Touya-ko and Mischievous Usu-zan

30th October, 2003 - Driving into Touya-ko, you don't get the impression that you've suddenly come across one of the largest remnant volcanoes in Japan. Indeed the huge lake is actually a enormous caldera crater left over from an enormous eruption that had literally blown the top off the previous volcano. Now all that remains is the deep, deep lake.

A note on spelling... the proper name is Tōya-ko which should be written as Touya-ko. You will often see the "u" omitted, to leave just Toya-ko. Youtei-zan is another example where this occurs. This occurs all the time in English web translation of Japanese names.

 From Youtei-zan, it's another 50+ km to get to Toya-ko



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The volcanic story of Touya-ko is far from over however... back in 2000, Usu-yama (actually it was the nearby connected volcanic cone, Nishi-yama) erupted in a spectacular display of force. This volcanic system has erupted every 20-50 years since the 1600's when it awoke from slumber.

The eruption was announced by pronounced activity around 31st March - with major land deformation and crater formation by the 5th April with activity peaking around the 7-10th April. The volcano continued till about June...

Nowadays the area is still active, the air filled with the noxious sulfurous gases... it's as if we had discovered a gateway to a grim apocalyptic future...

Where man had surrendered begrudgingly to the forces of nature. During the eruption, about 16,000 people had been evacuated from Touya-ko and surrounding areas - leading to no known deaths. Alas however, the nearby homes were lost - now a stark reminder of humans (fool-hardy) ability to defy the inevitable. There's a good Volcano Science Centre located near the volcano.

Around the end of WWII, there were a series of earthquakes that had disturbed Touya-ko's then sleepy existence. The resulting earth disturbance lead to a bulging of the surface, that eventually came to be known as Showa Shinzan (Showa-era new mountain)... It's about 300m high, and continues to grow - a disturbing reminder that not all of geologies actions are slow by our standards.

Showa-Shinsan can best be seen by taking the scenic ropeway to the summit of Usu-zan. It costs around 1,300 yen (adult) so it's not a cheap trip... however.. it's worth it.

At the top you'll get amazing views across both the Touya lake...

And find a stark landscape atop the summit, with just a hint of beauty amongst the volcanic desolation.

The views out across Uchiura Bay are glorious. It's the Pacific Ocean ... and it's beautiful.

And another view of Uchiura Bay, with volcanic steam venting through Usu-zan's top.

Peace Waterfall (Sapporo)

24th October, 2003 - Time waits for no man (or even woman)... and at times like these when time seems to be racing away you can really appreciate moments of peace. That's what you find at the peace waterfall (heiwa no taki). Ok - it's not going to win any height awards, and I can't see too many daring fellows crashing over this baby in a barrel to impress their girlfriends, but... in Autumn it's a beautiful spot.

It's a bit of a drive (about 12 km from the city centre by car)...see the map below.

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The waterfall is next to a forest that makes for good walking (in good weather) - but this time, it really is getting into the bears domain. So be careful... Also, expect a steady stream of local residents coming down for a peaceful drive or stroll to the waterfall. 

Watch your step...

The path leads right down to the waters edge...

Not far from the Peace Waterfall, you can find small parks such as this one which are beautifully decorated in Autumn colours.

And a closer look at those very happy carp... no fish and chips tonight my friends, not tonight.  (|8^/)

The waterfall and surrounding area are a great place to get back to nature - especially the walks around the hills.

It's most probably not going to make it to the top 10 of things to do in Sapporo if you're on a tight timeline however.  Let the local Sapporo people enjoy this little treasure.

Day 16 - Yokohama

15th February, 2003 - After a late (and cold) night, we jumped out of bed refreshed and raring to go. Actually - if the truth be told, we struggled out of bed feeling a little exhausted. It was Valentines Day +1. Hmmm... what can you do with that? It's nice to go with some symbols... but Yokohama Marine Tower (we stayed very near here), wasn't quite doing it for me.

