Category: Japan

My hike ended in a town called Kii-Katsuura, which is famous for its hot springs and tuna. I went to the largest tuna market in Japan and it blew my mind that this many fish are auctioned off every morning.

There are numerous free foot soaks around the town and it was delightful to sit with my feet in hot springs water while people watching one afternoon.

Where I live the only tuna I get to eat is out of a tin can, so I made sure to get my fill of fresh tuna. For supper I went to a tiny ma&pa shop with great reviews. Another specialty here is rice balls wrapped in pickled mustard leaves, which was part of my set meal.

Getting my breakfast tuna felt like an Amazing Race experience. Outside of the tuna auction the market sells only 20 set meals for breakfast. It was lined up and there was definitely some sketchy queue behaviour going on so I started out 14th in line but was closer to 18th when the doors opened. There were 2 automatic machines that we had to run to and punch in our orders. I was at a severe disadvantage as the machine was mostly in Japanese. Somehow I managed to figure it out and get my tuna bowl. It is now officially my ‘death row meal’. I will dream about this tuna for years I’m sure.

I made my way via 3 trains, a cable car, and a bus to the World Heritage Site of Koyasan. Since the year 806 this mountain town has been the central hub of teachings of Shingon Buddhism and has 117 temples dedicated to teaching these Esoteric Buddhist traditions.

I was in awe of the spruce trees, many of which are 800 years old. I also met an umbrella cherry tree that was planted 600 years ago.

The monk who brought Shingon Buddhism to Japan was named Kobo Daishi and his Mausoleum is at the end of a 2km long cemetery that is the most memorable cemetery that I’ve visited.

It is a thing to go to the cemetery at night. The night I went was rainy and foggy, which made it capital F Freaky! At one point an owl started hooting and I decided it was time to get outta there.

There are 52 temples that offer lodging to visitors. I stayed 2 nights in one of the oldest, called Shojoshinin. Each morning I could attend the morning chanting ceremony and one day I participated in a ‘holy fire ritual’. I was given a wooden ‘goma-ki’ on which to write a wish. During the ceremony I placed it in the fire, where it is said that ‘your troubles and disasters will be burnt down, leaving peace and happiness in the world, and making your dreams come true’.

At the temple they serve guests the same meals that the monks receive, which is a called Shoujin Ryouri. According to my guide, ‘this elaborate vegetarian cuisine incorporates authentic preparation of the five flavours, colours, and seasonal delights which are not only good for the body, but for the mind and soul as well’. I found the food to be delicious apart from a few textures that my mouth rejected!

I’m thankful that I’ve had the chance to spend time in such a special, sacred place. I hope to carry some of the simplicity and peacefulness with me as I continue my travels. Next (and final) stop: South Korea!

This week I’ve been hiking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage in a mountainous region of Japan called the Kii Peninsula. I first heard about the hike because it is the sister hike to the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

There are many similarities between the 2 hikes:

• They are the only two UNESCO world heritage hikes in the world.
• They are thousands of years old and started as religious pilgrimages, the Kumano Kodo being a route taken by everyone from commoners to emperors seeking healing and salvation through the Kumano faith (contains elements of Shinto, Shugendo, mountain worship, and Buddhism).
• There are a network of hikes that can be done with the goal being the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela for the Camino and the Kumano Sanzan, the 3 grand shrines of Kumano.
• Along the routes one can collect stamps as proof of completion. Though this may not appeal to everyone it is one of the things that I love the most about both routes. I really enjoy having the goal of finding the stamps and a meaningful souvenir to look back on.

At Kii-Tanabe, the starting point of the hike, it is tradition to do a Shiogori salt-water purification. I washed my hands in the ocean here as has been done for thousands of years.

Less than 1km into my hike I encountered another tradition. There is a tiny opening in a grouping of rocks. Pilgrims are encouraged to squeeze through the opening as a symbol of going through the birth canal. It was so small that the average sized man ahead of me could not fit through. If he hadn’t pulled my backpack through for me there would have been no way I could have jammed it through. Japanese people are typically small framed, but this was extreme. Re-birthed, I continued on.

I travelled the Nakahechi route, which is about 70kms with significant elevation gain and loss as it travel over mountain passes. There were times when I thought that the natural stone or root steps were never going to end! The last day in particular was a grind; 1000m of elevation gain in the first 4 kms.

I hiked through cedar forests, bamboo groves, and areas where the Japanese maples were almost glowing in the sunlight.

There were shrines all along the route, from carved rocks to small statues, to larger temples.

I stayed in tiny guesthouses along the way. I splurged more than usual and had most of my meals included. What a luxury it was to arrive to a feast for dinner, a filling breakfast, and a lunch box packed for me to take along the way. Though I had no idea what I was eating most of the time, I really loved all of the different flavours and textures, with one exception of some mystery meat that I avoided.

