Tag: Ofunato

This 9 days have been an ongoing negotiation with my back, which wasn’t too bad a lot of the time but never actually healed. I mean, why would it? I’ve been walking around 20ish kilometers every day with my shelter and various other items strapped to me. Back-wise, today was pretty horrendous, so while I was planning to hike a little tomorrow before taking an afternoon bus, I’m going to listen to what back is saying and get back home via the morning bus. Despite the back: today. Today was great, because everyone in Kesennuma wants to chat. The guy at the construction site wants to pop out to chat. The people emerging from the woods and walking back to their car want to chat. The camp manager, as always also wanted to chat this morning, as well as give me my daily gifts of unsolicited but appreciated juice boxes/little health drink bottle things. Everyone wants to talk, and it’s wonderful. I started with a bus from the campground to in front of the Karakuwa General Branch Office. Then past Hayauma-jimja Shrine, which I’d also passed yesterday on my course down the west side of the peninsula. Despite being on higher ground, the tsunami had reached it heavily. The brochure for the shrine showed a car deposited on the grounds, with wreckage, once a neighborhood, in the background. A stone monument stands where the tsunami reached. I only made it up to a monument down at the entrance, from a previous tsunami in 1933. The course to Kesennuma city center was on a road that climbed up into forest most of the time, but often dipped down to the coastline as well. I unfortunately wasn’t feeling up to taking the detour to the squeaking sand beach, though I had heard some sample squeaking at the Karakuwa Visitor Center, which had some of the sand there. They even switched the sand out for me, since apparently the sand gets less squeaky the more it’s squeaked. The new stuff was definitely more vocal!

The forest was lovely, so I tried to concentrate on that instead of my back. As I was reaching probably the highest point of the road, I started to notice cars parked in little spaces on the shoulder, 1-3 cars at a time. Their owners weren’t in the cars. What were they all disappearing into the forest for? The answer came from a husband and wife who emerged from the woods and (of course) chatted with me on the way back to their car: mushrooms. Everyone was going to their respective special secret mushroom spot to see if there were any matsutake mushrooms to be had. Unfortunately, reported the wife, this year didn’t yield a very good crop, same as last year.

Everyone I chatted with mentioned the new bridge to Oshima Island. I explained that I was going to walk Oshima another time, but the response was that I could just walk over and back. It’s a big deal, and rightfully so. People had asked for a bridge from Oshima for years, because having only a ferry was not only inconvenient, it was dangerous. After the 2011 tsunami, Oshima was isolated from the mainland because there was no bridge. Now there finally is, and it’s beautiful. Of course I took everyone’s advice and took a walk over the bridge, took a few steps on Oshima, told it “see you soon” and walked back.

Speaking of Oshima Island, the construction worker who came out to chat reported that there were lots of bears around (I’d noticed the signs) and what’s more, the bears were seen SWIMMING to Oshima. There was apparently video footage of them doing this…I found one video here:
https://youtu.be/BEkSL3INlK8

Maybe the bears will start using the bridge now? we speculated. But I doubt it.

The rest of the walk, I spent startling cormorants, wondering about the various painted narratives shown on the port walls, failing to ignore my back, and looking at ships and boats: floating, resting on shore, and even in the process of being constructed. With twenty minutes to go, it started to rain and two younger men driving by offered me a ride (what angels, may they get everything they want from life), which I gladly took to the new cafe/multipurpose facility Pier 7, which is near my lodging for the night.

After gobbling down a fried oyster meal at a restaurant and recharging my phone and resting at a lounge, I arrived at Onabeya. My friend recommended this place, and I can see why.

1. A little yappy dog (heard but not seen) alerts staff to your presence when you enter. I love establishments with animals.

2. The room was pre-heated for me, with cold water set out, and–get this–there is a massage chair in my room. I didn’t request a special massage chair room. It was just there?

3. Fish pond visible through window

4. Dinner for the so called “business plan” was a delicious, extensive study on local specialties including hoya and salmon shark heart (all delicious)

5. Hot bath that smells nice

6. Massage chair in room? Did I mention that?

Anyway, it’s great, and I couldn’t have picked a better place to end this hike with.

I’m really enjoying camping, especially here at Osaki Campground. It’s my second and last night here. Nearby (but not too nearby) is a lone biker, possibility the same fellow as yesterday.

