Japan - 13 Oct. 2004

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日本紅葉之旅 - 二零零四年十月
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I hope you have the patience to read this junior English story.

We took the early bus from Aomori JR Train Station to Lake Towada in the morning. After getting off the bus we reserved the accommodation at the Youth Hostel by the side of the lake.

dropping all the belongings there and then we went to have lunch at the the JR Towada Restaurant. Yummy curry and beautiful leaves made us full.

After finishing the meal, it took less than 10 minutes by bus to the Oirase stream entrance.

It took ?? hours to walk from here to Ishi Ge Do(石ケ戸), and then took a bus to have the onsen bathing at () in the Towada Onsen village (十和田温泉郷).

We enjoyed the onsen() at () and planned to take the last bus back to Youth Hostel near lake Towada.

We were waiting at the bus stop which was opposite to the bus stop we got off hous ago.

Waiting....... Why was it late few minutes? ......We saw a coming bus stopped at the opposite side........My wife told me to ask the bus driver .......but I refuesd as I have to crossed the road to do that ....... kept on waiting ...... Later, an old couples (you can see them at Japan 14 2004) told me that the bus stop should be at the opposite side. That means the same bus stop for round trip.
Oh my god! How could I go back to Youth Hostel?
I rasied my thumb and hope that we could have a free drive.
Unluckily, waiting nearly 30 minutes, it was failure.
Should I show my leg instead of the thumb as it is the most attractive part I can show off?
We wanted to keep the appointment - back to the Youth Hostel at lake Towada.
Finally our stomach urged us to make a decision - telling the Youth Hostel that we missed the last bus and could not reached there, sorry for that.
and then we took a 15 minutes walk back to the hotel which we took onsen hours ago.
At the front desk, we requested to have a twin/double room one night. The staff said " Go gisho Sama (ごちそうざま) ..... no room is available " both of us, eyes watching eyes, opening our mouths.standing still few second ........... My wife is so smart that she said " without dinner is ok " He could arranged a room for us after hearing this feedback from me.
Hurrah! no need to have a wild camp without a tent in Japan. If We had to do that , would it be a special experience for us?
My wife explained why she has such thought ....... When Japanese people finish the meal, They say " Gogisho sama (ごちそうざま)"
From this experience, we know that they will not serve you if they do not provide the whole package, such as only room service but no meal.
Later I found out that would it be the staff so stupid? or didn't he want to do extra job?
Since we did not had our dinner, I went to the entrance of the hotel restaurant/canteen. It was full of tour members. I read the menu and asked a Japanese girl tour guide to see what we could order. The anwser disappointed me. Finally she went to the front desk and talk with the staff ........
Oh! She was very kind to ask him to order two sets of dinner for us.(you can see her at Japan 14 2004). According to the address printed on the chopsticks package, this food shop's location was near the bus stop where we waited - 15 mintues away from the hotel on foot.
Later there was a man holding a retangular metal box(looks like the boy carrying in 出前一丁) and went straight forward to the canteen kitchen. later the hotel staff delivered it - Chicken meat with egg rice(親子飯) on the table in front of us at canteen.
The room is quite special ..... no toilet, only a basin inside.
Reference:
十和田湖温泉郷うしの湯祭り : http://www.net.pref.aomori.jp/city/towada/kankou/event/natsu.htm
奥入瀬渓流ガイドマップ : http://www.net.pref.aomori.jp/city/towada/koutsuu/oirase/keiryuu.htm
奥入瀬渓流の歩き方 : http://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/douro/oirase/walking/walking.html

a beautiful toilet

Lunch at JR Towada Restaurant near the Lake Towada (十和田湖)

Curry fried pork cutlet rice

JR Towada Restaurant

ier at Lake Towada, just at the opposite of the JR restaurant.

We took a walk along the Oirase river ,starting from here to Yakeyama(燒山). It took ??? hours.

scenery of the river side.

finishing point - Ishi Ge Do(石ケ戸)
If you want to see and walk much more, you can keep on walking to Yakeyama(燒山).
It take ??? hours more.

Our dinner, chicken meat with egg rice(親子飯) ,quite special .........

Why only two us in this canteen? Only two of us stayed at here tonight?

the accommodation is near Yakeyama(燒山)

I tip toed back to the onsen pool at late late night to take some photos.
I did not see him - the old man. After taking this photo, I tried to stepped into the pool and took the picture below. I saw him at this moment.I was shocked, my heart jumped out, bob bob bob, so quick, as it is not allowed to take photos inside the onsen pool. I have heard of that but I do not know whether it is true. I always take some when there is nobody there, so I have to take it at early morning or late late night.Sometime I can ask the man to take photo for me. If he accepts, that means it is no problem.
I moved forward slowly as I did not want to wake him up. At last I took the photo below with the flash. The name of this onsen is not so clear.

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日本紅葉之旅 - 二零零四年十月
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