Walking the Nakasendo

I Have XXX Days, What Would You Recommend?

2009-08-30T22:00:00.004+08:00

I have XXX days, what would you recommend?

So I've been asked, several times, by people who came across this blog, who wish to explore the Nakasendo but have no desire or opportunity to complete the entire route.

In my opinion, the Kiso Valley stretch (Shiojiri - Nakatsugawa) is easily the most scenic. The forbidding terrain saved the region from over-development. Craggy peaks, the cobalt blue Kiso River, quaint towns and ample tourist facilities (its a popular spot for domestic tourism), the region has plenty going for it. I took 2 days to cross the valley, though I would not recommend anyone do the same. Take your time, give it 3 to 4 days at least.

If you are really short on time, I would recommend Tsumago and Magome, at the Nakatsugawa-end of the valley, they are the two most well-preserved post stations along the Nakasendo. The 2-hour trek between the two is easy and a real joy. An easy day trip.

If walking is not your thing, you can visit the more interest towns and cities along or near the Nakasendo easily by rail. My personal favourites...

What's Next For This Foolhardy Goon?

2009-07-22T10:24:00.007+08:00

The Nakasendo adventure is well and truly over.

For the past 7 months, my life revolved around the solo Nakasendo attempt. Training, equipping, researching, planning, eventually doing it, and putting all my observations, thoughts and feelings down in this blog. Now that I am done, I cannot help but feel a sense of loss. For 7 months I had a goal, an objective, something that engages my mind, my body, my entire being.

What now?

Plan yet another adventure of course.

On my mind...

Laos - Intent to do this with my wife this Christmas. Bangkok to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and back to Bangkok by trains, buses and boats.
Seoul to Busan on foot - Another long walk. Intent to do this next Spring. This time I want my wife to join me.
Cairo to Cape Town - From Cairo in Egypt to Cape Town in South Africa by any means but flying. Intend to do this end-2010 or early-2011. Probably the most dangerous and physically demanding trip I will ever undertake, I am at two minds now on whether its a good idea for my wife to join me. I love having her with me of course, but I don't like putting her though excessive hardships.

Follow our adventures here.

Walking The Nakasendo - The Video

2009-07-22T10:10:00.001+08:00

Was It Worth It?

2009-07-21T11:05:00.005+08:00

A hundred times yes.

Worth all the sweat, time and expense. One of the best things I had done with myself in a long long time.

If its anything that 3 weeks in Japan had left me, its a new and profound respect for the Japanese people. The kindness I experienced, from total strangers, will always stay with me. Coming from Singapore, even the smallest gesture was a surprise and a breath of fresh air. Living in Singapore, where our humanity seemed to be lost to pragmatism and self-interest, I had grown cynical, I had grown to accept that "kindness" is just a dictionary entry. Coming into contact with a people thats civil and unreservedly kind, I felt more human that 3 weeks than I ever do in Singapore, where everything comes down to "What good is it to me?"

It wasn't any of the scenery, the historical relics, the bright cities or fabulous cuisine that left the deepest impression. It was the people. Which by itself made all the effort worthwhile.

It felt great to feel human again, albeit for just 3 weeks.

Because I Love Stats

2009-07-20T19:20:00.004+08:00

Start - 9.30am, 25th Apr, Tokyo Station
End - 8.30am, 9th May, Kyoto Station

Total distance - 566.50km
Longest distance covered in a day - 50.13km, Day 12, Gifu to Maibara
Shortest distance covered in a day - 14.87km, Day 15, Otsu to Kyoto
Average distance covered in a day - 37.77km

Time taken - 13 days 23 hours
Total walking time - 6 days 15 hours 5 minutes
Longest walking day - 14 hours 20 minutes, Day 8, Narai to Okuwa
Shortest walking day - 3 hours 30 minutes, Day 15, Otsu to Kyoto
Average walking day - 10 hours 36 minutes

Highest point - 1534m, Wada Pass
Lowest point - -7m, Itabashi, Tokyo

Total amount spent - 3063.89 SGD (~2125 USD)
Excluding flight (355 SGD) - 2708.89 SGD (~1880 USD)
Amount spent per day - 117.78 SGD (~82 USD)

Tokyo To Kyoto On Foot

2009-07-20T19:15:00.002+08:00

Where I started. Where I stopped every night. Where I finished.

Catching Up On My Reading

2009-07-19T21:33:00.010+08:00

Finishing the trip diary marks the end of a brief but exciting and enriching chapter to my life. What now? I don't know really. I am never one to let myself idle. I don't wish to, especially when my job is as mind-numbing as it is. The first thing on my mind now? Catching up on my reading. My reading list...

Watchmen. My first and only comic book. I caught the movie and found it to be a singularly unique and rather amazing work of fiction. I love a good story. I love a good story that engages my mind to think even more.

Korean For Dummies. Visited both North and South Korea only last year and already I cannot wait to go back again. In fact, I am already toying with the idea of another long walk, this time from Seoul to Busan, next Spring. Whether or not that's happening, both my wife and I are keen to pick up some basic Korean. Memorized the Hangul before we visited South Korea last Christmas, it did help, a little. I could read signs and menus but that fact that we could not say anything in Korean more than "Thank you" and "I am not Korean" became both a source of comedy and frustration.

Dark Star Safari. A few years ago, I took a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. A fellow passenger in the cabin handed me his copy of the book. I only managed to finished part of the book before I had to return it as I was getting off. It stirred the desire in me to do the same one day, Cairo to Cape Town by any means but flying. Bought a copy of my own last November. Aiming to do the same myself late 2010 or early 2011, after I am done with my current work contract. Incidentally, I will be done with my mortgage at about the same time. What better way to celebrate becoming debt-free than to go on yet another epic adventure?

9 Weeks (& 2 Missing Toenails) On...

2009-07-19T19:49:00.003+08:00

Finally!

Been 9 weeks since I returned home from Japan. Only today am I done with converting the notes I penned down during the trip into blog entries. That by itself was a journey. Looking through the scribbles, recalling everything that had happened and putting it in prose brought new perspectives, a new level of appreciation for all the wonderful experiences. It also felt like I had lived through that 3 weeks again.

So much happened that three weeks. Everyday was filled with new places, new experiences and adventure. The sense of satisfaction, of achievement, of self-actualisation that completing the Nakasendo walk gave me something I had not felt in a long long time. I felt so terrible coming back to Singapore. Writing the trip diary allowed me to escape, back to Japan, back to that epic adventure whenever I sat down in front of my computer. It made adjusting to life here again a lot easier. Adjusting to life here again has and hopefully will not blunt my desire to seek my destiny in life. Life must be more than what I am doing now.

Two of the toenails on my left foot, the same two that turned purple during the Nakasendo walk, dropped off a few days after I got home. The toenails have, by now, fully regrown. They do look a little odd though, in colour, shape and texture. If they stay like that, I guess they'll serve as a reminder of that adventure I will always have on me.

To Mr Anonymous

2009-07-01T09:40:00.006+08:00

Received the following anonymous comment on one of my trip diary entries today.

Bravo…. Not only for the accomplishment in walking the Nakasendo, but the fact that you compiled your notes and detailed your trip in such an entertaining blog. I have cycled the Nakasendo twice and find it amazing that you were able to walk it in 12 days. Cycling takes about 6 days which includes the time spent having to carry your bikes over the various Toge’s. Your blog was not only entertaining, but it brings back memories of the road and the challenges encountered.

A few questions/comments: regarding your accommodations… or lack there of… it seems that you only found one real Minshuku along the way. My Japanese is not much better than yours but on two trips of the same highway I was easily able to locate a low cost Minshuku either in the town I entered at say 5 pm or in the next post town. From your travels, you ended up staying in mostly business hotels, a real downer compared to the old traditional Minshuku which most likely cost the same. My comment for your next walking trip in Japan… when looking for a Minshuku in a small town do not bother asking anyone younger than 60. (therefore, don’t even entertain the prospect of getting an answer out of the convenience store clerks) This tried and tested method will result in you arriving at a Minshuku without detour or delay. Many are not advertised and there is no sign outside the door bigger than a matchbook. So by asking the old folks in town, they point you in the direction of their friend who moonlights their 200 year old home as a B+B. You will be knocking on the door almost at dinner time and more than 50% of the time the lady will try to wave you away. She is trying to get rid of you not because she does not want you to stay but because she had not made you dinner… once you convince her you don’t want food you will be shown to your room. Average cost is 3-4,000 yen including breakfast. Once you explain to the folks that you are traveling the Nakasendo and have a great respect for her (I say ‘her’ as the lady usually runs the show whilst her husband sits in his parlor and watches baseball whilst she does all the work) ancestors who maintained the Nakasendo travelers… you are sure to receive extra traveling goodies packed in rice for your next days trip.

Regarding your planned path, it looks like you used Google Earth to determine the road. Google earth now shows the general Nakasendo labeled in Japanese… it was not the case when I planned each trip… but how did you find the specific mud path Toge’s which are not well marked? How many did you find along the way where you left the paved road and walked through the trees in addition to the Magome section?

I have more questions but will wait to see if you are active on this blog before going on.

First of all, thanks for the wonderful comment. I arrived in Japan with a lot of frustration in my heart. Walking was almost the only way I knew to deal with it. That was really the only reason I walked as long as I did each day. The longer I did, the better I felt. Its a little crazy to finish it in 14 days, my feet were a wreck after but I had no regrets, it was one of the best things I had ever done with myself.

Thanks for the heads up on accommodation. There were several reasons why I did not stay in Minshuku's more often than I did. Like you said, they do not really advertise themselves. People I asked along the way were either clueless or pointed me to business hotels. I was also under the impression that they are uber-expensive. Of the countries I had visited, few impacted me the way Japan did. I will certainly go back again, hopefully to do another long walk. I will keep your advice on finding Minshuku's in mind.

Google Map is not an ideal tool for planning an assault on the Nakasendo, its just convenient. There are several books that describes the Nakasendo in great detail, you can find them easily in any largish bookstore in Japan. They were no good to me since I am as good at Japanese as I am with Greek. Some of the time I followed the Google Map printouts I brought along, some of the time I followed the signpostings along the way, some of the time I asked for directions. I wasn't too bothered about following the Nakasendo faithfully. I got lost a couple of times and just took it in my stride. It was all about reaching the destination on foot, it was all about the adventure. The mountain passes were easy to navigate, those sections were the most well-signposted.

The Only Thing Worth Coming Home For

2009-05-18T02:00:00.004+08:00

Got home at 2.30am in the morning. Both my wife and my mum were sound asleep. Had a shower and got into bed as gently as I could, not wanting to wake my wife. She got up anyway. And the look on her face when she saw me, for the first time in 23 days, was priceless. I asked her if she wanted to see what I got her in Japan. She nodded gleefully. Though nothing fanciful, largely make-up tools for her work, she was so happy to see what I got her, especially the little white cat paw plush I got her at Hikone. She was also happy to see the pack of dried fish I bought at Tokyo's Ameyoko Arcade. My mum too, jumped with glee when she saw the pack of dried fish later in the morning. I was both amused and glad to see how my mum and my wife take joy in little things. They are the only thing worth coming home for.

Day 23 On Google Maps

2009-05-17T23:59:00.001+08:00

The Invisible Tribe

2009-05-17T13:00:00.008+08:00

Took the subway back to Ueno. I had a few hours to kill before I had to make my way to the airport. Took a stroll down Ameyoko Arcade, outside the metro station. Formally a notorious black market, it is now a dated, but charming outdoor market.

Ameyoko Arcade was decidedly downmarket. No brand names. No chain outlets. No fancy outlets. Just stripped down stores offering budget clothing, shoes and sports goods, cheap eateries and restaurants, 100 Yen stores and Pachinko parlours at every turn and an incredible variety of dried herbs and seafood. Add to that the persistent stench and the raucous cries of the merchants. The place was breaming with had character and atmosphere no modern mall can match.

Bought a pack of dried fish. Both my mum and wife enjoy shopping for dried seafood whenever they are on holiday, for broths mainly. I don't understand why and how they can find so much joy in dehydrated sea creatures but if it makes them happy...

After that I made my way to the expansive, densely wooded Ueno Park (上野公園), across the street from Ameyoko Arcade.

The park was packed with visitors, there to enjoy the greenery and the almost bewildering range of attractions/distractions (public performances, monuments, museums, temples, shrines, teahouses, temporary fairs, an amusement park and Tokyo's oldest zoo). That was not my purpose there though. My purpose, the homeless settlements inside Ueno Park.

Its was not difficult to spot the homeless in Ueno, they were everywhere in fact. Finding their encampments, tucked out of sight in the densely wooded parts of the park and behind specially built barriers, was a little more difficult. Their concealment an indication of societal ostracism.

It was a sobering, heart-wrenching experience. One particular cluster was situated behind the rubbish dump. The stench was unbearable. There was a sizeable population of crows circling the area, crowing incessantly. Some of the "residents" look no different from the average Joe on the street, clearly not giving up hope on life and making the best of their predicament. Some were empty shells devoid of hope and dignity. One particular occupant, all cover in dirt, was little more than a lifeless pile of skin and bones.

I greeted whoever I passed. Not one returned my greeting. Some looked at me with shock. Some appeared puzzled. I don't believe they were being rude. Ostracised by society, they were probably too accustomed to passersby not acknowledging their presence.

Went back to Ameyoko Arcade for lunch. Had steak. My first in Japan. Mr Toshitake had recommended strongly that I try Japanese steak. Never a fan of red meat, I would not have otherwise. It was wonderful. After lunch I popped back to Ueno Park, had a quick poke around the tiny Shitamachi Museum (下町風俗資料館). The museum features scale models showcasing how shops and houses in Tokyo's old downtown quarter looked in the early part of the 20th century (before the great earthquake of 1923, WWII and the post war boom all but wiped out the old constructions).

With that, the end of my 3 weeks sojourn in Japan. Took a train to the airport. Had a Gyudon before boarding the place. It was good, but nowhere nearly as good as the ones at Sukiya. I missed Kyoto. I missed "Sammi Cheng".

Closest Thing To A Stampede

2009-05-17T08:00:00.007+08:00

The shops and street stalls were starting to open. The crowd was getting thicker by the minute. The morning downpour had died down to a drizzle. Spectators and TV crews jostled in the narrow streets of Asakusa, for a view of the Mikoshi procession.

There were several groups of shrine bearers, each numbering in the hundreds, identified by their Happi. One group would carry the shrine, a second would be pushing against them to obstruct their progress. Eventually the second group would take over and a third group would obstruct their progress. Hundreds of people, heaving and swinging a ton-heavy shrine one way while another few hundred try to push them back, on narrow streets barely twice the width of an automobile. Sanja Matsuri spells mayhem. There's no better way to experience it than to join in. Threw myself into the sea of bodies and allowed myself to be, quite literally, swept along.

That was flippin' awesome! It grew increasingly unpleasant though, as the spectator crowd grew. In any case, being pushed and shoved along with a few hundred people, standing dangerously close to a swinging one-ton object can only be entertaining for that long. Walked around the street market for a quick snack, after which I left Asakusa promptly. I have no idea what it was I had at the street market. It was an unidentifiable but fabulously delicious deep-fried wonder. I point. I pay. I eat.

Yakuza?

2009-05-17T07:00:00.004+08:00

My coach pulled into Shinjuku station in Tokyo at about 6.30am. It was a rainy Sunday morning. The streets were deserted, few passersby and not one vehicle apart from a couple of buses like the one I was on.

I had half a day for Tokyo. My flight home was only scheduled to take off in the early evening. Took a train to Ueno. Deposited my backpack in a locker at the Keisei Ueno Station, where trains leave for the airport. After a quick, and unfortunately horrid breakfast in the station, I took the metro to Asakusa, Tokyo's old entertainment district. The Sanja Matsuri (三社祭) or Three Shrines Festival, was on that day.

The festival, said to be one of the largest and wildest in Japan, is held in honour of the three deified founders of the magnificent Senso Temple (浅草寺), the oldest in Tokyo and Asakusa's centre of gravity. Next to the temple stand Asakusa Shrine (浅草神社), dedicated to the three. During the festival, three Mikoshi (神輿), or portable shrines, representative of the Asakusa Shrine are paraded on the streets of Asakusa throughout the day. The Mikoshi's, weighing about a ton each, are shaken and heaved as they are carried down the streets, to stir up the kami (神, deity) to bestow good fortune on the neighbourhood.

It was only 8am when I got to Asakusa. I saw one of the three Mikoshi's begin carried down the main temple arcade (Nakamise Street). It was early. It was raining. It was cold. There were hardly any spectators. All the shops were closed. As spectacular as the sight of 40 people heaving a ton-heavy shrine on their shoulders was, the weather, the deserted streets killed the atmosphere. It was a dud.

Visited the Asakusa Kannon Onsen, an old-school public bath adjacent to the temple. I was cold, and in need of a wash, I had not had a shower since leaving Kyoto a day ago. The onsen was wonderfully atmospheric, intentional or not, the interior looked like it hadn't been updated in a hundred years. I found the shoe locker particularly fascinating. The key is a wooden block with crudely cut grooves. On the wall of the bathroom was this massive tile mosaic of half-naked mermaids frolicking.

When I first entered the bathroom, there was just one other user, a man covered with tattoos, so replete even his butt was tattooed.

Is he from the Yakuza?

I asked myself. His countenance spoke both of pride and aggression. There were two hot baths. He sat in one. I sat in the other. Not long after, more patrons streamed in. I observed how they were looking at and reacting to his presence. Some paused in their tracks. Some threw him quick, uncomfortable glances as they tried to act oblivious to his presence. Without a word, without any action, the man got everybody's attention. All the other patrons came into the same bath I was in. Not one dared enter the one the tattooed man was in.

One interesting onsen experience.

Clean, warmed up, refreshed, I was all ready for a second stab at the Sanja Matsuri.

Day 22 On Google Maps

2009-05-16T23:59:00.000+08:00

I'm With You

2009-05-16T18:00:00.004+08:00

I had another two hours to kill. Sat down at a cafe in the hotel opposite the bus station for a cup of tea. I had my fill of sightseeing.

Felt so miserable. My sojourn in Japan, almost over, in a flash. Read my journal. Recalled all the things that had happened in the past 3 weeks, all the new places, encounters and experiences. Everyday I woke up not knowing what was coming my way. There was expectation. There was anticipation. The joy of adventure and discovery. The past 3 weeks only accentuated how empty my life in Singapore was. Nothing happens in 3 weeks. Three weeks ago I was doing what I am doing today. Three weeks later I would be doing what I am doing today. Everyday I wake up knowing just what the day will bring. I am a drone. I am a zombie. Time just passes.

I did not want to return to the life I had. Its a comfortable existence. But I am made for more than just eat, sleep, work and play. My existence must mean something more.

The cafe played "I'm With You" by Avril Lavigne.

A smile broke out of my miserable countenance.

The last time I was on the road for this long a duration, was in my final year in university, 6 years back. I took 3 weeks, the entire Christmas break, to visit Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, Bratislava, Vienna, Venice and Barcelona. Another point in my life when I was seeking meaning and self-actualization. Everywhere I went, I heard "I'm With You" playing on the airwaves.

It's a damn cold night
I'm tryin' to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand?
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm, I'm with you

It was at that moment I realised nothing has changed since. I was seeking meaning and self-actualization then. I am still seeking the same things today. Maybe I might never find it. It just might elude me all my life. On my deathbed I want to go knowing I at least tried.

The Boulevard Of Teenage Fashion Disasters

2009-05-16T11:00:00.001+08:00

Back in the real world, outside the kooky wacky loopy Yoshimoto universe, I was feeling a tat peckish. Made my way to Dotonbori. Got myself a serving of piping hot yummy-licious takoyaki. The loudhailer dude was up to his usual antics again. I stood by the side of the street, tucked into my hot snack while witnessing the ensuing and rather entertaining drama between the loudhailer dude and a band of six policemen.

