minshuku | Blue Lapis Road

DAY 7 (1/7): DEPARTURE IN THE RAIN, Ainokura (相倉) to Kanazawa (金沢), Japan, 2018.05.31

After a good night’s sleep, we woke up to another misty and rainy morning in Ainokura. It was time for us to move on. In order to catch a direct bus to Shin-Takaoka Station (新高岡駅), we had to catch the 7:45 bus from Ainokuraguchi (相倉口) bus stop. Before breakfast, we took a final stroll around the village. Walking around the tranquil rice paddies and fields of drying reed, and breathing in the moist mountain air fixed with the fragrance of the woods and soil gave us a peaceful finale of our sojourn in the Japanese Alps. The breakfast at the minshuku was once again a hearty feast of small dishes in the traditional dining hall. After breakfast, the minshuku owner gave us a ride out to the Ainokuraguchi bus stop, sparing us for braving the elements with our backpacks.

The hour long bus journey north to Shin-Takaoka was as peaceful as our stay at Ainokura. Only four passengers including us were on the bus. The bus took us past the villages and towns in Toyama, including Johana Station (城端駅) where most buses throughout the day would end the journey for tourists to transfer for a local train. Soon our bus went up the expressway over to the city of Takaoka.

From Shin-Takaoka, it was just a 15 minute train ride on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (北陸新幹線) to Kanazawa (金沢), our final stop of this Japan trip before heading back to Tokyo. We felt a bit strange stepping out of the modern Kanazawa Train Station after staying several days in the mountains and countryside. Designed by architect Ryuzo Shirae in 2005, the century old train station of Kanazawa received a modern makeover, including a wooden gate inspired by a traditional Japanese torii. We took one of the many buses leaving the station for Omicho Market (近江町市場) at the city centre. Our hotel was just a block away from the famous market. With a small ground floor cafe, the sleek and modern Pacific Hotel was like a world away from the Gassho-style thatched roof minshuku of Ainokura.

We woke up to another wet day in the mountain village of Ainokura in Gokayama.

Before breakfast, we made a final stroll around the tranquil rice paddies of Ainokura.

Passing by the fields of drying reed reminded us the traditional way of living in Ainokura is still going strong.

Breakfast at Gassho Minshuku Nakaya (合掌民宿なかや) was again a delightful feast for us.

It was very kind for the owner of Gassho Minshuku Nakaya to drive us out to Ainokuraguchi (相倉口) bus stop in the rain.

The bus ride to Shin-Takaoka took a little over an hour.

Opened in 2015, the Shin-Takaoka Station (新高岡駅) in Takaoka (高岡) is a modern interchange station for the Hokuriku Shinkansen high speed railway.

There are Hokuriku Shinkansen high speed trains coming from Tokyo stopping at Shin-Takaoka on the way to Kanazawa.

In less than 15 minutes, we arrived at Kanazawa Station.

The wooden torii gate at Kanazawa welcome every visitors entering the city by train.

The modern and clean Pacific Hotel near Omicho Market offered us a comfortable resting place for our stay in Kanazawa.

A small reception counter of Pacific Hotel also doubles as a coffee bar.

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CHUBU (中部地方) 2018, Japan, 2018.05.25 – 06.03
Introduction

Day 1: Tokyo (東京)
1.1 TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET (築地場外市場)
1.2 TSUKIJI INNER MARKET (築地中央卸売市場)
1.3 MORI ART MUSEUM (森美術館), 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT & CAFE KITSUNE

Day 2: Matsumoto (松本)& Kamikochi (上高地)
2.1 MATSUMOTO CASTLE (松本城), Matsumoto (松本)
2.2 “ALL ABOUT MY LOVE”, Yayoi Kusama’s Exhibition at Matsumoto City Museum of Art (松本市美術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.3 MATSUMOTO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (まつもと市民芸術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.4 FROM MATSUMOTO (松本) TO KAMIKOCHI (上高地)
2.5 ARRIVAL IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Chūbu-Sangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園)