When I reached the first grand shrine, Kumano Hongu Taisha, I was able to participate in something very special. Those who have proof of completion of a Camino and the Kumano Kodo can register to become a Dual Pilgrim. This includes a pin, special stamp, certificate written on Japanese rice paper, a golden shell with a three-legged crow on it (symbol of the Kumano Kodo), AND the chance to participate in a drum ceremony at the temple.

Receiving the certificate and then having the drum vibrations reverberating through me was a more emotional experience for me than I would have predicted. It reminded me of all of the friends, experiences, and lessons that I have learned through the 3 pilgrimages that I have done.

I took advantage of many onsens (Japanese hot baths) along the way. One of my guesthouses had a wood fired onsen… melt!

I had a ‘rest day’ at Yunomine Onsen, which is a tiny village around one of the oldest hot springs in Japan. There is a world heritage onsen called Tsuboyu that is a tiny cabin by the creek in the middle of the stream running through town. Legends report many stories of healing from soaking in these waters. My hostel also has its own onsen and you better believe I spent time soaking there.

I decided to ‘double down’ on my medicinal hot spring exposure. I drank coffee made from the hot spring waters and for supper I cooked eggs and sweet potatoes in little mesh pouches set in the stream. Heck, I even ate onsen porridge for breakfast!

The three shrines are all different and beautiful in their own ways.

• Kumano Hongo Taisha

• Kumano Nachi Taisha, set beside Japan’s highest waterfall

• Kumano Hayarama Taisha

You may be wondering how I’m feeling after all of this cleansing, re-birthing, eating/drinking/soaking in medicinal waters, and spiritual pilgrimage. I am experiencing a profound feeling of gratitude. I’m grateful for our planet and the opportunities to be in nature. I am so grateful that my body is able to participate in these adventures. I am grateful that RobO supports and encourages me to do these activities, and sometimes comes along too. I am grateful that I have a career that I am still passionate about and a workplace that allows me this time off to pursue other passions. And I am grateful for family, friends, and those who I meet along life’s path.

Almost 30 years ago I had the chance to participate in a school exchange program to Japan. I spent my 18th birthday camping at the base of Mount Fuji! It was the 90s and pre-internet so I had never eaten Japanese food and I had no understanding of Japanese culture. I’ll never forget being with my host family at a sushi restaurant when, not knowing what it was, I ate a huge spoonful of wasabi. I tried so hard to ‘play it cool’ and not alert my host family that I was dying but obviously they figured it out really quickly.

I believe that my first trip to Japan was the start of my insatiable desire to see the world through the lens of other cultures. I have been wanting to come back to Japan for a long time (cancelled twice during Covid) and these days are exactly what I hoped they would be. Now I can’t wait to come back again with RobO, so I’ve given him notice that the first seat sale that I see I am booking (KerryV… are you on it?!).

In Osaka my flowers and food frenzy continued. The Mint Museum opens their gardens to the public for only 1 week of the year: peak Sakura bloom. According to their website, “For over 140 years ever since the lane was first opened in 1883, this annual event has been cherished by people as a poetical spring-time feature of Osaka”. I was lucky enough to score a free ticket on the complicated Japanese-only website. There are 140 different varieties of the trees which are carefully labelled. They also choose 1 variety to be the ‘flower of the year’. This year’s choice is called Ranran and is named in memory of the death of a giant panda. The flowers bloom in almost-white clusters like the fur of the panda.

Just before my time to go into the gardens the sky got very dark and it started pouring.

I took refuge in a nearby mall and found a great spot for an udon lunch.

My wanders also took me to Osaka castle for both day and night sights.

I had a very serendipitous experience while looking for a park. I was walking by a concrete, non-descript building when I noticed that there was a long lineup inside. As I watched I could see that people were receiving matcha tea and mochi balls but the process was an intricate art. It turned out to be the cafe outside of an art museum. It was a very powerful statement that there were no pictures on the walls or colour to distract: the art was the way they were serving the tea and sweets. After my treat I visited the gardens behind the gallery which were private and peaceful.

Osaka is a big, vibrant city known for its nightlife and food scene. The markets and shopping streets make Las Vegas feel like a library. To be honest, as a solo traveller I felt quite overwhelmed and preferred the less-busy side streets.

I spent one morning at the Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, which was a stark contrast to the night streets. I was excited to collect a stamp from the shrine, which is foreshadowing to what I will be doing over the next week.

According to my research there were 2 must try foods here:

• Takoyaki, which are octopus filled batter balls. I had the variety pack, which included 4 flavours. YUM!

• Okonomiyaki, which is a type of savoury pancake. Also delicious, though would have been better to share as I got a little tired of the same flavour.

I had booked a special activity as an early birthday present to myself: a kintsugi class. Kintsugi is the process of repairing cracked or chipped pottery using gold. To do the full process takes at least a month because of the time that it takes for the lacquer (made from sap) to cure. In this workshop we were shown each of the steps, but we only did 2 of them: painting on a thin coat of the lacquer, the sprinkling it with 24 carat gold powder. After a few more days Josuke will do the final coating and polishing to our pieces.