The six policemen formed a circle around the loudhailer dude. Their arms were crossed. They looked crossed. Six pairs of eyes burning into the loudhailer dude. They tried to persuade him to stop. Loudhailer dude ignored them and continued ranting into his oversized, mother-of-all loudhailers. Clearly annoyed with his antics, the policemen tried to bring him away. To stop them from doing so, loudhailer dude laid flat on the floor and continued his angry rants. Agitated and embarrassed (there was quite a crowd of onlookers), the policemen took to carrying the loudhailer dude back to the station. One to each arm. Two to each leg.

Took the metro to Osaka Castle Park, this time not for the castle, but Peace Osaka. The museum detailed

Japanese aggression in China, Korea and South East Asia in the years leading up to and during WWII.
US invasion of Japan in the ending stages of the war, in particular the air raid campaign on Osaka and the nuclear attack on Hiroshima.

Heavy stuff. Especially after all the fun I had at Yoshimoto Shotengai and Dotonbori. I walked out feeling depressed and questioning why I placed myself through it. Not questioning the need for such a museum of course but I guess I was just not in the right frame of mind for it.

Went on to Amerika-mura (アメリカ村, America village), the boulevard of teenage fashion disasters (TFD), hoping to lift some of the gloom Peace Osaka left me. My first attempt at TFD-spotting (three days earlier) was a dud. This time round, the TFDs were out in full force, undeterred by the rain. One lady had blue, green, blonde, red and purple hair. One dude had a blonde afro. Another had a Mohawk cut. Punk, emo, cosplay, R&B and some pretty lame wannabes, one could find them all, at the boulevard of teenage fashion disasters.

After I had my fill of TFDs, or rather the amusement they bring, I walked back to Dotonbori. Could not resist the draw of the place, easily my favourite part of Osaka. The district was jumping with colour and life even the miserable weather could not abate. Along the way I passed Shinsaibashi-suji Shotengai, where I got hairpins and a mascara tool for my wife. Not the usual or seemingly most romantic gifts a man can buy his wife while overseas but gifts I knew she'll be happy to receive and appreciate. My wife finds tremendous joy sourcing for tools useful for her work as a freelance make-up artist. On our holidays, that's almost the only thing she'll care to shop for.

After one last stroll around Dotonbori, I took the metro back to the JR Osaka station, where I left my backpack in the morning. It was a massive, crowded, confusing labyrinth of a station. Took me a fair while to locate the locker where I left my backpack. I had a quick dinner at the station and made my way to the hulking, 40-storey high Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル), northwest of the station. Went up to the indoor observatory on the top floor. There was an outdoor observatory but it was raining too heavily for that. Sat down and watched the city light up as the sky turned dark. It was a beautiful sight.

Fill My Breast With Warm Water To Get A Real Warm Feeling

2009-05-16T09:00:00.006+08:00

Wandered about the streets. Not much seemed to be going on. It was a grey, drizzly morning. Most of the shops were closed and the streets, deserted.

I saw a boisterous crowd, outside what looked like a theatre. I had no clue what was on. It has to be good, I told myself. Good enough for all those people to drag themselves out of bed on a miserable morning for. At the corner of the building there was a neon sign, pointing to the basement, that read

吉本笑店街

Taking them as Chinese characters, "笑店街" literally translate as "laughter shop street". I had not the slightest clue what was in that basement. The admission charge was a stiff 1000 Yen (~11 USD). I hesitated for a moment, but decided to check it out. I was free. I was curious.

I was a little spooked when I first entered the basement. The area, decked out like an old market, was dimly lit and shadowy. There were a lot of plastic figures, but not another soul in the narrow winding alleys or any of the "shops". I was the only visitor. Soon enough though, my initial unease turned into amusement as I realised what it was. 吉本笑店街 was a comedy museum, a really wacky one at that.

There was a screen showing snippets from stage and television shows featuring the comedy actors featured in the museum. I had a good laugh. You don't have to understand a word of Japanese to figure out what was going on. Comedy in its most primal form; simple, physical, slapstick, full of innuendos and rather lowbrow.

The "shops" were full of strange, wacky exhibits. There was a dog-headed spacesuit, a box full of plastic poop and fake boobs in (quite literally) all shapes and sizes, just to name a few. One of the shops was a "nursery" featuring a monkey, a gorilla and a green demon under the care of an ugly nurse. Another one featured an actress who made pornographic comedies. Her costumes, covering just about every stereotypical lewd male fantasy (air stewardess, nurse, school girl) was on display. Also on display, the packaging for an inflatable woman. The box read

Fill my breast with warm water to get a real warm feeling.

The place was a laugh, easily the wackiest thing I had seen in Japan, well worth the admission. I was inside for well over an hour, just the cheer-up I needed.

Yoshimoto Shotengai

The place was so dimly lit, this was the only shot I managed. That was probably my only regret about the place, that I could not capture any of the loopiness.

Only found out after I left Japan that the theatre was the Namba Grand Kagetsu (なんばグランド花月), operated by Yoshimoto Kogyo (吉本興業), the dominant player in Japanese comedy entertainment. The wacky basement was Yoshimoto Shotengai (吉本笑店街), a theme-park/museum homage to Yoshimoto Kogyo's popular comics.

Goodbye Sammi Cheng! I'll Miss You!

2009-05-16T06:00:00.008+08:00

Got up at 6am. Took a looked outside the window. The sky was all grey and overcast. Not the most inspiring weather. I did not know what to do with myself. I have a bus ticket for Tokyo, leaving from Osaka that night. Should I spend the day in Osaka? Should I look up Mr Toshitake? Took my time to get ready, did not feel like there was much to get ready for any way. Checked out of the hostel. Went to Sukiya. One last Gyudon. I had been to that Sukiya near the station so many times over the past week I could recognise all the service staff. One of them, I swear, looks just like Sammi Cheng.

The Real Sammi Cheng

Pondering over my options over breakfast. Eventually decided to leave for Osaka. The previous evening ended on a high. Mr Toshitake thinking he will see me again today, gave me nothing more than a smile and a quick goodbye as we parted ways. I knew, if I were to look him up again, I would be setting myself up for a difficult goodbye later in the day. I hate goodbyes.

Exactly a week ago I arrived on foot on a gloriously sunny day, with the knowledge that I had a free week I could do anything with. Felt so sad that its over, that I had to go. The miserable weather only added to the overall gloom.

Got up to the counter to pay for my food. "Sammi Cheng" took my outstretched hand with one hand and gave me a warm, assuring smile as she placed my change in it. It was as though she knew I felt sad about leaving.

Goodbye Sammi Cheng! I'll miss you!

Took a train to JR Osaka station, in Umeda, Osaka's business district. Dumped my backpack into a locker and took the metro to Namba station, for downtown Osaka. Did not take a train straight to Namba like I did three days earlier, the bus station I need to be at that night for my bus to Tokyo is in Umeda.

Day 21 On Google Maps

2009-05-15T23:59:00.001+08:00

The Day With Mr Toshitake

2009-05-15T12:00:00.006+08:00

Walked the streets around the Imperial Palace, looking for a suitable spot for lunch. Its an upmarket part of the city, most of the restaurants were well beyond my budget. I passed one which advertised lunch sets for below 1000 Yen (~11 USD). I walked in without any consideration. The menu was in Japanese so I had not the slightest clue what it is they serve. I was so hungry I could not care less.

The restaurant was full so I had to wait for a table. An elderly couple entered the restaurant soon after me. Couple of minutes later, a table for four was freed up. I beckoned the elderly couple to join me at the table.

They rejected the offer, but I knew very well how it works here. Whenever you are offered anything, its courtesy to reject it even if you really want it, so as to accentuate the giver's generosity and your humility. A strange social protocol unique to the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. After a few quick rounds of me offered them the table and they rejecting the offer, they finally "relented" and joined me at the table.

Mamaro Soup Curry

To my surprise, the man started speaking to me in English. His name is Mr Kunoki Toshitake. He is a retired English Literature professor. The lady next to him, whom I thought was his wife was actually just a good friend. She introduced herself as Chioko. Ordered lunch with help from Mr Toshitake. Finally found out where I was and what it is they serve. I was at Mamaro Soup Curry. I had the vegetable soup curry. I must admit, I was a little sceptical. What? Curry clear soup? The first spoonful was enough to put my doubts to rest. It was awesome. Love at first taste.

After lunch, they invited me to join them for tea and cakes at a cafe nearby. Mr Toshitake asked what I was doing in Japan. Told him about the long walk to Kyoto from Tokyo, and the places I had visited since. He was so impressed that someone who does not know the language or had ever been to the country would be foolhardy enough to take on such a challenge. He called me the "Singapore Samurai". Apparently I was also the first Singapore he had ever met.

After tea and cakes, Mr Toshitake and I took a bus to Shimogamo Shrine for the afternoon leg of the procession. Chioko left for her chado (茶道) or Japanese tea ceremony class. At the shrine, we caught a horseback archery demonstration. The purpose of the festival is to appease the deities of the Kamo shrines. In ancient times, one of the appeasement rites was to have someone ride a galloping horse, like a rodeo. That particular ritual eventually evolved into the horseback archery demonstration.

After the demonstration we went outside the shrine to witness the parade. It was nothing like the morning leg. I can only describe the movement of the procession down the narrow street as constipated, none of the solemn elegence of the morning leg. Add to that the modern backdrop, afternoon heat, traffic and a greater crowd than was at the Imperial Palace in the morning. It was no fun. Taller than the average Japanese, I could look above the crowd. But poor Mr Toshitake, a whole head shorter than me, could see no more than the back of people's heads.

After the parade we went back inside Shimogamo Shrine. Mr Toshitake stays in an apartment nearby. He asked me to hang around the shrine while he goes back for a change of clothes. He came back half an hour later, with a book in hand, which he promptly handed to me. After he retired from teaching, he has been taking dawn and dusk photographs of Kyoto and has published four coffee table books featuring his work. The book he gave me was a copy of his first book.

We took a bus to downtown Kyoto, where we met Chioko for another round of tea and deserts. At their recommendation I tried Macha (抹茶) for the first time. Best green tea ever. They asked for my name in Chinese characters. Wrote it down on a piece of paper for them.

杨国羚

I asked them how they would read it, taking it as Kanji. Apparently it reads "Yo Koku Rei" which is, surprisingly not far from the Teochew romanization of my name, "Yeo Kok Leng". They told me the combination of characters does not mean anything coherent in their language and asked if it does in Mandarin. For a moment I was stumped for an answer. My father got my name from a crackpot fortune teller, it does not mean anything coherent in Chinese either.

Apart from the flat near Shimogamo Shrine, Mr Toshitake owns a villa in Karuizawa where he holds classical recitals daily over the summer season. He asked, several times in fact, that I visit him there in the summer with my wife. He was proud of the fact that his villa is only two houses away from Yoko Ono's, though he conceded that she hadn't been to her villa for years. He was even more proud of the fact that John Lennon had spent time in Karuizawa. Such a fan of The Beatles he is, he started singing the well-known coda from Hey Jude.

Na na na na-na na na na-na na na, hey Jude.

After tea and deserts, Chioko left us to do some shopping. Mr Toshitake took me to a traditional restaurant on Kiyamachi street that specialises in noodles and roasted vegetables for dinner. I had Udon in chicken broth, it was wholesome and oh-so-delicious. Mr Toshitake was meeting friends that night and asked that I join with him. I would otherwise be twiddling my thumbs in the hostel anyway so I obliged.

We took the metro to Kokusaikaikan station, in Sakyo district. Mr Toshitake was meeting his friends at the Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto, an uber-luxurious hotel near the station. We sat down for tea with a Mr Morimasa and Ms Keiko. Mr Morimasa was a wealthy businessman. He owns a publishing firm. He was stately and refined in appearance. He spoke proudly of his family name, apparently his ancestors too were notable members of society. Ms Keiko was adorable. Though elderly, she spoke with the voice and manner of a coy 5-year old girl. She was so meek and appeared so subservient to Mr Morimasa I mistook her as his wife. The service staff were disturbingly slick. With their shiny greased up hair, tight-fitting vests/suits and big cheesy grins, they looked more like they belong in male cabaret.

On our way back, Mr Toshitake asked that I visit him at his apartment the following day if I was not in a hurry to leave Kyoto. I did not give him an answer but he seemed to have assumed that I will, he was all smiles as we bid one another a quick goodbye.

Chioko and Mr Toshitake paid for all the meals, everything, they did not even allowed me to pay for my own bus and metro rides. I did not want to be a free-loader, did try to pay for myself initially but I realised soon enough that that would cause far more offence that if I just accept their generosity graciously.

Mr Toshitake was such a charm, he would tell any one he could about my solo walk. Everyone we came in contact with, every waiter, every waitress, every cashier, everyone. All along the way he would pull me into traditional shops, showing me the various traditional crafts that are still being made in Kyoto.

He was not very impressed that I was planning to spend the following day in Osaka. He spent his entire working life living in Yokohama, where he was teaching. I guessed he had it with big cities.

I was all smiles. Amazed at how the day turned out. And it all started with a serendipitous encounter at Mamaro Soup Curry.

The Aoi Matsuri

2009-05-15T10:00:00.014+08:00

At about 10.50am, the procession finally reached where I was, near the southern entrance to the Imperial Palace grounds. It was a long procession, it took more than half an hour for the entire parade to pass. I loved it, well worth the wait. It was a solemn, elegant affair, no music, not so much as a sound. The colourful costumes, from the Heian Period, were another plus.

Its mean of me to compare the parade participants to animation characters but hey, there's no denying the resemblance.

Overall, an awesome experience. After the parade, I was famished. Decided to get some lunch before making my way to Shimogamo Shrine, where the procession will take the street once more in the mid-afternoon.

One Last Jaunt Around Downtown Kyoto

2009-05-15T07:00:00.006+08:00

The Aoi Matsuri, one of the three major festivals of Kyoto, was on that day. There are two parts to the festival, the procession and the shrine rites. The procession will see 600 participants, dressed in Heian Period costumes make its way, starting at 10.30am, from the Imperial Palace to Shimagamo and Kamigamo shrine, where the rites will be performed.

Got up at 6.30am. Had a really good, uninterrupted night's rest, no snoring creatures or strange vibrating alarms. Decided to take a walk around the covered arcades in the downtown area, easily my favourite part of the city, once more, before making my way to the Imperial Palace for the procession. Most of the shops were not opened for business yet, I ended up having breakfast at a 24-hour branch of MacDonald's. There were a few revellers, who probably got too drunk to get themselves home the night before, sleeping there.

Nishiki Shotengai, Kyoto

At such an early hour in the morning, the covered arcades were deserted. Except for Nishiki Shotengai, the prepared food and fresh produce market. There was not one customer but the market was already a hive of activity as vendors get ready for the day, cooking, washing, packing, moving.

Takoyakushido, Shinkyogoku Shotengai, Kyoto

After a quick poke around the temples and shrines inside Shinkyogoku and Teramachi Shotengai, and a quick snack at a bakery cafe, I made my to the Imperial Palace. I wasn't hungry at all but the smell of fresh pastry was just too hard to resist.

Reached the Imperial Palace a whole hour before the procession was due to begin. There was already an unbelievable crowd lining the procession path. Found myself a good spot and waited patiently for the procession to begin. The crowd at the Imperial Palace grounds that morning was by a long mile the most well-behaved festival crowd I had ever seen. No pushing, no shoving, no shouting. The crowd was orderly without any intervention from the few policeman on horseback present. If its something this trip has left me with, its a profound respect for the Japanese people.

Day 20 On Google Maps

2009-05-14T23:59:00.000+08:00

Its Official, I Hate Kyoto

2009-05-14T18:00:00.002+08:00

Took a train back to Kyoto and from Kyoto station, the metro to Sanjo Keihan station. Wanted to check out Gion (祇園). East of downtown Kyoto across Kamo River, Gion is one of Japan's most well-known Geisha district. While there were some really lovely traditional architecture, the area was sorely lacking in atmosphere. The presence of power cables, traffic, modern structures and most of all, an army of camera-totting tourists effectively killed off any remnant of that. Near where the exclusive Geisha-entertainment establishments are, I found an incredible number of eager Geisha-spotters, chasing and taking pictures of anyone who walks by in a Kimono, Geisha or not. That was for me, the final straw. Left Gion promptly. I was by this time getting really weary of Kyoto. While great for the local economy, Kyoto's popularity is killing off its charm, turning it into an unreal, almost farcical tourist circus

Gion Kaburenjo Theatre, Kyoto

Went back to the old-school noodle bar on Shijo street in downtown Kyoto. Had a cheap but deliciously satisfying bowl of soba for dinner, like I did the day I finished my solo walk. There was probably more atmosphere in that small noodle bar than in all of Gion.

Back at the hostel, I had new bunkmates, a family (a father and his two teenage daughters) from Utah (USA). Apparently the father stayed in Gifu for a couple of years when he was younger. His daughters just finished an exchange program in Fukuoka and he was taking the opportunity to bring them around Japan before they return to the US. And rather thankfully, the sleeping (read, snoring) beauty checked out earlier during the day.

Omihachiman Redux

2009-05-14T15:00:00.002+08:00

Took a train down to Omihachiman from Hikone, a journey that took less than 15 minutes. The stretch between Hikone and Omihachiman, because of inclement weather, was the toughest section of the Tokyo to Kyoto trek, the one time I really felt like throwing in the towel. Could not help but be amused at how quick and easy it is to hop between the two by train.

Omihachiman is of interest for the old town, about 2.5km away from the station, at the foot of Mount Hachiman. Walked to the old town, on the same road I was on exactly a week ago. Could not believe only a week had passed, the solo walk already seemed like a distant memory. And to think that this was the original day I was suppose to reach Kyoto.

The picturesque old town was first established with Mount Hachiman Castle in 1585. The castle was abandoned a mere 10 years later in 1595 and little remains of it today. The castle town continued to flourish throughout the Edo Period as the base of the Omi-shonin, feudal merchants known for their emphasis on social responsibility.

Koi-nobori, Omihachiman

Hachiman Canal, Omihachiman

I loved the rustic, old-world atmosphere of the old town. Wondered around aimlessly, taking in the scenery, the wonderful weather. Blissfully, there were hardly any visitors apart from a couple of pensioners and a class of young school children.

View From Mount Hachiman, Omihachiman

Took the ropeway up to the top of Mount Hachiman. A temple sits where the castle used to be. Neither the temple nor the castle ruins were much to look at. What clinched it for me was the spectacular view and fresh, cool mountain air.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Omihachiman. As with Hikone, I was so glad I came back for it again.

Hikone, The "White Samurai Cat" City

2009-05-14T09:00:00.003+08:00

Took a train up to Hikone, an hour away from Kyoto. It was a sleepy, peaceful, uncluttered little city. A real relief. Everywhere I had been since I completed the solo walk, with the exception of Himeji, were either thronging with tourist (Nara, Kyoto) or bustling urban monsters (Kobe, Osaka). It felt good to be somewhere laid back and unhurried.

Hikonyan

Hikone is famed for its castle (彦根城, Hikone-jo), completed in 1622, it is one of only four listed as national treasures, one of only twelve in its original state. (The vast majority of castles in Japan are actually concrete reconstructions of the originals.) By about 8.30am, I was already at the castle entrance, a short walk away from the station. There was a queue, not for the castle but for Hikonyan, the castle and city mascot, a white cat with a Samurai helmet on. When the castle finally opened its doors for visitors at 9am, I was the first, and only to enter. The mascot is curiously more popular than the castle itself. The castle was beautiful, by itself well worth the journey here.

Hikone Castle, Hikone

After I was done exploring the castle I took a slow stroll around the lovely Genkyu garden (玄宮園, Genkyu-en), at the foot of the castle. The garden, featuring a massive villa was built for the fourth castle lord, Naooki-li in 1677.

Genkyu Garden, Hikone

After the garden I took a slow stroll down Yumekyobashi Castle Road, a modern, but undeniably charming reproduction of the former castle town. The street is lined with upmarket but quaint restaurants, traditional crafts and souvenir shops. Popped into a few, marvelled both at the tasteful decor and the fine products on display. A mural of a cat caught my eye. I approached for a closer look to find the building it was on was actually a shop specialising in cat-themed products. Walked in and got my wife a pen and a white cat paw plush. My wife and I adore cats.

