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!!!