Drokpa Journal

Dates Traveled: March-April 2009

When will I learn? It’s been far too long since I last updated, and I find myself now scrambling to write updates and post photos before I start the next adventure in just over a week. I’ve vowed that this time I’m going to write a little bit every few days, and set aside a few photos every time I download to my laptop. I won’t post them right away, but at least I’ll have them written and can post a bit more timely. We’ll see how I go.

For those of you who need reading material more regularly, Rhona has been pretty good at posting roughly every week. You can check out her take on our travels at http://www.fouroceans.org

For my sanity, and yours, I’ve decided to break the most recent 4 months of travel into their individual countries, so first up…Japan.

Jigokudani

After a few days trying to organize things in Tokyo, we made our way to Jigokudani, in the mountains north of Nagano. The area is known for the monkeys which inhabit the thermal waters during the winter months. Most people seem to visit as a day trip, so coupled with the fact that it was actually the tail-end of winter, we only shared the accommodation with one other woman. That was a good thing, since one of the perks of the place where we stayed was a mixed outdoor onsen.

Onsens are the thermal pools prevalent around Japan. Etiquette dictates that you shower before entering, and that you soak naked, which is why the majority of Japanese onsens have separate pools for men and women. At Jigokudani it was a brisk walk from the shower room out to the pool, but felt oh so nice when we entered. It was nice to be able to share it with Rhona – to actually have someone to talk to. Normally it’s me and a bunch of naked Japanese men. However, what made the experience even better was that it was snowing at the time. To lie in a pool of hot water at night, outdoors, while it’s snowing? Perfect. Actually, not quite perfect, as we were hoping to be joined by some furry friends, but no monkeys joined us that night, nor early the next morning when we went for another soak. However, we did see them in the pool a few hours later.

It was a beautiful walk up to the park the following morning, with the fresh blanket of snow covering everything. The monkeys were accustomed to the paparazzi, so went about their normal routines in the hot pool – grooming, playing, and relaxing. It was funny to watch the monkeys soaking in the warmth of the pool, and to see their eyelids grow heavier and heavier. One baby monkey took an interest in me, and came over to groom me – to pick at the hair on my arm. Overall a great experience at Jigokudani.

Takebe

From Jigokudani we made our way to the quiet town of Takebe. There weren’t many sights – aside from the requisite temples, but I really enjoyed walking around the 2-road town, climbing the various mountains, and simply taking it all in. Very relaxing.

Hiroshima

We spent a few days in Hiroshima, seeing some of the city and surrounding sights. First and foremost was the Peace Memorial Park. As most know, Hiroshima was the target of the first atomic bomb, detonated on August 6, 1945. Viewing the A-bomb dome, a building situated near the hypocenter and left in its bombed state to illustrate the destruction, was a sobering reminder of that day. The museum, eternal flame, and various memorials – especially the Children’s Peace Memorial, drove home the magnitude of the bombing. We were also fortunate to sit in on a talk by one of the survivors. To hear him talk of that day, and those following, is to be transported back in time…to experience something second-hand which hopefully nobody will ever have to experience again.

One day we took a day trip out of Hiroshima, with the first stop at Miyajima Island, famous for its floating torii - an extremely picturesque orange gate situated in the water. It was an enjoyable morning spent wandering, witnessing a traditional Japanese wedding, nosing around the temples, enjoying the sunshine, and taking in the beauty of the cherry blossoms.

From Miyajima we went to the five-arched bridge at Iwakuni. There were many locals out enjoying a bit of sunshine, and viewing the cherry blossoms in bloom. Japan goes crazy for their cherry blossoms in springtime, holding hanami parties to celebrate the new growth. It’s a fun atmosphere, with vast quantities of food and alcohol consumed. People set out blankets to take advantage of every piece of grass available, and the laughter is infectious. We sat around that night under a tree with Christmas lights, enjoying a bit of alcohol ourselves, and taking it all in.

Rhona also had to take me to her favorite haunts in Hiroshima – a small, informal diner for some cheap okonomiyaki – complete with ice-cold beer; her favorite bar, where we played DJ – requesting songs from the owners massive collection of CD’s; and a karaoke place.

Iya Valley

From Hiroshima we made a brief stop in Okayama to check out the garden – deemed one of the three best in all of Japan. It was a beautifully landscaped area, and serves as a backdrop to something Rhona and I now know a bit about ourselves – wedding photos. There must have been at least 5 different couples wandering the garden posing for their photos.

We also walked across to see the large black castle, dominating the horizon of Okayama.

Next stop…Shikoku Island and the rural Iya Valley. We spent a few days taking local buses, hitching, and walking to the various sights. We had been hoping to do an overnight hike but there was too much snow in the mountains, so we confined ourselves to the valley and seeing the thatched-roof cottage of Chiiori, various vine bridges, a statue of a Pissing Boy (ala Manneken Pis in Brussels), and simply walking in the fresh air. Evenings were spent cooking our own dinners and hanging out with others staying at the small inn – and being driven to the local onsens for a soak.

