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05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.4 .. Onsen in Kanto, 関東   

Kusatsu Onsen

Japanese breakfast at 8am. I get used to it. The time; and the taste. At 9am I start the sightseeing tour. The temperature is still at 17°F and I don’t need gloves. Amazing. It is freezing cold but sunny and warm at the same time. First stop is the post office. Money. It is first day that is not a holiday. Money.

The Yubatake is like yesterday. Amazing and with a strong smell of brimstone. The fount is at the top. The water is running down long wooden channels. The water is cooling down and the brimstone precipitates. Yunohana. It it sold as medicine for a good price.

Yumomi
Kusatsu Onsen
Yubataka
Yubataka, Water Fall
Yumomi
Yumomi Dance Performance

Yu-momi

At 10:30am is a presentation of a traditional way to cool down water. All you need are a lot of long paddles and the same amount of beautiful japanese women. They stir up the hot water. The show also offers some traditional dances and songs. It is some kind of working song to syncronize the movement of the paddles. At the end of the show the tourist can try it. Nice show but the 500 yen are a little bit expensive.

So. That was the must-have-seen program of this town. I visit the shrine nearby. Like always there are many stairs involved. After that a bus brings me to a station in the mountains. Because I habe no clue, I get of at the wrong place; at the valley station the first rope way. But here I learn that the second ropeway uphill is closed due to heavy wind. Looks like the summit is no option anymore. I decide to walk. It is a 2,5 miles walk. Who cares. I have plenty of time. I try to walk off road but it is impossible. I sink waste-deep into the snow.

At the upper station the wind really is strong and stiring up the powder like snow. I have to learn skiing. It is a 1,5 mile ride downhill and the weather is amazing. After a short break I start the way back.

Sainokawara Rotenburo (Foto: Lori Kusatsu, cc-Lizenz)

After I figured out where I am, I walk to Sainokawara-Rotenburo. It is a public onsen with a really big outdoor tub. And it is not located in a city but outside in nature. This place is awesome. (No cameras allowed inside, therefore a picture from a website.) The inflow is at the rear end of the pond. With 140°F the water is running down the stones.  At my side the temperature is less boiling and more comfy (104°F). You can adjust the temperature by moving forth and back in the pond. The japanese know how to relax. It is snowing.

After the bath I walk back to the town center for some shopping. Dinner is at 6pm. Many tiny cups filled with delicious stuff. Wow, it is always plenty of food. The day ends in the rotenburo of the hotel. And like yesterday followed by a visit in the izakaya and another round in the onsen.

Yubatake at Night
Sainokawara Park
Street to Mt. Shirane
Yubatake at Night
Shrine in Kusatsu Onsen
Street to Mt. Shirane

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05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.4 .. Onsen in Kanto, 中部   

Bessho Onsen

Japanese Breakfast at 8:30am; with ham and eggs. Maybe because I am a gaijin. The sake is served because of New Year. Check-out is scheduled for 11am. Plenty of time for onsen. I ask the hotel clerk to give me a little bit of money for my ride to Ueda and charge my credit card. The ATM are still offline. I will take care of all the fees. After a short discussion I get 10.000 yen. The last 400yen in my pocket are not even enough for the train to Ueda.

I also can store my stuff at the counter. That gives me 90 minutes to explore Bessho. At the temple are still running New Year celebrations. The main street is closed. Booths with food and other stuff. Matsuri (festival) feeling.

Kitamuki Kannon, Bessho Onsen
Kitamuki Kannon, Bessho Onsen
Anrakuji Pagode, Bessho Onsen
Jorakuji, Bessho Onsen
Bessho Onsen

Next stop is the octagonal pagoda with a Kannon; the Kannon can not be seen. And the rest of the temple is more or less a construction site. Further to the O-yu, a public bath. Don’t expect too much. It is more or less a bath room, not a spa. But it is relaxing. After that I do a brief stop  at a cafe. The owner roasts his own coffee blends. A little bit expensive, but for sure unique. At 2pm I pick up my stuff and thank all the people there many times for all the help.

Back in Ueda I have some time to visit the remains of the castle. There is not much to see. They rebuilt a part of the gate, the wall and the corner towers. The old merchant street is not far away. It is a short street with 10 houses. Here is a bakery, that is run by a friend of the coffee shop owner. A good place for a short break.

Ueda Castle
Ueda

The shinkansen brings me to Take-something-town where I change into a local. 90 minutes later I arrive in a place called Naganoharakusatsuguchi. The bus to Kusatsu is already waiting. I like Japan. Connections are always working. Cool Snow. The display says 18°F. Then there is a street section with grooves. The tires are playing a song! But I cannot identify it.

