MARCH 10th
Today started off earlier than most. I left the net cafe before 5 AM, grabbed a few things from the nearest supermarket MaxValu (thankfully open 24 hours!) and began to make my way west as the sun rose behind me. The city roads were wide and clear; it was nice to walk on a clear path.
A couple hours later the road started to go into the mountains. I was not excited about climbing, so when I saw that there was a tunnel ahead of me I was relieved! However, before I could get close enough to enter I saw a sign and a map which displayed a part of the Old Tokaido Route.
I had made a silly promise to myself that if I found parts of the Old Route that I would walk it. It looked like I would be going up the mountain. Thankfully, it wasn't all that big and the trail was marked well. The area was part of a small park. As I went up the trail I noticed there were signs for the Meiji Tunnel. It was technically on a slightly different route, but it sounded more interesting than a shrine.
The trail leading up to the tunnel was deserted. It was only 8 AM at the time. The long tunnel went under a slope in the mountain and it was light with yellow-orange light bulbs. It was kind of dark and interesting, the perfect place to take some pictures. I must have spent at least a half hour there doing poses (break dance style). Only one person passed me on their bike, but I didn't care.
The descent from the mountain took me across a lumber yard and then down into a small neighborhood. I took a rest at the park. The small toilet they had looked like a big tree stump, which drew my attention in the first place. While I was resting my mother so happened to message me and we talked for an hour before I picked up to continue.
Okabe-juku was the next part of the route. It was very clean and had a fresh appeal to it for tourists. The town was nice and small, but as lunch drew closer I began to think of where to rest again. To my luck, there was a Steak Gusto just up the road. I was convinced they didn't exist since I had never seen one, but I had coupons for a meal there so I gladly took up the opportunity. The steak lunch meal came with an all-you-can-eat salad bar. I kept my salad options simple to keep the carbs low, so no dressing, no potato salad or carrots or bread or the like. It was still delicious, and so was the steak!!
After lunch I finally reached the 200km mark on Route 1. Two-fifths of the way! I stopped to take a picture and a lady pulled up to the curb. She asked me where I was going, I said Osaka. She clarified her question and asked where I was going today. I told her to Shimada, and she offered me a ride. I felt awkward declining her invitation, but I wasn't hitchhiking.
"It's a walking trip."
"So, you're not getting in?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry."
Only the smallest part of me wanted to ride, but I had come this far, and besides, my goal wasn't that far away.
The skies were blue and overall the weather that day had been fantastic. I had started out early, so when I reached my destination it was barely evening. I considered pushing on to the next available cafe, but it would have been over three hours away. I killed some time perusing a 100 yen shop and buying a black polyester scarf which could double as a sort of cap, since I lost my knit cap in Hakone. At 5 PM I settled down into another Kaikatsu CLUB and made my self comfortable for the next 12 hours.
[+24.8km= 204 kilometers total]
MARCH 11th
Heading out early again. It was still very dark. I chose to buy breakfast at a Lawson on my way, just a few minutes down the street. I bought some bran rolls, boiled eggs and some water. Finally when the sun had come up I was an hour into my walk through the small town. I stopped at a small park near the river and chowed down. My hands were cold from the morning chill.
The bridge took me across to Kanaya-juku, It seemed like it would be an easy day without too many checkpoints to cross. Well, the reason for that was because there were more mountains and hills. The entrance into the first mountain was up a marked road that was lined with red flags for the temple. I was lured into thinking that would be my only hill to climb, but I was wrong.
Over one mountain and down into a secluded valley with, you guessed it, another mountain in my path. The valley had one road running through it and only a half dozen fields and houses. I dreaded climbing up the other steep slope, but I hoped that once I cleared it I would be safe and clear.
Once again, I was wrong.
The descent was long and winding through an even more secluded area of farm land. Old men and women were burning grass in their fields, some were hanging laundry. It was very quiet. I listened to my Sherlock Holmes audio books to pass the time. It seemed like an eternity before I left those farms and found civilization again: a Family Mart. I needed to use the restroom.
Already two audio books down (each about 40 minutes) and nearly half a day done, I decided to eat lunch at Saizeriya. It was then, as I scrolled through Facebook on my phone, that I realized the date was March 11th, the anniversary of the tsunami in Fukushima. It just so happened that the red shirt I had been wearing with me on this trip was the same shirt I had designed for our fundraiser in University. That shirt has been with me through my biggest adventures in Japan: 2011, my first trip abroad and first time in Japan; 2014, when my friends and I went to the summit of Mt. Fuji to see the sunrise; and now, 2017, as I walk across Japan.
After lunch, the walk was considerably easier and I was away from any mountains. The fields around me were now open under a clear blue sky. By the time I reached Fukuroi City I was tired, but the sun just began to set.
Tonight would be the first night in many that I wouldn't spend alone. A friend who I had met in Tokushima last summer had moved to Shizuoka for work. Conveniently he happened to move to Fukuroi which was right on my route. Four of us, me, my friend, and his two co-workers went to eat Shabu-Shabu. Shabu-Shabu is a Japanese dish where one pot, with one or two soup flavors is set in the middle of the table and you boil the meat and vegetables you want to eat on your own. So much beef~ it was delicious.
I spent the night on my friend's floor, happily stuffed and relieved to have some company. Only one more day in Shizuoka and I would be on familiar ground.
[+34.9km = 239 kilometers total]
MARCH 12th
HALFWAYYYYYY!!!!
It's the ninth day of my journey, and if everything goes as planned, then it is also the official halfway point! It is also my last day in Shizuoka. THANK GOD. I have been in this prefecture for too long!
In any case, today's progress was relatively minimal for no other reason than the fact that the spacing between the net cafes were inconvenient. I only walked for a little more than four hours: I left my friend's place after 9 AM and took my time.
On my way I found the most ridiculous sign on the side of the road. KOALAS, Next 10 KM. What? I am in Japan right?!? I still have no idea why that sign was there.
Flowers were also blooming by the riverside. Finally, signs of spring! I was refreshed and in a good mood. I really didn't need to take any breaks. It would only be a four hour walk today, but I was in no hurry so I took a small detour about halfway to go to Burger King. Yes, Burger King. There should be more of them, but the only one I came across was in the food court of an Apita.
Without so much as an unfriendly breeze I made my way to Hamamatsu. Over another bridge and at the 250km mark!! At this point, my legs and shoulders are used to the daily grind. I'm not as tired when I need to rest, but I do so out of necessity. I probably could have combined three days walk into two if there had been places to stay at the proper intervals. It didn't matter though because everything was good.
Once again I reached my destination just as the sun was setting. The city quickly came alive under the dark blue sky. There must have been a festival event that weekend. Hamamatsu actually felt like a city compared to all the other stops in Shizuoka. That city spirit gave me a boost. I would have loved to explore it, but there was no time for that. I grabbed a snack from Lawson, of course, and took refuge in a Media Cafe Popeye net cafe.
Tomorrow was the day I was waiting for: my return to Aichi.
[+21.9km = 260.9 kilometers total]
Monday, March 13, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Walking The TOKAIDO Days 5 & 6
MARCH 8th
Day Five. Today was going to be a short day, since only had to walk about 20 kilometers to reach my daily goal. I was going to stay at another guesthouse, this time near Mt. Fuji. When planning this trip I was surprised how few guesthouses were available on this route, especially when it seems like there are many people who travel this way. I think a lot of people would benefit if they started a guesthouse chain/series that runs along the Tokaido Route. General markers along the trail would also be very welcome.
So, once again, my day out was going to be relatively short. My entire walk from Numazu to Fuji City was marked with Mt. Fuji watching over me. I took my time, and even took a small detour to go stare at the ocean again, so I was having a very good, chill day.
I was actually relieved that there was little walking today because my legs were still sore from the hike. Above all, the back of my calves, right below my knees were so tight. My shoulders were a bit sore as well, and even though there wasn't anything extra in my bag, everything just felt heavy.
My guesthouse for the day was NASUBI Mt. Fuji Backpackers. I arrived around 4pm after stopping to grab groceries at MaxValu because I wanted to cook my meals. Oh man, I am missing on eating food regularly. Food that I make.
I was the only guest at the guesthouse when I arrived, but I learned that I was sharing my room with three other people: it was a 6-bed dormitory, two other guests were from Switzerland, and one from Japan.
With the run of the house to myself I decided to do everything, literally. First I jumped in the shower, and then I threw my clothes in the laundry (washer and dryer for only 400 yen! better than a coin laundry which I was thinking of visiting!) and while the clothes were washing I cooked myself some salmon and ate dinner. While I was eating dinner one of the other guests returned. He was a 50-year old Japanese man who was traveling around taking pictures, so he had gone out to take photos of Mt. Fuji. I talked with him and the guesthouse managers (a lovely couple, they were so chill!!) until they started to make their own dinner. I considered going to bed early because the next day I would have t walk another 7 hours, but fate had something different in mind.
