This is the last part of my 2018 autumn trip in Japan. There was a bit of a mix up with the schedule so I ended up having free time from lunch onwards. Good thing I read a lot about Nagoya so I decided to have lunch at Atsuta Horaiken. The place is famous for serving hitsumabushi since 1873.
NOVEMBER 27, 2018
This is the last part of my 2018 autumn trip in Japan. There was a bit of a mix up with the schedule so I ended up having free time from lunch onwards. Good thing I read a lot about Nagoya so I decided to have lunch at ATSUTA HORAIKEN. The place is famous for serving hitsumabushi since 1873. From the train station, it was a about a 10-minute walk to reach the restaurant.
However, when I got there, the employee
stationed outside the resto told me that the waiting time was 50 minutes. I
told him it was okay so he asked me to return during that time. There was
nothing to do around their area – not even a convenience store to check out. So
I checked if the revered ATSUTA SHRINE
was nearby… and it was! I walked for 15 minutes and reached one of the side
entrances. I was trying to find my way to Hongu, the main shrine, but all signs
were in kanji so it was up to my gut feel again.
Lo and behold, I was right again because I
easily found my way to the main shrine.
It is said that the sacred sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi,
one of the Imperial symbols, is enshrined here. Atsuta Shrine is also revered
throughout Japan, ranking second only to Ise Shrine. This probably explains why
the building in the main shrine looks like the one in Ise Jingu.
Atsuta Shrine is dedicated to Atsuta-no-Ookami who blessed mankind with love.
When it was 15 minutes before my scheduled
lunch at Atsuta Horaiken, I left the shrine and made my way back to the
restaurant.
The employee I met earlier gave me the
thumbs up to go inside and wow, I was just blown away when I saw the garden and
main door because it felt like I was entering an old but well-taken care of
traditional Japanese house.
Inside the resto, I waited for a bit before I was accompanied by one of their staff to the 2nd floor where a table was assigned to me. I ordered the hitsumabushi which was priced at (¥3,900). My meal arrived after about 20 minutes – big bowl with rice and unagi, small bowl of soup, pickles, small jar with ocha, and a container with nori, wasabi, and green onions.
Hitsumabushi consists of a big bowl of
rice, topped with unagi, and there are three ways to enjoy this.
1) As it is – take a spoonful of rice and a
slice of unagi then place them in the empty bowl
2) With the condiments – do #1 then add
nori/wasabi/green onions
3) With broth made from tea and dashi – do
#1 then add the broth
After trying all three, you may now enjoy
the rest of the food with whichever method works best for you.
I used the small empty bowl the resto
provided so that I can decide later on how I want to eat the remaining portion.
But, I couldn’t choose only one so I did all of them repeatedly, without any
particular order.
I didn’t get to finish the rice because the serving size was like good for two. ☹ I went back to the hotel afterwards to do a final check on my luggage then went to the nearby airport limo bus stop. The bus ride to Chubu Centrair was about an hour and I did a last-minute souvenir shopping – bought two sets of uiro from the famous Aoyagi Uiro.
Had ebi fry for dinner before my flight
back to Manila…
Can’t believe one week in Japan just went by. During my first day, my thoughts were about having lots of days to explore Japan. By the last day, I was already thinking when my next trip to Japan will be. Still undecided where to go next but I am sure it will be another awesome adventure. ❤
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. 😊
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.
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.
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 😐
Me after the first 10 seconds, finally enjoying 😀
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 3rd
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.
From Chouja Pond
Going back to main area
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:
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 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 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.
Look at those Ise ebi — still alive!
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!
Retro style bus at Toba Station
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.
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.
Weekend bus time table from Geku-mae
Weekend bus time table from Naiku-mae
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.
A glimpse of Ujibashi Bridge
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!
Finally the day to explore Nagoya – hello Day 4! This was more of a shopping day though so don’t expect cultural or technological tours. 🙂
In the morning, I went to Osu Shopping District and went around different anime shops such as Geepress, Mandarake, and Yellow Submarine.
