'Gaijin' Snow Monkeys!!'

Mmmmmm!!! Here I go again....

Another first....another best.....! It seems to be a common pattern. Nearly every Japanese experience we have becomes....
'That was the best thing we've done so far!'.....How lucky are we???

It's cold up here in Japan. Each day the layers increase....long johns, coats, scarves, gloves.... but strangely the sun just keeps shining. The weather is consistent and stable, the air is dry, dry, dry and we have not had rain for weeks. But there is no denying it's winter so we must embrace the opportunities that come with it. With the promise of a long weekend, the decision was made to head for the hills, the hills over near the west coast of Honshu to be exact, the hills beyond the snow covered hills we can see from the apartment.

Throughout our few days at the snow I had to keep pinching myself. Here we were, skiing the slopes of the Japanese Alps!! The beauty of the mountains was awesome and Abi, an experienced skier from the US, excitedly said, 'Enjoy it guys, you're about to experience the best powder snow anywhere!'

Boy, did we find out...........There's literally mountains of it and..........it looks good, it tastes good (especially when you face plant it!!) and it feels good!

Our trip was organised by Ricky, an incredibly energetic and enthusiastic Philipino, who runs Tokyo Gaijins. He started organising trips for himself and friends and saw the potential for a lucrative business.....so began Tokyo Gaijins. Gaijin is a Japanese word meaning 'non Japanese' or 'alien'. The word is composed of two kanji- 'gai' 外 meaning outside and 'jin' 人 meaning person. On this trip the participants were nearly all gaijins.....14 Americans, 10 Australians, 8 Brits, 7 Germans, 6 Japanese, 5 Frenchmen, 4 Spaniards, 3 New Zealanders, 3 Philipinos, 2 Canadians, 2 Chinese, 2 Swedes, 1 Belgian, 1 Dane, 1 Indian, 1 Korean, 1 Malaysian, 1 Peruvian, 1 Russian and 1 Ugandan. A truly 'alien' group!!

We had 9 people in our group....Steve and I,  Si and Charlotte (our latest 'alien' visitors) and, workmates of Steve, Alex and Graeme, Abi, Meg and Abhishek.

In the week leading up to the trip, there had been the typical last minute purchasing of extra gear to be sure we were warm. Gloves, more thermatech long johns, jackets for the guys and balaclavas or neck warmers....the 'must haves' on the list.

Leaving home at 5:45pm on Friday evening had fortunately allowed some room for error. Getting to Shinjuku, seemed to be a comedy of errors and delayed trains, resulting in a rush between platforms and different trains. At Shinjuku Station, navigating our way through the unbelievable Friday night crowds to the correct exit, with our luggage in tow, was a challenge. Once out we latched onto another person loaded up with skis who, we correctly presumed, was rushing to the same bus as us!! We departed from Shinjuku Station at 7.30 pm and arrived in Hakuba by midnight.

Hakuba village, located in the Kitaazumi district in the north-west of the Nagano Prefecture, is one of the most popular winter sports regions on Honshu. The village is set against an impressive mountain backdrop. Hakuba was the main event venue during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. The men’s downhill and super giant slalom, as well as the ski jump and nordic combined events of the Olympics, all took place in Hakuba.

Having arrived at such a late hour and with many people rushing straight from a busy work week, it was lights out pretty quickly. For an extra fee many had secured a private room with 'real beds' and others were in shared rooms complete with tatami mats and futons. Personally, I love sleeping on futons but must admit it was nice snuggling up under the big fluffy doona in a bed. This is the view we woke up to in the morning.

Breakfast was at 7.30 each morning. That meant we could be fully geared up, ready to leave by 8.30am....no rest for the wicked!

Here we are, in our gear, ready to go.....not the latest trendy fashions but we were dry and warm all weekend. I did buy some new goggles because my hire ones were a bit scratched and, as many are aware, I have enough trouble accepting the fact that I need glasses, without wearing defective equipment!

