Photos are Up!

I have posted all the photos from my latest trip to Japan.  Check them out here.

Also, I uploaded a little video of some of my adventures.  Check it out!

Patiently Delayed

We had a buffet breakfast this morning at the Zen Cafe attached to the hostel.  God bless them, but no matter how hard they try, the Japanese can’t get a Western breakfast right.  So while we were trying to stomach what appeared to be scrambled eggs, we listened to a Canadian guy talk about all kinds of stuff to anyone who would listen.  It’s remarkable how someone with so little knowledge could have so much to say.

At one point he was commenting on Japanese efficiency.  He remarked how the Japanese can ship a package from one end of Japan to the other within one day.  But to ship a package from one end of Canada to the other would take several days.

Ummm… Dude, did you happen to consider that Canada is like, 100 times bigger than Japan?!?  (What a dummy…)

After our breakfast, we did some window shopping (because we’re out of money) and we hung out at Kyoto station.  We got to hang out at the station quite a bit longer than planned… Our train was delayed for 2 hours.

At first, we waited patiently for the train, but after about an hour, we knew something was wrong.  As I walked to the main station area to see if we could get on a different train, I saw Japanese people sitting everywhere.  There were people sitting patiently along the stairs, walls, counters… It was really remarkable to see how patient and orderly everyone was, even though there was a 2 hour delay.

I’m still not sure what happened, but I think all the bullet trains were delayed.  Maybe there was some sort of threat.  Who knows…

I did finally make it to K’s House Tokyo at 9pm.  We got a bite to eat, then went to bed.

History Tour

We took a JTB Sunrise tour of Kyoto this morning.  We visited Nijo Castle, the Golden Pavillion and the Imperial Palace.  It’s really interesting to hear about Japan’s long history.  Also, it’s incredible to be able to touch things that are hundreds, or even thousands of years old.

After the tour, we did a bit more shopping.  But (oops) we now only have about $50 left between the two of us… and we have two more days before we fly home.  Let’s hope it’s enough and I’m not left begging on a street corner.

Yakisoba=love; Mosquitos=hate

We left Beppu this morning headed to Kyoto.  We arrived at K’s House hostel at about 2:30pm.  The hostel had gone through some major upgrades since I stayed here last year.  We got to stay in a brand new room, which was pretty nice.

After some veg time, we went out to dinner at my favorite restaurant in Kyoto.  Its a place for the locals, and it only has about 5 tables.  While we were there, there was a table full of young Japanese who were having a rather rowdy time.  It was quite fun to be around them.

And best of all, the food was as good as I remember.  And inexpensive, dinner for 2 for $16.

I’m really getting pissed about the weather here.  Its too hot.  And what’s with all the mosquitoes?!?  I counted 13 bites just below my knees!

Rising Sun Over Monkey Mountain

This morning, we went to Mt. Takasaki, home of the Japanese Macaque monkeys.  Its actually their natural habitat.  The monkeys are not caged, and they’re free to come and go as they please.

Anyway, we went to the park at the mountain to see the monkeys.  I expected to maybe see a handful of monkeys.  Boy, was I wrong.  There were hundreds of them.  They almost ignored the people.  One walked right between my legs.  They were quite cute, but a bit aggressive.

After seeing the monkeys, we went shopping in Beppu.  We went to YouMe Department Store and shopped for the rest of the day.  I picked up some great T-shirts with nonsensical English writing.  Great souvenirs.

By the way, it’s really freaking hot here in Japan.  I mean, really hot… seriously. HOT.

Anyway, I’ve been sweating buckets since I arrived, which has attracted mosquitos like flys to honey.  I have so many mosquito bites that I’m worried I might be quarantined under the assumption that I have some sort of pox.

So since I’m in Beppu, city of the hot springs (with curative properties), I thought a dip in the onsen might do me some good… maybe stop the itching.

But remember the part about it being really hot here… Well, I just sat it almost boiling hot water for 15 minutes… Now, I can’t stop sweating!  I mean really sweating, like I’ve got a fever, it’s crazy.  I’m naked, standing in the middle of the hotel room, so I don’t get the bed soaked.

Sometimes I don’t use my head…

A Rather Independent Day

Today was our big hiking day.  We headed out early for Mt. Tsuwado, hoping to beat some of the heat.

The start of the hike was really nice… clear, wide path with clearly visible markers… a good beginners hike. 

Then, about half way through our hike, the path disappeared.  So we had to rely on faded, red paint sprayed on trees to find our way.  At several places, it took minutes to find a marker.  This and the terrain now being wet rocks (actually a stream because it had rained) made it a much more challenging hike.

Near the top, we got to a cliff.  The rock face was pierced with bolts and chains.  Yes folks, we had to almost free climb a cliff face, just aided by a chain bolted to the side of the rock.  Suddenly, the hike became a lot more difficult…  But we made it to the top, had a celebratory lunch, then headed back down.

