Autumn – Anne Goes to Places

Japan, Day 7: Totoro House

On my last day for 2018 autumn trip in Japan, I went to Morikoro Park which houses a replica of Mei and Satsuki’s House (My Neighborhood Totoro, 1988).

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

It was about an hour train ride from Nagoya to Ai Chikyu-Haku Kinen Koen Station. As soon as I exited the station, I already felt lost. All the other locals took the other exit so there was no one to ask which way I should go. I followed my gut feel then found an elevator going down. I rode it then saw a souvenir shop a few hundred meters away from me, which was already part of MORIKORO PARK. Yay! I asked for directions going to the bus stop – turned out it was on the other side from the GF elevator so I ran because I might miss it and it only visited the stop once every hour.

When I reached the bus stop, the bus was not yet there but it arrived shortly after 5 minutes. Aside from me, there was only a Japanese couple who were passengers. The obaasan tour guide and ojiisan driver greeted me with a big smile so I smiled back at them and greeted them “Ohayou!”. Obaasan tour guide was talking during most of the ride but I could not understand anything because it was in Japanese. 😦 I still looked at the spots she pointed at to let her know that I was her audience.

When we reached the stop for Satsuki and Mei’s house, I got off and followed the Japanese couple walking in front of me.

I successfully reached the ticket area then I showed the pass I bought at Lawson’s LOPPI and in exchange, I was given an ID and 2-page English instructions.

Fifteen minutes before the scheduled tour, our guide was orienting us with do’s and don’ts but I couldn’t understand most of it because it was in Japanese. I didn’t even know if A would explore the outside first while B would be inside the house or vice-versa. Haha! I just followed the locals with the same ID letter as mine so that I wouldn’t get lost.

A short walk from the orientation area, we could already see the famous house of Mei and Satsuki. Once we arrived, the guide said a few reminders then gave us the go signal to explore.

I went inside the house first and explored every part of the house. I opened all drawers and all cabinets I could find inside, which were filled with random items that seemed to belong to the Kusakabe family. Picture taking was not allowed inside the house but from the outside, you can take pictures of the interiors of the house.

My favorite part of the house was the working room of Tatsuo-san – messy but filled with lots of books and papers. That rocking chair was tempting to sit on but we were not allowed to enter this room.

Outside the house, I found a replica of the bus stop. There was no Totoro though. T_T I wish they placed a cardboard of Totoro holding a big leaf as an umbrella…

At the backyard near the kitchen area, I saw these kids having fun pumping the water. The little girl even held the pail in the exact same way Mei held it and peeked through the hole.

Some say that 30 minutes is too short for the tour but for me, that was enough time already. Maybe because I was a solo traveller as well so there was less time consumed talking to someone else. The tour guide was nice enough to take pictures of me in different spots of the place.

When the time was up, we were called by the guide and we went back to the orientation area. From there, I retraced my steps going back to the bus stop and waited for the bus that would take me back near the train station.

Quick fun fact before ending this post: the Studio Ghibli theme park will be built here in Morikoro Park and is expected to open in 2022.

Japan, Day 6: Nabana no Sato

From Nagashima Spa Land, a flower park called Nabana no Sato can be visited – bus ride only takes 15 minutes. But more than the flowers, the main reason why I wanted to visit this place was to see the winter illumination in the evening. Just looking at the pictures online, I was already fascinated with the thousands of lights of varying colors.

From Nagashima Spa Land, a flower park called NABANA NO SATO can be visited – bus ride only takes 15 minutes. But more than the flowers, the main reason why I wanted to visit this place was to see the winter illumination in the evening. Just looking at the pictures online, I was already fascinated with the thousands of lights of varying colors.

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

After a short walk in the first garden area, I saw the ticket booth then bought an entrance ticket (¥2,100), which included a 1000-yen coupon that I can use in the park’s shops. There was still a bit of sunlight when I entered so the autumn colors of the trees were still visible.

I was not sure if there was any order on how to explore the place but I saw this sign going to the Corridor of Light, which is a 200-meter long pathway surrounded by flower petal-shaped light bulbs. When you search for winter illumination in Nabana no Sato, most of the images that you will see show this pathway.

It was a few minutes before 5PM and apparently, the Corridor of Light would be open by 5PM. There were a lot of locals already waiting outside and one of the staff was entertaining them – games, hosting, etc. A minute before 5PM, he told us to participate in the countdown and rehearsed counting from 10 to 0 (in Japanese). When the staff allowed the people to enter, there was clapping and sounds of awe all around.

