The wonderful Shirakawago in the winter

When mum and I decided to take a last minute trip to Shirakawago last summer we weren't expecting such a beautiful spot, see my other post about Shirakawago in the summer. The only thing we weren't able to do back then was to stay in one of the farmhouses aka "minshuku" (they get fully booked early in the summer) so I was so excited that I had the chance this weekend to return for a winter wonderland scene and to stay in a real minshuku! So we set off on the bus from Kanazawa on Saturday, an easy 1 1/2 hr trip (￥3010 rtn) and the heavy dumps of snow started to re-appear as we climbed up the mountains through the mile long tunnels.

Got to Shirakawago, well Ogimachi in fact, and found our thatched minshuku (Japanese farmhouse style B&B) stayed called Yoshiro, a bit spit and sawdust but ran by an old Japanese couple who turned out to be so sweet that it just made it a "real Japanese experience" that you could simply never get staying in an impersonal hotel. More to that later.

So Yoshiro has only signs in kanji so both myself and Maylee were wondering whether we were just walking into someones house! (they rarely lock doors to these places) We knew we were in the minshuku when we heard the lady out the back shout "irasshaimase" (welcome) and she then appeared and took us to our tatami mat room complete with kotatsu (a table with built in heating device underneath and blanket) ready for our cold tootsies! After a quick cup of green tea (which I'm now starting to like...) and a biccie we headed out.

In Shirakawago there are about 3 or 4 gassho style houses converted into small museums. We went to Nagaske (since I visited the others on my last trip) Each one charges a small entry fee of ￥300 and you get a translated leaflet with a bit of history. The house belonged to the Nagaske family wgh were doctors for the Maeda Lords in Ishikawa Pref.

The 2nd floor is packed with medical instruments, gifts from the Maeda family as well as tools for raising silkworms.

In each of the gassho houses, usually in the middle of the living room downstairs stands an "irori"- an open fireplace used for heating (an absolute necessity in these winter months) and sometimes cooking.

Amazing that they can erect these gigantic houses with not a SINGLE nail! See ropes binding foundations together.

Met Raquel and Ayako at Yoshiro and had a good catch up under the cosy kotatsu (thats the table not a bed!) until it was time for din dins. As soon as we walked into the small tatami mat restaurant the old lady had us get to work stoking up the irori fire!

What could only have been her elderly husband then bought out these wonderfully prepared trays of food, just check it out!

OK I'll try and take you through the food here-

Top right: boiled spinach, slices of daikon (a huge white Japanese radish) & marinated fried chicken

Top left: mountain vegetable tempura

Top middle: Sato-imo (里芋) a tiny Japanese sweet potato

Middle left: Kinkan- a Japanese kumquat/tiny orange- (金柑), zenmai (an edible fern, the stuff that look stringy green beans but brown) and sutake, mini bamboo shoots.

Middle centre: Chopped tomato
Middle right: Silk tofu sprinkled with katsuobushi shavings (鰹節) which are dried fermented & smoked tuna flakes!

Bottom left: Grilled river fish called Iwashi (like a sardine)

Best of all that I forgot to take a piccie of (oops) was the hida beef (local speciality) & onion cooked on a mini stove we had each. Then came out a huge Japanese teapot of green tea.

The food was soooo yummy and after stuffing our faces we were just about to retire to our room when the little old lady (fairly mute up until now) comes out with her shamisen! You couldn't get more of a real Japanese experience. She played and sang some traditional Japanese songs and then asked us where we all from (2 Americans, me British and 1 Japanese) She then started playing again.

It took a while to figure out she what she was playing (kind of 'out of tune' sound) but then realised she was playing the Beatles' Hey Jude! (ironically Ayako, my native Japanese friend was the first to figure that one out..) and we all sang along. She then started belting out the American national anthem. Classic! We then had a try at playing but it's so difficult because unlike a guitar a shamisen doesn't have frets so its amazing that they know where to put their finger.

After a sing along we went back to our rooms and as always in a ryokan the little bed fairies had been busy. Our beds were all out ready on the floor but weirdly each one had a huge bulge at the bottom. We all had no idea what the bulges were (including Ayako) and they turned out to be mini plug in kotatsu heaters to heat the beds! I guess like our equivalent of a heated blanket except these things are wooden boxes (see photo below on left side). Hmmm fire hazard?