Day 3: Kamikochi (上高地)
3.1 MORNING WALK IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Nagano Prefecture (長野県)
3.2 DAKESAWA HIKE (岳沢), Kamikochi (上高地)

Day 4: Kamikochi (上高地) & Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.1 TAISHO POND (大正池), Kamikochi (上高地)
4.2 RETREAT IN THE JAPANESE ALPS, Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.3 MOMENTS OF ESCAPE, Tsuruya Ryokan (つるや旅館), Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)

Day 5: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.1 CITY IN THE MOUNTAINS, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.2 HIDA BEEF (飛騨牛), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.3 SAKE (日本酒) BREWERIES, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.4 YOSHIJIMA HOUSE (吉島家住宅), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.5 HIGASHIYAMA WALKING COURSE (東山遊歩道), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)

Day 6: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Shirakawa-go (白川郷) & Ainokura (相倉)
6.1 MIYAGAWA MORNING MARKET (宮川朝市), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.2 OGIMACHI IN THE RAIN, Shirakawa-go (白川郷), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.3 SOBA, TEMPLE & LOOKOUT, Shirakawa-go (白川郷)
6.4 RAINY AFTERNOON IN AINOKURA (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.5 GASSHO MINSHUKU, FLOWER BEDS & RICE PADDY FIELDS, Ainokura (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.6 CROAKING FROGS AND MOONLIGHT REFLECTIONS, Gokayama (五箇山)

Day 7: Kanazawa (金沢)
7.1 DEPARTURE IN THE RAIN, Ainokura (相倉) to Kanazawa (金沢)
7.2 A SEAFOOD PARADISE – OMICHO MARKET (近江町市場)
7.3 D T Suzuki Museum (鈴木大拙館)
7.4 Kenroku-en Garden (兼六園)
7.5 Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) and Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.6 Nomura Samurai House (武家屋敷跡野村家), Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.7 Sushi Ippei (一平鮨), Katamachi (片町)

Day 8: Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (金沢, 石川県)
8.1 Iki Iki Tei (いきいき亭) and Higashide Coffee (東出珈琲店), Omicho Market (近江町市場)
8.2 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (21世紀美術館)
8.3 Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街)
8.4 Higashi Chaya District (東山ひがし茶屋街)
8.5 Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi (加賀友禅燈ろう流し), Asano River (浅野川)
8.6 AFTERMATH OF KAGA YUZEN TORO NAGASHI (加賀友禅燈ろう流し)

Day 9 & 10: Tokyo (東京)
9.1 Marunouchi (丸の内) & Nihonbashi (日本橋)
10.1 OEDO ANTIQUE MARKET (大江戸骨董市), Tokyo Forum (東京国際フォーラム)
10.2 FARMER’S MARKET, United Nations University (東京国連大学), Aoyama (青山)

October 27, 2018 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Chubu 2018, Japanese Alps, Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama | Tags: Ainokura, Ainokuraguchi, breakfast, bus, cafe, coffee, 相倉, 金沢, 高岡, Gassho, Gokayama, hotel, Japan, Japanese, Kanazawa, market, minshuku, Nakaya, Nanto, Omicho, Pacific, Shin-Takaoka, station, Takaoka, Toyama, train, 南砺市, 合掌民宿なかや, 富山県, 五箇山 | Leave a comment

DAY 6 (6/6): CROAKING FROGS AND MOONLIGHT REFLECTIONS, Gokayama (五箇山), Toyama Prefecture (富山県), Japan, 2018.05.30

The stay in Ainokura proved to be more than worthwhile. We got the chance to take refuge in a 350-year old gassho-zukuri house and dine right by a traditional Irori (囲炉裏) hearth in the atmospheric dining room. The stay also allowed us to experience Ainokura in the evening, when most tourists were gone. After dinner, it stopped raining. We went out to take in the tranquil atmosphere under the silver moonlight and shimmering stars. Wandering on the winding paths, we were totally surrounded by rice fields and the croaking sound of frogs.

The owner of Gassho Minshuku Nakaya used the traditional Irori (囲炉裏) hearth in the dining room to prepare the smoked ayu fish for our dinner.