Even I was amazed with the amount of lights and the beautiful pathway it created. I could not help but ask for a picture here even if there was a big crowd everywhere.

Upon exiting the Corridor of Light and following the locals, there was a lights show with Mount Fuji as the main highlight. I am not sure what the story was about but it showed changing seasons and changing landscapes. This lasted for a few minutes and while I was not able to sit down, it was a sight worth the ngawit.

The next attraction I visited was the Lavender Road, which is similar to the Corridor of Light – pathway was a bit shorter and it was surrounded by leaf-shaped light bulbs instead. The colors of the light bulbs changed every few seconds.

I was back to the large garden area with pond, but this time, it showed The Great River of Light. It is said that the long lines of lights over the pond resemble shooting stars.

A little bit of walking again and I found myself in this place with trees reflected on the pond’s surface. The pond was so still that it gave a mirror-like effect.

Ironically, even if it was a flower park, I didn’t get to see much flowers because: 1) it was already in the evening and; 2) I was so focused on looking at the illuminated lights.

My last stop was the Sea of Light Clouds, which was the only place where I noticed a lot of flowers. It must be a popular place among couples because I saw a lot of them taking pictures under the arches.

After going around, I went back to bus stop outside Nabana no Sato. Going back to Nagoya was easy because the bus stopping there took me directly to Kintetsu-Nagoya. From Nagoya Station, I went to SEKAI NO YAMACHAN (SAKAE). Quick funny story: I only found out that there was a branch a few hundred meters near our hotel while walking back after this dinner. LOL.

Back to the food – the place is well-known for serving tebasaki (deep-fried chicken wings), one of Nagoya’s famous dishes. Ordered a plate of this and karaage with tartar sauce. No visit to an izakaya will be complete without me ordering Chu-hi. I was surprised though that their Chu-hi was at 9% so my allergy attacked later on.

Karaage tasted good but damn, the tebasaki took the crown for this dinner. It was peppery, salty, and highly addictive. It was no wonder why other tables had a lot of chicken bones already in their bucket. Ordered another plate because it was just that good!

This was the best way to end my last night in Japan before going back home to PH. Cannot wait to eat tebasaki again since I read that Sekai no Yamachan has branches in other Japan regions. 😊

Japan, Day 6: Nagashima Spa Land

Even if the Mount Gozaisho trip was exhausting, I still had energy for the next mission of Day 6 in Japan: visit the Nagashima Resort area which has a theme park, water park, hot spring complex, outlet shopping mall, and flower park.

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

From Yunoyama-onsen, I took a train going to Kuwana Station. Then from there, I bought a bus ticket going to Nagashima Spa Land.

NAGASHIMA SPA LAND is the amusement park in the area, and it is considered as one of the best in Japan for those who love roller coasters. It is famous for the Steel Dragon 2000 and White Cyclone. However, White Cyclone has been closed permanently since January 2018 and will be replaced by Hybrid Coaster, another extreme roller coaster ride.

For someone who is not fond of roller coasters, it may be a mystery why I went to this place. I wanted to ride the Auror Ferris Wheel and check out what else I can ride which my heart can take.

During the bus ride to NSL, a Chinese couple mistook me for a Japanese so they asked how they could reach the place. I told them that I was headed for the same destination so I would just inform them when it was time to go down. The ride was almost 30 minutes and NSL was the last stop.

At the ticket booth, I bought the admission-only ticket (¥1,600) because the ride-all-you-can (¥4,100) would be a waste to me. With the ticket I bought, I had to pay up for every ride or attraction I will choose. Price ranged from ¥100-1,000.

After going around for a few minutes, Wild Mouse (¥400) was the first ride chosen. Overall, it was a slow ride except for the sudden (hard) turns and uphill-downhill tracks.

I only saw Steel Dragon 2000 up close but did not have the heart to ride it. Seeing the roller coaster train move along the track already made my stomach upset.

Aside from the height, what makes Steel Dragon extreme is the length of the track because it spans the entire length of the park.

I also passed by Arashi, another crazy and extreme ride. There were also “tamer” roller coasters which I was interested to ride but I wanted to see the other attractions first.

I kept on seeing hot air balloon-like gondolas going around so I followed the track to reach the entrance. It turned out to be Peter Rabbit Sky Liner (¥300) – a ride for kids. But hey, I’m a kid at heart so I happily rode this.