They obviously get in the way a bit but very cosy to have your feet next to.

The next day we were woken up at 6.34am by our neighbours in the next door room playing music. Don't expect peace and quiet staying in Japanese ryokans/minshukus, the rooms are only separated by thin wooden screens.


After another wonderful breakfast we had a stroll around the village, tried out one of Japan's infamous rice burgers, (yep packed rice instead of a bread bun- great for those on a yeast free diet like I'm supposed to be!) and then headed home.

Shirakawago is one of my favourite places so far in the Ishikawa/Gifu area. For anyone in Kanazawa wondering where to go, don't hesitate. GO! It can be easily done as a day trip (the village is actually really small) or if you want to stay a night make it a gassho farmhouse like Yoshiro for an authentic experience (Cost for 1 night dinner B&B was ￥8000 including a heating charge of ￥300, about £55) I reserved through the tourist info office in Shirakawago. Some of them speak English or send them an email info@shirakawa-go.gr.jp

Snowboarding near Kanazawa: Raicho Valley, Toyama Pref

OK the only thing to save you from mild depression whilst enduring a winter on the West coast of Japan is the fact that you can ski/snowboard every weeekend! I'm afraid I'm writing this post a tad late (over a week, eeek, i can't keep up) but last Sunday, Valentines day to be exact Maylee and I decided to drag ourselves out of bed at some ungodly hour to go skiing.

Japanese music on the ski lifts, brilliant idea!

There are quite a few ski resorts near Kanazawa, about a 40 min drive away (which I will write about when I've been) but we decided to get really adventurous and head to a resort near Tateyama mountain in Toyama Prefecture. (Tateyama by the way is the tallest peak in the Northern Alps 3,015 m to be precise so I thought the snow would be better and the resort higher)

The train ride up to Tateyama

Anyway we caught the 6.30 train to Toyama (40 mins) and made a quick change onto this teeny little train bound for Tateyama (60 mins). Despite being half asleep it was actually a really scenic ride up to Tateyama, the train chugged across huge valleys and cut up through the beautiful mountain forest and lucky for us it was a perfectly clear sunny day. The first sunny day we've had here for weeks!

Arrived at the tiny Tateyama station and had quick panic about what to do but the wonderful thing about being in Japan is that locals ALWAYS help you out even if they don't speak a word of Japanese.

Little bus station opposite Tatayama station

There's a little bus station office so we asked for "Ski resort" and were promptly given 3 leaflets. If you can manage "Ichiban iie ski no tokoro doko desu ka?" (Which is the best ski place?) which we did they will say Raicho Valley and quite literally take you to the bus (well we later found out theres only one bus that takes you to the 3 resorts) doing a daily loop.

All easy so far, we were quite surprised. This must be a right locals spot since the only other people on the bus were 2 old men with their traditional ski boots obviously going for a Sunday ramble.

Got dropped off at Raicho by which time all the locals were helping us and telling us when to get off.

The skiing area isn't huge to be honest but I think I've been spoilt with the French Alps a bit and was expecting a dizzingly high mountain and a ton of runs. Luckily Raicho Valley and (big breath...) Gokurakuzaka are actually joined up resorts (or at least we managed to do both by accident?!) so between the two resorts theres about 10 runs. Great for a day but don't book for a week.

Anyway, this was so exciting for me, my first time on a Japanese ski resort. How different would it be? Well hiring my board/boots was an experience not really sure how much the total package was (it turned out to be ￥2500- 17 quid for board/boots)

The guys in the shop were super super friendly (and insisted in having their pic taken- see above) not like those nasty grumpy French frogs we're all accustomed to! (they even give you a complimentary drink after) Day lift pass was ￥4000 (about 27 quid)

Board boots on and already cutting the circulation to my toes, sun shining, no suncream, pocket hand warmers in (the best invention ever, why don't they sell them anywhere thats cold?!) and we ready to go.

Ski slopes at Raicho Valley, Toyama Pref

The snow was absolutely fab in the morning and I was fine on the board despite getting a bit worried I was going to be terrible since I haven't boarded for 2 years. Like a duck to water I tell you!