Finally the day to explore Nagoya – hello Day 4! This was more of a shopping day though so don’t expect cultural or technological tours. 🙂
NOVEMBER 24, 2018
In the morning, I went to OSU SHOPPING DISTRICT and went around different anime shops such as Geepress, Mandarake, and Yellow Submarine. My only purchase was the earphone plugs I badly wanted ever since losing my Luffy plug 2 years ago. I also tried looking for a Sailormoon action figure for a friend but oddly enough, I didn’t find any.
When it was lunch time, I went to Maidreamin which is one of the popular maid cafes in Japan. It was my first time to visit one and it was interesting. I had the omurice with curry sauce but I didn’t know that they will draw on the omurice using catsup… uhm, talk about a weird combination with my curry sauce. I couldn’t say no because it might offend them so I just said the first animal I could think of – neko (cat). Good thing the taste of the curry overpowered the catsup!
Some of the customers ordered the set menu which included a
dance performance from the maid of their choice. It was like watching a good
solo JPop act (but I still have my own reservations on this).
Near Maidreamin was the giant maneki-neko, the landmark of Fureai Plaza. At different times of the day, there were different performers like this guy who was doing different balloon artworks.
Next order of business was to find Ocha no Kakien for my fix of green tea! It wasn’t far from the maneki-neko and they were having a free taste when we got there. I was supposed to buy matcha but they had it in powdered form – which I had no idea how to mix. ☹ I ended up getting a genmaicha+matcha combination of tea leaves for ¥600 (already tried it back home and I super love this!!!).
I forgot what I was trying to look for during this time but
I remember seeing so many shops that cater to different shopping needs – shoes,
clothes, caps, bags, food… you name it! Be prepared to have tired feet and
empty wallets.
I saw a shop selling Cremia while finding the road going to
Sakae. So even if it was autumn season, I still bought ice cream. I looove
Cremia’s signature langue de chat cone.
I was also supposed to try Gaburi Chicken but still full
from lunch so that visit was postponed.
Last stop for the day was SAKAE, which is the popular shopping and entertainment district of
Nagoya. I went to PARCO to visit animate and try to find my sister’s
Nyanko-sensei plushie request. It was a surprise not to see this in any of the
anime shops we visited in Osu, especially since it had a recent movie release
in Japan. Anyway, luck was on my side because I found two different plushies!
I also dropped by Tower
Records. I initially planned not to buy anything but out of curiosity, I
asked the staff for the CD shelf of LUCK LIFE and Kenshi Yonezu. Lo and behold,
their shelves were facing each other.
I bought LUCK LIFE’S latest EP (Naru) and Kenshi Yonezu’s Lemon EP with DVD. So happy for Kenshi Yonezu because he has two whole shelves dedicated for his music. ❤
LUCK LIFE! 2018 discovery ❤
Why aren’t you on Spotify? 😦
Kenshi Yonezu’s shelf 1/2 (So happy for him!!! <3)
Kenshi Yonezu’s shelf 2/2 (So happy for him!!! <3)
Spot flumpool – they’re on hiatus though ☹
No pictures anymore but after PARCO, I shopped for new coats
in GU then spent a lot on food
souvenirs in DonKi / Don Quijote
(mostly Kitkat and instant noodles). Sad wallet but happy heart.
Back at the area of the hotel, I followed the staff’s
instructions on where to find the nearest money changer. It was a surprise to
find out that Kintetsu Nagoya Station a fifteen-minute walk. Perfect discovery
because it would be an important train station for the next 2 days. Initially, I
was thinking of boarding the train from Fushimi to Nagoya then walk to Kintetsu
Nagoya. What a nice discovery!
Dinner was at CoCo
Ichibanya where I got the hamburger curry with cheese. I liked that they
have options on the serving size for rice since I don’t eat much rice.
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.
Too crowded, yikes!
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
Almost done cooking!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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:
Yay, finally!
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!
Red and pink representing two seasons
Close up shot of shikizakura
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!
Start of the uphill trail
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:
The only gingko tree I saw in the area
Spring and Autumn together
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.
Tuna mayo onigiri
Super sour yuzu
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 2nd and 3rd 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 4th 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
Retro-looking bus from Senmi Shikizakura no Sato to Obara Fureai Park – free ride here!
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. 😊
I was really looking forward to wearing a kimono since that is part of my bucket list. Despite previous trips in Japan, it was not a top of mind activity due to the extreme cold weather (winter and early spring).