I loved that kintsugi has many similarities to pottery: it requires full concentration so it is meditative and easy to enter flow-state, there are many steps along the process, and my hands were occupied and dirty so there’s no desire to reach for my phone. Josuke also drew parallels between kintsugi and life: we all have scars and cracks and it’s part of what shapes us to be beautiful. It’s part of our history.

I’ve had enough big city time, so it’s time to head to the mountains to do some hiking. I’ll leave you with some final pics from Osaka.

I’m missing the start of Expo by 1 day!

After a series of flight delays I arrived in Tokyo close to midnight and with my lack of sleep, long customs lines, phone problems, and transit closures I had a near meltdown. Everything, it seemed, was opposite in Japan to what I was now used to from Sri Lanka. Everything is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. It is extremely clean and orderly, almost sterile. It is so easy to be ‘anonymous’ here that I felt like Bruce Willis from The Sixth Sense. Even crossing the street, which is like a game of trust in Sri Lanka, is safety extreme because there is no jaywalking. I might as well been on the moon!
After a reasonable night’s sleep I got my bearings and set off. I started off with some delicious 7-11 breakfast.

I headed on foot to Ueno park. When booking this trip I was sure that I would be too late to see the cherry blossoms (Sakura), but with the late spring they were at peak bloom just 3-4 days ago. It was so peaceful to sit and eat my breakfast with the delicate petals falling like gentle snow around me… until I heard the jarring sound of shouting. A Japanese man was screaming at an idiot tourist, “Do not touch the blossoms!! Do you understand?!?!”. I have learned that the Sakura season is very beloved by the Japanese.

As I continued my wandering I came across a tiny park where I had some Sakura all to myself. It was a very special feeling.

Eventually I arrived at the area called Jimbocho which is well known for used and antique bookshops, coffee shops, and small galleries. It was a great wander and find a woodblock print for our tiny art collection.

I had heard that I had to try the egg salad sandwiches here and the rumours are true. It was a little pocket sandwich with a hint of sweet. Delicious.

One of the things that I had reserved prior to coming here was a ticket to Teamlab Planets. It is an interactive art exhibit that truly has to be experienced to describe it. Some highlights for me:

• A room filled with real orchids that move up and down creating walkways and areas to move through.

• A place where you can colour a picture of a butterfly/dolphin/airplane. It is scanned and then ‘comes alive’ around the room. I watched my butterfly soar on 360 degree screens around me.
• A mirrored area filled with long strips of LED lights that would change colour.

• A large room filled with water almost to my knees. There are projections of Koi swimming and flower petals floating in the water.

I headed back to Asakusa where I’m staying and got the best recommendation for dinner. I wish I would have trained my stomach to be able to eat more because all I want to do here is eat!

Asakusa is an area that maintains the traditional vibe of Japan. It is filled with tiny shops, cafes, restaurants, and is book-ended by the Sensō-Ji temple and Kaminarimon Gate.

The next morning I visited Asakusa in the daylight and enjoyed a birds-eye view from the tourist centre.

I had read about a food here called Melon Pan, so picked one up from breakfast. I don’t know how a simple bread filled with whipped cream can be so melt-in-your-mouth. It tasted like a cloud. No, a cloud with a silver lining. Nope, a cloud with a silver lining and a care bear living on it.

I took the metro to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing, the world’s most popular pedestrian crossing. It was just as imagined, really.

Nearby I found a conveyor belt sushi place for lunch. It was so fun to order a dish on an iPad screen and minutes later have it arrive via conveyor belt. Yum!

Tokyo has lots of beautiful green spaces and I made my way through Yoyogi Park on my way to Shinjuku. Many Japanese families set up picnics under the Sakura in the parks.

I took a free tour of the Tokyo Government Metropolitan building before heading up to the 45th floor for views of the city. Here’s my cute tour guide standing under the world record high jump height.

I loved the 3D cat billboard and food alleyways in this area.

I was considering skipping the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden but was so glad that I went, and even more glad that I was there for golden hour.

I picked a supper spot based on how many locals were eating there and ordered random things, all of which were delicious.

I found the famous Godzilla head on my way back to the Government Metropolitan building for their nightly light show. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records for largest light projection.

This morning I lined up early for the reputed best breakfast in the area. I’ve always been ‘take it or leave it’ with miso soup, but this one with spinach and sweet potatoes I would take every time. I had no idea that something as simple as a hard boiled egg could be so exquisite. I joked that it tasted like Jesus had laid it himself.

After packing up I was off on the bullet train to Osaka. Unfortunately the picture on my bento box was my only view of Mount Fuji as it was clouded over. Don’t ask me what the items were in the bento: I have no idea! In fact, I saved the bottom right area thinking it was dessert, which it wasn’t.

Hopefully you like looking at pictures of Japanese food because I guess that’s my photo focus right now. Tokyo has left me wanting more… I will definitely be back!