March 24-30 (Mon-Sun) - The Best Blog Post Ever Written*

*On the subject of traveling in a Daihatsu car through Fukui provence in March with an old iPod and a new iPhone after being in Japan for one year.

Monday: I spent the morning planning a sightseeing trip, then I left for it. I had to mail a package, which took longer than it should have, and I was, er, parked on the side of the road (there is no side of the road), so I took the freeway. 

My first destination was a strange ghost attraction. Yoshizaki Gobo Temple. 

It was strange it was so ghostly. It looked like it was supposed to be some sort of temple complex, with lots and lots of museum-like rooms/buildings, but there was nobody there. I wanted to go inside a couple of places, but I couldn’t decipher the signs that had something to do with paying to get in (but no prices were posted), so I didn’t. It was disappointing. However, unexpectedly, it was right by a lake, which was lovely.

And I found the creepiest children's park game.

I think it's supposed to be Pokemon.

My next stop was Takidanji, lit. ‘waterfall valley temple’. Sounds gorgeous, right? It was kind of pretty.

But this was the only waterfall. 

How sad!

But the flowers were pretty.

There was a service going on when I got there, and a camera crew taking up space, so my favorite part was this bird. Cute, isn’t he?

Next stop was my accommodations, a hot springs in the middle of rice fields. 

That’s kind of weird. The place was actually very nice-looking. I loved the foot-bath area,

and the hot springs were really pretty,

and the room was nice.

It was so nice it weirded me out just a little, because it wasn’t that expensive. The meal was half really tasty and half sadly cheap. 

There was one couple eating in the room, so it was a little awkward. But later we were both at the foot bath together, and I said ‘oyasumi nasai’ and it was like we bonded for one moment… 

It was rather a strange place.

Tuesday: I left the onsen and went to further sightseeing. First agenda: the daibutsu, big buddha, that is bigger than the one at Nara. In a temple bigger than the one at Nara. Nearby a 5-story pagoda that is taller than the one at Nara. 

Nevermind this Echizen Daibutsu and temple complex were built in the 1980s, whereas the ones at Nara are much, much older, this complex can take pride in the fact it’s bigger and taller than the one at Nara. 

That is very, very Japanese. Or maybe just much like tourist-attractions everywhere. There may be nothing to see, but darnnit, there IS something to see.

Actually I really liked the Echizen Daibutsu. After parking in the deserted parking lot, I walked up the deserted stores (or rather, not open because there were only about 5 tourists there today), 

and encountered the biggest lantern-things,

and the biggest gate I’d ever seen. Climbing up the walkway (also the biggest), which said ‘it’s dangerous because of snow’ — and there was snow, but it’s long past being dangerous — I came to the largest housing

 of the largest daibutsu (according to the pamphlet) I’d ever seen. 

It was, actually, really impressive. 

Although there is the sense of it being ‘fake’ in that it’s all modern, we have modern temples/churches so why shouldn’t Japan have modern buddhist temples? It was very large.

And the daibutsu was large. Although the pamphlet says there is something written on his palms, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t see it. Can you?

He is surrounded by hundreds of smaller buddhist statues, and it is an impressive room. 

They play a monk-chant soundtrack in the background and it is really a cool place to visit. Although empty. That comes from traveling before the travel time.

Other than the building and the Buddha, there was a 5-story pagoda

 that had absolutely nothing (although it is the tallest in Japan) but a view;

a really cool long wall depicting dragons playing with balls/gems (a copy of something in China);

and there was a garden not yet in bloom. 

Darn the timing. This was my last week with the car and it’s just before all the flowers are going to bloom. 

I enjoyed the Echizen Daibutsu, then went to find a small temple on the ‘things to see in Fukui list. 

However.

I couldn’t find it.

I tried. I really did. I circles the location 3 times in the car. I parked in the parking lot and looked for a map. But nothing pointed to the actual location. I can only surmise that it’s the kind of spot they bring people on tours where a guide knows the right place. 

But I got ice cream… then set off back home.

It was a strange adventure, but I had to see what was left of the Fukui sights.

And that night, I bid farewell to my Tuesday students.

Wednesday: I cleaned all day, and said goodbye to my kids. I’ll really miss these guys.

And I ate hinamatsuri (early March celebration) rice snacks. With ice-cream.

Thursday: We had our meeting a day early, since there isn’t much going on, and we got together to put a tarp out in the parking lot but it was too windy so, after finding Mr. Kame, 

we gave up. 

And apparently I walked a lot but I can’t remember where or why x.X 

Also, my co-worked, the new teacher Alice got dani, or tatami bugs in her apartment. So after some frustration with the landlord, it was decided she would just move in with me, then take over my apartment after I left. So we spent some time moving stuff although we wouldn’t finish for another couple weeks! 

Friday: There was one more place I had to visit before I could be satisfied, and that was the Asakura clan site, a huge expanse of land where the Asakura clan once inhabited. I wasn’t sure where the entry was or anything, so I found the parking lot and entered the reconstructed housing.

It was a lot like the Sapporo Historic Village although less cool, but they had few visitors so I guess they enjoyed talking with me.

My favorite view was this.

It’s just very cool, the earth wall and the gate. I was told the castle once stood at the top of the mountain, and I imagine, with the ~2 kilometer expanse and 10,000 retainers it was an impressive situation. I thought it was a shame I was visiting about a week or two too early, before the trees and gardens were in bloom, but I really liked the location and it’s a place I would go back to.

After that it was shopping, car errands, errands with Alice, shopping, and for my Fukui class Hugh came and we did a party with card games, snacks, and candy. I like these kids and I’m glad we were able to play games.

Saturday: Work, cleaning work work dinner yup.

Sunday: Kaori and I did yoga, made granola, and watched movies. 

There’s just a little time left.

Recent Japanese:

jikokisei (自己規制) = self-regulation

kodawari (拘り) = obsession, determination

toyakakuiu (とやかく言う) = to say all kinds of things, to complain, to criticize

yamai zewashii (病忙しい) = hypochondriac; lit. busy with illness

moujin (盲人) = blind person