Seasoned with sea salt, the smoked ayu fish were the star delicacy of our dinner.

Pickle, deep fried, and soy sauce veggies, carp sashimi, local rice, and smoked ayu fish left us more than satisfactory after a long and wet day in the Japanese countryside.

Outside of Gassho Minshuku Nakaya, the village path was lit with dim street lamps.

The mirror-like rice fields reflected the beautiful gassho-zukuri houses.

With clouds and moonlight, it wasn’t the best time for stargazing.

Loud croaking sound of frogs came from rice fields in all directions.

The village paths were pretty much deserted after dark, except a handful of tourists and local villagers.

The sky was getting darker as we wandered around the village.

We could see a bit more stars as the last twilight faded.

In the dark, we walked uphill a little bit to a lookout that we visited earlier in the day. From there, we took a photo of the night sky over Ainokura just before the moon emerged behind the mountains.

Across the rice fields and river valley, the moon was about to emerge beyond the mountains.

The silhouette of mountains and silver moonlight depicted a lovely reflection in the rice fields. We were grateful to enjoy a moment of absolute peace just before moonrise.

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CHUBU (中部地方) 2018, Japan, 2018.05.25 – 06.03
Introduction

Day 1: Tokyo (東京)
1.1 TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET (築地場外市場)
1.2 TSUKIJI INNER MARKET (築地中央卸売市場)
1.3 MORI ART MUSEUM (森美術館), 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT & CAFE KITSUNE

Day 3: Kamikochi (上高地)
3.1 MORNING WALK IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Nagano Prefecture (長野県)
3.2 DAKESAWA HIKE (岳沢), Kamikochi (上高地)

August 29, 2018 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Chubu 2018, Japanese Alps, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama | Tags: Ainokura, ayu, dinner, farm, fish, frog, Gassho, Gokayama, Irori, Japan, Japanese, meal, minshuku, Nakaya, night, paddy, rice, sashimi, stars, Toyama, zukuri, 囲炉裏, 富山県, 五箇山 | Leave a comment

DAY 6 (5/6): GASSHO MINSHUKU, FLOWER BEDS & RICE PADDY FIELDS, Ainokura (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山), Nanto (南砺市), Toyama Prefecture (富山県), Japan, 2018.05.30

The idea of staying a night in a traditional gassho-zukuri house prompted us to come all the way to Ainokura, the remotest of the three UNESCO World Heritage villages in the Japanese Alps. A few centuries-old gassho-zukuri houses in Ainokura have been converted into minshuku (民宿) or Japanese style bed-and-breakfast. A typical minshuku stay offers a Japanese tatami room, as well as dinner and breakfast served in a traditional dining room around an Irori (囲炉裏) hearth. Based on online reviews and guidebook recommendations, we booked our stay at Gassho Minshuku Nakaya, a 350-year old gassho-zukuri located near the end of the village. The interior of the house was as expected full of wooden panels, tatami flooring and timber lattices. The bathroom and toilets were clean and modern, while the dining room and its Irori hearth provided a feature for all visitors.

Outside of the minshuku, gassho-zukuri houses scattered along the few winding paths and surrounded by patches of terracing flower beds and rice paddy fields. Historically, Ainokura was self sustained not by farming, but by making traditional paper and raising silkworm. Since the decline of silkworm raising in the 1950s, some fields of mulberry trees uphill from the village were converted into agricultural fields for vegetables and rice paddy. Today, rice paddy fields dominate the scenery of Ainokura. As the most important staple food in Asia, rice cultivation represents the lifeline for many nations, including Japan. Apart from rice fields, small beds of colourful flowers can be found all over the village. Flowers are planted adjacent to rice terraces, or along winding paths, or in front of village homes, leaving touches of lovely colours among the lush green palette, even in the greyest rainy day.

Gassho Minshuku Nakaya is a well-preserved 350-year-old gassho-zukuri house in the UNESCO World Heritage village.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The thatched roof and timber wall panels of the minshuku look just like other traditional farm houses in the village.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Just like any typical Japanese house, there is a decent entrance vestibule at the Gassho Minshuku Nakaya.