If I bought the ride-all-you-can ticket, I would have ridden it 2-3 more times. Went around some more then fell in line for the swan boat. It was my first time to ride one and it was fun! We only got one round though.

After that, I decided to go back to Jet Coaster (¥500) – a roller coaster without any loop.

When it was time to leave, I saw a stall selling Cremia ice cream so what else to do but buy one. I didn’t mind the cold temperature because it was really good.

Time to go to Nabano no Sato, which will be in the next post.

Japan, Day 6: Mount Gozaisho

At the Summit Park Station of Mount Gozaisho, a big map of the hiking trail and places to visit helped in guiding me where to locate the sightseeing lift.

When I got there, I got really scared of riding the lift. I already knew that there was no belt because I saw the picture in their official website but I was not prepared that it was a steep downhill ride, at least from my POV.

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

At the SUMMIT PARK STATION of Mount Gozaisho, a big map of the hiking trail and places to visit helped in guiding me where to locate the sightseeing lift.

Then again, I was already there so why not ride it then see what will happen. I bought a roundtrip ticket for ¥600 then saw a group of obaasan and ojiisan (grandma & grandpa) in front of me, waiting for their turn to ride the lift. While waiting for my turn, one of the ojiisan turned around and told me “Kowai!!! Kowai!” while laughing. Thank you to all the anime I have watched because I understood what he said – it was scary. I laughed then replied to him in Japanese that I was also scared. When it was his turn to ride, I told him “Ganbatte!” (good luck) and he smiled at me.

Now, it was my turn and when the lift was about to follow the downhill trail, I held on tightly to the single bar at my left side and braced myself… only to feel nothing. There was no sinking feeling from my stomach! It was just slow and steady which made me understand why even kids are allowed to ride this.

It was a chill ride and I eventually found myself taking pictures without holding the bar.

Me during the first 10 seconds of the ride 😐

At the first sightseeing lift stop, you can choose to go down there or just pass by. I was already set that I would just pass by here so I waved to the ojiisans staff and greeted them with “Ohayouuu!”

Upon reaching the last stop, I walked briskly to the summit marker (1,282 MASL) that I saw online. I asked a local hiker, who just finished smoking his cigarette, to take a picture of me.

Conquered another mountain but without much effort, lol

I was reviewing the pictures he took when he told me (in English) that there was another marker. He pointed to the trail near us and told me that that was where I should go to reach it. I said my thanks then he offered to accompany me. I accepted because I wanted to talk to locals, anyway.

While walking, he asked where I was from so I said PH then asked if it was my first time in Japan. I told him it was my 3^rd visit but I have visited a lot of places already. I enumerated all the cities and towns I have been to, including the ones in this autumn trip. He said that he was amazed and called me a “Japan master”. LOL.

When we reached the place (Boukodai Lookout), he pointed to spots where it was best to take pictures of me. It was a bit of a challenge because there were parts where I had to use my hands to climb. I had to make sure that I wouldn’t slip since the cliff was just around the corner. Anyway – he took good pictures of me!!! T_T

He then pointed to a direction where he said that we could have seen Lake Biwa if it wasn’t for the cloudy weather. He pointed to a mountain range but I forgot the name he mentioned – all I could remember was he said that it was a well-known area.

When we were about to go back to the main area, he asked if it was okay to take a picture. I said okay and I asked if we could do the same using my phone. It felt weird though because we did not know each other’s names so I asked him.

His name is Sato and he told me that it was a common name in Japan. I told him that he has the same name as this Japanese actor that I liked: Sato Takeru. He was impressed that I know someone from the entertainment industry. I told him about the first J-drama where I saw Sato Takeru up to him being the main lead in Rurouni Kenshin live action films.

While we were walking, he showed me pictures from his phone – trees and other areas in Mount Gozaisho fully covered in snow. He told me that it was taken just a week ago when he hiked with his friends. I showed him the snow pictures I took earlier, and I told him that I thought it was just starting to form. It turned out to be remnants of the winter moment that happened recently.

Remnants of snow + Sightseeing lift without any belt

When we returned to the main area, we bowed to each other and said our goodbyes. He told me that going up the summit takes 2-3 hours, depending on your pace, and that was also the same amount of time needed to go down. I wished him luck for his hike going back to the base.

I continued my exploration but I kinda felt lost. All signs and arrows were in kanji so I already knew that I had to rely on my instinct when it comes to directions.

I picked a trail based on my gut feel and I eventually arrived at Suzuka National Park Monument. Near the marker, there was a small wooden bench for resting.