Steve and I, who had only ever skiied for a few days post school, joined in the beginner lesson. Ricky ran the lesson during the morning and very quickly left us to our own devices (or was that destruction?). The area where we had our lessons was very picturesque....I wish all classrooms were like this!!!

Once empowered with some basic skills, a dangerous thing indeed,  we were keen to hit the slopes. The weather was fantastic.... Saturday was clear and sunny, on Sunday it snowed lightly most of the day with a big dump during the night and then Monday dawned sunny and clear again. Not wanting to waste a moment, apart from the obligatory lunch breaks, we spent three full days on the snow. By the end of each day, the 'in house onsen' was a very, very appealing prospect....who cares about no clothes!!!

On Saturday we caught the shuttle bus from our accommodation, Murano Hotel Shinya, to Happo-one. Happo-one (pronounced hah-poh-oh-ne), with 700 hectares of ski-able terrain, boasts 26 lifts and has one run that is 5 kilometres long. In a word it was 'beautiful'! With runs catering for all skill levels, everyone soon dispersed to their chosen areas. We picked up the basics and then progressively moved our way up the slopes.

Here is the beginner's group, all seven of us, ready to hit the slopes....solo!!

After a quick lunch we were off on our own, with Ricky waiting at the bottom to offer advice when needed. At the end of the day we did the 5km run....what a way to finish! The end of this run terminated in deep, soft snow which was to be the undoing of many tired beginners. It was quite hysterical really. As the long run merged with the last downhill section many of us were plunged into snow up to our waist, resulting in deeply hidden stocks and skis.....cause for much merriment!! By this time Charlotte had already decided, that come tomorrow, she was going to ditch the skis for a snowboard.....this was positive affirmation!!!

Quote from Charlotte:Skiing lessons with our awesome instructor and event organiser, Ricky. After a few runs, (or falls rather), down the slope, Ricky suggested it would be worth giving snowboarding ago, "...Not that you suck or anything," he added, but because of the way I walk and my sense of balance or something like that, I may find that snowboarding would come more naturally to me than skiing. At that stage, I did suck actually, but at some point during the day something clicked and on the last run I managed to make my way from the top of the slope to the bottom, falling only once at the end when I slid into the deep powder snow, but still being one of the first to reach the end!

The scenery from every aspect was nothing short of spectacular, we were surrounded by craggy mountains and as we ascended, at each stop on the multiple ski lifts, we reached beautiful wide plateaus.

Naturally, Steve threw himself into the challenge of mastering those long, flat things connected to his feet. No way were they going to win. He ploughed, traversed and sped down the slopes. His tricks!!! were many and varied, but the best one was the full 360 degree turn followed by an almost cartwheel that ended with him in deep s_ _ _! No, not what you think, it was deep snow! Typical of much of my weekend, I was hysterical with laughter!

Is it possible Henry, that
the 'Dark Side' had something to do with Poppy's falls??

One can't afford to be too smug though, as it could be your turn on the next corner or bump (if you accidentally go down a mogul run! Lordy, they're bumpy)! When you least expect it, you're suddenly propelled through the air. A sure certainty is that the manoeuvre will terminate with an ungainly landing in the snow....on your belly, your derriere or your face! One landing resulted in a very sore wrist which hurt all night. I soon learned to let go of the stocks before another crash landing. There's nothing like hearing the sound of your head reverberating on the ground. Ouch!! Steve actually ended up in bed early on Sunday night with a headache, he was labelling mild concussion. What do they say?...'No pain, no gain!!' ...or...'If you never fall, you're not trying hard enough!!' Sounds fair to me.

On Sunday we caught the shuttle bus and headed off to Iwitake. Iwitake also has long wide runs and beautiful scenery.

We were keen to begin......snowing or not!! It actually snowed on and off all day but not enough to put us off.

 

Pictures speak louder than words and describe the beauty and tranquility far better than I can.

