Takayama (24th to 30th December 2008)

Takayama is simply an adorable place to spend time, the kind of place where one would want to retire to and happily spend the rest of their lives, knowing they have the best of it all. As a town it is small but not too small, with no high rises spoiling the atmosphere and enough different districts (if they are large enough to be called that) to keep you occupied. Lets start with the pretty little main area, which is where we spent Christmas Eve evening. Christmas Eve day was spent on the slowest imaginable, but perfectly pleasant train (all of two coaches long) tootling through the countryside, stopping at the tiniest little ports of call, before arriving in gorgeous Takayama. We decided to treat ourselves a little, with the Christmas money we had been given, to a better room than we would normally have done and ended up in one of the most popular little hotels in town, with a lovely large Japanese style room. It had a little living area with a table, perfect for Christmas dinner and a rather smart cubicle style bathroom, plus the best of all of Japan’s inventions, the heated toilet. I had been to a public toilet earlier that had a button to make flushing sounds, so no-one need hear whatever it is you may be doing! After sorting our stuff out we went for a walk around town and popped into a noodle joint for noodle and pork soup, which was delicious. The Japanese don’t celebrate Christmas at all but some of the streets had a few beautiful wooden decorations and bunting made of children’s Christmas drawings and as we walked down the main street festive music was playing. After dinner we bought a whole host of treats for Christmas Day lunch.

Christmas day started off a little more unusually. Well actually it started off rather deliciously as we had bought some apple and cinnamon buns and bacon and cheese rolls for breakfast! Scrumptious! But after that we had to walk in to the nearby city (if it is actually that) centre to buy a cable to get the internet working for the hotel, as I had had a little Christmas Eve strop at not being able to Skype anyone! It was strange on Christmas to be shopping and really nothing would suggest it was Christmas at all, after all it was just another day in Japan! The walk into the more modern area was lovely as we followed the route of the carp filled river, through the morning market, where we tried an egg white fluffy sweet, which was incredible and passed by cute houses before we crossed into the busy area. We had a quick pootle around the supermarket, which stocked the most fantastical things and then got ourselves to the electronics shop. Once we got the cable sorted we walked back and went about setting out our Christmas Dinner! The Harker’s had put together a little Christmas kit, so we put up some decorations, watered the self growing Christmas tree, I put in my flashing earings and we laid out all the sweets and goodies and mini crackers on the table. Lunch was a fanfare of Japanese goodies, including noodles, rice, tempura, fried veggie things and egg things, sushi and so much more (including local Takayama rice crackers and to die for local Hida sweet beef) and we even had a couple of cold beers to enjoy. It was actually delicious and whilst it was an odd way to spend our first ever Christmas together we really enjoyed it and have decided that our new family tradition will be to go for Japanese on Christmas Eve. After skyping with all and sundry, which was great to do, we went out for a another walk, nose around the old district and popped into a few shops. The old district is truly gorgeous, all wooden and very understated and simple. There are several preserved areas in the town and they have lovely little shops and restaurants to wander around. Just as we had set out for our walk a few flakes of snow began to fall, which was lovely and gave a real spirit of festivities to the day. As we walked around the old town we kept saying just how beautiful it would be with snow. Little did we know that overnight that was just what was coming - snow upon snow upon more snow!


So we woke up to one of the whitest Boxing Days I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. It was simply beautiful. The snow was the softest and most delicate snow imaginable, just like casting sugar and it was well over a foot deep and had no sign of stopping! A walk was definately in order so after a treat of Frosties that we bought on Christmas Day, for breakfast, out we popped, map in hand, to follow a route that would take up up close and personal with plenty of temples and beautiful scenery. The walk took about two or three hours and throughout it did not stop snowing, it was simply incredible and showed the most beautiful side of Japan I was worried we weren’t going to see. We passed a number of temples, all very simply and elegantly designed and walked through tightly packed but well organised and uniquely designed neighbourhoods before reaching stunning forest land. The forests were awesome, truly spectacular in the snow and as little gusts of wind blew we would be showered with snow fall that would panic me into running - I thought we might be caught in an avalanche but the snow was so light it would barely have bothered an ant! By the time we got to a park, filled with perfect snow, we were just that bit too cold to build a snowman so opted for a vending machine coffee and hot chocolate instead (very cool) and took what turned out to be the very long, but interesting way back! We then topped up our fuel with some little treats in town including these rice dough (we think) balls and little pancake fishes filled with chocolate, sesame and sweet bean.

