To keep the blog manageable - there is now a Part 2 here. We have also added (7 March) Only in Japan, a selection of pictures of things that you would probably only see in Japan.
We welcome feedback on this blog. Please write to John or Stephanie
Thursday 18th February
Arrived in a snow storm at Narita airport, though I felt we were already in
Japan when we got on the flight in London, as 90% of the passengers were Japanese,
including a group of 50 school children in their uniforms! In the old days it
took around 26 hours to get to Tokyo, via the Middle East and either Hong Kong
or Singapore – now it is just twelve hours direct flight. The killer is
that it is nine hours time difference!
Efficient, clean and organised at Narita, we soon had money changed and found
the bus tickets for the Keisei Line to Tama Plaza, and telephoned Brenda. Interestingly
enough the public phones here still all take coins, so we found that all very
straight forward. The temperature was 1.6 degrees as we waited for the 10:25
bus – our luggage was checked in by a polite young chap with dyed red
hair, and we were soon off into the snowy countryside. The ride was terrific
as we headed directly in to Tokyo, and went right through the centre on the
elevated freeways – it felt something like a futuristic ride, made all
the more fun by trying to spot familiar sites. John having latterly lived in
Eastern Tokyo, could recognize districts from early on, and I was struck by
the high rise developments and imaginative architecture as well as little parks
everywhere with sculptured trees. We came through the far side heading towards
Yokohama, and soon got again into the low rise suburbs densely packed with housing.
We were early arriving at Tama Plaza, but Brenda was there with a welcoming
smile and car parked just outside to whisk us away to her apartment and two
dogs, Shoga and Nozumi.
First photos - our friend Brenda disappears her car!
Brenda's red Alfa parked---------------------> Half disappeared-----------------------------> Gone!
In this way eight cars can be parked in a space only big enough for four.
We settled in and caught up with a
sandwich lunch then Brenda needed to go to one of the universities concerning
her Nepal project (she is taking around 20 Japanese students there for research
next week). We had a shower and coffee, then as soon as she got back we all
went for a long walk down the river to a park. This was brilliant as we saw
the whole neighbourhood, rice fields, cloud pruned trees, bamboos and allotments,
as well as low rise housing old and modern. It was just the ticket as we kept
awake and had lots of stimuli.
Back at Brenda’s, she and John cooked scallops and pasta in the wok, the
dogs crashed out after dinner – so many similarities with Maylee, although
they do have home cooked liver to eat .......
Shoga and Nozo
One of several stone lanterns we saw
Loooking into a small Shinto shrine
Friday 19th February
OK. Here's your menu for lunch. What would you like?
Stephanie had sansai soba
John had butadon
Now what would you choose?
Amazingly slept from 9 pm –
7 am – great way to tackle jet lag. A bright and sunny day outside, and
we breakfasted on grapefruit and muffins before setting off in the car for Izu
Peninsula around 9 am. The dogs and I traveled in the back of the car, as we
set out on the Tomei expressway, which is very close to Brenda’s house.
The journey was about three hours, and we soon got out into the mountains away
from the crowds to be reminded that 70%+ of Japan is mountainous. Once we got
off the freeway, everything slowed down, and the road had many restaurants lining
the road. The sun was shining, there was snow lying in the mountains, and everywhere
we looked was full of nostalgic views and impressions. Cloud pruned trees outside
every house, brown rice paddies, camelias coming into flower, and of course
oranges ripe for picking. We crossed the mountains of the peninsula to come
down to the west coast of Izu – the seas was a magnificent blue, and of
course the coastline is very dramatic with little coves and islands.
At Matsuzaki we headed inland to the local onsen, where we first went for a
traditional soba lunch. Brenda chose the speciality which was a river weed odon
(thick noodles), John had a pork on rice (butadon), and I had an old favoritw
which was Sansai soba, which was mountain vegetable with noodles in soup. It
all looked and tasted delicious as we sat on our tatami mats.
