A symbol of autumn

This morning, I was on the way home from doing the groceries and I saw a few ojiisans and obaasans looking at this huge tree. I have often cycled on the bridge next to this tree but have never paid much attention to it. 

 

 

As I have come to realise that I share many interests with Japanese ojiisans and obaasans, a tree that is an object of interest for them must indeed be an interesting tree for me too.  So I stopped in my tracks and looked hard at the tree.

I couldn't stop very long as there were vehicles coming from behind me so I quickly took a photograph of it with my mobile phone.  

 

I will make sure I get back with my camera next time to get some better photographs of the ripen chestnuts.

 

Yes, autumn is here.

The Tango Region of Kyoto II : The tale of the Bridge to Heaven

To many of us, the mention of Kyoto most often conjures up images of ancient Buddhist temples, shrines and age-old Japanese traditions. But Kyoto, as a prefecture, offers alot more than history and culture. It is also a prefecture resplendent in natural scenic beauty.

 

I know people are going to say, which part of Japan does not boast scenic views? Well, the northern part of the Kyoto prefecture known as the Tango region is home to one of Japan's three most scenic views. A reputation not just any place in Japan is worthy to claim.

 

One summer day in early August, I decided to head for Amanohashidate where the famous spot of scenic beauty is.  Amanohashidate is not accessible directly on the JR train network. Instead, you need to transfer from the JR Nishimaizuru station to the private KTR or Kitakinki Tango Railway. As I had bought the KTR one day train pass (1200 Yen) to get to the Yosano sunflower fields in the Tango region, I used the same pass - which allowed for unlimited use on the KTR within the same day - to get to Amanohashidate.  

 

According to an ancient myth, the scenic spot in Amanohashidate - which is actually a sandbar covered with around 8000 pine trees - was once a bridge built by one of the Gods to connect Heaven and Earth. Due to the carelessness of the God, the bridge collapsed one day and fell to Earth, becoming the sandbar seen today.

 

The famous sandbar is said to be best viewed from the hills on either ends of it. From pictures I had seen of the spot, I thought the view was better from the south and so headed for the observatory on the southern hills. The only way up the hills was by cable car or chairlift. I bought a two-way ticket for 800 Yen which could be used for either the cable car or chairlift. The original price was 850 Yen but I got a discount coupon from the Amanohashidate Tourist Information Centre. It might be a good idea to head for Tourist Information Centres when sightseeing as you never know what kind of discounts you could get.

 

 

 

At the observatory, it was a common sight to see visitors bent over appreciating the scenic view of the sandbar from between their legs. Through that position, it was said that one could see the sandbar extended into the heavens. Of course I had to try that too! But I was so concerned about losing my balance and toppling down the hill that I could only stay in that position for a matter of seconds. I did manage to capture a photograph of the view when I was bent over though. A friend in Kyoto told me that it was just a stretch of land with sand. I guess it really depends on individual perspectives. I thought the view was fantastic.

 

 

 

 

There were various other ways to appreciate the views from the southern hills. There was a small amusement park with a ferris wheel and a cycling track in mid-air, as well as observation decks at greater heights where visitors could go to enjoy the views.  I didn't stay too long on the hill (probably 45 minutes or so), as I wanted to walk on the sandbar.

 

 

 

I went up the hills by cable car and came down by the chairlift so that I could take in the breathtaking sight of the sandbar both ways.  The chairlift made me a little nervous at first. As it had no seatbelt, I was worried that I might be flung into the woods below me.

 

 

 

 

But as usual, I worried too much. I survived the short 5-minute journey down and was able to experience the walk on the bridge that once led to the heavens.

 





The Tango Region of Kyoto I : In the trail of summer flowers

One summer day in early August, I left my mansion at 4am in the morning and cycled to the JR Enmachi station near my place so that I could catch the early local train to the Tango region.  I had read from the prefecture newsletter about the sunflower fields in Yosano, a town in the Tango region. If sakura is the flower of spring, then the himawari, as sunflowers are known in Japanese, is the flower to see at the height of summer. Yosano was to be my first destination that day.

 

Using the economical Seishun 18 ticket which allowed me travel only on the slower local or rapid trains on the JR network, I took a train to the JR Nishimaizuru station, which involved going through two train transfers at JR Sonobe and Ayabe stations respectively. From Nishimaizuru, I then had to transfer to the privately-run KTR or Kitakinki Tango Railway to get to Nodagawa which is the nearest station to Yosano. The JR Seishun 18 ticket could not be used on a private railway train so I bought a one-day train ticket from the KTR station master at 1200 Yen. 

