Favourite Traveling Quotes - #1

J. R. R. Tolkien hit the nail on the head when he said these famous words, perhaps that's why this quote is so popular with wanders like myself. "Not all those who wander are lost" is my #1 favourite traveling quote. Maybe it's because at this moment in time I feel I can deeply connect with his words. Yes, I may wander the globe traveling. Yes I have lived in 3 different countries during the past 3 years.  Yes I have zero desire in the immediate future to settle down.  I however, do not believe that I am lost.  People out there that drive me absolutely bonkers when they say "There, there, you'll find your way eventually." or some equally smarmy equivalent. I do not suffer from a disease, thank you very much.  

The overwhelming feeling of wanderlust I struggle to sate is a very deeply rooted part of who I am. By coming to accept this at-times-baffling aspect of myself and the lessons learned thanks to my adventures   I have gained greater understanding of who I truly am as a person. My love of wandering has therefore helped me down the difficult road of finding myself.  

Soaking Up The Sun At Sado Island’s Earth Celebration 2012

This summer my big adventure was visiting Sado Island in the Niigata Prefecture to see the famous Earth Celebration.  In 2012, the Earth Celebration took place from August 17 to 19 and it is a festival I could not recommend more highly. Many people asked me why I was willing to travel such a great distance for a festival when there are so many festivals in Japan, particularly in the summer. Why, they asked me, would you go to all the trouble of getting there via numerous trains, ferry rides and buses when there are plenty of great festivals in Fukui?  It was relatively straightforward to me.  Now in its 25th year, the Sado Island Earth Celebration is Japan’s longest running music festival, and when I read that it had been described by the New York Times as “Japan’s leading music event” there was no doubt in my mind that I had to go.

Kodo Taiko Performance at Earth Celebration 2012

ABOUT THE EARTH CELEBRATION

The stunningly beautiful Sado Island with its breathtaking landscapes sets the stage for Earth Celebration, an annual summer taiko music festival held to celebrate global culture. It’s a three-day festival held in mid to late August in the very quaint Ogi Town. The internationally acclaimed Kodo taiko group, who perform in collaboration with different guest artists every year, hosts the Earth Celebration. This festival has gained great popularity in Japan and also amongst the international community; as a result in recent years thousands of people flock to Sado Island to enjoy the charms of this festival. We met a man at the festival from Tokyo who had been coming for over 10 years, talk about commitment to an amazing festival!  

Traditional Japanese Dancing at the Earth Celebration

The festival lasts three days (This year it was August 17-19) and each evening at the Shiroyama Park located in the mountains a taiko performance is held on the main stage. The first night features the Kodo taiko drummers, the second night features the guest artists and the final night is a collaboration featuring both Kodo and the guest artists. We had originally decided to attend the first evening but after seeing and loving it so much we also purchased tickets for the final evening’s performance. It was worth altering our travel plans, the concert blew us all away and I wonder if I will ever see a music concert again in my life where I am so in awe of the performers.

Taiko Drumming

During the day, prior to the grand stage taiko show, at Ogi Harbour you can soak up the sun while listening to great mini performances at a smaller stage. Be sure to bring some spending money because you’re likely to be tempted by the Harbour Market which showcases dozens of small shops and food stands that create a small tent city where you can shop and enjoy different kinds of food from around the world.

SADO ISLAND TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS

Having come such a great distance to see the Earth Celebration my friends and I were excited to travel around Sado Island after the festival. Here are my travel recommendations for what else to see:

Number 1: Take a boat ride around Ogi Harbor in a taraibune

A taraibune is a tub-shaped boat that is famous on Sado Island. Ladies in traditional fisherfolk clothes will row you around and maybe even let you try your own hand at using the single flat paddle to move the boat. It costs 400yen and it was an amusing way to pass the time while waiting for the big evening taiko performance.

It’s more difficult than you would think, you'd never know it by the way the ladies make it look effortless. My friend and I could only laugh at our pitiful attempts to propel the boat when given the chance.  

Number 2: Take a scenic drive up the Northern Coast 

Beautiful Coastline

The highlight of our trip to Sado Island for me was taking a scenic drive up the Northern Coastline of the island stopping to see Futatsugame, two islands that are said to look like the backs of two turtles, and hike the One-game, one of the three largest rocks in Japan. Whenever I think back to Sado Island what I remember is this coastline's natural splendour with its craggy rocks reaching up to the azure blue sky above and the clear saphire-coloured ocean below.

Number 3: Stroll leisurely through the Cedar Forest 

On the north side of the island is the beautiful Osado Ishina Natural Cedar Forest. Walking through this forest of 200-400 year old cedar trees was like walking in a scene straight out of a fairytale. The unusual and twisted shapes of the cedar trees and the mist created a very mysterious atmosphere.

