Soaking it up in Fujigoko

I organised a special treat for my mother's birthday while we were in Japan. I was keen for her to experience a traditional Japanese ryokan hotel and soak in a sweltering onsen hot tub. I decided that the spectacular Fuji Five Lakes district would be the perfect place to experience these cultural moments.  I also thought a little birthday indulgence was in order.

I booked us into Kozantei Ubuya, an exclusive award-winning ryokan on shores of Lake Kawaguchi.  The hotel gets rave reviews online.  It offers unrivaled views of Mount Fuji, enjoyed from the comfort of a private hot tub on the balcony of your room.  I arranged an upgrade that saw us enjoy a spacious suite complete with its own special "mountain viewing" room.  The viewing room allows guests to settle into comfortable leather chairs and take in the district's scenic vista.

However, viewing Mount Fuji can be a hit and miss affair.  As Japan's highest mountain, the 3776 metre peak, is frequently shrouded in cloud. As it happened, luck was on our side.  We awoke on our first morning to heavy cloud shielding the mountain.  However, shortly after breakfast, the cloud began lifting.  Within a couple of hours we were treated to stunning views of the mountain's soaring cone. It was truly spectacular.

Mum decided we should take the local ropeway up nearby Mount Tenjo and soak in the view while it lasted.  She made the right call.  We reached the ropeway's scenic outlook just as the final clouds were lifting from all but the very tip of Fuji's summit.  I couldn't believe our good fortune.  The view was incredible. To the west lakes stretched out before us, to the east, the gently sloping flank of Fuji rose to its full height.  I was surprised just how far the mountain's arcing flank spread across the surrounding landscape. 

 

Mount Tenjo is also the location of popular Japanese fairytale by Osamu Dazai called Kachi Kachi Yama.  It's the tale of a cheeky raccoon who steals freshly sown grain from the field of old man and his wife.  The elderly couple set a trap and catch the thieving animal.  The raccoon promises to mend his ways but soon returns to his old habits.

The elderly couple are ultimately avenged by friendly rabbit who sets the raccoon alight before drowning him in a nearby river.  Apparently, story books describe the rabbit's antics in gruesome detail. I'm sure it must frighten the most hardly child.  It was therefore somewhat ironic to find cute cartoon effigies of the raccoon and rabbit adorning every corner of the ropeway's grounds, including the roof of its gondolas.

With a Fuji viewing under our belt, we headed for the local sightseeing boat. It took into the middle of Lake Kawaguchi for another unrivalled view of Fuji.  We then spent the rest of the day visiting the lake's foreshore tourist venues.  Mum was keen to explore the local craft market.  However, we soon discovered something had clearly been lost in translation. It wasn't a bustling plaza filled with artesian handicrafts.  Instead, it consisted of several nondescript buildings where visitors were invited to decorate their own souvenir mug or plate.
 

Our next venue proved equally disappointing.  We decided to visit the nearby Music Forest. Tripadvisor contributors had voted it the third most popular tourist attraction in the area behind the lake itself and the view of Mount Fuji.  This attraction sits on the foreshore of Lake Kawaguchi and consists of building loosely themed around a faux Italian alpine lake experience.

Sadly, nothing looks particularly authentic.  It's main attractions include several small museums housing a collection of music boxes, jukeboxes and a spectacular organ that takes up the entire wall of an ornate, Baroque themed hall. The Japanese have some rather novel ideas about what makes a noteworthy tourist attraction.

We finished the day with a stunning five-star meal at our hotel.  I'd pre-ordered a special shabu shabu main course. This ultimately played a small part in banquet of endless elegant, bite-sized Japanese dishes.  It was delicious.  The hotel even presented Mum with a lovely birthday gift and a card signed by all the staff.  We finished our evening with a soak in our balcony hot tub before finally falling into bed. Happy Birthday Mum.

