A short trip to Shimogo

Shimogo sunset

Clara and I have just returned to Tokyo, after our brief visit to Shimogo, Fukushima Prefecture. Although it was a short visit, we both had a great time and enjoyed reminiscing about the old days when we lived there for 4 years.

I had originally planned to visit Shimogo by myself, but asked Clara as an afterthought if she wished to come along. Rather surprisingly for me, she was extremely eager to come up to Shimogo and very keen to meet some of her old friends.

Instead of staying at the usual place, an inn called Suzukiya, we actually stayed at the house of the local doctor. Clara and I both appreciated the hospitality which Tomo and his wife gave us. We had our own tatami room next to the rice fields, and the breakfast which we were given was substantial.

Soon after we arrived, Tomo drove us to Yunokami in Shimogo, a place well known for onsen (hot springs). A perfect reintroduction to Shimogo. We were all clean and fresh for the evening events. The lady who runs the onsen also kindly gave me a number of souvenirs to take back to Tokyo with me.

Clara and I had slightly different plans on Saturday evening. While I was eating and drinking with Tomo at Wakatsuki, a popular local restaurant, Clara was having dinner in a different restaurant with friends she knew from nursery school. Clara impresses me - not only does she have a very good recollection of her time and friends in Shimogo, but she has the confidence and desire to meet up with people she knew from the dim and distant past. I don't think I was so confident and outgoing when I was her age.

Tomo very kindly provided a bottle of 1974 Chateau Trotanoy. I have never before tried a wine of such vintage, and would imagine that I will rarely have such fine wine in future. Trying to drink and savor the wine slowly was a challenge of monumental proportions.

Enjoying the wine

The slow pace of life in Shimogo is something that Clara and I both miss. The gentle walk to and from Wakatsuki was a pleasure, and I am very proud of the photo at the top of this blog entry which I took of Clara and Tomo as the sun set. Moments after the photo was taken, the red sky had almost completely disappeared. Most of my photos are stored electronically, but that photo has given me the motivation to buy some albums and a good printer to ensure I have my favourite photos at hand.

Lovely weather

A short but enjoyable return to Shimogo. Clara's only complaint was that we didn't stay long enough.

Thanks again to Tomo-sensei and his wife for looking after us.

Country BBQ and visit to Nikko

Adding to my unusually busy August, a group from my local bar and I headed out of Tokyo and up to Gunma Prefecture for a short excursion. The main event of the trip was the evening BBQ, although the following day we drove to Nikko (in Tochigi Prefecture), a place most famous for the grave of the former shogun / warlord, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

We stayed in a fairly basic Japanese ryokan (I guess it would equate to a cheap hotel in the Western world) in a village called Katashina. Although it was basic, we were certainly not slumming it and we all enjoyed the chance to take an onsen in the hotel's main building. It's a little odd - in previous years I used to take an onsen a least once a week, but since I moved to Tokyo, that almost never occurs. However, this August, I have had 3 onsen experiences and will probably have another during my forthcoming trip to Shimogo this coming weekend. From famine to feast in the space of only a few weeks.

Some of the group

After some fooling around in the very chilly river next to the hotel, we set up the BBQ and cracked open the beers. As night fell, I took a few minutes out to watch the disappearing sun silhouette the distant mountains. The different intensity of shadows indicated how far each mountain was from where I was standing. After this solitary moment of peace, I rejoined the revelry. Towards the end of the BBQ, we unwrapped some simple fireworks, including the excellent senko hanabi (which I mentioned in my previous post of the camping trip to Lake Ashinoko).

A few more hours of drinking in the hotel made sleep come very easy, but I was surprisingly fresh the following morning. Unfortunately, I didn't take many photos of the ryokan or BBQ, so you'll just have to imagine what it was like. We all decided that a visit to Nikko would be in order, and it was certainly worth the additional miles in the car.

Approach road

Although I've been to Nikko 2 or 3 times before, I enjoyed this visit just as much as previous occasions. Although very crowded (no surprise there), the wide open spaces and approach roads did not cause a strong feeling of claustrophobia.

Nikko is very impressive indeed! Perhaps the reason is because of the level of detail put into each building or object. Everything that can be seen is exquisitely made and detailed. Each component has been completed to the highest order with no compromise in terms of expense or time. Gilt is everywhere, but it doesn't give the impression of bling....quite the opposite. The scale of the shrine complex is also impressive.

Moss covered stone lanterns

The circumference of the cedar trees and the amount of moss on the stone lanterns and other stonework also helped to convey the historical value of the shrine complex. I liked the feeling of continuity which the trees and stonework gave out. The scene will hopefully remain unchanged for hundreds of years into the future.

Red lacquered (?) railing

We all returned to Tokyo relatively late on Sunday evening but everyone seemed to enjoy the opportunity to get out of Tokyo and see some new sights. Next weekend, Clara and will make a return to Shimogo. Another update soon.

Sake barrels given by corporate sponsors of the shrine

Camping at Lake Ashinoko / Hakone

A rather rare experience for me these days was an overnight camping trip on Saturday to Lake Ashinoko, about an 80 minute express train journey from Tokyo. Although I've been there on numerous occasions in the past, I was looking forward to a change of scene and to perhaps escape the blistering heat wave which is currently making life difficult (and electricity bills more costly).

An acquaintance kindly invited me along, and rather unusually for me, I accepted the invitation. Usually I like to ring fence off my weekends and prevent anyone from getting in the way of my plans, but this time I decided to sacrifice my own independence for the company of others.

Lake Ashi(noko)

BBQ area

The only part I was not looking forward to was sharing a tent, and that did prove to be an uncomfortable and sleep depriving experience - next time I'll buy my own tent so that I can sleep undisturbed.

Senko hanabi

The experiences on this trip, though, were for the greater part, good ones. Rather surprisingly, the camp site next to Lake Ashinoko was not too busy. We had plenty of space to cook our food on the BBQ and to let off some Japanese fireworks, mostly similar to sparklers, but also the subtly hypnotic senko hanabi. These little fireworks give off lovely fine little needles of light and only last for 20 seconds or so.

After a tentative start to the BBQ on which our food was not cooking, we threw caution to the wind and all combustable materials onto the fire. The result was a fire with the capacity to double as a funeral pyre.

BBQ

After the BBQ and fireworks, we all headed off to the onsen before sitting outside and chatting until just after midnight. Then it was to the tent for a rather unsuccessful attempt at getting some sleep. Not the best sleep I have had, but I think I still managed a few hours of shut eye.

The next morning we were up early, had a quick breakfast, and then took a bus to the Lalique Museum. I had already visited the museum a few years before, so I sat admiring the immaculate lawn from the shaded comfort of an outdoor table with a cold bottle of Heartland Beer in my hand. Perfect.

Soon after, we took a cable car up the mountain to Souzan, famous for volcanic activity and eggs with blackened shells from boiling in the volcanic spring waters. As it was only a few years since my last visit there, I was more interested in eating kakigori, the Japanese name for a slush puppy (also called shaved ice). My cola flavoured slush puppy certainly was very welcome as the temperature on the mountain was about 35C!

Kakigori

A very pleasant trip away. This coming weekend, I am visiting Oze in Gunma Prefecture and the following week, Clara and I will take a trip back in time to Shimogo for a brief visit. More to follow on my August adventures soon.