There & Back Again
A long vacation… that is what I need. Nonetheless, being in Yamaguchi, away from campus and my other worries did help a lot. I guess it is true; though one can’t run away from their problems, but, at least, stepping away from all of it for a while do change his/her perception about the matter. Anyways, the rest, relax, and rejuvination do help recharge and refresh a person to face their problems and challenges. Who knows? During that vacation, there might have been more problems that he/she had never imagined before, making the challenges back home seem trivial, or it may work as a preparation for what lies ahead. However, I do hope someone misses me when I was away.
I arrived back from Yamaguchi-Prefecture, far west of Japan’s Honshu Island, about 6pm Monday. I was scheduled to be back earlier, but the JAL carrier that I was supposed to board got struck by lightning during the storm yesterday and my flight was cancelled. Asakura-san and I had to wait at Ube Airport for the next ANA flight at 4.30 to make it back to Tokyo. What an experience! Well, not too bad… everything deserves a first try!
I left Chiba New Town (my campus town) Friday morning, made it to Haneda (Tokyo International Airport in the city. Narita is known as "New Tokyo International Airport). Asakura-san and I left on a super small JAL flight bound west and was picked up by her sister, Kinuko-san, at Ube-Airport about 2. Though it is the rainy season, rain has not hit the dryest region of the country but it did rained the morning of our arrival. We hopped into Kinuko-san’s car and she took us to the nearby park of Ube-city.
At that park… well, there was tonnes to see over there. We were welomes by a lake of swans (no joke… it was really a lake of swans of all colors). We walked around the park enjoying the many art sculptures and seasonal flowers. We even went to the zoo/amusement park to look at the monkeys. On our way back, we went to the coal-mining museum, took a rest by the lake again before making it back to the car. I learned a lot just being there at the park. (1) Asakura-san is paranoid about almost everything and is a claustrophobic. We came across a green snake and I have never seen such a huge reaction from her. She almost cried! (Imagine, this 53 year old who I have taught English to for the past few years…) Then, when we were at the pond of irises, a cat fished jumped up at our feet and sent her screaming. Later, when we were at the coal-mine museum, Kinuko-san had to reassure her that the simulator coal tunnel had a proper exit. During our ride on the elevator to the observation deck of the same building, Asakura-san kept complaining that it was going too slow and that she would rather take the stairs. But since the stairwell was locked, and it was too high for her, we took the elevator down with another episode of her whinning.
We travelled back to Kinuko-san’s place at Chofu city and went to the supermarket to get some fresh sashimi. As west Japan is famous for fish, I had sushi and sashimi for almost every meal! Kuniko-san’s place was magnificent. Well, I heard that the land was cheap in Yamaguchi, but her home was built and decorated to a traditional Japanese home with a modern touch. I was given the guest room that was a breath-taking Japanese tatami room that was so huge! Asakura-san slept next door. I later found out that Asakura-san was from a quite well to do family, and her sister was married to a CEO of a pharmaceutical company.
Well, the rest of my stay in Yamaguchi was wonderful. I went to Ten-man-gu of Chofu City, one of the major shrines where people go for prayers and blessings to pass important entrance exams of schools, universities, and companies. There, I also managed to have a look at a traditional Japanese Tea House with an adjacent garden. It was beautiful. We then took a train to meet Kuniko’s husband at Tokuyama city for lunch, REAL Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki. It was SO good. There, he drove us all the way to Hiroshima-prefecture and I visited one of the 3 famous sights in Japan. We went to Miyajima and I was so touched that tears almost welled up my eyes. That island is magnificent and houses the famous shrine that has been visited by very important people since long time ago… maybe the Hei-An period? Well, that island is a "Tem
ple Island" as its name suggests. It is famous for maple leaves and trees, and is a great sight to visit during autumn. The island is also famous for its deers and we saw them almost everywhere. Some of them are even terrorizing the tourists! The most bizzare thing that it was famous for apart from its pagoda and "a thousand tatami-matted grand hall," the island houses the world’s herritage–amongst the temples and other historical buildings–the world’s largest rice scoop! We spent almost the whole afternoon there and couldn’t make it to Hiroshima Dome to see the Atomic Bomb Museum. Nonetheless, I really appreicated everything that was done and had a great time. We even stopped by one of Japan’s most famous bridges, Kintai-Bridge. There we walked to a park where we can see a castle built on top of a mountain. Nearby, there was a sculpture of Sasaki Kojiro. He is the arch-enemy of Miayamoto Musashi (if you have read that book).
On Sunday, we drove to Akiyoshi to see its famous cave and plateau. There, I found out how was it like to be with a 53 year old claustrophobic in the caves. Hmm… interesting. We didn’t manage to see all of the caves due to the heavy rain the season brought filled the rivers with water that the underflow in the caves flooded some of the paths. As we had bad weather the whole day, we didn’t get to see much of the natural craters and sink-holes of the plateau during our drive too. However, I did manage to ge
t myself a tea-bowl, Hagi-yaki, a famous kind of pottery in Japan that is from Yamaguchi-prefecture, even though we didn’t make it to the town itself. It will be my family treasure. We visited the St. Francis Xavier Church too. Though it was totally burnt down sometime ago, they had it rebuilt and it still houses the relic of a bone from the saint’s finger of his right hand. (I don’t think I remember seeing it.)
Due to time constraint, we drove back to Chofu and shopped for dinner after our trip to the hot-springs. I really was able to relax myself at the sauna, out door baths, etc. That evening, Kinuko’s husband and herself, prepared a magnificent dinner of sashimi and home cooked delicacies… some wild bamboo shoots which they cut from the mountains of Akiyoshi when Asakura-san and I was having a look at the caves. Mr. Yanagi is a very kind, loving, and interesting man. Not to forget how humorous he was. I really had a great time with them. I even learned a new culinary delight! A cure for those who do not like melon and/or brandy… simply mixed them together as a punch and you will be happily enjoying it! We enjoyed the evening over good food, beer, french wine, and great company!
Time flew when you are enjoying yourself. Soon it was Monday and I have to get back to Tokyo and my "problems." That’s all about my trip to Yamaguchi. I will upload pictures soon. Stay tuned!
