Seishun 18 Adventure: Act Three

Day Nine: [Matsue to Amanohashidate] It was an early start leaving Matsue because we were headed for the last of the three scenic spots of Japan, and I wanted to make a stop off in Tottori. In Tottori, the smallest of Japan’s 47 prefectures, is the last sight you would expect to see in Japan: enormous rolling sand dunes that would seem more at home in the Sahara than in between the lush greens and the ocean. But sand dunes there were none-the-less. The highest point of the sand dunes is fifty meters above sea level and on a good day with few people, one can even see the beautiful ripples created by the wind before countless tourists trudge along it. Anyways, so we are climbing these gigantic sand dunes, that look as if they have been transported from another dimension, in absolute awe, both of us muttering every so often, “how are these here?” and “this is unbelievable!” It was just too crazy. Once to the top we had an excellent vantage point to where Japan meets the sand and down in a little dune valley was an actual oasis! Down a very steep hill was the crashing ocean of the Sea of Japan with no more land in sight until Korea on the other side, and all around us was the ocean breeze and more sand. I wanted Rhee to take a picture of me standing above the sand cliff and then I got this brilliant idea! Why not jump! The sand on the other side was soft, deep and damp and made the perfect landing pad so gathering all my strength I jumped off the edge and landed ten feet lower and proceeded to do this all the way down the slope! It was like flying, the way I was able to spring myself off and then land so lightly. It was the craziest fun I had the whole trip. And of course, despite the fierce climb back up, I did it again and again. One time I just ran down in ten foot strides and I’ll tell you, nothing makes you feel more powerful and free than that! But a time came when we had to climb back up for good, wash ourselves free of sand (a challenge within itself) and board a bus to take us back to train so we could continue on back north. It turned out we left just in time because no sooner had the train left the station that the heaven’s erupted a vicious storm blew through.

The Japanese countryside is always extra gorgeous in a rain storm but this spelt a bit of an issue for us. The west coast of Japan isn’t super built up for tourists and as a result sometimes it’s a bit difficult to find the budget accommodations we were used to. The only way we can even afford to travel so much is because we are very frugal with where we stay and how we get around, as a result we figured, what was one night in the great outdoors. It sure seemed to beat spending nearly $100 each on a resort. This of course was the night it decided to rain and at last cool down. So we came up with a plan, find shelter, than a place to have a long drawn out meal so that we would be tired enough to fall right asleep when at last we bunked down. It kinda worked out.

Amanohashidate translates into something like ‘the bridge between Heaven and Earth’ and is where the two parent god descended in order to create Japan. It is a beautiful stretch of a sand bar no more than maybe fifty meters at its thickest and stretches almost four kilometers across a bay. It is dappled with pine trees and white sand where we collected shells and sea glass. On the bay shoreline there are also quite a few temples and shrines and one beautiful one had little fans tied to all the trees for people’s fortunes. It was quite neat. There was also a pretty little shrine, in the middle of the sandbar, where I prayed for good weather while we slept. Apparently my offering was not worthy of my cause. It turned out all the restaurants had closed and we found nothing but a sad little combini where we bought dinner and went to go hide out in a little sheltered picnic area while we read. I eventually went and sat with my feet in the surf and enjoyed the evening but by the time we tried to sleep the rain was beginning to fall. And fall it did, and combined with wind, our little shelter was wet in no time. I had this brilliant idea to pull out my umbrella and curled into the corner of the bench with two slabs of wall only a couple of feet above me, and my umbrella draped over the corners I tucked in with the very few clothes I had, and cuddled my camera to my chest to protect it from the elements. At least, by first light my camera was still warm and dry. Somehow, I did manage to sleep a bit that morning, but I awoke praying for a warm shower and a downy blanket.

