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Today we got up early and had the Japanese breakfast from the hotel. It was only just bearable. It featured a plethora of unidentifiable meat purees which I avoided, plus some rice and the thinnest fish in the world. After breakfast we went back to bed and fell asleep for another two hours. I think we’ve been too busy.
We got up again around 10:30 and decided to go to Kannawa, which is an area of Beppu that has lots of Jigoku (Hells) and onsen (hot springs). It was a bit rainy but we decided to go anyway. We found a tourist information office where a man showed us a bus map and gave us lots of information. He also gave us each a Beppu flag/teatowel/hanky/cloth as a souvenier.
We took the bus to Kannawa which was easy enough. We went up to a higher part of town, which gave us a great view of the city with lots of steam spouts everywhere. First up we decided to visit two hells: Umi Jigoku (sea hell) and Oni-Ishi Bozu Jigoku (Monk’s head Hell). We saw a wall behind which was a hell and looked over and saw flamingoes and an elephant. That was the Mountain Hell, which was pooh-poohed in the Lonely Planet because the animals are kept in bad conditions. The elephant we saw was in a small enclosure with no greenery. I was sad. So in protest we didn’t go there. The Sea Hell featured a 200m deep hot blue pond. It is very blue. The steam was incredible, until we realized it was being pumped from somewhere else. At the Sea Hell we saw a sign that said “Hot Spring of a Leg”, but when we investigated we found that it was a foot bath. There were some other people there trying it and saying things like “Atsu atsu atsui!” which means “Hot hot hot!”. We took off our shoes and socks and attempted to get in. It was SO HOT that I had to keep reminding myself that it only FEELS like it’s burning but it’s not ACTUALLY burning. We could only sit there for about 3 minutes before our feet got pins and needles from the heat and we had to leave. My feet were bright red up to halfway up my calf. It was an interesting experience.
Charles: I like foot baths. I think they’re cute. You take off your shoes and there is a shallow bath with places to sit down. For some reason Beppu HOT SPRINGS OF A LEG contain giant citrus fruits floating around. They actually have a nice smell, maybe to counteract the disgusting sulfur etc. We observed that the correct Japanese way to enjoy a HOT SPRING OF A LEG was to sit on the seat with your feet in for one second and then pull both legs in the air while balancing on your bottom. Chrissy became quite good at this.
Chrissy: The Monk’s Head Hell is so called because it features boiling mud that looks like a Monk’s shaven head when it bubbles up from under the surface. It was really smelly but it was awesome. The whole place was hot even though it was cold, and extremely humid, and smelt like rotten eggs. There was even steam coming out of the drains. It was like science fiction!
After we visited the Hells we went for a walk and found the Hyotan Hot Springs. This was like a hot spring resort, with a plethora of baths for men and women. You have to leave your shoes in the shoe lockers at the front desk, then swap that key for a changing room locker key. The only mixed gender thing is a sand bath. We separated and went to our respective changing rooms and changed into our provided yukatas for the sand bath. The sand is heated by the hot spring steam, and you lie in it and put it on yourself. It’s warm and nice, and the deeper you dig the hotter it is. This is the opposite of hot beach sand. Then you shake off all the sand and go have a bath.
The women’s bathing area was amazing. There were about 8 different baths. First I washed myself (I found MY OWN stool and bucket) and then went and sampled all the different baths. First there was the waterfall bath, which was a long bath with a high pipe with holes in it way above, which was emitting streams of water. I saw ladies sitting cross-legged under the streams so I did too, but it felt like I was being beaten up so I stopped.
Then there were two regular-type baths. Next, I went in the walking bath, which was just a really shallow long bath with pebbles on the bottom so it feels nice on your feet. There were two rock baths where some extremely hot water was flowing in, and the further away you sat the cooler it was. There was a sign saying “Be careful of BOILING WATER”. Then I went to the outdoor bath which was a little hot for me. I tried to go into the steam bath but only opened the door before I realised it was probably too hot. I tried the waterfall bath again because I realized that there were different strength streams and that I had tried one of the biggest streams before. I tried the smallest one which was sort of nice on my back but also sort of like being beaten up.
