Of Planes and Trains (and food)

The writer Jan Morris once wrote that food eaten in movement, while travelling, is somehow more satisfying.

I agree wholeheartedly with this, except when it comes to plane food (*shudder*). If a flight is less than 7 hours I will usually not eat on board, unless they provide fruit or some vaguely healthy cracker/sembei. Unfortunately, for long haul flights, my metabolism does require food... if you can call vegetarian plane meals such...eeesh.

However, trains are entirely another matter. I have fond memories of munching through giant onigiri, local cherry tomatoes and mikan juice as I slowly wound my way around Northern Kyushu. I have stopped in Hiroshima for okonomiyaki, and sampled vegetarian oshizushi as I watched Tsuwano's carp-filled canals and tiny orange torii fade into the distance.

When travelling around Japan by train I find the journey equally important as the destination. Watching the fields and mountains give way to beach, or the flat expanse of Aichi slowly turn to Mt.Fuji and then Tokyo.  All from the comfy seat of an unhurried train.

But planes... planes are unnatural. Squashed  into tiny, knee-bruising seats, without being able to walk about or watch the scenery pass by. The cold, recycled air drying out nostrils and any bit of exposed skin.

Every once in a while it can be cool. On a return flight from Singapore I got to watch a thunderstorm from above, flying over the US I briefly saw the aurora and the view of Mt. Fuji from the air is stunning. But, personally, I find that planes are not well-suited to rambling contemplation, while trains are.

Early Morning Adventures: Hasedera's Hydrangeas

June is really probably not one of the best times to be in Tokyo. Endless days of rain, laundry that doesn't really dry, excursions cut short because of squalls...

However the plentiful watering does bring one positive event with it: the riotous blooming of hydrangeas. An attractive weed, they grow easily and brighten up the city and parks with their shades of blue, violet and pink blush.

One of the most famous places to view a whole hillside of blooms is Hasedera in Kamakura, a major temple close to the giant bronze Buddha. Of course, this means that on weekends you have to wait for hours for a chance to shuffle up and down the stairways amongst the flowers, which is not my idea of a good time. 

To beat the crowds and enjoy the flowers at leisure, I trekked out to Hase Station first thing in the morning on a weekday. Arriving at the temple gates at 8:30 am, there were only a handful of elderly photography enthusiasts and a couple of cats to contend with.

I love the watercolour shades of hydrangeas, the delicate differences in shading making each one unique (and surprisingly hard to photograph well).

To complete the outing I meandered my way by foot to Kamakura station, enjoying the quiet shotengai (as the town only really starts moving around 11am). As a treat before hopping back on the train home, I rewarded myself with a murasaki imo icecream, the colour of which is wonderfully reminiscent of the flowers I came to see.

Strange culinary experiences, and where to find them

Being a vegetarian in Japan kind of precludes one from most of the 'weird' culinary experiences so many people have when visiting or living here (raw chicken or horse sashimi, fugu, dancing shrimp, Kobe beef etc...).

However never fear, there is enough weirdness to go around, even for us!

One of the oddities I have come by recently is the new 'SpoonVege' ice cream from Haagen-Daaz (which comes in cherry/tomato and orange/carrot flavours). I tried the cherry/tomato version, which was interesting. I have actually had tomato softserve in Aizu before, and this was a much richer version thereof. I could barely make out any cherry in the mix, but it was certainly not unpleasant. I intend to try the carrot one as well, to see if the fruit flavour is more noticeable.

The second interesting spot is a 'instant curry' and canned food restaurant (if one can use that term) right near Ekoda station. They have a HUGE selection of curries, from vegan curries from India to grape-flavoured curry from Yamanashi, and everything in between). They provide rice, drinks and, if you need something extra, lots of canned delicacies (from the usual yakitori, to more exotic things like snails and dolma). Sounds like a fun, cheap night out to me!

Nagoya Women's Marathon

After a several year hiatus from marathon running, 6 months ago I decided to get back into it.... not entirely sure what came over me, but I am so glad I did it!

Nagoya is almost perfectly flat, making it an ideal marathon for first timers or injured runners. The fact that it was women-only was also very nice, as we got to avoid the spitting, cup throwing and elbowing that male runners seem to indulge in so frequently.

The prevalence of the colour pink was a bit overwhelming, however.

It was my first time in Nagoya, so after picking up my race chip, Matcha-kun (who came along as crew) and I went off looking for kishimen (flat noodles in a miso-heavy broth) and a walk around Nagoya Castle. It is surrounded by lovely gardens, and we even got to see the plum trees in bloom.

The race itself was very well organized. I started off running with a couple of ladies introduced by a mutual friend, which helped me keep a steady pace for the first half. Eventually I pulled away, aiming for a quicker pace until the 35km point, where a bemused (as he doesn't quite get the point of running 42km) Matcha-kun awaited with Pocari and chocolate.

