Catching up on Japan now, after two weeks at home getting our mojo back. Our last blog was posted as we ended the day at the Okada Ryokan near Takayama. Again, due to its remote position in the mountains and being cut off from the rest of Japan for most of its history, it retains a unique and traditional Japanese style hospitality as well as it's Spring Festival.
The Ryokan rooms offered only futon-on-floor beds and had wonderful constant flow hot spring water tubs. I mean, it was full when we came in the room... no waiting or testing the water. No wifi in the room because that certainly conflicts with their ethic of relaxation and
conversation. We unwind in the perfect temperature mineral waters and
collapse in bed, not caring a twit about how far off the floor we be.
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| Steve and Nancy at traditional breakfast |
The staff at breakfast was delightful and the food ... shall we say again ... was unique and mostly quite tasty. Catch the photo of the little brown package wrapped with a string of something. We spend way too much time trying to figure out what these things are and maybe where they come from. Instead we need to just take a bite, maybe with eyes closed and taste buds open.
We pack up and wave goodby to the Roykan. Today we head out for the Morning Market along the river in Takayama, lunch in the city, and a tour of the old Shogan government house. At the market we see some of the morsels we've been tasting and get a better idea about at least what is plant and what is animal, not that that helps expand our palates' acceptance.
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| Keep legs elevated. Ahhh. Such comfort |
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| Leslie's face in the Sarubobo doll |
Our first stop inTakayama city is the Morning Market set up along the riverbank. The Sarubobo traditional doll originated in this area. It's facelessness stems either from a lack of materials to make eyes and such during hard times, or because the child can then imagine the emotions on his or her doll... ultimate empathetic doll? Red is the tradition but it comes in many other fabrics, maybe indicating the type of wish you can ask the doll to fulfill. The 'bobo' part means 'baby' and it's supposed to bring you good stuff - like a happy home, or a good spouse, or success in your school exams. We bought some wood pencil holders with tiny Sarubobos to bring the kids some study luck. Or, just hold their pencils if that doesn't work.
One of the tour highlights was listed as "Old House" on our map, supposed to be from the Edo Period (1600-1868). We find the spot but see nothing that looks like a 'museumy' old house we can go in. We ask two young girls who look like they could speak some English, we show them our map and they get right into trying to help us find the house. They go up and down the street with us following as they ask, "where's the old house?" in Japanese, of course. At some point we all realize that the entire street is preserved old houses with shops in them. Duh. We have a good laugh and thank the girls for helping us figure that out. Very sweet and fun young women.
Another observation of the Japanese cleanliness ethic: See the photo of fellows walking their dog with what we in the USA have come to expect... the plastic bag to carry the doodoo in. See that blue bottle in the guy's hand? He carries clean-up a step farther by spraying the spot and wiping up all residue and odor. So like everything we've seen here.
We haven't even gotten to the marvelous floats and puppets in the daylight. Still enjoying the beautiful town, blossoms and river, all the interesting people here to see the same stuff, all their high tech cameras, and the school children in uniforms behaving themselves so nicely.
We follow the crowds to the floats at the end of the bridge to see their puppets shows. Each float seems to have a story about values and morals that the locals totally 'get.' Not quite like a US fireworks show, but close... "Ohh." And "Ahhh."
Steve and I eat lunch from a temporary vendor while sitting on a tiny picnic table under a tarp. Before the day parade starts we see a metal drum and hammer group routine and wish we could record the sound for you. VERY loud. Imagine 30 people hitting metal drums all at the same time. We are at the entrance to the former Shogun government building and the procession starts here. The two person puppets, maybe the mayor?, maybe the festival chairmen?,...
Anyway, they march on down the street and we go into the old building for a quick tour before leaving town for Yatsugatake Onsen Ryokan. All that title to mean, the next hot springs inn, this time near Mt Fuji.
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| Garage right on street for storing floats for 6 months between festivals |
A short study in Footwear at the festival.
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| Entrance to old Shogun Government building. |
Catching up on Japan now, after two weeks at home getting our mojo back. Our last blog was posted as we ended the day at the Okada Ryokan near Takayama. Again, due to its remote position in the mountains and being cut off from the rest of Japan for most of its history, it retains a unique and traditional Japanese style hospitality as well as it's Spring Festival. 
The staff at breakfast was delightful and the food ... shall we say again ... was unique and mostly quite tasty. Catch the photo of the little brown package wrapped with a string of something. We spend way too much time trying to figure out what these things are and maybe where they come from. Instead we need to just take a bite, maybe with eyes closed and taste buds open. 
Another observation of the Japanese cleanliness ethic: See the photo of fellows walking their dog with what we in the USA have come to expect... the plastic bag to carry the doodoo in. See that blue bottle in the guy's hand? He carries clean-up a step farther by spraying the spot and wiping up all residue and odor. So like everything we've seen here. 
We haven't even gotten to the marvelous floats and puppets in the daylight. Still enjoying the beautiful town, blossoms and river, all the interesting people here to see the same stuff, all their high tech cameras, and the school children in uniforms behaving themselves so nicely.
Steve and I eat lunch from a temporary vendor while sitting on a tiny picnic table under a tarp. Before the day parade starts we see a metal drum and hammer group routine and wish we could record the sound for you. VERY loud. Imagine 30 people hitting metal drums all at the same time. We are at the entrance to the former Shogun government building and the procession starts here. The two person puppets, maybe the mayor?, maybe the festival chairmen?,... 
Anyway, they march on down the street and we go into the old building for a quick tour before leaving town for Yatsugatake Onsen Ryokan. All that title to mean, the next hot springs inn, this time near Mt Fuji. 
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