The bus arrives in Kusatsu. It is snowing. The streets are white. Perfect. I walk to the hotel. I only now the basic direction. But I am confident. I walk down the street half a mile and ask in a conbini (convenient store). 50yards further I have to turn right. It is that simple. And there is a big sign at the junction too. I check-in; including the standard introduction into the onsen rules.

I walk into city center. A quiet walk thru tiny streets covered with snow. Yubate. The big onsen the town is famous for. 17°F. And it is still snowing. I wear a cap but no gloves. But I am „nordisch“ (nordic). The view is impressive (I expected smoething smaller). The smell is too. Waft of mist are floating over the onsen. Brimstone. I take pictures. This is what I wanted. That is what I was looking for. Cold weather, snow, hot springs, remote places at night.

Kiyoshigekan Rotenburo
Yubatake at Night
Yubatake, Kusatsu Onsen
Public Bath Shirohatanoyu, Kusatsu Onsen
Yubatake at Night

The next stop is a izakaya. My fingers and the autofocus of the camera are frozen stiff. Bulls eye. Good food, good sake and good company. The daughter of the owner was in Germany for a student exchange. She was in Bietigheim-Bissingen. Why there? In this one-horse town? I learn: It is the partner city of Kusatsu. And that there is a long tradition between these two palces.

At 11pm I return to the ryokan. There I enjoy the winter night. Sitting in a rotenburo. THe water is not that hot because of the temperature outside. I have some sake with me. It is snowing. I can explain how great this moment is. Sitting in a onsen, outside the house, while it is snowing. This is a lifestyle I could get used to.

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05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.3 .. Neujahr in Tokyo, 東京   

The Emperor

I get up early; Unusual for me; Breakfast at 8am. Next stop is the post office. I need cash. But the ATM is still offline. I am running out of money. Next stop is the emperor palace. Three extremely long queues. And an interesting concept. I queue is filling up with people, one is wainting and the third queue is proceeding. The next queue is in front of the security check; without a backpack or handbag I can pass. Another checkpoint only checks my pockets, but lees intensive than a bouncer in front of a German discothek. And another queue.

Slowly we proceed to the big gate. I meet two swedish guys. We chat a little bit. Then I arrive the gate. Usually this is as fas as you can go. Now I am allowed to pass. I walk the way up to the inner palace area. The area in front of the gallery has the size of a football field. I find myself a place in the middle. This is timing. In this moment the japanese emperor is starting his speech. I try to take pictures blindly with the camera far over my head. Too late I recognize that the camera settings are at 1600 ASA. But the pictures are ok. The speech is over, everyone is celebrating. A group next to me is shouting „Bansai“. Funny. In Europa you only say Bansai before plan to try something stupid.

Fushimi Watchtower
Fläche vom Palastgebäude
Eingang Kaiserpalast
Jubel im Kaiserpalast
Eingang zum Palastgelände
Leuchten vor dem Eingang
Kaiserfamilie
Emperor Palace

Then I get flushed out. No chance to resist the stream of people. 20 minutes later I am back at the street in front of the palace. I decide to take another round and queue again for the third speech. The second is running now. The queue is shorter this time. I am still impressed how they organize this amount of people. This time my position is not that good. I have reflections in the window and no polarisation filter at hand. The speech, The celebrating people, alle the flags.

At 12:30am I am back at the train station. The dragon dance takes place at Oazu shooping depato. The dragon shall eat all the bad spirits. He is in company of Ebisu, the deity of luck, and people with drums and pipes. They are walking from shop to shop.

 

1am. The tea ceremony is just around two corners. Why not pay a visit. After the ceremony I have chat with the master. I learn, that there is a meaning in the position of the wipe (?) at the belt: You wear it at your left side. Because this is the position of the sword and a tea master doesn’t carry a sword. There is also bushido version of the tea ceremony. Here you carry the wipe on your right. I am impressed how he folds the wipe with one hand in one single move. I try it. No chance.

Glücksgott Ebisu
Ebisu und Drache
Drache in Buchhandlung
Abendessen Uematsuya
Drachentanz
Dragon Dance

Back to the hotel; a brief stop for Tonkatsu (lunch); then the shinkansen to Ueda. I only have 1000 yen left. Enough to get to Bassho but not for the way back. In Ueda I find a bank; no money; I ask the JR office and the police; the Lawson clerk; no chance for foreign credit cards. I call the hotel that I will arrive late. Lucky for me that I have my mobile with me. I call because I have ordered dinner and I hope I can eat it delayed.