CHARLES BATH EXPERIENCE: I had a similar time to Chrissy except with naked men instead of naked ladies. There was also no walking bath. I liked the waterfalls and a wooden bath which was inside. I prefer leaning on wood than rocks.
Chrissy: A young lady was friendly to me in the changing room (probably because I was in her way) and we chatted in English/Japanese/Sign language outside until Chucky emerged from the men’s bath. We decided to get some lunch, and set off. The lady kept on chasing us and telling us places to go to eat, and then offered to drive us to a place, but we said we could walk. We set off quickly because we didn’t want her to chase us again. She was nice though!
Charles: we were confused because she told us to go to SANRIBU. When we walked a little bit out of the car park we saw a huge sign for a supermarket just down the street: Sun Live!
Chrissy: We just ended up getting some buns at a bakery. They were nice but not exactly lunch. After taking a bus back to the station, Chucky got some takoyaki (octopus fried in batter) and I got some chippies. The takoyaki didn’t agree with Chucky too well so we just came back to our hotel and watched a movie. We’re really tired now and don’t feel like dinner. Tomorrow is another travel day which is a total bummer. We’re so tired! I want to go home!
Showing posts with label sento. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sento. Show all posts
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sunday, 7th December
Chrissy: Today we went from Emi's house to Nagoya with her and her dad. It took about an hour in the car. Half an hour to get to Nagoya, and half an hour to negotiate the horrible traffic. I couldn't believe it. I had to just zone out or I would have become really anxious. Emi's dad decided that we could park in the Mariot Hotel carpark - something that would never have occurred to most people. It turns out we could. At the Mariot, a guy stands by the ticket machine and hands it to you, so you don't have to stretch out your arm. Japan is nice like that.
It turns out that the Mariot is in the same building as the station, so we went ahead and bought Shinkansen tickets. It was only 200yen extra to ride on the Nozomi (that's the fastest one) so we bought that kind. We went to the basement of the building where there was a large food market, like one we visited in Tokyo except slightly less gargantuan. Emi, her dad, and Chucky got curry at a place that only seats about 8 people. You had to line up outside until someone finishes their meal and then rush in. I didn't want to be rushed, so I looked around the food for a while. I bought a stick of Dango, which was already wrapped in a little piece of plastic. The lady put it in a tiny box, and then wrapped it in paper, and then put it in a bag. I just wanted to eat it! Tonight I am learning how to say "No bag, please".
Then we went to Tokyu Hands (also in the same building - it was 52 floors tall), which is a department store that Chucky really wanted to go to. For me it was not that interesting, mostly zakka stuff and things like wallets. There was a craft section that was vaguely interesting, but I didn't buy anything.
Chucky had fun though - he bought a kit to make a little mechanical organ that plays punched paper. He's putting it together now!
Then we rushed to the station and said goodbye to Emi and her dad at the gate. I was scared to be going to the next part of our trip without Emi, and I was sad to be leaving their house. I bought a bento box from a stall at the station. It was a two-coloured one (I forget what it is in Japanese) with two toppings on the rice, half eggy and half chicken-y. It's really nice crumbed topping. There was a plethora of other nice things in it too.
The shinkansen from Nagoya to Kyoto was only 35 minutes long. We went zoom.
We managed to find our way from the Shinkansen station to the normal station in Kyoto. The main Kyoto station is a work of art. It has a really high arched ceiling made of criss-cross metal beams and glass. We must have been on one of the middle floors, and there was a balcony where I could see everything below and above. There was a big bell on the top floor, and I could see a newly married couple ringing it. It was so loud!
According to the map, it would be a 12 minute walk to the hotel. It took us around 40 minutes because we got lost. We assumed that the only roads on the map would be big ones, so we ended up going way past the correct street. We had to double back and then find a landmark that was on the map and then get to it.
