We kicked off our Japan tour in the Kobe area, hanging out with Erin's high school friend and her awesome family. We visited local tourist sights and got to experience a little of normal Japanese life. We learned, for example, that all school kids wear the same, standard issue and remarkably fashionable backpack, and that learning to ride the unicycle is compulsory. Builds coordination. We also got to sample Kobe beef, conveyer-belt sushi, and visit a grocery store to figure out which snacks we like (Brook voted for ramen chips, while the kids were begging for dried squid - we got both).
We also got a large dose of Japanese history on a 24-hour whirlwind tour of Kyoto, which has more temples, palaces, parks, and museums than you could possibly visit in one go.
After Kobe, we started to make our way north on the train, which is every bit as efficient and clean as you might imagine. We spent a few days soaking in luxury at an onsen (traditional Japanese hot springs bath) in Hakone, then ventured to Tokyo to see more friends and check out the famed fish market. Here's a link to some photos from Kobe, Kyoto and Tokyo: https://plus.google.com/photos/103829313469224560701/albums/6067444215233432497
Fortunately we found Japanese trains comfortable, because after Tokyo we had a 10-hour, four-train ride up to Otaru, a small town on the north island of Hokkaido.
We arrived in Otaru on the perfect cliché of a dark and stormy night: town seemed deserted (it was only 7 or so), it was pitch black, and an icy rain was lashing down. And unlike Tokyo, which has lots of signs in English, this small town was very Japanese. Which means we reverted to what Brook calls medieval mode. Functionally illiterate, we rely on pictures. If a shop has a picture with a chicken in a
pot, chances are you can get chicken in a pot inside. Carving of a foamy beer? Good bet there's beer, and maybe food on offer. Applying that technique, we spotted a shop with a steaming bowl of noodles on its sign. Cold, wet, and hungry we wandered in, and were greeted by the nicest, most welcoming person in Otaru, the owner's father, Shin. Shin, a former air traffic controller (with near-perfect English) chatted us up, bought us beers, insisted we take home a bottle of sake on the house, lent us maps, and also cooked a mean bowl of ramen. We stayed a while.
In addition to ramen, Otaru has some great hiking trails along the coast and up local mountains. We got in two solid day hikes with some great scenery. We also got stopped by the cops while walking back from a hike through a very local neighborhood. We're assuming someone called and warned them that two honkeys were wandering about and
looking lost. Now, we almost never carry our passports, preferring to lock them
up in the hotel safe, but by chance
we had them on us that day. So after a quick (and apologetic) passport check, the officers made sure we weren't lost, bowed, and sent us on our way. We really enjoyed our stay and, like most places in Japan, were sad to leave Otaru. Here's a few photos from our hikes there:
After Otaru we visited Daisetsuzan National Park for a few days and hiked as much as possible with foggy weather and snow on the ground. Daisetsuzan is amazing. It's sort of like the White Mointains: similar size peaks, great fall foliage, lots of good day hikes. But it's way more badass. Instead of black bears, they have grizzlies. And instead of rocky ridges, there are steaming volcanoes. We had a great time, and again didn't want to leave... Here's some shots of the scenery on our hikes: https://plus.google.com/photos/103829313469224560701/albums/6068085000566997633
We wrapped up our Japan tour in Sapporo, which, being near a volcano, home to the first brewery in Japan, and seemingly obsessed with flannel, is appropriately the sister city to Portland, OR.
You can't always anticipate which places will help you recharge. You may think that lying on the beach is what you need, but find that time with friends, meeting the friendliest ramen noodle shop owner, or just hiking up a snowy mountain proves much more effective. Of course, ubiquitous hot springs and heated toilet seats don't hurt either. Whatever it was, Japan gave us a little extra boost before we start the final leg of this adventure: Nepal, and five weeks of trekking in the Himalayas.
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