Settling in for the first night
After braving the trains from Kansai airport, it was a short walk to my hostel (wonderfully named the "Banana Hammock") for the first night. I arrived just after the sun had set, and was the last to check in for the night.
I sat with the owner in the front room and we went through the check in process while we chatted. He asked if I was only in Japan for one night, as I was checking out in the morning. I explained that I was here for 3 months, and that I was hiking to Tokyo.
The look on his face morphed rapidly from confusion to disbelief to astonishment in rapid succession.
"That will be 600km, and you are going to... walk??"
"Well, actually my route is about 1000km, but what better way to see Japan, right?" I replied.
His hand shot out and shook mine, a gesture I was not expecting in Japan.
I am really begining to understand that what seems like an exciting (if not daunting) adventure to me borders on lunacy to most people I discuss it with.
We chatted further, about Canada and Japan, about his hotel and things to do in Osaka. He took me to a map of the city and showed my photos of Sumiyoshi Taisha, which is my first stop tomorrow. I explained my excitement to visit the shrine and collect my Goshuin-cho (temple stamp book) and my first Goshuin (temple stamp) on my journey, and that I hope to collect many more as I walked.
His face lit up at the realization of my interest, and he told me about the temple and he patted my shoulder.
I expect that someone who runs a small hostel like this may pick up some western mannerism, but I was caught off guard by how familiar he felt. A good skill for an innkeeper to have I suppose.
I parted ways and headed up to my room, glad I booked a private space for myself. The long day of flights has me in no mood to sleep in a dorm.
I couldn't have asked for a better room. It isn't luxurious, but it's exactly what I wanted. Though I was surprised to discover that it was less private than I had first thought.
Once I deposited my things, and played with the AC for a while (it 27 degrees and super humid tonight) I headed back down to find food.
The hostel owner recommended a small sushi place across the road, and wrote down his recommendation on a slip to give to the owner. So, across the street I went, and through a small sliding door into a sushi restaurant that seated no more than 10 people at best.
The place was festooned with slips of paper, hand painted calligraphy on each one, presumable the menu, of which I could read nothing. I was thankful for my note and handed it to the owner who poured me a steaming hot tea, then proceeded to make me my first meal in Japan:
As I sat at the bar savouring my meal a couple of locals sat down the bar as well, talking and listening to sports on the radio while they ate and drank. It was just the four of us in the tiny place, and it felt wonderful to be there.
I finished my meal, slowly drank my tea and finally departed. On my way back intentionally detoured to the 7-11 down the road to do a bit of recon for future food shopping.
I picked up a couple of things I needed, and one thing I have been curious about for some time now:
So with that I am back in my room, preparing my futon and feeling the jetlag creeping in.
Day one felt good. Looking forward to day two.
I sat with the owner in the front room and we went through the check in process while we chatted. He asked if I was only in Japan for one night, as I was checking out in the morning. I explained that I was here for 3 months, and that I was hiking to Tokyo.
The look on his face morphed rapidly from confusion to disbelief to astonishment in rapid succession.
"That will be 600km, and you are going to... walk??"
"Well, actually my route is about 1000km, but what better way to see Japan, right?" I replied.
His hand shot out and shook mine, a gesture I was not expecting in Japan.
I am really begining to understand that what seems like an exciting (if not daunting) adventure to me borders on lunacy to most people I discuss it with.
We chatted further, about Canada and Japan, about his hotel and things to do in Osaka. He took me to a map of the city and showed my photos of Sumiyoshi Taisha, which is my first stop tomorrow. I explained my excitement to visit the shrine and collect my Goshuin-cho (temple stamp book) and my first Goshuin (temple stamp) on my journey, and that I hope to collect many more as I walked.
His face lit up at the realization of my interest, and he told me about the temple and he patted my shoulder.
I expect that someone who runs a small hostel like this may pick up some western mannerism, but I was caught off guard by how familiar he felt. A good skill for an innkeeper to have I suppose.
I parted ways and headed up to my room, glad I booked a private space for myself. The long day of flights has me in no mood to sleep in a dorm.
I couldn't have asked for a better room. It isn't luxurious, but it's exactly what I wanted. Though I was surprised to discover that it was less private than I had first thought.
An uninvited, but not unwelcome roommate
Once I deposited my things, and played with the AC for a while (it 27 degrees and super humid tonight) I headed back down to find food.
The hostel owner recommended a small sushi place across the road, and wrote down his recommendation on a slip to give to the owner. So, across the street I went, and through a small sliding door into a sushi restaurant that seated no more than 10 people at best.
The place was festooned with slips of paper, hand painted calligraphy on each one, presumable the menu, of which I could read nothing. I was thankful for my note and handed it to the owner who poured me a steaming hot tea, then proceeded to make me my first meal in Japan:
I finished my meal, slowly drank my tea and finally departed. On my way back intentionally detoured to the 7-11 down the road to do a bit of recon for future food shopping.
I picked up a couple of things I needed, and one thing I have been curious about for some time now:
It's a LOT better than your western instincts are probably telling you!
So with that I am back in my room, preparing my futon and feeling the jetlag creeping in.
Day one felt good. Looking forward to day two.
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