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| Part 1 First Day (Arrival, Kitamuki Kannon) |
| Part 2 Second Day (Scenic Spots near Bessho Spa) |
| Part 3 Second Day (Joraku-ji, Anraku-ji) |
| Part 4 Third Day (Ueda Castle Ruins) |
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Part 1 First Day
(Arrival, Kitamuki Kannon) |
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Since our marriage half a century ago, I have been pleased with Nagano
Prefecture where is the hometown of Emiko's parents located.
So, I have visited scenic spots around considerably including their hometown
Mochizuki of Saku area in the center. Mountain landscapes, river streams,
hot springs, local dishes, ..... everything is comfortable. Whenever I
visited any spots, I had some fresh impressions.
I surely knew the name of Bessho Spa all right, but this is my first time
to visit this spot. It is, to my surprise, not far from Ueda Castle, and
more than that, it belongs to Ueda City.
I had decided to make an English translation of my autobiographical novel
written two years ago, and it developed into correcting the original Japanese
work itself, too. In the result, I finally managed to finish both ones
a couple of days ago after two-month struggling.
While I was concentrating myself on them, it came to my mind that I would
relax somewhere at a spa immediately after finishing.
Emiko found this trip in the travel guidebook. It created a spur in my
work in an attempt to be in time to the departure day.
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Wednesday, July 1, 2015. 1st day of the trip.
Our trip started as a usual day. I got up at 5:00 and sat at the PC desk
listening to the radio. Email check and prestudy of Bessho Spa and its
vicinities on the Internet. Then began to prepae for breakfast by the radio
signal at 6:00.
In fact on the other side, during the work of the above autobiographical novel, another wish came out to me. That is the correction of my super long novel "The Auditorium Where Monsters Live". (the picture below)
I had breakfast flipping through the pages of its big volume printed out
on the previous day.
This is my usual breakfast nowadays.
The smoothie contains orange, banana, blueberry and black vinegar, mixed
up with a little water and ice.
The yogurt was made of one pack of milk mixed with 2 large spoonfuls of
store-bought Caspian yogurt, kept for 10 hours in a yogurt maker. I eat
4 large spoonfuls in a bowl with strawberry jam made by Emiko.
The bread is 10-slice piece with margarine spread thinly on top.
The coffee this morning is the yesterday's remains, so I add some milk
in it.
The photo may not look nice, but it is my satisfactory breakfast.
By the way, Emiko is still happy in bed.
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The Hokuriku-Shinkansen Asama 609 started from Tokyo Station at 11:24.
Our couple finished eating the box lunch bought at Tokyo Station in the
train by the arrival at Ueda Station at 12:57.
We walked from JR Ueda Station to another building and got on a two-car
train at Ueda Station of Bessho Line.
When the train started, passengers began to sing nursery rhymes with the
harmonica played by a well-known conductor. Nice attraction. Surely we
joined it.
The train reached Bessho Spa Station in 30 minutes.
| 駅長はハモニカ上手花南瓜（かぼちゃ） |
The conductor is good at the harmonica.
A flower pumpkin. |
| Emiko |
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| It was within 10 minutes on foot from the station to Hanaya Inn, a very-stylish
traditional Japanese hotel. We are going to stay and relax here for 3 days.
It is still a little past 14:00. We decided to take a walk in the neighborhood.
The lady staff in a Japanese dress advised us, "Why don't you visit
Kitamuki Kannon Temple. You will surely be pleased."
We walked slowly. Even so, we got there in 20 minutes.
Kitamuki Kannon Temple
(The Goddess of Mercy Facing North)
I did not have special impression just because of no prestudy. It made
me at ease.
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| Priest Jikaku |
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A giant katsura tree, called "aizen katsura", stands in the precincts.
Its age is said to be 600-650 or more than 1,000 years.
The trigger this tree became famous was the novel "Aizen Katsura"
by Matsutaro Kawaguchi. He wrote this love story, getting an idea from
this tree and the neighboring Aizen Ragaraja Hall.
In particular, the movie "Aizen Katsura" (The Love- Troth Tree)
in 1938 based on the novel became a record-breaking hit. (Wikipedia) |
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「昼の蚊やだまりこくってうしろから」
Mosquitos at noon,
they are sticking on my back in silence.
一茶 Issa |
According to the bulletin board,
Just as the stars of the sky provide guidance through the darkness of night,
this Kitamuki Kannon has the power to guide people to worldly benefit.
This temple is juxtaposed with Zenkoji Temple to the south, and it was
once said that without paying respects at both temples, one would become
unbalanced.
In the year 825, when the mountain that lies behind Joraku-ji Temple split
the earth after a great noise, causing damage to people and animals, the
great teacher Jikaku lit a holy fire. From that fire appeared golden light,
the color of ripened rice, and the deity Aizenkatsura. Jikaku is said to
have carved the statue of that spirit himself and performed sacred rites
with it. |
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| 観音は北向きなりし夏落葉 |
Kannon is looking to the north.
Fallen leaves in the summer. |
| Emiko |
Kitamuki Kannon, Other Pictures
By the way, every guidebook refers to the phrase "Bessho Spa, Kamakura
in Shinshu".
I thought no necessity to bother to be named after Kamakura. On the other
hand, I noticed there must be various temples here around, taking it literally.
Well, the hotel staff advised me about a bus service for sightseeing temples
around. I decided to make use of this convenience the next day.
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| Part 1 Reading: 10' 40" |
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| Part 1 First Day (Arrival, Kitamuki Kannon) |
| Part 2 Second Day (Scenic Spots near Bessho Spa) |
| Part 3 Second Day (Joraku-ji, Anraku-ji) |
| Part 4 Third Day (Ueda Castle Ruins) |
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