 

Day Ten: [Amanohashidate to Nagoya] Instead, I dressed in what few dry clothes I had remaining and we hiked the rest of the way across the ‘bridge’ and found a pretty little shrine which was also the gateway to a cable car that took us up a hill to view the ‘bridge’ from the sky as intended. Well, to view the ‘bridge’ as it’s actually intended, one must face away from it and look beneath their legs to determine is the bridge is floating or not. This has been done for over a thousand years, but critics will say that is what some locals devised to have a good laugh! The rain and mist actually cloaked the area in a beautiful shroud and if we couldn’t have a perfect blue sky than I enjoyed the moody clouds instead. Finally, soaked enough and full of nature, we hiked back across the sandbar, said good bye to our beds and caught a bus to the train station where we proceeded to spend a long day on trains.

We got to Nagoya in the evening and had planned to go couch surfing, but in favour of a nice place we went to see if we could check into our hotel a day early. After some fine use of my Japanese abilities (XD) and some crazy gestures we found ourselves in a really nice hotel for a great price with only one catch: only one bed. That night we were so tired not even the typhoon that seemed to be falling us could keep us awake.

Day Eleven: We took our time getting up and got to enjoy a complimentary breakfast which seemed a feast to us! Then we wondered about the city, which was really quite a pretty city, until we found a little inari shrine all lit up and a big temple: Osu Kannon Temple. Sometimes without explanation a place will just captivate me here (okay not sometimes, a lot of the time!) but at first glance, the temple looked like many others but it had this air to it. There was one section where the room was filled with an altar and many small gold statues and then in the main hall was an altar so breathtaking I just leaned against a pillar and stared. It made me feel safe and sure of myself and we easily lost track of time. I think we spent an hour just hanging out drifting between the open grounds and main hall. It was not nearly as big or elaborate as others but it was… peaceful? But even this word is not big enough to describe it. The sky was bleak and there were skyrises all around us, so it wasn’t the environment, but it was just right.

 

When it was time to go, it just was. We both decided at the same time to wander off the grounds, but we were still captivated a long time later. So feeling all enlightened and humble, we went shopping! That may be irony or hypocrisy but it was a good time! There was this neat little market street leading away from the temple that sold everything so I bought a kimono liner for my grandma, and a pretty ornament tie for my obi on my yukata.

In the afternoon, we headed back for the train station, and caught a train to Inuyama. Inuyama is said to have the site of the oldest original castle in Japan which was the highlight of this little excursion. The castle itself was in the best part of town, surrounded by an actual old preserved town, which was really cool. Usually I’ve seen castles or preserved post towns but this was my first time seeing the two together. It let me imagine what it must have used to look like as we strolled up to the castle hill and passed little shops selling homemade goods.

The castle hill was surrounded by little shrines and a peaceful cobble stone path leading up to the keep. It didn’t look like much but it was pretty and quaint to me and if I had to pick a castle to be mind this one would be it. It was kinda cute and respectable even though it wasn’t anything as spectacular as the big ones that tourists usually go to but it’s my favourite. l Or did I say that about Matsue? And Matsuyama, and maybe even Kochi, darn and Matsumoto… I love castles! I don’t care if they all look the same on the inside, they are all special! Anyways, we climbed to the top and took in the gorgeous landscape where the Kiso River passes beneath the castle and a cliff that acted as a defense mechanism and the clouds hung low and misty.

On our way back to the station, we stopped in a little folk museum where they had some ornaments and a float on display that is used during their Spring Matsuri. I really want to go back for that as it will be right near the end of my stay here. We left Inuyama to the sound of traditional music promising something that we would never know for the rain was falling again and it was time to move on.

We returned to Nagoya to seek out dinner, Coco Curry! and arrived in time for another nighttime festival. This time it was of music and every intersection in this one district, where the neon and rain shone down on the pavement, had a different form of music and dance. It was quite beautiful and a nice send off as that night was our last night on the road.

 

Day Twelve: [Nagoya to Saruhashi] It rained all morning and we got ridiculously wet on the way to the station. Spent all day on a train trying to get dry. Stopped halfway for coffee and cake, cheered up and reflected on the lovely trip and then suddenly I was home again. An amazing adventure.

I know this is the size of a novella, and I don’t expect anyone to have read it through thoroughly but I wanted to chronicle this adventure because it really was unforgettable and deserved the many details I gave it. I’m sure there are more I missed but I just pray it never strays to far from my memory!