The slopes were pretty busy but probably because it was a Sunday AND a beautiful day. The funny thing about ski-ing in Japan is that they play music everywhere, on the chair lifts and on the slopes. It's great! The only thing they don't do which I love so much in France is put the deckchairs outside of the restaurants. You see the Japanese don't care about getting a tan unlike us pasty Brits always desperate for a bit of colour.

My tonkatusu & curry lunch on the slopes!

Lunch time was just a joy. Japanese tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) with rice and a beer basking ourselves in the glorious sun outside and watching the skiers come down. (we found a picnic bench) Who could ask for more?

Chopsticks on the slopes!

After lunch we repeated a few more runs and then found a few jumps where we could watch each other crash and burn. Tried to ride fakey (opposite foot going down the mountain for all non boarders!) for a while but it tired me out so much. Brilliant day though and its made me want to go more.

We caught the little bus back to Tateyama station and after a few loops of the ski area he dropped us off. We were back in Kanazawa by 7pm exhausted and pulled muscles just kicking in. I have to admit I couldn't MOVE the next day ; )

Dying to go again but next time we'll check out Ichirino and Seta which are a 45 min bus ride out of Kanazawa, thats unless the snow melts away. Watch this space!

Autumn time in Japan

Rice harvesting in Senmaida

I don't think there any nation who celebrate their seasons more than the Japanese. It's almost inconceivable that the progress of the cherry blossom would be covered on national news as well as countrywide cherry blosson viewing events , but believe it because it does happen.

Autumn is here and boy don't you know it. In England, you'd hardly notice when summer ends and autumn begins, I'd blame it on the amount of rain.. The first sign of autumn in Japan, along with the massive drop in temperature, was a teacher coming into school with a bag of boiled chestnuts. You then cut them, scoop out the inside and eat. Delicious! Then another teacher brought in a sackful of homegrown grapes....you get the picture, lots of seasonal homegrown food and the supermarkets really go to town with autumn produce signs everywhere.

Anyone who has experienced Autumn in Japan will have noticed one or several of the following:

i) The profuse summer sweating turns into a mild sweating and then finally it's over!

ii) All of the oranges disappear and are replaced with abundant amounts of autumnal fruit including fresh figs, persimmons, dragonfruit and akebi. See my Japanese fruit post.

iii) Teachers bring in their autumn produce for you to try out

iv) Suddenly the plain bowls of rice become chesnut rice

v) Rice harvesting everywhere and anywhere where theres space to grow it

vi) Rice harvest dust gets to all hayfever sufferers.

vii) You start wondering where your hottie is (hot water bottle)

viii) You get invited to an apple/pear picking trip

I have personally loved the drop in temperature. It's been like an English summer here for the past few weeks, and I can actually breathe again, perfect!

Autumn leaf viewing is also a favourite Japanese past time along with autumn apple, pear and grape picking (well....technically it's tasting) Last week I went along to an apple picking trip in which we crammed so much in it as worth writing another post. I have yet to go on a leaf viewing excursion, I'll keep my eye out though!

Apple picking trip in Nagano, Japanese Alps

A few months ago I agreed to join Yoko (my Japanese teacher), Candy, Candy's mum and a few of Yoko's colleagues on an apple picking trip to Nagano (Japanese Alps).

Thinking I may have committed myself to a day up a ladder doing a days hard labour, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was a mystery apple and pear "tasting" tour, phew, big relief!
Met Yoko et al at 6.45am at Kanazawa station which nearly killed me especially the FIRST day of silver week (a 4 day holiday in Japan) I've discovered that the Japanese really don't do relaxing that well. If this was England on the first day of a public holiday at this time in the morning it'd be a ghost town. Nope the station was packed, coaches lined up ready to take eager Japanese tourists on their day trips. One of the coaches was ours. I hadn't realised our group was part of a larger coach tour with our own compère and everything, but I was up for it. Me and mum had seen so many coach tours on our travels around Japan I was intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. Little did I know that we were about to cover half of Chubu in a day!

First stop was Komagane to see a beautiful old temple called Konzenji, set in a green forest with ridiculously tall trees. There was some commotion along the path leading up to the temple and I wanted to know why a whole crowd of people were pointing at this old wall and looking inside. I thought it might be some type of rare insect but nope it was moss. Yep apparently moss only grows inside walls here. Soooo random, but this is Japan...