From afar, I could already see the Ontake Daigongen Shrine – the one which looks like a house – so I knew that my adventure was far from over. An ojiisan passed by and I was amazed how he could jog around the area, especially with the uneven trail and steps.

On the other hand, I was cautious with every step because if I stumble and roll down the steps, no one would save me and take care of my wounds. Haha! After following the next trail, I reached a rest area with a stone monument. It was inscribed with haiku but I only found out about it after the trip.

I walked some more and spotted a silver torii with a trail leading downhill. I followed it then saw a small pool of water so I knew that I was in Chouja Pond. There was no one else in the area so it was very quiet a bit eerie with all the trees.

The story related to Chouja Pond dates back to the Meiji Era when a man named Jintarou Yada became famous and rich for his touch which could completely cure any sick person.

I continued my adventure and there were a lot of uphill trails. Some of them looked straight from a fairy tale story, with a creepy forest in the plot.

Then after about 10 minutes of walking, I finally reached Ontake Daigongen Shrine (dedicated to the same deity as the one in Kiso-Ontake Shrine). I paid respect to the shrine then as I was about to leave, a family reached the place so finally, I was not alone. But only for a few seconds.

I was on a bit of tight schedule so when I saw that it was 10:40, I started to make my way back to the main area. The problem though was that I did not know how and I could already see fork roads ahead of me…

No choice but to trust my instincts which path to take for every fork road. I chose trails that seem to be nearer to the main area.

Cannot understand anything but this was the sign near the uphill trail going back to the main area

Gotta pat myself on the back because I was able to successfully reach my destination! Had I followed the paths I ignored, I would have taken the long trail going back to the Summit Park Station… which would take 30-45 minutes of walking. I took a last round of taking in the sights at the summit before heading back to the sightseeing lift station.

At the Summit Park Station, I went for a quick lunch before heading back to the base. I ordered curry udon as recommended in Restaurant Nature. The free ocha was the perfect pair for the curry udon’s rich flavor.

When I reached the cable car station, it was a surprise because the staff put 3 different groups in one cable car. I wish I could speak in somehow fluent Japanese so that I can converse with the obaasans and ojiisans in the cable car. ☹

Here are some more views from the cable car to wrap up this post:

Japan, Day 6: Gozaisho Ropeway

Quite an early start for my Day 6 in Japan to be able to explore Mount Gozaisho in the morning. I was so excited to reach the summit but at the same time, a bit scared on how cold that morning will be. Problems of a tropical country citizen. Haha!

Quite an early start for my Day 6 in Japan to be able to explore MOUNT GOZAISHO in the morning. I was so excited to reach the summit but at the same time, a bit scared on how cold that morning will be. Problems of a tropical country citizen. Haha!

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

From Kintetsu-Nagoya Station, I rode a train to Kintetsu-Yokkaichi Station then from there, transferred to a train that would take me to Yunoyama-Onsen Station. If I had more time during this autumn trip, I would have stayed overnight in the place to try the onsen in the area. Anyway, as soon as I got off the train, I already felt that the temperature was colder than in the city. When the bus going to GOZAISHO ROPEWAY STATION arrived, I noticed two other old women who were in their hiking gear. I wondered if they were going to climb Mount Gozaisho without the help of a cable car…

When we reached the ropeway station, I immediately took a picture of the bus schedule going back to the train station so that I can time my activities in the mountain area. Near the ticket area, there was a board showing the temperature at the base vs the summit – it was 12C at the base then 4C at the summit. I was praying that I could endure the cold up there.

The cable car ride to the summit did not bore me because of the autumn scenery surrounding the mountains.

I was so excited with the scenery that I even walked from one side of the cable car to the other to take in all the sights that Gozaisho has to offer.

The whole ride to the summit lasted 15 minutes and it was good that they did not force people to group together when ascending the mountain. Leaving these few more pictures from the cable car ride. Next post will be about the experience at Mount Gozaisho. 😉

Japan, Day 5: Ama Hut Experience

I was so happy that I got to do the ama hut experience, especially with Ise ebi (Ise lobster) in season. The highlights of this experience were getting to eat seafood that were freshly caught by ama and conversing with ama divers, with the help of an interpreter.

I was undecided which tour company to pick between Osatsu-kamado and Hachiman. But the deciding factor was the free direct shuttle bus offered by Hachiman.

I found out about ama (海女, literally “woman of the sea”) in 2017 while looking for what to do in Ise-shima. I was unable to squeeze in a visit though because of the tight schedule of our 2017 trip but this time, I got the opportunity to meet them.

