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Japan 2016 – Day 7 and 8; Shizuoka and Nagoya

I like trains

On day 7 we went to a ryokan in Shizuoka! It took a train ride of about… 3 hours to get there. We traveled to the middle of nowhere with a lot of different trains.

Including:

Steam train in Shizuoka
Steam train in Shizuoka

After we took one of the trains, we climbed a mountain and we enjoyed the scenery.

Railway bridge in Shizuoka
Railway bridge in Shizuoka

 

Ryokan

After riding 4 trains and a bus trip we arrived at the village of the ryokan. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese hotel. I really liked our room:

Ryokan room
Ryokan room

 

In the ryokan, we had a very nice traditional Japanese dinner:

Ryokan dinner
Ryokan dinner

 

 

Onsen

After dinner, we got ready to go to the onsen. An onsen is a hotspring bath. It was said that this onsen was beneficial for beautiful skin. We also wore a Korean facial mask and it was totally relaxing. You could sit either inside or outside at the onsen. This is a pic of the onsen inside:

Onsen
Onsen

 

Afterwards we drank some tea in our room and went to sleep.

Pooring in Japanese green tea
Pooring in Japanese green tea

 

A brisk walk

The next day we got up early and had a traditional breakfast.  After that, we went for a brisk walk in the mountains. I went to sit on a ridge and I drew a picture of what I saw. We met a friendly couple who were from Britain and Japan and we walked along together with them. We saw a wild bore and we crossed a hanging bridge over an azure blue river.

Hanging Bridge in Shizuoka
Hanging Bridge in Shizuoka

 

After a short relaxing trip to Shizuka, we took our 3 to 4 trains back again to Nagoya where we stayed for another night. The next morning I would go back by Shikansen to Tokyo and leave Azusa and her family, who had given me such a warm welcome and such a nice time in Nagoya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan 2016 – Day 5 Ise Jingu and sushi restaurant

Road trip to Ise Jingu

On Day 5 of my journey, me and Azusa’s family went on a trip to the biggest, most important Shinto shrine complex in Japan, called Ise Jingu. It was a fun trip in the car with a lot of nice views of mountanis and a themepark near the river of Nagoya with the steepest rollercoaster in the world. On our way to the temple complex and back, we ate all kinds of delicious snacks, such as green tea ice cream and takoyaki.

Ise Jingu

When we arrive at Ise Jingu, the first thing we did was walking through the gate (torii). This torii was made of rough wood. I find that in Shinto, the use of natural materials is quite important. In Ise Jingu, there is a beautiful forest full of ancient sky high trees. These trees were seen as sacred in earlier times.

Me at Ise Jingu, in front of a torii.
Me at Ise Jingu, in front of a torii.

 

Kotajingu and Toyoukedaijingu

Ise Jingu has a totally of 125 jinja (shrines).

Jinja at Ise Jingu with banners of the flowery symbol of the current Emperor of Japan.
Jinja at Ise Jingu with banners of the flowery symbol of the current Emperor of Japan.

The two most important shrines are called jingu. Ise Jingu has two important jingu: Kotaijingu and Toyoukefaijingu. Kotajingu is dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, who is the great great …. great grandmother of the Emperor of Japan. A divine palace is built in her honour. Japan knows 3 Holy Symbols which approve and strengthen the power of the Emperor. One of them is a mirror. And this mirror is enshrined in Kotajingu.
Toyoukedaijingu is dedicated to Toyouke-no-Okami.Amaterasu-Okami predicted that this kami would be summoned about 1500 years ago and it was enshrined in Toyoukedaijingu. Toyoukedaijingu provides companionship and sacred foods to Amaterasu-Okami and she is also worshipped to get an abundant harvest.

The shopping street near Ise Jingu

After visiting the shrines, we went to the large shopping street near Ise Jingu. It looked really old fashioned and pretty. It had a very Japanese and ancient atmosphere. We tried some candy and local specialities. I was lucky, because I was treated to Ise Udon (a thick noodle local speciality and delicacy) and hot cocoa afterwards! We watched taiko drummers play, which was awesome.
Underneath, you will find pictures of the shopping street.

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2iseudon
Ise Udon restaurant
A shop with a sign board of O-Fuku-san
A shop with a sign board of O-Fuku-san
4oshougatsukazari
A Shimekazari, an ornament which keeps the bad spirits out of the house. This ornament is attached to people’s doors at o-Shougatsu, or New Year’s Day (January the 1st).

6winkelstraata

Sushi restaurant

For some reason, I can’t find the picture I took in this restaurant right now! But anyways, it was a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Nagoya and we could order specific sushi with the use of an iPad. It was delicious and abundant and afterwards I felt like I had to buy new pants, because I ate so much.

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