That night a friend of the guesthouse manager's came to visit. He was studying traditional Japanese massage techniques, and had also studied physical therapy. My first thought was "Oh, I could really use a massage..." I actually would like to study massage and/or physical therapy one day because I know many people who I could help with it. While the man treated the Japanese guest, I watched intently and learned alot about his studies. He offered to massage me next, which I was simultaneously gracious for, but also resistant because I KNEW how tight my body was and that it was going to hurt. But eventually I couldn't turn down the offer.
And I'm glad I didn't! The traditional Japanese massage techniques really tapped into muscles and nerve points that I did not know existed, particularly in my neck and shoulders and my head!! It was impossible to completely loosen my shoulders up, but the massage made a considerable difference. After that we ended up talking until after 11 pm about studying massage and his business (so much for sleeping early haha). I can easily say today was the best day since I left Yokohama! Too bad it's my last guesthouse for a while...
[+20.4km = 144.2 kilometers total]
MARCH 9th
Oh boy.
Day six... from the best day, to what turned out to be the most... not worst, but very difficult day.
My day started early. I wanted to leave the guesthouse by 8am because it was going to be a long walk to Shizuoka City. I made and ate my delicious fried egg breakfast before anyone else was awake (except the Japanese guest who stepped out early to take more pictures). My shoulders were feeling much better from the massage, but I could still feel strain in my calf muscles. I was assuming that it was because I needed to drink more water.
Slowly the day began to bring on the challenges. First, the drawstring on my pants was half-retracted into the waistline when I did my laundry. I spent a good 15 minutes or so restring them using a safety pin which I was smart enough to bring along. My head felt strangely calm, as if it knew it was going t be a long day.
I didn't get out of the guesthouse until about 8:40. The guesthouse manager gave me two snacks"for emergency" - they were sweets, and I wanted to turn them down, but I just didn't have the spirit to refuse them. I was determined not to eat them, but I didn't know what I would do with them.
The first couple of hours went well and I was making good time on my walk. As I was walking I could still feel the strain in my calves. My plan was to get a 2L of water and make sure I wasn't dehydrated, but another thought occured to me. Maybe the muscles weren't able to heal fully because I was lacking electrolytes and needed a carb load.
I couldn't reason myself out of it once my brain decided that's what I needed to do. So at lunch I ate tuna with mayo, an avocado and some cheese which I had bought the day before at MaxValu. I had the two little treats as well. Kept walking, ended up going up a mountain again because Route 1 wasn't walkable, and a couple hours later I finally bought my 2L of water... and that custard cookie ice cream.
More walking, then some orange juice and peanuts after a bathroom run at Seven Eleven. Finally, a 'low sugar/carb' piece of chocolate cake by Rizap. It was one of those days where it's like "well, I already ate XX so I might as well eat YY today too and get the craving out of the way". I also had a little ice cream at the net cafe because it was free (I had a feeling when I checked in that I would end up on the floor with the ice cream machine). Soo yeah it was a HIGH carb day, but I figured that it would be good to see how it affects me the next day. Just praying that I don't feel horrible cause I still got to walk!!
By the way, I stayed at Kaikatsu Club just outside Shizuoka City. It was AMAZING. Special ladies only area, yes free ice cream, and a very good price. Who needs hotels? haha
[+35.1km = 179.3 kilometers total]
ON TO DAYS SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE >>>>
Day Five. Today was going to be a short day, since only had to walk about 20 kilometers to reach my daily goal. I was going to stay at another guesthouse, this time near Mt. Fuji. When planning this trip I was surprised how few guesthouses were available on this route, especially when it seems like there are many people who travel this way. I think a lot of people would benefit if they started a guesthouse chain/series that runs along the Tokaido Route. General markers along the trail would also be very welcome.
So, once again, my day out was going to be relatively short. My entire walk from Numazu to Fuji City was marked with Mt. Fuji watching over me. I took my time, and even took a small detour to go stare at the ocean again, so I was having a very good, chill day.
I was actually relieved that there was little walking today because my legs were still sore from the hike. Above all, the back of my calves, right below my knees were so tight. My shoulders were a bit sore as well, and even though there wasn't anything extra in my bag, everything just felt heavy.
My guesthouse for the day was NASUBI Mt. Fuji Backpackers. I arrived around 4pm after stopping to grab groceries at MaxValu because I wanted to cook my meals. Oh man, I am missing on eating food regularly. Food that I make.
I was the only guest at the guesthouse when I arrived, but I learned that I was sharing my room with three other people: it was a 6-bed dormitory, two other guests were from Switzerland, and one from Japan.
With the run of the house to myself I decided to do everything, literally. First I jumped in the shower, and then I threw my clothes in the laundry (washer and dryer for only 400 yen! better than a coin laundry which I was thinking of visiting!) and while the clothes were washing I cooked myself some salmon and ate dinner. While I was eating dinner one of the other guests returned. He was a 50-year old Japanese man who was traveling around taking pictures, so he had gone out to take photos of Mt. Fuji. I talked with him and the guesthouse managers (a lovely couple, they were so chill!!) until they started to make their own dinner. I considered going to bed early because the next day I would have t walk another 7 hours, but fate had something different in mind.
That night a friend of the guesthouse manager's came to visit. He was studying traditional Japanese massage techniques, and had also studied physical therapy. My first thought was "Oh, I could really use a massage..." I actually would like to study massage and/or physical therapy one day because I know many people who I could help with it. While the man treated the Japanese guest, I watched intently and learned alot about his studies. He offered to massage me next, which I was simultaneously gracious for, but also resistant because I KNEW how tight my body was and that it was going to hurt. But eventually I couldn't turn down the offer.
And I'm glad I didn't! The traditional Japanese massage techniques really tapped into muscles and nerve points that I did not know existed, particularly in my neck and shoulders and my head!! It was impossible to completely loosen my shoulders up, but the massage made a considerable difference. After that we ended up talking until after 11 pm about studying massage and his business (so much for sleeping early haha). I can easily say today was the best day since I left Yokohama! Too bad it's my last guesthouse for a while...
[+20.4km = 144.2 kilometers total]
MARCH 9th
Oh boy.
Day six... from the best day, to what turned out to be the most... not worst, but very difficult day.
My day started early. I wanted to leave the guesthouse by 8am because it was going to be a long walk to Shizuoka City. I made and ate my delicious fried egg breakfast before anyone else was awake (except the Japanese guest who stepped out early to take more pictures). My shoulders were feeling much better from the massage, but I could still feel strain in my calf muscles. I was assuming that it was because I needed to drink more water.
Slowly the day began to bring on the challenges. First, the drawstring on my pants was half-retracted into the waistline when I did my laundry. I spent a good 15 minutes or so restring them using a safety pin which I was smart enough to bring along. My head felt strangely calm, as if it knew it was going t be a long day.
I didn't get out of the guesthouse until about 8:40. The guesthouse manager gave me two snacks"for emergency" - they were sweets, and I wanted to turn them down, but I just didn't have the spirit to refuse them. I was determined not to eat them, but I didn't know what I would do with them.
The first couple of hours went well and I was making good time on my walk. As I was walking I could still feel the strain in my calves. My plan was to get a 2L of water and make sure I wasn't dehydrated, but another thought occured to me. Maybe the muscles weren't able to heal fully because I was lacking electrolytes and needed a carb load.
I couldn't reason myself out of it once my brain decided that's what I needed to do. So at lunch I ate tuna with mayo, an avocado and some cheese which I had bought the day before at MaxValu. I had the two little treats as well. Kept walking, ended up going up a mountain again because Route 1 wasn't walkable, and a couple hours later I finally bought my 2L of water... and that custard cookie ice cream.
More walking, then some orange juice and peanuts after a bathroom run at Seven Eleven. Finally, a 'low sugar/carb' piece of chocolate cake by Rizap. It was one of those days where it's like "well, I already ate XX so I might as well eat YY today too and get the craving out of the way". I also had a little ice cream at the net cafe because it was free (I had a feeling when I checked in that I would end up on the floor with the ice cream machine). Soo yeah it was a HIGH carb day, but I figured that it would be good to see how it affects me the next day. Just praying that I don't feel horrible cause I still got to walk!!
By the way, I stayed at Kaikatsu Club just outside Shizuoka City. It was AMAZING. Special ladies only area, yes free ice cream, and a very good price. Who needs hotels? haha
[+35.1km = 179.3 kilometers total]
ON TO DAYS SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE >>>>
Friday, March 10, 2017
Walking The TOKAIDO Days 3 & 4
MARCH 6th, DAY THREE *pictures will be added later
After writing my last post I was able to get an hour of peaceful sleep. I left the net cafe by 7am, pleasantly refreshed by the bright morning sky (compared to the dull and dark cave I had slept in).