This was a product of the 60's, right at the start of Japan's economic rise, and resurrection from WWII. It was a time when there was a need to exert itself both on the world, but more importantly within it's own self image. Thus they built the then "World's Tallest Lighthouse". Did they need to? Almost certainly not. But they could build it. And did.

We went for a walk - and in search for breakfast we came across the good ol' Lawson convenience store. If you spend any time in Japan, you will understand why Lawson is such a big part of living. They have everything you need (just about) for your tourism day. Food. Drink. Catch-up things (if only we'd brought....) and finally anything else that you're likely to need. Me? I needed melon-pan. That's rockmelon flavoured bread-cake - coated with a generous sprinkling of sugar. Unlike in Australia, "sweets" in Japan aren't that sweet - and are all the better for it. From this trip I grew to love Melon Pan. T-Chan doesn't really understand it - but she humours me. You can do almost anything when you're hungry... isn't that right Ronald!

Anyway, if you're looking for other things then you're sure to find them... lion feet? Sure... Why not? Ok... I can't categorically identify these as lion feet... to be honest, I wasn't that keen to investigate further. Let's just say that back in Australia, you'd be unlikely to see this displayed in the front window of a shop... ? : o  .... OK at this point T-chan would like to explain that this IS NOT NORMAL in Japan, and she's pretty grossed out by it.

Then again - you're also unlikely to see such things as double-decker parking spaces either. In fact, whilst Japan has a veneer of Western sensibility about it, it has some very strange and at times crazy ideas. You learn, as a tourist, to go with the flow...

One of the sights that seems to be noteworthy (I'm not entirely sure why) is the Yokohama Bay Bridge... it seems as if it's synonymous with love. Of the breathless, young and romantic style. Hmmmm. Bridge. 460m  span. 600 yen toll. "Romantic". Still there's a lookout where all the young reckless couples go. As we take this photo T-chan wonders where all the magic has evaporated to.... Valentine's Day +1.  ? ; )

..... actually the walk to the lookout is perhaps more romantic than the lookout as such... you pass the old "foreign quarter" where all the evil Western capitalist colonials used to stay (and were buried), and come down a nice scenic hill... The bridge itself is a little... hmmm... minimalist in terms of beauty.

Well we've got more important things to do... we're off to Sankei-en ... actually this is a bit of a hidden jewel in the Yokohama crown... it doens't get as much publicity as it should, but then again... perhaps you need to be in the mood.... luckily we were.

Day 9 - Ookurayama Ski Jump (Sapporo)

8th February, 2003 - After a big day out, we hit the slopes so to speak and visited Ookurayama ski jump, which is another venue from the 1972 Winter Olympics, and is still used to this day for international ski jump competitions. It has one advantage of having a great view over the city, especially by going up the chairlift to the summit lookout. The chairlift is an nice way to get to the top - and thankfully it's a return trip (no volunteering to go down via the express route on two skis). They do ski-jumping here at night too.

The view of Sapporo City from the top of the mountain is quite spectacular - if a bit cold. Definitely worth going. You can get there via a bus from Maruyama subway stop - which is also where Sapporo's zoo is... unfortunately the zoo is closed during winter (all the animals get shipped to the tropics to improve their tan).

From the summit you can clearly see the city centre, and the towering Sapporo Station complex that sits atop the central train station. Sapporo is low-lying by Japanese standards, and much of the shopping exists either underground (e.g. Sapporo Station, or Pole Town) or scattered between Sapporo Station and Odori Koen (that's the darkish patch on the right (at right angles to the road to Sapporo Station) - about two-thirds up in the photo below.

Day 2 - Tsuragaoka Hachiman-gu (Kamakura)

1st February 2003 -Arrived at Kamakura. Once you get off the train, you're almost immediately assailed by the local tourist-seeking rickshaw operators. We were holiday-happy enough to say yes to "Eiji" the very talkative guy who promised he'd show us all the old residences in Kamakura. He did too - if by that you took it to mean showing us all the out of the way places.