 

The train journey including transfers took me about 3.5 hours for one way. Upon arrival at Nodagawa, I got some directions from the station master on how to get to Yosano, since I couldn't find details online. The kind man told me it was possible to walk there in 30 minutes. I was glad I didn't have to incur additional transport costs.

 

 

My leisurely walk probably took me an hour as there were many pretty sights along the way. From the wild flowers along the path to a massive pond of water lotus in bloom to the expanse of rice fields and more, the long walk under the hot summer sky was definitely worth it. It was so peaceful a place that all you could hear were the songs of the insects in your path.

 

At the Yosano sunflower fields, I was surprised that there were not many people. I had expected there to be many visitors as it was the second last day the fields were opened to the public. The access to the fields probably deterred tourists and those without private transport. How many people would have the time I had to spend 4 or 5 hours traveling just to look at some flowers?  But then again, it was not just some flowers. The fields were quite a sight to behold and definitely worth losing sleep and traveling for! I didn't know the flowers could grow so tall! 

One observation though was that many flowers were drooping, which meant they were close to withering.  The fields were opened to the public for a limited period from 4 to 12 Aug (admission fee of 200 Yen). It would have been better to go in the beginning of the period in order to see all the flowers in their best form. A surprise from the visit though was that visitors were each given a small packet of sunflower seeds as a souvenir so we could grow our own flowers.

 

After spending a morning at Yosano, it was a long walk back to the station and the sweltering heat didn't make it easier. But with the beautiful images of the sunflowers at the back of my mind, my spirits were high and I walked with purpose towards my next destination.

Counting my blessings

 

This post is for my friends.

 

The people from back home who have kept me in their mind, and sent me their love all the way here in the mail. 



 

Food mix from home. Enough to last me till the end of the tough winter.

The people who listened and responded to my homesickness, and made me miss home all the more with their kindness. 



The sweet  (and spicy!) taste of home. Made with love delivered in the mail.

The many others who have sent me their blessings and concern through other ways.

The friends who remember my birthday when I don't even remember it.

And then, there are the people close by who opened their arms to me, and shared what they have.


Bonding through food at my neighbour's place.



The lunch treat prepared by a school friend when I visited her at her place.  

The people with whom I am happy to share my most priced possession.



Hainanese Chicken Rice prepared for recent lunch gathering with school friends.

 

 Counting my blessings every day. Thank you.

Poster series: "Please move only after the bus has stopped"

After taking the city bus a number of times, I noticed that generally, passengers would only walk to the front* of the bus to pay and alight after the bus had completely stopped.  In fact, some passengers even took their time to walk to the front.  And the whole busload of passengers would be waiting patiently for them to alight.

 

At first, I couldn't understand this. Japan is afterall well-known for its civic-minded and considerate culture. Why wouldn't the passengers get ready to alight earlier by moving to the front as the bus is nearing their destination stop? In that case, they wouldn't hold up the rest of the passengers.

 

Then one day, I saw a poster on the bus which I had initially mistaken as one about giving  up your seats to those who need them. Upon closer reading, I learnt the reason why passengers would always take their time to alight from the bus.

 

The bold words in pink background in the centre of the poster read "It is dangerous. Stand up from your seat after the bus has stopped". And the smaller words in yellow background state that accidents and injuries on the bus are on the rise. So there is actually a more important consideration behind the passenger behaviour.

 

So if you are boarding a Kyoto city bus for the first time, don't be in a hurry to alight because safety comes first.

 

* The standard procedure for getting on and off a Kyoto city bus is quite different from that of a Singapore SBS bus. You board from the back of the Kyoto city bus and alight in the front. Before you alight, you pay your fare. The official Kyoto City Web provides a detailed set of instructions on how to board a Kyoto city bus complete with illustrations.

 

The unsettling class placement result

 The class placement result for the second semester of my intensive Japanese programme was released this afternoon.  I was informed that I have qualified for the Advanced class, based on my results from a 2-hour placement exam on Monday. I should be happy but I have mixed feelings.

