We enjoyed the opportunity to see and experience life in a Japanese home by staying in a Ryokan last night.The neighbourhood was made up of very narrow streets and small traditional homes. Our host was very welcoming and her two little girls, aged 2 and 6, were a bit shy but delightful.
However, the reality of sleeping on tatami mats and sitting at a very low table on the floor is not as easy as it used to be. After all we are “of a certain age”. The biggest issue is that Barry now has a painful back condition called DISH, so we tried to make him more comfortable by inflating our Thermarest sleeping mats and adding them to the bedding. It was better, but Barry had a rough night. We would certainly consider staying in another Ryokan, but we need one with a Western style bed and perhaps a chair for sitting.
Our room at the Ryokan included 4 other spaces - a dressing area, a toilet room, a bathing room and an area with a sink. The tub is about 3’x2’. Henceforth Barry will be referred to as Origami Man. How he got in…and then out is a mystery to me.
And we have lots of slippers. In a Ryokan it is expected that you will take off your shoes at the door and only wear the provided slippers while at the Inn, but take them off before you go into your sleeping room.. As you can see, special slippers are also provided for when you use the toilet.
Susan JamesThis is very common in Japan. This gives you a chance to wash your hands before it flows into the toilet tank; thus saving water. Reply to this comment 10 months ago
We had a good ride from the Ryokan back to the area where we will be staying tonight. Once again we were riding on the busy sidewalk with many cyclists and pedestrians. It is a bit of a dance we all do, weaving around when needed, but generally trying to hold your line (and not have a collision!) It is still a marvel to us that it works so well. We decided to ride through the Castle grounds and it was even more vibrant than yesterday. Being Sunday, there were so many families enjoying the day, teams were practicing, groups were performing dance, music, etc. Then we chanced upon a large area where Expo 2023 was in progress. More on that later.
We enjoyed watching this young baseball team doing a workout in the park. They were having fun and were very focused until one of the boys loudly emitted some gas which reduced the team and coach to hysterics.
As we were riding through an area of lush forest on a dirt path, we could hear music so we went to investigate. We found a very talented young dance troupe practicing and performing.
The video above shows the young people who were dancing in the park. Don’t shoot the videographer as he and I are still learning. At one point B tried to get a larger video and that is why it goes sideways. You will see that the next video later in this day ‘s journal shows that his vido/Vimeo skills are improving.
As we continued riding, we could hear more music and drumming in the distance and then saw hundreds of bikes parked. We discovered that there is a special event today, Expo 2023. We were surprised to find a huge stadium sized field with food stalls, children performing in various areas, as well as activities for children. The fire department was there with their trucks and were taking people for rides very high up in their hydraulic cranes
Our second attempt at using a video…this group were so talented and worked hard in the heat of the day. Congrats to them, the performers and to Barry, the budding videographer.
This was very popular. It was tempting to try this, but the line up was long and we felt that the families were the priority to enjoy this event.
In the picture above we saw a rare sight…garbage bins. The philosophy in Japan is that you are responsible for your own garbage and it is advised to bring your own plastic bag with you. Clearly the volume of people today have overwhelmed the bins’ capacity. A worker had just arrived and was meticulously sorting each piece of refuse and recycling and taking it away. Generally, we have seen no evidence of littering while in Japan.
Smart ladies using their umbrellas on this hot day in April.
Somehow I got separated from Barry and this is where I realized that I am lost. The routes are many and often circuitous here at the castle and for me that translates into a labrynth with many dead ends. For once, I kept my cool and eventually found my way back to the entrance where a Barry was patiently waiting for me after 30 minutes of pacing.
This marathon participant has style. I forgot to mention that there was also a marathon taking place today in the park. Like sharing the space with others while riding on sidewalks, the runners did the same here.
I ended up riding for some time hoping to find a way out and at times I joined the marathon riders. Once when struggling up a steep hill (without motor) the people were cheering and clapping for me to succeed - a trifle embarrassing but I put on my game face, waved and bowed from my trike while riding by. At other times, strangers would simply clap and wave. I have never so enjoyed being lost before. Unforgettable.
With each ride on our trikes, we are gaining in confidence. There has been much to learn…primarily to remember to ride on the left side of the road. But there are so many bicycles here…at times we wonder, are we in Amsterdam? Most riders share the sidewalk with pedestrians, and that’s where the concept of riding on the left stops. To complicate things for us, ringing a bike bell to warn someone that you are coming through is considered rude. No one rings a bell, so we are learning how to ride safely while silent. A fellow Cycle Blaze contributor, Scott Anderson, made a comment to us that it is kind of like riding in an arcade game. We are mystified that no one gets hurt, yet the riders and walkers share the space peacefully. Somehow it works.
Today's ride: 15 km (9 miles) Total: 33 km (20 miles)