The guest area is limited at the ground floor only, with traditional tatami bedrooms, dining room, and bathroom.

In the dining room above the Irori (囲炉裏) hearth, a jizaikagi (自在鉤) or free hook is attached to the beam structure of the house.

Our room was a Japanese style tatami room with traditional decorations.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Upon arrival, we were given green tea and snacks.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Outside of Gassho Minshuku Nakaya, lovely flowers could be found in many fields and flower beds.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA One of the most impressive flower beds we saw was just opposite to the front door of our minshuku.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The small flowers in front of Minshuku Yomoshiro present a subtle beauty.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Colourful flowers along the village paths lighted up the scenery in a rainy day.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA We found some of the most impressive flowers at the terracing flower beds in the midst of the lush green rice paddy fields.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA And more flowers…

Late May. Rice seedlings had just planted not long ago. Rows of footprints were visible in the rice paddy fields.

It was a pleasure to get so close to the rice paddy.

At the end of Ainokura near Gassho Minshuku Nakaya, we found some larger rice fields with beautiful reflections of the surrounding mountains.

After spending time to photograph the rice fields, it was about time for dinner.

August 26, 2018 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Chubu 2018, Japanese Alps, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama | Tags: Ainokura, colours, 相倉, 自在鉤, flowers, Gassho, Gokayama, heritage, hotel, Irori, Japan, Japanese, jizaikagi, minshuku, Nakaya, paddy, rice, Toyama, UNESCO, world, zukuri, 南砺市, 囲炉裏, 富山県, 五箇山 | Leave a comment

DAY 5 – MINSHUKU TSUGIZAKURA, Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) 3 of 3, Japan

Before nightfall we finally reached Tsugizakura, a small, peaceful village overlooking the Kii Mountains. We were grateful to be welcomed by the Yuba family of Minshuku Tsugizakura. Mr. Yuba, the owner of the bed and breakfast, was a professional chef. Now he and his family take care of the three-room minshuku, offering hikers of the Kumano Kodo a comfortable place to stay the night and delicious meals to fill the belly after a long day’s walk. After 10 hours of walking, we were so grateful to soak in a traditional hot bath at the minshuku and filled up our belly with fantastic homemade kaiseki dinner. Tsugizakura is a peaceful village famous for its traditional oji (shrine) and Nonaka-no-Shimizu spring (renowned for its spring water) We were greeted with welcoming snacks: red bean cake with green tea powder and an apple. After a traditional Japanese hot bath, Mr. Yuba prepared us a delicious kaiseki dinner made up of many small dishes. Every dish was prepared with a combination of local and seasonal ingredients. What they were exactly, we know not but they were delicious.

Crab meat on deep fried tofu ball. Marinated chicken (left) and vegetable in curry sauce (right). The grilled kebabs were cooked on the table. Each of us had a little pot in front of us. We didn’t know what’s inside but Mrs Yuba told us not to open to lid until a later time. Flavored steam rice. By the time we opened the pot the rice was just ready. Orange was in season in the area. The sweetened red beans gave a Japanese touch to the orange sorbet desert. The next morning, the Yuba family prepared another splendid meal for us. Morning sunlight from the mountains shone into the dining room where breakfast was served. Lunchboxes prepared by Minshuku Tsugizakura which we would carry along. Farewell to the Yuba family. Thanks for your hospitality. On the slope above Tsugizakura, we continued our Kumano Kodo journey heading northeast towards Hongu Taisha.