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

Some of the things I learned about ama during the visit:

Most ama are women and it is said that this is because males can hardly endure the cold water during diving.
Ama freedive for about 10m in the Pacific Ocean, with earplugs to protect their ears from water pressure.
They are mostly known for pearl cultivation but they also get seafood – octopus is their biggest enemy so they usually “fish” them; but they also get awabi (abalone), Ise ebi (Ise lobster), and sea cucumber among others.
There are about 120 ama divers in the area of Toba I visited, with the eldest being 85 y/o and the youngest being 24 y/o.
Ama usually work for about 2-4 hours and then take a rest in their huts…

I was undecided which tour company to pick between Osatsu-kamado and Hachiman. But the deciding factor was the free direct shuttle bus offered by Hachiman.

I found HACHIMAN KAMADO’s website to be outdated so I was hesitant to book but I read positive reviews online so I booked a reservation. I got an email within 24 hours that the 12:30 schedule I wanted was already fully booked so I asked if I could still avail the lunch set even if the schedule would be at 13:00. I got a reply that this was okay so I sent a new reservation form.

I got the Deluxe Seafood Set (¥7,560) which includes grilled shellfishes, sashimi, seaweed, soup, rice, pickles, and an option to choose either awabi or Ise ebi. I was excited for the lobster so the obvious choice for me was Ise ebi, and besides, I was able to try awabi last year.

From Ujiyamada Station (after Ise Jingu visit), we took a train going to Toba.

The shuttle was scheduled to leave at 13:00 and apparently there was no other visitor for the 13:00 schedule who availed this. When we reached the Ama Hut Hachiman area, there were 2 or 3 other groups in the room but they all had private cars for transportation.

Junko-san, the interpreter, greeted us and she pointed to the basket with the deluxe seafood set.

Junko showed each group to the assigned then one of the ama served us this kai (sea bream) sashimi. It was so fresh that I liked it even without dipping in the shoyu.

While busy with the appetizer, some of the ama started grilling the different kinds of shellfish.

Everything was so good, except for the weird kind that tasted as salty as the sea. The rice was served afterwards and that helped in neutralizing the saltiness. Ise ebi, the highlight of the lunch, was cooked lastly.

(I was so excited when I saw the ama with cooked Ise ebi approaching our table but then she just left after placing it on the table. I was confused how to remove the shell but another ama saw me – she wore her gloves then methodically removed the shell. Yay!

(

Ise ebi is not as big as the usual lobster but it is way bigger than shrimps. One bite and I could jump from joy because it tasted really good. There was a hint of sweetness and I savoured every bite of it!

One of the ama saw the sea bream we finished and she asked if we wanted it grilled so we said yes. It was so yummy but a bit difficult to get fish meat since there was only a little left.

After that heavy lunch, one of the ama went to the center of the room and started speaking in Japanese. Junko interpreted the ama’s story on their work, how they get seafood, and other interesting facts on the remarkable work they do.

Next, a few of the ama showed one of their traditional dances while music was being played on the background.

Before our visit was officially ended, Junko introduced us to Reiko-san, the oldest ama in the area. She is 80+ years old and considered the leader in the group but has retired from diving duties a few years ago.

We still had around 30 minutes before the bus leaves for Toba Station (15:10) so I took the opportunity to go near the water and walk along the shore. It was a bright day and I thought to myself that the view there would be even better during sunset.

When we returned to the ama huts, the ama were busy cleaning up. There were no visitors left and I could hear them chatting lively. Near the entrance, there were two ama talking to Junko. They saw us approaching and they asked us where we were from. When we said Philippines, they brought out PH flags so I asked the shuttle driver to take a photo of us.

They went back to talking afterwards and I was so bummed out that I forgot to buy dried mangoes for them because I wanted to give them a little token from PH. I remembered though that I had a small pack of peanuts so I shared it with them. When it was near 15:00, I said goodbye to them then Junko gave me a piece of chocolate. The ama also told me and Junko that I was “kawaii”. So sweet!

What a way to end my Ise-Shima adventure. Some may find this tour to be too expensive but the interaction with the ama was priceless for me. I wouldn’t mind doing this again when I get to revisit Toba in the future.

Japan, Day 5: Ise Jingu (revisit)

Despite the tiring walks from the previous days, I was still excited for this day trip because I would be going back to Ise Jingu.

