Anyway, both years I've participated the third tour has been the one overnight tour of the year, but this year unfortunately I only came for the first day. I'm sad to have missed the second day (particularly the tour of the sake brewery), but I chose to go to my last big yosakoi event of the year instead so I can't really complain, haha.
We started out in Kamogawa, way down on the southern end of the peninsula. I've been there before to visit Kamogawa Seaworld, but it's right by the ocean and really beautiful so it's always nice to go back. Our first stop was to try maiwaizome, a traditional type of dyeing that the area is famous for. I say dyeing, but the part that we did was much more like painting, so it was totally different from the dyeing we did on our last tour last year. Maiwai is apparently the name of the type of kimonos that were worn to celebrate a good catch, and the designs are really colorful and elaborate.
Since obviously we wouldn't have time to design, paint/dye, and complete entire kimonos, we each picked one out of three pre-stenciled designs to color in ourselves with the dye and paintbrushes. Since they said just painting it would be too easy, they also showed us how to make gradients and encouraged us to try it, so I did! I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, especially since it was kind of hard to tell when we were actually doing the painting, since the stencil (which was apparently made out of the same stuff that senbei is) was surrounding all the colors and I could only see the finished product after soaking the dried cloth in water for 24+ hours and washing it out. I love doing this sort of taiken (experience) activity, especially when you end up with something you can keep, so I really enjoyed this. :D
Kamogawa Maiwaizome: Suzusen
Address: 211 Maebara, Kamogawa-shi
Access: 10-minute walk from JR Awa-Kamogawa Station
Hours: 7:00AM - 7:00PM (closed Wednesdays)
Cost: 1500 yen for adults
Website (Japanese only): http://www.awa.or.jp/home/suzusen/
After lunch we heard an explanation of the facility in the little gallery, which happened to be full of pictures of the Oga lotus, Chiba City's flower! I was surprised to see them there in Kamogawa but also happy that I identified it correctly, haha. Also, in the souvenir section I discovered a gigantic plush version of one of my favorite yurukyara (mascots): Piinyattsu, a combination kitty-peanut which is super adorable and from Kamogawa. I actually already owned a smaller plush and a little bag, but I've never seen the big version before so I had to get it, and it was definitely the best decision I made that day. So cute and so huggable! <3
Minna no Sato
Address: 1696 Miyayama, Kamogawa-shi
Access: Nitto bus from JR Awa-Kamogawa Station for Tokyo-wan Ferry or Hiratsuka-hongou, get off at Minna no Sato
Hours: 9:00AM - 6:00PM (until 5:00PM from November - January), closed on New Year's Day
Website (Japanese only): http://minnami.com/
Originally after that we were supposed to go ride a boat somewhere, but unfortunately this was cancelled due to the weather...I also missed the boat ride on our first tour (because I overslept -.-') so maybe boats and I are just not meant to be this year. Even though I love boats. T_T So instead we just moved onto our next location, Tanjoh-ji, a shrine of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. We listened to an explanation of the very elaborate carvings that we found there and also visited a small exhibition about the creator of the sect, and though I will admit that I understood very little of it all, it was pretty cool to look at. Even better, just as we left, the sun finally came out and everything looked a million times more gorgeous.
Tanjoh-ji
Address: 183 Kominato, Kamogawa-shi
Access: 23-minute walk/5-minute drive from JR Awa-Kominato Station
Website: http://www.tanjoh-ji.jp/e_index.html
Our next stop was one of my favorite parts of this tour (tied with the dyeing), a spa in the Hotel Mikazuki (in Katsuura) called Aqua Palace! Unlike onsens, this was a spa, which means that everybody went in with bathing suits and therefore all genders could enjoy it together. There was both an outdoor section and an indoor section, and we went right around the sunset, so the view looking out over the ocean was spectacular! The outdoor section had several different baths, including one that maybe included sake (?), but my favorite was a section where the pool was formed into a little path, with little alcoves periodically set along the circle. I assume they're mostly meant for couples (this place would actually be a really great place to go on a date), but I enjoyed them just the same. The section indoors was also pretty cool, with even more types of baths and falling water, jacuzzi areas, and more. There were a few people who didn't go to the spa and I think they really missed out! Would definitely recommend this as a fun place to go in Katsuura.
Address: 830 Tona, Katsuura-shi
Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM (last entrance at 9:00PM)
Cost: 1000 on weekdays, 1500 yen on weekends, 700 yen after 6:00PM (prices slightly higher in summer)
Access: 1-minute by free shuttle bus (reservation required)/less than 10-minute walk from JR Katsuura Station
Website (Japanese only): http://www.mikazuki.co.jp/katuura/aqua/index.html
And then the last part of the day was dinner at the minshuku where everybody was staying, Kanda. Needless to say, it was amaazing. One of the first things to come out was an enormous plate of sashimi, complete with (decorative) fish head and tail. One of the best things about going places near the ocean is, obviously, the fantastic seafood, and this menu did not disappoint. Nomnomnom.
Kanda
Address: 818-19 Tona, Katsuura-shi
Access: 5-minute walk from JR Katsuura Station
Website (Japanese only): http://kandamaru.com/
I went home after that, but apparently the next day they visited the morning market, a sake brewery, and an underwater sea museum! A shame to have missed it, but I guess that's just another excuse for me to go back to Katsuura someday - maybe next time in the summer. :D
No comments:
Post a Comment