Eventually I finished in 5:13:47, and received the Tiffany's necklace (which they give in place of medals) from a adorable tuxedo-suited gentleman, along with a (thankfully!) purple t-shirt, towel, bottle of expensive face lotion and enough drinks and food for three people.

Thank goddess for Matcha-kun, who carried my bags and helped me hobble back to the station! Before leaving we both refueled at Komeda Coffee (a very famous coffee chain in Nagoya), and scarfed down a 'shironoire', a glorious croissant-like pastry topped with ice cream and maple syrup.

I am so proud of myself, as I hoped to finish in 5:30ish, and totally crushed that time. This has really boosted my running confidence, and am now already looking for the next event to sign up for!

Weekend Away: Oze

It is very rare that experiences in life live up to the expectations we create in our heads... however, every once in a while the stars align and perfection does actually occur. For me, this was Oze.

Last year I came across a single picture of a wooden walkway amonst a field of gold, and spent two days figuring out where it was. Sadly that was in mid-October, when the brief two weeks when the marsh grass changes color was already over. However, I immediately got in touch with my friends, saying that the next fall, we were going.

And we did! It is a hard place to get to, especially if you don't have a car (thank the kami for Hippy-chan). Strong kanji reading abilities (as all signs are exclusively in Japanese), strong legs and a taste for winding roads are also very helpful when trying to reach the lake. Since it is so remote, there is no cellphone reception or internet. It was like stepping back in time, when you made plans and then hoped everyone turned up at the right time, in the right place.

We stayed overnight, talking for hours and listening to the sounds of the forest. In the morning we saw a large doe chomp away happily at the small lawn in front of the mountain hut. We circled the lake, clambering over roots and gasping every time a sea of golden grass stretched out in front of us. Complete bliss.

Dating in Japan: Meet the Parents (part two)



Mea culpa, kind readers. Despite August's image of being an empty time spent listening to the shrill cry of cicadas in the heat, I have been busy (and partially defeated by the weather).

 

After first freaking out about the potentiality of meeting Matcha-kun's parents way back in December, I eventually chilled out about the whole thing. Since I would be using a few days during Obon to escape to Hakuba, we decided that it was time for the day of judgement (dun,dun,DUN!... just kidding).

 

I am happy to say that it was pleasantly uneventful and non-traumatic for everyone involved. Matcha-kun's mother was friendly, his father only slightly bemused. I was then taken around to all the various grandparents... apparently they did not tell one of his grandmothers that I am not Japanese, as a surprise. She was only slightly taken aback, and further confirmed my theory that grandmothers all over the world are basically the same, when she pronounced 'お人形さんみたい！' ('you look like a doll!'... which is exactly what my grandmother does).

I got a tour of his family's apple orchard, which was  rather cool, and even received one of the semi-ripe apples (which was surprisingly tasty and sweet!). All in all a good visit, and it seems I made a good impression. For anyone else preparing themselves for this kind of situation, I think there are a few pointers that would be helpful (independant of nationality):

1- You don't need to alter your style dramatically, but go with the most simple, moderate side of your looks.
2- Come bearing gifts. Keep them small and edible, as anything too flashy will make people feel uncomfortable.
3- Obviously (I hope) be polite, and answer odd questions as kindly and seriously as possible (for example: 'Do you have tatami floors in Europe?' or 'Do you eat jam?')
4- Your significant other's family is probably just as nervous as you are, so do your best to relax.

After the niceties had been completed, we went into Nagano city to see Zenkouji, wander the preserved Meiji streets and (of course) have the famous local soba for lunch.

Zenkouji is a rather impressive temple, reminiscent of Todaiji in Nara with its dark wood and thatch. The street leading up to the temple has a wealth of lovely Meiji buildings (the Gohojin hotel is particularly pretty), as well as smaller temples which serve as lodgings and (very importantly) many shops selling my beloved oyaki!

Soba in Nagano is serious business. I had 'karashi soba', which I have never seen anywhere else. The broth (which looks vaguely disturbing) is mainly shredded daikon and miso, so has a nice kick to it.

 After that we hopped on a bus to Hakuba, which I will talk about later :)

A Sunday in the Mist: Karuizawa

Runners are nuts. I can say this with full confidence, being part of this global tribe of insane people.

Seriously, we spend huge amounts of our precious income travelling to far away places, to essentially beat up our bodies and exhaust ourselves... if possible in the near vicinity of pretty scenery, good food and boiling onsen.

I was thinking along these lines when I went out to Karuizawa to run the 5k time trial of the two day Karuizawa Resort Marathon extravaganza. It was rainy, foggy, cold, and the last thing I wanted to do was remove my nice warm coat and warm-ups. However, perhaps I should be thankful to the weather, as the promise of putting on layers after the finish line may have propelled me to higher speeds, as I ended up 16th in the race (woo!).

I love Karuizawa and the race was a perfect excuse to go back. Koyo has already started there (since it is bloody freezing), and the rain stopped right after I crossed the finish line (handy!), which meant I could go exploring before jumping on the Tokyo-bound shinkansen.

