August 28-29, 2007 Kanazawa & Fukui

We spent the afternoon in Kanazawa to break up the long train ride, and to also meet my friends Eri and Shino from that area. I was under the impression that Kanazawa would be a really small town, but when we arrived it was nothing but! Huge buildings, lights everything. I am coming to realize that Japan and American views of small cities are very different. Much of Japan is like one big city and there isn’t much true open space. Any the matter, Kanazawa was a very cool town. We stayed in a little ryokan with traditional Japan rooms and even a traditional garden in a courtyard. Dan stayed to get a bit of rest and I went out exploring with Shino. We stopped by a historical samurai house (left) of one of the biggest landowners in Japan in the Edo period. It was a gorgeous complex with a fabulous garden. I could imagine the family living there hundreds of years ago – making tea in the tiny tea room on the second floor, tending to the koi in the garden (they were huge by the way!).

After shopping for a bit, we grabbed Dan and headed to meet Eri for dinner. We settled on an Italian restaurant, and it was lots of fun having drinks (especially this nigori ume shu, which is unfiltered plum wine) and eating really good food (Korean bibimba, grilled beef, etc.). After dinner we strolled through the main streets of Kanazawa, Dan taking pictures of funny signs, and Eri explaining that there were a lot of “hostesses” out that night. Hostesses are sort of like call girls, but they sometimes sleep with the men. For the most part, I think they just go on dates. I’m not sure, but there were a lot of scantily clad young women out. But then again, Japanese young women tend to dress very sexy, far more I think than the average American.

After getting to bed early, we awoke to go see Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s top 3 gardens. It is a beautiful spread, initially intended as the feudal lord’s “rest area” by his castle, and it was built beginning in the 1200’s. There were waterfalls, ponds, and beautiful landscaping. We had a nice time checking it out.

From there, though, we immediately headed to the train station to go more south, to Fukui. Shino, my really good friend from the conference, picked us up at the train station in…her car! It is amazing because hardly any young people have cars, let alone a drivers license. She did display stickers on her little red car denoting that she was a beginning driver, but I was just happy for the ride.

We drove up into the mountains outside of Fukui towards Eihei-ji. This place, perhaps more than any other, I wanted to visit while in Japan. It is the mountain temple complex of Dogen, the Soto Zen master from the 1200’s. The whole area was covered in moss and huge trees. When we walked upon the gates to the temple, I was taken aback. Words really can’t describe the feeling I have when I walk into Buddhist temples – it is almost breathtaking. There is such a sense of diligence and intellect, I really enjoy it.

We walked through the whole complex, despite the fact that it is still a functioning training center for young monks. Chants and bells filled the otherwise silent halls. Everything was constructed with beautiful wood, and it barely squeaked under my bare feet. It was a wonderful time. A large bee followed me through several rooms and part of me was convinced it was an incarnation of Dogen himself, making the visit all the more special. I find it difficult to write about the most special places I visit, but perhaps that is because very special things are beyond words.

We followed up that wonderful time by eating some soba at a nearby restaurant. The sign on the table said that the meals take a bit of time to prepare, because there make the soba fresh for each customer. I knew it would be a fabulous meal! Shino and I had a soba set with unagi (broiled eel) and rice, and this tofu pudding thing that the area is famous for. Dan went with the tempura and soba set. Dan is loving the fried foods in Japan. Tempura, katsudon (fried pork cutlets), etc., it is all so good!

Sadly, but in a rush to make the train, I said goodbye to Shino and we began our journey to Kyoto. The train ride was relatively short and the scenery was gorgeous. Mist covered mountains, and then huge Lake Biwa on the right, stretching for what seemed like miles. I was happy to be returning to Kyoto, I do love it there. Since I learned how to get around Kyoto quite well, we had no trouble walking to our hostel, and I was excited, since Bethany was still in town and staying there as well. The hostel, which was appropriately ranked #1 backpackers hostel by some organization, was great! Super clean, full of foreign travelers, and it had many good amenities like free laundry soap, a kitchen, dining room, internet access, and very nice bathrooms. Surprisingly, it was very cheap! (Less than $100 for 2 nights altogether!)

We had dinner that night with Bethany and my friend Aki from the conference. Aki took us to a delicious sukiyaki restaurant. I had yet to have it, so I was very anxious. Sukiyaki uses the same sorts of ingredients as shabu shabu, but you cook the meat with vegetables and sauce in a hotpot, and then – and I know this might sound gross – you dip it in raw egg before eating it. It was very tasty, although it was all you can eat and we didn’t feel very good later. After saying goodbye to Bethany and wishing her luck on her long journey home, we hit the hay.