JAPAN - NIKKO, MAGOME, TSUMAGO, MATSUMOTO

At the outset I can safely say that there really is no need to take a guided tour to Japan. In fact we found that NOT being on a tour was an advantage. Most places in Japan don’t really open until 9 or 10 am so if you get there early, you can avoid the crowds. Travelling on the trains and buses gets easier the longer you are there and the people are more than happy to give assistance if you need it.

NIKKO

May 08-10

Walking off the plane we were quite stoked to catch our first glimpse of Mt Fuji.

We noticed when visiting Fuji later that there was considerably less snow on the peak.

We left Tokyo’s Haneda airport relatively confident – of getting lost that is – armed with what we would consider the four essentials when travelling in Japan:

1. A Japan Rail Pass
2. A Suica or Pasmo card
3. A rented pocket wi-fi which can be ordered online and picked up at the airport on arrival. You just put it in the envelope provided and mail it back to them before you leave Japan. 
4. Printouts of available schedules for our train travel from the Hyperdia website.

(When ordering a rail pass or pocket wi-fi make sure that you use the exact names that appear on your passports - they are picky about this detail).

We also discovered that most of the bigger centres have well established tourist bus systems where you can buy one or two day passes which give you unlimited d travel. If you plan to be jumping on and off buses to get around it is well worth looking into these passes as they can prove very economical.

First we had to catch the monorail into the city where we could then jump on the JR trains headed or our first stay at Nikko, north-west of Tokyo. It is a bit daunting at first because not all the trains in Japan are owned by Japan Rail and with an Ordinary JR Pass, there are certain trains you can’t catch and certain seats and carriages you can’t sit in. It doesn’t take long to get used to the system though and the JR employees at the stations are really happy to help.

Anyway,  despite thinking we might have been a bit ambitious trying to navigate our way to Nikko after sitting on planes for hours, we managed to get to Nikko hassle-free. The hardest part was working out which bus to get on to get to our accommodation. If you go to Nikko it is a good idea to grab a Tobu bus pass at the railway station if you want to do some bus travel around town. It will get you up to Lake Chuzenji and around town at a much cheaper rate. Your Suica card will work on the buses here though. Many of the buses in Japan have a ticket dispenser if you get on at the centre entrance. You just take a ticket when you get on and then put it in the machine beside the driver when you are getting off. He will then tell you how much you owe. Others have set fare for certain distances which is shown on the display above the driver. Suica cards can be used to pay most fares but make sure you have cash available. 1,000 yen notes can be changed using the machine beside the driver to pay fares as drivers do not give change. You have to have the correct money. Some bus drivers are not really keen to assist tourists but most will be understanding.

We had a bit of a walk from the bus stop to our digs and this was the first time we realised that taking one big bag with an empty one inside was not such a good idea. It just got heavier and dragging it into buses was not easy. Smaller bags will be taken next time.

We had booked a little place called “Nikko Cottage”. It had many traditional features such as the futon bed on the floor and tatami mats with low table and cushions in the dining room but with modern conveniences like a fridge, microwave, washing machine and a great big bathtub.  The owner, Yoshiko, was a lovely lady and was more than helpful when we needed advice about where to go and what to see. She also provided us with bread, jam, fruit, yoghurt, juice etc. for breakfast each day. Two nights here cost us $543 Aus.

Inside our cosy little cottage in Nikko.

Although the cottage is not in the centre of town, the location is lovely and quiet, close to the river and quiet walking tracks and it is easy to walk to most places. There is a Lawson’s (similar to the 7-11 stores) just up the road which was handy as most of the restaurants etc are closed by 8 p.m. There is a wide variety of ready to eat meals available Lawson’s, 7-11s and the Family Marts all over Japan so if you have a microwave you can just heat it up at home. Otherwise they will heat it up for you in-store.

Our walk to the cottage took us beside the river - a lovely introduction to the town.