We had lunch in a great little Japanese cafe. There was the usual guesswork selecting food from the menu and the normal camaraderie learning to speak the 'lingo'. I am always on the lookout for some poor Japanese person who I can test my very poor Japanese language skills on. I will never be able to speak Japanese but I have found 'just trying' has opened up wonderful chances for friendly interactions.

"Hey Sophie, here's
Nanny and Poppy with some Japanese snowmen."

After lunch it was back to the slopes for a few more hours. We mixed trails with downhill slopes but, obviously, I didn't have time to stop and take photos on the steeper bits. Sorry...maybe I should get a camera attached to my head so I can film the 'trick skiing'!

Watch out...here I come!!!

Upon returning, it was into the onsen for a delightful soak. Lying in the communal bath, chatting with other Gaijins about the events of the day was wonderful and, once again, cause for much laughter!!

It was then time for drinks and tea. Many went out to various night venues in the village but then some of us were happy to lounge around playing 'Mexican Train', a strategic dominoes game.

On our last day breakfast was not supplied so we checked out early, donned our gear and clomped off down the street in search of  breakfast. Happo-one was about a 10 minute walk and we soon found somewhere to eat. We each ordered a breakfast set, which was the normal collection of unidentifiable foods.

With food in our bellies we were ready for our final day of skiing.......time to test the snow, which was deep and powdery after heavy snowfalls all night! The slopes were uncrowded and in fine condition. Our whole group was feeling a little weary but time was precious. Our first run of the day saw us taking three lifts to the top, which obviously took us up a fair way. How beautiful it was!

At the top the views were stunning and it was a brisk -11 degrees. From here we took a long trail, which unnerved me a little with its steep drop offs. Yesterday's track had been a little wider, this one allowed a little less room for error. Rather than hurtling over the edge, I sometimes found simply heading to the other side and stopping or falling over in the deep snow guaranteed my safety.

After these early morning hiccups, brought on mainly by pure weariness, we went on to have an extremely successful day which saw us taking on some steeper grade slopes and improving our parallel turns. Overall, we found that the snow boarders were the greatest danger to our safety. They tended to go hurtling past then come to a grinding halt in front of you, just as you went to make a turn. 'Yeeks, do you realize how dangerous it is to do that in front of me!' It was reminiscent of me sailing my Laser in amongst the catamarans. They come hurtling past you at a rapid rate of knots then suddenly tack in front of you, just the same as the boarders.

Sadly, the time for us to return our hire gear and take one last plunge in the onsen came. Steve and I chose to walk back to the hotel but, unfortunately, took the incorrect route. Uh oh!! 'Lost in Japan' again! Clomping along in our cumbersome boots, we walked for 45 minutes before arriving back where we started. Sensibly we then opted for the shuttle bus. By this stage, it was a weary bunch of 'aliens' who were eager to head back to the onsen for a final hot soak. So keen was I to get in the onsen, that I forgot to have the pre-shower (oops!)and then I splashed two Japanese women relaxing and reclining in the hot water. With a couple of 'gomenasai's' all was 'daijoubu desu'. Even Charlotte, who had been reluctant to have an onsen previously, was glad to join everyone and relax those 'ski board' tired muscles.

Quote Charlotte:That's right, I did it, my first communal bathing experience. It was only on the final day that I dared to venture into the bathing pool filled with hot water from a natural spring. Sounds beautiful doesn't it? Well it was, but I'm sure many of you, like me, would have felt at least a little bit uncomfortable with the idea of stripping down to your bare skin in front of a group of women you've only just met.

We had three full days of ski/snowboarding on different mountains, free beginner's ski/snowboarding lessons, an early Friday 7:30pm departure on a private bus to avoid heavy traffic, three nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner for Saturday and Sunday, free drinks at a pyjama party, an in-house natural spring onsen, two days lift passes and accident insurance. We paid extra for all our gear hire (including a penalty rate for boots over size 9!!), an extra day lift pass ($50) and a private room. We got all this for about $620.00 each, and better still I didn't have to do anything, except pay!!! Not bad!!!

