Tokoya

Tokoya is the word in Japanese for a barbershop for men. Biyoin (not to be confused with byoin or hospital) is a beauty parlor for women, but that's another story.

The master barber at Kuroki barber shop

This is the front of the barbershop I visited for a shave and a haircut. As I said, the word for barbershop is tokoya but right under the O and K in the name, above, is "hea- salon kuroki" (Hair Salon Kuroki) in Katakana, the characters used for transliteration of foreign language words to Japanese. So even though tokoya is the old word that doesn't mean it's always used today.

I was going to get a haircut and beard trim but when I saw the barber using a straight razor on another client I decided I would go ahead with the full program for about $25.00.

Straight razor at work trimming the neck line.

My haircut started with a short cut on top, a really short cut on the sides and back, a trim around the ears and neck followed by the shave. The straight razor shave was the first I've had since I was stationed near here in 1960 when I could get a shave and a haircut at the base barbershop for thirty-five cents.

I felt like a new man.

 The close haircut is what I've been getting for the past few years but the clean shaven face is a first since 1981. 

The shave started with hot towels piled high then some kind of cream rubbed on and then the shaving foam brushed on with what looked like an old fashioned horse hair brush. The straight razor was so sharp and the hand of the barber so skilled I hardly felt the beard being removed.

A little gadget for trimming ear hair

Portable shampoo basin in place.

I was fascinated by the shampoo basin on wheels. I suppose they might be used in the States but I've never seen one. When it comes time for the shampoo the basin is wheeled to the back of the chair and plugged into plumbing built into the floor.

Cover swivels off the concealed floor plumbing

A push of the baber's foot connects to basin to the floor plumbing.

After the shampoo came a scalp and shoulder massage. As I waited for my nephew to finish up I was served green tea and some rice crackers.

If it weren't such a long commute I'd go back every month for a shave and a haircut.

Hanaya

While walking through a small mall near Fukuoka I came upon a flower shop (hanaya in Japanese) selling a nice selection of fresh flowers. It is typical of today's flower shops in Japan. Thought you might be interested in seeing the varieties and prices.

The current exchange rate is approximately 118 yen to the US dollar.

These roses were in a refrigerated case and the prices marked are per stem. 

 Next door to the flower shop was a Halloween display. Halloween has become popular in Japan only in the past ten years. I won't speculate on the reasons.

Shinkansen

Saturday morning we puttered around the hotel packing bags and eating breakfst until time to go to Tokyo Station to catch our train to Hakata Eki in Kyushu.

Tokyo Station is the largest station in Tokyo and maybe in all of Japan. There are patforms for the Japan Railway trains, both local and express; there are platforms for the many private railways that serve the Tokyo and surrounding areas; and there are the shinkansen platforms. In short it is a huge place with six large entrance/exits, three on the east and three on the west

After I bought our tickets at the local Japan Travel Bureau office I asked which entrance would be best so we would be close to our platform. I was told the Yaesu Central and that is where we entered but even then we had to scurry around to find shinkansen platform # 18. I saw signs for 24 shinkansen platforms, but I'm not sure how many total there are.

On the platform there are food kiosks, smoking rooms and a waiting room for passengers holding reserved seat tickts. We were in that category so we got to take a rest before our train arrived.

Friday night while we were wandering around the area near our hotel we saw a stand-up noodle shop similar to the one on our platform. To save room there are no table or chairs, just counters where patrons stand up and eat their noodles and rush off to catch their train. If you go, remember to purchase your food ticket from the vending machine outside before you go in.

We boarded our train and it pulled out of the station right on time at 1310. Five hours and one minute we pulled in to the Hakata Station in Fukuoka, on time to the minute. Quite a change from when I made the same trip the first time I was in Japan in 1960. Then it took just under 24 hours on an express train pulled by an old fashioned steam engine, except for the tunnel under the strait of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu when an electric engine pulled the train. But what an adventure it was to be traveling in a foreign country half way around the world from home.

Friday in Tokyo

Friday those people in our group who weren't visiting relatives or otherwise staying in Japan for a few extra days left for Seattle.

Ikuko and I wandered around the downtown area for awhile then went to Ueno to check out the Takeya bargain Department Store. It was an interesting place with three relatively small footprint (read low land use) but nine story high (plus one or two basement level) buildings, two of which had interconnecting doorways on three of the floors, and one (ladies store) half a block away. They carried high quality merchandise at low prices, a relatively new concept in Japan. Also the clerks were busy helping people instead of mostly standing around bowing as is the case in many department stores.

Iko had me look at one name brand handbag that was marked down to a rock bottom price of about $7,500 but most of their merchandise was regular stuff that was going for bargain prices. We bought some rice crackers and other odds and ends then made our way back to the Tokyo Station area.

I'm always impressed with the cleanliness of the streets in Japan. No garbage blowing in the wind, not even old cigarette butts, in fact, we seldom see a pedestrian smoking since enclosed smoking rooms are provided in many places including airports and train stations.