Number 4: Visit the Toki Bird Sanctuary

Everywhere you go on Sado you will see the area’s famous character: the adorable toki bird. Toki birds (Japanese Crested Ibis) are famous on Sado Island.  Formerly, toki birds could be found living throughout Japan, but due to excessive hunting and destruction of the natural environment, the toki bird faced imminent extinction in the early 1980s, with only five birds alive, all of which were on Sado Island. These five surviving birds were the first members of the Sado Island Toki Sanctuary. Since then, the inhabitants of Sado Island have gone to great lengths to restore the environment and make it suitable for toki to live in again safely.

Number 5: Frolic in the sunflower field

Along the west coast there was a beautiful sunflower field that we spotted while driving. I simply adore sunflowers so I was happy as a clam here.  It was a beautiful spot to stop and get out of the car after a long drive along the coast. You can relax, get a drink and take some pictures that will make your friends back home green with envy.

Number 6: Explore and tour the old Sado Island goldmine

Historically it was the discovery of a goldmine that brought Sado Island to the attention of Japan.  Tokugawa Ieyasu promoted the development of this goldmine and secured it under the shogunate’s control.  The mine was most prosperous at the beginning of the 17^th century, boasting the highest gold production in the world.

At this gold mine you can take a tour underground and try your hand at gold panning. 

Number 7: Wander through the old fishing village 
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Ogi is Shukunegi a delightfully charming old fishing village that looks, for the most part, untouched by time. It was like walking directly into Sado's past as this village is a relic from another era.  Many of the wooden houses here are 200+ years old and there is just a pervading sense of timelessness while wandering the gloriously not-tourist-filled streets. Shukenegi is still an active fishing village today. 

VISITING YOSHINOYAMA – JAPAN’S MOST FAMOUS CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING SPOT

Heralded as the number one most beautiful cherry blossom spots in Japan, Yoshinoyama was a must see for me this sakura season.  It was a trip that I eagerly anticipated for months and obsessed over planning. I’m happy to say that this beautiful location in Japan lived up to its famous reputation and I was delighted beyond measure to see such splendour.

Yoshinoyama, or Mt. Yoshino (yama translates as ‘mountain), “has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot for many centuries, at least according to www.japan-guide.com. It is said that the first trees were planted there more than 1300 years ago. Today, the mountain is covered by approximately 30,000 cherry trees, which open their blossoms during the month of April.”........Yes, shall we pause, allow me to repeat that little mind-boggling fact;  on Yoshinoyama there are 30,000 cherry blossom trees!!!!

The "Sea of Sakura" on Yoshinoyama 

The trees in lower area of Yoshinoyama (called Shimo Senbon) typically open their blossoms in the last days of March or first days of April. The "cherry blossom front" then moves up the slope to reach the upper area (called Kami Senbon) about one to seven days later. The cherry blossom trees in the inner area (called Oku Senbon) bloom another week later. 

After the first blossoms have opened, it takes the trees about three to seven days to reach full bloom, the best time to enjoy hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Full bloom typically lasts for about one week. Depending on the weather, the starting date and length of the blooming season can vary considerably from year to year.

If you read and understood that last paragraph you can easily understand why planning a trip to Yoshinoyama was a logistical nightmare, especially with a large group of friends. The seasonal behavior of those fickle little flowers is near impossible to predict. Thus, you are left feeling ready to pull out your hair as you are faced with the decision of, “What weekend do I book!?!?”, because you know booking accommodations far in advance (I would recommend 2+ months) is an absolute necessity. 

This was a moment where I thanked my lucky stars I lived in Japan and therefore I had some flexibility in traveling. My friend came up with the perfect solution: book accommodations for the two most likely weekends that the blossoms would be in bloom and then cancel whichever weekend the flowers were not in bloom. In the end, we opted for visiting Yoshinoyama the second weekend of April.

My accomodation recommendation for visiting Yoshinoyama is to stay in Osaka, which has far more reasonably priced accommodation (especially important for me because our travel group was pretty large with 10 people). Then, at a reasonably early time wake up and catch the train to Yoshinoyama (the trip is 1.5-2hrs). Our goal was to get there early because, with it being the #1 spot for cherry blossom viewing in Japan, we figured it was likely to be pretty busy.  Plus, the sooner we got there the more time we had to enjoy ourselves ☺

My Wonderful Yoshinoyama Travel Buddies

A DAY ON YOSHINOYAMA

I was as giddy as a small child on Christmas morning as my still sleepy friends and I rode the train to Yoshinoyama from Osaka. We all felt anticipation bubbling as we neared our long awaited destination.  For me, it was the moment I felt like I had been waiting a lifetime for. Ever since deciding to move to Japan I had been filled with a fervent desire to experience cherry blossoms in all their Japanese glory and, from everything my research indicated and I had heard from my coworkers, Yoshinoyama was a place where my dreams were about to become reality.

