Day 6: Kisofukushima to Tsumago, text and pics

Day 6: Kisofukushima to Tsumago

QOTD:  DB, you’re brilliant!

Hiking Haiku:

Hiking souvenirs:
bruised toenail, memories of
that snake, new freckles.

Weather: mid 70s, seems hotter in afternoon when humidity builds up

Pics:  Breakfast, very small bathroom shoes, DB and Fusao in daily tech conference, inn proprietress and Fusao, Highway 19, the hike, ancestoral shrines, bear and snake warnings, lunch, Japanese scarecrows, Tsumago shots,  DB’s imminent blister being treated, tonight’s inn and our room (a suite!).

Up early to pack for hike and get bags ready (meeting us tonight, so THB’s pack is a lot lighter today and DB is packless). Breakfast (see pic) of an assortment of which the only thing THB doesn’t eat is the fried egg up.

Checkout at 9am and get in a taxi, go a few blocks to the local 7-11 and select our lunch for today plus extra water $13. Back in the taxi to motor down Highway 19 (THB was hoping for 61), meeting up with road work, and at an obscure spot turning left and heading uphill. Last night, while discussing today’s hike, one option (DB, you’re brilliant) was to have the taxi drop us off at the top of the first steep uphill, saving us 1 to 2 hours of pretty strenuous hiking (maybe 2 to 2.5 miles, straight up). The taxi then continues on to our inn in Tsumago to drop off the bags.

At 10am, we’re saddled up and ready to go. Mostly downhill through a variety of terrain: forest (pine and bamboo), through farmland (lots of small rice plots), near streams most of the way, all from picturesque to fascinating. It’s a long day (DB, you’re brilliant), and we arrive at Tsumago (another cute post town, similar to Narai) around 3:45, making the inn on the far side of town around 4. Without the bypass of the first uphill (DB, you’re brilliant) we would have a) been too late for our onsen visit, b) had to leave a lot earlier, c) been totally exhausted before getting to the inn, and d) all of the above. In all, THB figures somewhere around 20-21 kilometers, 12+ miles (THB rounding applies, so nearing 14 miles with slight detours for sights).

At the inn, we barely have time to get our bags settled, check our e-mail and stop sweating (okay, two out of three) when we get our change of clothes ready and get in another taxi for a short ride to the onsen for a hot springs soak. It’s a public place, women separated from men. You wash and clean off before getting in the water; that’s true in inns as well, since you share the hot water bath – it never gets emptied. THB takes a cold shower first, intermittently washing hair and body. Also, they provide little stools for you to sit on and flexible showerhead hoses. Since THB can barely stand and is still overheated from hike, this is extremely satisfying.

Fusao and THB enjoy the hot springs inside and outside (outside is a bit cooler water, both are too cool for DB who likes it HOT HOT HOT), plus spend a moment in the cold water trough.

Another cold shower for THB, dress and meet up in foyer with DB for brewskies. Can a draft beer taste much better?

Taxi is awaiting us for short ride back to inn, and another complete and delicious dinner, the best yet. THB was too tired to bring the camera to dinner, so no pic, sorry. Fried fish with salt coating (like they need more salt in their diet here), soba ramen, odon style veggies and tofu, cold tofu with chocolate sauce (THB swears), small mushrooms in a clear sweet marinade (great on rice), tempura veggies, and white custard with small slices of kiwi on top (we have seen a lot of kiwi vines).

Stagger up stairs, do a bit of posting, collapse on futon for a solid night’s sleep, the futons here (you always sleep on futons atop tatami mats) seem just plush enough that THB is not quite conscious of sleeping on the floor….maybe because after 6 hours of walking, THB is not quite conscious).