I started making my way back to Route 1. On the way I did find another 24 hour net cafe called the Hours. It didn't appear in my Google search, so I thought there was only one option in Hiratsuka - one whose website wasn't working. I was stressed a bit because of the possibility that I wouldn't have a place to stay, and lo and behold there was another option. Strike two Google Maps.
When I left the city it was a little sunny, but clouds were already creeping in. I stopped on the way at a Lawson to get breakfast. This time I tried out their low carb bran pancakes. I was surprised to think that they were too sweet, but they were made with agave syrup, and had some more syrup and whip cream or something between them. It was a nice treat, since I had been craving pancakes for a long time.
The rain was light and misty for the next few hours. My route took me near the ocean, which I kept looking at longingly between the houses until I crossed a narrow stairwell down to the beach. It was a good time for a break, I figured, so I took a minor detour and went down to the beach around 10am. Despite the light rain and wind, being near the ocean was very calming. Before I knew it 45 minutes had passed of me just staring at the waves. The rain had also let up at this point so I thought it was going to be a good day. I had only 4 more ours or so to my destination, a guesthouse in Hakone, and it wasn't even noon yet.
Unfortunately, after I left the beach, things steadily got harder. The rain began to fall steadily, not large heavy drops, but a constant blanket of light rain. I took another break at noon for lunch, hoping that the KFC would have grilled chicken, but to my disappointment they only had their original recipe fried chicken. Not the best for this low carb, healthy fat lifestyle I'm trying to commit to, but at least it would be some good protein and I could rest my legs.
I forgot to mention on my way to KFC I saw another possible Tokaido walker on the opposite side of the road; it was a man, possibly in his 40s or 50s, heading in the same direction as I. He seemed tired from going up the incline, but my legs were still fresh at the time and I overtook him. I noticed he kept glancing at me, but when I looked back he would turn away, so we never made contact. Oh well, if we are meant to meet, then we will.
I managed to stick around KFC for almost an hour. The rain wouldn't let up, so I decided to try out the plastic shoe covers that I had bought from Donkihote. It took some getting used to, but I adjusted to the feel of the rubber bands around my legs and the slightly drag of the plastic, then I was well on my way. I also covered my bag in its waterproof cover and put on my cap and hood. I didn't take out the poncho this time.
The rain continued, falling harder as the route began to incline up towards Hakone. I was grateful that it was only a slight incline most of the way, but I had a strong notion that I was in for a long walk. Usually I enjoy the rain, but having to walk in it with 20lbs on my back, essentially up a mountain, was not preferable. Also, the approach was not very well defined in several parts. Route 1 became unwalkable, but the way to the walking route wasn't easy to find. Just unneccessary added stress.
Somehow I managed to stay on the right path (here I will thank Google) and I entered the Hakone area around 4pm. Perfect timing because the guesthouse check-in was available from that time. I remember thinking that everything seemed closer on the map, but maybe it just felt longer because it was all uphill. In any case, I grabbed a few grocery items from the 7i convenience store on the way up the mountain, including eggs, 2L of water, and some peppered beef strips. Slightly drenched I arrived at Guesthouse Azito at just after 4pm.
Let me give a shout out to the staff at Guesthouse Azito for being awesome and kind. The place had a very nice atmosphere and instead of a shared room, the rooms were private - just a bed and a little space, but private nonetheless. I wasted no time in dumping all my stuff in my room and claiming it as my own for the next half a day.
It was still only the early evening, but it was a rainy day, so instead of walking around the area (which was really beautiful, but I had already walked ALOT anyway) I I took a shower, hung up my only slightly wet clothes (yay water proof/quick dry stuff!) and cooked my dinner. No other guests were around, so I privately ate up my salad with avocado, eggs, peppered beef and cheese, and then I went to bed.
[+26.5km = 89.5kilometers total]
MARCH 7th, DAY FOUR
I slept from 7pm until about 5am. No regrets. I wanted to start my day early because I knew it would be about a 7 hour walk to my next destination in Numazu. Before anyone else was awake, I quickly slipped out and headed to the nearest convenience store (only 3 in the area from what I saw, and no supermarkets). This time it was Family Mart. I knew they had some kind of low carb stuff, which I had never tried before, so I sought them out.
Rizap has released many low sugar products, oddly enough mostly sweets. I wanted yogurt but settled for trying their cheese cake, and also grabbed aWalnut Roll. Of course, the cheese cake had artificial sweeteners and wasn't as low carb as I was aiming for, but I figured I'm in for a long walk, so it wouldn't hurt. Nevertheless it was sweet - no surprise there. I'm glad to say that I have not been craving sweets since I changed my eating habits, but I feel that it's good to have the options available, if and when I just want a treat. The Walnut Roll was delicious, perfect, I would definitely get that again.
Enough about food! Haha. Back to the grind.
As I'm writing this, I am starting to feel tired again just from the thought... It was a LONG day. As soon as I left the guesthouse I noticed that the path was going up hill. Everytime I thought it would level out or start to go down, I turned the corner and there was another incline.
For the most part, the route along 732 is actually ON the road, as in on the edge where there is a "designated walking space". It is NOT enough space. There is literally a white line on the edge of the road, and half the time foliage has taken it over. That goes on for long enough to where you start to think any sort of real designated walking area is better than feeling like you shouldn't be walking on the road with (occasional) cars going by.
This area of Hakone is also one of the locations where the Old Tokaido Route has been preserved or reconstructed. For the record, it's literally a hike through the mountains. You are either climbing up an uneven stone path, which I enjoy because it's a little more interesting, or you are going up several flights of stairs, which I did not enjoy. There are also a couple river crossings that will have you think "This is awesome, but am I supposed to be here??"
Climbing the mountain was rough for me. My brain made sure to remind me off the weight on my back, the strain in my legs and the slightest change in body temperature. It was mentally draining more than anything.
However, on the road I happened to meet an old man heading in the opposite direction of me. He too was walking the Tokaido, though he had started in Kyoto. He seemed to be pressing on well, and when I asked how long he had been walking he said about 16 days. 16?! That was faster than I expected. But he was also staying in business hotels for about 5000 yen a night, which I'm sure is a big comfort. We wished each other luck on the remainder of our trips. That meeting was just the bit of push I needed to will myself up the mountain: if an old man can do it, so can I.
If and when you survive the hike up the mountain, don't expect much of a view. The trail eventually descends a bit and takes you to the shores of Lake Ashi. The little resort area was booming with people despite the chilly weather.
And it was cold. I was hot and cold and everything in between while going up the mountain so I ended up with my jacket around my waist, long undershirt and tshirt, and a full set of knit cap, neck warmer and mittens... and sunglasses. Other people were not so well-dressed - I questioned what kind of humans they were, but apparantely I am the odd one out.
I walked along the shore of the lake looking for a place to have lunch, but nearly every shop was either selling soba noodles, or curry and rice. I was about to settle for karage (fried chicken) when I saw a 7i at the end of the road. You may be wondering why I am not enjoying the "local" cuisine or going into restaurants more and there's two obvious reasons for that: 1) to save money, and 2) low carb means no bread, rice, noodles, sweets, etc. for the most part. Besides, I live in Japan, if I really want something, I can get it almost anywhere.
So, I bought my lunch from 7i, ate it in the waiting room for the boat rides because it was too cold for me to eat outside, and then with nothing else to do continued along the path. I really hoped that it would continue to decline, but nope, not yet. There were a few more hills, up and down, roads with no sidewalks, unclear signs which route to take, I lost my knit cap and hairband too - stress stress stress - but FINALLY signs for Mishima City meant I was really getting out of the mountains.
I have never been happier to walk into the outer limits of a city. Civilization! Sidewalks! Marked streets! How lucky we are.
The walk through Mishima, though welcome as it was easy to follow, was still a good two hours or so from my destination in Numazu. On the way I stopped at Coco's, which is like a steak house that I have never been to before, and had some beef hamburger steak.
After dinner and a quick rest, I made the final push to Numazu. To my surprise there was a SEIYU (Japan's Walmart, literally) and grabbed a few groceries. It was mostly cheese, some marked down spinach and a couple avocados. My lodgings for the night were at Media Cafe POPEYE in Numazu. Since my legs were so tired, and I DID climb a mountain and all, I chose the 12 hour night pack in the massage chair booth.
It wasn't easy to sleep in the chair that couldn't fully recline, but I managed to sleep quite a bit. I think the massaging helped with that. In more than one way I hoped that was the last mountain I had to climb this trip.
[+34.3km = 123.8 kilometers total]
ON TO DAY FIVE & SIX!! >>>>
After writing my last post I was able to get an hour of peaceful sleep. I left the net cafe by 7am, pleasantly refreshed by the bright morning sky (compared to the dull and dark cave I had slept in).
