My first matsuri

From Ochanomizu JR station, we rode to Shinjuku JR station. Outside, we walked toward the Flags shopping mall, mainly because we wanted to check out if we could crash into the show "waratte ii to omou". But the entrance was chained. So we just wandered in the shopping mall, until we exited the centre and walked toward kabukicho.

 

The city lights were turned off and, and after walking past mugshots of hostesses and hosts plastered on giant boards in the red light district, we stumbled on a  street filled with  food stalls so we hurriedly followed our stomach and landed int he middle of Ootori matsuri, which was at Hanazono shrine. There was a huge quue of people at the shrine and we contented ourselves with the smells and sights of the different stalls before settling for an oden shop.

 

It was my first time attending a festival like this, in the evening, so I was overjoyed. We walked it off on the other side of the Shinjuku station and got to view the Shinjuku lights, just past Takashiyama department store. 

There was a light display made of plastic bottles which was quite impressive: from fr, i really looked like it was made of ice. After that we took a fully packed train to Mikata, with my huge suitcase. I have never been so compressed in a wagon before, and I hope I won't have to be in that situation again. I was lucky I still had intact ribs and face in that motionless stampede.

Flirting with studies at Waseda University and Meiji Jingu, Tokyo

I managed to ring the girls in Tokyo for lunch, and also arranged for the evening plans. The hotel was the b ikebukuro so it was very close to sunshine city with all its shopping and playground. I was most curious about the aquarium and wondered if it was the one featured in the j-drama Nanase futatabi (just realized there is a movie too).
So at around 10:00 I was out, after having breakfast on the 2nd floor wine bar...That was the strangest breakfast, as it was a buffet, with Japanese breakfast (pickles, miso soup, rice, fish), korean side dishes (like kimchi), toast and spreads, noodles, and all you can think of eating at lunch and dinner, all that within a space surrounded by shelves of bottles of wine...I was sorry I wasn't that hungry in the morning, and slightly in a rush. My breakfast: natto on rice...

Following and trusting the crowd of salarymen and women walking hurrying to their offices, I remembered that most shops and offices seemed to open after 10:00. Walking past yummy smells of fresh bakery, karaoke establishments, food joints advertising their dishes through sandwich men and women carrying menus, I finally stumbled on one entrance of the Sunshine City...grabbed a map in English and located the Aquarium, as well as a 59th floor restaurants with views. Taking the escalator and going through all the freshly opened and tidy shops was very cool, except for the vendor rushing over to their first customer of the day. In any case though, it was dissapointing to find out the aquarium was closed for renovation. A nice stroll in Namjatown was quite entertaining as well although I forgot to take pictures.

Landing in the 59th floor was a different experience. here the restaurants are hidden behind opaque walls and only a menu is displayed in the corridor outside their entrance. However the Cafe de Crie had bay windows that accomodated my already legs and provided some latte. I have given up trying to understand the name of the cafe...

It was starting to be almost 11:30 and I had a lunch date at Waseda University metro station, so I leisurely got to Ikebukuro JR station and rode to Takadanobaba JR station. From there it was a fun walk on Waseda dori towards the metro station. I saw many Indian restaurants, bookshops, students, cheap and yummy noodle shops (people queuing up outside). In between buildings, small streets lead to quiet residential areas. Eventually I made it to the station and peered with envy at the students rushing out of the station to their classes. Yes, the grass is always greener on the other side...

F-san picked me up after I called her from a payphone, since I had no working sim card (yup, Swiss sim card would not roam to Softbank or other, sniff). She took me to a small eatery owned by this old couple and I had nizakana. It was simply delicious and so comforting. A colleague of hers was eating there as well, and being the only customers, we chatted. His 3rd question was:"what is your goal in life". And I thought I was in a affable, not-direct people kind of country ! Anyway, after the meal, F-san had o return to work, so I gave her omiyage from Switzerland and Kyoto (chocolate and mochi). We walked in front of the Waseda campus landmark, and took some pictures. I also managed to capture the glory o autumn in Waseda.

 

 

I wanted to explore the campus but eventually I felt out of place, having no classmates nor classes to crash. The weather was so sunny and beautiful, my initial plan to shop at Roppongi Hills were abandonned for a more outdoorsy activity. So I opted for visiting Meiji jingu . I didn't manage to get to Meiji shrine last year, even if I alighted at the same station (JR Harajuku) to get to Takeshita dori.

