Monday, October 14, 2024

Gero Onsen

Takashi and Michiko made plans for us to enjoy a typical Japanese vacation trip, one where the only tourists are other Japanese folks, not foreign tourists.  Tsukasa, their 43 year old son, joined us.  Tsukasa's wife (Yuko) and daughter (Mio) had also planned to make the trip, but Mio had picked up a cold bug and they stayed home.  To accomplish this Japanese experience we visited a small town, Magomejuku, which was still in the original architecture from the Edo Period, 1603 – 1868.  Now the buildings are occupied with shops and restaurants, but the appearance of a small town and typical Japanese culture, food and trinkets was all very old.  And Jada and I were almost the only westerners present.

All the best photos were taken by Jada.

A typical shop in Magomejuku

This Bonsai tree,
standing only a foot tall,
 was outside a shop.

As a small mountain village,
the views from the town
were gorgeous. 


















This treat was sold in a local
confectioner's shop
wrapped in rice paper.


A new-to-us taste, and very enjoyable.
a bit sweet and a texture between
powder and paste.

Late that afternoon, we checked into a modern, yet typical Japanese hotel in Gero, Japan that included hot baths, "Onsen".  Oedo Onsen Monogatari Gero was our lodging for the evening.  After checking in, everyone picked out a "yukata" or light robe and ash/belt.  Hotel guests wore their yukatas to/from the onsen (there were two, one men, the other for women), to meals and to lounge about the public areas which included a self serve bar with soft drinks and an automated beer tap.  As the hotel was in the mountains, this lobby area had huge windows looking across the mountain valley, a beautiful view.

Wearing our yukatas


In Japan, we found the toilets and baths
were always separate rooms.
One was expected to sit on a small stool,
using the shower on a hose to
soap up and rinse thoroughly.
In this way you would be totally clean before
entering the hot bath for a relaxing soak.
This was also true in the public baths (onsen).  

In a small room that only contained the toilet,
you'll notice a small control panel
to the right side (when seated).
Throughout Japan we saw these 
fancy toilets that typically included
a bidet spray and air dry system
in the seat, controlled by the panel.

Murph's favorite amenity was the
ubiquitous beer vending machine.
This one was only one floor away
from our room.

Dinner was a massive buffet with many choices.
Several had to explained to us or remained a mystery.



The next morning, Jada and I took a walk
and discovered this pathway
up the mountain side.

At the end of the path was the Mitsumine Shrine.   
Historically, the Japanese write from right to left,
and vertically from top to bottom.
Modern Japanese now write as they did in the past,
as well as in the western manner of left to right
and top to bottom, horizontally.



The shrine seemed to honor or
remember farmers in general or
this specific farmer.

The view looking down the hillside from the shrine.


We followed a different, small roadway back down.



We thought this might be a Buddhist cemetery.


Before checking out,
Jada tried this massage pod in the lobby.

Onsen etiquette

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