It's been a busy couple of weeks and I'd be remiss if I failed to mention our fun, last-minute visit from a dear college pal and two of her kids. It was right on the heels of our daughters' visit, so I had my tried-and-tested, five-day Tokyo itinerary ready to go for them. They were able to see the highlights and experience a lot of the cuisine in their short stay - and it was fun for me to spend part of each day with them, showing them around and helping them navigate around this huge city.
The day they departed for home was Paul's birthday, so the two of us decided to celebrate it with a tour of Mount Fuji - something we've wanted to do since arriving here. It was a spectacular day - clear and warm (and believe me - there have not been many of them)! And it was the tail end of cherry blossom season, which means Japan was still filled with even more tourists than usual. So that day, everyone took advantage of the glorious weather and got out of Dodge. It seemed all of Tokyo had the same idea - go to Mt. Fuji on a day when you can actually clearly see all of it.
Our bus trip began at 8 a.m., and was supposed to be a 2.5 hour journey each way, but it took an extra hour to get there due to a backup on the freeway. However once we arrived at our destination, we realized the long trek was worth it. Not only was the mountain an awesome sight to behold, but the cherry blossoms were at peak in this area of the country because it's quite cooler. It made for stunning scenery. Our tour also included a few other stops and a traditional Japanese lunch. It was a great day - but a long one. Our trip home took twice a long as it should have no thanks to the heavy traffic returning to Tokyo. We didn't set foot back in the condo until 9:30 p.m.!
Last week we headed out of town again. This time to Fukushima, home of "Little Fuji" picture left and yes, scene of the 2011 tsunami and nuclear accident. Why on earth would we go there, you ask? Paul has been traveling to Fukushima every week since we landed here, and he wanted me to see it. The area that suffered from the disaster is nowhere near the facility Paul frequented, so no, he isn't glowing. Actually, Fukushima is home to many onsens (natural hot spring baths) and experiencing one of them was on our bucket list.
So, I reserved a three-night stay in a Ryokan known for its many public and private onsens as Paul had meetings in Fukushima two days this particular week. A Ryokan is traditional Japanese lodging with low tables & seat pillows, futons (see his and hers pictured right), and shoji – translucent screens on a wooden frame. Our Ryokan was a 30 -minute cab ride from the city center. We were told it was a very famous onsen resort, but "quite old." We quickly learned that "quite old" did not mean "quaint."😂 It meant the wear and tear from its 70+ year history was right there in plain sight. However, it was still charming and clean and besides, we were not looking for a 5-star place with modern conveniences. We wanted an immersive, authentic Japanese experience - and we got it.
First, the onsens... I was proud of myself when I informed Paul I hadn't packed a bathing suit. He responded with, "Well, what are you going to wear?" I then had to remind him that "au naturel" is the Japanese way. The public baths are segregated by sex and there is absolutely no discretion - in fact there are signs telling you not to enter the bath with a towel or clothes of any kind. Call me a prude, but letting it all hang out in a steamy bath with a bunch of other ladies (who I can't even converse with) isn't my idea of fun. But it's part of the culture here, so I decided to partake.
Shortly after we checked in, Paul went to his bath and I went to mine. As luck would have it, the resort was sort of empty, so I encountered only one other woman in my bath and she left soon after I arrived. Whew. Then I immersed myself into the mineral-rich spring water for what was supposed to be an hour-long soak. I lasted 20 minutes. IT WAS SCALDING! Paul also had his bath all to himself and lasted about the same amount of time due to the unbearable temperature. I get that these natural springs supposedly cure what ails you, but honestly, I don't know how they stand it. We opted for private baths the rest of our time there. They are made available for heavily tatted folks (unlike us) as tattoos are still considered pretty taboo here, as well as for people (like us) who are full-Monty reluctant. Needless to say, you won't catch us on a nude beach either. LOL
Our room was so authentic. I marveled at everything being so low to the ground. Japan has a very large aging population with arthritis and joint replacements. I don't know how folks older than me manage to get out of their futons each morning or dine at their low tables. As it was, it took some maneuvering for me to navigate the trappings of our room with my bionic knee. Turns out, rolling around on the floor often got me where I needed to go. Oh and those shoji screens? They have a great aesthetic, but are totally impractical for people like me who rise with the sun - but I digress.
The food was also 100% authentic. The breakfast buffet was jam packed with unrecognizable root vegetables, weird salads, various noodle dishes, rice, fish, soups, and the like. Luckily, this area is famous for its boiled eggs (yes, they are cooked in naturally occurring, scalding hot mineral water), so I was able to feast on them each morning. Dinner every night was a 10-course meal of fish, vegetables, more fish, rice, more fish, meat, more rice, more fish, more vegetables, more fish, more vegetables, and dessert. At first it was a culinary adventure, then it became a culinary chore. Thankfully we had snacks stashed away in our room!
The resort town in which we stayed was sort of deserted. We were told that it is hopping in the summer and fall, but many of the buildings were in complete disrepair or abandoned, so we were suspicious of just how lively it actually becomes. Nevertheless, there was a tourist center (with no trace of English in it whatsoever), so they must get enough traffic to justify its existence.
Anyway, in between Paul's meetings, phone calls and our short baths, we went exploring and covered the entire town in a matter of hours. There were a couple of cute shops, one cafe where we grabbed lunch, and natural areas that were lovely, with water flowing everywhere, including a few public foot baths where locals and visitors can immerse their tootsies and enjoy a hot soak.
The next day was very quiet (except for a few team calls Paul participated in) - just like the resort, the baths, and the town. I guess when it's not tourist season, there is very little to do. We did manage to find an odd collection of shops, a craft brewery and a pizza restaurant in a nearby village that helped us kill some time. Then it was back to the Ryokan for a nap on the futon, another 20 minute soak, some reading and another laborious Japanese feast.
Our final day was a welcome departure...literally. Our finger tips were wrinkled, so we knew it was time to go. In all honesty, we stayed one day too many. Nevertheless, we found the immersive experience we were looking for. Upon our return to Tokyo, the first stop was a hot dog joint down the street from our condo. Our second stop was a professional rugby game that was being played at a nearby stadium. All in all, it was a fun end to a fun (but pretty unusual) adventure.
Our time in Tokyo is winding down. This is our last full week before we vacate our condo on the 30th and climb on a plane for our last trip before heading home - to Sydney! I hope to post another blog about what I consider must sees and dos based on our four months in Japan. And of course, I'll write a blog or two about our adventure down under.
Until then,
Sayonara!
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