Today I hiked the loop along the coast of Karakuwa Peninsula. It took me eight hours, even while I cut corners at the last southwest section. It was a gorgeous eight hours. The bright blue ocean and crashing waves and various rocks are visible for a lot of the time, often with a set of benches or tables for admiring the scenery at length. There are lots of little islands, one with an amusing story along the lines of, some mothers (a mother singular) left their children on this island to play while they gathered seaweed. However! The tide came in so they couldn’t reach the island to rescue the children. When the water went back out and they could finally reach the island, the children were still playing, unworried.

There were also enormous boulders washed in by the powerful 3.11 tsunami. I was glad to see the Olle course passed here as well.

The Miyagi Olle markers for the Karakuwa course were dotted here and there, sometimes coinciding with the Michinoku Coastal Trail course, and often branching off into various other directions. I even ran into a group of locals who said they were walking their original version of the Olle today, with some parts on the official course and some different. Between the Michinoku Coastal Trail, the Miyagi Olle, and various other walking courses/programs I’ve noticed, Miyagi seems to be really into promoting walking. It’s great.

Lunch today was supposed too be at a place called Cafe Gigi, which was actually either out of business or doing a good job of pretending to be out of business. Nearby Isaribi Park (uphill! Augh) had a ramen shop which was mercifully open. They had a takeout menu and I’m regretting not getting something to go to eat for dinner, since I’m sure that would’ve been better than the weird bread and croquette combination I ended up buying for dinner at the grocery store later.

Several people stopped to chat with me today. One gentleman fishing along dock with his little foofy mini poodle resting in the car caught up to me a bit later to quiz me about my travel plans and brainstorm things I should probably see in the area. A young man carrying something on a wheelbarrow looked down at us the whole time, amused, and I wondered if maybe he knew the guy and his love of conversation.

Bird report: a little flock of Long-Tailed Tits, various woodpeckers, a glimpse of a suspiciously green looking pigeon, and a lot of Daurian Redstarts.

Other wildlife report: over six deer, fluffy white butts pointed toward me and craning their necks back to stare. I considered trying to get closer to them to take a picture, but remembered that all that weird deer shrieking I’d heard recently was due to mating season, a time when large animals should be left alone even more than they should have been left alone in the first place. No picture.

Now on to cocooning up to be as warm as possible inside the tent.

Greetings from the pitch dark blackness that is my tent at 5:30 pm.

I started the day with a lovely breakfast spread and ample coffee, which I carried out to the deck to enjoy the view and the birds flying around in the trees. I could’ve asked for another ride down to the station, but the forest path down is both pleasant and not so strenuous, so I walked down.

After taking the BRT back to Kiseki no Ipponmatsu BRT station, in front of the new memorial museum I’d briefly visited yesterday, I got a loaf of bread and a Yukikko 1-cup (a little can of sweet, strong sake made in Rikuzentaka, one of my favorites) and strolled through the part of the memorial park finished now. Again, I think it’s a well-designed place now and look forward to seeing how it turns out in 5, 10 years time.

The loaf of bread was a good idea, as it ended up being lunch. I munched on it as I walked, not wanting to stop moving because I was more and more worried I wouldn’t make my bus to the campground. Karakuwa Visitor Center was supposed to close at 4:30, and I (mistakenly) thought they were in charge of campground check-in, so I thought I needed to arrive before then.

I tried to enjoy the lovely view of various little islands instead of worrying too much, and arrived at a convenience store just in time to realize there was a closer bus stop on the same line right in front of the store, rush in, use the restroom, and buy a pile of onigiri and a bento for the next three meals.

The bus driver dropped me off at Osaki Campground with a cheery “enjoy and take care!” and I eventually tracked down the older campground manager fellow, who is both very nice and very hard to understand. You have to call him if he’s not there, otherwise you will both be unable to pay and unable to get into the lovely hot shower room.

What a lovely campground! And open year-round. One of the Miyagi Olle courses starts at the campground too, only it follows more along the center of the peninsula, while the Michinoku Coastal Trail follows its edges. I’ll definitely want to come back to do the Olle sometime.

Only a few more days. Tomorrow I walk the Karakuwa Peninsula route and come back to stay at the campground another night. I missed seeing my friend and my father in law running the Morioka marathon today, but I was thinking of them as I walked. I want to see them, and I want to see Futo and my cat. I want to go home, and also I don’t want my trip to end.

Tonight I get to hear the sounds of crickets and waves crashing. I’m warm in my tent, in the dark. Soon I’ll fumble around to open my other beer. Life is good.

Today I was originally planning to walk the other half of Hirota Peninsula, but I wasn’t sure if the rain and wind would stop at 6 or 7, or whether it’d take a little later. I didn’t want to take a late start and just walk as much as I could because I probably wouldn’t make it to the best part, which is Cape Hirotasaki. I’d also already hiked that bit before recently, so instead I got a late start and hiked from Otomo Station to Ipponmatsu Station.