Next day the snow was just as beautiful as we started our morning with a walk to the second of the morning markets to pick up breakfast. We mainly spent the day mooching around town, enjoying the setting, as it would be the last real day in Takayama. We also went for a second walk along a marked trail but got terribly off trail as the snow was so deep that we really didn’t know where we were meant to be going. It was pleasant enough though and we had a lovely day. By now we had moved to a second hotel which had a shared bathroom, which was kind of a neat experience and one that throughout the rest of Japan (I write with hindsight, in what is now February) I cam e to really love and would be disappointed if we had a private bath instead! Basically there is a separate room for men and women and in the middle is what is fundamentally a huge hot bath, that after a sit down, stool shower, you would all sit in and enjoy! Interesting! the first one I was alone but on the second time there were others in their, it is odd how quickly you accept totally different customs as ordinary! I’m not kidding when I say I absolutely love the idea of the shared bath, not because I actually want to share my bath - I preferred it on my own, but because it is so novel, much better for the environment and the idea of just jumping in when you want a bath without having to wait to run it (although there are set open times in Japan) is great.

Over our last two days in Takayama we actually left town and with a two day bus pass, went up and down to several different onsen towns and spent a night in Takayama’s hostel, housed in a temple, which was interesting to see, but run by a hideous American guy who should not be allowed near happy travelers. Our first onsen experience was at Hiraru Onsen. Here there were two large onsen complexes, one for boys and another for girls, where you stripped off and sipped in and out for about eight different pools. The matter of order is to start with a sit down shower and then relax in the steaming inside bath first. Once in the water you are meant to put the small onsen towel folded on your head and when walking about, just hold it in front of your more intimate areas for discretion. Some women had no discretion whatsoever and others far too much (when it comes to onsen tradition), wearing little toweling skirts to protect their dignity. After the fist inside bath there are a number of others outside, all with different purposes, heats or setting. It was great fun running from one hot bath to the next, with the invigorating chill of a snowy sky on your body! It was also really gorgeous to be in a hot spring (fed from totally natural waters) with snow all around! The only shame was not sharing it with each other, let alone anyone else. After an hour, we met up in the relaxation area, which was a big lounge where you could get a massage or just fall asleep. After a drink I popped back in for another half hour, whilst Stuart had a sleep.

Our last day we got back on the bus and went to the end of the line to a place whose name, now two months on, I can’t quite remember but will insert at a later point! It is popular walking territory and when we arrived there was a huge search party going on with media attention for a couple of walkers who had got lost in the mountains. We didn’t go too far but headed into the snow to build some snow seats to eat a snack on and them make a gorgeous little snowman - best one ever! It was really beautiful with more snow than you could imagine, whilst back in town the snow had completely melted, leaving behind not so lovely slush! After a short walk and a huge snowball fight (me losing terribly) we jumped back on the bus for a few minutes to Fusihiki, which we had heard had some great little onsen - if you could find them! We got off at the wrong bus stop and ended up walking a little but further than we though we would (story of our travels!) but passed striking little rivers with boulders strewn across in what would seem like organised beauty, with little rapids and mini waterfalls tumbling around, all surrounded by inches of the white stuff! After lunch in a bus stop (of bakery pastries which we have already grown fond of) we strolled around trying to find these little onsen. Finally we came across one, which we still don’t know if it was the one we were looking for but it was superb. The place looked to be just a little tearoom, with an irory (square fire pit) in the middle, but upon a little misscommunication we managed to work out that there were two natural baths at the back, one small indoor one and one small outdoor one. It was just the two of us and as such we had the chance to share the experience together which was great as this was an altogether different affair to the Hiraru Onsen. Here the baths were really small and the indoor one far too hot to go into, but why would you even want to when you could be outside, in the rock pool, surrounded 360 by stunning snowy mountains and alpine scenery. It was truly incredible. We are well and truly onsen lovers and will be onsen hopping throughout Japan if we have our way! We spent a few hours in the baths, well in and out as it was so hot, but it was such a thrill and just so relaxing and beautiful - this is a good good life!