Nikko is renowned for its temple precinct and since we arrived mid-afternoon and we were within walking distance of the major temples, we decided to head straight out and visit the temples first. Yoshiko had provided us with various maps of the area so it was easy to find the temples. Our first stop was at Taiyuin Mausoleum, final resting place of Ietmetsu, who became shogun in 1623. 

This large bell was in a small shrine just across the river from our cottage.

There are several different shrines and temples in the hills behind Nikko. The buildings and attention to detail were beautiful. It was also here that we first encountered the many steps which we were to become accustomed to throughout Japan. It is a great place to develop good looking legs etc. The temple area is extensive and the names diverse so I’ll just use photos to show the rest.

This was just one of many beautiful water fountains which took my eye on our trip.

These girls were the first of many we saw in traditional dress although most were sighted on the weekend. Traditional kimono, obi etc are quite expensive and I think many hire them to wear on the weekends.

We found a lovely little restaurant where we had dinner. If you are going to eat out in Nikko and indeed most of the smaller towns in Japan, you need to be there by about 6 pm. Many of the small restaurants open for lunch then close up for a couple of hours before dinner and they are generally closed by 8 pm.

The lovely Kiriuri Ohashi Bridge in the centre of town. Unfortunately we could not walk across it. You actually had to pay for the privilege which we thought was pretty poor.

Our first dinner in Japan was delicious. Hippari-Dako, just past the bridge toward the station. Delicious!

Early on our first morning in Nikko we set out on a lovely walk called the Kanman Path which started about 100 metres from our cottage and followed the beautiful Daiya River. The first area of interest was the Stone Path which is a lengthy walkway flanked by a line of Jizo (a Buddhist Guardian Deity). There were 100 originally but some were washed away in a flood in 1902. Now there are 74. It was here that we first encountered the red bonnets and bibs which we were to see in many more shrines later on our trip. If you are curious about the bibs follow this link for an explanation. https://sanpai-japan.com/2017/06/12/the-reason-behind-the-red-bibs/?fbclid=IwAR2YHhsad4RAfoWw1YvnmUjxfSrWlHDNTPhgCQYoA13h7stP9ESDLuBU4DI.

As you follow the path, there are several lovely little pavillions, shrines etc.

We crossed the river at Dianichi Bridge and headed back to the Botanic Gardens. There was a small cover charge to enter and although the gardens seem to be in need of some TLC, they are still peaceful and lots of the trees etc are labelled. The birdlife was also plentiful so we quite enjoyed the half hour we spent wandering there.

This beautiful mud construction hanging from the archway on the bridge is actually a beehive. I saw others later that were much larger.

The botanic gardens were picturesque and peaceful. We only saw a couple of other people there.

Next it was on to the Gravestones of the Self-Emolations. There are 24 gravestones here – the first five are thos of the loyal retainers who burned themselves following the death of the 3^rd Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1651.

Just across the road was the Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park. This villa was built in 1899 for the Emperor as a retreat and is a lovely building surrounded by beautiful gardens. There is an entry charge and take you JR Rail Pass to get a discount. 

This weeping cherry tree was planted when the villa was first built. They have gone to great lengths to maintain it.

After the villa we walked back to the Lawson’s and grabbed some ready cooked omelette, pork buns etc to take home for dinner. You can also buy reasonably priced red wines here. We found the Chilean wines quite acceptable for the price.

On our last day in Nikko we took the Tobu bus up to Lake Chuzenji. On the way we stopped off at the ropeway, a cablecar which takes you up to  an excellent viewing point overlooking the lake and township. 

The ropeway gave us an excellent view of the road we would travel down on our way back to Nikko. Not unlike the alps of Europe.

At the end of the ropeway there are excellent views of Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls.

Looking back down to the ropeway carpark.

At the lake itself we took a one hour boat cruise around the lake. While not exactly stunning, it was really pretty and peaceful. There were plenty of trout fishermen all around the lake and the rhododendrons that had started flowering added to the beauty of the place.

And we thought these were unique to China!

Probably the most impressive cherry tree we saw in blossom. Most were either finished or on their last legs as we were too late in the season.