During my previous visit, there were few people around because it was a weekday and we reached the place at around 8AM (read it here). But this time, it was a Sunday and already 10AM so there was a huge crowd of locals already.

Despite the tiring walks from the previous days, I was still excited for this day trip because I would be going back to Ise Jingu.

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

From Kintetsu Nagoya Station, it was about an hour and a half trip to Ujiyamada Station. And then from Ujiyamada, I rode a bus going to Ise Jingu (Geku) for less than 10 minutes.

During my previous visit, there were few people around because it was a weekday and we reached the place at around 8AM (read it here). But this time, it was a Sunday and already 10AM so there was a huge crowd of locals already.

GEKU (Outer Shrine) of Ise Jingu was my first stop and this shrine is dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, deity of three essentials of human life: cloth, food and shelter.

After visiting the small shrine at the top of the small hill in Geku, I went back to the bus stop to go to Naiku.

NAIKU (Inner Shrine) was even more crowded than Geku. I wasn’t able to take a picture of Ujibashi Bridge but good thing I already have one from the previous trip.

Wooden stands at one side of Ujibashi Bridge will be used in 2033 when Shikinen Sengu will be celebrated – a ceremony wherein all shrine buildings and main bridges in Ise Jingu are rebuilt every 20 years. Interestingly, the wood they use are sourced from trees grown within the shrine grounds. Shikinen Sengu happens every 20 years and the last time it has been held was in 2013. Through rebuilding, it is said that the power of the deity (Amaterasu-Omikami) is renewed.

Remember to walk along the side of the road because the center aisle is believed to be for deities only. Notice how most locals stay on the side.

When entering shrines and temples in Japan, temizu should be done to cleanse the mind and body as their gods are believed to hate impurity. In Naiku, aside from the common method of using a small wooden dipper, one option is to go to Isuzugawa (Isuzu River) to wash hands and rinse your mouth.

Seeing Naiku in autumn season was another treat – Isuzugawa was a nice spot to see trees in autumn colors.

The most crowded area in Naiku was Shogu, which is the main palace dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, Shinto’s most venerated deity. It is believed that her sacred mirror is enshrined inside the palace. Most people are not allowed to enter the inside of the palace but certain powerful people are given special exemptions.

Tall cedar tree with its base being touched by people for prayers

After going around a bit more, we decided to leave the temple just in time for the bus going back to Ujiyamada Station.

Ise Jingu will always one of my favorite places in Japan. I like the crunch sound whenever the sole of my shoes press on the pebbles, the bright rays of sunshine that are able to pass through spaces in between trees, and that unexplainable feeling of tranquillity in this place. I will definitely return there whenever possible during my future Japan trips!

Japan, Day 3: Korankei

Last stop for Day 3 was Korankei, which is considered as one of the best autumn spots in Chubu region. The place is very famous for momiji matsuri (autumn leaves viewing), and it is estimated to have about 4,000 maple trees of 11 types. Also, autumn night illumination is held every year from 5PM to 9PM wherein performances are held and lots of food stalls are set up.

Last stop for Day 3 was KORANKEI, which is considered as one of the best autumn spots in Chubu region. The place is very famous for momiji matsuri (autumn leaves viewing), and it is estimated to have about 4,000 maple trees of 11 types. Also, autumn night illumination is held every year from 5PM to 9PM wherein performances are held and lots of food stalls are set up.

NOVEMBER 23, 2018

The ride from Obara Fureai Park to Korankei took almost an hour. We took a different route (but only realized this when I left Korankei) – our van was the only vehicle on the road and we passed by mountains and lots of tall trees… to the point that I felt like we were going to a high place similar to Baguio or Sagada. LOL.

We arrived at Korankei at almost 5PM but the sun was almost gone by then! These were the only shots I got from Tomoebashi Bridge, which captured the scenery with the little bit of natural light left:

I walked along the pathway near Tomoe River then saw an uphill road to my left. A lot of locals were going up so I decided to follow… another mini hike for this day! It was quite a struggle for me because of my loafers’ slippery sole but I managed to reach the top.

There wasn’t much of a view because most of the surroundings were too dark to see already. The spotlights helped though in seeing the varying colors of the trees around us.

Overexposed – probably the worst picture I have in this trip haha!

After going back to the main road of Korankei, I noticed hundreds of lit candles along Tomoe River. I wanted to go there but there was a sign that only people who bought wishing candles can do so… what else to do but buy one, right?