We had a great time....such a great time that we have already booked and paid for another trip in 2 weeks. So look out, we will be back!!

This time we are off to Myoko Suginohara, Niigata. The resort is described as one of the highest-caliber ski slopes in Japan, with 3,700ft (1,124m) in vertical drop and the longest ski run in Japan at an unbelievable distance of 5.3 miles (8.5km) in length. On offer is everything any skier or snowboarder could desire with the runs apparently being wide open or tree lined. From all areas there are magnificent views of the lakes on the plain.

Sounds good! We can't wait. We might even fit in another trip at the end of February. Seems a shame to waste the opportunity!!

'Sore wa totemo tanoshikatta.........Arigato gozaimus Nippon!'

Another Peninsula!!

Finding himself with a few days off over New Year, Steve was champing at the bit and rearing to go!!! Currently we have a full house, no beds to spare unless you like sleeping on the floor. Don't be put off though, because futons and tatami mats are very comfortable. Mandy and Dave, Simon and Charlotte are our most recent victims, our latest 'alien' visitors.

As we have visited the Izu Peninsula many times and the Miura Peninsula just recently,  it was time to shift our focus. We decided to visit the Boso Peninsula which is east of us, across Tokyo Bay. The peninsula can be reached by driving through Tokyo and heading north then east.  An earlier post, 'On the Road Again', covered a trip Steve and I made to Narita  and we knew that the toll fees were fairly high and the trip could be slow. For this trip we chose the alternative route, travelling to the peninsula via the Tokyo Bay Aqualine Tunnel.

OK 'Honey' baby, we know where we want to go.....it's up to you to get us there!

Leaving Yamashita-cho at about 9.15am, we successfully crossed over the Yokohama Bay Bridge in very good time, thank you 'Honey', and reached Kawasaki without any navigational errors or arguments. What a miracle!

The Tokyo Bay Aqualine Tunnel, also known as the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway, is a 15.1km crossing through the middle of Tokyo Bay. It connects Kawasaki City, on our side of the bay, with Kisarazu City on the Boso Peninsula. Rather than a 100km trip, through congested traffic, it is a 15km trip which takes about 15 minutes. Undoubtedly it is well worth the toll fees of 3,000yen each way. At 9.5km, it is not the longest underwater tunnel in the world but the tunnel diameter is the largest. Two lanes of traffic can travel in each direction.

The photo below shows us approaching the entrance, then it's under water for the next 10 kilometres. The tunnel is apparently earthquake proof, a very important feature in an area with a reputation for very regular seismic activity.

Exiting the tunnel you then travel on the bridge for the rest of the way! At the exit point of the tunnel, which is actually on a man made island,  there is a viewing point but we zoomed past on this occasion!! Next time!!!

 At the Kasarazu Landing, we handed over our 3,000 yen to the friendly toll collector.

We decided to travel down the west coast of the peninsula and then make our way back up the east coast. In the end we ran out of daylight hours so, after reaching Shirahama and Nojimazaki, at the most southern point, we headed up the west coast to Kanogawa and then across the middle back to the Aqualine Tunnel.

As we made our way southwards we drove through fishing villages and farmland. Our first stop was Futtsu where we enjoyed a walk around the harbour observing fishermen returning from their day's work.

Our next stop was Hamakanaya, where there was a fish market appropriately named 'the Fish'. As we wandered around we sampled many of the seafood products, plus peanuts prepared in a multitude of ways. The octopus was nice but the raw squid was not high on my list!! We finished off sampling the special cakes that people seem to go crazy over.....very fine layers of cake rolled like a swiss roll!

Charlotte had a snack of marinated seaweed. Quite yummy for a few mouthfuls then slight queasiness set in!!