Yumekyobashi Castle Road, Hikone

Sat down at a bakery cafe near the station for lunch before moving on Omihachiman. Hikone was amazing and having it pretty much all to myself was a bonus. There was hardly any other visitors. I was so glad I came back for it again.

Fulfilling A Promise To Myself

2009-05-14T06:00:00.002+08:00

Woke up at 5am in the morning. The lady sleeping in the bed next to mine was snoring rather badly, though not nearly as badly as the unrequited alpha male. Tried to get back to sleep without success. At 6am, my bed started vibrating, the dude in the bed on top of mine had a vibrating alarm. The dude was sleeping so heavily the alarm was of no effect on him. My bed was vibrating and the sleeping beauty was still snoring. I gave up trying to sleep. Got out of bed and out of the hostel.

For the fourth day in a row, I had Gyudon at Sukiya for breakfast. At 6-plus in the morning, when much of Kyoto is still asleep, its either this or the much dreaded convenience stores. No complains though, far from being sick of it, this was something I looked forward to everyday. Cheap, delicious, warm comfort food in a casual, cosy eatery in the morning chill, thank God for Sukiya.

My plan for the day was to visit Hikone and Omihachiman again. I passed them on my epic walk from Tokyo but it was raining so heavily then, ruling out exploration . I had promised myself to visit them once more, on a climate-wise better day. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, perfect for day-tripping. In any case, I did not think I want to spend another day in Kyoto. Kyoto is a wonderful place but I could not bring myself to face the marauding tourist crowds again.

Day 19 On Google Maps

2009-05-13T23:59:00.003+08:00

Hyper-Dotonbori

2009-05-13T20:00:00.001+08:00

Hungry after a day's exploration, I made my way back to Dotonbori. Where else, but the district that prides itself as the place to ruin oneself by extravagant food and drink? Starting from the west end, I ate my way through the main arcade, sampling all the deep fried and greasy grilled wonders on offer, I was stuffed even before I was midway through. That was one unhealthy meal but boy did I had fun. I did wished my wife was with me though. Be it on our dates or holidays together, we enjoy hunting for and sharing deliciously unhealthy street snacks. We even have our own term for it, "Little Nonsense".

Dotonbori, Osaka

Having spent a good part of the morning in Dotonbori, I did not think it would hold any more surprises. I was wrong. At night, Dotonbori transforms into a hardcore, charged-up hyper version of its already crazy kooky weird daytime self. The revellers are out, partying without any hint of inhibition. The strip clubs, and there are a lot of them, fling their doors wide open and slickly dressed, cheeky looking young men will be accosting passersby to enter. Its not difficult to spot them, all of them feature bright, colourful neon signs saying "Girls Bar". Like the rest of Dotonbori, to the point and in your face.

New World, Lost World

2009-05-13T15:00:00.008+08:00

Spent the afternoon exploring Amerika-mura, Shin-sekai and Osaka Castle.

Amerika-mura (アメリカ村, America village) is a small, compact retail area packed end-to-end with all manner of colourful, often gaudy and outlandish street fashion and corny American iconography. It reminded me more of London's punk/goth enclave Camden town than "Amerika". Its call to infamy, the teenage fashion disasters that roam its streets. I sat down at Mitsu park, an all-concrete triangular park in the middle of the district, hoping to spot a few. Nothing, apart from one dude which looked he walked out of a Tim Burton production, it was a weekday afternoon, all the teenage fashion disasters were probably in school.

Shin-sekai, Osaka

Shin-sekai (新世界, New World) had seen better days. The entertainment district, developed in the latter years of the Meiji Period, was intended to be a showcase of Japan's ascendency as a major power, a modern society. The neighbourhood was modelled after Paris (complete with its Eiffel Tower-lookalike, the Tsutenkaku) and New York's Coney Island. Largely neglected since those heady years, Shin-sekai is now a seedy, rundown ghetto overrun with all manner of "interesting" characters. What was meant to represent the New World is ironically more fitting a symbol of old Osaka. Cheap eateries, some bare and stripped down, some featuring all the colours of the rainbow, smokey chess and mahjong rooms crowded with elderly patrons, garish Pachinko parlours, homeless men roaming the streets, some selling salvaged goods, Shin-sekai was at once destitute yet lively and colourful.

I like Shin-sekai, not a pretty place but it sure is unique and full of character.

Osaka Castle, Osaka

Razed (multiple times), struck by lightning, bombed and left to rot, the Osaka Castle (大坂城, Osaka-jo) that stands today is unsurprisingly, a concrete reconstruction of the original. I found the structure to be imposing and impressive nonetheless. The setting, the lush, expansive Osaka Castle Park was another plus. Took a slow walk about the park on my way to the castle. It was a sunny, beautiful day, perfect for a stroll in the park. Took some time to laze on a park bench, busking in warm sunshine. Outside the main castle building there was a group of Chinese tourists, doing what one would expect them to, making such a hell of a din they could wake the dead. The rest of the visitors to the castle were either looking on to them with amusement or annoyance, but no one was oblivious to their presence. Did not enter the castle itself, by the time I got there, they were about to close for the day. In any case, the interior is apparently nothing like the original so I guess the only thing I missed out on is the view from the top.

Eat Till You Die

2009-05-13T09:00:00.024+08:00

Osaka and Kyoto are like Esau and Jacob, so diametrically different from one another you cannot believe they are in the same country, much less a mere 40km apart. Like Kyoto is the embodiment of Japan's elegant, refined traditional culture, Osaka is the apotheosis of Japan's colourful, quirky popular and subcultures, an uber-modern concrete temple to consumerism and carnal excesses.

Spent the morning ambling about Dotonburi, just north of the station conglomerate. Dotonburi needs to be seen to be believed. Osaka's party heart, Dotonbori is all about excessive living, the place to eat, drink and party with reckless abandon, a dizzying hedonistic fantasy. The popular Osaka expression, and Dotonbori's unofficial motto, Kuidaore (食い倒れ) literally means "to ruin oneself over extravagant food and drink".

Fugu Lantern, Dotonburi, Osaka

Hedonist and ostensibly unabashed about it, the main arcade features the flashiest, craziest billboards one will see anywhere, inviting you to choke yourself and your arteries on the wildly unhealthy yet exciting cuisine on offer. Think mechanized sea creatures with moving limbs, dragons, giant fugu lanterns and human-size demon figures. Though it was only a weekday morning the street was already crowded with people stuffing their faces silly.

Kuidaore Taro

Its only fitting then that Dotonbori was home to what was possibly the largest restaurant on the planet, the now-defunct Cui-daore. The restaurant ceased operations only months earlier, the 8 storey building it occupied now an empty shell. Cui-daore was so synonymous with Dotonbori and the Kuidaore concept the much-loved restaurant mascot, the twiggy bespectacled clown, Kuidaore Taro is both a local landmark and city icon, outliving the restaurant itself.

Outside the former Cui-daore I saw a man speaking into the mother of all loudhailers. The horn was so big, bigger than his torso, he was visibly struggling to support it on his shoulder. At first glance I thought he was from one of the nearby restaurants, its not uncommon to see sales staff in this country touting for business using loudhailers. That till I noticed...

He was shabbily dressed.
He sounded angry.
Passersby were giving him curiously stares.
There were two policemen standing right in front of him with their arms crossed and they don't looked impressed.

The policemen tried, without success, to persuade the loudhailer dude to stop his angry rants. Moments later a man ran out from one of the restaurants nearby, lunged himself towards the loudhailer dude and grabbed him by the scuff of the neck. He was about to hit him when the policemen pulled him away. The loudhailer dude immediately turned and left, with a smirk on his face.

Just south of the main arcade is Hozenji Yokocho, a narrow, cobbled alley lined with traditional-looking restaurants and watering holes. The namesake, the Hozen temple was built around the Mizukake Fudo, a moss-covered statue of the Fudo-myoo, one of the few surviving bits from the original Hozen temple that was all but destroyed by Allied bombing. For the time I was there I noticed almost everyone who passed the temple would stop for a quick prayer and throw water on the Mizukake Fudo; a rather curious practise. Judging from the incredible carpet of moss on the statue (it looks like a B-movie monster) one could only imagine just how much water is thrown on it daily.

Mizukake Fudo, Hozen Temple, Osaka

Not far from the abominable moss man was the Minami Move On Arena, home to Osaka Pro-Wrestling. Not the Greco-Roman kind, the WWE and Lucha Libre kind, man in colourful tights and creepy masks clobbering one another for your entertainment. Only the souvenir shop was opened at the time, walked in for a quick browse. It was an uneasing, testosterone-charged place, images of musclebound masked wrestlers everywhere I turned, on DVDs, T-shirts, posters and heavy metal playing in the background. Even replica masks were on sale. Fancy looking like one of them?

Osaka Pro-Wrestling

Lets Dance The Namba

2009-05-13T06:00:00.003+08:00

My body was starting to operate like clockwork. For the third morning in a row I found myself wide awake at 6am. The sky was grey and overcast, not the most inspiring weather. Laid in, I was reluctant to face the gloomy weather.

Where could I go, what could I do on a day like this?

Pondered. Eventually decided on Osaka. It looked like it might rain any minute. Osaka has no lack of quirky shops and museums for inclement days. Took my time to get ready and out of the hostel.

I hate overcast days.

Without any thought I stepped into Sukiya and ordered a Gyudon, third morning in a row. It did help, somewhat. Initially I was cold, hungry and miserable. After the Gyudon I was just miserable.

Took a train to Kintetsu Namba station, in downtown Osaka.

A young lady seated opposite me on the train took the journey time to apply make-up; lipstick, blusher, mascara, eye-liner, the works. It was a relatively smooth train ride, but still, it was a moving train and it did jerk from time to time. Amazingly, she could outline her eyes with her eye-liner without difficulty or error. If I try the same, I might draw a line across my face or stab my own eye with the pencil. Japanese women can and do put make-up on anywhere.

Para bailar la Namba, se necesita una poca de gracia.*

In order to dance the Namba you need a little bit of grace. The station was a complex, convoluted labyrinth, a Dungeons & Dragons overworld. Every which way I turned there were similar looking passageways and confusing signs pointing in all directions to more passageways and an bewildering array of exits leading to infinite destinations. Imagine this, there are not one, not two, not even three, but four adjoined Namba stations (JR Namba, Nankai Namba, Kintetsu Namba and Namba) serving a web of intersecting subway and railway lines.

To my pleasant surprise, the sky was clearing up fast. Just an hour earlier it looked like it might rain any minute. The weather was perfect. I was excited and mighty glad I dragged myself out of bed that morning. Osaka was as much a quirky, energetic assault on the senses as it was overwhelmingly urban. Armed with my Poketa 大阪 guide and boundless curiosity, I was all set to take it on.

Ay, ariba ariba!*

(*Yes, its a little lame, a little weak but I could not resist the pun, Namba does rhyme with Bamba.)

Day 18 On Google Maps

2009-05-12T23:59:00.004+08:00

At The Foot Of Mount Kinugasa

2009-05-12T15:00:00.009+08:00

Took a bus from the station to Ninna (仁和) temple, in Ukyo district, northwest of central Kyoto. My plan was to visit Ninna, Ryoan (龍安) and Kinkaku (金閣) temple, all within easy walking distance of one another in a densely wooded area at the foot of Mount Kinugasa (衣笠). Incidentally, all three of them are UNESCO-listed heritage sites.

Ninna temple was a joy. The temple buildings were simple, almost dull in appearance, the dark wooden structures seemingly lost in the lush green surroundings but therein lies its charm. It might not scream out for attention like the crimson red Kiyomizu temple but it draws you with its elegant understated beauty. The temple buildings were spread out over an expansive area filled with cherry trees. It made for a very pleasant meander. And best of all, there were hardly any visitors. The area is a bit of a trek from central Kyoto and those who do make it here would most likely be more interested in the more famous Ryoan and Kinkaku temple.

The sky was clear when I reached Ninna temple. As I ambled about the temple grounds, clouds started to roll in. The sky was still partially clear when I left but by the time I reached Ryoan temple, it was grey and completely overcast.

Ryoan temple is renowned for its rock garden (枯山水, karesansui). At first glance it looked like nothing more than raked gravel and randomly scattered boulders but in actuality there was much deliberation in the design. There are 15 boulders, arranged in such a manner only 14 are in view no matter which way you look at it (except from above of course). It was an amazing, truly one of a kind sight. But I did not linger long for...

It was starting to drizzle.
The noise from ongoing renovation works was a bit of a damper.
One particular visitor, with her relentless, pitchy and loud chattering was singularly more annoying that all the hammering and drilling.

Skipped Kinkaku temple. The temple is notable for the gold gilded building which gave the temple complex its name (Kinkaku literally means Golden Pavilion). I was hoping to see the said building at sunset, it would be a spectacular sight on a clear day. Too bad about the weather.

Took a bus back to the station. Had a bowl of Ramen at one of the restaurants inside Porta, the underground mall in front of the station, underneath the bus terminal. After dinner I went into the bookstore in the departmental store under Kyoto Tower for a browse. Bought a travel guide to Osaka, Poketa 大阪 by Mapple. Its written in Japanese but I found it incredibly easy to understand with the well annotated maps, intuitive symbols and pictures of every point of interest. You don't have to understand the text to make any sense of it, well, there's hardly any text to start with. The book resembles a colourful children's book more than anything. If only travel guides written in English were even half as fun.

Back at the hostel, I met Andy, from the USA. He was on a 3-month cycling tour of Japan. We had a long lively chat, swapping stories from our respective journeys, mostly on the incredible kindness we received from the Japanese people we met along the way. Like me, he chronicled his journey down on a blog, check it out here.

More Than Just Temples & Shrines

2009-05-12T13:00:00.012+08:00

After that delicious, and somewhat hilarious meal at Fakkin, I took a stroll around the downtown area, passing...

Shinkyogoku and Sanjo shotengai. I was here 3 days ago, twice in fact, had to come back, could not resist the draw of the place. I love the colour, the vibe, the atmosphere. Sure, they are just shop-lined covered arcades but it was good fun observing and rubbing shoulders with Japanese getting about their daily business.

Koi-nobori, Sanjo Shotengai, Kyoto

Kiyamachi street, a quiet, tree-lined canal lane between Kamo river and crazy busy Kawaramachi street. You would not believe it but a peaceful lane like this does exist in bustling, commercial downtown Kyoto, and in such close proximity to all the retail mayhem.
Kawaramachi street, the departmental store-lined main street. Walked into a pharmacy to find beauty products for my wife. She did not ask that I bring her anything back from Japan, and I know she was not expecting me to but I wanted to. My wife is a freelance make-up artist by profession and hairstylist-in-training. And she is really into what she does. Whenever we are on holiday, or just out together, the only things she'll ever ask me for are make-up and beauty products, most of the time for her work, rarely for herself. I love the joy on her face when she finds something useful for her work. If its anything you are sure to find in Japan, its beauty products. Make-up is a national obsession. Everywhere you go, trains, bus stops, fast food joints, public parks, you'll find women painting their already cosmetics-choked faces. Apparently it is considered basic courtesy for a woman to have make-up on. Found my wife a cutesy lime-green (her favourite colour) tongue scrapper and a cotton bud shaping tool.
Sanjo street. Formerly Kyoto's main thoroughfare, the section of the street just west of the covered arcade features elegant classical buildings from the Meiji era, telling of the pervasiveness of western influences during the period. Also the last thing one would expect to see in a city that is the embodiment of traditional Japanese culture.

Downtown Kyoto might not feature spectacular ancient architecture or offer much, if anything to history and culture buffs but it does reflect a very different side of the city. Higashiyama is thronging with tourists, a fairyland of ancient relics isolated from the real world. Downtown Kyoto is thronging with locals getting about their daily affairs, not pretty but real, colourful and an experience by its own right.

I was ready for another stab at Kyoto's countless temples and shrines. Took the metro down to the station and got on a bus to Ukyo district, to the northwest.

Fakkin Fun French Fries Fling

2009-05-12T12:00:00.008+08:00

Had lunch at a First-Kitchen (a Japanese fast food chain) inside the Shinkyogoku covered arcade. Apparently locals refer to the fast food chain as Fakkin, an abbreviated and amusingly inappropriate form of its full-name.

The menu features typical fast food fare with one notable exception, the "Flavor Potato", essentially regular french fries tossed in a paper bag with seasoning powder. From where I sat I could see the counter staff, two young ladies, prepare customer orders. They would break out in giggles as they shake the Flavor Potato paper bag with squint-eyed glee, as though it is the best job in the world. It was a hilarious sight.

Anyway, I had their tomato and aubergine pasta. It was Fakkin good!

Culture Buff's Wet Dream

2009-05-12T08:00:00.027+08:00

Exactly as I had done the day before, I woke up at 6am, left the hostel shortly after and had a Gyudon for breakfast at the Sukiya near the station. Warm bowl of fragrant sticky rice topped with tender, juicy beef strips, generous splash of spring onions and a raw egg yolk washed down with an equally delicious bowl of warm miso soup on a chilly morning. I was in beef bowl heaven.

Decided to spend the day in Kyoto. I had enough of day-tripping. Weather-wise, it was another lovely day, cobalt blue skies, warm sunlight, cool summer breeze, perfect for ambling. Spend the morning exploring the Nishi Hongan (西本願) temple, not far from the hostel and the Higashiyama (東山,) district, just east of downtown Kyoto.

It was barely 7am when I reached the Nishi Hongan temple and already the place was packed with visitors. The temple itself, one of Kyoto's 17 UNESCO-listed heritage sites, was amazing, awesome in scale and elegantly minimalist in design. As with Nara the day earlier, I found it hard to take it all in with the multitude of visitors present. The gentle grace of the temple and the bustling marketplace-like atmosphere jarringly incongruous.

There's no escaping the tourist crowds, not even at 7am in the morning.

The steeply historical Higashiyama district is a culture buff's wet dream. Higashiyama was the cultural hotbed where most of what is now considered traditional Japanese culture developed and flourished. The district features an incredible concentration of historical architecture. From Kiyomizu (清水) temple, in the southern end of Higashiyama, I took a slow walk across the district to Heian (平安) shrine, in the northern end.

I was a little taken aback by the crimson red gate to the Kiyomizu temple, another of Kyoto's 17 UNESCO-listed heritage sites.

Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto

Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan, at least the ones I had seen so far, reflect the Japanese aesthetic, Wabi-sabi, which espouses simplicity and modesty, they were austere in design and rarely painted, not like this anyway. The design of the gate resembles the extravagantly colourful over-the-top traditional architectural styles of nearby Korea and China.

Wandered about the rather pleasant temple grounds. Perched on a hill, it afforded wonderful views of Kyoto. Did not enter the temple building itself. There was a long line of students on study tours waiting to get in. Every couple of minutes another group joins the line. I figured even if I made it in I won't be able to get much out of the experience with the maddening crowd of noisy school kids

Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto

Both the Nishi Hongan and Kiyomizu temples were unpleasantly crowded though on account of how beautiful they are I will have to concede that they are justifiably so. Higashiyama outside of the Kiyomizu temple was, to my relief, relatively uncrowded and peaceful. I was by no means the only visitor of course but there were so few it was still possible to feel like you having it all to yourself. On the way north to Heian shrine I passed;

Ninenzaka (二年坂, two years hill) and Sannenzaka (三年坂, three years hill), two rustic, atmospheric cobbled lanes lined with old wooden houses. As expected of an district crazily popular with tourists, most of the houses were either a traditional handicraft shop, tea house or restaurant. It was still pretty early in the morning when I was there, none of them had opened for business yet, allowing me to get a sense of how the neighbourhood would have been like before it became all about the tourist dollar. It is said if you trip and fall in Ninenzaka, you will die within two years. In Sannenzaka, three years.
The wonderfully serene Maruyama (円山) park.

Maruyama Park, Kyoto

And more temples and shrines than I could even care to even count, including Chion-in (知恩院), notable for having the tallest temple gate (24 metres) and largest bell (74 tonnes) in Japan.

Chion-in, Kyoto

Heian shrine, like Kiyomizu temple, was painted a gaudy crimson red. The paint job does rump up the visual impact, but it also masks the simple, understated grace and elegance that makes wandering about temples and shrines in Japan such a joy and refreshingly different experience from their colorful, overly-adorned counterparts elsewhere.