Shodoshima

We next crossed the inland sea on a ferry to Shodoshima. Within minutes of arriving at the youth hostel we were armed with everything we would need for our time there – bus schedules, hiking times, sights to see, places to avoid, and bicycles. Early the following morning we were driven to the start of the Kankakei hiking trail, stopping only long enough along the way to drop off our bicycles - to be collected at the end of our hike. The hike itself was quite easy, and low clouds meant we didn’t have overly spectacular views from the top, but it was still a nice way to spend a few hours. We did see some monkeys along the way, and visited an interesting cave temple on the descent.

After collecting our bikes we proceeded back into town, where we wandered aimlessly among the old homes and narrow alleys. Shodoshima is known for their soy production, so we went to visit that area – recognizable by the smell and the large vats. It’s also known for olives. Now we both like olives, and so looked around for some to eat. We found none! We found olive oil, olive chocolate, olive soap, olive anything-you-can-imagine, except for olives themselves. Weird.

We both enjoyed our time on Shodoshima – very few tourists, easy to get around, and relaxing.

Himeji Castle

Our ferry from Shodoshima took us to Himeji, where we stowed our backpacks in a locker at the train station and headed off to see the Unesco World Heritage castle. We timed it perfectly, as the cherry blossoms added that much more to an already beautiful scene. We shuffled along with everyone else attempting to see the interior, and then spent hours wandering the outside – stopping often for photos….far, far too many photos. It was beautiful.

Osaka/Kyoto/Nara

We retrieved our backpacks and headed for Osaka. We’d actually wanted to stay in Kyoto, but couldn’t find accommodation. How crazy is that?!? An entire town essentially booked out. To say that Kyoto is on the itinerary of most travelers to Japan would be an understatement – especially in the spring. Anyway, Osaka is close enough to Kyoto to make day trips possible, which is what we did.

We had already hit many of the sites in Kyoto during a visit last year, but there were still a few on my list. First up was the garden of Daisen-in – not as popular as a rock garden we’d visited last year, but, in my mind, more beautiful. Next up was Nijo castle with its nightingale floors which creak to pinpoint intruders. We then went to Nijo Jinya, commonly referred to as the Ninja House. Secret rooms and passageways were the norm in that interesting home. We then jumped in a cab and raced across town to witness the Miyako Odori – a performance held once a year in spring by the local geisha and maiko. It was mesmerizing to watch the women with their graceful movements, dancing to traditional instruments. A nice afternoon and a glimpse into another world.

Another day we took a day trip to Nara – former capital and home to eight Unesco World Heritage Sites. The large hall and Buddha of Todaiji was particularly impressive. The weather was beautiful, and the cherry trees were still in bloom, so it was another nice day spent wandering around the various temples.

When I knew I’d be spending a fair amount of time in Japan while Rhona was working, I had three main things I wanted to see/do – I wanted to see Kyoto; I wanted to climb Fuji, and to see it from a distance on a clear day; and I wanted to sleep in a capsule hotel. All would eventually be ticked off the list, and that night it was the capsule hotel.

Capsule hotels are unique to Japan as far as I know. Many workers stay late at work, and/or go out for drinks after work, and miss the last train home. Capsule hotels are the cheapest option for the night. The one we chose was rare in that it actually accepted both men and women – most are men only. Once we checked in we stuffed our large backpacks in lockers, dressed in the unflattering uniform provided, and headed off to our respective floors. The ‘rooms’ are roughly 3’X3’X7’ (1mX1mX2m), and contain the linen/pillow, a radio, light, and small tv. There are typically two layers of capsules along each wall. Obviously the rooms aren’t ensuite, so toilets, showers, onsens, cafeterias, tv lounges, etc. are in other parts of the building. It was nice to finally be able to tick that item off my list, and I enjoyed the night in my tube.

While in the area we met up with a friend of ours, also a former leader, so that turned into a rather big night. We also popped into Kyoto on a few occasions to eat at our favorite ice cream parlor, though we never worked up the nerve to try the US$200 sundae – it was massive!

Lake Biwa

Our next stop was Lake Biwa, a short distance north of Kyoto. We enjoyed our 4 days there, as we essentially had the place to ourselves – all the foreigners seemed to stay in Kyoto. Our first afternoon we took the cable car up Mount Hiei to walk amongst the various temples. However, that didn’t really prepare us for the big hike we were planning in the area. The following morning we caught a train/bus combination to a trailhead, and set off hiking. The lower part of the hike was fun – crossing streams, climbing iron hand and foot holds pounded into the rocks, climbing ladders, and using chains to pull ourselves up and around the various waterfalls in the area. We were having fun, and stopping to take many photos. We ‘knew’ that there was a cable car at the peak, so that was always an option if we were too tired once we got there – we could forego the end of the hike and simply ride down. However, when we did reach the top the cable car wasn’t there, nor was there a scrap of food to be found. The only option was to complete the hike – a hike which went up and over every peak imaginable. Every one! It turned out to be a long day, but a fun one nevertheless.