Tokyo in a day

The Tokyo region is home to an estimated 20 million people.  It's bustling urban jungle that spreads around the shores of Tokyo Bay and across the broad Kanto Plain. The view from any elevated location reveals an endless expanse of concrete, buildings and murky haze. Over the years I've developed a comprehensive one-day tour that gives first time visitors a vivid snapshot of the city.

My tour always begins with a view of Tokyo from the Southern observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office tower in Shinjuku. The local government provides access to the 45th floor free of charge.  At 202 metres (663ft) it provides a breath-taking view of the city and its environs. I then take visitors to the opposite side of Shinjuku where the dazzling neon lights of Kabukicho come alive after dark in spectacular fashion.  Mum and I did each sight on separate days as our hotel was within a comfortable walking distance of both locations.

However, the view from our hotel room was almost as spectacular as the Metropolitan Government Office Building.  We cashed in a fistful of loyalty points and booked ourselves into the Hilton Hotel in Shinjuku.  We were given a room on a high floor with a stunning view over central Tokyo.  I was thrilled that my camera successfully captured the cosmopolitan razzle-dazzle in all its glory.

On our final day in Tokyo we spent out time taking a leisurely loop around sights of the inner city, broadly tracing the famous Yamanote train line circuit. Our tour began with a short ride to Shibuya to see the famous statue of Hachiko.  In the 1920s, a teacher who lived near the station kept a small Akita dog. His faithful companion would come to the station every day to await his master's return.

The man died in 1925 but his dog continued to return each day until its own death 11 years later. Today, a statue of Hachiko the dog sits outside the station immortalizing his loyalty.  The locals use it as a meeting place to gather before heading off to shop or share a meal. We used the statue as the perfect opportunity to take our own classic Japanese photo; one with everyone giving the photographer a cheesy peace symbol.

From here we boarded the train again and made our way to Ginza, Japan's homeland of luxury brand shopping. It's also a convenient hop-off point for visiting the Imperial Palace, the home of Japan's Emperor. Everyone flocks to the edge of the palace's inner moat to catch a brief glimpse of the palace and it's famous entrance bridge, Niju-bashi.  The current palace was constructed in 1968 after allied bombing destroyed its predecessor in the final months of World War II.

I then took Mum for a stroll through the heart of Marunouchi, the central city's exclusive business district, that eventually led us to the majestic Edwardian facade of Tokyo Railway Station.  In recent years. the building elegant central dome has been carefully restored to form a light and airy entrance lobby.

Our next stop was Senso-ji, a colouful temple complex in the heart of Tokyo.  Getting to the site can be quite an ordeal.  Visitors must first weave their way through narrow lanes filled with shops and stalls selling all manner of souvenirs, trinkets and craft ware.  The temple itself is protected by a towering red gate known as Kaminari-mon, or Thunder Gate.  To the left of the gate stands a classic five-story pagoda which is usually closed to the public.

Mum and I visited Senso-ji on Saturday afternoon.  This was clearly the temple's busiest period as the streets and temple grounds were simply heaving with people.  The most memorable moment of our visit came as we stood outside the main hall.  We were mesmerized by the constant sound of clattering coins as each visitor stopped to pray and leave an offering. The temple must rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars every month.

We finished our day tour of Tokyo by returning to Shinjuku to wander the massive food hall of Isetan Department Store.  It's considered one of Tokyo's iconic stores, selling luxury goods from across the globe. Incredibly, its roof consists of an expansive grass lawn surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens and mature trees.  It's hard to believe this green oasis exists in the heart of city.

 

A sacred mountain stroll

The quiet mountain town of Nikko is a popular day trip from Tokyo. Its a spiritual place filled with sacred temples and shires. Most of its sights are nestled on a heavily wooded hillside rising from the edge of town. It’s also the site of a mausoleum for Tokugawa Ieyasu, the warlord who united Japan under a shogunate regime that lasted until the current imperial order was restored in 1867.