It was already mid-day when I was done with Heian shrine, by which time I was hungry and seriously over-dosed on temples and shrines. Ambled over to downtown Kyoto for lunch.

Day 17 On Google Maps

2009-05-11T23:59:00.001+08:00

The Takigi O-Noh

2009-05-11T18:00:00.000+08:00

One of my fondest memory of my time in London was dozing off on the lawn on sunny days. That was something I had not done since I returned to Singapore. For one, its way too hot and humid. Two, lying on tropical grass gives me a rash. Three, its actually illegal to sleep in public parks in Singapore. (Though not explicitly expressed, it is to deter squatters. I really rather the government assist the destitute in practical ways instead, rather than enforcing such draconian laws to sweep the problem out of sight.)

Nara Park, Nara

The weather in Nara that day was perfect for a nap in the park. And I did. The perfect after-lunch activity. Found myself a quiet, shady spot far from the tourist mayhem. Apart from the sound of birds singing and leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, sweet silence.

Cool Breeze + Fresh Air + Warm sunlight - Tourist Mayhem = Absolute Bliss

At around mid-afternoon I felt I had enough of Nara park and made my way to the station where I had tea and pastries at a cafe. The pastries were awesome. The Japanese are really adept at baking. I had never been disappointed on this trip, not once. I especially love the way they do custard; light and bouncy.

After that wonderful meal I walked back to Kofuku Temple. The annual Takigi O-Noh (Bonfire Noh) was on that night. Noh is an ancient form of Japanese theatre. During the Takigi O-Noh, Noh performances are staged on an outdoor platform illuminated by bonfires at its corners over two nights. The event, held since 869, has its origins in the practice of burning sacred firewood during the Shuni-e ceremony.

Prior to the presentation, one of the stage hands came on to the stage with sheets of paper. He laid the sheets on the floor and went on to step on them. He then picked up the sheets, raised them before the crowd and declared the stage ready for the performance. Apparently the purpose of the exercise was to test the humidity of the stage.

Subtlety thy name is Noh.

The stage was bare, no set, no props. The actors were supported by a chorus and Hayashi ensemble (能囃子, Noh-bayashi). The singing (if you can call it that) consisted of slow, repetitive yelping, howling and yodelling, all within a narrow tonal range. The music was much the same, there was no tune, just slow, repetitive beats and notes.

Unlike other forms of theatre, where the role of the actor is to enact the tale and drama is essential, Noh is quite the opposite. The role of the Noh actor is to, by deeply codified dialogue, prose and most subtle of movements allude to the essence of the tale. Actions are narrated, not enacted. Apparently, the symbolism is impenetrable even to the Japanese themselves. To me, someone who had, till that day, never even heard of the Noh, it did not even look like anything was happening on stage. It was excruciatingly slow and subdued, though I will have to concede I had never witnessed anything more refined, stylised and elegant.

The only dramatic element was the wooden mask worn by the lead, the Shite (仕手). The particular play I caught revolved around the ghost of a warrior, played by the Shite. The mask, representing the ghost of the warrior was extravagant, while at the same time eerie and menacing in appearance. I did not last long. An hour into the performance I found myself struggling to stay awake. And I had not the slightest clue what was going on. I did not want to offend anybody by actually falling asleep so I left. I did not find it engaging not because it was bad, on the contrary, it was excellent, but it was also absolutely impenetrable to the uninitiated.

Back at Kyoto, I ended the day the same way I started it, with a delicious Gyudon at Sukiya.

Encountered a strange dude at the hostel that night. I walked into the washroom and found this tall, lanky man, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers, soaping himself by the sink. At his feet was a pool of black soapy water. And boy did the washroom smell. With his pronounced widow's peak and pale, wrinkled, almost ghastly countenance, the man looked like a vampire. What was he thinking, washing himself by the sink when the shower room was right behind him.

The Bipolar Sika Deers

2009-05-11T09:00:00.004+08:00

Thankfully, the maddening crowds confined themselves largely to the Kofuku, Todai and Kasuga complexes. The tranquillity of the park itself, the wonderfully agreeable weather and the rather adorable Sika deers really saved the day for me.

Sika Deers, Nara Park, Nara

There are over a thousand Sika deers roaming Nara park. Legend has it, the resident Kami (神, deity) of the Kasuga Shrine, the Takemimikazuchi-no-Mikoto, rode into Nara on a white Sika deer in 768. The army of Sika deers roaming the park are apparently descendants of the said deer. They are considered sacred and are protected by law. In fact, killing one used to be punishable by death.

I found the deers, and their interactions with visitors to the park far more interesting than all the temples and shrines. They are generally well-behaved and timid, they will shun away if you approach them. All around the park are vendors selling Shika-senbei (literally Sika deer biscuits), for visitors to feed the deers with. Like the potion that turns Dr Jekyll into the Mr Hyde, the mere sight of the biscuits turns the usually docile deers maniacal. Many a visitor were taken in by their endearing facade only to regret it the moment the vendor places the biscuits in their hands.

I know its mean of me to take joy at another's misfortune but it was great fun watching the deers terrorize the visitors who bought the biscuits. The deers were comically aggressive and single-minded in their quest, as though they were possessed by hungry spirits. The typical visitor-deer encounter goes like this.

Enter adorably tame doe-eyed deer.
Visitor goes 'Awww! So cute!'
Visitor buys Shika-senbei.
Jekyll to Hyde transformation.
Deer charges right up to the visitor.
Visitor steps back or dodges.
Visitor screams.
Evasive behaviour read as refusal to feed.
Apparent refusal to feed fans aggression.
Heighten aggression invites more evasive response.

And the vicious cycle of evasion and biscuit driven mania perpetuates. Beyond shoving their greedy faces at the poor visitors, some took to chewing whatever they could, handbags, clothes, hats, maps, even hair. Few of the victims took to running away, which only took the tragic comedy to another level. Visitor screams, visitor runs, deers give chase, visitor screams, visitor runs, deers give chase...

The Nostril To Enlightenment

2009-05-11T08:00:00.011+08:00

Spent the day meandering about Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara-koen), just west of the station. The 660-hectares park features...

Kofuku Temple (興福寺, Kofuku-ji)
Todai Temple (東大寺, Todai-ji)
Kasuga Shrine (春日大社, Kasuga-jinja)
1000+ free roaming Sika deers (鹿, Shika)

And an incredible crowd of visitors, consisting mainly of deafeningly noisy school groups and even noisier Chinese tour groups. The park was so overly crowded it made Sannomiya appear pedestrian in comparison. I made the decision to visit Nara on the hope that it might be quiet, it was a Monday after all, I could not have been more wrong. I did not really enjoy my time at Kofuku, Todai or Kasuga. All UNESCO-listed cultural treasures, they were mightily impressive but there were just way too many visitors, especially at Todai Temple.

Took this at the Kasuga Shrine complex.

Prayer Tablets, Kasuga Shrine, Nara Park, Nara

The accumulation of prayer tablets telling of the incredible popularity of the shrine complex.

The one scene which I thought was oddly amusing and will likely remember in time to come came at the Todai Temple complex. The centrepiece of the sprawling complex is the aptly named Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿, Daibutsuden), the largest wooden structure in the world, whose sole purpose is to house the largest statue of the Dainichi Buddha in existence. Behind the statue, there is a foot-wide hole at the base of one of the pillars, the same size as and representative of the nostril of the statue. Legend goes, in the end stages of the construction of the Daibutsuden, one of the statue's eyes fell into the hollow of the statue. A young boy crawled into the statue through the socket, plugged the eye back in place and emerged from the nostril. It is claimed that anyone who passes through the hole at the base of the pillar is guaranteed of enlightenment.

There was a large group of young school children by the pillar. They were, at their teacher's instruction and urging, crawling through the hole in the pillar in turn. One particular girl refused to, wailing out loud, kicking and screaming as she tried her very best to resist the teacher, who out of desperation resorted to shoving her into the hole. The teacher was clearly deeply concerned for her enlightenment (note the sarcasm).

Tokyo Is Not The Capital Of Japan

2009-05-11T06:00:00.007+08:00

Woke up at 6am, refreshed and ready for another day of exploration. Slept like a dream; the angry beast from two nights before checked out yesterday. It was another fine day, perfect for the outdoors.

Found and had breakfast at a 24-hour Sukiya (a Japanese fast food chain) midway between the hostel and the station. (It was barely 7am in the morning, I was so happy to find that Sukiya, the only other breakfast option at that time being the dreaded convenience store.) Had a Gyudon (牛丼, beef bowl), my first since arriving in Japan and the most awesome ever. I loved it. I've had Gyudon before, at Yoshinoya (a Japanese fast food chain) branches in Singapore, and I thought it was pretty disgusting (salty, chewy, mushy and pungent). Now that I've tasted the real deal, I don't think I will ever step into a Yoshinoya in Singapore ever again.

Kyoto Tower, Kyoto

The unsightly spire on the left is Kyoto Tower, across the street from the uber-modern station. At 131 metres, it is the highest man-made structure (read, eyesore) in Kyoto, a steel stake through the ancient heart of Japan.

Took a train down south to Nara, less than an hour away. For most of the 8th century, Nara served as the capital, before it was moved to Nagaoka (784 to 794) and after that Kyoto, which remained the capital since. Though for all practical intents and purposes, Tokyo is the de facto capital of Japan, there has never been a formal transfer. Legally, Kyoto is really still the capital.

Apart from the fact that, like Kyoto, it is rich with historical relics (many UNESCO-listed) from its time in the sun as the imperial capital, I knew next to nothing about Nara. Turned up without a map, a plan or even the slightest clue what to expect, which wasn't a bad thing, at least it made every discovery a real surprise. A travel guide, as useful as it might be, sometimes ruins the fun in discovering a new place for yourself.

Day 16 On Google Maps

2009-05-10T23:59:00.002+08:00

The 'K' In Kobe Is For Kitsch

2009-05-10T18:00:00.002+08:00

The 'K' in Kobe is for kitsch.

From dictionary.com; kitsch is "something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste."

After I had my fill of people-watching at Sannomiya, I decided to play the good 'ol tourist and go sightseeing. I knew nothing about Kobe, so I took a sightseeing map from the tourist information office at the station and blindly visited whatever it recommended. What ensued was a colourful and strangely disturbing Euro-kitsch escapade.

After Port of Kobe was established as a concession to western powers in 1868, the influx of foreign merchants that followed set up residences in Kitano, a hillside neighbourhood north of Sannomiya. Sometime between then and now, some enterprising dude saw the commercial potential in the European residences the foreigners left behind, went over-the-top in dolling up the neighbourhood like a European town (with scant regard for taste) and turned it into the Mecca of kitsch weddings.

Around every corner you'll find a European-style restaurant or house that markets itself as the dream wedding venue. Behind every turn you'll find a bridal store selling tacky gowns that looked more like costumes from a Shakespearean play. You'll find ladies who have yet to get over the corny wedding fantasies they had as little girls dragging their reluctant boyfriends excitedly through the artificially European streets. I did not stay long but already I passed not one, not two, but three weddings. What left the deepest impression though, was the disturbingly annoying chime that played The Wedding March once every couple of minutes. It was all quite a laugh but there was only that much kitsch I could bear.

From Kitano, I took the Shin-Kobe Ropeway up Mount Rokko. The ropeway terminates at the Nunobiki Herb Garden, sited on a ridge 400m above Kobe. Euro-kitsch rumbles on. Standing right outside the ropeway terminus was an artificial, contrived complex of shops and restaurants made to look like a Tudorian town square. The city planners are really overplaying the "history-of-western-influence" card to attract visitors. Judging from the thronging crowds of domestic tourists both here and back at Kitano, it seemed like all the tacky Euro-kitsch is working.

At least the air was fresh and the view of Kobe, spectacular. It was a little hazy but at least the sun was out.

Nunobiki Herb Garden, Mount Rokko, Kobe

Found myself a nice comfy seat and "lost contact with the living world", did not get enough sleep the night before thanks to the unrequited hippopotamus. After that short nap I rode the ropeway back down to Kitano. Took a leisurely stroll back to Sannomiya and from there to Meriken Park, further south. Along the way I passed the Earthquake Memorial Monument.

Earthquake Memorial Monument, Kobe

The panels in the background lists the names of those who died in the disaster. Could not help but feel a deep sense of admiration towards the Japanese people, at the speed at which they have rebuilt this city. It was difficult to imagine that just 14 years ago this city was effectively reduced to rubble in an instance.

Meriken Park, (as in American) is an esplanade in the port area.

Meriken Park, Kobe

The park features the hyperboloid wonder that is the Kobe Port Tower (centre-left) and Kobe Maritime Museum (centre-right), with its equally striking lattice roof. The park also features a memorial to the earthquake, a unique one at that. It was no monument, statue or plaque, but a section of the original promenade as the earthquake left it. It was a poignant sight, an insight (reminder to those who lived through it) to just how devastating the earthquake was.

Just when I thought I was free from Kobe's apparent obsession with kitsch, I encountered the monstrosities that lurks in the waters around Meriken Park. There are three small piers between Meriken Park and Kobe Harborland (a retail development just east) where costumed weirdos will hassle you to take a ride on their cheesy tour boats. The weirdest (and most disconcerting) is the dude dressed like a pirate asking me to take a ride on this pinkish-purple psychedelic shiny plastic boat conceived from a LSD-induced Peter Pan fantasy.

Took a walk around Kobe Harborland. It was forgettable, at least to me. A mall is a mall wherever you go. I did not stay long. After a quick dinner at yet another fast food joint (the restaurants there were ridiculously overpriced) I took a train back to Kyoto from Kobe Station, just behind Kobe Harborland. A part of me wanted to stay, I loved and wanted more time at Meriken Park and Sannomiya. But it had been a long day and sleep-deprived me really needed the bed.

The Invisible Man

2009-05-10T12:00:00.001+08:00

After a quick lunch at a fast food joint near the station, I took a train from Himeji to Sannomiya, Kobe's downtown district. I knew nothing about Kobe, apart from the terrible earthquake of '95 and Kobe beef, infamous both for the quality and the price tag. I arrived not having a clue what to do with myself there.

Sannomiya was a hive of activity, a confusing maze of passageways, swirling crowds, colourful people and more shiny malls than you can shake a stick at. Sannomiya was a temple to consumerism and Japan's uniquely kooky pop-culture. Sannomiya was also a testament to the city's phenomenal post-earthquake resurrection, you'll be hard pressed to find any trace of the disaster.

I had fun just walking about aimlessly, talking in all in. I was looking for a place to rest and have a snack when this, or rather, he caught my attention...

Homeless Man, Sannomiya, Kobe

I was free and without a plan for the day so, out of curiosity, I followed him. The man went from bin to bin, scooping out trash, throwing and rubbing it over himself. Suffice to say, you'll smell him before you see him. He made strange grunting noises as he staggered down the thronging street. Walking behind him, I noticed everyone gave him the wide berth, not surprising given the pong but no one gave him even a glance. Some looked on intently, some turned their face to the side, as though just looking in his direction would defile. It was as though everyone believed if they don't see him, he is not really there. The only people who acknowledged his presence were the foreign tourists waiting outside the station for the airport shuttle, all of them had "what the @#$%" written all over their faces as they looked on with disgust.

Following him gave me an insight into what its like to be homeless in Japan. The prejudice I saw on the faces of the people who passed us was unbearable, that even though it was really directed at him, not me.

The Himeji Emporium Of All Things Useless

2009-05-10T10:00:00.001+08:00

I was so glad I made an early start to the day. Made it to the castle when it opened its doors to visitors at 9am. For the duration of my visit I did not pass more than a small handful of local visitors and was thus able to enjoy the castle in relative peace. By the time I was done (an hour later) and making my way out however, the crowds were streaming in thick and fast.

Just outside of the castle grounds, there was a small but lively street market on.

You seriously think someone would actually buy that?

I thought to myself as I meandered through the market. It was a market for second-hand items, though by the condition of what was on sale you would think they were salvaged from the dump. I had never seen a larger or more varied array of discarded, okay, unwanted and oh so corny ornaments. If its a statue of Buddha you are after, you are in luck. Fat, skinny, standing, sitting, laughing, meditating, in wood or in plastic, its all there. Some of the other not-so-useful things on sale...

Rusty gardening tools. And I must mention, they were covered in dirt too.
Boomboxes. Remember when it was cool to, quite literally, carry your music?
Scummy fishing rods.

I was amused. Sure there were a few gems; such as vintage movie posters and vinyl records but for the most part, the market seemed like the place to flog all your impulse buys, all the things you hated the moment you brought it home from the store, perchance someone might be impulsive enough as you once were and buy it.

Riding The White Heron

2009-05-10T09:00:00.001+08:00

Arrived at Himeji station at about 8am. Himeji's castle, said to be the most magnificent of the castles still in their original form (a lot of the castles in Japan are actually concrete recreations), is just over a kilometre north of the station. The station and the castle are connected by a straight, wide and tree-lined boulevard; Otemae street. I was early, the castle only opened at 9am. Took the time to roam the castle grounds, gawping at the awesome structure. Himeji castle is often referred to as the Shirasagi-jo (White Heron castle), its wasn't hard to see why.

Donjon, Himeji Castle, Himeji

According to this online source, the donjon, or main keep, pictured here, will undergo major renovation; access will be partially restricted and the exterior covered by scaffolding, for 5 years, starting mid-2009. Meaning I was there at just the right time, to see it as it is, shortly before the commencement of renovation works.

The first time I knew Himeji castle even exists was in 2006, while looking for information on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Came across a picture of it on the Seat 61 website, an info-packed website all about train travel. I thought the castle looked pretty spectacular but never dreamt that I would see it for real one day. Beyond my expectation, I finished the solo walk 5 days ahead of schedule, giving me time to visit. My heart was filled with thanksgiving just thinking about how this trip had worked out to be so much more than I had anticipated. (I took the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing via Ulan Bator, in May that year, check out the photographs from that trip here.)

View From The Donjon, Himeji Castle, Himeji

When I passed on entering Inuyama castle 5 days ago, I thought there went my one chance to enter and explore the interior of a Japanese castle. My heart was filled with such glee as I entered Himeji castle. The interior of Himeji castle was a real joy. The artefacts on display were pretty impressive, I especially loved the Samurai armour. And the view of Himeji city it afforded was amazing. Best of all, save for a few local visitors, there was no one else, I could take it all in in relative peace. (I passed on entering Inuyama castle because of the large, noisy hordes of Chinese tourists.)

The Unrequited Alpha Male

2009-05-10T04:00:00.001+08:00

I was woken up at around 3-plus in the morning by the cry of a wild beast. Some dude in the 8-bed dormitory I was in was a bad snorer, a very bad snorer. The strange snorts and choking noises that accompanied his already thunderous and resounding snore were creeping me out. It sounded like the cry of an unrequited alpha male beast in the heat of mating season.

By 4am I was out of the hostel and on my way to the station. I could have done with more sleep but that was not possible with the beast around. My plan for the day was to visit Himeji (for the UNESCO World Heritage listed Himeji castle) and Kobe.

Took a walk around the station in search of breakfast. I was hungry and I had time to kill. It was about 4.30am and the ticket office won't be open for another hour. There were ticket machines in the station but I needed a rail pass and that was only available at the ticket office. A 1-day Kansei Area Pass costs 2000 Yen (~21 USD). A one-way ticket to Himeji already costs more than that (2210 Yen or approximately 23 USD). It made more sense to purchase a rail pass rather than regular tickets.

After I finished the solo walk the day earlier I promised myself to never, at least not on this trip, consume anything from a convenience store again. At that unearthly hour nothing was opened, apart from convenience stores. It was a cold morning, I was hungry and in need of a caffeine fix. Caved in to practicality, bought breakfast from a convenience store outside the station. I laughed at myself as I tucked greedily into my microwave meal and warm milk tea. So much for that promise. Got myself a 1-day Kanset Area Pass the moment the ticket office opened. By 6am I was on the train headed towards Himeji.