Looking back to the township from the boat.

The rhododendrons were just coming into flower all along the shore. They would be spectacular when in full bloom.

After the cruise we walked down to Kegon Falls. Apparently the view from the bottom of the falls is the best but to get there you have to take an elevator would you believe. The view from the top was obscured somewhat by trees etc and we were a bit underwhelmed but not too bothered as we have seen plenty of waterfalls. 

Kegon Falls

There are lovely little wildflowers all over the countryside.

The view from the bus on the way back to Nikko.

Next day our landlady Yoshiko drove us to the railway station where it was back on the train and off to Magome.

But not before one last stroll in the woods behind our cottage where I discovered some lovely cherry trees in flower.

MAGOME AND TSUMAGO

May 11-12

We walked the track from Magome to Tsumago so our first night was spent in a very old wooden inn in the main street called Tajimaya. This was the most expensive place that we stayed in during our trip at $225 for the night but it was worth it as both the dinner and the breakfast provided were great and the experience of the older customs such as the shared bathroom and the chance to partake in traditional singing and dancing was great. The tourist area of Magome is really just one steep street and it was a bit of a challenge dragging heavy luggage up the hill to our digs.

Main street - Magome

One of many beautiful houses and gardens we have seen so far.

Water wheels were used extensively in old Japan.

Almost every place we stayed in provided bathrobes (Yukata). In Magome, everyone decided to wear theirs to dinner - except us. We did don them later though for the dancing. I think it is normal to just wear them to the bathroom and back to your room. The big hotels specifically asked guests not to roam around outside their rooms wearing yukata.

Dinner at Tajimaya - where do I start?

After dinner dancing around the irori!

John outside Tajimaya.

These two towns’ claim to fame is that they are part of the original travelling route between Kyoto and Edo, today’s Tokyo. The following link takes you to an excellent site explaining the road and it’s history. https://www.jnto.org.au/walking-the-nakasendo-road-from-magome-to-tsumago/

We had arranged to have our luggage transferred to our accommodation in Tsumago the next day so that we could walk the 7-8 klms of the track over the pass. After dropping our luggage at the drop off point just up the road from our digs we set off on the walk.

We didn't rent a bell but had fun ringing them all along the walk!

Otaki and Metaki Waterfalls are a popular stopoff along the walk. Legend has it that if a husband bathes in one and the wife in the other, they will be assured of greater fertility and a safe birth for their children.

This little tea house provided a welcome break on the walk.

Although it is quite steep in places it is not a difficult walk. We even saw a group of runners who all looked older than us running the route. There are several quaint little shrines along the way as well as some private houses. I think in hindsight that this was one of the nicest parts of our trip although we really enjoyed the whole trip.

We had booked into one of the oldest inns in Otsumago which is about 2 klms before you get to Tsumago itself. Before checking in we continued on to the old town itself and explored the old streets and gardens there. Of course Tsumago, like Magome, has now become very much a tourist town and literally all of the shops are geared to selling souvenirs and food to the many tourists who visit the area. Again, if you plan on dining out do it early. In these two little towns you would be hard pressed to find anything open after 6 p.m. which is why most of the inns include dinner and breakfast in their tariff.

This wisteria vine was quite stunning.

A straw horse greeted us as we entered Tsumago. It is meant to bring good fortune to the village and is burnt during a traditional festival.

This man was making rice paper by dunking a woven mat into a vat of stewed up rice fibres to impregnate the mat.

The mat is then placed on top of the pile of previous sheets.

Then the mat is peeled off leaving a thin sheet of rice paper.

 

The Shiba Inu is one of the most popular dogs in Japan and we saw several on our trip, all of which were very pampered.

Another lovely house and garden.

Our accommodation in Otsumago was again a very traditional inn with futon beds on the floor and a shared dining room with sunken fire hearth (Irori) and kettle hanging from and adjustable pothook featuring a traditional fish-shaped counterbalance.  The fish is used extensively in Japan because of its close relationship to water, which it is hoped will protect the property from fire. Since most of the building materials are timber and rice paper, fire is a real threat in the older communities.