 

 

The placement exam was only a written exam. I know that my listening and speaking skills are still not up to the mark, which is pretty obvious from the day to day interaction I engage in. For example, when you make payment at the cashier in a supermarket in Japan, you will usually find yourself being asked a few questions by the cashier. Do you have a member's card? Do you need a bag? These are some of the common questions. If you buy a bento or a cake, you will get questions like Do you need chopsticks? Do you need a spoon? Most of the time, I couldn't catch what the cashier was saying and used my common sense to guess what he or she had just said. And with the conversations with my landlord, it was the same. I guess alot, from the context, from body language, from facial expressions etc.

 

My classmate commented that we could only improve if we keep challenging ourselves. Of course I know that. But with language learning, being placed in the wrong class can affect learning progress. I recall how I was always struggling to listen to what the teacher and my classmates were saying in my class last semester and how I could not respond during discussions because I didn't follow the flow at all.  And once, I was called suddenly to summarise my thoughts about a discussion in front of the class while I was still busy trying to grasp the points of discussion.  It totally spoilt the whole learning process because I just couldn't follow.

 

There is no way I will accept being placed in the Advanced class for listening and speaking, as it probably means I will be lost most of the time, again! So I decided to veto the result and requested for a change to a lower-level class. Your teacher should know your proficiency level better than you, said the programme coordinator when I approached him.  It was a no-go and I was told to try my luck again with my teacher after a few lessons.

 

It looks like the next semester is going to be a tough one...

The food on the table

After the first month in Kyoto, a miscalculated budget forced me to cut back on my meal expenses and I found myself having to give up the luxury of school meals and supermarket bentos for cheaper home-cooked meals.  

 

This turning point in my life opened my eyes to a perspective of food which I have often overlooked and taught me to truly appreciate the circumstances I am in.  If I had not started cooking for myself, I would not have fully experienced the goodness of living in a city where I can get the ingredients for my meals fresh from the farms every day.  

 

One of the joys of cooking in Kyoto is being able to get fresh ingredients for my meals.

 

In particular, Kyoto's traditional vegetables, or Kyo Yasai (京野菜) as they are known in Japanese, have a reputation for their rich colours and taste.  Just as the masters of traditional arts strived to perfect their craft, the  farmers of the old capital too worked hard to ensure the highest quality in their vegetables. Whether it was to delight the palate of the nobility or a response to the spread of Buddhism and vegetarian dishes in those days, the tradition of cultivating Kyo Yasai  seemed to be as important a tradition to the farmers of the old capital as any other Kyoto tradition then.  Today, even as Kyoto modernises along with the world, the tradition continues and Kyoto's vegetables and vegetarian cuisines are considered a must-try for visitors.  Those with a discerning palate often found the vegetables refreshingly sweet.

 

Vegetables from different parts of Japan are available in supermarkets in Kyoto but some supermarkets 
have a special section to promote Kyo Yasai of the season.

While Kyo Yasai could be slightly more expensive than vegetables from other parts of Japan, there are occasions when the supermarkets give discounts for seasonal vegetables. There is a variety of Kyo Yasai in season at different times of the year. In summer, eggplants cultivated in Kyoto are widely sold in the supermarkets.  I have never had a craving for eggplants in my entire life but since I saw them in every supermarket I went to, I decided to try some. They were really sweet and delicious! I have to admit that I have become somewhat of a fan of this vegetable.



In summer, eggplants from Kyoto can be bought at about 100 Yen for three.

Apart from Kyo Yasai, Kyoto also has its own rice fields in  some parts of the prefecture. When I took the local trains out from the city for my summer excursions, I passed many of these rice farms. The view of rolling green fields from the train windows was a picturesque sight. I couldn't possibly miss an opportunity to stroll through the fields. And that I did one summer day.  When I eat my rice today, the image of that lone, elderly farmer toiling under the hot sun tending to his fields always comes to mind.

Main picture shows rice fields in Yosano, a town in the Tango region, north of Kyoto prefecture. Top right picture shows a pack of  rice produced in the central Tamba region of Kyoto prefecture, which I recently bought. 

 

Before coming to Kyoto, I hardly stepped into the kitchen to prepare my own meals. I ate whatever was conveniently available and finished my meals without as much as a thought as to the origin of the food on the table.  But now, when I eat my meals, I taste the sweetness of the vegetables and the texture of the rice. And I feel grateful to the people who work closely with Nature to provide the food on my table.