I started making my way back to Route 1. On the way I did find another 24 hour net cafe called the Hours. It didn't appear in my Google search, so I thought there was only one option in Hiratsuka - one whose website wasn't working. I was stressed a bit because of the possibility that I wouldn't have a place to stay, and lo and behold there was another option. Strike two Google Maps.
When I left the city it was a little sunny, but clouds were already creeping in. I stopped on the way at a Lawson to get breakfast. This time I tried out their low carb bran pancakes. I was surprised to think that they were too sweet, but they were made with agave syrup, and had some more syrup and whip cream or something between them. It was a nice treat, since I had been craving pancakes for a long time.
The rain was light and misty for the next few hours. My route took me near the ocean, which I kept looking at longingly between the houses until I crossed a narrow stairwell down to the beach. It was a good time for a break, I figured, so I took a minor detour and went down to the beach around 10am. Despite the light rain and wind, being near the ocean was very calming. Before I knew it 45 minutes had passed of me just staring at the waves. The rain had also let up at this point so I thought it was going to be a good day. I had only 4 more ours or so to my destination, a guesthouse in Hakone, and it wasn't even noon yet.
Unfortunately, after I left the beach, things steadily got harder. The rain began to fall steadily, not large heavy drops, but a constant blanket of light rain. I took another break at noon for lunch, hoping that the KFC would have grilled chicken, but to my disappointment they only had their original recipe fried chicken. Not the best for this low carb, healthy fat lifestyle I'm trying to commit to, but at least it would be some good protein and I could rest my legs.
I forgot to mention on my way to KFC I saw another possible Tokaido walker on the opposite side of the road; it was a man, possibly in his 40s or 50s, heading in the same direction as I. He seemed tired from going up the incline, but my legs were still fresh at the time and I overtook him. I noticed he kept glancing at me, but when I looked back he would turn away, so we never made contact. Oh well, if we are meant to meet, then we will.
I managed to stick around KFC for almost an hour. The rain wouldn't let up, so I decided to try out the plastic shoe covers that I had bought from Donkihote. It took some getting used to, but I adjusted to the feel of the rubber bands around my legs and the slightly drag of the plastic, then I was well on my way. I also covered my bag in its waterproof cover and put on my cap and hood. I didn't take out the poncho this time.
The rain continued, falling harder as the route began to incline up towards Hakone. I was grateful that it was only a slight incline most of the way, but I had a strong notion that I was in for a long walk. Usually I enjoy the rain, but having to walk in it with 20lbs on my back, essentially up a mountain, was not preferable. Also, the approach was not very well defined in several parts. Route 1 became unwalkable, but the way to the walking route wasn't easy to find. Just unneccessary added stress.
Somehow I managed to stay on the right path (here I will thank Google) and I entered the Hakone area around 4pm. Perfect timing because the guesthouse check-in was available from that time. I remember thinking that everything seemed closer on the map, but maybe it just felt longer because it was all uphill. In any case, I grabbed a few grocery items from the 7i convenience store on the way up the mountain, including eggs, 2L of water, and some peppered beef strips. Slightly drenched I arrived at Guesthouse Azito at just after 4pm.
Let me give a shout out to the staff at Guesthouse Azito for being awesome and kind. The place had a very nice atmosphere and instead of a shared room, the rooms were private - just a bed and a little space, but private nonetheless. I wasted no time in dumping all my stuff in my room and claiming it as my own for the next half a day.
It was still only the early evening, but it was a rainy day, so instead of walking around the area (which was really beautiful, but I had already walked ALOT anyway) I I took a shower, hung up my only slightly wet clothes (yay water proof/quick dry stuff!) and cooked my dinner. No other guests were around, so I privately ate up my salad with avocado, eggs, peppered beef and cheese, and then I went to bed.
[+26.5km = 89.5kilometers total]
MARCH 7th, DAY FOUR
I slept from 7pm until about 5am. No regrets. I wanted to start my day early because I knew it would be about a 7 hour walk to my next destination in Numazu. Before anyone else was awake, I quickly slipped out and headed to the nearest convenience store (only 3 in the area from what I saw, and no supermarkets). This time it was Family Mart. I knew they had some kind of low carb stuff, which I had never tried before, so I sought them out.
Rizap has released many low sugar products, oddly enough mostly sweets. I wanted yogurt but settled for trying their cheese cake, and also grabbed aWalnut Roll. Of course, the cheese cake had artificial sweeteners and wasn't as low carb as I was aiming for, but I figured I'm in for a long walk, so it wouldn't hurt. Nevertheless it was sweet - no surprise there. I'm glad to say that I have not been craving sweets since I changed my eating habits, but I feel that it's good to have the options available, if and when I just want a treat. The Walnut Roll was delicious, perfect, I would definitely get that again.
Enough about food! Haha. Back to the grind.
As I'm writing this, I am starting to feel tired again just from the thought... It was a LONG day. As soon as I left the guesthouse I noticed that the path was going up hill. Everytime I thought it would level out or start to go down, I turned the corner and there was another incline.
For the most part, the route along 732 is actually ON the road, as in on the edge where there is a "designated walking space". It is NOT enough space. There is literally a white line on the edge of the road, and half the time foliage has taken it over. That goes on for long enough to where you start to think any sort of real designated walking area is better than feeling like you shouldn't be walking on the road with (occasional) cars going by.
This area of Hakone is also one of the locations where the Old Tokaido Route has been preserved or reconstructed. For the record, it's literally a hike through the mountains. You are either climbing up an uneven stone path, which I enjoy because it's a little more interesting, or you are going up several flights of stairs, which I did not enjoy. There are also a couple river crossings that will have you think "This is awesome, but am I supposed to be here??"
Climbing the mountain was rough for me. My brain made sure to remind me off the weight on my back, the strain in my legs and the slightest change in body temperature. It was mentally draining more than anything.
However, on the road I happened to meet an old man heading in the opposite direction of me. He too was walking the Tokaido, though he had started in Kyoto. He seemed to be pressing on well, and when I asked how long he had been walking he said about 16 days. 16?! That was faster than I expected. But he was also staying in business hotels for about 5000 yen a night, which I'm sure is a big comfort. We wished each other luck on the remainder of our trips. That meeting was just the bit of push I needed to will myself up the mountain: if an old man can do it, so can I.
If and when you survive the hike up the mountain, don't expect much of a view. The trail eventually descends a bit and takes you to the shores of Lake Ashi. The little resort area was booming with people despite the chilly weather.
And it was cold. I was hot and cold and everything in between while going up the mountain so I ended up with my jacket around my waist, long undershirt and tshirt, and a full set of knit cap, neck warmer and mittens... and sunglasses. Other people were not so well-dressed - I questioned what kind of humans they were, but apparantely I am the odd one out.
I walked along the shore of the lake looking for a place to have lunch, but nearly every shop was either selling soba noodles, or curry and rice. I was about to settle for karage (fried chicken) when I saw a 7i at the end of the road. You may be wondering why I am not enjoying the "local" cuisine or going into restaurants more and there's two obvious reasons for that: 1) to save money, and 2) low carb means no bread, rice, noodles, sweets, etc. for the most part. Besides, I live in Japan, if I really want something, I can get it almost anywhere.
So, I bought my lunch from 7i, ate it in the waiting room for the boat rides because it was too cold for me to eat outside, and then with nothing else to do continued along the path. I really hoped that it would continue to decline, but nope, not yet. There were a few more hills, up and down, roads with no sidewalks, unclear signs which route to take, I lost my knit cap and hairband too - stress stress stress - but FINALLY signs for Mishima City meant I was really getting out of the mountains.
I have never been happier to walk into the outer limits of a city. Civilization! Sidewalks! Marked streets! How lucky we are.
The walk through Mishima, though welcome as it was easy to follow, was still a good two hours or so from my destination in Numazu. On the way I stopped at Coco's, which is like a steak house that I have never been to before, and had some beef hamburger steak.
After dinner and a quick rest, I made the final push to Numazu. To my surprise there was a SEIYU (Japan's Walmart, literally) and grabbed a few groceries. It was mostly cheese, some marked down spinach and a couple avocados. My lodgings for the night were at Media Cafe POPEYE in Numazu. Since my legs were so tired, and I DID climb a mountain and all, I chose the 12 hour night pack in the massage chair booth.
It wasn't easy to sleep in the chair that couldn't fully recline, but I managed to sleep quite a bit. I think the massaging helped with that. In more than one way I hoped that was the last mountain I had to climb this trip.
[+34.3km = 123.8 kilometers total]
ON TO DAY FIVE & SIX!! >>>>
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Walking The TOKAIDO Days 0, 1 & 2
Well, so much for falling asleep. I guess I will take this opportunity to catch you all up on how my time has been so far.
