Trip to Yonezawa - Third Day
The third day at Yonezawa was a Monday so our hosts were a bit more busy than the last two days. We were left with Mami and her boyfriend(who joined us the night before) to figure out what to do for the day. Mami wanted to go to a mall and we were prepared to go but found out later that it was 2 hours away - which meant that we'd be spending 4 hours on the drive. So we suggested that we could do something else closer by. The kids seemed to want to go to the game center so we went there first - but there ended up being very little to do - there were not many games that could be done together. No air hockey or kids bowling etc., aye? The only game they had a bit of fun with was taiko no tatsujin, a drumming game which they could play against each other. We then suggested that bowling might be a better activity and everyone agreed so we went to the local bowling alley (they play 10 pin here in Japan) for a game.
We then went back to the cabin where Ebi-san - our friend - was waiting. We didn't have any plans for the afternoon, so I suggested to Audrey that we go out to the nearby stream for a walk. This little walk out to the stream has lots of memories from last year. Last year, I had made a song from a friend's poem and had wanted to make a video with it so that the friend in Bulgaria could listen to it. I dressed Audrey up in her princess dress and took videos of her walking the path, playing with dragonflies and playing in the little stream. It was fun to see Audrey do the same little things she did then, now one year older ;)
Here is the video from a year ago by the way...The Secret Spell
The path from the cabin into the mountain leads up to a bridge where a small stream flows underneath.
Across the bridge is an old shrine. It is so run over it's hard to believe people actually visit it. The Torii gate in front which you are supposed to go through for cleansing is surrounded by tall weeds, and the only way inside was through the side.
Alex is especially interested in these mystical places, so I followed him in. There was an old monument made during the Edo period so we stopped to read the notice. Then Alex went toward the little shrine at the top of the steps. There was a guard gate like building before the shrine so that we could see the shrine through the building. Alex called to me to get my camera ready. When I looked, there was a Kamoshika (Serow) standing there right inside the "gate" looking at us. Alex told me later that when he first looked, the Kamoshika was sitting inside the gate, looking at him. We didn't want to make any sudden movements so we stood really still as the Kamoshika walked back toward the shrine. It turned around again and looked at us as it got to the shrine.
It was all very mystical, as if we were looking at a demi-god. Ebi-san told us later that kamoshika cannot see very well, so they stand still and stare like that because they can't see properly. His step-son also told us that he senses ghosts around that shrine. I would not be surprised. With the shrine run down like that, there could be some rather angry spirits around. Hubby told me that he would not copy my pictures of the kamoshika because it was just too spooky. The kamoshika actually reminds me of Mononoke Hime (Gibli)
We watched it as it went behind the shrine and walked away slowly, turning to watch us every once in a while. Alex stopped to pray at the shrine and then we left.
When we got back, we found that Mami had gone home because she had school the next day and needed to prepare. Audrey cried for a while for missing her until I suggested we go back to the stream and wade in the water for a bit. So we went back. Alex took his fishing rod this time, but didn't catch anything.
Alex sits on the bridge as he gets ready to jump down. Audrey shows me the dragonfly she caught with her bare hands :)
The bridge over which the stream runs♡
The water seemed less cold than last year - I guess because it was so hot. I took some videos of the running water in case you'd be interested in listening. There's a bit at the end where you can see Audrey in the water as well.
Ebi-san's wife made us a nice dinner and that was the end of our day.
We then went back to the cabin where Ebi-san - our friend - was waiting. We didn't have any plans for the afternoon, so I suggested to Audrey that we go out to the nearby stream for a walk. This little walk out to the stream has lots of memories from last year. Last year, I had made a song from a friend's poem and had wanted to make a video with it so that the friend in Bulgaria could listen to it. I dressed Audrey up in her princess dress and took videos of her walking the path, playing with dragonflies and playing in the little stream. It was fun to see Audrey do the same little things she did then, now one year older ;)
Here is the video from a year ago by the way...The Secret Spell
The path from the cabin into the mountain leads up to a bridge where a small stream flows underneath.
Across the bridge is an old shrine. It is so run over it's hard to believe people actually visit it. The Torii gate in front which you are supposed to go through for cleansing is surrounded by tall weeds, and the only way inside was through the side.
Alex is especially interested in these mystical places, so I followed him in. There was an old monument made during the Edo period so we stopped to read the notice. Then Alex went toward the little shrine at the top of the steps. There was a guard gate like building before the shrine so that we could see the shrine through the building. Alex called to me to get my camera ready. When I looked, there was a Kamoshika (Serow) standing there right inside the "gate" looking at us. Alex told me later that when he first looked, the Kamoshika was sitting inside the gate, looking at him. We didn't want to make any sudden movements so we stood really still as the Kamoshika walked back toward the shrine. It turned around again and looked at us as it got to the shrine.
It was all very mystical, as if we were looking at a demi-god. Ebi-san told us later that kamoshika cannot see very well, so they stand still and stare like that because they can't see properly. His step-son also told us that he senses ghosts around that shrine. I would not be surprised. With the shrine run down like that, there could be some rather angry spirits around. Hubby told me that he would not copy my pictures of the kamoshika because it was just too spooky. The kamoshika actually reminds me of Mononoke Hime (Gibli)
We watched it as it went behind the shrine and walked away slowly, turning to watch us every once in a while. Alex stopped to pray at the shrine and then we left.
When we got back, we found that Mami had gone home because she had school the next day and needed to prepare. Audrey cried for a while for missing her until I suggested we go back to the stream and wade in the water for a bit. So we went back. Alex took his fishing rod this time, but didn't catch anything.
Alex sits on the bridge as he gets ready to jump down. Audrey shows me the dragonfly she caught with her bare hands :)
The bridge over which the stream runs♡
The water seemed less cold than last year - I guess because it was so hot. I took some videos of the running water in case you'd be interested in listening. There's a bit at the end where you can see Audrey in the water as well.
Ebi-san's wife made us a nice dinner and that was the end of our day.