We also spent time down around the various small towns near the lake, exploring their various temples and gardens. One night was spent at Miidera Temple, where many of the buildings were floodlit and beautiful.

Kanazawa

In Kanazawa we wandered the narrow alleys to check out a lot of the old homes and temples. We also went to their famous garden, Kenroku-en, another of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. As it seemed to rain most of the time we were there, we spent a fair amount of time in the covered market, checking out the fish and produce for sale, and admiring the presentation in the various shops. The only other thing of note in Kanazawa? We ate at a place which served all-you-can-eat cabbage. Raw cabbage. Sounds funny, but we actually ate quite a bit, as there were some nice dipping sauces. Weird, though.

Tokyo

Back in Tokyo we did a bit of souvenir shopping, shipped packages, and revisited some of our favorite places – the skewer place in Piss Alley, one of the small bars of the Golden Gai, and the cake place near where Rhona used to live. Mmmmmm.

Fuji Area

When we next ventured out of Tokyo it was to tackle the 2-day Tonotake hike in the Fuji region. It would have been a spectacular hike on a clear day, as Fuji would have been visible in the distance. As it was, we could only catch fleeting glimpses through the haze. We also had to go up and over every single peak in the area. What is it with the Japanese trailbuilders and their obsession with peaks? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a guy who’s known for always uttering, “I wonder what you can see from up there?” – I love climbing peaks. However, when it’s overcast and you know there isn’t a view to be had, an option to bypass the peak would be appreciated. Still, it was good, though that second day was long – 5 AM wakeup, and didn’t get to the youth hostel in Kawaguchiko until late that night.

Which wouldn’t have been bad if we could have slept in the following morning, but the youth hostel blared wake-up music starting at 6:45 AM! To say that the elderly couple who ran the hostel were regimented would be a gross understatement.

April 21 - exactly 1 month since we’d been married, and 10 months since we’d become engaged on top of Fuji, so we wanted to spend it in a great little place we’d stayed in previously at the base of Fuji in the town of Fuji Yoshida. We weren’t disappointed. Once again we were the only people staying there, and the food was as amazing as we remembered. The added bonus was this time the owners daughter happened to be there as well, and she can speak English, so we learned more about the ryokan and the family. A great place.

It rained heavily all day on the 21st, but we awoke to amazing blue skies on the 22nd – the best I’d seen in Japan. We hustled back to Kawaguchiko and weren’t disappointed – Mount Fuji was out in all her splendor…looming above the lake, without a cloud in the sky. Tick – the last item on my list realized. I took a LOT of photos…..

Tokyo

We went back to Tokyo for one night so Rhona could present at Pecha Kucha. These nights started in Japan but now operate worldwide. It’s a fantastic concept – you begin at 20:20, and have 20 presenters each present 20 slides, and talk about each slide for 20 seconds. Therefore, each person gets 6 minutes and 40 seconds. The presenter isn’t in control of the slide projector, so the slide changes after 20 seconds, whether the person was finished talking about it or not. Short and sweet. It was started by a couple working at an architectural firm, and it remains a way for architects to show their work, but the topics ran the gamut. Obviously Rhona’s was 20 of her travel photos, and they looked stunning projected onto a wall. She did extremely well and received a lot of ooh’s and aah’s from the audience. It was a great night.

Ferry West

And then it was time to start the slow departure from Japan. I say slow, as the first leg was to take a 33-hour ferry from Tokyo to Kitakyushu in the far west of Japan. We had a great time on the ferry. For one, we had booked the cheapest tickets, which should have been simply sleeping on the floor in a shared room. However, when we got on the ferry we were escorted to a private room with bunk beds. Sweet! I’m still enough of a kid to love sleeping in a top bunk, and peering over the edge to harass Rhona below.

For the life of me I don’t understand how the ferry makes money. There were less than 20 people traveling on a huge ferry. We spent our time reading, relaxing, eating all kinds of strange vending machine food – vending machine sushi? Which you have to then thaw? In a microwave? Huh?!? We also smoked a cigar up on one of the decks the first night. It’s become a tradition of ours to have a cigar from time to time, a tradition we started in Uganda when we met up after Rhona had been to Cuba. We’re looking forward to lighting another one in Kyrgyzstan soon.

From Kitakyushu we caught a short train to Shimonoseki, which was to be our departure point for the ferry to South Korea.

It was nice to get back to Japan and to see some more of what the country has to offer. However, after a month I was ready to leave – Japan puts an awfully big dent in the wallet. Besides, we were moving on to a country which neither Rhona nor I had visited, and we love exploring new countries together. Bring on South Korea!

Japan Photos

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