2020 | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2020-09-222020-09-23

Oirase Valley in the rain

It rains! It rains! It rains! …….

Is there something like this? Even thought it’s the highlight of the tourist spot ! But few tourists and the roof of trees as an umbrella made us refreshing.

oirase valley waterfall 3 — oirase valley waterfall here and there

Surprisingly a few person walk* from Ishigedo to Choshi-Ohtaki for 4 hours. Walking road almost goes along the Oirase river and is flat like the flow. Let’s watch slowly calm flow and attractive waterfalls here and there. Choshi-Ohtaki(big waterfall) flown from Lake Towada welcome you at the goal. Coincidentally we saw the moment when part of the waterfall wall collapsed with explosive sound. I’m sure the wallrock broke along the columnar joints.

*)You can pick up a bus almost every hour at several bus stops on the way. If you use a rental car, it would be difficult to find out your parking space at Ishigedo in high season, especially weekend.
At Ishigedo, the cup of coffee using Oirase flesh water after long walk was full of bliss !

Highlight from Ishigedo to Choshi-Ohtaki(click photo)

oirase valley start

oirase valley small waterfall

oirase river 1

oirase valley 1

oirase valley waterfall 1

oirase valley waterfall 2

oirase river 2

oirase river 3

oirase river 4

small animal on the beech

big tree in the valley

oirase river 5

oirase valley waterfall 3

oirase river 6

choshi big waterfall arrival

choshi big waterfall upper

oirase river 7

Start Point

Goal Point

2020-09-202020-09-20

Tsuta Swamp

tsuta swamp approach

Many photographers visit Tsuta swamp for the bright red autumn leaves illuminated by the morning sun. Therefore, general vehicles are restricted from early morning except for the shuttle bus during this period. You’ll have to choose between booking the historical hotel near here or giving up on the relaxing breakfast at other hotels to get a shuttle bus. Fortunately or unfortunately, we enjoyed a calm and fresh walk in the light rain. The hotel will lend you an umbrella and boots.

tsuta swamp

tsuta swamp right

The bathtub of Tsuta Hot Spring is deep and is filled with overwhelming hot water. And don’t forget that there is a fresh hot spring right under the bathtub. You can directly receive the blessings of the earth with delicious dinner.

tsuta hot spring

keiran Shiromisojitate Kurumi at Tsuta Hot Spring

2020-09-182020-09-19

Hakkoda Mountains and swamps

The origin of the name Hakkoda Mountains seems to be that there are many shell-shaped peaks and marshes. Therefore, it is a very complicated terrain. So the next tragedy may have been born.
What comes to mind at Hakkoda Mountains is the 1902 distress of 200 people during the snow march training of the Japanese Army. It seems preparing for the war against Russia. Meanwhile, another unit was also training at the same time, and it is said that it passed through the distress scene but was kept secret.

suiren swamp at hakkoda in autumn

Most travelers look at the rugs of autumn colors on the Hakkoda ropeway, but those who love the countryside want to immerse themselves in a quiet place. The route going through from Sukayu hot spring to Tsuta hot spring, which is opposite side of the distress, is one of my favorite driving roads. Stopping by at Suiren swamp is strongly recommended because Mt.Hakkoda mountains reflect on the surface of the swamp on a sunny day and in the silence, wild birds and toads ! (big frogs) echo their voices in the distance. Hell swamp with strong acid water near Sukayu hot spring, the photo of which is indicated on the top of this blog page, is also charming.

suiren swamp at hakkoda in other season

2020-09-162020-09-15

Johgakura Bridge with spectacular view

johgakura bridge

If you travel connecting Shirakami mountains and Hakkoda mountains or Lake Towada, going through Jougakura bridge is highly recommended especially in autumn season. The color around the bridge changes into red.

autumn leaves from bridge

You can walk on the bridge safely after parking at the edge of it. But strong winds on the bridge take away heat from the body.