The hotel is a small youth hostel run by a family, and the rooms are Japanese style. Our room is a square box with deep cupboards going into the wall. There is JUST enough room for two unfolded futons.
We went for a walk towards downtown Kyoto and ate at a super-yummy super-cheap restaurant. I love it how they give you free tea everywhere. In Australia it costs another $3 for drinks. I had katsu-don and Chucky had ton-katsu. Each came with some tofu, pickles, rice, and miso-soup. When we left, the main waitress said "Arigato" and we heard all the chefs in the back room say in chorus "Arigato!"
We walked to the river and then along it, finding the main downtown district. I saw about 4 gothic-lolita girls. They were beautiful! There were a bunch of long streets lined with small interesting shops, all under a roof. We bought a couple of things at a hyaku-en shop. I blught some gloves because it was really cold!
We went to a big department store called Takashimaya. It was really posh. We went downstairs to the food place and I bought what looked like Tiramisu with cream on top. For later. It was put in a box in a box in a bag.
We walked home (about half an hour) and passed a shop called Snob Excelsor.
We ate the dessert I bought. It was not cream on top, it was marshmallow. Weird.
Our next adventure was going to the public bath. It is literally around the corner. I was really nervous about it, because I know that they take off their clothes and I'm shy. It's not so bad though. I went in, I was really nervous, and I was hit with a heat wave so strong that I wanted to take my clothes off. And there were all these other ladies there too, and they looked at me a bit because I was foreign but it was fine.
I dropped the tiniest of social brickettes. All around the walls in the actual bath room there are little stations for washing yourself before you get in. You're supposed to get a bowl, fill it up, soap yourself and rinse (I guess). I sat down at one and started doing so, and a big Japanese lady came up to me and pointed to the bowl I was using, and then to herself. It was hers. I was incredibly embarrassed. I went to another where there was no stool and no bowl and finished washing myself. The bowls are there because there are two separate hot and cold taps. The hot is very hot, the cold very cold. You use the bowl to mix the water. So I used some cold. I was a bit flustered so I only tried one bath out of many. It had bubbles and was very hot. I only stayed about 5 minutes because I was lonely and freaked out.
It was so hot!
Chucky came out of the mens one about 5 minutes later and told me his adventures.
Now we're back at the hotel making a calliope!
Charles bath experience:
My bath experience wasn't as embarrassing as Chrissy's. The old men only shot looks and not glares and I don't think I did anything wrong. In the foyer there were shoe lockers and I put the key in my pocket. In the change room there were clothes lockers. I felt bad because I didn't have a basket to go in mine and everybody else seemed to produce one. When I got undressed I closed the locker and took out the key, then I had the key but no pockets so I had to put it back. Later I saw that the keys had elastic loops and people put them on their ankle or something.
There were about 5 different kinds of baths. Different colours, different bubbles and one which was cold. I didn't try the cold one but one guy jumped right in and went underwater. I didn't see him come out so maybe he died.
BTW: We find this all incredibly funny.
It turns out that the Mariot is in the same building as the station, so we went ahead and bought Shinkansen tickets. It was only 200yen extra to ride on the Nozomi (that's the fastest one) so we bought that kind. We went to the basement of the building where there was a large food market, like one we visited in Tokyo except slightly less gargantuan. Emi, her dad, and Chucky got curry at a place that only seats about 8 people. You had to line up outside until someone finishes their meal and then rush in. I didn't want to be rushed, so I looked around the food for a while. I bought a stick of Dango, which was already wrapped in a little piece of plastic. The lady put it in a tiny box, and then wrapped it in paper, and then put it in a bag. I just wanted to eat it! Tonight I am learning how to say "No bag, please".
Then we went to Tokyu Hands (also in the same building - it was 52 floors tall), which is a department store that Chucky really wanted to go to. For me it was not that interesting, mostly zakka stuff and things like wallets. There was a craft section that was vaguely interesting, but I didn't buy anything.
Chucky had fun though - he bought a kit to make a little mechanical organ that plays punched paper. He's putting it together now!
