| I was worried about being located in the middle of the inaka, or Japanese countryside. The nearest JET is at least a 40minute drive from Yokohama-machi. 40min really isn't too bad, but after first arriving here I was surprised at how overwhelmed I was by the language barrier. Surprising, right? I've lived in Japan, visited many times, heard the language my whole life and even studied for a while, but I still come home exhausted from trying to interpret what limited Japanese I know and can pick up in conversation into English. Luckily, JET Program has an amazing network system and I was paired up with a buddy Samantha along with her husband, Alex. I like to call them a 2-in-1 package. This past weekend I took a 40min train ride through the Aomori inaka up to Mutsu "City," where Sam and Alex live. From there, we went on a 45min drive through the misty mountains, which spit us out on the northern coast of Honshu (main island) just as the sun was going down. The drive was beautiful- the road twists along a rocky coast, with the hills sharply rising to the left and the ocean crashing on the rocks to the right. Small villages line the narrow road and overlook the Tsugaru Strait, where we could see fishing boats searching for squid. You can tell that they're searching for squid because they have huge bright lights at night time to lure in the curious squid and catch them. That night we barbecued at a JET named Rachel's house. She lives in a tiny village and has a very spacious house- perfect for guests! We marinated and grilled meat, veggies, tiny hot dogs, and ate SQUID! Squid has become my new favorite sushi...but only when it's fresh! Usually squid is so chewy and needs to be cooked. However, if you eat it within a day or two of getting caught, you can eat it raw. A new Japanese friend I made, Kazu, had caught three squids the day before and cut up a mound of it, at least half of which I ate. It was so good (and slimy!). I even ate the liver, which he says he rarely sees foreigners try. After eating and socializing we moseyed around the village, across the twisting road, and down to some steps overlooking the Tsugaru Strait. I touched the water and it was pretty warm. That night was so nice. The atmosphere, the new friends I made, the squid boats off in the distance. Everything was so new, yet vaguely familiar. It reminded me of when I used to get really excited about visiting Japan as a child. It made me want to stay in Japan for a very long time. |
Gateway to Hell
The next day we stopped at an onsen, or hot public bath, which overlooked the Strait and Hokkaido. Then we made our way back up through the hills to Yagen Valley, a lush, rolling expanse of forest with a river sneaking in and out of the folds of the hillside. We turned a bend and all of a sudden I swear someone in the car let one rip. It smelled so bad. Then I remembered: sulfur. I had been to a sulfur onsen before and couldn't stand the smell. It was so odd because on the one hand I was repulsed by the smell, but as we emerged out of the forest my eyes were attracted to the most aqua of rivers winding throughout a landscape of steaming, sulfur puddles. We had come to Mt. Osorezan.
We didn't stay very long, so I can't go into great detail about the story or all of the sites to see there. Alex and Sam explained the backstory a bit to me, and this is what I remember: A long time there was a volcano that erupted and then sunk back into the earth, leaving a humongous concavity. Over many years, rainwater collected in this massive, sunken area, creating a lake in which no life can live. If you look closely at the rocks, the portion above the water remains a normal gray color while the portion below the water has turned white. There is a belief that Osorezan is the "Gateway to Hell" and that you have to visit it an even number of times because the first time you visit, you leave your soul so you must return to get it back. Similarly, there is a very steep bridge overlooking the river. Visitors must cross over and back to keep their souls. If you trip, it is said that you are possessed by demons.
Of course that day the bridge was slick from rain. I started freaking out as I crossed it because, I admit, I am superstitious! Don't worry, I made it there and back without tripping :) At one end of the bridge are a pile of rocks that have something to do with children who have passed away. I don't fully understand that part. All I know is that people come to Osorezan to commemorate children who have died. On one part of the lake, there are supposedly a bunch of obento (lunch) boxes filled with the favorite food of children who have passed away. It's an eerie place, Osorezan. It's sad and has a bunch of superstitions associated with it, yet has a beautiful landscape and more than a few tourists travel far to see it.