Day 15 On Google Maps

2009-05-09T23:59:00.001+08:00

Sore Oriental Thumb

2009-05-09T21:10:00.001+08:00

I never felt out of place whilst on the solo walk. I look Japanese and the locals were invariably hospitable and friendly. Not so at the hostel. I felt a tat out of place. Almost all the guests were Caucasian, I stood out like a sore oriental thumb. I don't have anything against Caucasian of course but having lived in London for years, I knew too well that they would assume, based on my skin colour alone that I do not speak English. The apprehension was obvious. Some avoided making eye contact all together. And I don't blame them, most of the orientals I've met in England either can't speak English or spoke a mangled form. Communication is often tiresome and fruitless.

Geisha-Spotting

2009-05-09T21:01:00.004+08:00

After that interesting jaunt about the covered arcades I visited the massive Junkudo bookstore back at Kawaramachi street, inside the BAL building. Spent more than an hour there, looking at travel literature on Kyoto and Kansai. At that moment I wished I could read Japanese. The Lonely Planet guides to Kyoto and Japan were wordy, dry and not at all inspiring. The guides written in Japanese were concise, well-annotated and full of inspiring pictures and colourful maps. Bought a Japanese guide to Kyoto. The book was written is such a manner so as to help a local introduce Kyoto to an English speaker. Though I couldn't read much of the text, or even the title for that matter, the English annotations, pictures and maps were useful enough, more than the encyclopaedic Lonely Planet guides at least.

Had the most fantastic lunch at the cafeteria in the Muji department store, in the same building, below the bookstore. Walked back to the hostel for a rest. In the late afternoon I walked over to the ultra-modern beast that is Kyoto station, both to explore the building and to pick up a map of the city and train timetables from the tourist information office. After that I walked back to the downtown district.

Meandered about the covered arcades (again, what can I say, I love the atmosphere there), the bank of the river and Pontocho. Pontocho, a narrow, cobbled lane between Kamo river and Kawaramachi street, is one of Kyoto's traditional nightlife district and apparently a good spot for Geisha-spotting. At first glance, the lantern-lit Ponto-cho looked wonderfully atmospheric, on closer inspection, it revealed itself to be little more than a congested collection of overpriced restaurants crowded with geisha-hunting tourists who would chase and photograph anything in a Kimono. Like Magome, it may look traditional in every way but the spirit is sorely missing. This could very well had been Epcot and it wouldn't be any different. After a simple but delicious bowl of soba at a stand-up noodle bar on Shijo street, I walked back to the hostel. (The intersecting Shijo and Kawaramachi street are the main thoroughfares in Kyoto's downtown district.)

Anyway, I did not see any Geisha's at Pontocho. To be honest I would not turn up there if I was one. The tourists thronging up and down Pontocho behaved like they were on a Geisha safari.

Downtown Kyoto's Many Shotengai

2009-05-09T18:25:00.000+08:00

Got myself a dormitory bed for the week at a backpackers' hostel, K's House, a few blocks northeast of Kyoto Station. My intention was to use well-connected Kyoto as a base to explore the Kansai region. I was pretty tired of being constantly on the move anyway.

After check-in, I ditched my backpack and walked back towards Kyoto's downtown district. I had not the slightest clue what to do with the following week, thought the bookshop would be a good place to start. It was barely 10am when I got to the downtown area. Found this rather fine piece of street art at one of the alleys along the departmental-store-lined Kawaramachi street.

Street Art, Kawaramachi Street, Kyoto

None of the departmental stores were opened for business yet. Sat down at a cafe for breakfast. It felt great to be having a meal that's not from a convenience store. It felt great to be having a meal sited on a table. Convenience stores usually do not allow customers to consume what they bought inside the premises. So I had been having most of my meals either on the go or on the floor by the roadside.

After breakfast I took a walk around the four intersecting covered arcades, or shotengai in the downtown district just west of Kawaramachi street. They are...

They were undeniably touristy but it was not impossible, just had to look harder, to peer below the tourist veneer and observe Kyoto residents getting about their daily activities. At the temples and shrines interspersed along Teramachi and Shinkyogoku, there were as many pious devotees and there were trigger-happy visitors. For every overpriced tourist restaurant there would be one fast food joint or snack stall with their youthful following. For every souvenir shop there would be one 100 Yen shop or pharmacy filled with beauty-crazed ladies shopping for cosmetics (a nationwide obsession). At the Nishiki food market, for every stall selling well-packaged, overpriced "local products" there would be one selling fresh produce to discerning local residents. And of course, there's the ubiquitous and endemically-Japanese Pachinko parlours.

Clueless In Japan

2009-05-09T14:38:00.002+08:00

What now?

I asked myself. There I was, in Kyoto Station, 5 days ahead of schedule without a clue, without a plan. The original plan...

14th May: Arrive in Kyoto.
15th May: Stick around for the Aoi Matsuri.
16th May: Visit Osaka and take an overnight bus to Tokyo from there (I had already booked my passage prior to leaving Singapore).
17th May: Go to Asakusa for the Sanja Matsuri before heading to the airport for my flight home.

I had not anticipated reaching Kyoto so far ahead of schedule. Gosh, I wasn't even sure if I was able to finish the solo walk. No complaints though. I hadn't the slightest clue what to do with myself but how could anyone be unhappy about having a week in Japan for leisure?

I was exhausted but happy. The solo walk had taken it toll, 570km in 2 weeks was no mean feat, at least not for me. The joy in my heart at that moment was indescribably immense. Joy, months of intensive training and preparation had not gone to waste, I made it, I finished the solo walk. Joy, the weather was perfect and Kyoto was more beautiful than I had imagined. Joy, I still had more than an entire week in Japan. The end of walk was not to be the end of my adventure.

Day 15 - Map & Stats

2009-05-09T10:15:00.001+08:00

Otsu - Kyoto

Start - Otsu, 5am
End - Kyoto, 8.30pm
Distance - 14.87km
Time taken - 3 hours 30 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 566.51km
Total distance walked (target) - 448km

At Long Last!

2009-05-09T08:30:00.007+08:00

Leapt out of bed at 4-plus in the morning. I could do with more sleep but I was too excited to. I was just 15km away from Kyoto. 15km from completing this epic solo walk. 15km from accomplishing what I came to Japan for. Left the Super Hotel Otsu-Ekimae at about 5am. Skipped breakfast. I was so excited I had no appetite. The weather was as forecast, the sky was a fantastic cobalt blue, not a single cloud in the sky. It was freezing cold, so much my ears hurt but that was no bother. Prefer that to rain and overcast skies any day.

At about 7.30am I reached Sanjo Ohashi (三条大橋, Third Avenue Bridge), the terminus of the Nakasendo. I wasn't quite done yet though, I had set Kyoto Station, another 4km south as the end-point for my solo walk.

Kamo River, Sanjo Ohashi, Kyoto

Reached Kyoto's ultra-modern train station at 8.30am, almost exactly two weeks after I left Tokyo Station (9.30am 14 days ago).

Kyoto Station, Kyoto

At long last! And it felt good. Much more than I thought it would. The sense of accomplishment, satisfaction and fulfilment was tremendous. The things that are lacking in my daily routine. The things I had hoped to find by doing this.

Day 14 - Map & Stats

2009-05-08T23:59:00.001+08:00

Omihachiman - Yasu - Moriyama - Kusatsu - Otsu

Start - Omihachiman, 6am
End - Otsu, 2.30pm
Distance - 31.73km
Time taken - 8 hours 30 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 551.64km
Total distance walked (target) - 423km

Hula Girls

2009-05-08T23:13:00.008+08:00

After parting ways with Mr Yoshihiko, I followed Nagisa Park, which lines the Otsu section of Lake Biwa, to the city centre. I was walking on air. After almost a week of overcast skies the sun was finally out again. After much pain and hardship, the end was finally in sight. By 2.30pm I was already at Otsu's city centre, a mere 15km from Kyoto.

Deliberated over whether to stay in Otsu for the night or continue on to Kyoto. Decided to stay and take in the awesome weather. Checked myself into the Super Hotel Otsu-Ekimae, unspectacularly conventional like the others I've found myself in so far. The Ena Plaza Hotel, which looked like a horror movie set will probably be the only one I'll remember in time to come.

Dumped my backpack in the room, took my camera with me and went out for a walk. Headed straight for Miidera (三井寺), perched on a hill a few hundred metres north of the city centre, it is one of the largest temples in Japan. By the time I got there, the sun was already behind Mount Hiei, which hulks over the temple complex. Miidera really just looked like a bigger version of the temples I had seen so far along the way. What clinched it for me was the wonderful mountain setting and the spectacular view of Otsu and Lake Biwa.

Miidera, Otsu City

From Miidera I took a stroll towards Nagisa Park, through Nagara Shotengai. The Shotengai is the Japanese equivalent of the High Street or Main Street. The Nagara Shotengai was wonderfully old-fashioned. Most of the shops were just very basic setups, no fancy modern signages or fixtures of any kind, selling produce and household products. It reminded me so much of how neighbourhood centres in Singapore used to be like when I was still a child. I miss the Singapore I knew.

I had a wonderful time at Nagisa Park, enjoying the sun, the scenary and people-watching. All along the lakefront were anglers and an incredible number of fishing poles. Most of the anglers were attending to multiple fishing poles at a go. They were not fishing for leisure but to clear the lake of the Bluegill and the Black Bass, foreign species that were disrupting the lake's ecosystem. There were collection bins in the park with illustrated signs telling anglers how to tell if what they've caught belonged to the foreign species.

Spotted this two ladies doing the Hula dance in the park.

Nagisa Park, Otsu City

Received a little surprise when I logged onto the internet, to my Yahoo! email account that night; an email from my wife. We are not big on writing or speaking to one another on the phone. The email she sent me was the first I ever received from her that wasn't just one or two lines long. I can count the times we spoke on the phone with my fingers. We just don't know what to say to one another. Not even while we were dating, we just don't email or call one another. Replied to her email, to let her know that I am almost done with the solo walk and of course, that I really miss her.

Caught the evening news. The forecast for the weekend; clear skies and plenty of sunshine. I was so glad to see that. I did not want to finish the solo walk the same way I started it, walking in the rain.

The Serendipitous Encounter With Mr Yoshihiko

2009-05-08T23:12:00.004+08:00

Crossed Omi-ohashi (which links Kusatsu and Otsu) at around midday. Boy can the weather change quickly in Japan. Kusatsu side, the sky was completely overcast and it looked like it might rain any minute. Otsu side, the sky was a fantastic cobalt blue. At long last, after almost a week of wet dreary weather, the sky was clear. For the first time since I left Magome, I had a shadow. Sat down on a park bench by the lake to enjoy the warm lovely sunshine.

I was having my lunch, noodles from a convenience store near the bridge when I noticed this scruffy, elderly gentleman. He was pushing a trolley full of personal belongings, including a sleeping mat. He must be homeless, I thought to myself. The man stopped in front of me. He looked to his left and right, stretched his arms out and heaved a great sigh. He had a pained look on his face as he did so. He came up to me and started speaking to me in Japanese. Goes without saying, I could not understand a word of it. I thought perhaps he wanted me to give him some money.

I could not have been more wrong about him. After he realized I am not Japanese, he spoke to me in fluent English. The first time anyone has done so since I arrived in Japan almost two weeks ago. Caught me totally by surprise. Turns out all he wanted was for me to take a picture of him with his trolley.

The elderly gentleman is Kanazawa Yoshihiko. The man, already in his late 60s, had just completed a 7-day walk around Lake Biwa. Where I sat was where he started the walk a week earlier. The mutual delight as we found out what the other was up to was palpable. He is an avid walker. Just a few years ago he took 4 months to walk the entire length of Japan with his wife and published a book about it. He even has his own website. A million kudos to him. He told me his wife is on her way there to fetch him home and asked that I stay with him. It was a tempting offer but I had to say no. I had to finish what I came to Japan for. After a short exchange we parted ways. He might be done with his walk, but I still had some way to go.

It was a short but memorable encounter. What an incredible coincidence. I was having lunch at the exact spot, the exact time where he finished his Lake Biwa walk.

What Am I Here For?

2009-05-08T22:14:00.004+08:00

My original plan was to follow the shoreline of Lake Biwa down to the city of Otsu, just east of Kyoto. After yesterday's experience, I decided to follow the highway instead. (I did not have a map of the Nakasendo between Omihachiman and Otsu with me so that was not an option.) I went without food for almost 10 hours the day earlier because there was none to be found along Lake Biwa.

Left the Green Hotel Yes Omihachiman (what a mouthful) at 6am in the morning. It was yet another overcast morning and my clothes were still damp from the day before. It looked like it might rain any moment but thankfully it didn't. I was so glad the weatherman got it wrong.

Followed the highway down to Omi-ohashi (近江大橋, Omi Bridge), 26km away, which connects the city of Kusatsu to Otsu. The walk was easy and pleasant, the highways were largely flat and arrow straight. From Omihachiman the landscape evolved from desolate farmland to affluent, colourfully commercial suburbs. In fact, it was starting to look a lot like Saitama. Then it hit me. I was only a day away from Kyoto, a day away from completing this epic solo walk.

I felt good that I made it this far and was only a day from completion. I also felt a little sad that its almost over. I loved the experience. Sure, I suffered hardship along the way, but I had also experienced the incredible kindness and generosity of the Japanese people. The past 2 weeks had gone by too quickly. Four months of intensive training and preparations for this, and in a flash, its almost over.

Before I commited myself to doing this solo walk, I had been feeling really down and unfulfilled. I felt like a pinball bouncing between family, church, friends and work. Found little meaning, fulfilment or satsifaction in my daily routine. My work brings me no joy. Because I have a contract to fulfil I cannot leave. I spend the bulk of my waking hours at work, prostituting myself for money. When I am not at work I am trying to find ways to fill the void inside. I felt so sick and tired of living aimlessly. For the past four months this solo walk gave me something to look forward to. Something meaningful to work towards. I had not been as happy as I have been this past four months in a long long time. Now that I am almost done with the solo walk, I fear falling back into the rut I was in before all these.

I have a job that pays well enough for my family to never have to worry about not having enough to eat or wear. And I have a wonderful wife who is more than I could ever ask for. Thats all good and I am thankful for it all but surely life is made for more than that. I am made for significance. I am not made to work solely for money. Life is not just work+eat+play+sleep, any animal can do that. I want my life to count for something but I don't know where and what. This solo walk had given me a sense of fulfilment, a sense that I am doing something more with my life than just breathing. Now that I am almost done with the solo walk I have to face this question again. What am I here for? What is the reason for my existence?

Day 13 - Map & Stats

2009-05-07T23:59:00.001+08:00

Maibara - Hikone - Higashiomi - Azuchi - Omihachiman

Start - Maibara, 6.30am
End - Omihachiman, 4.40pm
Distance - 35.06km
Time taken - 10 hours 10 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 519.91km
Total distance walked (target) - 394km

The Little Orange Umbrella

2009-05-07T23:13:00.004+08:00

Came so close to throwing in the towel today.

By midday, the heavy morning outpour had died down to a drizzle. Just as I was about to put my umbrella away, a heavy vehicle sped by and blew it inside out. No matter, I thought to myself, there was only a drizzle after all. I thought wrong. Minutes after that incident, grey clouds moved in and it started to pour again. I was in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but a few scattered farmhouses and expansive farmland as far as my eye could see. No shelter. Not even a soul in sight. Since I am not Hiro Nakamura, ruling out teleportation, there was nothing I could do but walk on.

I had a waterproof (Gore-Tex) jacket on but I was still getting wet on the inside; rainwater was seeping in at the collar area. That was the straw that broke this donkey's back. I had it with the weather. Five successive days of grey dreary, often wet weather was more than I could endure. I walked into the garage of a house by the highway. I sat on the floor, placed my head between my legs and closed my eyes. I didn't know what to do with myself. For the first time since I left Tokyo 13 days ago I doubt if I could continue. I was cold, wet and hungry. Frustrated. Disappointed.

Sat there for a good half hour before I mustered the strength to continue. Picked myself up and walked on. My wife had been so wonderfully understanding and supportive of this since I first brought it up. As I poured time, energy and resources towards making this solo walk happen she never complained, not one negative word, not once. I told myself I cannot let all she had done be for nothing by giving up.

Not far from the garage, there were a few cars parked under a tree by the highway. As I walked by, a man came up towards me and passed me a small orange umbrella. He mumbled something in Japanese and turned back towards what was presumably his car before I could say anything. From where I stood I shouted 'Arigato!' 'Free! Free!' He shouted, as he waved me off.

I smiled. That gesture turned my mood bright as the orange umbrella. A reminder that though I am physically alone, I am not truly alone, that a familiar friend is watching over me. Thought the umbrella was too small to shield my body from the rain it had at least kept the rain from pelting onto my face directly and seeping in at the collar area.

That drop of human warmth was all I needed to shake off my self-pity and walk on with a spring in my step. What really made this trip for me was not any of the temples, lakes or mountains I've seen, as amazing as they were but the incredible kindness and generosity of the Japanese people.

Rain Rain Go Away

2009-05-07T22:13:00.005+08:00

Was so reluctant to get out of bed in the morning. Felt weak all over. Maybe it was from walking 50km the day before. Maybe I was just feeling low as it was raining again. I looked out of the window and could hardly make out the nearby buildings in the rain and gloom. Was getting pretty tired of the dreary weather, I had not seen my shadow since I left Magome.

Left the curiously named Hotel Knowledge Inn at 6.30am. I was wet even before I started walking; all of my clothes were still damp from the previous day. Maibara looked no less deserted and forgotten in the day as it did at night. It would be a fitting location for a post-apocalyptic B-movie. Walked in the direction of Hikone City, a few kilometres south. As though I was not already miserable enough, a heavy vehicle sped by as I passed a huge puddle in the road, leaving me dripping wet.

While Hikone, dominated by the splendid Hikone Castle, was a pleasant, lively spot, there was no reason to linger. As it was pouring, I decided to walk on and come back for the castle another day, after I complete the walk. I was 5 days ahead of schedule, I had the luxury to. Hikone is only an hour away from Kyoto by train anyway.

Hikone is right by the massive (about the size of Singapore) Lake Biwa. From Hikone I followed the sandy shoreline of Lake Biwa to my next destination, Omihachiman City. Due to poor visibility and the sheer scale of the lake, I could not see to the other side of the lake. If I didn't know better I might be fooled that I was by the seaside. The sound of the waves whipped up in the lake by the wind rolling onto the shoreline sounded no different from the ocean equivalent.

There was little development along the shoreline of Lake Biwa. For much of the way there was nothing but scattered farmhouses and expansive farmland. Hardly a soul in sight. There was also nowhere I could find food. Apart from a few small packets of crackers, which took me no time to finish, I didn't have any food on me. At that point I felt like I had it with the miserable weather. Frustration set in. But there was nothing I could do but walk on. I was nowhere near civilization and I came too far to give up. Trudged on cold, wet, hungry, frustrated but determined to stay the course.

Omihachiman is known for its historic district, formerly the base of the Omi-shonin, feudal merchants known for their emphasis on social responsibility. Passed the historic district on my into the modern city centre, where I stayed for the night. The old houses looked splendid even in the dreary weather. With the rain, there was little point in hanging around for a closer look. As with Hikone, I decided to come back for the historic district another day, after I complete the walk.

Checked myself into the Green Hotel Yes Omihachiman, yet another nondescript business hotel, at about 4.40pm. What did set it apart from the other business hotels I've been staying in thus far was it had a sento (銭湯, public bath). The bath was scalding hot but the soak inside was much welcomed relief after what was another difficult day.

Caught the evening news. The forecast? More rain.

Day 12 - Map & Stats

2009-05-06T23:59:00.000+08:00

Gifu - Mizuho - Ogaki - Tarui - Sekigahara - Maibara

Start - Gifu, 4.50am
End - Maibara, 6.30pm
Distance - 50.13km
Time taken - 13 hours 40 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 484.85km
Total distance walked (target) - 366km

Change We Can Believe In

2009-05-06T13:44:00.005+08:00

Left the Grand Palais Hotel at about 4.50am. The sky was miserably grey and overcast. And there was a light drizzle. In the late morning the light drizzle turned into a full-on downpour. I was drenched, head to toe, again. Apart from a brief respite in the early afternoon, the downpour continued into the night.