Then we rushed to the station and said goodbye to Emi and her dad at the gate. I was scared to be going to the next part of our trip without Emi, and I was sad to be leaving their house. I bought a bento box from a stall at the station. It was a two-coloured one (I forget what it is in Japanese) with two toppings on the rice, half eggy and half chicken-y. It's really nice crumbed topping. There was a plethora of other nice things in it too.
The shinkansen from Nagoya to Kyoto was only 35 minutes long. We went zoom.
We managed to find our way from the Shinkansen station to the normal station in Kyoto. The main Kyoto station is a work of art. It has a really high arched ceiling made of criss-cross metal beams and glass. We must have been on one of the middle floors, and there was a balcony where I could see everything below and above. There was a big bell on the top floor, and I could see a newly married couple ringing it. It was so loud!
According to the map, it would be a 12 minute walk to the hotel. It took us around 40 minutes because we got lost. We assumed that the only roads on the map would be big ones, so we ended up going way past the correct street. We had to double back and then find a landmark that was on the map and then get to it.
The hotel is a small youth hostel run by a family, and the rooms are Japanese style. Our room is a square box with deep cupboards going into the wall. There is JUST enough room for two unfolded futons.
We went for a walk towards downtown Kyoto and ate at a super-yummy super-cheap restaurant. I love it how they give you free tea everywhere. In Australia it costs another $3 for drinks. I had katsu-don and Chucky had ton-katsu. Each came with some tofu, pickles, rice, and miso-soup. When we left, the main waitress said "Arigato" and we heard all the chefs in the back room say in chorus "Arigato!"
We walked to the river and then along it, finding the main downtown district. I saw about 4 gothic-lolita girls. They were beautiful! There were a bunch of long streets lined with small interesting shops, all under a roof. We bought a couple of things at a hyaku-en shop. I blught some gloves because it was really cold!
We went to a big department store called Takashimaya. It was really posh. We went downstairs to the food place and I bought what looked like Tiramisu with cream on top. For later. It was put in a box in a box in a bag.
We walked home (about half an hour) and passed a shop called Snob Excelsor.
We ate the dessert I bought. It was not cream on top, it was marshmallow. Weird.
Our next adventure was going to the public bath. It is literally around the corner. I was really nervous about it, because I know that they take off their clothes and I'm shy. It's not so bad though. I went in, I was really nervous, and I was hit with a heat wave so strong that I wanted to take my clothes off. And there were all these other ladies there too, and they looked at me a bit because I was foreign but it was fine.
I dropped the tiniest of social brickettes. All around the walls in the actual bath room there are little stations for washing yourself before you get in. You're supposed to get a bowl, fill it up, soap yourself and rinse (I guess). I sat down at one and started doing so, and a big Japanese lady came up to me and pointed to the bowl I was using, and then to herself. It was hers. I was incredibly embarrassed. I went to another where there was no stool and no bowl and finished washing myself. The bowls are there because there are two separate hot and cold taps. The hot is very hot, the cold very cold. You use the bowl to mix the water. So I used some cold. I was a bit flustered so I only tried one bath out of many. It had bubbles and was very hot. I only stayed about 5 minutes because I was lonely and freaked out.
It was so hot!
Chucky came out of the mens one about 5 minutes later and told me his adventures.
Now we're back at the hotel making a calliope!
Charles bath experience:
My bath experience wasn't as embarrassing as Chrissy's. The old men only shot looks and not glares and I don't think I did anything wrong. In the foyer there were shoe lockers and I put the key in my pocket. In the change room there were clothes lockers. I felt bad because I didn't have a basket to go in mine and everybody else seemed to produce one. When I got undressed I closed the locker and took out the key, then I had the key but no pockets so I had to put it back. Later I saw that the keys had elastic loops and people put them on their ankle or something.
There were about 5 different kinds of baths. Different colours, different bubbles and one which was cold. I didn't try the cold one but one guy jumped right in and went underwater. I didn't see him come out so maybe he died.
BTW: We find this all incredibly funny.
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