Next we went next door to the onsen hot spring for a bath. Just another nostalgic
experience, which is so relaxing, to bathe first sitting on little stools getting
completely clean, then sitting outside in a pool of hot spring water, which
was so soft – it is also very relaxing and sociable. Fully relaxed we
went on to the local supermarket to buy fresh food for this evening, and then
to a small gallery and pottery shop. There was a delightful exhibition of pictures
made from pressed flowers which was colourful and a real Japanese art form.
On up out of Matsuzaki to Brenda and Darryl’s mountain home. It is in
a really remote spot up in the mountains. They built it 18 years ago, and hope
one day to live here as their main residence. It is a wonderful house, on three
levels with decks and fantastic views down to the ocean. The inside is open
plan, light and airy, with modern features despite it’s remoteness. We
had a coffee, and then set off for a wonderful walk down towards the sea through
forest and rice paddies, many now being used for vegetables for the family.
We saw birds - white eye and bulbuls, mushrooms growing under the trees and
almond blossom. The plum blossom, peach, maybe apricot and almond is all out,
and what a heavenly scent from the former. The jonquils are almost over, and
now they are growing aloe along the field edges, and at this time of year they
are in full bloom. We came back up the mountains in time to check out the roof
space for tanuki (Japanese raccoon, similar to our badger but smaller), which
have been getting in, but not out. There was evidence of their visit, but no
tanuki – (dead or alive!) We sat in the room on the upper deck to watch
the sun go down over the distant ocean, and sipped sundowners until it was dark.
John is cooking a fish stir fry, while Brenda and I catch up on the computers.
Over the water in the distance are the lights of the mainland (we are on a peninsular),
but we are really away from it all in the mountains.
Saturday 20th February
A grand and glorious day of experiences – wonderful dog walk around the
mountain and down through rice paddies, and the thrill of seeing Mount Fuji
covered in snow, always a real treat, and higher in the sky than one could possibly
imagine. Early cherry blossom, such a cheerful sight, but the scent of the plum
blossom even better. More white eye sightings, and a blue rock thrush, which
we first saw in Izu many moons ago. The sun shone brightly all the time. Our
first stop was at a friend of Brenda and Darryls’, who has built a kind
of minshuku with her late husband – all beautifully hand-crafted in very
tasteful style with an Indonesian influence. Many potters and artists come to
stay so the artefacts were also interesting. She had only a nine month old golden
retriever for company in this remote spot!
Look carefully and you can see Mt Fuji
Japanese White-eye
Having done a good circuit round the mountain, we set off in the car, first to the shrine in Matsuzaki where we filled all the drinking-water bottles. It was a typical traditional Shinto shrine with red torii, and a wood carver was producing lots of artefacts. On to the onsen for our daily bath before shopping at the supermarket. Next stop was a sushi bar a kaiten zushi, which means ‘conveyer belt’ sushi. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs with all the fresh fish. Absolutely delicious. Next stop was the cake shop – another tasteful experience to buy cake for this evening, and then last stop was the tofu maker – traditionally being made.
Conveyor-belt sushi
We came back up the mountain a different way, and had a last glimpse of Mount Fuji over the water.
Back at the house preparations underway
for Susan and Haru arriving later this afternoon from Yokohama. Haru is preparing
sashimi, and we are doing the rest. John is making miso soup from dried fish
flakes, and cooking stir fried vegetables from Brenda’s garden. We made
hummus, and Susan is bringing a pate – it will be so wonderful to celebrate
being together again in this fabulous location.
It is wild here – last night we had the noise of animals running on the
roof top – possibly tanuki, or even monkeys. There was a strange low moaning
noise, and definitely birds in the undergrowth.
Saturday 20th February (continued)
Susan and Haru arrived in time for sunset and sundowners at the top of the house, and later for Haru to cook fish and John to cook vegetables for a feast of a reunion meal by candlelight. Susan reminded us all that we had all, but John met here at Brenda and Darryl’s house 16 years ago when I visited from Japan, and later we all went to Yagiyama with their children Kurato and Hana who were then around 5 and 8 years old (now 21 and 24).