From Gifu I followed the Nakasendo to the post towns of Godo, Mieji, Akasaka, Tarui, Sekigahara, Imasu, Kashiwabara and Samegai. (Yes, thats a lot in a day, I was so tired of them even before the day was through I couldn't bring myself to care about seeing the next one.) After Samegai I left the Nakasendo and followed the highway to the city of Maibara, where I stopped for the night. I reached Maibara Station, over 50km away from Gifu, at about 6.30pm, almost 14 hours after leaving Gifu and a good 5 days ahead of schedule.

There was no need for me to walk as far as Maibara. I was already days ahead of schedule and I did pass accommodations along the way. The miserable weather ruled out exploration. My remaining options...

Walk on in spite of the rain.
Check into a hotel and twiddle my thumbs for lack of a better thing to do.

I rather brave the cold rain and walk on than to sulk in a hotel room. That was really the only reason why I walked as far as I did.

Apart from being one of the post towns of the Nakasendo, Sekigahara is also the site of one of the most significant battles in Japanese history, the Battle of Sekigahara. The area is peppered with battle ruins and, museums, shrines and memorials dedicated to the battle. I had originally planned to take a look at the Folk History Museum (the name is rather misleading, it is really a museum of the battle) and the Sekigahara Warlands. The wet dreary weather effectively killed off any desire I had to carry out that plan.

Elections are not due in Japan till late-summer but already one could find campaign posters everywhere, even in the smallest villages. One particular poster in Maibara caught my eye. The poster reads, "Change We Can Believe It". Let me think, where have I heard that before?

This is what Wikitravel has to say about Maibara.

Most of Maibara's visitors come in by train and never see more than the station. A major junction, Maibara is along the Tokaido Shinkansen line from Osaka and Kyoto to Nagoya and Tokyo (2 hours), and also the eastern terminus of the shinkaisoku rapid commuter trains from the Kansai region.

While Maibara Station was big, bright and busy, the surrounding area was depressingly lifeless. Even the department store right outside the station seemed deserted. Truly there is no compelling reason for the casual visitor to be in Maibara other than to get on the next train out. No one should find themselves having to spend a night here like I did. I spent the night in the one hotel in the vicinity of the station, the curiously named Hotel Knowledge Inn.

When I got to the hotel there was no one at the reception. I waited. There was nothing else I could do. I was completely drenched from the rain. I needed a room to dry off and there were no other hotels nearby. Half an hour later the receptionist finally appeared and apologized profusely for his absence. Checked in, dumped my backpack in the room and went over to the department store for dinner. The supermarket inside the department store was easily the best thing that happened to me that day. I've been having most of my meals at convenient stores. I was, by this time, so sick and tired of instant noodles and ready-to-eat meals. Bought an embarrassing amount of food from the supermarket and stuffed myself silly back in the hotel.

Day 11 - Map & Stats

2009-05-05T13:33:00.000+08:00

Kani - Minokamo - Sakahogi - Kakamigahara - Gifu

Start - Kani, 5.50am
End - Gifu, 5pm
Distance - 38.36km
Time taken - 11 hours 10 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 434.72km
Total distance walked (target) - 339km

Limping Along Painfully

2009-05-05T08:37:00.007+08:00

It was yet another grey, dreary day. Left the Gimpaso at 5.50am and marched on in the direction of Kyoto. My target end-point for the day was Gifu City, about 38km away. I had been looking forward to this part of the journey, for Inuyama Castle, situated midway between Kani and Gifu.

Passed Minokamo City and Sakahogi Town en route to Inuyama.

Minokamo was a uninteresting grey urban sprawl like so many I've seen along the way. What I did find interesting and took a bit of time to appreciate, were the statues lining the high street leading to Minoota Station. The statues depicted various constellations. One of them, a half-fish, half-bull, was particularly striking.

From Minokamo I followed the Kiso River down to Sakahogi. The Sakahogi section of the river was beautiful, even in the dreary weather. The mountains opposite the river from Sakahogi were blissfully untouched. No buildings, no power pylons. The clear, emerald green Kiso River backed by lush green mountains peppered with fantastic rock formations, it was a wonderful sight.

Inuyama Castle was one of the many detours from the Nakasendo I had planned. The Nakasendo skirts close to, but does not pass Inuyama Castle. I thought its would be a pity to come so close and not approach for a closer look.

Golden Week being Golden Week, the place was a zoo. It felt like the tourist circus at Magome all over again. The local visitors were well-mannered and never allowed their manners to slip no matter how crowded it got. The Chinese tour groups were another story, loud, boorish and annoyingly inconsiderate.

Took time to walk around the castle grounds. Did not enter the castle itself, there were just too many people trying to make their way in. The Chinese tour groups were annoying enough in the open. I could not imagine the racket they would be making inside the castle, as the narrow passageways and confined spaces carry and amplify their loud chattering.

Inuyama Castle, small and minimalist in design, was rather unimposing. What clinched it for me was the spectacular setting, perched on top of a hill, right by the cliff, overlooking the mighty Kiso River. The view from the top of the castle would have been great on a clear day.

I left Inuyama for Gifu at around 12 noon. Not long after, it started to drizzle. The rain grew in strength as the day progressed, eventually turning into a full-on downpour before it receded down to a drizzle again as I approached Gifu Station. I felt so low that afternoon. My feet were in terrible shape. I was limping along painfully in the cold pelting rain. There was nothing of note between Inuyama and Gifu. The uninspiring landscape only added to the gloom.

Reached Gifu Station at about 5pm. I had a hearty meal at a Ramen joint inside the station building. That simple but wholesome meal brought such warmth and comfort to miserable me. Checked myself into the Grand-Palais Hotel, right opposite the station. The name is really the only thing about the hotel thats grand. It was no different from any of the other business hotels I've stayed in thus far. Got onto the Internet and wrote my wife a long email. We've never been apart from one another this long, not since we started dating almost 3 years ago.

Day 10 - Map & Stats

2009-05-04T23:50:00.000+08:00

Ena - Mizunami - Kani District - Kani City

Start - Ena, 6.50am
End - Kani, 6.30pm
Distance - 38.66km
Time taken - 11 hours 40 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 396.36km
Total distance walked (target) - 330km

Darth Vader & The Technicolor Prozac Bunnies

2009-05-04T22:13:00.001+08:00

It was another dreary overcast day. Checked out from the eerie Ena Plaza Hotel at about 6.50am in the morning, rejuvenated after what was my first proper night's rest in days. Rejoined the Nakasendo at Oi-shuku-bashi (大井宿橋, Oi Post Town Bridge), where I left off the day before. The bridge transverse the crystal clear Agi River, which divides Oi-shuku in two. There were, what must be, hundreds of carp wind socks, or Koi-nobori, strung up across the river, I guessed in honor of Children's Day. The river itself was teeming with the real deal; massive carps that were, by my estimation, at least a foot long each.

The stretch of the Nakasendo between the post town of Oi, in Ena's city centre, and Mitake, in the town of the same name, 31km away, was pleasantly secluded. Apart from the post towns of Okute and Hosokute, scattered rice paddies, farmhouses and a few golf courses, there was nothing but lush, serene woods. (My original plan was to a make a detour to Orge's Rock Park en route to Mitake. As with the case of Ena Gorge the day before, I didn't see how it'll be any fun in the dreary weather. Gave it a pass and followed the Nakasendo faithfully all the way to Mitake instead.)

Not far from Okute, I heard the sound of cow bells. I looked around me and saw nothing but woods. Cows? Here? Where? I thought to myself. Then a man walked pass me from behind. He was the source. The man had a cow bell hanging from his backpack. The most distinguishing feature on him, apart from that cow bell, was the black Legionnaire cap he had on. From behind, it looked a lot like Darth Vader's helmet. His pale, grave, almost miserable countenance and the fact that he was all dressed in black added to the overall likeness.

Just as I was approaching Okute, a group of about 6 to 8 joggers ran past me from behind. It was a warm day. On reaching Okute I walked into a grocery store to get myself a cold drink. There I found Darth Vader and the group of joggers who passed me just moments ago. I sat down by the road outside the store to enjoy my cold drink. One of the joggers, a lady, lived in Singapore for a period of time and could speak English. Got into a lively conversation with the group, with her as the conduit.

They were an interesting bunch. Rather comically over-equipped with all manner of fancy, colorful, hi-tech running gear, with absolutely no regard for colour coordination or taste. Some are in shorts, some are in tights, some couldn't decide and had both on. Space-age fabrics, GPS devices, heart rate monitors, running computers, they had enough technology on them to send a man to the moon. The contrast with the secluded rural surrounds only made it all the more glaring and difficult on the eye. Their gear was colorful, their personality, even more. They were rowdy, hyper, energetic and over-the-top joyful, like a bunch of Energizer Bunnies high on Prozac.

Darth Vader tried to join in the conversation, but was largely ignored by the Technicolor Prozac Bunnies. I'm not sure why, maybe because he was their diametric opposite. While they look and behave like high-tech hippies, Darth Vader's grave demeanor was more depressing than the black garb he had on.

Bidding farewell to the Bunnies was a laugh. They were jumping up in the air, waving ecstatically, jabbing their elbows down to shouts of 'kam-pa-teh!' (加油). Which basically means, I am rooting for you, go give it your best shot. Did the same in return. Later in the day I encountered the Bunnies again, twice and each time we urged one another on in the same manner.

It took me more than 8 hours to reach Mitake, that long walk through the woods would have been so boring and uneventful if not for the Technicolor Prozac Bunnies. I was so glad I pushed myself on to Ena the day before instead of giving in to exhaustion at Nakatsugawa. Otherwise, I might have found myself still in the woods after dark.

Trudged on from Mitake. As had been the case, I had to walk on till I find refuge from the nightly freeze. 2 hours and 9km later, I was still without a place for the night. The sun had set and I was ready to go Nojuku when I found this basic but clean Ryokan, the Gimpaso, in the adjacent city, Kani. I had already given up on finding a place for the night and was just looking for dinner when I found it.

A Ryokan is a Japanese-style inn. Though in the case of the Gimpaso, the no-frill setup was so spartan and informal it felt more like a home stay. Thats not say I didn't like it. In fact, I loved it. I am not one who appreciates or feel comfortable in fancy setups or being served on. The Gimpaso was perfect for me. I enjoyed my stay there more than any of the forgettable, nondescript business hotels I've stayed in thus far in Japan. Sleeping on tatami (straw mat) flooring in a futon was without doubt more fun and memorable than a night in a hotel room that looks just like any other. The communal bath was another big plus for me. On a freezing cold night, after a long day of walking, what could be more therapeutic than a soak in a hot tub? I was the only guest that night, I had the bath all to myself.

Day 9 - Map & Stats

2009-05-03T23:59:00.000+08:00

Okuwa - Nagiso - Nakatsugawa - Ena

Start - Okuwa, 4.40am
End - Ena, 5.30pm
Distance - 41.87km
Time taken - 12 hours 50 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 357.7km
Total distance walked (target) - 301km

The Haunted Apartment Block

2009-05-03T23:50:00.004+08:00

After a long hard slog, made it to Ena at 5.30pm.

While Ena was no less forgettable compared to Nakatsugawa, it was at least more pleasant. Between the polluted sprawling Nakatsugawa and Ena, the Nakasendo passed peaceful, pleasant rice-farming villages, cumulating in the charming post town of Oi, in Ena city centre.

Along the way I saw a bunch of kids laughing almost hysterically as they scoop little crabs out of a stenchy brackish pond. I stood by and took a moment to look at them. The sound of children laughing joyfully is beautiful, and rather unfortunately, rare in Singapore. Children are so busy learning how to use the computer, play the piano, sing, dance and multiply even before they enter school I could not remember the last time I saw kids playing and getting dirty outdoors.

Because my original intent was to go through Ena Gorge instead, I did not have a map of the route into Ena's city centre with me. I had to stop for directions along the way. Invariably, all the locals I came in contact with were kind, polite and excited that a foreigner is walking the Nakasendo.

Having not showered or slept for days, I was so desperate for a room. Thankfully, there was a hotel just next to Oi, the Ena Plaza Hotel. The receptionist, rather curiously, asked if I wanted a room 'inside or outside'. I asked what he meant by 'outside', he pointed to a door with the 'EXIT' sign. 'Its cheaper.' He added. 'I'll take it.' I replied, even though I still didn't know what he meant by 'inside or outside'. The receptionist brought me through the exit into the car park behind the hotel and pointed to a decrepit, creepy looking apartment block opposite. Maybe it was the overcast weather, but the apartment block looked to me, just like the archetype haunted apartment blocks in Japanese horror movies. The lights along the corridors were either flickering or not working at all. The dimly lit lift jerked and made creepy creaky noises as it made its way up and down the building. I did enjoy the experience though, it was akin to spending the night in a horror movie set.

I had dinner at a pizza bar opposite the hotel. It was a small, cosy, quaint little spot, decked out like a country kitchen. The weather was dark and gloomy. The town was dark and gloomy. The hotel was dark and gloomy. The bright pastel colors inside the pizza bar was a refreshing lift. The menu was all Greek to me, but I was so hungry I really didn't care what they serve me so I just pointed at the first item in the menu.

A Peter Cetera record was playing. Ena is one of those towns that is neither modern nor rustic, the best way I can put it, it looked like it hadn't been updated since Michael Jackson was still black. The choice of music only added to that 80's throwback feel.

After I ordered my pizza, a little girl came running into the pizza bar. She went to the lady behind the counter, her mum, crying. I passed the same little girl in the street just minutes before that, as I was making my way to the Ena Plaza Hotel. She was playing footie with a group of boys and almost knocked right into me. I guessed the boys must have bullied her. After much comforting, her mum got her to stop crying and sat her next to me with a coloring book. For the rest of the time I was there, the little girl, 8 year-old Sae was imitating my every action or staring at me curiously. I was happy to have her company. She remained me of my wife, of her childlike charm and simplicity.

Anyway, the pizza was awesome!

That night I took a good look at my feet, it looked liked it had been chewed on. Stuck almost an entire box of plasters on.

Hitler's Love Child & Edward Scissorhands

2009-05-03T23:27:00.001+08:00

The sky turned grey as I made my way out of Magome. Just west of Magome, the Nakasendo emerges from Kiso Valley into Nakatsugawa. After a week of spectacular mountain scenery and cobalt blue skies, and a wonderful morning in Tsumago and Magome, my morale flew off the cliff, crashed and burned as I entered Nakatsugawa. Flat, polluted and devoid of colour, Nakatsugawa was a cruel reintroduction into the world outside Kiso Valley.

I collapsed by the roadside. I hit rock bottom. Could not bring myself to walk another step. Nakatsugawa was uncomfortably hot and polluted. The weather was inspiringly grey. The painful blisters on my feet looked like an alien infestation. I couldn't feel my shoulders or my legs. And I was so unbelievably exhausted; I hardly slept since I left Ashida-shuku, more than 3 days and almost 150km ago. Realized soon enough though, that indulging in self-pity won't get me anywhere. I don't know where I found the oomph to do so but I picked myself up and walked on.

I was in desperate need of rest and did spot a few business hotels in Nakatsugawa but I pushed myself on towards Ena, the next city on the Nakasendo. After Ena, the next town on the Nakasendo, Mitake is over 30km away. I knew the stretch of the Nakasendo between Ena and Mitake to be secluded; largely in the woods and far from any railway or major highways. I knew if I made my way to Mitake from Nakatsugawa instead of Ena the following day, I ran the risk of being stranded in the woods after dark. There was no other way, I had to carry on.

The Nakasendo threads through Ena's city centre. My original plan was to bypass Ena's city centre and go through Ena Gorge, a few kilometres north. Looking at how depressingly overcast the sky was I decided to give Ena Gorge a pass and follow the Nakasendo into Ena's city centre instead. I didn't see how Ena Gorge will be any fun in the grey. In any case, both the city centre and the gorge were equally far from where I was in Nakatsugawa.

Aside from rice farming, not much else seemed to be going on in Nakatsugawa. My time there would have been utterly forgettable if not for two youths I encountered in a fast food joint. One was dressed like a WW2 German soldier, knee-high boots and all, the other, looked like Edward Scissorhands. The former was particularly outstanding, for he was also built like an elephant. Hitler's love child and his emo/goth sidekick looked menacing, and gave me an angry glare when they noticed I was looking at them. Minutes after I left the fast food joint I saw them again, this time riding by, rather comically, in bicycles way too small for them. What was two menacing looking young men at the fast food joint at that moment looked like two costumed goof balls riding their kid brothers' bicycles.

Waking The Dead

2009-05-03T19:19:00.001+08:00

Tsumago and Magome are separated by, no surprise, yet another mountain pass, the Magome Pass. Along the way, I passed hordes of people heading the other way, towards Tsumago. I was really glad I reached Tsumago early and had my fill of it before the army of day-trippers arrive and ruin the tranquility. The 8km amble between Tsumago and Magome transverse some really wonderful mountain scenery. Magome Pass is easily the most beautiful of all the mountain passes I'd crossed thus far.

Magome Pass, Nagiso Town

The hordes of people on the trail was just a taster of what was to come at Magome. Tsumago was peaceful, quaint and authentic. Magome is the evil twin, the anti-Tsumago, bustling, kitsch, commercial, touristy and artificial. The period buildings were so overly restored and beautified for visitors the town looked like a movie set. Tsumago was a looking glass into Japan's feudal past. Magome? A theme park.

Thats not to say I didn't have fun in Magome. The holiday atmosphere, it was like Piccadilly Circus the day before Christmas Eve, everyone seemed to be happy and having fun. Its difficult not to have some of that joy rub off on you. I loved Tsumago and was hoping for more of the same in Magome. That was not to be but I threw myself in and enjoyed Magome for the over-the-top tourist trap it is anyway.

For the first time since I arrived in Japan, I saw other foreign visitors, including one of the things I fear most on my travels; Chinese tour groups. They were doing what they do best, being an inconsiderate nuisance, spitting, littering, pushing and shoving, creating such a racket they could wake the dead. Before you shout racist, let me state, I am Chinese too.

Magome-shuku, Nakatsugawa City

Took a slow walk through the main street. Had a simple bowl of Soba for lunch. Bought a set of postcards and wrote one for my wife on the spot. All in all I was in Magome for just over an hour. Magome is actually my intended end-point for day 11, I was a good two days ahead of schedule. There was no need for me to continue but I left and walked on anyway. I had fun, but one hour of the circus was all I could take. In any case, it was Golden Week, there was no way I would be able to get myself a room in any of the Minshuku 's and Ryokan's in town.

Portal Into The Past

2009-05-03T17:39:00.003+08:00

Another bright and early start, left the michi-no-eki in Okuwa at 4.40am in the morning. I definitely needed more sleep but I was more tired of waking up and flipping my body every half hour because of how cold the floor was.

Say Nakasendo to the average foreign visitor in Japan, you'll probably draw a blank stare. "Naka send who?" The few who has heard of it would probably say Tsumago and Magome. Of the 69 post towns along the Nakasendo, the post towns of Tsumago and Magome, situated in the southern end of Kiso Valley, not far from Okuwa, are the most well-known and popular with visitors, local or foreign, and for a good reason.

Given the forbidding terrain, the post towns along the Kiso Valley are isolated enough as it is. The Chuo Main Line, which runs through the valley, totally bypasses Tsumago and Magome, effectively condemning them to obscurity. Thanks to foresight and concerted conservation efforts, the towns have found new life as tourist towns, peddled as a window into Japan's feudal past. Tsumago, Magome and the 8km stretch of the Nakasendo between them remain pretty much as it was during the Edo Period.

Not far from Tsumago, I witnessed what looked like a scene from The Godfather. A group of sharply dressed young men, all in shades and black suits stood in a line by the street. A stately old gentleman emerges, with another entourage of similarly-dressed young men following. He passes the gates to one of the houses. In the front yard, a lady dressed in an elaborate kimono and her own entourage of young men in shades and black suits bow deeply to welcome his arrival. I don't know who that elderly gentleman was but boy does he have a huge entourage.