After hiking, we went to Usa Jingu Shrine, the largest in that area.  It was peaceful and beautiful, and had acres of the largest lotus flowers I had ever seen.

Later that evening we ate dinner… the best lasagna in the world! (Thanks Jo)

From USA to Usa

“I was unaware of those piercing eyes looking at my backpack”- Tosaiwahara train station sign

We woke up early this morning to catch the only morning bus back to the train station.  We scrambled to pack up all our things before our endlessly long, uphill trek to the bus stop.  Oh, and by the way, it’s effing HOT!

We ended up being able to catch an earlier train then planned, so we made a brief stop in Okayama.  We ate some lunch and headed over to the International Center to use the internet.  I hadn’t been online in days and I was starting to go into withdrawal.  Unfortunately, I only had a few minutes to check my email before rushing to my next train.

We arrived in Usa at about 3pm, and Joanne from Kiora Cottage was there waiting to pick us up.

Kiora Cottage is a quaint, little guest cottage at the base of a mountain, which offers “a taste of New Zealand in rural Japan”.  I stayed here last year and I loved it so much that I came back.

We played some games and hung out with Joanne’s family before having a delicious, home-cooked dinner.  We talked a bit more after dinner, then went to bed for a much needed rest.

Frog Song in the Moonlight

This morning, we took a bus to Kazurabashi, a famous vine bridge in the Iya Valley.  Crossing the bridge cost about $5, and it was a ton of fun.  It was a little bit scary because the spaces between the wooden slats were big enough for a leg to slip through.

It was really funny to watch the rest of the tourists cross the bridge.  When we crossed a second time, there was an old man jumping and shaking the bridge.  He was laughing and having a great time scaring the other people on the bridge.

We stayed at the Iya Kazurabashi Camping Village.  When we arrived, no one else was around, not even the caretaker.  So we decided to play in the river below the campground.

The view of the river valley from the campground was spectacular.  There was a lush forest on the opposite side of the river.  The river was dotted with large boulders, and speckled with small, blue stones.

Since we were the only ones camping, we pitched our tent just above the river.  The sound of the water rushing past the rocks was really relaxing.

We went into town (which was just a handful of buildings) for lunch.  We had the local specialty, Iya Soba.  It was ok.  The noodles were thick, but actually quite light.

It also rained quite a bit, so we were confined to a very small tent for most of the day.  As this was my first camping trip, I wasn’t prepared with things to do if it rained.  So it was quite an uneventful day.

I can’t complain, though, because the view was amazing, and I was lulled to sleep by the rushing water, the hum of cicadas, and the croaking of the frogs.

Happy Canyoning

This morning, I headed to the post office to mail some souvenirs I picked up so far.  It was about $29 to ship an 8 pound box back to the States… not bad.  But it will take 6-8 weeks to get there.  So none of you will be getting any gifts for a while.

After our breakfast viking (in Japan, viking = buffet), we boarded our train for Tosaiwahara, heading for our canyoning trip with Happy Raft.

And OMG, canyoning was A.W.E.S.O.M.E!  We drove up to Ninja Canyon and began our fun-filled descent down the Yoshino River.  We slid down waterfalls, jumped off boulders into the river, and rappelled/zip-lined down cliffs.  It was completely amazing.  I couldn’t have asked for a better time.

That night, we stayed at a guest house owned by one of the rafting guides.  It was an old, traditional Japanese house with tatami mats and shoji sliding doors.  The view from the house was incredible, and it was fun to sleep in traditional Japanese style.

Lime + Water = Cooked Food?

I woke up at about 5:30 am.  Thank goodness I’m a heavy sleeper, because after I woke up, I heard a symphony of snoring, heavy breathing and light groaning from the other people sleeping around me in the train.

Looking out the window, I enjoyed the views of rural Japan flying past.  My vacation hopefully will be a lot more enjoyable from here on.  I like the country life…  vast, unspoiled scenic views, genuine people, and natural adventures.

We finally reached Tokushima, looking forward to a restful day before our adventures tomorrow.  First, we did some shopping at “Shopping Town”.  We played some games at the arcade.  I won 3 keychains in one grab!

Then, we went to McDonalds for some lunch.  I had the EBI Burger, which appeared to be a shrimp patty.  Although I have no idea what EBI means, it was pretty good (whatever it was). 

After lunch, we took a cable car to the top of Mt. Bizan, where we enjoyed a nice stroll around the park and temple grounds.

I passed out early at the hotel, while Anthony enjoyed a night out with some English teachers he met.  He came back to the room hungry, but there wasn’t anything open at that time in the area.  I suggested eating from the hotel vending machine.

Vending machines in Japan are unlike any other I’ve seen in the world.  You can get almost anything from a vending machine, snacks, beer, panties, and even cooked food.  This particular vending machine had meals with a warming device that heats food in 8 minutes by a “chemical reaction between lime and water”.  I’m not sure how it works, but you pull a string, hear some boiling noises, and the food is cooked in 8 minutes.

Only in Japan…