The tanuki were so loud in the night that even Brenda woke up, and she and John investigated where they might be getting in the house roof. They are certainly very noisy and active at night. When Darryl returns from covering the Winter Olympics in Vancouver he will be needed to help sort this out. Good news in that he has already been invited to cover the summer Olympics in London, so hopefully Brenda will get to England to visit us at last.
Sunday 21 February
Another dry and warm day. After coffee and fruit we all set off with the dogs
for a long walk to build up an appetite for breakfast. We did some of the now
familiar paths, going down through the rice paddy area, and climbing up the
old stone trail. Many people were tilling the paddies, and Haru was given some
daikon, which I later grated!! John cooked breakfast with eggs, shiitake, bacon
and sausage for us all before we left Brenda at 11:30.
The four of us piled into the small Honda with all the luggage to go on our camping trip to Yagiyama. We first came here around 30 years ago to a group of cabins in an orange and bamboo grove – very simple camping with an outdoor kitchen. Subsequently, I used to take my girl scout troop here, and then the ninth grade from the Sacred Heart. It has been disused for a number of years, and the old caretaker died, so we were not sure what state it would be in. Pleasantly surprised because a new caretaker is about to take it on, and he already cut the bamboo, so we could get down to the kitchen area. Only two cabins were still habitable, and while John built fires, Haru sorted out the water source, Susan and I cleaned out the cabins.
Among the many happy memories we all had of this place, the only negative was the large black spiders. Sure enough, we found them amongst the futon and curtains. Susan was very brave, and we discovered that they rolled up into a ball and could be swept out! Some of the futons were damp, but we found enough bedding to make up four futons in two cabins. The fires were working, the water was running, so we set off to Matsuzaki to shop for supper, and then to find Osawa Onsen, and the old rotenburo, outdoor hot spring bath, which is no longer mixed. It was still a lovely experience, and we were clean and warm to start our camping experience. Haru had planned an elaborate menu, but we had to modify it a little for the circumstances! John kept the fires burning, and got rid of a lot of the old bamboo from uner the orange trees, while Susan and I helped with the preparations. Good food, good company, and a very good night’s sleep – Susan had brought sleeping bags which linked together.
Monday 22 February
The outdoor kitchen was warmed by the sun as we ate breakfast, and then all
had roles before we left. Susan was on clean up, Haru on sorting, John and I
picking oranges for Haru’s friends. We squeezed some for breakfast –
very fresh, though a little bitter – in the old days we used to all make
marmalade from them!
Today’s journey took us by car all the way up the Izu Peninsula to the
Hakone area – the weather was clear, and we had the most fantastic views
of Mount Fuji over the water up the west coast, then from the Izu skyliner road
going over to the East. We stopped for a picnic and views, but then suddenly
were on the rim of the caldera of Hakone with Ashinoko below and we were lucky
to have fantastic views of Mt Fuji from the rim.
Through Haru’s cousin we had tickets to stay at Harvest Club, a rather superior resort for members only. The aesthetics were very beautiful, and we had a room for five people – part tatami and with two beds as well. It was nicely appointed and we relaxed before taking a short walk, and coming back for the major feature – the onsen bath. Because of all the volcanic activity this is possibly the most famous area to take hot spring baths. The onsen was again tastefully done, and now as most places separate baths for men and women. We had a really good chance to get rid of all the smoky smells from camping, and to soak both outdoors and indoors in the onsen waters. I particularly liked the ceramic bowls that one could hop into. We were all very relaxed, and even had a massage chair experience too. They have become so much more sophisticated from when we were first in Japan, and seem to get to the whole body.
The meal was Viking Style – I think we would call it Smorgasbord, so we had lots of hors d’hoevres, then a served main course of beef. On the way back to the room we stopped to rest in an area they called a bar, but which wasn’t – John had a slightly fragile stomach, so went on to the room. It was so hot in the night – we preferred the cold air and warm sleeping bags of Yagiyama!