I reached Tsumago at about 8am. I was so glad I made an early start to the day. There were hardly any other visitors and none of the shops were opened. Tsumago without hordes of visitors, before all the touristy shops open, all peaceful and quaint, was exactly what it should be, a portal into feudal Japan. The few other visitors were the only reminder that its 2009, not 1609.

Pine Cones Drying In The Sun, Tsumago-shuku, Nagiso Town

Tsumago-shuku, Nagiso Town

Will Magome be much the same?

Day 8 - Map & Stats

2009-05-02T17:24:00.001+08:00

Shiojiri - Kiso Village - Kiso Town - Agematsu - Okuwa

Start - Narai-shuku, 4.50am
End - Okuwa, 7.10pm
Distance - 45.49km
Time taken - 14 hours 20 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 315.83km
Total distance walked (target) - 270km

The Backside Of Nowhere

2009-05-02T14:40:00.001+08:00

It was about 4pm when I was done with the Ono waterfall, the time of the day where I start to panic and search for refuge from the impending freeze. Ono waterfall is about 4km away from Agematsu, where I was a few hours earlier and 3km away from the next settlement, Kuramoto.

My options;

Turn back to Agematsu - I did spot a couple of Minshuku 's and Ryokan's while I was there earlier in the day so I knew for certain there's accommodation available.
Trudge on to Kuramoto - The only thing I knew about Kuramoto is, its Kuramoto. It could be a sizable community with at least one Minshuku or it could be the very edge of civilization, a place time has forgotten, the backside of nowhere.

Stupid me choose option 2. I can't remember why I did, but I did. Kuramoto is more backside of nowhere than sizable community. Apart from a few houses and cabbages patches, nothing, not even so much as a single soul anywhere in sight. I sat down at the train station, exhausted and utterly clueless as to what to do next. I had no water, no food and no shelter for the night.

After staring blankly at the wonderful paint job inside the station for a good 20 minutes, contemplating life and all its mysteries, I picked myself up and walked out to the highway where a sign indicated there is a michi-no-eki 9km further south, in Okuwa.

My options;

Turn back to Agematsu - There's definitely accommodation there, but I will have to backtrack 7km and walk it again tomorrow morning.
Trudge on to the michi-no-eki - It could be a proper highway rest stop, with food and shelter, or it could be a cruel joke of a michi-no-eki like the Narai "Hilton".

Foolhardy me choose to trudge on again. It was dark by the time I reached the michi-no-eki in Okuwa (7.10pm, more than 14 hours after I left Narai). To my good fortune, it was a proper highway rest stop, there was a restaurant, an enclosed rest area and a parade of vending machines dispensing every kind of drink known to mankind. Ordered a set meal at the restaurant, it wasn't great but I was so ravenously hungry I was on it like an animal. I hope I didn't scar any of the kids there for life with that ferel display.

Spent the night in the rest area. Slept on the floor in my sleeping bag. The rest area was heated. Unfortunately, like the handicapped toilet in Narai where I spent the previous night, the radiator kept the air but not the floor warm. As it got colder and colder outside, so did the floor. Once again I found myself waking every half hour or so to change my sleeping position, because the side of my body I was lying on was too cold.

Would I have been better off spending the night in Agematsu? I don't know, but I was glad I made it to the michi-no-eki. It wasn't ideal but it was better than spending the night in the backside of nowhere, Kuramoto or out in the open.

Alpine Bliss

2009-05-02T10:25:00.000+08:00

Started walking at about 4.50am. Narai in the early morning was a real charm. No cars, no camera-toting day-trippers, not a single soul on the street. So peaceful I could hear the trees rustle in the morning breeze. Loved the serene, period atmosphere. Unfortunately it was too dark for photographs, though the sky was bright, the sun was still behind the mountains just east of the town.

Torii Pass, said to be the toughest mountain pass on the Nakasendo, separates Narai from the next post town, Yabuhara. The trail was a little steep and uneven at some points but it was, for the most part, an easy amble. It took me just little over an hour to haul myself over to Yabuhara. Usui and Wada Pass, both of which took long, agonising hours to transverse, were definitely tougher, by a long mile (both literally and figuratively).

Old Steam Locomotive, Yabuhara, Kiso Valley

Kiso Valley is alpine bliss; verdant pine forests, craggy peaks, mighty waterfalls and canyons, and the cobalt blue Kiso River (木曽川, kisogawa), no smoke belching industry, shopping malls or gaudy Pachinko parlours. Along the way I passed countless other hikers and cyclists, and bus loads of visitors being ferried from one scenic spot to the next. That aside, not much else seemed to be going on. The alpine terrain is as forbidding as it is beautiful. What else can the residents do but leverage on the wonderful scenery that surrounds them for the tourist dollar?

Reached the post town of Agematsu, about 30km away from Narai, at about 2pm. I was already an entire day ahead of schedule, there was no need for me to continue but I did. It was only 2pm after all and I was keen to take a look at the Nezame canyon and Ono waterfall, not far south of Agematsu.

The Nezame canyon (寝覚の床, nezame-no-toko), straddling a horseshoe bend in the Kiso River, was a spectacular sight. Would have taken a shot if not for the fact that it was completely in the shadow of the surrounding mountains. Carried on to the Ono waterfall (小野の滝, ono-no-taki).

Ono Waterfall, Agematsu Town

One word, awesome.

Day 7 - Map & Stats

2009-05-01T23:59:00.000+08:00

Shimosuwa - Shiojiri

Start - Shimosuwa, 5.50am
End - Narai-shuku, 4.20pm
Distance - 36.53km
Time taken - 10 hours 30 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 270.34km
Total distance walked (target) - 234km

The Narai "Hilton"

2009-05-01T21:24:00.007+08:00

Arrived at the post town of Narai at about 4.20pm. Narai is on the northern entrance to yet another mountain pass, the Torii Pass, supposedly the toughest along the Nakasendo. Whatever the reputation, the mountains in the direction of the pass did look particularly menacing. And so I stopped for the day. It was a little too late and I was too knacked to take on Torii Pass.

The sun descended behind the mountains hulking over the town as I walked in. Narai is one the few post towns along the Nakasendo restored and preserved much as they were in their heyday. Tourism is the main activity today, most of the period buildings now house souvenir shops and restaurants catering to day-trippers. As the mountains cast its shadow over the town, shops and eateries started to close, day-trippers started to leave, in such haste one would think the night will bring monsters to the town. Within minutes the bustling tourist lane turned into a ghost town.

Time to look for shelter again. There are Minshuku 's and Ryokan's in Narai, but I had no clue where they are and the tourist information office was closed already. They generally don't welcome foreigners turning up without reservations anyway.

According to the town map, there is a michi-no-eki (道の駅, road station), essentially a highway rest stop, a stone's throw away from the main street, right beside Kiso Ohashi (at 30m, one of the longest wooden bridges in Japan). All I saw, where the michi-no-eki should be, was an empty carpark. I asked an old lady nearby where it was and she pointed to the empty carpark. There is a small park between the bridge and the main street. I approached a middle-aged man walking his dogs there and asked him the same. He too, pointed to the empty carpark. Gave him a blank stare. The man sensed that I was confused and elaborated;

"The bridge is the michi-no-eki."

Finally got it. There was an open-air shelter and public toilets on the park-side of the bridge. That, plus the empty carpark on the other side of the bridge is the michi-no-eki. It wasn't much of a highway rest stop but it'll do, I thought.

Went back to the main street to look for dinner. Almost all the shops were closed, apart from a grocery store and a cafe. Bought some bread from the grocery store. The lady running the store asked where I am spending the night. I replied michi-no-eki. She gave me an oh-you-poor-thing look and a pack of tissue. Went to the cafe next. Drinks aside, they only had cakes. Having cakes for dinner might be a guilty treat for some but not for me. I am never one for cakes, unless offered, I would never on my on will, think of having cake. I ordered the cheesecake. To my surprise, it was fantastic, the best cheesecake ever. I thought I would hate it as I do with most cakes but I absolutely loved it. When I was paying for the cake the lady running the cafe told me she made the cake herself and asked if I liked it. Gave her two emphatic thumbs up. She asked where I am spending the night. I replied michi-no-eki. Like the grocery store lady, she gave me an oh-you-poor-thing look. I picked up my backpack and just as I was about to walk out of the door she came up to me and placed a fruit custard pie in my hand. The fruit custard pie was every bit as delicious and enjoyable as the cheesecake. Narai is really one of the last places I'd ever expect to find such wonderful cakes and pastries. Both the lady at the grocery store and the cafe gave me an 'oh-you-poor-thing' look and a freebie when I told them I intend to spend the night at the michi-no-eki. Is the michi-no-eki that terrible?

Went back to the michi-no-eki. Locked myself inside the handicapped toilet for the night. It was clean and, rather thankfully, heated. I probably smelled worse than the toilet. Slept on the floor in my sleeping bag. The heater kept the air warm but not the floor. As it got colder and colder outside, so did the floor. It felt like I was sleeping on a skating rink. I found myself waking every half hour or so to change my sleeping position, because the side of my body I was lying on was too cold. At one point I slept sitting up, hugging the radiator.

Fresh Cabbage + Bad TV = Happy Me

2009-05-01T20:02:00.001+08:00

Caught the first train in the morning to Shimosuwa, where I left off the day before. By 5.50am I was on the road again. Crossed Shimosuwa and Okaya, on the north side of Lake Suwa, to Enrei Pass. The access to Enrei Pass was steep but short. The view from the observation tower at the pass was awesome. One could see Lake Suwa in its entirety, perfectly framed by the mountain basin that surrounds it. Even the depressing urban sprawl surrounding the lake looked beautiful. I was there at just the right moment to see the Lake Suwa Geyser, one of the largest in the world, erupt. The only spoiler was the thick haze enveloping the area, probably urban pollution trapped by the surrounding mountains.

On the other side of Enrei Pass was Shiojiri, yet another nondescript sprawl. That was no bother, for Shiojiri also marks the northern entrance to the fabulously scenic Kiso Valley (木曾谷, kiso-dani), 60km of alpine bliss.

I had lunch at a restaurant by the highway, not far from the entrance to the valley. Enjoyed what was my first teishoku (定食, set meal) since arriving in Japan. The highlight of the meal, for me, wasn't the breaded pork cutlet or any of the side dishes, but the generous serving of fresh cabbage. I can live without meat but I cannot do without vegetables. Finally, fresh vegetables. Not the unidentifiable green gunk in instant noodles, rejuvenated from their freeze dried state with hot water. Not the equally unidentifiable ready-to-eat 'salads' that contains more dressing and toppings than greens. Not the warm soggy lettuce in microwave set meals. A Samurai drama was showing on the big screen TV in the restaurant. The bad acting, over-the-top sword fights and corny electronic score combined to yield a program so bad its good (for a laugh).

I was limping, my feet were hurting from all the blisters. It was a blazing hot afternoon and the sun was right in my face. I felt so tired from all the walking and the lack of sleep I could hardly keep my eyes open. But I trudged on. I had no clue where I might be able to find shelter from the cold that night. The only thing I could do was to keep on walking till I do.

Day 6 - Map & Stats

2009-04-30T23:59:00.000+08:00

Tateshina - Nagawa - Shimosuwa

Start - Ashida-shuku, 6.50am
End - Shimosuwa, 5.15pm
Distance - 39.08km
Time taken - 10 hours 25 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 233.81km
Total distance walked (target) - 203km

'A' Loves 'B' But 'B' Loves 'C'

2009-04-30T23:58:00.001+08:00

Shimosuwa (下諏訪, Lower Suwa), my end-point for the day, is a sizable town located on the north side of Lake Suwa (諏訪湖, suwako). Lake Suwa, a natural lake nestled in a mountain basin, is massive, covering an area equivalent to over 1800 football fields.

Reached Shimosuwa Station at about 5.15pm. Took a quick walk around the splendid Suwa Taisha Akimiya along the way. Again, I had to find a place for the night before it got cold. There was a hotel just opposite the station but it was closed. Rather unusual, since it was Golden Week. I asked the station attendant if there are any other hotels nearby, he advised that I try Kamisuwa (上諏訪, Upper Suwa), 4 minutes away by train, instead.

Eventually got myself a room in yet another nondescript business hotel near Kamisuwa Station, the aptly named Kamisuwa Station Hotel. Placed my backpack down, took my camera and headed straight for the lake to watch the sunset (Kamisuwa is on the east side of Lake Suwa).

Sunset, Lake Suwa, Suwa City

The sun was already behind the mountains by the time I got there but it was an awesome sight nonetheless. A great end to a long, physically tough day.

Bought dinner from a convenience store near the hotel. I was already quite tired of eating from convenience stores but they were cheap and well, convenient. After a 40km walk through mountainous terrain I just didn't have the energy or motivation to search for a proper meal.

Back in the hotel, I took a good look at my feet and boy did they look bad, especially my left foot. There were blisters at the heel, almost all the toes and on the ball of the foot. And both the second and last toenail had turned purple.

Caught the evening news. They showed a false colour image illustrating the temperature across Japan. Northern Japan, red. Southern Japan, red. Central Japan, where I was, blue. Whatever it was that's responsible for the unusually low night-time temperatures I've been experiencing, was also creating a heatwave elsewhere. Hokkaido, up in the north, was experiencing daytime highs of 30 degrees, which would be unusual even in summer.

Went to bed at 9pm, only to wake up 2 hours later, unable to get back to sleep. Before I slept I had finished the bottle of tea Tameo bought me the day before at the convenience store I met him. What a bad idea that was.

Caught this rather corny drama serial that's a total ripoff of Ghost Whisperer. There was nothing better on. 'A' loves 'B', but 'B' loves his best friend, 'C' instead. 'A' dies, unable to let go of his love for 'B' and his best pal's apparent betrayal, haunts the couple. Enter 'D', the protagonist, who can see ghosts. 'D' persuades 'A' to let the couple go. 'B' and 'C' speak to 'A' through 'D'. Eventually 'A' decides to give them his blessings. Big flash of light. 'A' transforms into an angel. Big happy corny ending. The end. I got what was going on even though I couldn't understand any of the dialogue, it was that cliché.

Only managed to get back to sleep at around 2am in the morning.

Die A Spectacular Death

2009-04-30T23:00:00.003+08:00

Left Ashida-shuku, Tameo and his family at around 6.50am in the morning. Reached Shimosuwa Station, almost 40km away at around 5.15pm, a whole one day ahead of schedule. The strangely low night-time temperatures, which made Nojuku impossible, left me with no choice but to keep on walking each day till I find shelter.

Spent the bulk of the day transversing Wada Pass, at about 1600m, the highest point of the Nakasendo. The post towns of Wada and Shimosuwa, which mark the north and south entrance to the pass, are 22.6km apart, the greatest distance between successive post towns on the Nakasendo.

It was another beautiful day, not a cloud in the day. The stretch between Ashida-shuku and Wada Pass was an absolute joy. Right after Ashida-shuku is the gentle, easy Kasatori Pass. The route thereafter, right up to the start of the trail up Wada Pass, was nestled in a blissfully scenic valley, lined with rocky peaks, seemingly glowing in the glorious sunlight. The (relative) isolation and lack of development was refreshing. The trail up Wada Pass was enjoyable; gentle and well-trodden, nothing like the steep, treacherous climb up Usui Pass.

Waterfall, Wada Pass, Nagawa Town

My original intent was to make a detour to the Yashima wetlands after Wada Pass. The 'intersection' where I was supposed to make a left turn towards the wetlands, near Wada Pass, turned out to be a flyover. There were no access of any kind to the flyover. So I skipped Yashima wetlands and went straight to Shimosuwa from Wada Pass.

I was so glad for all the food Tameo and family gave me that morning. Apart from a few convenience stores just after Kasatori Pass, there was no food to be found anywhere along the way.

After Wada Pass, I followed the highway, instead of the original Nakasendo trail down to Shimosuwa. I had been warned by the Walking Fool that the trail between Wada Pass and Shimosuwa is difficult, both to locate and to transverse.

Following the highway proved to be a harrowing experience.

The highway winds around steep mountainsides. Walking on the mountain-side of the highway is tempting fate, oncoming traffic won't be able to see me approaching around the countless bends. I had to walk on the cliff-side of the highway. Walking by the edge of a steep cliff with heavy vehicles passing right by you at speed wasn't fun. This the place to go if you wish to die a spectacular death; be it by tumbling down a treacherous cliff or catching an oncoming vehicle by its blindside.

Kodomo-no-hi

2009-04-30T08:00:00.003+08:00

5th of May is Kodomo-no-hi (こどもの日, Children's Day), a national holiday in Japan and part of Golden Week. Though its called Children's Day, it is really Boys' Day. (The equivalent for girls, the Hina-matsuri, 雛祭り or Doll Festival, is celebrated on 3rd of March.) During these period, families with boy(s) will hang carp-shaped wind socks (鯉幟, koi-nobori) outside their home to drive away evil spirits and to celebrate the future of their son(s).

Koi-nobori, Nagawa Town

This picture was taken at Nagawa Town, on the other side of Kasatori Pass from Ashida-shuku. This set of Koi-nobori's was exceptional in scale, the black one, which represents the father, was the length of two automobiles. The rest of the Koi-nobori's represents the mother and the sons in the household, one for each. Meaning, there are 3 boys in this particular household.

Half A Supermarket

2009-04-30T06:00:00.001+08:00

Woke up at about 3am in the morning. Tried to get back to sleep without success. Laid there, staring at the ceiling, waiting for the family to be up. Only got up just before 6am when I heard noises coming from the kitchen. Tameo's missus was already busy in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. The spread they placed before me was no less scrumptious or generous than last night's dinner.

Before I left, Tameo, his wife and daughter were running around the house, opening every cupboard and drawer, looking for things to give me. They gave me, quite literally, half a supermarket; rice rolls, tissue packs, pickles, fruit juice, coffee, biscuits, crisps, a bag of candy and two towels. At the door, Tameo's missus took one of the towels, wrapped it around my neck and tucked it into the collar of my jacket. (It was still pretty cold outside.)

The family came out to the main street to see me off. As I walked off, I turned my head back, only to see that they are still there. Just before I walked around a bend and out of sight from them, I turned around and waved goodbye for one last time.

Day 5 - Map & Stats

2009-04-29T23:59:00.000+08:00

Karuizawa - Miyota - Saku - Tateshina

Start - Karuizawa, 4.30am
End - Ashida-shuku, 4.40pm
Distance - 40.62km
Time taken - 12 hours 10 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 194.73km
Total distance walked (target) - 171km

The Kindness Of Strangers

2009-04-29T23:00:00.001+08:00

Reached Ashida-shuku at about 4.45pm. Decided to call it a day. Ashida-shuku is situated at the entrance to Kasatori Pass. It was too late in the day to take on Kasatori Pass. Just didn't have enough gas in the tank for it anyway. Walked out towards the highway to seek food and shelter.

Bought ready-to-eat spaghetti from a convenience store on the highway. It wasn't great but its whats available. I was so famished I scoffed it down like I hadn't ate for days. After I polished off the forgettable spaghetti I went back inside the store and asked the cashier, in hopelessly broken Japanese.

Hoteru chikai doko?

Literally, "Hotel near where?" The cashier replied, "Saku." My heart sank. I passed Saku city centre earlier in the day, it is more than 15km away. At that point in time I had no clue what to do with myself.

This scruffy middle-aged man that happened to be in the store overheard my conversation with the cashier and nosed it. Scruffy beckoned me to follow him out of the store. He couldn't speak a word of English, unable to communicate I didn't know where he was bringing me. I followed him out anyway. I thought it is at least more productive than just standing there, clueless and staring into space. What are the chances he's a serial killer who preys on clueless backpackers anyway?

Scruffy led me to his stinky, beat-up old truck outside the store and drove me back to Ashida-shuku, to a Minshuku (the Japanese equivalent of a B&B) operated by an elderly couple. The elderly couple were reluctant to take me in for the night. (Minshuku's and their upmarket equivalent, Ryokan's, generally do not appreciate walk-ins.) Scruffy tried to persuade them, to no avail.