Look down like a bird at the middle of the bridge ! Deep valley 122m below the bridge is trying to swallow you. The river is so acidic that no fish can live in it.

bird eyes

There is Sukayu Onsen(Hot Spring), the bath of which is made of Hiba wood and can accommodate 1,000 people at a time, but it is also strongly acidic and it makes you tingle when you take a bath, so be careful of people with sensitive skin. It is famous for mixed bathing, but there is a place to take it individually in the back.

sukayu hot spring

2020-09-152020-09-14

Apple Road to Shirakami mountains

On the way to Shirakami mountains (World Heritage), we drove through HIROSAKI city which is famous for apple production and Mt.Iwaki the shape of which is similar to Mt.Fuji.
The road connects many apple farms. Silver sheets under trees reflect sunlight and apples turn into red. The price of apples is rising due to typhoon damage nationwide, so be sure to buy fresh apples at the production area. It is said that “Apples don’t need a doctor.”

You can reach Shirakami mountains through this road seeing Mt.Iwaki named Mt.Tsugaru-Fuji with apple trees.

2020-09-132020-09-13

Shirakami mountains (World Heritage)

It is easy to approach the entrance to World Heritage, but places inside where a tourist could reach by himself were limited. Furthermore ‘Anmon Fall’* was closed due to typhoon damages. You should chose between to be satisfied with a glance or to spend all day. Next time I would like to challenge with a guide.

*)There are many approach routes to the heart of Shirakami mountains. ’Twenty ponds walking course’ is easily accessible　from the sea side with public transportation and you can feel variety of nature.

Galley(click photo)

shirakami mountains entrance

shirakami mountains walking 1

shirakami mountains walking 2

bear scratches

shirakami mountains walking 3

kumagera tapping the tree

shirakami mountains walking 4

shirakami mountains walking 5

shirakami mountains walking 6

2020-08-212020-09-08

The quarry of the warm-colored Takahata Stone is a labyrinth

The remains of quarries are found all over Japan, but Takahata stone is a tuff made from volcanic ash accumulated and is easy to process and has a warm yellow color. It had been used in the horizontal-hole type mound tomb. Human power is great, because it cuts mountains vertically and excavates caves in a straight line and used to dig them by hand. The inside of the cave is kept at a low temperature, so I thought that it could be used as a storage for Takahata wine, which would lead to income for tourism.

Takahata stone1

groove dig

Former Takahata Station of the railroad, that used to transport agricultural products from Takahata Town, is preserved, but it was built with only warm Takahata stone. It has nothing to do with this, JR Takahata Station (called Taiyokan) looks like a fairy tale and has a day-trip hot spring facility inside, but I couldn’t understand what was the concept of these combination. Only the impression of strangeness remained.

Old Takahata station

Takahata train

Fairyland Takahata Station

Detour

Takahata Town is located on a large fan-shaped terrain. I learned at school that this terrain is well drained and suitable for fruit cultivation. That is exactly the case, and grape cultivation is particularly popular. I highly recommend tasting at the Takahata winery, but I bought something expensive. I realized that the technology of Japanese red wine has improved considerably.

Takahata winery

grape tree

Takahata cafe warehouse

Intimidating Crayfish at parking

Mountain Pass Station0 — Go back to itinerary

2020-08-202020-09-08

Buddha’s wisdom bag, Monjyu Bodhisattva, is a children’s playground in Takahata Town

Kameoka Monjyu-dou is one of Japan’s three major Monjyu Bodhisattva with wisdom.

Two heads are better than one.

There are similar expressions in each country, but in Japan, the three heads are said to be comparable to the Monjyu Bodhisattva. Is Monjyu Bodhisattva respected with three heads or is it lightly seen?

Abe Monjyu-in in Nara prefecture is the most famous and worth seeing as National treasure, but Kameoka’s is simple and friendly in the countryside. The sculptures of the monks studying along the approach of the tree lined with cedars welcomed us.

Kameoka sculpture2

Kameoka Monjyu in

Kameoka sub hall

Kameoka sculpture

I was surprised that there is a hierarchy in the world of Buddha. An enlightened person is called Nyorai as highest rank, and is usually accompanied by several Bodhisattva. Furthermore, there are many layers under the Bodhisattva. The world of Buddha is also tough.

By the way, Bonjyu Bodhisattva is a Buddha of wisdom who is an attendant of Shaka Nyorai. That’s why many examinees are visiting and the examination season is at the time of earning money at Kameoka Bonjyu-dou. Although I wasn’t in the examination season when I visited there, many children were worshiping in the hall with parents and I was impressed that it was a temple that blended into the area. On the other hand, the attention not to doodle on the Monjyu-dou was indicated, but “Your graffiti halves your wisdom”, or something that it should be written down on its attention with a little more wisdom ! When you go to the back of the hall, you will find water that gives you wisdom when you drink it. Drinking too much water halves your wisdom !

