Last year I took a trip with my daughter and grandson. I neglected to write about it at the time but I wanted to upload some pictures and record some memories while they are still in mind.
Japanese people love to visit hot spring resorts and take the hot baths. Often various minerals in the water are a boon to our health. I enjoy the food and scenery more than the bath, but it’s fun to take a trip with grandkids.
We stopped at the new “Monnonoke Museum” in Miyoshi where we can see exhibits about the yokai (imaginary creatures that inhabit the world around us.) There were some fun things ot do for kids as well as Edo era exhibits of scrolls and objects that portray these yokai.
On the way, we stopped at an old hardware store that had been in business for three generations and was full of all kinds of neat junk. We enjoyed looking and bought a few things from the friendly owner, Hanazono-san.
Then we stopped at Maniwa where we had arranged to be taught “kusaki-zome”, natural dying from famous artist Yoko Kano.
I made a small handkerchief and Eri choose to dye a long scarf. Eiji was patient as we worked on it. It was lots of fun and I recommend you visit this shop-gallery in Okayama prefecture!
Yoko Kano has put the little old town of Katsuyama on the map since she began creating original noren banners for each shop along the street!
We enjoyed dinner at our inn, Hanayashiki, in Yunotsu Onsen.
The next day it was raining, so we drove straight to Misasa Onsen (hot springs).
On the way, we were getting hungry and I had a headache, so Eri googled ramen restaurants nearby. We found this great place that makes the soup with “gyu-kotsu” stock! It was really good!
There was a street of quaint shops including a shooting gallery and a “dagashi-ya” penny candy store. Eiji chose some candy in a little straw basket.
The last day, we searched for a unique used bookstore in Okayama City. Eri was thrilled to find it and meet the owner!
All in all we had a good time and I’m glad it was sprinkling instead of the usual blazing hot August days!
I want to add more about the yokai. They are mischievous spirits, hob-goblins that inhabit the woods or stream or work some influence on our lives. An important and intriguing part of Japanese folklore, they are mentioned as early as 772 in the Shoku Nihongi saying that Shinto purification was necessary because yokai were appearing in the imperial court.
Yokai were popularized in an anime series from around 1960 by manga artist Mizuki Shigeru in his “Gegege Kitaro” comics. (above image) We were lucky to get to see the exhibition on his work at he Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum.
- One of the more famous yokai that appear in folk literature is the kappa. Kappa are amphibious demons that live in the river. They have webbed feet and a tortoise like shell on their back.
The kappa can bring calamity such as causing someone to drown but are also capable of good deeds like helping a farmer to irrigate his field. WE think of the kappa as rather cute little spirits today.
Someday I’d like to take my grandsons to Tottori, the hometown of artist Mizuki to see the Mizuki Shigeru Museum and various figures throughout the town. There is even a nighttime parade of yokai spirits! If you are interested in monsters, Japanese folklore or anime, you might enjoy visiting there!
Baba's Kitchen 