Back to the stinky truck. I thought Scruffy would drive me back to the convenience store. He drove the truck in the opposite direction instead. After a frustrating round of gesturing, he speaking to me in Japanese, I to him in English and no one understanding anything, I finally understood his intentions. He had wanted to drive me somewhere an hour away to seek accommodation for the night. I asked him to bring me back to the convenience store instead.

Back at the convenience store, I wanted to thank Scruffy for his help and head off to search for shelter, before the sun sets. Scruffy asked that I stay put while he speaks to the cashier. He bought some bread and a bottle of tea from the store, handed it to me and asked that I follow him again.

Where to this time, I wondered.

Scruffy drove me to his home, right on the Nakasendo, in the middle of Ashida-shuku. He got off the vehicle first, spoke to his wife and daughter, informing them of my presence. He invited me into his home, to his living room, where he asked that I stay for the night. I agreed readily.

I joined the family for dinner. Scruffy's wife and daughter kept placing food on my place. I had so much to eat. It was my first decent meal in Japan. Since I was always on the go, I had to settle with whatever I could find along the way. That meant I had most of my meals at convenience stores. It was a nice change, to enjoy a meal that didn't come in a plastic box or was reanimated from a freeze-dried state with hot water.

The family asked about my family, my job and my plans in Japan. They were visibly surprised to find out I took just 5 days to walk to Ashida-shuku from Tokyo. Midway through the conversation I realized I didn't know any of their names. They introduced themselves but I forgot it all within minutes. Was too embarrassed to ask them for their names again. Couldn't believe my manners, or my memory. All I could remember was Scruffy's first name, Tameo.

After dinner, the family brought me to a nearby Onsen (温泉, hot spring), this time not in the stinky beat-up truck, but a flashy SUV. A soak in an outdoor hot mineral bath after what was a long, tiring day, what can I say? It was AWESOME!

I am so glad I met Tameo at the convenience store. It was freezing cold that night. There was no way I could have made it outside without any shelter. I hope I don't ever forget the incredible hospitality, kindness and generousity I experienced that night.

Detour After Detour

2009-04-29T08:41:00.003+08:00

Started walking at about 5.45am. The sky was a wonderful cobalt blue. Mount Asama (浅間山, Asama-yama), standing at 2,568 metres, dominates the landscape. So much so, it remained in view all day, up to the post town of Mochizuki, situated behind a ridge about 35km away from Karuizawa.

Mount Asama, Oiwake Village, Karuizawa Town

Mount Asama is a live volcano, and last erupted only three months ago. Note the smoke at the apex.

I noticed on-coming vehicles on the highway will invariably veer towards the middle of the road (except when traffic does not allow it) to avoid passing right by me at speed. I am just amazed at how mannered and considerate the Japanese people are. The toughest part about training for this walk in Singapore wasn't the heat, pollution or humidity but dealing with ill-mannered, inconsiderate and reckless motorists.

Made two unintended, energy and morale sapping detours from my intended route...

Oiwake (13km from Karuizawa) - The roads were not sign-posted and there were no landmarks, just farmland and houses. I took a wrong turn and did not realize I did till I was at Miyota Station, a good 3km away.
Saku (27km from Karuizawa) - The roads were in a bit of a mess, due to what looked like highway construction. Could not locate the road I was supposed to follow.

In both cases I had to take alternative, and much longer routes. At least, at the end of all that, were the relatively isolated and wonderfully undeveloped post towns of Mochizuki, Motai and Ashida. They weren't much to look at, post towns were after all just functional rest areas. What clinched it for me was the peaceful, quaint, period vibe. Too peaceful almost, there was hardly anyone on the street.

Motai-shuku, Saku City

Motai-shuku is whats termed an Ai-no-shuku (間の宿, mid-station). They are unofficial post towns that formed organically along the Nakasendo and other similar routes, near major passes and between official post towns that are inconveniently far apart.

Day 4 - Map & Stats

2009-04-28T23:59:00.000+08:00

Takasaki - Annaka - Karuizawa

Start - Takasaki, 4.30am
End - Karuizawa, 4.40pm
Distance - 42.79km
Time taken - 12 hours 10 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 154.11km
Total distance walked (target) - 136km

Nojuku Koko Mo I Desu Ka?

2009-04-28T23:40:00.003+08:00

Reached Karuizawa's old town centre, the historic high street, Ginza-dori at around 4pm. Karuizawa has long been popular as a summer retreat with westerners and wealthy locals who wish adopt their lifestyle. Consequently, Ginza-dori is decidedly European in appearance, a little kitsch, a little artificial but charming nonetheless.

Bought myself a Senbei (Japanese rice cracker) as a reward for overcoming Usui Pass. Maybe I was just really tired, but that Senbei was so yummy I was close to tears.

Walked towards Karuizawa Station, hoping to find either a reasonably priced hotel or at the very least, a sheltered area for the night. It was only 4pm but already the temperature was dropping. I had to act fast before it gets really cold. The kilometre-long stretch between Ginza-dori and the station is lined with expensive, pseudo-European and not to mention cheesy shops, restaurants and boutique hotels. Karuizawa is most definitely an upmarket tourist town.

Splash on some gaudy overpriced pseudo-Venetian boutique hotel? Absolutely not! That left Karuizawa Station itself as my last option. I asked the man behind the ticket sales counter, in hopelessly broken Japanese, if I could spend the night in the station.

Nojuku koko mo i desu ka?

Literally, 'Sleep outside here may I?'. Amazingly, he understood. Unfortunately, he gave me a flat no, making a cross with his arms to drive home the point.

Cold, tired and hungry, desperation crept in. At that point in time I was willing to settle for anything. I was resigned to spending the night at a groty stinky public toilet when I looked south and found my salvation, an APA Hotel. APA Hotel is another business hotel chain, like Toyoko Inn, where I crashed on the first night. Nondescript, but clean, pleasant and reasonably priced.

According to the evening news, the mercury dropped below freezing point that night. Boy was I glad to find myself a room for the night.

How Did That Get Here?

2009-04-28T23:30:00.004+08:00

The initial ascent (towards Usui Pass) was pure misery. The track was steep and treacherous. Time and time again, I climbed up to what seemed like the peak, only to turn a corner and find another horrific uphill track in front of me. After an hour, I passed a sign telling me, to my horror, I had only covered 1km, Usui Pass was another 5km away. Compound that with the fact that I had been walking since 4.30am, the painful blisters on my feet and the midday heat, I almost turned catatonic.

I sat down on a log to rethink my options. I could...

Go back to Yokogawa.
Stay put and continue tomorrow.
Carry on.

To turn back to Yokogawa, I will have to descend the same horrid track I came up by, which could be crazier than ascending it. (Sounds counter-intuitive but its true, descending a steep uneven path can be more difficult and dangerous than ascending it.)

Staying put wasn't workable either. I didn't have enough food and water on me to last till the following morning and I knew the night will very likely be freezing cold. Most importantly, there must be a good reason why there are wild bear warning signs along the track.

I realized then that I had no choice but to carry on.

Thankfully, from that point onwards the path was, for the most part, flat and well-beaten. If the remaining 5km to Usui Pass was anything like the first, I might have thrown myself off a cliff to end my misery.

Abandoned Automobile, Usui Pass, Annaka City

How did that get here?

That was the first thought that went through my mind when I spotted this abandoned vehicle on the way to Usui Pass. It was nowhere near the highway or any paved road. The trail is no wider than a person at some parts. Best part is, this wasn't the only abandoned vehicle on the trail. I found another automobile, and believe it or not, a bus, both in a similar state, not far from this.

Took 3 hours (seemed like an eternity) to haul myself up to Usui Pass. There was a viewing platform at the pass, unfortunately, it was so cloudy I could see nothing but, well, nothing.

Yokogawa Or Karuizawa?

2009-04-28T22:05:00.006+08:00

Because I started early (4.30am) and had walked 10km more than I needed to the day before, I reached Yokogawa, my target end-point for the day before lunch (11.30am). Just north of Yokogawa is the post town of Sakamoto (坂本宿), the eastern entrance to Usui Pass (碓氷峠, Usui-toge). Usui Pass is one of the major passes on the Nakasendo. It defines the border between Gunma and Nagano Prefecture, Annaka City and Karuizawa Town.

I didn't know what to do with myself next. I could...

Stay put in Yokogawa.
Walk to Karuizawa via the Nakasendo, taking on Usui Pass.
Walk to Karuizawa via the highway, avoiding Usui Pass.

Pondered over my options over a delicious bowl of Udon at the train station. Eventually decided to take on Usui Pass. Yokogawa is a pleasant little town but I reckoned I will stand a better chance of finding shelter from the night-time chill in Karuizawa, a sizable town and popular tourist destination. The highway route is shorter but bypasses Karuizawa's historic quarter, which is worth at least a quick poke around.

Just as I was about to leave the station, a couple, decked in ski attire, walked in. It was the tail-end of the ski season and the mountains were still snow-capped. Still, it was a little surreal to see people in ski attire on a hot sunny afternoon near the end of Spring.

According to Google Map, my primary tool and source of information when planing the walking route, there is a rail museum not far from the train station. Wanted to take a quick look before I move on to Usui Pass. To my disappointment, the rail museum has been converted to an amusement park and it was closed. I could only admire the old locomotives from afar. Train travel is another of my many geek interests. (In 2006 I took the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way from Moscow to Beijing, stopping over in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Check out the photographs I took on that trip here.)

Finally, The Mountains

2009-04-28T18:46:00.000+08:00

Started walking at about 4.30am in the morning. It was so cold I couldn't feel my face. I can only imagine how cold it must have been the night before. Takasaki straddles the boundary between the flat Kanto plain, where I've been thus far, and the mountains of Gunma & Nagano prefecture to the west, where I am headed. I have no clue where I might find shelter, explaining the early start. The earlier I start, the more likely I'll find something before sunset, before it gets uncomfortably cold again.

Just west of Takasaki city centre is Shimagawa (島川), literally 'island river'. Across the river, the landscape transits immediately, from flat densely developed plain to lush green hills and rocky snow-capped mountains. It was at that moment I felt the walk has finally begun for me. This is what I've been looking forward to, open space, fresh air and mountain scenery.

I found a house, not far from the river, covered with street art. Took a moment to admire what the owner has done and captured the following shot.

Street Art, Takasaki City

I'm fascinated with street art, its something I look out for whenever I am on the road. Thanks to strict laws and tight enforcement, one would be hard-pressed to find them anywhere in Singapore except where its officially sanctioned.

Took the following shots at Annaka, the city just west of Takasaki.

Highway Sign, Annaka City

Note the picture on the highway sign. I am guessing here but I reckon it is a depiction of the Annaka Tooashi Marathon, one of Japan's oldest foot races (dates back to the Edo period).

Annaka-shuku, Annaka City

I found figures similar to the one pictured in front of much of the households in Annaka, some more creative than others. In front of one particular household I spotted a pair of plastic frogs in the same pose. The symbolism is obvious (marital bliss).

Day 3 - Map & Stats

2009-04-27T23:59:00.000+08:00

Kumagaya - Fukaya - Honjo - Kamisato - Fujioka - Takasaki

Start - Kumagaya, 4.40am
End - Takasaki, 4.30pm
Distance - 42.97km
Time taken - 11 hours 50 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 111.32km
Total distance walked (target) - 100km

The Kind Cafe Manager

2009-04-27T20:45:00.003+08:00

With a little help from the tourist information office at Takasaki Station, I located a Manga cafe at the 109 Cinemas building, a stone's throw away from the station building.

I was hoping to spend the night at the cafe, like I did at Manboo in Kumagaya the night before. The cafe manager could manage no more than a smattering of English. After much gesturing, pointing, hand-waving and blank stares on both sides, he finally got it through to me that it is not possible for me to stay there for the night. Only members are permitted to stay overnight. And only citizens and foreign residents may apply to become members.

I was a little disappointed and mentally prepared to sleep at the station instead. That is still better than sleeping out in the cold in Fujioka anyway. I was about to leave when the cafe manager held me back and led me to a computer terminal near the counter.

He opened this particular English-Japanese translation website, much like Yahoo! Babel Fish and Google Translate and we started conversing to one another, using the website to translate what we want to say to the other's preferred language.

The cafe manager took a labeled membership card from the counter and told me I can stay for the night using that. The label is all Greek to me but I am guessing its an administrator card for the point-of-sale system. The manager told me he is not authorized to allow anyone into the establishment using that card. In other words, he is breaking the rules, going beyond the boundary of his authority, just so I may have a roof over my head for the night.

I'm am so grateful for the cafe manager. He could have allowed me to walk out of the cafe after explaining the members-only overnight policy. But he didn't. He took time to communicate to me through the translation website and allowed me in on the sly using the special membership card. He is just an employee, whether or not I get to stay the night in the cafe makes no monetary difference to him. He did not stand to gain anything from going through all that trouble for me but he did.

I spent the night on the floor, in my sleeping bag. The Manga cafe was a tat noisy but I was too tired to care.

An Ugly Woman With Way Too Much Makeup On

2009-04-27T11:11:00.004+08:00

The weather was, as forecast, gloriously sunny, not a cloud in the sky.

Moving on from Kumagaya, the cityscape is dramatically different from where I passed yesterday. Yesterday, dense, high-rise, colorful, lively, decidedly commercial and clearly affluent suburbia. Today, grey sprawling neighborhoods and barren farmland (the spring harvest had just passed) punctuated by massive power pylons and industrial activity. Not even the fabulous weather could brighten the gloom. Even the temples and shrines looked neglected.

Thats aside from the ubiquitous convenient stores and Pachinko (パチンコ) parlours of course.

The Pachinko is a cross between the one-arm bandit and pinball. It is big business in Japan, accounting for 40% of the leisure sector. Pachinko parlours are quite literally everywhere and best described as an ugly woman with way too much makeup on. To find one, look around for the brightest, ugliest and most garish building you can find, chances are, its a Pachinko parlour.

The most brilliant sight today, by a long shot, would have to be the unabashedly European Fukaya Station.

Fukaya Station, Fukaya City

The wonderful brick facade, glowing in the morning sun, stood out as the only drop of colour in what is otherwise a grey depressing city.

I left Kumagaya at about 4.40am in the morning. By midday I was already at Fujioka, 33km away, my intended end-point for the day. Fujioka defines nondescript, not quite the inspiring end to a long walk I was hoping for.

Blisters were starting to form on my feet. Having walked for about 8 hours I was already feeling pretty tired. My body says "STOP!" but I knew I had to keep on walking, however reluctant. Not only is Fujioka uninteresting, there was no accommodation in sight. The day might be warm and sunny but I knew the night will be uncomfortably cold. I need to find shelter for the night. I need to keep on walking till I do. Pushed on, limping much of the way, eventually reaching the city of Takasaki, a further 10km away, at about 4.30pm.

Day 2 - Map & Stats

2009-04-26T22:55:00.001+08:00

Saitama - Ageo - Okegawa - Kitamoto - Konosu - Kumagaya

Start - Saitamashintoshin, 5.20am
End - Kumagaya, 4.10pm
Distance - 38.11km
Time taken - 10 hours 50 minutes

Total distance walked (actual) - 68.35km
Total distance walked (target) - 67km

One Night In Manboo

2009-04-26T20:12:00.000+08:00

I was walking around Kumagaya Station, looking for dinner when the building right opposite the north entrance caught my attention. The building was covered with brightly colored banners carrying "DVD", "Internet" and "24時" (24-hour). After a quick bowl of Ramen, I walked over for a closer look.

It turns out the building is fully occupied by 24-hour Manga cafes (漫画喫茶, mangakissa). They are establishments where one can, on top of reading Manga, use the internet, watch DVDs and indulge in console games. They charge by time spent inside but it is possible to stay the night for around 2000 Yen (~21USD), a real steal in uber-expensive Japan.

My original intention was to spend the night in the station but an inexpensive night in a Manga cafe was too tempting to let up on. I've heard about them, seen them on TV but I've never been in one before, thought it would be a fun, new experience.

And it was.

There are 3 Manga cafes in the building. Took the elevator up to the top floor and worked my way down, checking them out one by one. I walked into the one on the top floor. The counter is directly opposite and about 5 metres away from the elevator. I walked towards the counter, turned around, walked back towards the elevator, went in and down to the next Manga cafe. That 5 metres between the elevator and the counter is like the Fort Knox of pornography, great big shelves packed with pornographic DVDs.

The second Manga cafe was, similarly, a porn repository. Before the counter staff even finished his greeting I was in the lift and on my way down.

Thankfully, the third and last Manga cafe in the building, Manboo, was porn-free. Well, sort of, there was this one customer watching streamed pornographic videos openly on his internet terminal. At least there is not one dodgey DVD in sight.

I enjoyed my stay at Manboo. It was as quiet as a public library. Shower facilities, free flow of drinks, big cushy seats, apart from the cigarette smoke, perfect.

Went online, had a look at the weather forecast for the coming week. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, it will be clear all week, with daytime temperatures in the early 20s, great weather for walking. I noticed one disturbing trend though. Not only did they predict sub-10 night time lows, the night time temperature will be lower and lower by the day, eventually hitting zero degrees Celcius.

I do not have any accomodation reservations. It will be too cold to Nojuku. And Golden Week, when all Japan is on a week long break, the most difficult time of the year to find accomodation, is coming in a few days. Its too late to do anything about it now, I can only take each day as it comes.

Blown Away

2009-04-26T03:37:00.001+08:00

Reached Kumagaya Station, my intended end-point at about 4.10pm. I sat down on the floor in a corner and could not move for a good hour. I was that exhausted.

At around noon, it started to get really windy. Unfortunately for me, the wind, blowing from the northwest, was coming right against me. The last 16km, from Konosu to Kumagaya was an absolute killer. It felt like I was walking with someone pushing me from the front. It did not help that much of the 8km stretch of the Nakasendo between Fukiage and Kumagaya was on a narrow exposed ridge. The wind was so strong I had to rely on my walking pole to stop myself from falling off the ridge. Every step was an effort.

Just before Kumagaya Station, I stepped into a convenience store to purchase a bottle of water. The cashier was extremely polite, as they all are, but when she realized I am not Japanese, the well-drilled, almost mechanical service routine turned into warm sincere hospitality. With a warm smile on her face, she held my outstretched hand with one hand and placed my change in it slowly and gently with her other hand, counting aloud to assure me she is giving me the right change. She waved goodbye, still carrying that smile on her face as I walked out of the store. I could not understand a word she was saying as I left but from the tone, I figured it must have been well wishes. After contending with what must have been gale force winds all afternoon, that encounter brought a smile and much comfort.

Sunday In Suburbia

2009-04-26T02:56:00.001+08:00

Made an early start. By 5.20am I was out of Toyoko Inn and on my way.

The day started out cold and dreary but by mid-morning all the clouds have dispersed and it was all blue sky and sunshine thereafter. Thank God. I don't think I can take another day of cold pelting rain.

The Nakasendo is punctuated by 69 post towns (宿場, shukuba). They were established along with the route itself, to serve as rest stops. Their fortunes declined as modern transport rendered routes like the Nakasendo, and the passage of people and goods on foot and horseback obsolete.

Past a few of them today.

The post towns were, honestly, not much to look at. Given the proximity to Tokyo, one cannot expect them to remain untouched by modernity. Much of the original buildings have been replaced by modern concrete cubes. For the ones that remain, some have been modified for modern use, and the rest, various states of neglect and ruin.

Not that it matters. If its sightseeing I am after, I should not be doing this at all. The real highlight of the day, apart from the glorious weather, was watching the locals get on with their Sunday (even if it was something as mundane as gardening).

Past countless temples and shrines along the way. They were, by and large, austere and minimalist in design. What really gave them color and life were the devotees who came to worship.

Hikawakuwa Shrine, Ageo-shuku, Ageo City

Witnessed a wedding at one particular temple in Konosu. It was a wonderful sight. The couple posed for photographs, as the wind showered them with fluffy yellow pollen from a nearby tree. The bride was in the most splendid of kimonos, matched only by the radiant, glorious smile on her face. The joy in the place was infectious. Everyone was smiling, laughing, taking pictures with the couple and one another.