Travel to Takayama (01April)
Today’s travel to Takayama was our first transit day en masse, graciously coordinated by Unky D Corey and Auntie May. They purchased our Shinkansen tickets ahead of time and ensured they booked the seats on the side of the train where we might spy Fuji-san. They also figured out a combination of seat assignments that would let the kids turn their seats around so cousins could have a group train trip the entire time!
They pointed us in the direction to buy our eki-ben (lunch time bento boxes at the Nagoya train station) and purchased additional Japanese refreshments for us that we wouldn’t know about like monaka (little wafer sandwiches with anko in the middle) and canned souchu highball drinks.
The train ride to Takayama was gorgeous. My pictures don’t capture the beauty of the blooming sakura trees dotting the mountainside and the emerald green of the rivers snaking alongside the train. The planning for transport to and from Takayama was one of the biggest logistical puzzles of the trip, but so worth it to bring my mom to this part of the country, as this part of the journey was her wish.
Unky D Corey and Auntie May booked the second group dinner at Kigaru na Taishu Izakaya Ajihei, a Showa style pub with a yummy course of sake and fresh food. I liked the sashimi, salad and pickles. There was an egg scramble that everyone swore tasted like corn and then a potato dish that was a fan favorite, as well.
Takayama and first Onsen (02April)
This morning took us on a mile walk to some of the local sights. We started at Hida Kokubun-ji Temple, where everyone picked a fortune stick and Auntie May read out how much luck we’d have based on the little strips of paper. We learnt that sometimes when the fortune isn’t good, we leave it at the temple (but then some of us might have used our coins to pull more fortune sticks until we got a good fortune). Livi spread some of Marvin’s bones on the roots of a tree that reminded everyone of the Totoro camphor tree. We learnt it was actually a 1200 year old Ginko tree!
We bought our first Sarubobo souvenirs at Miyagawa morning market. The sarubobo is a faceless doll that was originally linked to wishes for happy homes, healthy child birth, and happy marriages. Now there are many colors linked to good fortune, wealth, positivity- and now the sarubobo is somewhat of a mascot for the Hida region. At the morning market, my Corey had the epiphany that Fuji apples are linked to Mount Fuji. He bought over half a dozen from a local shop, proclaiming they were the best apples he’d ever had. Jose was hit on by a local takoyaki maker and our girls experienced using their first Japanese toilet.
We walked through the old town to visit the Matsuri Yatai Kaikan (floats museum). On the small audio tour, we saw the 14 massive floats that are on parade only twice a year. Two of the floats are lifted by the towns people and the rest are pushed on giant wheels because they are so heavy.
Right outside the museum is Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine, so we climbed the steps to take peek. It was the perfect setting to host the first scene of Jose and Corey’s ‘epic kung-fu’ movie -release date still tbd haha! Livi chose to spread more of Marvin’s bones at a little shrine which we read was a shrine dedicated to bravery.
I enjoyed everyone choosing their own adventure for lunch. Jose, Emiko, Bachan, Saya and I went to Ebisu Soba, a yummy soba restaurant operating in Takayama for 125 years (1898!) with five generations of hand-made noodle-makers making fresh buckwheat noodles daily. Miya led Daisuke, Livi and Sachi to cheese burgers at Center4Hamburgers, where the beef is using the famous Hida beef mince.
After lunch, we shopped around the main historic street and Unky D Corey located a replica food making workshop! The girls and Livi made frozen yogurt treats and Daisuke made a tempura plate lunch! My Corey made his own perfume scent at a local shop and we bought knives after the shop keeper showed us how they can slice through a sheet of paper!
But the best part of this day was doing onsen with my girls! At 4:30pm, there were very few people bathing so we could take our time and splash a little more than expected as we explored the indoor and outdoor pools. Saya and I decided our favourite was the outdoor rock pool and Sachi liked one of the cooler indoor pools that bubbled. I felt so much gratitude for our joy in this moment. We were all beaming. Next time we are in Japan, I hope they’ll still feel free enough to bathe together and that their enthusiasm will be just a bright.
Corey also got to go as well but was on his own. He said it was still a great experience. We lucked out that The Takayama Green Hotel pools were right next door to our hotel.
Tonight, we had Hida beef and it did not disappoint! The Coreys made a bet almost a decade ago that the Sixers would win the chip in some ambiguous five year span….and the loser would buy a steak dinner. If you follow the Sixers, you know the ‘process’ did not lead the team to the championship podium. So my Corey treated us to a hida beef mega size meal and a sake pairing at Aji-no-Yohei. I’m pretty sure I’d take the bet again just for that experience!
Hida no Sata Village (03April)
This morning started with a walk on the Higashiyama Teramachi: a 5.5km walking course to visit 12 Shinto Buddhist temples along a hillside. Being on the hillside felt refreshing and beautiful. We walked to about half of the sites and through a local cemetery before heading back to the bus stop for the group outing of the day: Hida Folk Village.
The Sarubobo local bus takes about 12 minutes to arrive at Hida no Sato folk village. It’s an open air museum showcasing about 25 traditional farm houses that have been relocated to this site to educate visitors about the local culture and farming traditions of Hida.
We were welcomed by a picturesque pond surrounded by some of the houses. The kids got booklets to stamp at various locations along the 40 minute walking route. However, we likely spent 40 minutes at the first station that highlighted traditional toys like a spinning top game, wooden puzzles and bamboo stilts!
The ‘gassho’ houses had massive thatched roof tops created to withstand heavy snowfall (gassho = prayer rooftops). Other roof tops used rocks and collected wood to create residences and barns. It was a special time to visit as well because the museum was celebrating Hina Matsuri – doll’s day or girl’s day -so hundreds of dolls were on display in the village.
Emiko was the most diligent cousin when it came to collecting her stamps at each location. She was proud to collect her prize first!
After lunch, the kids and Bachan created local crafts and I learnt to toast senbei (rice crackers).
Guess who got to do onsen together again?! I could get used to that as my pre-dinner tradition. Emiko, Miya and Bachan joined for this round of onsen. What a delight to have three generations together in the thermal pools.
I appreciated that Corey and May booked the final family meal for us. The meal at Sennen no Utage Takayama Ekimae Ten showcased a shabu course as well as a nuggets and potato fry course – actually nuggets and fries! By this time on the trip, my Corey was also very keen to use his Japanese, constantly saying ‘okawari kudasai’ when he wanted another round of anything– sake, water, ketchup, you name it! ‘Okawari’ to another chapter of this trip! Stay tuned for Kajikazawa.
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