Akutsu Hachimangu1

In Takahata Town, there is another old shrine that should not be overlooked. From Akutsu Hachiman, I think it is a historical shrine of Genji.
There was a magnificent thatched main shrine at the back, but for some reason there was a triple-storied pagoda of Buddhist architecture at the shrine.

Akutsu Hachimangu3

Akutsu Hachimangu4

Akutsu Hachimangu2 Sanjyunoto

2020-08-172020-09-08

Eat Yonezawa Beef (Wagyu) in Shirabu Hot Spring

The meat in the beef stew I always eat at home is pork ! That’s because beef is expensive and not so good for the price. However, the price of brand beef is different, but the taste is also different.
I remember eating beef steak in Argentina once, but it was very tender and delicious. When I asked to the waiter if they were exporting, he told that they were all eaten by the Argentines, so they were not exported. The export volumn of Argentine wine is also low for the same reason. That’s why I try to find Argentine wine first in Japanese wine shops.

The Japanese beef (Wagyu) gene was brought overseas and became a global brand, but Japanese beef still stands out. Moreover, it is west high(ex. Kobe Beef, Matsuzaka Beef, Ohmi Beef) and east low in Japan. Kyoto seems to have the highest per capita consumption of beef in Japan, but I was wondering if they were eating only vegetarian food. Among these circumstances, the Yonezawa beef in Tohoku is doing its best. Enjoy yourself slowly with local sake.

Shirabu Hot Spring1

Shirabu Onsen has a retro hot spring inn with a thatched roof. Hot springs always overflow from the bathtub like a flood and are always fresh. Since it is a retro, the voice of the next room will leak, but do not hit the wall one by one. I was hit by a nervous foreigner in the next room. Then I want to tell her not to stay in a retro inn.

Shirabu Hot Spring4

Shirabu Hot Spring2３

Shirabu Hot Spring5

Shirabu Hot Spring2

Shirabu Hot Spring from edo period

Shirabu Hot Spring water

Unfriendly poster cat

She did not let me take a frontal photo at Nishi-Ya inn.

cat1

cat2

cat3

cat4

2020-08-162020-09-08

Sasano Kannon with thatched roof like a helmet of battle is a symbol of faith

Sasano Kannon is one of the 33 Kannon pilgrimages in Okitama area, but it is especially admirable because the lord of the Yonezawa domain had visited it　repeatedly. The roof is very large compared to the lower structure, and the sculptures under the eaves are rich and detailed.

sculpture of dragon and crane

good foot prayer

Kannon aims to relieve people’s suffering by changing 33 forms and faces, so 33 Kannon pilgrimage routes had been established in various areas, and it is interesting that industries such as local specialty products are flourishing there.

entrance gate of Sasano Kannon

facade of Sasano Kannon

In Sasano Kannon, lord Youzan Uesugi encouraged the hawk carving by only one engraving tool, and its technology has been passed down to the present day near the Kannon.
The hawk’s carvings made from the Enju tree, Japanese Pagoda tree, have a reddish exposed core that forms part of the design (see below left). It is said that Enju is good for longevity and success in life because it is written in Kanji, Japanese character, that the life span extends. Japanese people like these word games !

Hawk sculpture1

Hawk sculpture3

The famous saying* is displayed (see above right) because the store name is ‘Youzan’, which President Kennedy had respected.
>Please read detail another post.

*)”If you try to do, it can be achieved, if you don’t, it will never be achieved. Achieving nothing is due to one’s own intention to not try.”

Hawk sculpture0 shop

Hawk sculpture2 workplace

I found something valuable in this shop. It’s a basket woven from mountain vines and sells for $3,000 to $4,000 per department store in Tokyo. See for yourself how much is here.

Mountain grape basket1

Mountain grape basket2

Highlight from Ishigedo to Choshi-Ohtaki(click photo)

Start Point

Goal Point

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Galley(click photo)

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Detour

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Unfriendly poster cat

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