****I WILL ADD PICTURES LATER I PROMISE****
It's been 2 days since I left Nagoya.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3rd, DAY ZERO
I caught a bus from Nagoya Station to Tokyo. That morning I went to my student's graduation. To be honest during most of the ceremony I kept spacing out and running over the day's plans in my head. One thing did stick out to me however. In the student representative's "Thank you" message they said something like this:
"I know there will be good times and hard times. But in those hard times, instead of saying "I'm tired" I think we should say "Look how far I've come / Look how much I've done.""
At the start of what I knew to be a tiring trip, I really took those words to heart.
**
The bus took about 6.5 hours from Nagoya to Kawasaki, via Tokyo. It did stop in Shinjuku, but I had plans to stay with my friend in Yokohama (just south of the Tokyo Metropolitan), so Kawasaki was the closest I could go by bus. Normally, I enjoy bus trips, but normally I am only on the bus for 3 hours. You can guess how happy I was to get off at my destination.
My friend came to meet me at the station and we went back to the apartment he shares with his girlfriend. I was in for my first surprise. He lives UP on a hill. There was a hundred stairs to climb (it seemed). First the bus, now this trek up a small mountain... my mind was telling me all kinds of trouble must be coming.
The reality that I was doing this trip still hadn't set in however. I was just hanging out at my friends house. Nothing challenging yet.
**
MARCH 4th, DAY ONE, 7:20 a.m.
The alarm on my watch didn't go off. I was getting started an hour later than I had planned - but in reality, I probably would have woken up an hour too early. I quickly ate breakfast (2 eggs and some cheese), packed up my bag, and told my friend that I would be back around 6 or 7 p.m.
I caught the train from Yokohama Station and rode it into Tokyo. The official start of my trip would be at NIHOMBASHI.
But first, a coffee.
Many of you reading this know that I don't usually drink coffee, and I generally tend to avoid cafes. The only reason I chose to go was because I was going to meet a friend from university who I haven't seen in almost 2 years. She now lives and works in Tokyo, so it was a perfect chance to meet again.
After our meeting, she walked with me to Nihombashi. This was it. It was actually starting!!
But first, let me take a selfie (haha).
Now with full spirits and a good picture to mark the moment, I took my first step on my journey.
Walking of course came naturally. This is what I had been training over 2 months for. I kept my eyes open for markers of the Old Tokaido trail, but there was little of interest to me in those first hours - just buildings, people, streets.... you know, a city. Thankfully, sightseeing is NOT the purpose of this trip!
**
3 hours from Nihombashi I made a stop in Kamata to meet another friend who I hadn't seen in almost 2.5 years! We had hung out a lot while I was an exchange student, so we were very close. It was just like old times.
He also bought me lunch: Freshness Burger's Avocado Burger, without the bun. Thank you~
We talked for over an hour and I was feeling rejuvenated. 3 more hours to go and I would be back in Yokohama. I realized how lucky I was that my first day went so well. The weather was great, not too hot and with a slight breeze. I had the chance to reunite with my friends. And free food. That always makes for a good day.
Eventually I reached my friend's apartment in Yokohama. His girlfriend made gyoza (meat dumplings, mine were chicken) for dinner, which I had no guilt in eating after the 6-7 hour walk. We played a couple rounds of Jenga and then went to bed around 11 pm.
I'm glad it was a good day, but I also knew that my journey had only just begun. If I was taking the ring to Mordor, day one would be the start of the journey where we are all still innocent and having fun... before the orcs attack us.
Starting tomorrow, I'm alone.
[30 kilometers]
**
MARCH 5th, DAY TWO, 7 am
Two more eggs for breakfast. I am going to miss being able to cook my food.
I have two possible destinations today, either Chigasaki or Hiratsuka. Hiratsuka is slightly farther of the two, and I preferred to go there because it would make my walk on the 6th an hour shorter. Either way, I was planning to spend the night at a net cafe.
Just before I left from Yokohama, another friend of mine stopped in to take my place at the apartment haha. The three of them sent me off with well wishes, and day two began.
I was taking Route 1 from Yokohama and finally seeing markers of the Old Tokaido road. On my way down from Tokyo I stayed on Route 15, so I only had markers which told me how far I had walked from Nihombashi. I took a few pictures of the trail markers, but as I mentioned before, I'm not doing this to sight-see.
About 2 hours in to my walk I spotted a pair of backpackers ahead of me. I suspected they were walking the Tokaido as well (not alone after all!) However, they made a stop at a convenient store, while I still wanted to continue walking. If they were really on this road for the long haul, we would probably run into each other again, I thought, so I kept on my way.
Initially, I had marked a restaurant on my map to rest at. Every 2 hours or so I plan to rest my legs and shoulders, and maybe eat something too. My luck was good. There was a small department / supermarket in Totsuka on the way. I stopped in with the intention to buy some food and then eat it at a nearby park, but I noticed they had a small sitting area which we could use freely. Don't mind if I do. Second breakfast was green tea, a small salad, and bran rolls with butter.
I was feeling good and confident about my plans and training thus far. My legs were sound, and even my shoulders were adjusting to the weight of my bag (8-9kg, or about 18 lbs). The weather was actually warmer than I had been expecting, but thankfully I planned for that too. Also, I could take breaks on my own time, and eat what and when I wanted - freedom!
It was during my second short break at a Lawson that I spotted the two backpackers from earlier. Yup, they were walking the trail. Time to make my day a little more interesting. The hunt was on. I quickly jumped back on the trail and followed after them.
If I caught up, I would say something... well, I did catch up because they stopped at the bottom of a hill to rest a bit. I sort of awkwardly said "Hey" as I drew closer and confirmed my suspicions. They were indeed walking the Tokaido route, but only to Kyoto. The pair of them were also planning to stop at a hotel in Hiratsuka that night. Maybe I am a little competitive, but that set my mind to going as far as Hiratsuka as well.
Figuring we would run into each other again, I excused myself and pressed onward. I don't mind talking with someone on the way, but I'm actually not in the mood to join a party.
The walk from there went relatively smoothly. I discovered there is a part of Route 1 that you CANNOT walk, despite what Google thinks. Google, I am not a car. I cannot go ON the highway. In any case, that area naturally leads pedestrians onto Route 30, so just trust the road.
Two hours later I was lucky again to find a shopping mall on the route. I grabbed some sashimi (raw fish) from the grocer and ate it in the food court. From there it was a 1 hour walk to Chigasaki (where I also stopped at a Gyomu Super to grab avocados and cheese haha). While in Chigasaki I called the net cafe in Hiratsuka to confirm if they were open. Their website would not load, so I was worried something happened, and should worst come to worst the next place I could stay the night would be an hour away.
The call confirmed that the net cafe was up and running, so I walked one more hour to Hiratsuka.
I always feel the most energetic in the first and last hour of my daily walks. Today I couldn't help but dance a little with my hands (legs are kinda busy), and when a language course came on I was ready to repeat all the phrases aloud as I walked. No one will bother to stop me, so why not. They probably think I am on a call with someone. Singing is more difficult... people will know when you're singing.
Finally, at about 8:30 I reached the center of Hiratsuka. I found the net cafe I planned to stay at and chose the best time package. I decided to get the 9-hour pack for 1800 yen. However, I had to wait until 10 pm. Fine, no problem.
As I was waiting a Japanese man asked me if I needed any help, but when I spoke back in Japanese he was surprised to hear me speak. We spoke a little and he offered to buy me a drink while I waited to go into the cafe. I accepted the company, ordered a hot tea and we talked for an hour until 10 pm.
Day two was coming to a good end. I got into the net cafe, paid for my time package and got a flat seat booth ("for sleeping"). The manager was very kind, and my flat booth was perfect. There was also a couple good movies I could watch while I ate my dinner (avocado, cheese, sliced chicken and another small salad).
[+33km = 63 kilometers total]
Yeah, this is the best net cafe I have been to yet.
Halfway through the movie, at midnight, I decided I would sleep until 6 am.
My wish was not granted.
THE GUY IN THE NEXT BOOTH SNORES LIKE A BEARRRRRRRRRR. WHYYYYY???? HOW CAN YOU SLEEP? NO ONE ELSE CAN SLEEP!!!
*tears tears angry tears*
So.... that's why I can't sleep and I wrote this blog haha. Now it's 5:15. The man left 30 minutes ago. I am going to try and get a little sleep in now!
Until next time, take care!
ON TO DAY THREE & FOUR>>>
****I WILL ADD PICTURES LATER I PROMISE****
It's been 2 days since I left Nagoya.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3rd, DAY ZERO
I caught a bus from Nagoya Station to Tokyo. That morning I went to my student's graduation. To be honest during most of the ceremony I kept spacing out and running over the day's plans in my head. One thing did stick out to me however. In the student representative's "Thank you" message they said something like this:
"I know there will be good times and hard times. But in those hard times, instead of saying "I'm tired" I think we should say "Look how far I've come / Look how much I've done.""
At the start of what I knew to be a tiring trip, I really took those words to heart.
