Awa Country

Boso Peninsula, Uchi-bo (Inner Boso), Soto-bo (Outer Boso), Southern Boso, ..... I have thought I know the origin of their names. I am not wrong but within common sense.
Boso Peninsula covering most of Chiba Prefecture seems to have obtained its name as follows.

In the olden times of Nara period (710-794), this peninsula was named Boso dividedly to three countries with Mt. Nokogiri as the border:
Kazusa Country and Shimousa Country on the north, and Awa Country on the south.
Though the area names long lived until the end of Edo period (1603-1868), they have become not used officially since Meiji Restoration (1868).
However, these names have survived in various ways, and the name of this peninsula itself has passed the three countries to future generation as Boso Peninsula.

About Awa Country.
I know the samurai name of Katsu Kaishu, an inevitable person during Meiji Restoration, was Awa-no-kami. Katsu loved the samurai name and later in Meiji period, when such names were abolished, changed it to Yasuyoshi, which is very much similar to Awa in kanji letters. He seems to have felt a special attachment to this area.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi designated Awa Country as the territory of Satomi clan in the Warring States period (1467-1590).
Apart from the twists and turns, it goes without saying that this territory was connected down to the novel "The Story of Eight Dogs of Satomi in Nanso" written by Takizawa Bakin in the latter half of Edo period. It is a grand story with Awa as a stage. I read myself this exciting and thrilling novel in my childhood, but by a comic.

Boso Peninsula is divided to north and south by Mt. Nokogiri as a border. The plateau of the top is Nihonji Temple, the mountain name of which is Mt. Kenkon, not Mt. Nokogiri. Kenkon means "heaven and earth, or positive and negative".

Anyway, the name of Awa, south of Mt. Nokogiri, is comfortably alive here and there in Boso Peninsula.

Kajiya Inn

We stayed one night at Kajiya Inn, near Hamakanaya Station in Kanaya, Futtsu City on the north side of the foot of Mt. Nokogiri pushed out to Uchibo Ocean.
It started in Edo period (1854) and is called "the Inn of Shrimps".
Its selling point is surely the dish of shrimps, and so we chose a full-course dinner of shrimps. The soup with a shrimp head in it was served at breakfast the next morning.

We checked in before 4:00 in the afternoon, October 15.
Sooner had I begun taking off my shoes at the inn entrance than a lady staff said, "Please go up as you are."
"Yes, indeed," I nodded looking at the sign on the wall and stepped on the red carpet with wet walking shoes.

A young man says, "I have been waiting in order to pick you up at the bus stop."
Right. When I made a reservation, it was his voice.
"How can I get to your inn from the Hota side of Mt. Nokogiri?"
"Please call me. I'll pick you up at the bus stop."

The inn was a 3-story building.
"Sorry to say, we do not have an elevator," saying in apology, the lady staff took us to the room on the 3rd floor. Though Emiko had a trouble on her knees a little, she did not look worried.

The room had a good view over the sea. It was nice the toilet was a Western style. The room itself was all the same with other hotels except a tatami room. The 32-inch TV set televised only the programs of terrestrial signal, which was my favor during the trip.

The hot spring bath in the annex was small and cozy, good enough for 5 people and looked just ordinary. No open bath. Isn't it natural because it is an inn, not a gorgeous hotel?
And it was a real inn. I thought it was keeping its tradition not following such modern hotels.

I was impressed with their consideration along the corridor to the annex. Many pet bottles were recycled to be displayed. They were well balanced with the atmosphere of the inn. They really went well.

I could have a long talk with the master of my age before checking out.
"I noticed guides written politely by a Japanese brush here and there, as well as in the room and on every meal table," said I.
The master answered, "Thank you for your attention. They were written by my daughter. Her pseudonym is Ken-ei, already married."

Not to be a person involved is an easy job. The master got along with me without showing any sign of being annoyed in spite of my self-centered talk.
I have recently stayed mostly in gorgeous hotels with nice dinners during my travel either domestic or overseas. They were more than my living level all right, but they were all alike to me.
Kajiya Inn was different. It will remain in my memory in the future.