Hokkaido Road Trip Day1

View Road Trip in a larger map

Well it has been a month but I am finally going to get pictures from the road trip up! Naomi, Ruu and I set out from Murakami round 7 in the morning. Let me just say Japanese people have a different concept of distance than those of us blessed to come from large countries. My first small road trip that were 4 to 6 hours had my teachers shocked but the fact that we were driving to Hokkaido (and not on the expressway) had everyone amazed! I think Ruu was a little wary as well because Japanese trips are often planned to the T and we were just winging it day by day even hour by hour!

Outside Ruu's parent's house.

Beach in Yamagata-ken

Helicopter rides! Naomi took this picture at the perfect time to catch the hat!

We decided to drive up the sea coast and were rewarded with beautiful scenery.

I love to climb

Naomi found this place in the guidebook and it was on our way so we decided to check it out!

Zenpoji pagoda is round a thousand years old and quite picturesque.

Naomi ringing the clacker and praying.

Not only a pagoda but a monastery! We were able to hear monks chanting!

Special cherry blossom tree that keeps it's flowers once the leaves have grown. It blooms later than the normal trees and has so many petals it's name means 800 petals.

Saw a trail along the coast so we stopped!

I'm in Akita-ken and Ruu is still in Yamagata-ken.

We decided to stay at Lake Tazawa spur of the moment so ended up taking a small mountain road to the interior. I love the small windy mountain roads Ruu was a little sceptical. What did we come across but a beautiful waterfall!

and I love waterfalls!

Beware of the bears though!

An old Tori gate.

A fresh mountain spring! Ruu and Futoshi drive out to Murakami to get fresh mountain water rather than drink the city water. There are many fresh springs in my town as well! We stocked up for the journey.

We stopped in a town that was suppose to have many old samurai houses but what it seemed to have was many old storage buildings! Naomi still managed to take some beautiful pictures.

The campsite! This is the only campsite we paid for and it was a little pricey compared to Canada standards. Our tent looked so small compared to the massive ones all the other professional campers had.

Tazawa-ko is the deepest freshwater lake in Japan. We made it there just in time to view the sunset!

We decided to forgo a restaurant and eat on the beach as the sunset. Naomi is revealing in her love for croquettes as Ruu is making one of her many calls to Futoshi.And so ended day one.

zenkoji

Ruu asked Naomi and I to go on a bus tour to Nagano and I had always heard about Japanese tours so I thought why not. The tour was to the temple Zenkoji which is famous every seven years when it's inner doors open to reveal a treasured copy of a famous statue which no one is allowed to see! So we trust this treasure statue is there but even the copy has so much power mere mortals can only lay their eyes upon it every seven years for one month. So we went. I had heard from friends that Japanese tours tend to be filled with shopping and this one was no exception. I wouldn't have minded so much but it was pouring down rain through which we had to go from shop to shop. The only consolation was at many shops we were given free treats!

some shrine

the frog god

Ruu's stylish helmet.

some cave

The bus!

free food

free alcohol

Naomi wants more!

rabu rabu dumpling things

I was trying to show Ruu how knowledgeable I am about Sumo thinking this is a referee's fan. She informed me it is actually a signal fan for battle!

mini samurai

lunch was soba

yum

make the extra rice into an onigiri for later.

Naomi avoiding the rain by choosing her drink from a telephone booth.

This pillar has a string tied to it that runs into the temple and is tied to a holy statue's hand. Thus if you touch the pillar you touch it's hand and can make a wish.

I want nice weather!

some sign

Zenkoji

Omiyage (souvenir food) from Kyoto which is apparently a no no when visiting a different place.

Waiting for the procession for 40 minutes after which we were blessed on the head by a nun.

Warming our hands over the shabushabu pots.

Shabushabu is basically dipping things in boiled water and then dipping it in sauce. From top to bottom the meat is horse, beef and pork. I didn't eat the horse of course.

Even though we spent the day trekking in the rain we decided to go out that night.

I however didn't last long and used Lefty as my pillow.

花見 hanami the time of the cherry blossoms

It is that time of year again where the weather report includes a map of flowers and the Japanese people take time to appreciate the fleetingness of life and cherry blossoms. The blossoms open mid last week outside of the mountain and are probably gone now due to the miserable rain we had yesterday and today. I say outside of the mountains because the blossoms here didn't bloom until Monday and they are still holding out despite the rain. A group a people went to hanami (which literally means looking at flowers but typically includes drinking) on Saturday at Takada park. I believe Takada park is the top 3rd place to view the cherry blossoms (sakura) at night! There were tons of people out to catch a glimpse of the sakura before they fall and even more food stalls! It was a great time and the park was beautiful! Most of these pictures I stole from Naomi who is a great photographer even with a little camera!

Dog wearing a dress standing on her owner!