One of the popular kimono rental shops in Kyoto is wargo and I chose their branch in Gion as they have a bigger selection of kimono designs and it was the area where I wanted to go around while in kimono.
So as I mentioned in my previous post, I was
really looking forward to wearing a kimono since that is part of my bucket
list. Despite previous trips in Japan, it was not a top of mind activity due to
the extreme cold weather (winter and early spring).
NOVEMBER 22, 2018
One of the popular kimono rental shops in Kyoto is wargo and I chose their branch in Gion as they have a bigger selection of kimono designs and it was the area where I wanted to go around while in kimono.
I got the standard kimono plan and paid an additional
fee for basic hairdo + curling of fringe/bangs. I made an online reservation so I got
everything cheaper than doing it walk-in. But more than the lower cost, online
reservation secured me a sure time slot for wearing the kimono. There was no time
limit as long as I returned the kimono by 18:30.
It took me some time to decide which kimono to wear because they had a lot of designs that I liked. Eventually I settled for a design that had a prominent red color to match the autumn season. I was also torn between two obi (sash) so I asked for the staff’s reco which one best matched the kimono I chose.
After choosing, I was told to sit in one of
the chairs and they handed me a chart which showed the options for basic
hairdo. I pointed to the one I liked and the hairstylist proceeded to do her
magic – she was done in less than 10 minutes! Including curling my side
fringes… how was that even possible?
I went to the dressing room afterwards and got assigned to Noriko-san. The whole process of wearing the kimono was complex. There were a lot of layers to put on so even if I only had one thermal top, Noriko-san assured me that I would not get cold. At one point though during the fitting, her knot was too tight so I was racking my brains for the Japanese translation… I couldn’t think of it so I just said “Sumimasen… too tight.” Good thing she understood so she loosened the knot a bit. After Noriko-san’s magic with my kimono, I placed my important stuff in the small bag I chose then selected a pair of slippers that would match my look.
TIP: Choose a pair of slippers that is either the exact same size as your foot or one size smaller, whichever you will be more comfortable in walking.
Once dressing was complete, the hairstylist
told me to pick a kanzashi (hair ornament). I was so confused which to choose
because everything looked nice so I asked her to pick for me. She chose two kanzashi
and I decided on the one with pink and red flowers.
It was time to go out and I chose the side of GION nearest to wargo. There was a shrine nearby with other people in kimono too so it felt like I was in another era. What else to do here but take pictures. 😊
It was almost sunset so the golden light effect was really nice. Still can’t believe that I looked like this with the magic hands and skills of wargo staff!
After going around, I remembered the Gion area
I visited back in 2017 – the one near Gion-Shirakawa and Tatsumi Bridge (read
it here).
I had to thank my memory and cognitive map because I was able to reach it
without getting lost. Yay!
These two shots from the area are definitely my favorite:
Other shortlisted pictures:
I can’t read the kanji writings in each part of the fence but this added to the traditional vibe of Gion.
After almost 2 hours, I went back to the
rental shop and I returned to being an ordinary-looking tourist in Japan. I headed
back to Kyoto Station to hop on a normal train ride going back to Nagoya –
about a two-hour trip with one transfer in Maibara Station. Taking another
shinkansen would make a dent on my pocket money already. LOL.
Back in Nagoya, even when it was past 9PM, my hair still looked really good! Can’t stop raving about the magic hands of that hairstylist… or maybe it’s because I’m a noob when it comes to fixing my hair. Haha!
I didn’t know where to eat dinner so I just
went to the direction near our hotel that I had not yet explored.
Earlier during this day, I was chatting with my friend – J. She recommended that I try the grilled marinated beef in MATSUYA. So it was a surprise when I found out there was a Matsuya near the hotel.
I got the smallest size for the grilled
marinated beef set (¥650), and ordering was a breeze with their vendo machine that
had an English menu option. I only waited for a few minutes before my order was
served.
I wasn’t too hungry that night though so it
was a bit of a challenge to finish the serving of meat. After dinner, I got a
random ice cream from the convenience store which turned out to be vanilla. Yay
for a non-weird flavor!
Aaand that wraps Day 2 of my 2019 autumn trip in Japan. 😊
Anne Goes to Places 