**
The bus took about 6.5 hours from Nagoya to Kawasaki, via Tokyo. It did stop in Shinjuku, but I had plans to stay with my friend in Yokohama (just south of the Tokyo Metropolitan), so Kawasaki was the closest I could go by bus. Normally, I enjoy bus trips, but normally I am only on the bus for 3 hours. You can guess how happy I was to get off at my destination.
My friend came to meet me at the station and we went back to the apartment he shares with his girlfriend. I was in for my first surprise. He lives UP on a hill. There was a hundred stairs to climb (it seemed). First the bus, now this trek up a small mountain... my mind was telling me all kinds of trouble must be coming.
The reality that I was doing this trip still hadn't set in however. I was just hanging out at my friends house. Nothing challenging yet.
**
MARCH 4th, DAY ONE, 7:20 a.m.
The alarm on my watch didn't go off. I was getting started an hour later than I had planned - but in reality, I probably would have woken up an hour too early. I quickly ate breakfast (2 eggs and some cheese), packed up my bag, and told my friend that I would be back around 6 or 7 p.m.
I caught the train from Yokohama Station and rode it into Tokyo. The official start of my trip would be at NIHOMBASHI.
But first, a coffee.
Many of you reading this know that I don't usually drink coffee, and I generally tend to avoid cafes. The only reason I chose to go was because I was going to meet a friend from university who I haven't seen in almost 2 years. She now lives and works in Tokyo, so it was a perfect chance to meet again.
After our meeting, she walked with me to Nihombashi. This was it. It was actually starting!!
But first, let me take a selfie (haha).
Now with full spirits and a good picture to mark the moment, I took my first step on my journey.
Walking of course came naturally. This is what I had been training over 2 months for. I kept my eyes open for markers of the Old Tokaido trail, but there was little of interest to me in those first hours - just buildings, people, streets.... you know, a city. Thankfully, sightseeing is NOT the purpose of this trip!
**
3 hours from Nihombashi I made a stop in Kamata to meet another friend who I hadn't seen in almost 2.5 years! We had hung out a lot while I was an exchange student, so we were very close. It was just like old times.
He also bought me lunch: Freshness Burger's Avocado Burger, without the bun. Thank you~
We talked for over an hour and I was feeling rejuvenated. 3 more hours to go and I would be back in Yokohama. I realized how lucky I was that my first day went so well. The weather was great, not too hot and with a slight breeze. I had the chance to reunite with my friends. And free food. That always makes for a good day.
Eventually I reached my friend's apartment in Yokohama. His girlfriend made gyoza (meat dumplings, mine were chicken) for dinner, which I had no guilt in eating after the 6-7 hour walk. We played a couple rounds of Jenga and then went to bed around 11 pm.
I'm glad it was a good day, but I also knew that my journey had only just begun. If I was taking the ring to Mordor, day one would be the start of the journey where we are all still innocent and having fun... before the orcs attack us.
Starting tomorrow, I'm alone.
[30 kilometers]
**
MARCH 5th, DAY TWO, 7 am
Two more eggs for breakfast. I am going to miss being able to cook my food.
I have two possible destinations today, either Chigasaki or Hiratsuka. Hiratsuka is slightly farther of the two, and I preferred to go there because it would make my walk on the 6th an hour shorter. Either way, I was planning to spend the night at a net cafe.
Just before I left from Yokohama, another friend of mine stopped in to take my place at the apartment haha. The three of them sent me off with well wishes, and day two began.
I was taking Route 1 from Yokohama and finally seeing markers of the Old Tokaido road. On my way down from Tokyo I stayed on Route 15, so I only had markers which told me how far I had walked from Nihombashi. I took a few pictures of the trail markers, but as I mentioned before, I'm not doing this to sight-see.
About 2 hours in to my walk I spotted a pair of backpackers ahead of me. I suspected they were walking the Tokaido as well (not alone after all!) However, they made a stop at a convenient store, while I still wanted to continue walking. If they were really on this road for the long haul, we would probably run into each other again, I thought, so I kept on my way.
Initially, I had marked a restaurant on my map to rest at. Every 2 hours or so I plan to rest my legs and shoulders, and maybe eat something too. My luck was good. There was a small department / supermarket in Totsuka on the way. I stopped in with the intention to buy some food and then eat it at a nearby park, but I noticed they had a small sitting area which we could use freely. Don't mind if I do. Second breakfast was green tea, a small salad, and bran rolls with butter.
I was feeling good and confident about my plans and training thus far. My legs were sound, and even my shoulders were adjusting to the weight of my bag (8-9kg, or about 18 lbs). The weather was actually warmer than I had been expecting, but thankfully I planned for that too. Also, I could take breaks on my own time, and eat what and when I wanted - freedom!
It was during my second short break at a Lawson that I spotted the two backpackers from earlier. Yup, they were walking the trail. Time to make my day a little more interesting. The hunt was on. I quickly jumped back on the trail and followed after them.
If I caught up, I would say something... well, I did catch up because they stopped at the bottom of a hill to rest a bit. I sort of awkwardly said "Hey" as I drew closer and confirmed my suspicions. They were indeed walking the Tokaido route, but only to Kyoto. The pair of them were also planning to stop at a hotel in Hiratsuka that night. Maybe I am a little competitive, but that set my mind to going as far as Hiratsuka as well.
Figuring we would run into each other again, I excused myself and pressed onward. I don't mind talking with someone on the way, but I'm actually not in the mood to join a party.
The walk from there went relatively smoothly. I discovered there is a part of Route 1 that you CANNOT walk, despite what Google thinks. Google, I am not a car. I cannot go ON the highway. In any case, that area naturally leads pedestrians onto Route 30, so just trust the road.
Two hours later I was lucky again to find a shopping mall on the route. I grabbed some sashimi (raw fish) from the grocer and ate it in the food court. From there it was a 1 hour walk to Chigasaki (where I also stopped at a Gyomu Super to grab avocados and cheese haha). While in Chigasaki I called the net cafe in Hiratsuka to confirm if they were open. Their website would not load, so I was worried something happened, and should worst come to worst the next place I could stay the night would be an hour away.
The call confirmed that the net cafe was up and running, so I walked one more hour to Hiratsuka.
I always feel the most energetic in the first and last hour of my daily walks. Today I couldn't help but dance a little with my hands (legs are kinda busy), and when a language course came on I was ready to repeat all the phrases aloud as I walked. No one will bother to stop me, so why not. They probably think I am on a call with someone. Singing is more difficult... people will know when you're singing.
Finally, at about 8:30 I reached the center of Hiratsuka. I found the net cafe I planned to stay at and chose the best time package. I decided to get the 9-hour pack for 1800 yen. However, I had to wait until 10 pm. Fine, no problem.
As I was waiting a Japanese man asked me if I needed any help, but when I spoke back in Japanese he was surprised to hear me speak. We spoke a little and he offered to buy me a drink while I waited to go into the cafe. I accepted the company, ordered a hot tea and we talked for an hour until 10 pm.
Day two was coming to a good end. I got into the net cafe, paid for my time package and got a flat seat booth ("for sleeping"). The manager was very kind, and my flat booth was perfect. There was also a couple good movies I could watch while I ate my dinner (avocado, cheese, sliced chicken and another small salad).
[+33km = 63 kilometers total]
Yeah, this is the best net cafe I have been to yet.
Halfway through the movie, at midnight, I decided I would sleep until 6 am.
My wish was not granted.
THE GUY IN THE NEXT BOOTH SNORES LIKE A BEARRRRRRRRRR. WHYYYYY???? HOW CAN YOU SLEEP? NO ONE ELSE CAN SLEEP!!!
*tears tears angry tears*
So.... that's why I can't sleep and I wrote this blog haha. Now it's 5:15. The man left 30 minutes ago. I am going to try and get a little sleep in now!
Until next time, take care!
ON TO DAY THREE & FOUR>>>
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Two weeks out! Training for walking the Tokaido!!
Training to walk doesn't really sound like something that needs to be done. However, when you're going to be pushing your body to walk 5 to 8 hours a day for almost three weeks straight, then I think you need to know what you're in for.
Since December I started walking home from work, which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes. I quickly got used to this distance and time, but I realized that I needed to walk much much more. Just because I could walk for two hours then rest at home and be fine, did not mean that I could do an 8 hour day of walking.
