Chapter 7 - Tokushima Mountaineering

Tuesday 1 October 2019

I am fresh off a mountain hike right now! Well, mostly it was a gentle 4 hr ramble but after the PTSD induced by the Tongariro Crossing hike in New Zealand (Dec 2017), a 4 hr ramble is good progress. #morder

We are on the large island Tokushima, which is in the southern-ish region of Japan. We drove about 5+ hours from Osaka (slightly longer due to sat nav crapping out in the mountains). The island is mostly mountains with towns nestled in the valleys in between them.

Our accommodation is not the campervan but a very cute, family owned Ryokan - which keeps to the traditions of Japanese customs (no shoes!) and decor (futons and tatami mats). There is also an Onsen (hot spring bath) but I am not quite up for trying that out as you have to do a lot of cleaning and bathing in front of other guests. Butt naked.

Iya-Kazuraya Ryokan

My room: Low table, tatami mats and traditional sliding doors (fusuma) made of wood frames and covered in thick, decorative paper.

 The futon was folded up inside.

This morning we had a traditional Japanese breakfast, of which most of it was a fishy mystery and tonight we will have a dinner seated on tatami mats and a low table. In Yukata robes!

Fishy miso ricey eggy soybeaned breakfast...

The views are very nice, with many gorgeous gorges ( or a 'Gorge Gorge' for short 😂). I went off rambling by myself while Paul drove off to conquer a mountain somewhere nearby. I wonder what the number is for Search & Rescue, I may need it....

A gorge gorge

This area - close to the larger town of Miyoshi - is known as the Iya region of the Shikoku mountain range. It is famous for it's vine bridge, which I strode along... Slight exaggeration, there are quite large gaps between the vines so it got a bit hairy and I was forced to hold the vine handrail even though I hate holding handrails!!

The vine bridge - "Kazurabashi Bridge"

About to step on the bridge....

This ancient vine bridge is suspended between a valley, surrounded on both sides of by ancient forest, slowly swaying in the breeze (copied that bit from the website). The vine bridge has been maintained by the village people for generations, and every three years the vines are replaced by new ones found in the surrounding forest. Pretty cool! It is anchored at both ends by two massive trees to support the weight of the suspension bridge and has concealed safety cables, which I spotted.

Spot the safety cable!

I had a picnic overlooking the vine bridge and people-watching other visitors. I also sat there listening to the gentle flow of the water below and finishing off Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as I quite fancy re-reading the books on this holiday.

Ham sandwiches, crisps and Tabasco sauce. The latter I carry with me most places...

This is a soft drink called Calpis.

It is manufactured by Asahi and it tastes like the Christmas beverage Snowball! 

It is milky white, and also comes in a fizzy version and bars sell it mixed with sake / syoutyu to booze it up. My fave drink here! 

Dinner was a banquet, an essentially 'guess what you are eating as you are eating it' affair! Very nice, not bad value either for £40 each (food only) including lime jelly dessert. The attention to detail in the plating of each dish was impeccable.

Tempura vegetables and the white dumpling above was my favourite item. Hard to describe - like a savoury mochi rice covered bit of meat in a sweet sticky sauce with chillies.

Bambi and Bindha! (Okra)

I thought the chef's knife must have been so sharp to cut the seeds inside the okra in half like this!

Chicken and mushrooms in sweet broth cooked on the table in individual burner pots

I think it was a fish from the mackerel family, I almost couldn't eat it but I tucked in and was pleasantly surprised.

His fins were precisely tempura battered for decor!

The table setting, lots of mushrooms and other vegetables which my body will appreciate!

Next stop is Kyoto. I will post a joint Osaka and Kyoto chapter, comparing the two cities!

DiStar Consumption Index:

See above!