Our room at Koosinsuka, Otsumago, was lovely, with our own little balcony overlooking the river and a serene pond full of koi. Again the traditional dinner was lovely and we had the added bonus of a serenade from the owner. I was quite chuffed to learn that the song he was singing to us was the same one we had learned the night before in Magome – not that we remembered any of it. He was a great host though and even showed us how to use our chopsticks to eat a whole fish and make little nori rolls. Our room here was $195 for the night and we thought it was worth it. 

The following link gives some excellent resources if you are interested in visiting this district.

https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/magome-tsumago

Our host at Koosinzuka drove us to the little town of Nagiso so we could catch the train to our next destination, Matsumoto. We had a bit of time to kill before the train arrived and the lovely lady at the tourist information centre told us where we could take a walk along the Kiso River and across the longest wooden bridge in Japan. It was a lovely walk.

MATSUMOTO

MAY 13-14

At Matsumoto, we managed to find the right bus to take us to our accommodation at Nunoya Ryokan on Nakamachi Dori (Dori is Japanese for street). Again our accommodation was a combination of shared amenities and traditional futon beds etc. Although the bathroom facilities were a bit tired they were clean and the cost was very reasonable at $110 Aus a night. The lady host was also very helpful regarding where to find things and what to see.

Matsumoto is a castle town dating back over 400 years. Nakamachi is one of the original main commercial streets and is lined by earthen-walled storehouse-like buildings with traditional contrasting black and white coloured facades. Today the buildings house craft shops, art galleries, restaurants and other unique shops. The heart of Nakamachi is Kurashiku-Kan, a remodelled storehouse open to the public. Farmers Markets are held there holiday and weekend mornings.

Again, our accommodation was in a great location within walking distance from all of the places we wanted to visit. Just down the road was a large Aeon Shopping centre where we found lunch at a very reasonable price. Then we strolled back to our inn via the backstreets, calling in a some shops that sold beautiful (but very expensive) traditional porcelain samurai and geisha dolls. On the way we were amazed to see freshwater trout in the shallow, open drains beside the street.

Note the price in yen - that's about $2 700 Au$

We spent our first full day in Matsumoto visiting the castle and museum. It is best to get to the castle early though as the crowds built as soon as the gates open. When brochures talk of castles in Japan you should know that in actual fact the original castles are generally non-existent as most have burned down. What is left is generally one or two structures which have been rebuilt in modern times. In Matsumoto, only one of the keeps has been rebuilt but it is quite beautiful and has been built using the original building methods. We really enjoyed climbing the steep interior stairs to the top. The view over the moat and the surrounding area is quite impressive and the interpretive displays on each floor were really interesting. This castle proved to be the best we visited on our trip.

This guard really loved his work!

Timber construction methods were impressive and ingenious.

The wisteria in Japan can be massive.

The museum too was worth the visit, as the exhibits are all well displayed and really interesting.

Samurai armour

The armour of the foot-soldiers was quite a contrast to that of the Samurai. Note the three bullet holes in this set.

These lances were weapons used by the local constabulary.

Imagine carrying this with someone inside.

Soldiers kit from World War II.

Local deities taking a ride to the heavens on a dragon boat.

These pottery items are dated back over 2000 years..

After lunch we visited the Timepiece museum and then strolled down the lovely little streets lining the Metoba River near our inn. The whole area is really laid-back and not really too busy.  

What is different about this clock?  It was made for use by barbers!

That night we strolled down the street to Bun Bar & Grill where we had been the previous night for a really nice simple dinner and some warm sake. You have to be prepared in Japan though to put up with smokers in most of the bars and restaurants. They have not caught up with the rest of the developed world when it comes to smoking. Anyway we had a great time on our first night with a couple of local students, downing beers and saki and generally enjoying meeting the locals. Matsumoto is a lovely town with a unique character and it was really easy to get around.