The areas two most famous venues are Tosho-gu shrine and Rinno-ji temple. Visitors coming from town must cross the Diaya River. Today this involves nothing more than a road bridge. However, in ancient times, most visitors had to ford the river. The Shogun however could cross using Shin-kyo an elegant red wooden arch bridge. The bridge still stands.  It was recently restored and is now open to anyone keen to pay an entrance fee.

Unfortunately Rinno-ji temple is currently undergoing restoration. The entire structure is wrapped in scaffolding and enclosed by an enormous temporary shed. This left us with plenty of time to explore the neighbouring Tosho-go shrine. The main entrance to the complex is marked by a five-story pagoda that dates back to 1650.  However, the current structure was built in 1818.

Remarkably the building’s stability is maintained during earthquakes by special dampening structure.  A long timber pillar is suspended internally from its upper floors. The inertia of swaying weight absorbs the worst of a earthquake's movement thus saving the building from collapse.

A stairway draws visitors up the hill and through the main gate, which is protected on either side by Deva Kings. I’ve seen a number of these guardians over the years. Nikko’s pair are among the most impressive. Inside the grounds visitors are greeted by a number of famous buildings including the Shinkyusha, or sacred stable. The eaves of the building include a relief carving of the famous “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” trio of monkeys.

Perhaps the shrine’s most famous sights are the Yomei-mon, an intricately decorated gate. Its surface is adorned by elaborate carvings, many of them gilded or covered in red lacquer. The details are extraordinary. The overall design feels surprisingly Chinese, unlike the recently restored, and equally beautiful hall that sits behind it. Restoration work continues on another equally elaborate gate nearby.

The same internal courtyard included Honji-do, a hall with a huge dragon painted on its ceiling. However, the hall’s most astonishing quality is not the artwork, but rather its unusual acoustics. A resident monk happily demonstrates its reverberation by clapping two wooden blocks. The lingering echoes really are breath-taking.

 However, the least satisfying sight was Ieyasu’s tomb. To reach it we climbed what seemed like hundreds of stairs winding their way through the hillside’s towering cedars. The tomb proved to be a rather unimpressive, simple affair. We’d been given a map that had referred to it as the ‘sleeping cat’. However, there was nothing on the site that vaguely resembled anything remotely feline. I later learnt that the sleeping cat was in fact a small statue we’d missed at the base of the first stairway.

Ichiban Nihon Sankei

Matsushima is one of Japan’s famous Nihon Sankei. This phrase translates broadly as “Japan’s three greatest scenic locations”. Miyajima, near Hiroshima, is the second of these locations and a slender sand spit at Amanohashidate is the third.

They owe their modern day fame to a Confucian scholar called Shunsai Hayashi. In 1643 he wrote a book about his travels through Japan. He singled out these three three locations for special praise, calling them the nation’s most scenic beauty spots.

Matsushima’s fame subsequently grew when a famous poet, Matsuo Bashō, wrote a moving Haiku poem about his reaction to the beauty of Matsushima. School children still study it to this very day.

The name Matsushima means “Pine Tree Islands”. It’s a fitting description. Matsushima Bay is ringed by a series of small sandstone islands.  Most are topped by mature, craggy pine trees. Over time some of the islands have been sculpted by wind and waves into memorable archways and all manner of captivating shapes. Its a wonderfully picturesque and tranquil scene.

I first visited Matsushima during a business stopover in Tokyo back in 2009. I came away refreshed and in general agreement that it really was a rather unique location. I wanted Mum to experience Matsushima’s beauty as well.

 On our first full day in Japan we caught the Shinkansen north to Sendai, and then transferred to a local train for Matsushima and neighbouring Shiogama. We both marvelled at the fact that we could travel more than 370kms in two hours.

Our day began with a quick trip to the local fish market in nearby Shiogama. They say this market sells more tuna every day than any other worldwide. We arrived a little late to see the large fish being butchered but did spot one merchant sharpening his rather gruesome oversized cutting blade. Some stalls were still open and selling all manner of fish. It was fascinating to watch shoppers carefully examine dozens of specimens, before finally selecting the finest example.

