…except not so much right now in these times of Coronavirus precaution. Since my last update on Coronavirus in Japan, the number of COVID-19 cases hasn’t exploded like it has in a lot of other countries, and as of this writing, around 1,800 cases have been confirmed here. That’s far less than in the U.S. and a lot of other countries that have been hardest hit. The exact reasons for this are still unclear as this article explains, and most COVID-19 cases are still concentrated in a few areas (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and the northern island of Hokkaido, with Tokyo being the epicenter for new cases in the past week).
My prefecture of Toyama still doesn’t have any confirmed cases, and out here the stores are all still in business and the schools have reopened. As such, it’s been kind of surreal to read the news from back home and worldwide, and to read how people are reacting to the pandemic and the requests to stay home. Stay smart, and stay safe, everybody.
Also, don’t hoard food—that shit just makes things worse, since other people need to eat too. Buy only what you need (and that goes for toilet paper too…) and don’t spread the panic.
Anyway, on a more uplifting note I thought I’d give you some more of my Japan Photos to check out. This set is from last spring when a few of my closest friends visited Japan, and together we checked out Kyoto and nearby Himeji Castle, along with a trip to Yamanashi. The photo above is of Himeji Castle, the biggest, most famous, and most intact castle in Japan, and one of my top travel reccs. It’s huge, majestic, and just plain cool to walk around, so I highly recommend it if you’re ever in the country.
These statues of shachihoko, a half fish, half-tiger creature from Japanese mythology, grazed the roof of Himehi Castle throughout the ages as they were repaired and replaced. Most castles in Japan have similar statues on their roofs as well.
A cool spot immediately next to Himeji Castle—these stones originally made up the old foundation for part of the castle keep before they were replaced. Most Japanese castles, especially the replicas, also include large displays showing how modern engineers recreated medieval building methods using modern materials, and though these displays are almost entirely in Japanese, it seems like they followed the old methods pretty closely.
Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, a.k.a. the shrine with all the torii gates. Visitors can climb the mountain and pass under some 32,000 of these—yeah, they just keep going. Like most of Kyoto, it’s also incredibly crowded, but is one of many spots in the city worth seeing.
Bamboo forest in Kyoto, one of the quieter places we visited. This picture was taken in late afternoon near the end of the path where there were even fewer tourists, and where we could enjoy the tranquility of this beautiful area.
Our final stop was Yamanashi prefecture, famous for its fruit and wine, and where I spent two years teaching English to adult students after college. The central part of Yamanashi is an enormous basin surrounded by mountains, with plenty of views of the rural grape and peach farms.
Yamanashi’s also famous for hōtō, a kind of thick noodles served with Japanese pumpkin (kabocha) and plenty of meat and other vegetables served in an iron bowl. Delicious.
While in Yamanashi we stayed at a ryokan, a Japanese traditional inn—and trust me, this place was excellent. The inn itself was built around an outdoor garden filled with tall trees and flowing waterfalls, and after donning yukata robes we could walk around the grounds both inside and outside and enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner. The price is expensive for sure, but hands-down worth it, at least once.
Our room at the ryokan, which the four of us shared. If you’re looking for beds, there aren’t any—while we were at dinner the hostess came and prepared futons for us on the tatami floor. I’m not gonna lie—it was pretty nice.
Couldn’t resist—this map from the ryokan translated the game room (literally game corner in Japanese) as Amusement Saloon, which sounds like a place cowboys go to play skee ball.
A final COVID-19 note: Stay safe, use common sense, and try to make it through this difficult time as best you can. You’ve got this.