New Years and Christmas

Christmas isnt so big in Japan, but new years is basically very similar where families get together and visit the local shrine or just spend time together at home. We went up to Akita to see some snow, visit a hot spring and check out the legend of the Namahage. Namahage are demons that visit the local peoples houses on new years and threaten to take naughty children away to the forest unless they promise to behave, then the parents give the Namahage sake and mochi. Namahage are played by the local single people. Literally scaring little kids into behaving, Love it.

We then hiked up the 999 steps to a shrine, not sure if the shrine is evil or not something about the namahage, but 999 steps is a bad number and supposedly created by the devil.

Almost to the top of the shrine there was a well where you check your reflection, if your reflection appears you wont die soon. Well is near the middle with the Tori Gate to the shrine on the left.

The shrine was really nice 5 small wooden shrines, on top of the small hike with a snowy background, we had the place to ourselves and were only 2 of a few people who had made the trek that day.

We were also able to check out the famous nyutou onsen, which was very beautiful and my first coed onsen. I think its coed because the water is super milky so everyone is pretty covered up.

Nikko Festival

Went to Nikko again for a festival that has been happening for 400 years, where a shrine gets carried away from the main shrine, and a demonstration by traditional style archery on horseback. Misato found a nice B&B where we took a private onsen, had a really nice dinner and breakfast. Took the motorcycle up there and found some nice winding roads to tour up and took a gondola ride up to see the trees leaves changing color. Here are some videos.

Nikko Festival

Nagano Motorcycle Trip

Our energy saving summer schedule came to an end so after working 6 days this week I had a three day weekend so I decided to go to Nagano by motorcycle despite my route being "not recommended" by my Japanese colleagues. Here are the highlights: first country road from Utsunomiya was washed out by the Typhoon, here are a few pics near the wash out.


Those are pieces of the retaining wall for the road in the middle of the river.

It started raining on my way down a mountain pass, and couldnt find a hotel for hours while lost in Nagano.
Hung out in Obuse (one of my destinations) for only an hour or so, then missed my exit to meet my colleague and see the monkey park. Monkey park was pretty sweet, although only about the size of the one pool.


Saw some beautiful views along route 292, 55, 353, 145 and 120 from Nagano to Utsunomiya if there are any other motorcycles out there in Japan looking for a nice route.

View at the mountain pass on 292

Waterfall near Numata route 120.

Road down the mountain pass from Numata to Nikko maybe still 120.

Check out the rest of the pics here.

Nagano Motorcycle Trip

Taipei and Moto Adventure

Not really Japan related but Misato and I went to Taipei. Check out the pics, there are a lot of us from arms length so I hope you enjoy. Taipei was much nicer than I was expecting, clean and safe. We ate a lot of delicious food and saw some pretty views. I finally got my motorcycle!!!! My ride back from Tokyo was a bit busy for the first half, but the second half was nice through a mountain pass. Misato and I then took the bike out up in the mountains up north of Utsunomiya. Got off to a late start, but took a break at a nice bridge. Started to get a bit dark on the way down and since it was our first ride on my new bike I was a bit timid, but it all turned out ok with a nice steak dinner at the end 320 grams is more than I was expecting. Any motorcycle riders out there in Tochigi the hunter mountain pass is a nice ride from Nikko to Shiobara.

Taipei and Moto Adventure

Magome and Tsumago

Had a meeting in Nagoya so afterwards I went to the Kiso valley for a 8km "hike" that is part of a mail route or path something like that from the Edo era maybe. Some nice views, but it was raining, and rained pretty hard at one point. Luckily there was a tourist information center halfway through the hike so I stopped there and they gave me some tea, pickles, ume, candy and a larger umbrella to borrow. Pretty nice and relaxing. I stayed in Nakatsugawa which was cute little town, and at a business hotel which was affordable. At one restaurant I went to the owner had been to NM, the only time he had been to the US, what are the odds, small world.

Magome and Tsumago

"Bought" a motorcycle

I went to the bike shop and paid the money for my new motorcycle, but I am not able to get it for another 2 or 3 weeks. I have to send in some form from my city hall saying I am an alien resident first for whatever reason, then the processing starts. So for anyone else looking to buy a bike in Japan make sure you go to the city hall first. Once the bike shop recieves this they will start the processing, registration, insurance etc... that should take about 2 weeks and then I will have my bike. Finally!! I think this is officially step 10 or 15 of getting a motorcycle in Japan.
link to the bike i bought, although it may not work once the posting is removed from the bike shop.

5th Time's the charm

Here is a picture of my drivers license, with a few things kinda botted out, dont want anyone to steal my identity and the course map. For anyone who is actually going to take the test in Tochigi, or if you are just curious about how ridiculous the test is, check out the video on the course "instructions".



A few things I forgot to mention in the video are: at the wall where you lean over your handlebars to look right and left, you are supposed to be stopped, so you stop 2x at the walls (obstructed view). Also the dismount procedure is almost the reverse of the mounting procedure, but you dont have to touch the mirrors. Make sure the bike is in neutral, turn the key off, get off, then kickstand, then turn the wheel to the side and you are done. Lastly always use both brakes front and back, and pump three times when slowing from high speed. This course is always the same for foreigners in Tochigi but they dont have this course map for sale at the driving center, I bought the Japanese course and then the black line is my own writing. For more general information on the driving center and how to get there see this website.
http://www.mybelovedsushi.com/

Of course now that I have a license, even after I buy a bike it will take 2 weeks for "processing" to get a license plate, ensure that I actually do have a license with the government etc.... sure do love that Japanese bureaucracy. *Sigh*