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Read other posts on 2015 Kansai…
Day 1.0 – Kansai Japan 2015
Day 1.1 – Hanami, Mount Yoshino
Day 1.2 – Feast under the Shades of Sakura, Mount Yoshiko
Day 2 – A Day in Kobe
Day 3 – A Day in Central Osaka
Day 4 – Tanabe – Prelude of the Kumano Kodo
Day 5.1 – Takijiri to Takahara, Kumano Kodo
Day 5.2 – Takahara to Tsugizakura , Kumano Kodo
Day 5.3 – Minshuku Tsugizakura, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.1 – Tsugizakura to Mikoshi-Toge Pass, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.2 – Mikoshi-Toge Pass to Hongu Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.3 – Kumano Hongu Taisha to Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.1 – Ryokan Adumaya, Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.2 – Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.3 – Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.4 – Wataze Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 8.1 – Kumano Nachi Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 8.2 – Kii Katsuura, Kumano Kodo
Day 9 – Church of Light, Osaka

June 9, 2015 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Kansai 2015, Kumano Kodo | Tags: cuisine, 熊野古道, 紀伊山地, food, hike, Japan, Kii, kodo, Kumano, minshuku, Tanabe, Tsugizakura, Wakayama | Leave a comment

DAY 5 – TAKIJIRI to TAKAHARA, Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) 1 of 3, Japan

Along with Way of St. James in Spain, Japan’s Kumano Kodo is one of the two pilgrim routes inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage. We first came across Kumano Kodo during travel research when we were looking for an off-the-beaten path destination in Japan. Learning the historical and spiritual significance of the centuries-old pilgrim trail, we immediately fell in love with Kumano Kodo. Since the 10th century, pilgrims from Kyoto and other Japanese cities took the Kumano Kodo to reach the sacred sites of Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山) in the Kii Mountains. The Kumano Sanzan includes three sacred mountain shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社), Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社), and Kumano Hayatama Taisha (熊野速玉大社). Nowadays, the Kumano Kodo is a popular hiking destination for both local and international hikers. Most visitors do the Kumano Kodo as a three-to-five day hike, staying at minshuku (local bed and breakfast) along the way. In the middle of Kii Mountains near Kumano Hongu Taisha lies the famous Yunomine Onsen, the oldest hot spring in the country. Most pilgrims, past or present, would go for a dip in the healing hot spring after days of walking. Out of the various Kumano Kodo routes, we decided to take the popular Nakahechi route from Takijiri to Hongu Taisha. This route would take two days. On the first day, we walked from Takijiri to Tsugizakura (18.2km), and the second from Tsugizakura to Hongu Taisha (22.1km). Another rainy day to start off with. From Tanabe train station, we took the 6:50 bus heading into the mountains. At 7:28 we get off at Takijiri (滝尻), the official trail head of the Nakahechi route. The Kumano Kodo visitor centre had not yet opened its doors. At 7:30, the van of our backpack shuttle service arrived and we gratefully handed over our backpack to the driver, who would deliver our bag to the minshuku where we were staying the night. Along the way on Kumano Kodo, there are many oji shrines. These oji are subsidary shrines of the Kumano grand shrines. Takijiri Oji is situated right at the trail head of the Nakahechi route of Kumano Kodo. One of the first things encountered on Kumano Kodo was the beautiful cedar forest. The rain stopped soon after we ascended into the mountains. High up on the first lookout we could admire the picturesque valley and distant mountains of the Kii Mountain Range. Mount Meshimori-yama, the first lookout on the trail. About 1.5 hour from Takijiri, we were soon approaching the village of Takahara (高原). Small family farms overlooking the Kii Mountain Range. In Takahara, we visited a local wood shop. The scent of the local wood filled the entire shop. The owner showed us his master piece, wooden frame of a double bed. Beside the workshop there was a small souvenir shop selling all kinds of things made of wood, from key chains to photo frames. Takahara is an attractive small mountain village famous for its mountain views and morning sea of clouds. Takahara Kumano-jinja, the main shrine in the mountain village of Takahara. From Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area, we stayed for a short while to enjoy the view. The vending machine at Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area was selling all kinds of drinks. At Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area we ate the snacks that the wood shop owner gave us. After Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area the sign pointing to Chikatsuyu Oji, the next major village about 9km down the road. After a few more minutes of walking, we exited the village of Takahara and came to a fork road where a cherry tree stood and a “Kumano Kodo” sign that pointed to an uphill path. At the top of the path we came across a number of rice paddy fields. In the reflection of the blue sky, rows of young seedlings shooting upwards against a backdrop of the Kii mountains.