I was thinking about BRTs a lot today. I’d been confused about the difference between where Google Maps said Shimofunato Station was and where I remembered being dropped off the day before. It turns out the BRT road was damaged in the typhoon so the BRT was just running on a regular road nearby until it was fixed (regular service on the road starts tomorrow). That’s kind of one amazing thing about BRTs. If it were a train they couldn’t go “whatever, we’ll just use this other road for a week.”

BRTs are funny. They’re kind of like buses, only super intense cranked up to 15 buses, and I really enjoy the clenched teeth delivery of the bus drivers to not stand up before the doors open. Don’t you even think about standing up.

The trek up to Hakoneyama Terrace was more strenuous than I anticipated. I’d originally planned to walk up to stay there after my peninsula hike, but that would’ve been a bit of a hike on top of a hike. I decided to take the opportunity to not hike up the hill again by requesting a pick up at the nearest station. Hakone Terrace itself, with its cafe and wooden deck and stunning view, was beautiful and comfortable. Nearby was the Cedar House, which was free to enter, with panels on carpentry, forests, and even birdwatching, plus a range of impressive things made out of wood that I really wanted to touch (no touching). Also nearby was the Kesen Carpentry and Folklore museum, which was amazing. I was afraid I’d have to struggle out of my shoes again, but so much was accessible with shoes on. The cafe had a tempting array of goodies, but my heart was set on Frying Pan, a spot on the 45 a little northwest of Wakinosawa Station.

When I got to Frying Pan, it was tragically closed, but nearby was another spot on the same brochure, which I’ll assume is pronounced Senkaen. It was actually spectacular, possibly the best food I’ve had this whole trip. It uses more than 80% local ingredients, so the fried and boiled octopus on my rice bowl was from Hirota Bay. I got the donburi with a crepe set for lunch, which included a mini crepe and coffee. The whole thing cost about 1100 yen.

Thus stuffed, I walked past apple orchards, several tsunami monuments left as they were since the disaster, the tsunami wall, and the ever present dump trucks and mounds of mud and gravel. I wonder what hikers and tourists think of this scenery. Maybe some will reject it–the wall, the construction–as ugly. I hope some will understand that it’s an opportunity to consider what nature can do to a place. How the community is still rebuilding. The tradeoff between being protected by manmade structures and access to natural scenery, as well as the safety measure of being able to see the ocean. The fallibility of manmade structures, which can’t always withstand the power of tsunamis. The maddening fact that construction still hasn’t ended and people are still living in temporary housing more than eight years later.

I’m looking so much forward to what the park around Matsubara will look in the future. I walked brand new sidewalk lined with little pines. Freshly planted last month, they were heavily supported presumably to prevent the little guys from bending in the coastal wind. Various ducks, coots and herons were happily floating/standing around on Furukawa Marsh, which must be restored habitat.

The newly opened Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Memorial Museum was waiting at the end of my hike. I had only about 30 minutes, but one of the docents (maybe from the US or Canada?) gave me a short tour based on the time I had available. It’s such an impressive facility. If you feel hesitant, just poke your nose in to use the bathroom and see if you’d like to keep going. It’s free of charge!

Now at Hakoneyama Terrace. I used the laundry room and thoroughly loved on one of the two self appointed resident hotel cats (an outside cat who is convinced it should be an inside cat). Dinner was an enormous bowl of nuts and soon a left over onigiri from the morning plus a few glasses of wine. I’m actually not hungry though, maybe because lunch was the most amazing and satisfying lunch and possibly I’ll never need to eat again.

Tomorrow is a luxurious breakfast and I start my hike at Ipponmatsu Station!

I woke up at 5:10 today. I didn’t think that was possible until I started camping. Everything goes completely dark by well before 6 pm, and the morning light shines through the tent.

Today’s hike was Goishi Coast Campground to somewhat near the tip of Hirota Peninsula. That “somewhat near” was Kurosaki Senkyo Hot Springs, specifically. I’ve hiked this peninsula before, splitting the trip into 2 days by using the 100 yen minibus that reaches the south side of peninsula at about 1:40. To make that bus on last time’s hiking schedule, I couldn’t stop at that hot springs for a dip or a meal. But today, I was starting my hike early at 6:30 am so I was pretty hopeful I would make it (spoiler alert: I did!!)

Part of the hike is in forest, with the entrance down a small alley next to houses. As I walked to the forest, I walked through gardens and shrubbery which were all encased in layers of netting. I looked down to my feet and saw lots of hoof prints from hopeful deer looking for an opening.

