happy new year

January 8, 2013 

 

Happy new year, people!

Have you made a good start for Year 2013? 

 

As always, I had new year count-down at Yoshi's parents' place. To be exact, I didn't count down. I was so tired that I went to bed around 10 pm. We took a family trip to Shikoku Is. from 29 to 31 December. It took over 5 hours to get back his parents' house in Osaka. I was behind the wheel for a long time so...

It was really a nice trip.

Day 1 we went to Kompira-san shinto shrines in Kagawa. There were long steps made of stone to the shrines and people climbed with great efforts holding a wooden cane to sustain themselves. What was the good point of it was Dogs Allowed! Yes, Jack was of course with us. He climbed the steps too. In Edo era, if my memory is correct, there was no sight-seeing in Japan. Pilgrimage to Kompira shrines was one of peoples' dream in life. Some weren't afford to take off so instead they sent a dog. Other pilgrims took the dog with them so the dog would safely made it to the shrine and got a talisman. I found it so cute the dog carrying some old coins for the offering to the shrine and the food for it on the way and back. 

Day 2 we headed to Ehime where Dougo hot spa was. In there there was the oldest hot spa facility in Japan called Dougo Onsen Honkan. It was built in Meigi era and the famous author Soseki Natsume wrote a novel "Bocchan" set in Dougo. ... I have never read it. I think I should!

 

We came back to Yamanashi on Jan 2.