A Walk In the Woods

View from our balcony

We awoke in our rather salubrious hotel in Kinugawaonsen Hotel to the gentle pitter patter of moisture on our balcony. But, the day can’t be lost so we headed off in our raincoats, their second outing of our tour. We rode the train back to Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage site town with a number of temples and shrines. These people aren’t very religious and we don’t hear church bells or the calling of the imam but they are very honest, polite and trustworthy. We resorted to hunting for geocaches among the temples and avoided paying entrance fees at almost every turn. I posed in front of the Shinkyo Bridge, about 250 years old as are the temples, with the obligatory Japanese finger salute. Not our best day out but we must never let a chance go by.

 Been said before I know but our second full day at Nikko dawned fine and clear with a 2% chance of rain. We headed up the valley to a small lake, Lake Yumoto. At 5000 feet above sea level this would put us a good way up Mt Egmont (8260 feet asl). The higher altitude had obviously brought on a few more frosts and the trees were turning their autumn colours and really looked picturesque, biscuit tin lids and calendars everywhere. We took a hundred photos I’m sure, it really was a delight. 

This walk was most unlike our last walk in Japan where we wandered along a 600 year old passage between two cities. This was Tongariro crossing stuff (not that we have done that and not that this was at the same altitude) but it was more in the wilds. A few others walking, far more puffing than us and very few birds and one monkey were all we saw of wildlife. I had hoped to see a herd of Sika deer which are becoming a pest due to high numbers. The forest is mostly deciduous trees of beech and oak with a few evergreen fir and thuja for contrast. I did spot a few silver birch trees which I dislike because they look so cold and deathly during winter when their foliage has all dropped. We did see rhododendron growing wild and it would have had white flowers if we had been here a few months sooner. 

While it was an 8 hour adventure half of that was taken up travelling in buses or trains or waiting for said vehicles. But it was a beaut day out. The road near the lake split into two roads - one way 2 lanes up and one way down. We thought the way up was pretty steep but the way down was unbelievable. 48 fairly short switchbacks big enough for 40 seater buses. It was pretty amazing and a very busy up and back tourist route.

4 hours of walking but 4 hours of buses and trains!

Back home to our fairly luxurious hotel the onsen beckoned as a means to alleviate the aching muscles (what few of them we have). I tried a quick rum but that didn’t really make any difference so down to the onsen we both went, Diana through the pink curtain, me through the blue. I’m feeling reasonably confident now in my nakedity so strip off, wash down at the milking station and head for the outdoor hot tub. Whoa..!!!, there are over a dozen men in here and I note a sidelong glance from each of them. I’m feeling like a polar bear in Soweto as I climb gingerly into the hot water and try to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. Not easy, there is a lot of chatter and I am presuming it is something to do with the size of my pecker or the fact that I’m circumcised. The polar bear has a sunburnt face but at least I am in the water now. What are they talking about, I smile and gesture as politely as possible and am very pleased when most of them leave within a few minutes. I am sure they aren’t talking about me personally as we are all on the same level in our birthday suits and what you got is what you have…men don’t do botox do they?

So an hour in the onsen and then dinner at the buffet station finished a perfect day out.

Time to watch rugby

We spent most of the day with Yumi and her family. Her and Yusuke picked us up from our hotel and took us to their house a few kilometres away where Yusuke (a professional chef) made our lunch. Magnificent spread with several species of raw fish, oddly, very edible. We had a wonderful time with Yumi, her 3 children (all very shy…as most Japanese seem to be) and Yusuke before he went off to work. Their home and living room is very similar to us at home however their sleeping space was one big room where all five of them slept together. We didn’t get taken there but it sounded a bit different from home.

After that it was towards Tokyo and while we were in the built-up area, it wasn’t Tokyo City. We stayed at Machida, took a train and the subway and had a catch up with Peter and Linda Keach. Peter was my boss when I worked for PF Olsen and like Diana and I they enjoy travelling in NZ and overseas. Later that day we got excited as we had tickets to the Brave Blossoms versus Springboks. We were hoping for an upset win to the Brave Blossoms and it seemed so were South Africa but Rassie must have had different thoughts and during the half time talk told them to change the plan. The Japanese crowd were amazingly supportive and dignified in defeat. I think they will now support the All Blacks.

To get to this game we had to use trains and subway and several changes on the way…this is not easy. This is something of a matter of luck, best guesses and prayers (which I don’t think will be honoured due to a lack of repentance). Getting from A to B has been a challenge almost every day. “B” is difficult to determine as our maps are not in English and many signs do not have an English version. At times we have been on the subway, a train is waiting and we run hoping it is going where we want. Once underway we watch the little blue dot on Google maps hoping that the dot is heading in the right direction. But as we didn’t know precisely where “A” was to start with we are struggling. Even when we know we have arrived at the right Station there are so often so many exits or entry points for different lines in all directions – we must look pretty woeful as people often offer to help us which is really nice. Surprisingly, despite not knowing where we have come from and unsure where we are heading we haven’t gone too far wrong…but there is always tomorrow.

So our first game of rugby out of the way and the All Blacks comfortably into the semis it was time for some R&R in the mountains north of Tokyo. We headed 2.5 hours north to Kinugawa Onsen, very near Nikko. This is a hot water town and we have given the onsen a bash with similar experiences as before. Diana has noted one good thing about sharing your bathing experience in an onsen is that gravity plays no part for those who have a D cup….until you have to step out that is!! Not sure I will go further into that discovery but I am sure you ladies get the drift. 

Our hotel is magnificent, on the 10^th storey with balcony to the river BUT no bed!! A hotel without a bed had us a little concerned but while away to dinner on the first night we arrive back in our room for bedding on the floor. Camping! But I thought very comfy. Diana put 2 futons together and was happy. We intend to walk in the Nikko National Park for a couple of days. There are mountains, waterfalls, lakes and vast plateaus. There are numerous walking tracks and we will try to conquer a couple of them in the next day or two. Fortunately there is the onsen at the end of the day to soak away any aches and pains, and a glass of rum if necessary.