Today was the start of what should be a near miss by a typhoon passing by. Unfortunately this means more rain, and lots of it, for lots of the areas that were hit by the previous typhoon. The wind was too strong for my liking today, but it started to rain as soon as I hopped onto the bus. I hear the weather around here is supposed to clear up by tomorrow morning, so I’ll probably hike the rest of Hirota Peninsula as planned.

I arrived at Kurosaki Senkyo Onsen at about 11:30, more than enough time to take a bath, eat a lovely scallop lunch set, and throughly entertain an older fellow who wanted to know what I was doing. “You walked here? From Goishi Coast? Ahahahaha! And there’s a typhoon coming! Hahahahaa!”

The bus drive back to the station was surprisingly pleasant as well. The driver reported I’d been his only passenger that day. No one had got on in the morning, which made him a little lonely. Hirota’s a big place, though, so the occasional people who use it really need it. He arrived exactly–to the SECOND–at the station at the scheduled time, so I got on an earlier BRT I’d discounted thinking the time was too tight.

Tonight is Ofunato Onsen again. I got to meet a local very active community member originally from France, and even see Mrs. Katayama from my first day, at Okirai Love Love House (she gave us ganzuki cake).

Ofunato Onsen has been wonderful. Next time I’ll definitely try to stay with at least a dinner plan. They were super nice about giving me a ride to and from a lovely little place called Chizeru near Hoso-Ura Station, but I felt bad asking them to cart me around with limited staff members at the front. I think it’s better to tell them more in advance, like during check-in, if you need a ride.

Wind is picking up the pace. Glad I’m not camping tonight. Everyone take care.

“Where are you headed? I’ll give you a ride!”

I got that offer from two people today, and many more wanted to know where I’d come from and where I was going. People are so friendly around here!

It took a little while to extract myself from Ofunato Guest House, what with its hot water to make instant coffee and on-demand shower, but I hit the road at 8:30. One highlight was the Common Kestrel (chogenbo) hanging out in front of Maiya supermarket, and another was the lovely display on the third floor of Ofunato Fish Market with exhibits on the fishing process, what kind of fish are harvested in these parts, and what damage the tsunami did to the area including the fishing industry. The view from the deck was amazing. My only regret is I didn’t wait for the restaurant to open so I could have some delicious fresh seafood. Since I didn’t make it to the Goishi Coast Rest House in time for lunch, I had to rely on backup tuna sandwiches.

Today took longer than I anticipated, which is an ongoing pattern. I think the problem is a combination of the overly optimistic times on the maps, the overly optimistic time estimates from Google Maps, and the fact that my pack is heavy

I should get a lot of rest tonight. I’m camping for the first time on this trip, and it’s pitch black at 6:00 pm. Definitely less mosquitoes out in late October, and definitely cold but still comfortable if I wear my fleece and double up on pants.

The trail to Goishi Coast Information Center is classic, lovely blue ocean, rock formations and pine trees. I love the campground, too! Wish I was staying longer.

I didn’t get to the bath or roof by sunrise (5:50) but I did make it into the bath by 6. Going up to see the view from the roof is really a must. A stunning view.

After buying three various cream/jam breads at Sakari station’s store (open from 7!) I set out for today’s peninsula. The wonderful news is, most every picture Masa-san showed me yesterday has been already taken care of. Part of that trail is gravel road and accessible to cars, so someone must’ve already gone through with some heavy machinery. There are still some fallen trees on the south portion, but really no problem except figuring out how to get down to the paved road toward the end (there’s a stream crossing not mentioned on the map).

My friend Olivia had mentioned that the side trip down to the lighthouse was really nice, and I wholly agree. When I got there (thinking all the while “god I’m going to have to go back up all this with the pack”) it was so lovely that I didn’t want to leave, I just wanted to stay there the night.

Speaking of friend Olivia, we’d actually discussed our skepticism that kamemushi bugs (stinkbugs) actually smelled, but today a kamemushi was kind enough to demonstrate by diving into my top and then get upset I was evicting it from my top. It turns out they do have a weird, strong green smell that wouldn’t be unpleasant if it hadn’t been applied to skin below my nose.

I made it back in time for a cup ramen from the store before my 4:20 or so train, and got to Ofunato Guest House at about 5. The fellow (staff? Friend of owner slash guest?) greeting me was very nice and relaxed, and there’s a shower and use of a laundry machine for 200 yen! Definitely would stay here again.

No picture of food and beer at izakaya for dinner tonight: I hoovered it all up while writing this post.