Actually, we had fun, and ended up on the main road towards Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu (the main temple in Kamakura). On the approach is an arched bridge which was said to only be for the Shogun's use (and it's easy to see why, as it's now blocked off from pedestrian traffic).









Tsuragaoka Hachiman-gu
This shinto shrine was established by the Minamoto clan, and contains many of the aspects that you will find across Japan for these shrines. Firstly there is the wash basin (chozuya) which are used to purify yourself with water prior to approaching the shrine. Ladels are used to rinse off your hands - and no, it's not for drinking. On approaching the main worshipping hall which is generally known as the haiden (not where the God is meant to reside - the honden - that's not accessible to the public), you will find an alter of such, generally with a coin tray (saisen-bako) infront. Make a coin offering (it can be whatever value you wish), ring the bell twice (or strike gong), bow twice and then clap twice and then pray to the God (Kami); finish up by bowing once again. It's like pressing send on a celestial email. Each shrine may be slightly different, and there is also meaning to how the clapping is done, and the depth of the bows. Too much information!

There are also (like most of shrines) places where you can buy an assortment of charms and prayers (including ema, which are used to write your prayers on - more of that later). You can also see sacred ropes, or shimenawa, that establish a boundary to the sacred parts of the temple. Other features associated with Shinto shrines include the bright red torii gates, and the pair of stone lions, komainu.

A Shinto rite is performed...

A nearby lake and bridge.

Day 2 - Kamakura

Kamakura

History: Kamakura was established in 1185 AD as the effective capital of Japan following the civil war that effectively ended the height of Japanese refinement, the Heien Period, and began a slow rise of the warrior-lord. This revolution was started in the mid-1150's and centred around Taira Kiyomori who (with his clan) defeated the rival Minamoto clan for control of the Emperor's power. The Minamoto clan through Yoshitomo Minamoto subsequently defeated the Taira and set about strengthening their power base in the west (Kanto region) in Kamakura. Yoshitomo was given the title of Shogun in 1192, but his family was quickly came to be controlled by the Hojo family. This militaristic regime was known as the bakafu (or tent government) and lasted until about 1333 AD, when it was eventually overcome by Emperor Go-Daigo after which control returned (momentarily) to Kyoto.

Getting There: A train service departs Shinjuku or Shinagawa stations (JR Yokusoka Line). Tourist information can be found here (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html).

Day 1 - Night Shopping (Ikebukuro)

31st Jan 2003 - Ikebukuro. Ikebukuro (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3038.html) is one of the biggest districts on the Yamanote Line (the circular train service that acts as a ring-route around Tokyo).. We went to Toyota Amlux (free to enter) and generally did some shopping (did I mention the fact that it was WINTER... bought a cheap coat here. Don't forget I was coming from an Australian summer.

It's a nice area, and there's plenty of shopping around here... and a good place to grab a bite to eat. Ah - I can remember one of my wife and I's first arguments occured over a dinner in Ikebukuro... what was it about? Hmmm - if i can remember, I wouldn't tell. What a way to start a long (first) holiday. Actually, that's the sort of thing that happens when you start to get deep into the holidaying straight off the plane.

There's a fair bit to do in Ikebukuro (such as Sunshine City bldg) - but unfortunately we arrived fairly late in the day, and were pretty tired. I'd like to go back and explore more.... but that will have to wait.

Day 1 - Nishi-shinjuku Hotel (Shinjuku)

31st Jan, 2003 - We stayed at Nishi-Shinjuku Hotel (http://www.nshotel.com/english/index.html), it's about 10 min walk from Shinjuku Station (in fact it would most probably take you longer to find the right exit out of the station). It's a business hotel, so don't expect any fantastic rooms (it's bigger than a cupboard, but not by much). It's clean and comfortable - and they were very generous about looking after our suitcases whilst we went on overnight trips around Tokyo. Can't recall the price, but very competitive for the location which is very central.