As we 'moseyed on' down the east coast we drove out onto each of the 'sticky-out bits' on the peninsula......a beautiful park with waterfalls and what looked like lots of gopher holes, making us think we had arrived on the set of 'Caddyshack'!

As I found myself trapped in a bamboo forest ........

 David was getting sweet with the bamboo.....

 ...and anyone who touched these trees quickly retracted their fingers. Prickly trunks indeed!

 Brazilwood tree

...highly valued for the red dye extracted from it

....timber used to make stringed instrument bows

Areas of the forest were terraced with ancient walls.

Yokohama, Tokyo and the Miura Peninsula could be seen across the bay.

We finally found somewhere to eat at Nojimazaki, on the most southern point. In actual fact, as we drove past this venue, two women ran onto the road gesticulating and encouraging us to choose their place. How could we resist, a quick scan around and we scurried upstairs to our place by the window on the floor. Ordering as usual was a challenge, with absolutely nothing written in English and only one person who could say a few English words.

We enjoyed tempura prawns and ramen and some very bitter green tea. Sitting on the floor, Japanese style, always causes some consternation but creates a conversation topic!!

 

We headed back up the east coast. The beaches and towns were beautiful. With the number of daylight hours dwindling, at Kanogawa we decided to head across the mountains back to the Aqua Line Crossing. What a beautiful journey this was.

We saw many places we knew we will have to return to...one place, Nadono, was absolutely gorgeous. In the fading light we could see it was surrounded by a lush rain forest, with an abundance of waterways and traditional housing. When the lights turn red next time, we will stop!

Thanks to the Aqua Line, we quickly returned to the other side of the bay and then enjoyed a relaxed trip back across Yokohama Bridge to home. What a miracle....no traffic jams or arguments with 'Honey'!
Total toll fees =9,100yen ($110-00)........Fuel 134yen($1.61)/litre

Another successful day out, but really only a quick reconnoiter of the peninsula. Having had this investigative tour we know there are many places we will need to go back to.....as well as Nadono....the reclining Buddha, castles, temples, gardens, falls and beautiful highlands. Definitely an excuse for another weekend away...and another ryokan experience.

Native to Japan the 

Japanese sago palm (cycad family)

.....all parts of this plant are toxic.....

in particular the seeds

Another plant to look at but not touch!!

AND SO BEGINS 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I-I O-TOSHI-O!! 

Our Christmas in Japan!!

Christmas in Japan, imagine that!! I could not have imagined that last Christmas!!!! Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere.....in Winter.......what??? That can't be true you only have Christmas in summer!!! 

Celebrating Christmas for the first time without our gorgeous off spring was very strange. To be away from our children, their partners and the grand children was very difficult indeed (muzukashi desu). Parents, relations and friends were also far away. There were no Carols by Candlelight, no crazy last minute frenetic shopping, no hanging out stockings, no Christmas family get together's.....the list goes on. Technology helped close the gap a little....texts, emails, Skype, phone but it's still separation.

With the passing of Halloween, preparations for Christmas began in earnest. Decorations were up within a week and Christmas carols began playing in all the shops. I made another trip to Ikea to source a tree and some decorations to start the 'build up'! Going to Ikea is always a fun trip, whether in Australia or Japan. Here though I have to catch two trains and a bus to get there. Ikea is located in Shin-Yokohama so I catch a train to Yokohama, then change onto another train which takes me to Shin-Yokohama. Ikea provides a free shuttle bus which runs every 25 minutes throughout the day. The bus trip takes about 15 minutes. 

