Thunderbirds are go!

Shinkansen again. This time to Matsumoto via Nagano after our brief but satisfying stay in Kanazawa. Yesterday we were on Thunderbird 9 from Osaka (hence blog name), although not a Shinkansen it was still fast. It was another scenic rail journey following along the edge of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan and said to be one of the oldest lakes in the world (a mere 4 million years old). With the mountains in the distance, on the far side of the lake and the rural life between the rails and the waters edge, it created many opportunities to observe the beauty and variety of Japan. I can stare out the window to the distance to snow capped mountains or closer to the lake where I see oyster farming (it’s the cultured pearls industry actually), occasionally speedboats and other pleasurecraft enjoying the calm waters, or closer still the paddy fields with tractors, somewhat submerged, as they prepare for this years rice planting. It all looked rather lovely and I considered that a bike tour in this area would be really nice, stopping at little coves and passing bucolic scenes (I’ll tuck that away in the memory bank).

Since we left our post-Kumano accommodation, we have been traversing the land a lot. We had a 2 hour bus ride following the clear, pristine waters of the rivers of the Kii mountains as we weaved through passes, a few times seeing familiar places that we had walked the days before, and even familiar faces when we saw three members of the family we’d stayed with 2 nights before as there were farewelling another traveller at one of the frequent bus stops and the French father and daughter from the first night. It’s a small world in the Kii mountains (at least).

After the bus it was the return train to Osaka, where we stayed for just one night. We’d left our bags in Kyoto, so Marcus made the trip back to retrieve the bags (and have another saké – only to repay Aiko and Michi for minding our bags, of course) and I spent that short while people watching, writing and window-shopping. It’s hard to condense the experiences while travelling into vignettes or anecdotes worthy of retelling. Firstly what to choose, secondly the detail that resurfaces in the remembering becomes reprocessed and it’s like going down the rabbit hole and then there’s the distraction of something new beyond, enticing me away from assembling the story. So random rabbit-hole recounts as follows…

Takoyaki vs Sashimi

Marcus wanted to show me the Dotonbori area of Osaka where we could try the local favourite street food. Osakans have a bit of a reputation for being brash and lively, so the mood was thus down by the canal. We got our Takoyaki and went to the bridge to eat it. They’re these mouth-sized balls of batter with minced/chopped octopus fried in a special pan shaped like the poffertje pans. So I popped one in my mouth… it was hot, it was mucosa-burning hot… I wanted to spit it out, but I couldn’t negotiate it in the public space… I twirled it around in my mouth sucking cooler air over it… it wasn’t working, I searched aimlessly in my bag for a tissue… I contemplated swallowing it but could foresee a burnt oesophagus was going to be the outcome. I could feel the hot lava-like uncooked batter breaking through the now soggy outer layer… there was only one way out of this and it was not going to be pretty… alas I had to just spit it out in my hand and quickly transfer it into the container before I would nurse a burnt hand as well. What a freaking mission that was! Takoyaki, I say takoyucky. Now known as the hot octopus balls fiasco! Needless to say we aborted that mission and wandered the streets looking for some other option for a salve at least to our sizzled palate.

Enter, stage left, a fish lovin’ man with some teeth (I say 6, Marcus 4 – though I think he’s being unkind) reopening his hole-in-the-wall sashimi bar (must have just slipped out for a ciggie). The board outside was not easy to decipher but he saw our piqued interest and did a hard sell, we were vulnerable after above-stated experience and damn hungry. So we went in and took 2 of the 4 stools at the bar he assumed his position on the other side, the dimensions of the place much smaller than some pantries. His English was ok… he was quick to tell us Beyoncé and JayZ had eaten there, and pointed to the notes all pinned to the wall beside me from happy, satisfied customers. I think this is where any doubts of his authenticity or health licence were to be dispelled.

I didn’t really know what we were in for but I reckon if I can spit out a hot ball of fire in public I can handle all kinds of things. First of all a beer, then a small bowl of black sesame infused handmade tofu… all going well so far. Then we are shown fish… fresh as! He offered to make up a plate of a few different varieties so went ahead preparing this with an occasional swig of, um… maybe, whiskey, 2 pieces of 6 different fish placed on perilla leaves and freshly grated daikon, some seared with a hand torch. They were generous pieces and delicious melt in your mouth. Although a little pricey, on reflection it was something that we would have paid a lot more for in Australia. We could walk away for some sightseeing feeling satisfied we’d at least improved on our previous seafood experience.

Okyaku-sama wa kami-sama

Things you do while waiting for trains 101… there wasn’t much open when we were at Osaka station early the other day. Actually it wasn’t that early but the Japanese aren’t much into breakfast and coffee much before 10am much to my chagrin. So I’d gone against my better judgement and succumbed to caffeine addiction and we got a Starbucks coffee with a good people-watching position.

We were also right next to a department store that by the size of the queue at the door was just about to open. A bit later just to fill in some time I thought I’d go in and have a bit of a squiz. As I walked through the doors the doorman bowed to me, I smiled back. I entered the perfume section aisle and there were quintessentially coiffed and made-up beauties and they bowed to me… and then I kept walking and all down the aisle every salesperson was bowing to me. I started to get the giggles. I did the circuit of that particular level, bowed to by so many, and hurriedly returned straight back to Marcus, exclaiming that I had just had an amazing experience… “ah, so you have experienced okyaku-sama wa kami-sama, the customer is god”… Yes, yes I have. Uncomfortably so, but an experience nonetheless; my only ever one-person ceremonial procession.

I have much more to tell you… many more pictures to share… but another time.