There was definitely some strange aspects of the location however... such as being located next to the cemetary (my first experience of this... and no - Japanese are not buried vertically, as i've heard somewhere... they are almost exclusively cremated).

Also - when we were there in 2003, there was a box-city out the front in an open square, i.e. where all the homeless had set-up. We had no problems here however, and was a stark reminder just how hard it can be (remember it was winter, and temperatures were regularly 5 degC during the day.

Day 1 - Metropolitan Government Offices (Shinjuku)

31st Jan 2003 - Arrived in Tokyo, Japan... first stop Shinjuku. Dropped our bags off and went exploring

Definitely advise going to the Metropolitan Government Offices... it's about a 10-15 min walk from Shinjuku Station, and you will have free access to the viewing decks from which you can see all of Tokyo (and if you're lucky, Fuji-san).

MG Offices is one of the tallest in Tokyo, standing at approx 200m high, it's quite an unnerving experience. Thankfully no glass floors.


The view from the Metropolitan Government Building is impressive - 360 degrees (or there abouts) of a huge mostly concrete and glass skyline. If you're lucky the smog will allow you to see more than about 20 km... all the way to Mt Fuji (which is generally enshrouded in cloud). This is 100% free, and a great way to get a feel for just how big Tokyo is.

Day 1 - Narita to Tokyo (Japan)

31st January, 2003 - We touched down in Japan after an uneventful night. As I was a smoker at the time, the first port of call was the exit and good long smoke. Non-smokers will never know the gnawing pain that is a smoker's curse on long flights. Still the 9.5 hours to Tokyo is easy in comparison to some. Thankfully those days are over.

Narita is surprisingly quiet - for such a large airport - at 6:30-7:00 am. I thought it would be thousands of people (perhaps I had visions of planes being loaded like their trains...all spewing their human cargo out promptly on arrival). Quiet is good.

The one thing I discovered was the vending machines. It's wonderful...they have all manner of drinks (hot and cold)... just imagine it folks... hot coffees from a machine. That's just crazy talk.... until I stepped outside and felt the cold chill go through my inadequate clothes. ?: )  Will need to buy jacket tonight!

We caught the train into Shinjuku - our first stop. It's not the fastest train in Japan... in fact it takes over an hour (depending on whether you go the cheap option - then it's 90mins) just to get into Tokyo Station. Shinjuku's further even still.

The first observation of Japan - certainly back in 2003. No escalators. Seriously - for a country that practically built the innovation industry, they have little or no concern for (a) travel weary tourists, or (b) people with disabilities. It was terrible having to lug our suitcases up and down platforms (as we had to change one line to get to Shinjuku).

We finally made into Shinjuku station, which can be described in one word - labyrinthine. (is that a word?... seems to check out). Ok two words. Busy. You can get yourself into trouble trying to find the right exit. Take your time, and keep your wits about you. We made it out in one piece (and it didn't take too long)... but we needed a coffee before we did anything else. Found Cafe. Second observation. Japanese people don't like filling up coffee cups. That and they have sweet teeth. And there's still a surprising number of traditional Japanese toilets around. I have to say - if you've got bowel problems - this has got to look a little daunting. I'm still not entirely sure how to use (and/or ride) these things...

Well - I guess some culture shock was in store.

It was not long after we arrived that I also had to question my trusty Japanese guide, T-chan. Looking for food we came across a shop which had a number of displays showing what they were selling. Most probably thinking that she'd educate the gaijin about sophisticated plastic food displays... T-chan promptly stuck her finger into one of the "fake" pasta dishes. Only to find that it was perhaps the only REAL food display in all of Japan. I so wish I had that on video!

Well - off to see Japan... and a word of warning - be careful what you stick your finger into!