Last few days traveling with my Mum and Aunt

The last long weekend that my aunt and mum spent in Japan we traveled to view Fuji-san from the five lakes, then to Tokyo for a Baseball game and the Izu. It was lovely to travel to these places because even though they aren't far from Gotemba I have not been to them before.

We got the bus easily from Gotemba station and arrived an hour later at Kawaguchiko Station. We then got another bus to one of the main viewing points of Mt. Fuji over Lake Kawaguchiko. The weather was beautiful and it was nice to enjoy the weather and walk around the lake.

We then went to Lake Saiko and Iyashi no Sato which is a recreated historical village. There are lots of Japanese crafts there and you can see how building were originally built in Japan. It is interesting to see how the roofs were thatched, its is very similar to thatching from historical Irish homes.

The next day we went to Tokyo to watch a Baseball game. My aunt really wanted to see a game as she wasn't able to when she went to America. Baseball is not played in Europe so we have never watched a game. Therefore it took us a while to understand the rules, but after a few inning we got the hang of it.

The atmosphere was electric and I really want to go to another game soon. We watched the Tokyo Gaints and the Swallows, the Swallows won and their fans were much more animated.

The next morning we traveled to the Izu and spent the day in Shimoda.

The weather was spectacular so we decided that we wanted to spend the day walking around in the sun shine taking in the sights. Firstly we walked around the harbor then went to see Perry Road.

Below is Perry Road, which is an old fashioned street that looks European and was the street that Commodore Perry walked along to Ryosenji Temple. He was arrived in Japan to request the opening of Japanese ports to US ships.

We then walked through some of Shimoda Park but preferred to near the sea so we walked down to the promenade which led to a small island where fishermen were leisurely fishing.

That evening we traveled to Ito and spent the night in K's House Onsen Hostel. This was amazing, a traditionally Japanese ryokan that is 100 years old. Our room was beautiful and the onsen was great. It was nice for my aunt and mum as well as it had a private onsen so they felt less self-conscious using this than the usual onsens. I was so happy that they got to try an onsen and could understand why I enjoy them so much.

They next day we went shopping around Ito and Marine Town, but there was a very big storm coming and I was worried about getting home on the trains, so we left earlier than planned.

The Burning of Mt. Omuro

Last weekend, I went with Mishima Kita's and Oyama's ALTs to Ito. We spent the night at K's House, which is a really nice hostel.

http://kshouse.jp/ito-e/facilities/index.html

If you're going to Ito, I would recommend staying at this place. There is an onsen inside and the atmosphere is really nice. Also, there is a river behind the hostel, and our room overlooked the river.

After relaxing at the onsen, the next day we went to Mt. Omuro. We took a bus from Ito station to the mountain. Mt. Omuro is a dormant volcano. It has a crater that is 300m in diameter and 70m deep that is located at the summit. The mountain is 580 meters above sea level. Every year on the 2nd Sunday of February, a famous event called Yamayaki (burning the mountain) is performed. However this year, it was one week late due to snow. The tall grass covering Mt. Omuro is set on fire, and all the grass covering the mountain is burned. This tradition has been passed down since the Kamakura Era, and is carried out so that new grass can grow quickly. It is symbolic of spring's nearness. Before the lighting, a group of men played taiko drums. I wonder what happens to the animals living on the mountain. I heard that foxes live on the mountain. I wonder if they are ok during the burning.