LEAVING SENDAI AND TRAVELLING TO OMIYA then ECHIGO YUZAWA
17.12.2024
Had a quick breakfast at the Comfort Inn where the food was ordinary compared to anywhere else we’ve stayed. The coffee was a disgrace! Not even a one star recommendation for this one. Lucky for me, my wonderful wife found a Starbucks at the station and brought a grande size coffee to drink on the Shinkansen. Thank you, Mami.
We boarded the Shinkansen, which is the best way to travel in Japan. Not only the best way to travel by comfort but also the beautiful scenery of cities and small towns flashing past with the snow capped mountain peaks as the backdrop. What could be better?
We are catching up with another friend of ours, Maiko, in Echigo Yuzawa. Maiko came to Australia at the same time as Hiromi in 2005. She worked at South Oakleigh Secondary College, helping with the Japanese program. We had some fantastic fun with both Maiko and Hiromi while they were here. We played lots of games such as dominoes and uno, as well as taking them on trips around Victoria. Maiko is now teaching English to Japanese students in after school classes.
As I was walking down the aisle of the carriage, after returning from a much needed pee, Mami held up her phone showing the shinkansen was currently travelling at 325 kph. That’s serious speed. Walking is not hard if the shinkansen is going in a straight line, but when there is a curve, the carriage leans into the curve which can make walking down the narrow aisle a bit difficult, not to mention its effect on any male standing to take a leak! And no, I didn’t miss the bowl and had 100% accuracy!!
As we travel further south in Honshu, there is less snow on the ground and on the peaks of the distant mountains. I am still hoping there will still be some snow on the mountains surrounding Mami’s hometown, Shunan, when we get there later this month. Last time we were in Shunan, we got to see migrating cranes in the mountains and we are hoping to see them again this time. There was also a fair amount of snow on the ground which is pretty unusual in January.
One of the stations we stopped at on our way to Echigo Yuzawa was Takasaki. What I didn’t know, as our shinkansen slowed for the stop, was that Mami had set me up for a surprise.
Mami had earlier told me I had to sit in the seat in front of her, as an hour from our boarding, Maiko would be joining us, and Mami knew she could save a seat for Maiko. However I was sitting there oblivious to what was about to happen. As the train drew to a halt, Maiko entered the shinkansen from the rear of our carriage, Mami was beckoning her forward and behind my back, indicating where I was sitting. Next thing I know Maiko is tapping me on the shoulder and sitting down next to me. Well done to both of them for surprising me like that.
The rest of the day was just as much fun. To start with we rode a cable car to a popular ski slope for teaching beginners. It also had an Italian restaurant and a spectacular view of the valley where the town is situated and the majestic snow covered mountain ranges. I think we took some pretty good pictures from where the restaurant was situated. It was a really beautiful place.
We had lunch at the Italian restaurant and it was quite good. The restaurant also had a good view of the beginners slopes, which provided us with some falls. The best laugh was a girl who was wearing slip on lambs wool lined flip flops. Not only did she fall over, the flip flops carried on, joined to the skis. Hilarious!!
After lunch we took more photos, then got the cable car back down the mountain. Another highlight followed when Mami said we were going back to the station as there were ‘ashi-yu’ which means natural hot water foot baths.
We quickly discarded our shoes and socks, rolled up the pants and stuck the feet in. Sheer Bliss!! We sat and chatted for nearly an hour and our feet enjoyed every minute of it. It is one of the best 3 foot baths I’ve experienced. We dried our feet, put our shoes and socks back and immediately felt as if we were walking on air. It was magical!
It was time for Maiko to leave us but I’m hoping she will come to Australia so we can spoil her. She is a really good person and we are proud to have her as our friend. After saying our farewells, Mami and I got our cases out of the locker at the station and made our way by foot, up a hill to our lodgings for the night.
We both had agreed during our planning stage, that one of the hotels we stayed in should be special, which means paying a bit more. So Mami settled on Angel Grandia, a resort style hotel with full buffet dinner and breakfast, lovely big room, a gym and pool and most importantly for Mami, an onsen! All this for $220, which is pretty good.
Mami has just returned from the onsen and is feeling great. We’ve had a lovely day and are now looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we leave for a two night stay in Yokohama but visiting Tokyo on the way. Should be fun, as Mami is already looking for things we haven’t done or seen in Tokyo.
Good night all; and remember, I love reading your comments and questions about our stay in this wonderful country.