First order of business after any race is food. I had heard good things about Karuizawa Flatbreadz, which was also close by. While they have lots of sandwiches, I was lured by their individual fondue set. For just under 1000 yen you get a pot of melted cheesy goodness, along with fresh bread, salad and soup.

After refueling, I caught one of the rare buses towards Taliesin, which I had not been able to visit last time around. The grounds were a bit smaller than I imagined, but the trees and Meiji era houses were lovely. The mist and fog shifted around, sometimes concealing, sometimes clearing, making for a terribly evocative atmosphere.

Amateur photographers were out in force, but it was still very peaceful and relaxing, despite the cold. I felt very lucky to be able to get a preview of the fall colours, as the leaves have yet to turn in Tokyo.

While there are several cafes in the park itself, I decided to go to the Library Cafe just outside the gates for a cup of tea and some scones, both excellent (caramel/nut scones, yum!). I also ran into my boss (!) there... small world.

As I am done racing until the spring, now I need to find another excuse to go hang out in Karuizawa. I throughly recommend it for a weekend getaway, I always come back feeling refreshed and rested... although in this case with slightly sore calfs, hehe.



Summer Vacation: Izu, Karuizawa and Nasu

You can tell if you had a good vacation when it feels like you have been away longer than you actually have. No computers, smartphone use restricted to GPS services and one e-mail check a day, and lots of clean, cool air and communing with nature. Four refreshing days in some of the most lovely parts of Eastern Japan.

With my trusty JR Kanto Pass in hand, the first part of the journey was to the onsen and beaches of the Izu Peninsula. There is something wonderous about getting on a train and watch as the landscape slowly transitions from skyscrapers, to factories, increasingly smaller towns and eventually beautiful long stretches of seascape. A million miles away from the hot, unmoving air of Tokyo, as each time the doors open it lets in fresh, clean-scented sea air.

After dropping off my bag at the stunning K's House in Ito (seriously, gorgeous hostel with a tanuki-graced onsen), I started my descent towards Shimoda with a stop at the DHC Akazawa Onsen in Ito-Kougen. The rotenburo is cantilevered, overlooking the sea, cliffs and bright blue sky. With a cool breeze and friendly patrons, it was totally glorious.



A long train ride later, I was in Shimoda. After quickly checking out Perry Street (Shimoda is where the Black Ships landed), it was beach time! Unfortunately Shirahama was more crowded and a bit dirtier than I thought, although the furthest end was quite nice, with a torii gate and gorgeous views of the sunset. For future reference I think the Kisami area might be worth checking out.

The next morning I was up early, as the only way to get to Karuizawa on this particular pass was to go all the way back to Tokyo station, then take a shinkansen. Unusually, I fell asleep around Atami, in the cool, empty train. I woke up around Yokohama to find the car jam-packed, which was a bit of a shock.

Karuizawa is lovely and breezy. After taking in a bit of the Ginza, we escaped towards the forest, where the churches and summer homes of the wealthy are shaded by huge trees. Karuizawa is entirely green and shade, cool enough to even have cheese fondue for lunch at a little Italian restaurant called Adagio . The salad was plentiful and fresh, and the sheer quantity of cheese would easily constitute a portion for three people back in Tokyo... joy!

A bit of wandering and steep bus ride later, we were on the top of the mountain, at the border between Nagano and Gunma prefecture... apparently this is a 'power spot' (what does that mean, anyway?!). The mountains, as if dipped in ink, stretch out forever in a stunning ombre effect. The cool wind and scent of trees were almost intoxicating.

When the rain started we rushed to Guesthouse Rin, which is run by a very informative and accomodating couple. When the shower abated, we were off for some of Nagano's famous soba at Kagimotoya. Being a bit of a Kansai girl at heart, I usually prefer udon, but their soba is something else, chewy and earthy in the right proportion. In the morning, before heading off to catch the shinkansen, we spent an hour luxuriating at Harunire Terrace's Maruyama Coffee, listening to the stream flow by. They are dead serious about their coffee, and the cappuccino was a cup of heaven. It may well be better than coffee I had in Italy. I simply cannot wait to go back to Karuizawa, and may well sign up for a road race there as an excuse to go back in the fall.

The last two days of my trip were spent in Nasu, crashing at my friend Hippy-chan's place along with Nuts-chan . I simply adore the whole area... which is probably greatly due to the fact that she has a car, and knows all the best hidden spots. Everytime I leave Nasu I feel refreshed and at peace with the universe.

Starting off with locally grown veggies at Voi Etta, the following two days were filled with playing in completely irresistible rivers and waterfalls, barbeques, fireworks and eating enough cream (in various incarnations) to sink a small ship. We tried a couple different onsen, including the biggest ashiyu in Japan (or at least Tochigi) and were generally silly. The perfect way to end an (all too brief) summer vacation.