A couple of days away from my precious Internet, and I finally finished my book. It has been a couple of days of real winter here in Japan, most of the days below zero, and till today not much fun being outside.
My first day here was not really suited for any outdoor activity, and since that was the only thing I had planned for this small town, I had to settle with some shopping and then back to a warm room again.
I walked the town under my umbrella, unable to see much, but I finally found a normal sandal-shop, where I got my Japanese shoes. As a normal western woman, my feet are very big for such shoes, but they DID manage to find ONE pair that fitted and another that was almost big enough. Such sandals are fitted on the spot, so I had to return and buy them after the Shuster had finished making them ready for me.
While I waited I found a second hand shop, and just had to buy another kimono and obi, so in the end I mailed another packet for Denmark, realizing all the shoes and kimono-stuff would fill my luggage over the edge.
After my visit to the mail office, the snow was pouring from the sky, so I went home to my “Shosuke” ( a traditional Japanese Inn) to just read and enjoy doing nothing for once.
The Sunday morning brought a change of weather, the sun was shining from a sky with only a few clouds, so after an early breakfast (there is only breakfast till 8 in the Shosuke) I went into town, eagerly wanting to take some pictures of this old town. I had to wear a lot of clothing to endure the cold, it was still freezing, but it was worth it.
I walked towards the part of town I had read so much about, where the Edo-period still was supposed to be alive, and on the way I passed a shop with woodcarvings, these shops have craft that is very well done, so I stopped to look and heard a flute, a traditional Japanese bamboo-flute, sounding from inside the shop. I looked in and saw a man in the back of the shop, playing the flute. He saw me and beckoned me closer, so I was invited in and had a concert all of my own. He did not speak anything else other than Japanese, but we managed to communicate anyway, and I even tried the flute myself. Once again I met the country, in a very unique way.
On my way to the old streets I also stumbled over the morning market, and had a slow stroll along the many different tents and places where people were selling all kinds of things, from traditional sweets and fish over cakes and sweet rice-balls, to expensive woodcarvings and Japanese dolls.
The ancient Japan, with narrow streets and small houses with the typical sliding doors of ricepaper enfolded before my eyes. I did walk those streets the first day, but saw nothing of it, because of all the rain and snow. Now in the sun it was clear that I walked in the middle of history. I went onto a museum to look at the craft from long ago, and had to close my eyes to the fact that there were tourist stuff everywhere. It was just like being in Odense near the house of Hans Christian Andersen. Neat but a little too much.
After 6 hours of wandering in the town I was cold to the bone, so I went into a familymart and got myself a couple of nice sandwiches, and went home to the cosiness of my room, my good book and a cup of coffee.
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