Pictures below are of the river leading to the lake, where no life exists; me in front some sort of guardians of hell; a procession of me cautiously crossing the bridge to prove that I am not possessed by demons; Alex standing on top of the bridge; and a mound of rocks that commemorate children who have passed away.
The next day we stopped at an onsen, or hot public bath, which overlooked the Strait and Hokkaido. Then we made our way back up through the hills to Yagen Valley, a lush, rolling expanse of forest with a river sneaking in and out of the folds of the hillside. We turned a bend and all of a sudden I swear someone in the car let one rip. It smelled so bad. Then I remembered: sulfur. I had been to a sulfur onsen before and couldn't stand the smell. It was so odd because on the one hand I was repulsed by the smell, but as we emerged out of the forest my eyes were attracted to the most aqua of rivers winding throughout a landscape of steaming, sulfur puddles. We had come to Mt. Osorezan.
We didn't stay very long, so I can't go into great detail about the story or all of the sites to see there. Alex and Sam explained the backstory a bit to me, and this is what I remember: A long time there was a volcano that erupted and then sunk back into the earth, leaving a humongous concavity. Over many years, rainwater collected in this massive, sunken area, creating a lake in which no life can live. If you look closely at the rocks, the portion above the water remains a normal gray color while the portion below the water has turned white. There is a belief that Osorezan is the "Gateway to Hell" and that you have to visit it an even number of times because the first time you visit, you leave your soul so you must return to get it back. Similarly, there is a very steep bridge overlooking the river. Visitors must cross over and back to keep their souls. If you trip, it is said that you are possessed by demons.
Of course that day the bridge was slick from rain. I started freaking out as I crossed it because, I admit, I am superstitious! Don't worry, I made it there and back without tripping :) At one end of the bridge are a pile of rocks that have something to do with children who have passed away. I don't fully understand that part. All I know is that people come to Osorezan to commemorate children who have died. On one part of the lake, there are supposedly a bunch of obento (lunch) boxes filled with the favorite food of children who have passed away. It's an eerie place, Osorezan. It's sad and has a bunch of superstitions associated with it, yet has a beautiful landscape and more than a few tourists travel far to see it.
Pictures below are of the river leading to the lake, where no life exists; me in front some sort of guardians of hell; a procession of me cautiously crossing the bridge to prove that I am not possessed by demons; Alex standing on top of the bridge; and a mound of rocks that commemorate children who have passed away.
Totoro Bus Stop
Some of you have seen my Facebook profile picture. On the way back to Mutsu City from Osorezan we stopped by a place where the mountain water comes out of the ground. My oh my, it is the purest, best tasting water I have ever sipped on. And the woods behind it are SO lush and beautiful. So green. That's pretty much all of Aomori: lush and green, lots of trees. So at this site with delicious water, which is supposedly some sort of holy site, there are massive leaves that look like the one on Totoro's head when he's waiting at the bus stop. Alex and Sam told me about it, so I have to give them credit for the picture idea!
That's all for now. New adventures this weekend! I will be traveling 2.5 hours south to the city Hachinohe for an even bigger JET barbecue. Should be fun!
Some of you have seen my Facebook profile picture. On the way back to Mutsu City from Osorezan we stopped by a place where the mountain water comes out of the ground. My oh my, it is the purest, best tasting water I have ever sipped on. And the woods behind it are SO lush and beautiful. So green. That's pretty much all of Aomori: lush and green, lots of trees. So at this site with delicious water, which is supposedly some sort of holy site, there are massive leaves that look like the one on Totoro's head when he's waiting at the bus stop. Alex and Sam told me about it, so I have to give them credit for the picture idea!
That's all for now. New adventures this weekend! I will be traveling 2.5 hours south to the city Hachinohe for an even bigger JET barbecue. Should be fun!