After all the busling of shops and restaurants, it was so peaceful to walk in the park, meeting dolled up 3 year-olds after their shichi-go-san blessings, and mingle with other tourists...

 

 

 

There were many charms for students at this shrine: unidentified green pamphlets, o-mamori for success in exams. I thought about getting one for my exam but somehow maybe my share of miracles did not have to be wasted on that exam.

And so 17:00 was approaching and my evening appointment at Ochanomizu had to be attended for a night of exploring....

Still enjoying clement weather in Shirakawa-go

I was woken up by the cluttering of cups in the next door room. My room was next to the dining room, and breakfast was ready by 7:30am...I tossed a bit more in bed before giving up to curiosity. To my stupor, there was more to eat than at the previous dinner! I did my best...though I couldn't eat all the pickles.
After lazing up in my warm room and enjoying the view from my window, I started out to walk around the village. The hostess forced me to bring one of her umbrellas as she said the weather was going to be bad. She pointed outside up the hills and they were covered in snow!
 And so I climbed up to the point of view, greeting all the old and bent people I met in the still sleepy village at 9:00
.

 

 

 

I managed to run out of battery in the middle of a photo, so had to rely on my phone for the rest of the day. The phone itself only had 20% left of battery so I was glad to go to Tokyo in the evening. Nevertheless, the village was very pleasant and started to get crowded with Japanese tourists by 10:00. I met a couple of Americans, a few Indonesians and lots of Japanese...Most foreigners I met did the Tokyo-Hakone-Kanazawa-Shirakawa-Kyoto route.

By 11:30 i was tired and ready to lunch, but Is till haven't found the relocated village. Because a dam had to be built, they saved a few houses after much pleading and relocated them into a live museum in Shirakawa-go. This museum is next to the bus stop.

 

 

 

I did my best with my poor phone and even managed to take pictures of myself on the bouncy pedestrian bridge that connects the village to the bus stop..

 

 

The ryokan I stayed overnight

Exploring Hida in Takayama

On Wednesday I leave Tokyo in the morning to go further north and inland to the remote Gifu prefecture.

 

Kyoto main train station

 

It is another 4h trip, changing in Nagoya and riding along magnificent views of a river and surrounding fall colours. I was a bit stressing out that I will miss the bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-go, because I didn't really want to arrive during the night since I have no idea how to get to the hotel. But in Takayama I found it easily next to the station. Even better, I had 1h45min to kill in Takayama and most sights were withing 20min walk.

 

So I saw the small temple and its 1200year ginkgo tree in fiery colour, the old merchants houses, and ate mini tayaki and a meat bun. Takayama is located in the Hida region, which is famous for its beef as well, some special soba noodles and hida miso soup.

 

 

And so after much walking around, I boarded the bus for Shirakawa-go, which rode through many tunnels as we got to see the Japanese Alps..

 

 

Only 50min on the highway, we arrived at Shirakawa-go, and I had barely 5min of daylight to get a first impression of this UNESCO classified World Heritage village.

 

But mot impressive of all was the unexpected dinner prepared  by the ryokan owner, with local vegetables she grows locally. I even had a taste of the hida beef...

Autumn in Arashiyama

 So I was out of the hotel at 08:35 and caught the bus to Arashiyama, west of Kyoto an home of zen temple Tenryu-ji and the bamboo grove I saw last year. This time the colours of autumn were in full force and the view magnificent.

The zen garden was so painfully romantic. I saw the bare cherry trees and can only imagine the splendor in spring.

 

By noon I was in another bus, going across town to take me back to Kyoto train station, and I could send some postcards and eat some ebi yempura donburi (shrimp tempura with rice bowl).

The I hopped on the 100 bus I used to take last year to ride through Kyumizu area on Higashiyama dori, up to the Heian shrine.

My destination was reached: Kyoto craft centre. It does feel like a toutist trap as I only came across foreign tourists. But it is a one stop shop for everuthing Kyoto, even if there are much variety in town. I acquired a maiko kimono... Since I really cannot wear those short sleeved ones that are for married women!

