We continue on our journey around Japan in autumn, while composing Haiku (a form of Japanese poetry) along the way. While touring around Hachimantai in Iwate, have lunch at a restaurant located in the highlands. The restaurant’s chef used to own a Western-style restaurant in Lake Hamana, and moved here after falling in love with Hachimantai’s nature. Lunch, including coffee, costs 950 yen (S$14.40). Among the dishes you can try are the seasonal dish, mushroom pasta; highland vegetable pasta; and rainbow trout meuniere. After your meal, continue exploring Hachimantai. Enjoy the view of the sunset, and look out for an unusual sight - a tiered canal. In spring, cold water from Hachimantai flows in and is made into tiers so that it gets warmer. Thus, it is colder upstream but it gets warmer as it flows down. The water is used for growing vegetables and rice, which do not contain any chemicals. Return the bicycles which you have rented and make you way to the inn for the night. The inn is well known for its hot spring and amazing view from its rooms. Indulge in its open-air bath, while admiring the view of the beautiful autumn leaves. Dinner at the inn’s restaurant consists of 15 superb dishes, including a renowned Maezawa beef dish, Maezawa beef sushi, pork with Tochucha herb, seafood dishes and even shark’s fin!
The next morning, on the second day of this trip around Hachimantai, hop on the route bus from the front of the hotel. Head to near the top of Hachimantai, which boasts superb views. If you take the first bus of the day, a guide will be on board to point out interesting sights. Enjoy the scenic bus ride and before you know it, you’ll reach near the top of Hachimantai. Hachimantai is located between Akita and Iwate. Enjoy the fresh air, as you admire the wonderful view of the vast wilderness spread over Akita. It is said that this is the best spot to see Iwate. Some locals will tell you that Hachimantai is a “feminine” place, whereas Mt Iwate is “masculine”. Let the breathtaking view of Mt Iwate inspire you to pen a haiku here. After this, head to the next stop by bus and train. Transfer from the JR line to Iwate Galactic Line. Alight at the Okunakayama Kogen Station, which looks like a person’s house. Here, you will meet the famous honorary stationmaster Maron – who is a Yorkshire terrier! He even has a name card with his duties include welcoming guests and patrolling. Next, head to Okunakayama Highland, which features a magnificent view of the surroundings. End your trip to the picturesque Akita by visiting the park here, where nearly 600,000 cosmoses bloom.
The next trip starts from Kaminari-mon in Asakusa, Tokyo. Soak in the Edo atmosphere as you stroll around the traditional town. Visit one of the symbols of Asakusa, the Senso-ji temple. Next, stop by a shop famous for its homemade deep fried sweet potatoes. In autumn, sweet potato from Kagoshima is fried in canola oil. These sweet potatoes are so popular that you will see long queues of people waiting to buy them. The delicious treat is crunchy on the outside and soft inside. After this, take the Sumida River cruise to Ryogoku. It takes 10-minutes to reach the town, where sumo wrestling originated in the Edo era. The sumo town even has a National Sports Arena. While in Ryogoku, visit the Eko-in temple, where you will see stone monuments from the Edo era. There is also a tomb of the famous thief “Jirokichi the Rat”, who robbed the rich and gave to the poor. It is said that scraping the stone in front of the tomb brings good luck. Next, drop by the Chanko hot pot shop for lunch. Opened by sumo wrestler Tomoegata, the restaurant’s recommended item is Soppu Chanko, a soup-based dish popular among sumo wrestlers. Traditionally made using chicken bones, the dish now also comes with beef. You can also add rice to make porridge, or even have it with noodles. After lunch, take the water bus to Mukojima. Explore the old town, which still retains its traditional charm. The streets boast several first-class Japanese restaurants. Try some delicious handmade tofu and other tasty treats as you roam around the old town shopping area, which has a Showa-era type atmosphere. For example, the Hatoya shop, which has been operating since 1912, sells traditionally-baked rolls with butter, jam, or peanut butter. Each roll costs just 10 yen (S$0.15), while the butter is a mere 5 yen (S$0.08)! The master baker has not raised his prices after all these years. Then there’s Daikokuya, which has been making and selling Edo wooden chopsticks for 100 years. At this shop, you can find 200 kinds of chopsticks made by the master, including pentagonal or even heptagonal ones. Do also visit Mukojima Hyakkaen, a private garden developed by a curio dealer during the Edo era. Nearly 500 kinds of flowers bloom here in all seasons. Admire flowers such as red and white bush clovers, the seven flowers of autumn, and Japanese pampas grass. There is a haiku corner here too, where you can read haiku composed by people who visited the place. It may inspire you to write your own haiku!
