One reason that I keep returning to Japan is to ride the quiet country railway lines that must surely be living on borrowed time before they are shutdown forever. Perhaps I should pay similar attention to my own country. While researching abt railways for the last post I discovered that Tasmania's West Coast Abt Railway closed in February, future uncertain. I had hoped to ride it one day but haven't been back to Tasmania in years.
Today was another journey along a railway line most have probably never heard of. Again I found the Nagaragawa Railway first on a map and only then discovered that one of the towns along the way, Gujo Hachiman, is listed in the Lonely Planet. Reading more about the town online it seemed like a pleasant place to visit. I wanted to go the length of the line to Hokuno, but only Gujo Hachiman offered accommodation, so Gujo it was.
We checked out of our Toyohashi hotel with a more meagre breakfast than the day before, then caught a Shinkansen to Nagoya. Toyohashi is one of those stations bypassed by many of the express Shinkansens, which go shooting past the platforms on the middle tracks at incredible speeds.
At Nagoya we joined many other western tourists on the comfortable Wide View Hida Express, which passes through famous Takayama en route to Toyama. We've been to Takayama twice before; it is one of our favourite destinations in Japan. But today we were only going as far as Minoota, just far enough to get a first glimpse of the gorgeous river scenery.
We only had minutes to cross over, buy tickets and jump aboard the single diesel railcar of the private Nagaragawa Line. It was fairly full of locals, from pretty young girls to an angry looking old farmer who seemed to have a European appearance and kept giving us dirty looks. I was not completely happy either: We have too much luggage and it's bloody bulky and heavy.
I don't think B likes the slow shaky local trains as much as I do. Alex and I positioned ourselves away from the too heated inward facing seats and stood looking out the front of the car, next to the driver. We rattled along though country towns and farms, following the course of the blue Nagara River, where kayakers rode the rapids. Many of the stops were nothing more than a shelter on short platform, collections of houses nearby but sometimes no shops and few services. Yet I found them strangely appealing.
After over an hour's ride we arrived at Gujo Hachiman's station. Fortunately, our ryokan was just down the road. We were allowed to leave our bags in our room, but check in was only after 3 pm, so we walked into the town centre. It's a fair hike. There was a bus but we thought we'd see more walking and we were looking for food.
There are a lot of cake and coffee shops in this town, but more substantial meals were harder to find. We eventually walked all the way to the tourist office at the end of Shin Machi street, but before we could enter we were delayed by the magnificent sight of the Yoshida River. There were residences clinging to the steep banks of the river, which was fed by the many clean cold water springs for which Gujo Hachiman is famous.
The tourist office had lots of interesting local products, including cinnamon biscuits and miso. The tourist office gave us some maps of the area, including a suggested walking route, plus a restaurant for our very hungry stomachs. By this late hour many eateries had already closed.
Crossing the river we ended up at a tourist centre bus terminal. It had plenty more local produce, plus food replicas. Gujo Hachiman produces about 80% of Japan's famous food replica items on display throughout restaurant windows across the country.
Our meals weren't up to the standard pf the replicas, but we couldn't be picky. The Hida area is also well known for its beef and dairy products and Alex's soft serve ice cream tasted deliciously milky to my tongue, though B didn't like it.
We followed the recommended walking route past the temples and long path up to the castle, high on a hill. There would be some great views from up there, but we didn't have the time or energy to pursue them.
Alex enjoyed the way that at various points around town the spring waters were made to flow through stone fountains and troughs, including one big deer scarrer. The streets were lined with old shop houses, some selling pickles, others dolls and fabric craft and others, well who knows? They looked dusty enough to have been there a while. Walking back down Shokunin Machi, we detoured to see the Sogi Sui spring with its little shrine and pretty bridge across the Kodara River, which merges at that point with the Yoshida.
Back across the Miyagase Bridge over the Yoshida River we stopped at the Sample Kobo food replica store and workshop to buy some replicas for ourselves, including a lamb chop. Visitors to our house will discover why. I hope we have enough time to see a replica being made tomorrow, but I believe that it involves wax and some other special ingredients.
Down through some other tiny streets and along a canal we came to the Jion Ji Zen temple. B was put off by the cemetary outside, but I ventured inside, paid the entrance fee and gazed upon one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen, despite its small size. A thin waterfall cascades down like lightning across striated granite into a pond fronted by moss and stonework. It's a pity that some work utilising chainsaws was being done around the boundaries, but the noise could not detract too much from the beauty before my eyes.
Unfortunately photos are not allowed, so you'll just have to come and see for yourself.
One final stop near the tourist office, at Igawa Komichi, a tiny, pretty pathway besides a narrow canal. The canal is inhabited by huge carp, but the feeding boxes were empty.
As evening fell we returned to our ryokan, the Azumaya. Our room looks new and clean. Sadly the tatami mat floor doesn't have the scent of straw, but that's the only complaint I can make. It's no upmarket ryokan, but its simplicity is perfect for us. Resting legs on the heated blanked under the low table, sippig green tea and munching on a sweet rice biscuit was welcome relief from the chill outside.
No dinner was provided and we could see no open eateries nearby. Even the ryokan owners suggested the Lawson convenience store down the road, so I brought back some hot meat buns and salads for what ended up as a satisfying dinner. Then were had a luxurious hot private bath together, soaking away days of aches, before collapsing into our futons. My only regret in coming here is not staying longer.
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