I had always wanted to go north. All by myself. On a three-day trip. When winter is at its "peak."
Whenever I was alone with my noble thoughts, I would fantasize about leaving my room on a clear winter morning, just at the break of dawn, with a light backpack filled with warm fleece sweaters, boxes of Calorie Mate of every flavor, and lots of clean, fresh underwear. I would take the bus to Kyoto station, get on the first train heading north and see how far north it would take me. Of course, the train would have to stop somewhere. At the terminal station, if I don’t find myself in a place significantly different from Kyoto, I’d take another northbound train and repeat the whole process until (1) I reach a dead-end (then I would have to go back home and try my luck by taking a different route some other time) or (2) I get to a place where rivers and lakes are frozen and everything – mountains, fields, houses, trees, and even cows! – is covered with snow.
Skinny-dipping in a rotenburo is, of course, part of the plan. (In December, 2005, when Fuyuki invited me over to his hometown in Toyama Prefecture, three hours by rapid train north of Kyoto, he took me to this rotenburo on top of a snow-capped mountain. It was an awesome experience!) There’s just something magical about being waist-deep in steaming hot water while lumps of snow pelt against your shoulders and back. Your legs are getting blanched, your eggs (if you have them) poached, and yet you’re cold and shivering! The contrasting sensations make you dizzy; the whole thing’s just surreal. (Now I see why seven out of ten people like being choked while having an orgasm. Or slapped while having sex.)
Hence, on Christmas day, after a lousy Christmas eve, I made a firm resolution to have my fantasy realised. When they heard about my plan, a young Filipino couple expressed their intention of going with me and since they agreed to let me do all the planning, I readily approved.
The trip to Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, four hours by semi-rapid train north of Kyoto, was set to be from December 29 to 31, 2006. In my succeeding entries, I will post short accounts of the trip, perhaps together with some nice pictures. So watch out!
Ordinary Thoughts of an Extraordinary Mind 