Next, visit Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Fukagawa, Tokyo. The temple was built 380 years ago, and here you will find 19 kinds of wish pots. You can throw coins in the pots and make wishes. It is believed that Fukagawa is closely connected to famous haiku poet Basho Matsuo. It is said that Basho started his trip from Fukagawa and composed haiku all over Japan. The locals had set up the Basho Inari Shrine in 1917. In addition, the Basho historic park is located near the shrine. After this, go to Odaiba by taking a boat ride along Sumida River. Sake, seafood from Tokyo and other autumn delicacies are served on board the roofed pleasure boat. Enjoy a meal of stewed turnip, tempura, deep fried sand borer and conger from Tokyo Bay. You can even request for Geisha to entertain you. As the boat nears Odaiba, make your way to the deck to enjoy the cool river breeze and end your trip by admiring the dazzling night view.
The next haiku trip during autumn takes place in Gifu. From Gifu Station, take the Takayama Line to Mino-Ota Station, from where you transfer to the Ota Line. Make your way to the flower fest memorial park in Kani City. It is said to be the best rose garden in the world, featuring 7,000 kinds of roses, numbering 60,000 in total. Marvel at the fragrant and colourful autumn roses here. After the rose garden, take a train to Seki City in Gifu Prefecture. It is a historic and cultural city, featuring beautiful scenery and the Nagara River. Visit the Enku Museum, named after the famous monk Enku, who had carved many statues of Buddha, from wood. It seems that if there was a piece of chopped wood, Enku carved it into a Buddha, as he believed that Buddha dwells in each piece of wood. Enku had carved 120,000 statues of Buddha in his lifetime. Meanwhile, Seki is also famous for Japanese swords and sword smiths. There is a place here where you can see a demonstration of how Japanese swords are made. The method has not been changed for 1000 years. A superb sword made by the famous Kanemoto is displayed here. Make your way back to the city area of Seki. Have lunch at an eel restaurant with 100 years of history. Seki's eel rice has been popular among sword smiths, whose work requires a lot of physical strength. Try this traditional dish, which is accompanied by a delicious secret sauce. The two-layered eel rice with soup costs 2100 yen (S$32).
Next, head to Gujo-Hachiman, a castle town where tasteful streets and houses still remain. The Yoshida River flows through the town. You can stay the night at the Yoshidaya which was established in 1880. Yoshidaya used to be a first-class Japanese restaurant, so the food is superb. You can choose to stay at either a tasteful Japanese room or the Western-style room. Spring water is used for the bath, and will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Dinner is served at the inn’s restaurant. Dishes include Matsukaze made of eels' liver, grilled trout (Amago) with salt, carp sashimi, sesame tofu with free range chicken in miso sauce, and boar stew cooked in a secret sauce.
The next day, continue on the trip around Gujo-Hachiman in Gifu. As it is known as a water town, you will see several canals all over. The area is maintained by members of a laundry union – believed to be the only one in Japan. Enjoy the nostalgic sights as you roam around the old streets of the town. Visit the various shops along the streets where you can buy all sorts of knick-knacks and interesting items. There is even a general store called Akagaki which sells a variety of things like vegetables, flowers, dried food and other items from the mountains, such as delicious wild grapes. After this, walk along the river, where you will see people catching sweet fish for breeding. Try your hand at catching some sweet fish and later, grill it with salt to make a delicious snack. End your trip on a high note by going to the Gujo-Hachiman castle, located on Mt Hachiman. The beautiful castle with four layers and five floors gives visitors a panoramic view of the whole town, not forgetting the lovely autumn scenery.