There was a sign in kanji but I somehow understood that there was a photo contest for the wishing candles bought that was why the locals were busy finding the best angle. Some were trying to form a word or shape as a form of creativity.

View of Taigetsukyo Bridge from the riverside

I went around the area and once done with exploring, it was back to the main road of maple trees.

I wasn’t able to visit anymore other famous spots in Korankei such as Kojakuji Temple and the Koranbashi Suspension Bridge. ☹ It was already dark and the crowd was nauseating for me. I managed to find a big area with lots of food stalls but all of them had long lines and all dining tables were full. I decided to just go back to Taigetsukyo Bridge and cross it.

There were food stalls as well in this other side of Korankei and I fell in line in one shop because of the momiji-shaped food they were selling. I got the custard filled one because that one sounded delicious… true enough, it was good! I liked the sprinkled salt on top which contrasted the sweetness.

I walked while eating the momiji sweet – tabearuki (食べ歩き, eating while walking) is an acceptable behavior during festivals like this. I eventually found myself in another area with lots of food stalls. I saw takoyaki, yakisoba, candied fruits, okonomiyaki, omurice, and so much more food! How I wish that I could eat so much food during this time but my stomach wasn’t feeling well so I was only able to eat a set of 6-piece takoyaki. 😦

Interesting how they put the mayo inside each takoyaki

After dinner, I went to the bus stop for Toyotashi Station as the destination. It was only during this ride when I was able to confirm that we took a different route earlier that day. The bus arrived late at the train station because of the heavy traffic in Korankei.

Even if it was a very, very tiring third day, no regrets because the sceneries I saw were mesmerizing. Autumn in Japan is definitely a must!

Japan, Day 3: Obara Fureai Park

The bus ride from Senmi Shikizakura no Sato to Obara Fureai Park was about 15 minutes.

When we reached the park, I decided to follow the other locals and found food stalls. Perfect for my hungry tummy since I only had an onigiri for lunch. I checked out all the stalls and since it was very cold (less than 10C), I bought kishimen. Yay for my hiragana skills because I was able to read the stall’s food!

NOVEMBER 23, 2018

The bus ride from Senmi Shikizakura no Sato to OBARA FUREAI PARK was about 15 minutes. The rural area was a nice sight especially with shikizakura in full bloom.

Kishimen is actually one of Nagoya’s most famous dishes. Its broth is seasoned with tamari and it has flat udon noodles. Some of the common toppings are dried bonito shavings and thinly-sliced kamaboko (Japanese fish cake).

Kishimen — looks plain but broth is flavorful!

That hot broth hit the spot and definitely gave me warmth! I told the stall owner that her food was “hontouni oishii” (really delicious).

There was a stall with long line and I got curious what was sold there so I fell in line. I checked the stall’s name and read the hiragana park as “tamago” (egg) and saw in one of their smaller signs that they were selling “omelet”. I was still a bit cloyed from all the egg of the oyakodon (Day 1 dinner) so it was a bit of que horror when I learned this.

I decided to still buy one stick and I got fascinated with the machine they used to come up with the steamed egg on a stick.

True enough, I had a difficult time finishing one stick. Good thing there was that chicken sausage from another stall to serve as a taste breaker.

After eating, I went back to the parking lot and checked out the entrance area of the shikizakura area. I didn’t explore the place anymore because I was afraid of surprise uphill climbs and missing the last bus to Korankei.

After taking a few pictures, I saw a van beside the bus stop to Korankei so I asked the driver if it was going to that destination. He nodded his head and explained something in Japanese… so just to be sure, I went inside the hall center and found the three volunteers who were with us at the Senmi Shikizakura no Sato bus stop. I pointed to the van and asked if it was the correct vehicle to Korankei, and they responded yes. So yay, I boarded the “bus” and waited for 16:00 to leave.

Japan, Day 3: Senmi Shikizakura no Sato

Ever heard of sakura blooming during autumn? Well, that is not a fantasy because there is a place in Japan where this happens. The town is called Obara, which is popular for shikizakura (四季桜 four-season cherry blossoms), and not too far from Nagoya.

My destination for this trip was the Senmi Shikizakura no Sato — farther than the more popular Obara Fureai Park.

Ever heard of sakura blooming during autumn? Well, that is not a fantasy because there is a place in Japan where this happens. The town is called OBARA, which is popular for shikizakura (四季桜 four-season cherry blossoms), and not too far from Nagoya.