Browsing through the catalogue at home, I had decided on the tree I would like to buy. Unfortunately they were sold out. Outside there were 'real' trees for sale but I didn't want to cart a tree home on the trains and I didn't want the task of cutting it in to little pieces, after Christmas, to dispose of it. My trip was not in vain, I did return home with some decorations and, of course, other bits and pieces as well! I even managed to organise having packages delivered to the apartment. It was fun watching everyone choosing their trees at Ikea...there were thousands of trees in a long pile. People were sifting through the pile, pulling trees out, pulling the ties off  and then throwing them aside until the perfect tree was found. Long suffering staff were busy re wrapping  and throwing trees back on the pile. Everything was supplied for customers to wrap their trees up with.....plastic, string, tape, bags! It looked chaotic but the staff were diligent in their duties and kept the crowds under control.

After looking around the shops nearer to home I finally chose my tree at our local hardware shop....our answer to Bunnings! With my bicycle loaded up, tree in the basket and groceries on the back it was a wobbly, slightly unsafe trip home. Visibility considerably compromised!

I stowed the goodies  in a cupboard until the first week of December. It's funny though, try as I did, I just couldn't get into Christmas mode. Was it the lack of children in my life?...no grand kids, no school kids all excited about Christmas, no report writing and end of year work stress. I don't know it just didn't feel like Christmas. I soldiered on though and refused to give up. We had work parties and meals out with people going home on leave but where was Christmas?

A friend of ours here says that the Japanese are 'commercial Christians', they don't believe in Christmas but they 'do it' big time, even my language teachers agreed. Gifts are exchanged on Christmas day and many enjoy a special meal, but as it was not a public holiday it was business as usual. Different to Australia where most people are inside somewhere sharing a meal with their family. The most important day of celebration in Japan is New Year's Day. We are looking forward to experiencing this special celebration.

The decorations in Tokyo were beautiful, in particular in Ginza and Roppongi Hills. With the arrival of our latest 'alien' visitors we returned to Tokyo to share the lights with them. In an earlier blog I showed the lights of Roppongi Hills, which could only be described as stunning. 

Ginza was also gorgeous.

Riding our bikes around Yamate, Steve and I came upon this.

Christmas Eve was spent in Motomachi Street at an interesting bar. For the first time in many, many years we were not together with all the family and many friends at Paula's. The lights and displays were beautiful. Motomachi Street was decorated in a classy, understated manner.

Christmas morning was a very quiet, relaxed time. Steve and Dave had bought a 'turkey', really just a big chicken, and a ham. Mandy and I had found gifts to put under the tree. The Christmas music I had brought from Australia echoed through the apartment. So it wasn't like normal, but we were giving it our best. Thanks to Skype and the telephone we were able to contact all our families.

Mandy stuffed the turkey, the 'pudding' was prepared and then all we had to do was make continuous toasts to the occasion. The pudding comprised some individually wrapped brandy fruit cakes and I made a nice egg custard. Christmas dinner was amazingly civilised.....no crying, no tantrums, no spilt drinks.

 Even the Asahi beer comes in small cans for small drinkers!!!

Gift giving time was also very civilised....no ripping parcels open, no piles of paper, no gift rejections (except for Dave). A bit boring, but we kept up the game. Jokes aside, we had a lovely day. Wearing my fluffy earmuffs, a gift from Steve, Mandy and I exchange gifts. 

Another gift of chopsticks in a special pouch will alleviate needing to use inferior 'throw away' varieties when dining out during the day.  Thanks Mandy and Dave.  

 Mandy is modelling the haori jacket we gave her.

We had a lovely day together and then lay about all afternoon and evening reading, maybe drinking a bit and sleeping and, for me, studying Japanese. We had planned to walk around the foreshore after lunch but quite frankly the temperature was a major deterrent. Fuji San was wearing an extra layer of snow and the wind chill factor was.........well........chilly!!

To who ever is reading this post, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that a safe, happy and healthy New Year lies ahead. 

Merry Christmas!!!

We may not have had snow in Yokohama but the newly constructed ice rink at the Red Brick Buildings helped create the mood. In Summer there was a beach, in Autumn the Oktoberfest and now an ice skating rink. Where will it end???

Go Japan!!!!

Your attention to detail and dedication to having fun is inspiring!!!