My spirits refused to be damped by the misty rain that greeted us as we stepped off the train. We began to walk from Yoshino Station toward the Oku-senbon (top left corner) following the map below.

It was an easy uphill walk along paved roads that cross-backed up the mountain at the beginning. So while I personally think that you can never go wrong wearing hiking shoes when you plan to do a lot of walking, you could definitely accomplish this “walk” (the tramper in me just can not bring herself to call it a hike…) in athletic running shoes. 

Sakura Sake

Be sure to take time to pursue the cute Japanese goods stores on the way up. There are many sakura-themed souvenires to be found, my personal favourite, that I bought for a good friend and coworker back home in Fukui, was a small clear globe-shaped bottle of sake with a yoshinoyama cherry blossom floating in the bottle. My friend was delighted with this small but beautiful omiyage (Japanese word for souvenir).

Yoshinoyama was breathtaking to behold. It is said that the person who stands at the top of the mountain can see a sea of sakura because of the 30,000 cherry blossom trees that cover the slopes of the mountain. Despite the rain that drizzled down, the mood of the group was happy and we were all overcome with a bout of camera-happy-picture-taking fever. 

The view as we ate our picnic lunch

Our group had planned a wonderful picnic to enjoy on the mountain, and I could not more highly recommend this. It was simply delightful to sit in good company overlooking the beautiful view of the cherry blossom dotted hills. Many Japanese people do the same, so don't worry about it being weird, picnic-ing under cherry blossoms on Yoshinoyama is very much ok. The only thing you have to worry about is the incredible interest Japanese people will show regarding your lunch! 

Matcha and sakura mochi wrapped in a tangy sakura-leaf

After lunch, much to our glee, the sun peaked its head out from behind the clouds so we could all relish a bit of well-deserved sunshine. After walking towards the top for another hour or so we decided to turn around before reaching the summit. We had timed the cherry blossom trip perfectly for the lower areas, however the upper areas had yet to begin to bud. Instead some of our group decided that a visit to the onsen (a Japanese bath house) was in order and proceeded to relax in an outdoor bath overlooking the sakura. Myself and two other friends wanted to enjoy drinking matcha (a traditional form of Japanese green tea) and a sakura flavoured sweet in one of the many quaint mountainside cafes instead.

Yoshinoyama was better than Disneyland for me! 

Visiting Yoshinoyama is a memory that I will treasure forever. It is a place in Japan that I could not more highly recommend to tourists during cherry blossom season. The beauty of this mountain was worth enduring rain, crowds of people and all of the planning necessary to visit during sakura season.

I enjoyed my visit to Yoshinoyama so much that I'm sorely tempted to visit again next cherry blossom too! According to my coworkers the mountain is equally beautiful in fall with red, orange and gold foliage making it look like the mountain is on fire and in early summer the hydrangea flowers begin to bloom!

Yoshinoyama I think it's safe to say that you have not seen the last me!

XOXO,
J

Sakura Season in Japan

Sakura is the Japanese word for “cherry blossom”.  Sakura is the most famous flower in Japan and considered by many to be Japan’s unofficial national flower. It’s annual blossoming has been celebrated for many centuries and holds a very prominent position in Japanese culture.

In Japan there is a wide variety of cherry blossoms but there is something all these trees share: the ephemeral beauty of their blossoms. Most sakura trees bloom in early spring and their blossoms last for only a week before in evanescent fashion they fall away making room for the leafs to come out.  The most popular variety of cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei Yoshino, its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest pink near the center of the blossom. Therefore, the trees look nearly white from top to bottom. The brief blooming period of the sakura trees and the fragility of their blossoms, has led to a strong association in Japanese society with the transience of life. Even as the sakura petals fall to ground they are breathtaking to behold as they visually appear to transform into snow falling around you at the breath of even the slightest breeze.

I’ve been told that the sakura blossoms first began to be revered in the Heian Era which began in 794 and lasted until 1185. This is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height.  The Heian period is also considered to be the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, poetry and literature.  It was during this period that cherry blossom viewing, in the form of special parties that took place outside so that the beauty of the sakura could be observed called Hanami, first gained popularity.

A drawing given to me by one of my students that illustrates the extent to which sake is a very popular hanami drink

Many hundreds of years later, Japanese people continue the tradition of hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties held under the blooming sakura trees is still celebrated. Thousands of people gather wherever the flowering sakura trees can be found and the festivities fill the parks as people hold feasts under the flowering trees, occasionally indulging in one too many drinks of sake, and sometimes these parties go on until late at night.

These parties are so popular in Japan that a sort of cherry-blossom-craze sweeps across the country. There are even cherry blossom forecasts on Tv!!! If I have learned one thing it is never underestimate the Japan love for sakura season! Therefore my advice to travellers wishing to visit Japan during cherry blossom season is book very far in advance.