NOVEMBER 23, 2018

From Fushimi Station, the train ride to Toyotashi Station was about an hour. I bought food for breakfast but wasn’t able to eat it because there was a long line already at Bus Stop 1. It turned out to be the bus bound for Obara Fureai Park, the more popular spot for shikizakura. My destination was SENMI SHIKIZAKURA NO SATO, which was farther than the park.

I rode the bus with Kaminigi as the last stop, and the 1-hour ride became 1.5 hours due to traffic congestion in the Obara Fureai Park area. It was an interesting ride because there were more than five other Filipinos in the same bus. They were MA students who had no classes that day, and we ended up chatting for some time.

When the bus arrived at the Kaminigi stop, there was no English sign where to go to reach Senmi Shikizakura no Sato so I decided to follow where the locals were heading. The walk was about 10 minutes and even before reaching the park, I already saw a few shikizakura trees.

Upon reaching the highway, there were even more shikizakura so it was a sign that I was very near my destination. I crossed the road and then saw this:

Even at the base of Senmi Shikizakura no Sato, the landscape was so scenic that you would not be able to resist taking lots of pictures. Imagine seeing autumn and spring colors mixing together!

Autumn colors were present everywhere. 😍

I thought that it was just a big area with some stairs or slopes. What I didn’t know was that I need to do a long uphill climb to go around the whole park. So, uhm, I was wearing loafers… Hence, most of the time, I had to be really careful in walking otherwise I might roll down the slope. Haha!

But, all those slope challenges were worth it because I got to see shikizakura flowers up close. Shikizakura flowers are quite small compared to the spring sakura one. Still, that does not make them less beautiful.

Some other sights I enjoyed:

After making sure that I already covered all possible trails, I started my descent. Akala mo naman nag-hike nang bongga. Haha!

I was so hungry by the time I reached the food stalls and dining area. I checked if there was anything interesting but all stalls had long lines so I decided to just eat the onigiri we bought earlier. Before finding a spot though, I smelled a really nice citrus fragrance nearby and found locals eating a small yellow fruit. I decided to buy one since it was just ¥50 per piece.

After finishing my onigiri, I removed half of the peel of the fruit I bought. It was so juicy that my hands had juice drops everywhere. I took my first bite… and my face couldn’t help but twitch because of the sourness. I said out loud, “Ang asim!!!”. The group of four obaasans (grandmas) across the table laughed and told me “Suppai!!!” (sour). They were talking to me in Japanese and from the little I understood, they told me that the fruit was yuzu and it was really sour during this season. They told me “Gambatte!” (good luck) when I reached for my 2^nd and 3^rd slices. I responded to them with my basic Japanese skills – good thing they understood me saying thank you for cheering me and that the yuzu was really not sweet. They said goodbye as I was eating my 4^th slice… and after that, I decided to give up on the yuzu.

While putting the yuzu in the plastic bag, an obaasan from another table approached me and gave me wet wipes. Such a sweet gesture! I thanked her in Japanese and gave her a big smile as I wiped my hands clean from the yuzu juice.

I think I am really a magnet of ojiisans and obaasans (grandpas & grandmas) of Japan. 😊 I had cute and heart-warming stories as well last year – in Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto and Todai-ji, Nara (here).

After finishing, I climbed a long flight of stairs, which led to a small shrine:

In the middle of climbing the stairs, I noticed a nice spot with maple trees basking under the rays of the sun.

Trying to find the best angle…

Paid respect to the shrine at the top of the hill then started going down to catch the special bus going straight to Korankei.

I was waiting for the 14:01 direct bus to Korankei and I was lucky to meet three locals who were volunteers helping tourists in Obara. One of them can speak in relatively good English so she confirmed the bus schedule.

Being in Japan, everything was supposedly on time but all of us were wondering why the bus had not yet arrived even if it was 14:10 already. The volunteers started asking locals nearby and one of them even called someone on the phone. Apparently, that Friday was a holiday so the bus schedule is different from normal weekdays.

Plan B was to take the 14:37 bus going to Obara Fureai and from there, take the last shuttle going to Korankei. They apologized a few times but I told them not to mind it since Korankei was my last stop for that day anyway. What was more important for me was to see the autumn night illumination.

The volunteers eventually placed a note on this bus stop that the sched for that day is for holiday/weekends

The Toyota Tourism website (click here) provided an accurate bus schedule for those who were in interested in going to Obara and Korankei in 2018.

Once the bus arrived at 14:37, we rode it and I was surprised to know that it was a free bus. Yay! Story on my short stay in Obara Fureai Park will be on the next post. 😊