Last post was about the new Japan. Traditional Japan is amazing as well.
If you want to experience old Japan (and not in a theme park) go to the Chiba Pacific shore towns and villages. My most beloved place in Japan is Katsuura, a small fishing village on the Pacific side, in Chiba. It's about 3 hours from Tokyo with the Sotobo Line (I recommend it because the train is old, picturesque and the view along the way is breathtaking, with old traditional houses and forests that you think Totoro will jump out at some point) and 1.5 hrs with a Wakashio line from Shinjuku that I've never tried because I liked the Sotobo so much. Sotobo 外房 means outer Boso line and after some stop it goes along the east coast, arriving at magnificent beaches famous for surfing or hanging out in the summer.
From Katsuura, you can go to Hebara beach, Mobara beach, Onjuku (its 5 mins train ride or 20 mins by bicycle) and Kazusa Ichinomiya, famous for its small island in a walking distance from the beachside. You can walk to that island in the water and climb up to the shrine that is built on it. Further down the Sotobo line, you can reach Tateyama. They have a nature park called "Tateyama Paradise" there, where you can see rare flowers and touch cute animals like sheep. I think it's mostly for kids, but we're all kids aren't we :)
(Kazusa-ichinomiya beach- couldn't find a better picture)
On the beach of Katsuura you can also find a torii mon (tori gate) which points directly to another one deep in the water (I've never swam to it, the beach is restrained and you can't go very deep). These torii mons are supposed to be the gates for the Shinto Gods to pass through, as an old lady told me (or, are passages from the profane to the sacred thus marking the entrance to a sacred place), so that's why they are lineated and on every possible surface. Another shrine is situated on top of a long line of stairs but it does not correspond to the ones on the beach. This is Tomisaki shrine, where you can have a wonderful view of Katsuura from the top. There are other Torii mons on the mountain in Katsuura and if you are curious enough and walk a lot, you will find them. In those shrines, people leave their wishes written on small wooden pieces. I was surprised when I saw one written in Greek once.
(The torii on the Katsuura beach)
(View of Katsuura from the mountain shrine)
In the streets of Katsuura you can have wonderful sushi and other Japanese food. There is a local (I think) specialty, called soyu-batta kinme which is a white fish (red outside, don't know the English name) cooked in soy sauce, butter and sugar. It's divine! After 8pm, at all the fishershops you can buy fish for reduced price, as they are not considered fresh anymore.
Because of the many students, the places are filled at night with people drinking and talking loud. It's never a dull moment at Katsuura, even if you go out to eat alone. You will find someone you know, or the shop owner or the customers will most likely speak to you and you will all be a big group of friends eating together in the end. Happened in every place and even in Tsukiji, Tokyo. The Japanese are very friendly, warm and welcoming people. They remind me of people in the Greek countryside or islands. THAT friendly.
But enough with the fun and vacation part. Katsuura is also the home of the International Budo University 国際武道大学 which is the reason that I went to Japan in the first place. International students in IBU are taught specific courses so as to be able to teach Judo or Kendo and Japanese culture in their home countries but you are required to have practiced for many years before you go there.I mean, for your own sake, you're not going to take much of it if you are a beginner. I went there because I wanted to study kendo in its birthplace and it was a good decision. Don't listen to anyone who says that in Europe "we teach it better".. Kendo (Budo) is Japanese and that's where you should study it. I mean, if you like something, at least respect its roots. I met some wonderful people while studying and our teachers were inspiring. I feel so lucky to have had that experience. I'm going to stop writing about IBU because it will take another post.
( This picture of IBU campus and Katsuura was taken by the IBU staff)
P.S. I erased by mistake ALL my pictures from Japan when I was transferring them to a new hard drive, but luckily some were saved on Facebook or Webshots and that's why I can post them here.
If you want to experience old Japan (and not in a theme park) go to the Chiba Pacific shore towns and villages. My most beloved place in Japan is Katsuura, a small fishing village on the Pacific side, in Chiba. It's about 3 hours from Tokyo with the Sotobo Line (I recommend it because the train is old, picturesque and the view along the way is breathtaking, with old traditional houses and forests that you think Totoro will jump out at some point) and 1.5 hrs with a Wakashio line from Shinjuku that I've never tried because I liked the Sotobo so much. Sotobo 外房 means outer Boso line and after some stop it goes along the east coast, arriving at magnificent beaches famous for surfing or hanging out in the summer.
From Katsuura, you can go to Hebara beach, Mobara beach, Onjuku (its 5 mins train ride or 20 mins by bicycle) and Kazusa Ichinomiya, famous for its small island in a walking distance from the beachside. You can walk to that island in the water and climb up to the shrine that is built on it. Further down the Sotobo line, you can reach Tateyama. They have a nature park called "Tateyama Paradise" there, where you can see rare flowers and touch cute animals like sheep. I think it's mostly for kids, but we're all kids aren't we :)
On the beach of Katsuura you can also find a torii mon (tori gate) which points directly to another one deep in the water (I've never swam to it, the beach is restrained and you can't go very deep). These torii mons are supposed to be the gates for the Shinto Gods to pass through, as an old lady told me (or, are passages from the profane to the sacred thus marking the entrance to a sacred place), so that's why they are lineated and on every possible surface. Another shrine is situated on top of a long line of stairs but it does not correspond to the ones on the beach. This is Tomisaki shrine, where you can have a wonderful view of Katsuura from the top. There are other Torii mons on the mountain in Katsuura and if you are curious enough and walk a lot, you will find them. In those shrines, people leave their wishes written on small wooden pieces. I was surprised when I saw one written in Greek once.
(The torii on the Katsuura beach)
(Going up to the shrine)
In the streets of Katsuura you can have wonderful sushi and other Japanese food. There is a local (I think) specialty, called soyu-batta kinme which is a white fish (red outside, don't know the English name) cooked in soy sauce, butter and sugar. It's divine! After 8pm, at all the fishershops you can buy fish for reduced price, as they are not considered fresh anymore.
Because of the many students, the places are filled at night with people drinking and talking loud. It's never a dull moment at Katsuura, even if you go out to eat alone. You will find someone you know, or the shop owner or the customers will most likely speak to you and you will all be a big group of friends eating together in the end. Happened in every place and even in Tsukiji, Tokyo. The Japanese are very friendly, warm and welcoming people. They remind me of people in the Greek countryside or islands. THAT friendly.
But enough with the fun and vacation part. Katsuura is also the home of the International Budo University 国際武道大学 which is the reason that I went to Japan in the first place. International students in IBU are taught specific courses so as to be able to teach Judo or Kendo and Japanese culture in their home countries but you are required to have practiced for many years before you go there.I mean, for your own sake, you're not going to take much of it if you are a beginner. I went there because I wanted to study kendo in its birthplace and it was a good decision. Don't listen to anyone who says that in Europe "we teach it better".. Kendo (Budo) is Japanese and that's where you should study it. I mean, if you like something, at least respect its roots. I met some wonderful people while studying and our teachers were inspiring. I feel so lucky to have had that experience. I'm going to stop writing about IBU because it will take another post.
P.S. I erased by mistake ALL my pictures from Japan when I was transferring them to a new hard drive, but luckily some were saved on Facebook or Webshots and that's why I can post them here.
No comments:
Post a Comment