The hotel owner picks me up at Bessho train station. The dinner is waiting at my room. Small portions, but plenty of them. More than usual. Because of New Year. Lucky! The day is complete (without money). Next stop: hotel onsen. Extrem relaxing. There is some snow around the pond. Not much but it is ok.

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05 .. SHINNEN /, 5.3 .. Neujahr in Tokyo, 東京   

Tokyo Jissha

The clock is ringing before 8am. Wow. In Germany is still 2012. Strange. Today I have a big plan: Tokyo Jissha, 10 shrines in Tokyo, in one day. I hope this is possible. If I remember all be people in front of the Yushima Tenmangu, this project will have some difficulties. After the breakfast a brief view to the shrine. Yes. This 200m long queue is still there.

(1) Kanda Myoin — even mor people. The whole palce is filled with Japanese. Everywhere are small booths with yakisoba, Takoyaki, Oden; an endless list. I ignore the queue and walk to the desk window. I have my first ema and also the big plate to mount all 10 ema. There is a dragon dance performing on a stage. Like 2008 the dragon „eats“ your money. The deities are bribeable. No time to embrace the moment in full. I have a schedule.

(2) Nezu Jinja — I know the way. I am confused. Only a few people and no booths. The complete opposite of Kanda. Lucky for me. My second ema.

(3) Hakusan –I walk the short distance. It is a smaller shrine and also not many people. Getting in, getting out. Again I saved a lot of time.

(4) Oji Jinja –Lucky for me that this shrine is close to the train station. It is a nice shrine in North. Something for an advanced Tokyo trip. Here again are booths and a long queue. It is 11:55am; 4 shrines in 2 hours. This is good. Now I have a long train trip via Akihabara to my next destination. For a moment I think about using a shinkansen. Why? Because I can.

Tokyo Jissha, Kanda Myojin
Kanda Myojin
Nezu Jinja
Hakusan
Kameida Tenjin
Oji Jinja

(5) Kameida Tenjin –This take a whiel to walk there. Over 30 minutes from Oji. At the shrine I have to use the backdoor. This place really is crowded. But at the backdoor I have to pass all the booths. The way is packed like on a christmas market. Traffic Jam. It takes some tome but I declare Half Time. A good moment to drink some Amasame.

(6) Tomioka Hachimangu –This queue is long, very long. The police has closed parts of the 6 lane street. The shrine is hidden but worth a visit. I talk to Japanese women; in fluent English.

(7) Shiba Daijungu –this is a smaller shrine I usually would skip. The next shrine I know. I get nervous. 3 Shrines left and it is already 3pm.

(8) Hikawa Jinja –I walk from Roppongi station. A different approach than last time.

(9) Hie Jinja –This shrine is only 15 minutes away by walking. A big stairway leads up to shrine. I saw the stairs 2010 but I never imagined that they belong to a shrine. Wow. They even have an escalator. Again I get stuck between dozen of booths. Now only one last ema is missing.

Tomioka Hachimangu
Hikawa Jinja
Hie Jinja
Hie Jinja
Hie Jinja

Tokyo Jissha

(10) Shinagawa Jinja — In theory a simple thing. Toei Asakusa Line. But I jump into the airport Express and miss my stop. 8 stations later I can change direction. Dawn is already in progress. But this diversion gives me the chance to spot the Fuji. It is the first time I see this vulcan from Tokyo. The local arrives the correct station after 5pm. A critical time. And then I run completely around the shirne because I miss the entrance. There are still people here waiting in a queue. But the windows where I can buy the ema are closed. I ask at the shrine office. No problem. My Tokyo Jissha is complete. All ten in one day.

Ok. I cheated. I didn’t prayed. But if I sum up all the queues, I would have need 4 days. Back to Kando Myoin, to complete the circle. 6pm and still a queue. Time for nihonshu and oden.

The booths at Yushima Tenmangu are already closed. Back to the hotel for a hot bath. Now I watch „Dinner for One“. Somehow a New Years Eve tradition in Germany. A brief stop at a Izakaya and then I have to pack my stuff. Tomorrow I will visit the palace, the dragon dance and the tea ceremony. And I also travel to Bessho Onsen.

Yushima Tenmangu
Kanda Myojin
Shinagawa Jinja
Hikawa Jinja
Fuji in Abenddämmerung
Kanda Myojin

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