Oarai to Hitachi

The setting of Oarai Park Hotel could not be better. It is perched above the road with a superb view of the rocky coast and thr pounding surf. As well, the hospitality we experienced from the staff was exceptional. However, we can see that this hotel won’t be here much longer. It badly needs renovations, new windows…pretty much everything. It looks like new owners have begun the process with the addition of new luxury villas behind the hotel. There is no upkeep being done to the grounds. It will be the end of an era for this formerly grand hotel.

Oarai Park Hotel - somehow the photo brings out the best of it.

Sadly the building on the left is crumbling and the landscaping is no more.

Despite my negative observations about the state of the hotel, we will take away good memories of our time here, largely because of the staff who made our stay special. We hope that they continue to have employment when changes are made.

The Pacific Ocean is such an interesting companion to ride alongside. It throws everything at us…swirling winds, headwinds, cooling breezes, dramatic surf, beautiful scenery, bird life, people fishing and there is always something to entertain us, like the surfers pictured below.

We are riding back into the town of Oarai to visit the Oarai Isosaki Shrine. We are able to ride all the way on a cycle/pedestrian path, directly alongside the ocean. This forest is so lovely with the contrast of the dark tree trunks amongst the tall grasses

This Tori Gate is part of the Oarai Isosaki Shrine which is across the road.

The Oarai Isosaki shrine was built in 856. The shrine commemorates two deities who it is believed created the country of Japan.

The entrance from the street to Oarai Isosaki Shrine. Everything is oversized here with the unending stairs and this impressive Tori Gate with its commanding presence at the entrance.

What a tough job this fellow has. He is cutting back with a weed whacker the out of control bushes and plants on this steep path from the street to the temple. Periodically he would have to stop, sit down and wipe away the sweat from his face. Nonetheless, he had a big smile and was happy to converse with us.

Adding a pebble to what so many other visitors have done.

It looks a bit like a mountain from this vantage point.

Not so bad…one step at a time. The bigger problem is that it is very hot today with high humidity.

When you reach the shrine, before entering, you wash your hands here. You take a ladle and rinse off each hand making sure the water falls outside the cement trough.

These happy fellows are at the entrance. I don’t understand their significance but most people would pat their heads with much laughter and then leave coins in the box.

Visitors can buy a paper with a fortune on it. If it is a good fortune they will take it home. On the other hand if it is a bad fortune they will tie it to this stand.

People write a wish to the gods on these Ema boards.

The impressive worship hall is guarded by statues of frogs instead of the typical lion-dogs. The frog is considered a symbol of good luck in Japan.

A close up photo of the shrine which lets you appreciate the intricate details and painted figures.

Part of visiting the shrine is to pay your respects to the gods by contributing some coins in the box and then clapping twice followed by bowing twice.

The shrine is also famous among fans of the anime series, “Girls and Panzer”. The series is based in the town of Oarai and uses real life locations. Many prayer plaques at the shrine feature illustrations of the characters from the anime drawn by visiting fans.

There are several smaller shrines around the property. It is a place of great religious significance as well as a relaxing environment to spend time in this tranquil place. We see newborns to the very elderly at shrines and temples. Their practice of living their beliefs is integrated into their daily life.

Many of us walked up the long flight of stairs to reach the Shrine. Once we were up there, we discovered that we could have ridden up from the rear to the side entrance and walked in on the level. Oh well, the climb and walking through the huge Tori Gate added to our experience.

Walking around grounds, we came upon a lovely area with beautiful trees like this Japanese maple tree.

This crow was enjoying himself at the Shrine.

This young woman is in Oarai for a mini holiday for a few days. She is originally from China and has lived and worked in Tokyo for several years. She enjoys a break from the city when she can. She was staying at our hotel as well.

We appreciate bridges in Japan. They are usually decorated with plaques, decorative features on the railings or tiles on the walkway to highlight the area. The evenly spaced white tiles on the walkway are pictures of local fish. It’s nice that cyclists and walkers can enjoy this.

Different species of local fish are painted on the tiles.

We are always happy when we discover a fish market in our travels. The atmosphere is one of organized chaos with each stall calling out and the highlight is the visual spectacles of seeing such incredible freshly caught seafood.

The Nakaminato Fish market in Hitachinaka …Over a million people come to this market every year. it is a treat to watch a skilled professional deboning and cutting up a fish.

Below are photos of what we saw at the many stalls at the fish market.

Bins of ice are available for packing the fish they purchased in ice to keep it fresh.

Condiments are added to the fresh oysters before you swallow them.

We can see that dogs are a big part of the family in Japan. They go wherever their family goes, usually in a stroller or held in their arms. Most are well schooled in how to behave and can handle a busy place like this.

Adding a sauce to his raw oyster…looks yummy.

Trays of clams dug up from the beaches. We have watched the shellfish harvesters digging for the clams in every type of weather

We love convenience stores that offer a place for us to eat a meal or have a coffee out of the wind or rain. This particular Konbini had four rules for using the sitting area.

1. Do not use from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am

2. No alcohol

3. Only use for 20 minutes

4. No noise