Hokkaido Road Trip Day 2

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We were awoke early on Day 2 since the sun rises around 4:30!!! Naomi and Ruu had a breakfast of Peanut Butter chocolate and banana sandwich I left the disgusting bananas to them. We were feeling grungy after a day in the car and a night in the tent so we decided to onsen first thing! Ruu knew of a famous onsen nearby so we decided to check it out. The road there was quite windy and not paved which shocked me to hell. Almost all roads in this country are paved. In my town the most random roads into the mountains that lead to nowhere are paved and this was a famous onsen! The Nyuto onsen area is famous for it's milky smooth water and we were not disappointed. We went to the Tsurunoyu Onsen which had rooms you could stay in that were 350 year old samurai guard quarters. It was quite rustic but I had the sense that it represented onsens of old. There was even a line-up to partake in the bath!

Entrance

The guard house rooms are the thatched roofed buildings on the left.

some of the hot spring water

Ruu and I hanging out waiting for the baths to open! The bush behind us partially shelters the mixed bath from view. While waiting in line for the baths we saw many a naked old man walk by covering his groin with a small towel. Of course we saw much more when we decided to brave the mixed bath. The women had an entrance of their own and the water was so milky that not much was visible but we got quite a few stares nonetheless. Many people may have not seen a foreigner before let alone a naked foreigner!

The line of people after we left!

The water was great and the experience was memorable. We were lucky to have Ruu with us or we never would have known!

We then took off to Oga peninsula to check out the cliffs!

Apparently the mascot of Oga!

Most Northern point of the peninsula

We were going to hangout and wait to watch the sunset over the water but a thick bank of clouds rolled in and we decided to get a head start to Aomori where we taking the ferry at 2:00 am. We arrived at the ferry port around 11:00 and were lucky enough to get room on the next ferry at 11:30. The ride was three and half hours long and Naomi and Ruu got some precious shut eye. I unfortunately was kept awake by the snoring old man a few metres away. I even tried kicking his feet to make him stop but he was oblivious and I didn't sleep.

Hokkaido Road Trip Day1

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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.