My first challenge was to, of course, go a longer distance. I chose to walk from my home in Nagoya to Mikawa Anjo Station (I used to dance there). The walk itself was about 5 hours and 45 minutes. I knew from my walks home that I needed to stop and rest every 2 to 3 hours or I would risk completely burning out. Thankfully, most of the way down to Mikawa Anjo also follows Route One, aka the Tokaido Road. I stopped at a McDonald's near Zengo Station, which was about 3 hours from Nagoya, rested my legs for an hour, refueled and continued walking with no problem. Since I was able to stay with friends that night, the next morning I walked my way back to Nagoya. Two days of walking almost 6 hours? Good. (Including my break, it was a total of 7 hours, 1pm-8pm, both ways)
My second challenge was carry the weight. Walking freely or with a light bag is one thing. But having to carry everyday essentials for long distances is another thing entirely. Naturally your body will undergo more stress, especially your back, shoulders and legs. So, I bought myself a nice 45L trekking backpack with waist and chest straps. The size is just enough to carry an extra pair of shoes, sleeping clothes, survival essentials (I'm not going to be camping, but things like toilet paper, minor first aid, food, water, etc.) and some light reading materials without being so heavy or making me think I can carry more. When I would go to work I would have very little to carry, but I got in the habit of always having it on my back. So, on the weekends when I would do my grocery shopping I would load up that bag and carry it home for 40 minutes. Sometimes I would need an extra shopping bag to distribute the weight. Most recently I managed to cram a week's worth of groceries in and it was quite heavy. I weighed the bag when I got home to find that it was 11kg (25 pounds). That was an eye-opener for me because that is the exact amount of weight (fat) that I intend to lose (at some point, hopefully this year, not during this trip, are you crazy?)
The next challenge was more mental in a way, how to use your time wisely. Basically, what can I do while I'm walking? I can't imagine three weeks of walk, eat, sleep, repeat. All that time, and what would I have to show for it? How could I use it the most effectively? I do not plan on listening to music, all day everyday. Thankfully, early on I did try walking home without listening to any music whatsoever. It was fine, I can do that. I will talk to myself (in and out of my head) during most of it, but I don't need music to function. Even so, there is only so much conversation I can have with myself. I thought it over, since I had ample time to think, and decided I would try to study more during my trip. I would take study materials with me, put language apps on my phone for when I take breaks, download audio books and language courses and just TRY to mentally improve somehow.
Okay. So now we're walking more, getting used to the extra weight, and training our brain as well. But I'm still sleeping well every night. I won't have that luxury during my actual trip. I do have a few plans to stay with either friends or at guesthouses along the way (surprisingly very few), but for the most part I will be catching my Zs in 24-hour net cafes. Massage chair please!
Challenge number four, sleep. It is very important. And not just sleep, but how do I spend those hours by myself, in an unfamiliar place, at night when I shouldn't be walking. This challenge more or less happened on a whim. I walked to Mikawa Anjo again, from work this time, and found that all my friends were to busy to meet me. That's when the idea came that I should take the opportunity to treat that night like a night on the trip. Challenge accepted.
I skipped the last train, and headed to Gusto (a cafe / restaurant chain, many of which are open 24 hours). There, from midnight to about 5 a.m. I sat, had a small meal, enjoyed the drink bar (tons of veggie-fruit juice and tea), and killed time looking through message cards that I had received from students.
I didn't plan to sleep then. One of my ideas was to continue to Okazaki (2 hours away) or Gamagori (4 hours away) and sleep briefly at my friend's house, then start to return to Nagoya. Unfortunately, both friends were busy and could not accommodate my sudden request. I was reluctant to simply to back home, but I had no other options at the time. So with no sleep, I left Gusto at 5 am and walked back to Nagoya, arriving at noon.
On the trip I would probably visit the net cafe first to sleep for 3-6 hours, and then grab food and head on to the next location. Note to self, we can't drink things with cream anymore, please remember that. Also, be careful with coffee, and if you're going to drink many glasses of juice, make sure you know where the restrooms are!
The last and most recent challenge was 100% commitment. I needed to day to literally commit to just walking to my destination and spending it as if it was a real day out. These other days I would either meet friends, or do something a little off the plan. I needed to get my mind into this 100%.
Yesterday, February 16th, I woke up and made the decision to walk 8 hours. It wouldn't be a straight 8 hours out, but I would walk a new part of the Tokaido (heading west from Nagoya) 4 hours to Yatomi, and then walk back home. I loaded up my pack with what I thought would be the usual haul - sleeping clothes, extra shoes, light study materials, lunch, and 2.5 liters of water. I also had my winter gear and other necessities too.
I left the house at 11:30 a.m., later than I had intended, but I still had time to walk my route. I quickly realized two things - it was warm and it was sunny. My hat and sunglasses were right next to the door, and even though they were on my master list of things to take, I was like "I'll be back home tonight. I probably won't need them." Well, no, it was sunny, and I had to walk into the sun for 4 hours.
As for the heat, it was about 11-12 degress Celsius, with little wind, so it was warmer than the recent days. Because I caught a little frostbite (great job!) I was more focused on being warm when I left the house. I ended up taking off my neck warmer, and changing my long t-shirt to a short one (still over my long compression heat gear, and under my relatively thick jacket). At least I was prepared in that way.
I also took food with me. Of course, I can't prepare my meals on the road, but I can stock up on a few things. The question then became where can I eat the food I carry with me? I can't go sit in a restaurant and eat it. If it's a food court, then no problem. If it's food like onigiri, then I can eat it as I walk. But I would still need to rest my legs somewhere. For this trip, I knew that there was a Sushiro (conveyor belt sushi) on my route at about 2 hours and 30 minutes in. If nothing else, I could just stop there to rest. Actually there are TONS of restaurants along Route One, obviously because it is a main highway now. I got lucky though. Just as I was double-checking my map to check my distance covered I noticed that there was a park ahead of me.
I took my first break at the park. There was a nice clean restroom, but there was no toilet paper, as is expected in most public restrooms. No problem, part of my gear is a roll of toilet paper for such occasions. So I rested at the park for maybe a half an hour, ate my lunch and continued on.
Again, keeping in mind that this was a training day, I could have set my goal anywhere. For example, I entered Yatomi CITY about 30-40 minutes before reaching Yatomi STATION, which was my goal. I had to commit to that "extra" time, but I did consider stopping. On the real trip, that is not an option, I will not be going backwards.
After that, everything went smoothly. I went to the station, then started my way back towards Nagoya, stopping at a Gusto to rest for a couple hours, and picked up for another four hour walk home. I stopped at the park again to rest my legs and use the restroom. Only the lights in the men's side worked. Not sure if the sensors were out or what, but it was pitch black. Thankfully, I had a light! Take that public restroom!
I also talked to my mom on the phone for the last hour of the walk. It was a good distraction. When I got home I was done. Not dead tired, but I was hungry again and my feet were exhausted. I made dinner, stretched and sat back for a bit before finally going to bed.
I guess the Real Final Challenge is Don't train too much. It's not fun, let's be honest. I could do a lot with my day, or nothing if I felt like it, but I have committed myself to this adventure. It's a bit depressing to walk 4 or 5 hours down your route, only to have to turn around and go back home. That's why I can't wait for this actual trip to go down. Only moving forward.
The body is capable of doing amazing things, but you have to treat it right in order to do so. I can't burn myself out with "training" for the actual ordeal. As long as I am mentally ready, it will work out. I know what I need to do. I am strong enough to do it. Train hard, but train smart.
There are still two weeks to go before I head to Tokyo and begin my trek. Who knows what I'll convince myself to do by then haha.
Until next time~
Take care.
Since December I started walking home from work, which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes. I quickly got used to this distance and time, but I realized that I needed to walk much much more. Just because I could walk for two hours then rest at home and be fine, did not mean that I could do an 8 hour day of walking.
My first challenge was to, of course, go a longer distance. I chose to walk from my home in Nagoya to Mikawa Anjo Station (I used to dance there). The walk itself was about 5 hours and 45 minutes. I knew from my walks home that I needed to stop and rest every 2 to 3 hours or I would risk completely burning out. Thankfully, most of the way down to Mikawa Anjo also follows Route One, aka the Tokaido Road. I stopped at a McDonald's near Zengo Station, which was about 3 hours from Nagoya, rested my legs for an hour, refueled and continued walking with no problem. Since I was able to stay with friends that night, the next morning I walked my way back to Nagoya. Two days of walking almost 6 hours? Good. (Including my break, it was a total of 7 hours, 1pm-8pm, both ways)
My second challenge was carry the weight. Walking freely or with a light bag is one thing. But having to carry everyday essentials for long distances is another thing entirely. Naturally your body will undergo more stress, especially your back, shoulders and legs. So, I bought myself a nice 45L trekking backpack with waist and chest straps. The size is just enough to carry an extra pair of shoes, sleeping clothes, survival essentials (I'm not going to be camping, but things like toilet paper, minor first aid, food, water, etc.) and some light reading materials without being so heavy or making me think I can carry more. When I would go to work I would have very little to carry, but I got in the habit of always having it on my back. So, on the weekends when I would do my grocery shopping I would load up that bag and carry it home for 40 minutes. Sometimes I would need an extra shopping bag to distribute the weight. Most recently I managed to cram a week's worth of groceries in and it was quite heavy. I weighed the bag when I got home to find that it was 11kg (25 pounds). That was an eye-opener for me because that is the exact amount of weight (fat) that I intend to lose (at some point, hopefully this year, not during this trip, are you crazy?)The next challenge was more mental in a way, how to use your time wisely. Basically, what can I do while I'm walking? I can't imagine three weeks of walk, eat, sleep, repeat. All that time, and what would I have to show for it? How could I use it the most effectively? I do not plan on listening to music, all day everyday. Thankfully, early on I did try walking home without listening to any music whatsoever. It was fine, I can do that. I will talk to myself (in and out of my head) during most of it, but I don't need music to function. Even so, there is only so much conversation I can have with myself. I thought it over, since I had ample time to think, and decided I would try to study more during my trip. I would take study materials with me, put language apps on my phone for when I take breaks, download audio books and language courses and just TRY to mentally improve somehow.
