type this post.
So we enjoyed our relaxing 4 hour train ride back to Tokyo and gor a view of Mt Fuji -san before the cloud cover hid it. We then made a quick stop to Harajuku area for some Sunday afternoon people watching, but Tyler was again a bit overwhelmed and so we quickly made the loop through the Harajuku girls and now more boys, the Elvis twisters, a Hip Hop festival that was going on and then past many others just chilling and playing games while visiting in Yoyoji Park.
Back home we ate unpacked and the guys watched some TV while I worked on my photos of course...
Today Ty and I took a day to ourselves for me to update all of you and he had a day exploring on his own. Tomorrow CJ goes to China for a few days and Ty and I will join the ladies to hike in Yokosuka. Then Ally will join us for a day in Kamakura to see the shrines temples and the beach with some fireworks in Zushi at night before Tyler leaves on Friday.
walk walk walk...that what we are doing alot of these last days of summer. I can tell fall is in the air and it feels good. Looking forward to the fall colors to come in November and hope I will get to see the trees in their full color regala.
more soon
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