The vehicular traffic is well behaved and drivers obey the laws except taxi and bus drivers who sometimes will push the yellow light well into the red area. Pedestrians, on the other hand, are pretty much all in a hurry, striding quickly along on their way to important places to see important people. At least that's the impression I think they are trying to give, especially the older businessmen who sometimes use their briefcases as people movers. I must say they obey the walk and wait lights, even to running to make it across the intersection with the blinking green walk light rather than have it turn red while they're still in the street.

After the excess food consumption of the past few days we were looking for something light so we ended up eating dinner at a Vietnamese resaurant with a bowl of pho for each of us and a shared plate of two deep fried noodle rolls with fresh vegetables. Hard to believe we would have Vietnamese food amid the hundreds of restaurants in this area (most in the underground walkways) but Iko was in charge of picking the restaurant tonight and that's what struck her fancy.

Gero to Nagoya to Tokyo

Thursday was a travel day. We went from Gero to Nagoya by our charter bus then caught the shinkansen to Tokyo.

When we are traveling on the chartered bus we have our full-time English speaking guide, Chiaki Aoki, who is assigned by JTB (Japan Travel Bureau) and has been with the Tazuma Group since 2004. Then, of course, there's the driver who is invariably professional and very skillful at manuevering the huge bus on the sometimes narrow roads and tight corners, and we also have a local guide. The driver and local guide may change depending on our route.

Guides in Japan are tested, licensed and retested to make sure they are competent and maintain the required knowledge of the area to properly guide tourists, both foreign and Japanese. They know history and geographical statistics and can sing folk songs from the area.

Our local guide singing a folk song and explaining local points of interest.

The fifteen members of this year's group spread out in a 55-passenger bus.

Japanese tour buses are quite comfortable with individually controlled A/C or heating vents from the rack above, reclining seats, drink holders, individual plastic garbage bags and curtains that can be drawn to block the sun.

I've never traveled on a full tour bus but I can imagine that might not be so comfortable. If you look at the seats on the left side of the center aisle you can see the jump seats. After the main seats are filled these seats rotate down and the back lifts up allowing a passenger to sit in what was the aisle. I should think that might be a little uncomfortably crowded.

Typically the tour bus makes a comfort stop every hour or 90 minutes. This allows a bathroom break, a chance for smokers (we don't have any) to get a fix, time for coffee or other drinks and a chance to stretch your legs.

We said goodbye to our driver and local guide at Nagoya Station and boarded the shinkansen express to Tokyo with stops at the New Yokohama and Shinagawa stations.

Many years ago I used to buy "ekimae bento" (lit. station front lunch) to eat on the train. Now it has been shortened to "eki-ben" short for the same. The old tradition of girls rolling food and drink carts through the aisles persists although the prices are much higher.

We bought bento boxes at the station in Nagoya but I bought some tea from the aisle girl. Eating bento on the train brought back memories of train travel in the old days when it took much longer to get from origin to destination.

In Tokyo we checked in at the Imperial Hotel. More flowers to greet us.

Miyoko and Ikuko in the Imerial Hotel Min Lobby

Another nice arrangement in the Imperial Hotel Tower Lobby.

Thursday night was the last night in Japan for many of our group so we had a special farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant. I've talked enough about food so won't now except to say that the sukiyaki was some of the best I've had.

Sagano to Gero

Wednesday, 10/14/15, we didn't get far down the road before we stopped at a sake bottling plant for a tour and tasting. There was a small museum of sake making equipment next door to the tasting room. It is always interesting to me how little the time-tested brewing techniques have changed. There are modern utensils but the ingredients and methods remain pretty much the same.

I tasted several samples of different sakes and shochu and even paid a buck and a half for a larger sample of a five year old sake aged in a wooden barrel. Sake normally doesn't age well, even after bottling but this was excellent with a hint of cypress and a nice amber color.

For lunch we stopped at a popular restaurant in Sekigahara where the famous battle between the armies of eastern and western Japan was fought some 415 years ago.

This area is famous also for its beef cattle so we had beef sushi, beef sukiyaki and beef and vegetables in a brown sauce.


After lunch we walked through "warland" and admired the concrete statues of the participants. Quite a large park, it probably covered three acres.


Back on the bus we headed for Gero hot springs. Once we got off the expressway our bus began to climb up a river valley through forested hills and a few farmers plots wherever there was flat land available.We arrived at our ryoan in Gero and were greeted by this beautiful array of white orchids.


The water at Gero is said to be the best in Japan for its mineral qualities and a soak in its waters brings smooth and almost slippery skin. It reminds me of the way an Epsom salts (do people still use these?) foot bath leaves the skin silken smooth. 

Gero was our last kaiseki dinner and it turned out to be skillfully prepared and served in the traditional manner of one course at a time. I don't want to belabor the point but the small bites of seasonal, local foods served in well matched dishes makes a memorable dining experience.




Above, a piece of bamboo split to resemble two ine needles. Below, sweet rice topped with a quarter piece of chestnut and a chestnut leaf for garnish.

After dinner another soak in the wonderful Gero water and off to bed.