From the market, we made our way to the local boat pier. We wanted to catch a boat that took a scenic route across the bay to Matsushima. The boat threaded its way around the bay past the area’s most famous islands before finally reaching in Matsushima itself.

We were curious to see the enduring impact of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami and earthquake. I’d heard that Matsushima was spared the worst of the tsunami’s destructive force thanks to the natural barrier formed by its famous islands. It was clear that the area was flooded and buildings were damaged. We also saw photos of the tsunami's aftermath

However, the waves that reached the shore were less destructive than in the neighbouring town of Ishinomaki, a few miles up the coast. This town was inundated and thousands lost their lives. I’ve posted a photo above of the boat pier we used at Shiogama. This YouTube video shows the same location swallowed up by the tsunami (start watching at 6:40).

As you can see, the water rose at least 2-3 metres in this very spot. It was rather humbling experience to think that we’d seen with our own eyes. Two years on the only visible signs of the tsunami are the large number of pavements and gutters still in a state of disrepair.

Mum loved Matsushima. Perhaps the most memorable sight for both of us was the colourful mausoleum we visited at the Zuigan-ji, the region’s impressive Zen temple. The gravesite sits on the summit of peaceful, wooded hill which we were lucky enough to enjoy alone for almost ten minutes.

 

The winter that wasn't

It's official.  Sydney has recorded its warmest winter on record.  Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra also experienced a record winter. Australia's east coast cites have all reported temperatures almost two degrees above their long-term average.

Sydney averaged 14.9C over winter.  Yesterday, also the penultimate day of winter, the afternoon high reached a very pleasant 25C.  Sydney's winter got off to a wonderful start back in June.  Mum and her sister arrived in time to enjoy a week of relatively warm temperatures in the twenties.

Roll on summer!

Miles of legacy

A final legacy of our London adventure drew to a close this week.  The Saab went in for a long overdue service.  While it was in the workshop the UK dashboard cluster was swapped out for a metric unit.  The cluster was originally changed to secure a UK registration. Since then we’ve driven around with a speedometer displaying imperial and metric speed, while the odometer kept score in miles.

The Saab’s done just over 32,000km.  As a result the latest service was rather involved.  The brakes were relined and discs renewed, steering pins were replaced, the electric window setting adjusted and pretty much every filter replaced.  The car spent almost four days in the workshop before emerging as good as new.  We’re now $3,000 poorer!

A garden for 2020

Our outdoor living space is finally set for another decade of entertaining.  Garry and I have spent the last three weekends replacing and upgrading everything on the main balcony.  The balcony’s recent refurbishment left us with a garden to plant, an irrigation system to install and pots to refurnish.

It took a full day to replant the main garden. We first had to top it up with soil.  For some reason, the garden’s level dropped more than 10cms once the original soil was shoveled back into place. The building’s management agreed to supply replacement dirt which duly arrived in the form of more than a dozen 30kg bags of earth.

We then spent an entire weekend installing a new, upgraded garden irrigation system.  Garry decided to go for an impressive gold-plated version built from custom-cut hard-shell PVC piping.  The final installment looks impressive.  It’s definite improvement on the original system.  At some point we plan to paint the white plastic tubing to match the colour of the surrounding walls. 

 
Our garden lighting has also been upgraded with new bollards and fancy enamel-coated tracks that hide the cables.  Then finally, today we refurbished our free-standing pots.  This includes topping their soil, replacing old weed mats, washing ornamentals stones and upgrading their irrigation system. 
 
We now have a balcony restored to pristine condition. It got a new water membrane, new tiles, a fresh coat of paints and all of the fancy refurbishment work we’ve undertaken. Garry plans to complete the picture by building the BBQ into the garden.  This’ll open up additional space around our outdoor dining zone.  Roll on Summer!