Breakfast of champions

Miso soup with lemon and mushroom
A sunny side up egg and a slice of salmon
Salad of greens with fried onions
Rice
Tea
Pickles
Ate it all...

Shopping in Kyoto

So i woke up pretty smoothly hearing the shuffle in the corridor, to realize it was 8:49 when my alarm was set to 8:00. Checking it out, I realized the weekend alarm was on but not the weekdays one. I still had time until checkout so I sorted out my things to be used for the next 3 days.
Taking the train was a breeze and the silent car was most welcomed to sleep in.
Arriving at Kyoto station at 12:54 I only got my suitcase sent to my hotel in Tokyo at 14:00 after all the big size lockers were found full and another luggage service only delivered in Kyoto prefecture.
After a nice hot matcha latte, I set out for the ryokan off shijo dori, the main shopping srrret equivalent to Oxford street or 5th avenue. I can boast in sleeping behind the Louis Vuitton shop!
After dropping off my small bag and unfolding a larger one,  I was ready to test my plastic money.

Nishiki market

 

Looking for facewash

 

One of the sign entrance to Teramachi, another shopping avenue

 Pickles, pickles..

In the evening, the mission was to snap pictures in Gion an grab some local food. I settled on okonomiyaki and helped some french tourists to navigate the menu. Somehow I always end up being a tourist guide.

 

Weird wishes on prayer tablets hanging in the okonomiyaki shop

On the way back, I stumbled on a street with lots of host and hostess clubs. Funnily enough the street name is kyamachi dori ( Japanese fans go kyaaaa when they scream of excitement, and machi means town)
There is also an area where there are only bars.

But I went on to Gion watch some maiko leave their work at around 21:00. I knew there were going to be a sighting because a hide of taxis were stationed waiting for their patrons to exit the different restaurants. Seriously thiugh, these ladies walk so fast you'd have to run after them to get a proper picture. Maybe tomorrow I will have the strength...

 

Looking for the Gods in Izumo-Taisha

I wok up at 03:00am this morning, completely jet lagged still. But I had set my alarm to wake up at 8 so I did my best to go back to sleep...and failed. I napped a bit around 5, but was awake again by 7, seeing the daylight outside and hearing the occupant of the next room wake up and move about her room. She was out by 7:30. They really have an early start over here.

I understood why when I got to the train station and asked to get the tickets and route to Izumo-shi. The clerk asked his colleague and the colleague spent the next 15min in a huge book. I kind of wanted to give up and do the area instead maybe, but I felt bad giving up after he desperately looked for it after 15min. Finally, he emerged and gave me more than I expected. In addition to the train name and schedule he even gave me the platform numbers of arrival and departure!!

And so off I went, very pleased at 9:15 to catch the Hikari again to Okayama...Looking at my tickets I finally realize it would take me 4h to get to Izumo-shi station! I could have left at 4am really.

From Okayama, another train took me across, from the Pacific ocean to the Sea of Japan, passing by Niimi midway, Yunago and Matsue. I arrived at 13:05 in Yazumo-shi and fromt here I had to take another bus for 20min...it was worth it though, as the shrine was not crowded and I could get a nice view of the premises. I am not sure I can get such a view in Ise shrines.

 It is also a popular place for weddings, and for throwing coins in the thatched cords to bring luck I think.

 

I bought an omikuji for 100yen, which is the cheapest souvenir ever so far, but when I asked the miko to explain if it was good or bad. She started up blabbing and I smiled and stared blankly as I even understood less of what she was saying. So I thanked her and left wondering, whether or not to hang the paper for the bad things to be gone with the wind like these:

 

Because I didn't know how to tie it down, I took it home. i will have it translated somehow. It cannot be too bad because the only thing I understood from the miko was that it is 50/50. For those wondering what a miko is, they're young women working as priestesses or helpers at the shrine.

 

Finally, it was time to return to Izumo-shi by bus, because I was getting worried there wouldn't be any trains left for Hiroshima, if it would take me another 4h to get back. Luck struck as I managed to rush into the train going to Yamaguchi,  along the western coastline, so I was guaranteed a sunset on the Sea of Japan, and would finish my loop of the day.

 

Tomorrow I m leaving the Hiroshima area and will journey northward. Today was a nice day viewing the colors of autumn in the valley of middle Honshu.