                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Ten-Yen Temple

Tuesday afternoon we visited the Byodoin Temple. It was built in 1053 and of the original complex the Phoenix Hall or Hoo-do (phoenix in Japanese) as it's known is one of the few wooden buildings in the world that has survived almost one thousand years. There are many treasures there and the Hoo-Do (Phoenix Hall) is a designated Japanese National Treasure and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To quote from the multi-language handout: The garden has been designated a National Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty incorporating the Jodo style of "borrowed landscape" or classic Heian period garden that includes, well-groomed wave sand patterns, flat bridge and arched bridge. . .In addition, in Byodoin Temple, many cultural artifacts have been passed down from the Heian Period, including the Painting of Descent of Amitabha in Yamato-e style, a temple bell, and a pair of phoenix statues. In particular, the 52 bodies of Unchu Kuyo Bosatsu (Buddhist Saints holding a mass in the clouds) are the only surviving Buddha statues from the 11th century carved of a free but delicate nature, riding in the clouds and playing a variety of musical instruments."

The reason for the title of Ten-Yen Temple: The Hoo-Do is depicted on the obverse of the Japanese ten-yen coin and replica of a phoenix is on reverse of the 10,000 yen note.




 We toured the museum, looked at the 2.5 ton temple bell and visited the Hoo-do. Visitors to the Hoo-Do are restricted to 50 per tour, must purchase an additional admission ticket, can't touch anything and must remain quiet so our guide couldn't translate but there was a good English handout that described the various attractions.

The grounds of the entire Byodoin were immaculate and the trees were all well groomed to maintain their size and shape.

We happened upon a four-man crew working on one of the pine trees, thinning the needles and trimming off new growth.

Back at our flowery ryokan I noticed the flower arrangements in the lobby, alcoves and even the tokonoma in our room had been changed.

After a good bath we assembled for another kaiseki dinner and some well deserved rest.

I think I could come to like this style of travel.

Shooting the Hozugawa

Tuesday morning we loaded into boats for a trip down the Hozugawa (Hozu River). The boat carried more or less 25 people and had a crew of three, one manning the steering oar, one on a paddling oad and one poor apprentice manning a pole which he used to push the boat along in slow parts of the river and to fend off the rocks while shooting the rapids.

Apprentice boatman working hard

I use the term "shooting the rapids" loosely since during the whole two hour ride there were no real white water rapids as we know them from the Wenatchee River or other rivers in the Northwest where there are companies specializing in white water rafting. But I must say it was an enjoyable experience. The scenery was mostly natural scenes of the mountains lining the gorge with the occasional highway or railroad bridge cutting across the view.

The boatman using the rowing oar told stories and pointed out features along the way with the steersman occasionally chiming in. At the halfway point those two changed places but the poor apprentice just kept on using his pole.

Finally someone asked about the pole man. He didn't have time to talk but the oarsman explained that he is an apprentice who works the pole to learn the location of all the rocks and the various depths along the route. Our man has been working at it for one year so he has nine years to go before he graduates to the steering and rowing (and talking) roles. The positions are filled only with men from Kyoto and it is a good job so they put up with the apprenticeship to earn the right to work the boats.

As we got into the slow water near the end of the route a similar sized boat with a small outboard engine pulled up alongside and sold snacks and drinks to the passengers who were hungry and thirsty after the strenuous ride down the river.

We unloaded, surrendered out life preservers to the boatmen and headed for lunch.  Good thing since the big breakfast at the ryokan was wearing off and we were ready to eat again.

Romantic Railway to a Flowery Ryokan

After the lunch at the nice French Restaurant we headed for the Sagano Romantic railway for a ride through scenic countryside, through tunnels and alongside a river where we'll ride a boat today. The hills were covered with bamboo forests, or would it be better to say groves? Actually the bamboo here in the Kyoto area is prized for bamboo shoots and for its timber qualities. Where the bamboo doesn't grow there are forests of cypress trees.

Harold and Ikuko, a romantic couple for over fifty years.

The Kusumi's, over 56 years a romantic couple.

At one stop along the way and at the completion of our trip there were groups of ceramic Japanese raccoon dogs (tanuki) waiting to say hello. These tanuki are famous for their large testicles (kintama (gold balls) in Japanese) and there is a popular childrens folk song which goes, Tan, tan, tanuki no kintama wa. . . and goes on to describe their large "gold balls" as swinging even if there is no breeze like a golden bell. There are several verses which I don't know but are probably available on line if you are interested

After our ride on the romantic railway we headed for our ryokan and a good hot bath.

Everywhere we've stayed there have been flowers in the lobby but this place was special. There were flowers in the lobby, in the hallways, in alcoves and in the tokonoma (honored place) in our room.

The mineral water in the bath was unusually good and the dinner was also very good. I've described the kaiseki style so won't bore you with all the details but, again, the dishes were well prepared and served. It's a real pleasure to observe the serving dishes and how they match the food. 

Another trip to the ofuro after dinner and then a good night's rest before another full day of sightseeing.