Okay. So now we're walking more, getting used to the extra weight, and training our brain as well. But I'm still sleeping well every night. I won't have that luxury during my actual trip. I do have a few plans to stay with either friends or at guesthouses along the way (surprisingly very few), but for the most part I will be catching my Zs in 24-hour net cafes. Massage chair please!
Challenge number four, sleep. It is very important. And not just sleep, but how do I spend those hours by myself, in an unfamiliar place, at night when I shouldn't be walking. This challenge more or less happened on a whim. I walked to Mikawa Anjo again, from work this time, and found that all my friends were to busy to meet me. That's when the idea came that I should take the opportunity to treat that night like a night on the trip. Challenge accepted.
I didn't plan to sleep then. One of my ideas was to continue to Okazaki (2 hours away) or Gamagori (4 hours away) and sleep briefly at my friend's house, then start to return to Nagoya. Unfortunately, both friends were busy and could not accommodate my sudden request. I was reluctant to simply to back home, but I had no other options at the time. So with no sleep, I left Gusto at 5 am and walked back to Nagoya, arriving at noon.
On the trip I would probably visit the net cafe first to sleep for 3-6 hours, and then grab food and head on to the next location. Note to self, we can't drink things with cream anymore, please remember that. Also, be careful with coffee, and if you're going to drink many glasses of juice, make sure you know where the restrooms are!
The last and most recent challenge was 100% commitment. I needed to day to literally commit to just walking to my destination and spending it as if it was a real day out. These other days I would either meet friends, or do something a little off the plan. I needed to get my mind into this 100%.
Yesterday, February 16th, I woke up and made the decision to walk 8 hours. It wouldn't be a straight 8 hours out, but I would walk a new part of the Tokaido (heading west from Nagoya) 4 hours to Yatomi, and then walk back home. I loaded up my pack with what I thought would be the usual haul - sleeping clothes, extra shoes, light study materials, lunch, and 2.5 liters of water. I also had my winter gear and other necessities too.
I left the house at 11:30 a.m., later than I had intended, but I still had time to walk my route. I quickly realized two things - it was warm and it was sunny. My hat and sunglasses were right next to the door, and even though they were on my master list of things to take, I was like "I'll be back home tonight. I probably won't need them." Well, no, it was sunny, and I had to walk into the sun for 4 hours.
As for the heat, it was about 11-12 degress Celsius, with little wind, so it was warmer than the recent days. Because I caught a little frostbite (great job!) I was more focused on being warm when I left the house. I ended up taking off my neck warmer, and changing my long t-shirt to a short one (still over my long compression heat gear, and under my relatively thick jacket). At least I was prepared in that way.
I also took food with me. Of course, I can't prepare my meals on the road, but I can stock up on a few things. The question then became where can I eat the food I carry with me? I can't go sit in a restaurant and eat it. If it's a food court, then no problem. If it's food like onigiri, then I can eat it as I walk. But I would still need to rest my legs somewhere. For this trip, I knew that there was a Sushiro (conveyor belt sushi) on my route at about 2 hours and 30 minutes in. If nothing else, I could just stop there to rest. Actually there are TONS of restaurants along Route One, obviously because it is a main highway now. I got lucky though. Just as I was double-checking my map to check my distance covered I noticed that there was a park ahead of me.
I took my first break at the park. There was a nice clean restroom, but there was no toilet paper, as is expected in most public restrooms. No problem, part of my gear is a roll of toilet paper for such occasions. So I rested at the park for maybe a half an hour, ate my lunch and continued on.
Again, keeping in mind that this was a training day, I could have set my goal anywhere. For example, I entered Yatomi CITY about 30-40 minutes before reaching Yatomi STATION, which was my goal. I had to commit to that "extra" time, but I did consider stopping. On the real trip, that is not an option, I will not be going backwards.
After that, everything went smoothly. I went to the station, then started my way back towards Nagoya, stopping at a Gusto to rest for a couple hours, and picked up for another four hour walk home. I stopped at the park again to rest my legs and use the restroom. Only the lights in the men's side worked. Not sure if the sensors were out or what, but it was pitch black. Thankfully, I had a light! Take that public restroom!
I also talked to my mom on the phone for the last hour of the walk. It was a good distraction. When I got home I was done. Not dead tired, but I was hungry again and my feet were exhausted. I made dinner, stretched and sat back for a bit before finally going to bed.
I guess the Real Final Challenge is Don't train too much. It's not fun, let's be honest. I could do a lot with my day, or nothing if I felt like it, but I have committed myself to this adventure. It's a bit depressing to walk 4 or 5 hours down your route, only to have to turn around and go back home. That's why I can't wait for this actual trip to go down. Only moving forward.
The body is capable of doing amazing things, but you have to treat it right in order to do so. I can't burn myself out with "training" for the actual ordeal. As long as I am mentally ready, it will work out. I know what I need to do. I am strong enough to do it. Train hard, but train smart.
There are still two weeks to go before I head to Tokyo and begin my trek. Who knows what I'll convince myself to do by then haha.
Until next time~
Take care.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Walking the Old Tokaido (1)
I have an announcement!
This March, 2017, I am going to go on an adventure. I wanted to challenge myself and do something within my own capabilities - by my own power. As I am living in Japan, I wanted to do something not too far from home (Nagoya) but it had to be something that had a clear start and finish.
At first I thought, okay I'll do a marathon, it's physically challenging and I can train for it. But a few things turned me off to the idea - running around the city doesn't really get me anywhere, and more importantly I didn't want to possibly injure myself. My legs get enough abuse from dancing, and with even running 3-5km/day I could feel the tension in my knee and ankle. That meant it had to be something with a lower impact... like walking.
This idea occurred to me last summer, and it was by perfect chance that I saw a Japanese TV Program (YOUは何をしに日本へ?) that featured a woman from Australia who was traveling across part of Japan on the Old Tokaido Road. It seemed like the perfect idea, and after a couple weeks of contemplation I settled on the idea in August.
Since then I've been planning on and off, mapping my route, and "training" by getting used to long distance walking. Now there is less than a month left and the real preparation begins!!
Tokyo (Nihombashi) to Osaka (Koraibashi), 516km, estimated 20+ days.
*the original route is 53 stations to Kyoto, but since I'm already walking forever, I decided to added 4 more stations to reach Osaka :)
This March, 2017, I am going to go on an adventure. I wanted to challenge myself and do something within my own capabilities - by my own power. As I am living in Japan, I wanted to do something not too far from home (Nagoya) but it had to be something that had a clear start and finish.
At first I thought, okay I'll do a marathon, it's physically challenging and I can train for it. But a few things turned me off to the idea - running around the city doesn't really get me anywhere, and more importantly I didn't want to possibly injure myself. My legs get enough abuse from dancing, and with even running 3-5km/day I could feel the tension in my knee and ankle. That meant it had to be something with a lower impact... like walking.
This idea occurred to me last summer, and it was by perfect chance that I saw a Japanese TV Program (YOUは何をしに日本へ?) that featured a woman from Australia who was traveling across part of Japan on the Old Tokaido Road. It seemed like the perfect idea, and after a couple weeks of contemplation I settled on the idea in August.
Since then I've been planning on and off, mapping my route, and "training" by getting used to long distance walking. Now there is less than a month left and the real preparation begins!!
Tokyo (Nihombashi) to Osaka (Koraibashi), 516km, estimated 20+ days.
*the original route is 53 stations to Kyoto, but since I'm already walking forever, I decided to added 4 more stations to reach Osaka :)
Friday, January 20, 2017
2017, Sunny Zero
This year I will be doing some new things here in Japan, including traveling, so I decided to revive this blog and share those events here. I will try to recap some previous experiences and trips as well.
For example,
-which prefectures have I been to? (I want to go to all of them one day)
-my brothers' visit to Japan (aka Deluxe Tour Japan Winter 2016)
-working at a Junior High School
-my community and life in Nagoya
-what's next?
...
Also, re-adapting the blog name from JAPAN 320 to (JAPAN) Sunny Zero (3 is pronunced san, two is ni ... etc.)
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