Me and the girls in the buckwheat fields

Next stop was Inatajima to see the beautiful and brightly coloured red buckwheat fields, the crop they use to make buckwheat flour for soba noodles. We then visited a local produce market where they were selling locally made tomato juice, these huge grapes (called Kyohō budō, 巨峰葡萄 or "giant mountain grapes") apples, pears and figs.

Huge Japanese grapes, Kyohō budō (wow, is my thumb really that wrinkly?)

After a delicious nabe lunch we eventually reached the apple and pear picking farm in Matsukawa, a beautiful place surrounded by mountains. The picking (really tasting) went like this: we entered the apple orchard to an area where there were apples & pears wrapped up in paper but still hanging off the trees, weird!



We were allowed to pick 1 apple and 1 pear. Once picked, you then go to one of the little tables to wash, peel, cut and taste the apple not forgetting to remark "oishieeeeeeeee" (delicious) in a high pitched voice with plenty of enthusiasm! That's the Japanese way of apple picking!

Ready? 1,2,3 oishieeeeeeeeee!

We boarded the bus and were given omiyage (souvenir or gift) of a Nagano pear and apple each.

When we got off the bus again near Ida City it was to visit a mizuhiki gallery. Mizuhiki is an ancient art craft which uses a brightly coloured cord to knot and create decorative shapes and animals. Apparently the artform was used to tie up the hair of the samurai. In Japan you see mizuhiki on wedding money envelopes everywhere. This gallery had some pretty stunning and huge animals crafted solely from this cord. Amazing.


Before climbing onboard the coach it was time for the "who can grab the most chestnuts with one hand" competition. Yep, we all queued up to see how many chestnuts we could grab from a box full of chestnuts. I got 11. Very bizzare but then this is Japan and the Japanese seem to make the simplest of ideas so much fun.

Chesnut grabbing contest...so random!

Back on the bus heading home our compère announced it was Bingo time, woop woop. Haven't played for years and the prize was a free coach trip to Kobe. Ace! Once we all had a bingo card they pulled down the TV and this squeaky little Japanese voice read out the numbers, hilarious.

I didn't win but one of Yoko's colleagues did.

Brilliant day.

Echigo Yuzawa: Alpine mountains, mist & orchids

The infamous shinkansen (bullet train)

This morning we got on the shinkansen and headed to Echigo Yuzawa, a smallish town in the Japanese Alps half way to Kanazawa from Tokyo. You have to change trains there anyway so I thought it’d be nice to stay there and get some mountain air before heading to another city.

I had booked a rykoan, called Hakugin-kaku near Echigo station as I knew we’d have lots of luggage. By the way a ryokan is a Japanese style hotel, too much to write here about them so I wrote a separate post on staying at a ryokan. I have to be honest the ryokan was a slight disappointment, a bit tatty throughout and smelling a bit mouldy (for about £100 pp dinner B&B I guess I expected better). On the plus side though the staff, all dressed in their beautiful kimonos, were so welcoming as was the onsen and the food was outstanding.

Anyway, today we set off for a long alpine walk. We took this huge gondola from near the centre of Echigo up to the first station up the mountain but it was completely clouded over.

For fear of getting lost we followed the riff raff for a while until we got our bearings. We decided (well more mum than me, I was feeling lazy) to take a long circuit that would take us right to the top of the mountain and along back through the forest. Seemed like a great idea until we got half way. It was so hot and humid, I guess I should be used to it now but I'm really not! Note the amount of MINGING sweat on my t-shirt...

The mist was so bad at the top of the mountain, we couldn’t see much and had passed NO other walkers, eeek. Mum then nearly sat on a big brown snake, didn’t get a picture of it but it was just before we entered these dark misty woods.

Christ, I felt like I was Frodo Baggins accompanied by Samwise (mum) in the Fagorn forest. Not a single bloody person about...the path was sooo dark, steep and slippy. Well watch the video below and you’ll see what I mean.

After about 2 hours of descending the impossibly steep path we heard some children shouting, I have never been so happy to hear children I can’t tell you. The mist had cleared so we went and had a late lunch in the cute alpine looking restaurant overlooking a beautiful sea of orchids.

Finally just before our gondola descent we dangled our tired feet in the onsen. Ahhh bliss!