Tuesday 23rd February – John’s
birthday
John felt better as the day went on and had his first train day. After breakfast
we packed the car, and Susan and Haru dropped us at Gotemba station just half
an hour away. Mount Fuji dominates the city and skyline. John had organised
the route and we had four trains to get us to Kanaya on the way to Nagoya –
one part was on the shinkansen, and because of the changes, the journey didn’t
seem long at all. At Kanaya, Yoshiko and Gwen were waiting having just met up
fifteen minutes earlier. Sr. Gwen had come from Nagoya, and Sr Yoshiko from
Tokyo. Gwen and I hadn’t seen one another since 1986 when I left Japan,
and Yoshiko of course visited a couple of summers ago. We all worked together
at ISSH, and were part of the Administrative team for my last five years.
This part of the trip had been planned by John and Gwen to visit the Oigawa
Line which heads into the mountains where steam locos are used for tourist trains.
First, they had to work out the discount ‘free tickets’ which would
last for two days and get us as far as we wanted to go. We first went down to
Shin Kanaya to see the steam loco shed, and with a little persuasion, we were
accompanied by a railway employee to look at the engines.
Today, we were just going up the line to stay at Senzu a very traditional village
in the middle of tea country. The journey was lovely, and the train was very
traditional but today there was no steam train service just the regular old
electric units. Little kindergarten children were put on at one station and
met by their parents at a subsequent one, then there was an archer with all
her traditional gear, and the view as we went up the wide river valley was of
small tea plantations and communities. Of course, all the while we were able
to catch up with one another’s lives while sharing a new experience.
At Senzu we walked up the hill to find our minshuku called Cha Dokuro. It was
very traditional – we had two tatami rooms, and first all sat around the
kotatsu drinking green tea. There was time to go out for a local walk among
the tea plantations and houses, and the life was still very simple here. We
heard Oiguisu, the bush warbler with such a distinctive call, which really heralds
springtime.
Back at the minshuku, supper was at 7:30 pm, and what a feast there was, around
eight dishes each including chawan mushi and an individual pot we cooked ourselves
with three kinds of mushrooms in butter. Gwen and Yoshiko had remembered our
birthdays with lovely gifts, and as a result a man staying here went out and
bought John a small pottery ‘doll’s day’ set, presenting it
to him on a tray – it was just so sweet. He explained that he was a gambler,
but got more pleasure from giving this gift to John – they were one year
apart in age. It was a highlight of the many we are having.
The weather is just perfect - sunny all the time, very dry, warm in the day
time and cold at night – I love it.
Wednesday 24 February
Traditional Japanese breakfast today except that the egg was cooked and not
raw! There was miso soup, a piece of salmon, rice, vegetables and of course
sea weed and green tea!
We set off to catch the first train on the Minami Alps Apt line to Ikawa, which
is normal Japanese gauge (3ft 6in) but with small profile trains to go through
the tunnels as it heads up the narrowing Oigawa River valley to several dams.
There were spectacular views and isolated tea growing villages, and the higher
we got, the more spectacular bridges spanning the river. At one point we had
a special rack loco added to the rear to push us up the steep incline to the
dam. This was only completed since John was last here in 1984, so very interesting.
We got off at the last stop currently as there is work going on the final stretch,
and had a good walk through the woods back to the previous station in the middle
of a bridge. The walk involved Tsuri bashi – traditionally these were
rope suspension bridges, but these were more modern versions made of steel.
It was very pleasant and warm. We took the little train back to Senzu, saw the
steam train come in that we would later take back down to Kanaya, and had a
late lunch of soba and katsu don in John’s case.
The steam train ride was a nostalgic trip, with original carriages with wooden
floors. The windows of the train could be opened, and Gwen and I had fun putting
them up and down. John explained the details of how the steam train works, so
we really had the full experience. Back in Kanaya we had just a few minutes
to connect with our trains – Gwen for Nagoya, and we three back to Tokyo.
Wee had to go a few stops on a local train to Shizuoka before catching the shinkansen
back to Shin Yokohama from where we were heading to Susan and Haru’s house
for dinner and the night.
What a wonderful way to get together with old friends!
We welcome feedback on this blog. Please write to John or Stephanie