Onsen Mania

Trip Start Sep 25, 2002
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Trip End May 15, 2004


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Monday, February 17, 2003

Week 17 (2.13 - 2.19.03) - This week started with am impromptu Valentines date! Noriko and I decide to go out and, man what a difference here...Valentines Day in Japan is opposite! That's right, here on VD the women take out the men and buy the men a present!! A radical concept I know, something that would never fly in the US! Haha So, I was taken out to a nice meal and given a few interesting presents (shirt, chocolates, etc.). Of course, I just couldn't let my traditional values go and gave her a small present as well, a very famous Japanese rabbit (usagi) stuffed animal. This week was also the weekend that Nick and I went snowboarding and to Amanohashidate with Hajemi. Amano is one of the three must-see views of Japan and probably the most interesting one from the perspective the viewed is undertaken. You have to stand of one of two specific benches, turn around, bend over and look between your legs (yes, upside down) and there is supposed to be a beautiful view of what looks like a golden road leading to heaven 01kannabe
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 ! Unfortunately, bad weather prevented me from seeing the view, but I'll catch it again later this year. Amano did offer us onsen-mania! WE went to at least 6 different hot springs, my favorite being the iron-producing rock spring that makes it seem like your bathing in some crazy bathtub from Willie Wonkas chocolate factory! However, before we went to Amano, we stopped in Kannabe in northern Hyogo prefecture for a day of snowboarding. Not exactly Colorado let me say. This was a tiny mountain to ski and and its location close the Sea of Japan made the snow rather wet and slush-like, but it was just fun to get out and board again to be quite honest. Since Sunday was not a good weather day and our famous view was going to not be so good, we decide to play a little table tennis (huge here) and hit a few onsens again before we leave. This days onsen was great b/c there we were, sitting outside in the rain looking over the Sea of Japan, while soaking in a nice steaming natural hot spring! Very relaxing. Lastly, this week also included the re-opening of a local yakiniku (Korean beef) restaurant, which had an incredible special of Y90 drinks! (sorry, that's like 75 cent drinks) Need less to say, Noriko, Nick and I were there on opening night tallying up 37 drinks between the three of us! Ahh, meat and cheap drinks...lovin' Japan right now!
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