Before I forget, birding news: yesterday I think I saw a Mountain Hawk-Eagle (kumataka) based on the striped tail and enormity of bird.

Today, a Brown-headed Thrush (akahara) also obligingly sat on a branch in front of me until I saw enough markings besides the red belly to look it up later. Lots of woodpeckers: they were pretty bananas about the deciduous forest portion.

Finally: my back feels better. The onsen did its job.

I spent a lovely warm night with lots of blankets and a roof in Okirai House, under the same roof as professional thru-hiker Masa and a young hitchhiker whose name in my mind is “kanrinin” since everyone at the barbecue yesterday was joking he’d become the house’s caretaker. (Sorry kanrinin) If I stay at this spot next time I’ll be sure to contact Mr. and Mrs. Katayama beforehand or at least on the day of, as you’re actually supposed to let them know you’re planning to stay there by calling the phone # on the door.

Masa-san is heading north, toward Kamaishi, which meant he’d just hiked everything I’m headed towards this trip. I got to see post-typhoon pictures of the trail along Ryori Peninsula and advice on how to proceed: go clockwise, and if something looks too dangerous to continue post today’s rain, turn back.

Speaking of rain, it rained all of today so I elected to take the day off and what’s more, to stay at Ofunato Hot Springs tonight. It was a combination of the rain, the 14 km, coming back to a spot without showers unless I imposed on the Katayamas again, and my back.

Last Friday I went with Futo to the volunteer center for Shibata Town and thought that I’d had a normal day lifting various waterlogged things and furniture which would make me normal sore, but my lower back disagrees. I almost didn’t get on my bus to Ofunato because it was so painful to get out of bed. The hike yesterday went fine but I figure it wouldn’t hurt to give the ol’ back time to recuperate with rest and onsen therapy.

Thus I spent today eating a luxurious scallop burger at my beloved Burger Hearts, reading a novel I bought (extra weight, ugh, but I wanted reading material) and soaking in the hot spring.

The view from Ofunato Hot Springs is to die for. To my right from the bath I can see part of Hirota Peninsula, which I plan to walk (with umbrella) on day 5 and 6. Masa-san recommended taking a picture of the view from the roof, the best spot to see everything, tomorrow morning when the rain stops while the sun rises.

I finished the night with a really lovely chat with local friend Olivia over sanma ramen and gyoza. Apparently there’s a stamp rally for sanma ramen and I’m now two stamps away from entry to a prize drawing!

Trips are for being enjoyed, and I think I did a good job today going with my gut feeling of what I really wanted to do. Tomorrow is a very early morning, and hopefully managing to hike all of Ryori Peninsula!

I have a pretty hazy understanding of religion here, but my general impression of shrines in particular is just kind of asking nature and other forces to not squash you like a bug. “Hello, I am small, don’t squish me, be appeased.” In this sense shrines really appeal to me.

We build roads, walls, houses, convenience stores, but forces of nature come through when they feel like it, and we feel just how vulnerable we are, and are tested to see just how resilient we can be. This recent typhoon is heart-breaking. The Michinoku Coastal Trail’s full length had just opened. The Sanriku railway had just gotten full service all along the coast. All these communities were well on the way to recovery, and now this.

My previous plan was to resume my journey south from Fudai, where I left off, but I can’t do that. Instead, I’m hiking from Ofunato to Kesennuma for probably about 10 days, and today was day 1. This section should be less damaged, but I’m certainly not going to assume I’ll be able to hike everything without a problem. Today’s hike showed me that. I decided to hike from Rikuzen-Akazaki to Ryori station, a hike of about 8 km up to Ryori Pass and back down. This was supposed to be part of a hike for another day, but I figured I’d bit off more than I can chew and that I’d better do it today.

It wasn’t impassable, but there were still quite a few fallen trees and the area near Fudo Falls had lots of washed up gravel, wood, and water flowing over the road.

I made it back to Sanriku Station on the 6:30 train and arrived at Okirai Love Love House, which I heard was a free spot for hikers to stay, to find a barbecue in progress. I ate and drank for free with park rangers and professional hikers, all thanks to Mr. Katayama, who’s working so hard to make hikers welcome.

At 9 we’re still chatting. This place has a porta-potty, a heater, blankets…a very comfortable spot.

I hear it’ll rain tomorrow. The plan is I’ll see how hard it’s raining and decide whether to hike. Tomorrow I’ll be just on paved roads, not in the mountains, and I can give up and come back to Okirai House early via train if need be. I’m glad to be here. Hopefully nature will be kind to this little weak human tomorrow.