Two for the Road

We’ve arrived in the idyllic town of Fujikawaguchiko¹ for a couple of days of rest and relaxation before we head to Tokyo. No, I will not entertain such scurrilous rumours such as the imminent arrivals of both sets of our parents necessitating some down time. Take that gossip elsewhere, please.

We departed Kyoto on the Shinkansen line, better known as the Bullet Train. Like all our experiences hitherto with the Japanese railways, the trains run on time (to Japanese standards, anyway, the likes which are still alien to us Brits²) and the whole experience of travelling is so smooth it would make Santana and Rob Thomas blush.³ The trains are slick, stylish, and honestly wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Star Trek. They have a glossy, retro-futurist sheen fresh out of the pages of 70s magazines speculating on what the Space Age would look like.

Our journey continued on smaller lines with progressively less futuristic trains until finally we boarded the Fujikyu Railway. With its small carriages and wooden seats, it wouldn’t look out of place being steered by a steam locomotive. It rocked sideways on its tracks and gave some great first views of the mountain that gives this place its name.

Our hotel is in the shadow of Mount Fuji⁴. We both eagerly awaited our chance to see this colossus in person and it hasn’t disappointed. I’ve rewritten this sentence several times trying to describe its majesty but it’s a struggle. Those Romantic poets made it look easy.

The mountain dominates the landscape, its peak 3,776 metres (12,389 feet) above the ground. Snow carpets the summit, and trickles down its precipitous slopes. Its sheer breadth fills the horizon. Words like ‘sublime’ and ‘breathtaking’ come to mind as it literally has taken my breath away in a way many natural sights simply haven’t. It’s truly beautiful.

As you may have surmised, we’re quite fond of the view. Iris, with brilliant foresight, booked us a hotel room with an exceptional view of the mountain. The room is comparably traditional with the Koyosan Buddhist temple – wooden sliding doors, a knee-high table, tatami flooring, and a futon that lets your back become acquainted with every inch of said flooring. I’ve got to get more padding for it tonight.

That aside, the room is beautiful, as is the lake upon which the hotel is built, and the staff have been so friendly and cheerful. It even has its own private onsen. No more sharing the tub with strangers for Matt.

We enjoyed a lazy start⁵ this morning before heading out for a stroll and to get some lunch. What sort of lunch could a couple enjoying the serenity surrounding Fuji be after to further enhance our experience? That’s right, we went for an Indian.

Feeling in the mood for some further refreshment, we took a short stroll to a nearby sake brewery for a tasting. Time to confess – before coming to Japan, I hated green tea and sake. Turns out they’re both pretty popular in this country, but both have surprised me here. Both taste rich and aromatic in Japan to an extent where Twinings green tea teabags and an old bottle of sake pulled of a shelf in some restaurant somewhere just didn’t. Who’d have thought it?

We had five drinks each to try. Below is a guide to the drinks and our tasting notes, for those interested –

Original method
G – very smooth, maybe too smooth
H – really fruity tastes quite plummy
J – sweet, less alcoholic
K – very oldschool method, a bit sour
L – whisky (not sake) bit of heat, smooth

Modern method
A – grapefruit/ raspberry nose. Tropical fruit/ refreshing taste
B – green apple/ gooseberry nose made with Mt Fuji water. Creamy
D – smooth, mild, sweet
E – blackcurrant aftertaste, less smooth
F – plum liquer slightly made with sake, sweet and not very alcoholic

Jay Rayner, eat your heart out.

We’re heading to Tokyo tomorrow. But for now, we’ll continue to enjoy the peaceful environs of Mount Fuji before commuting to one of the busiest cities on Earth to meet up with both sets of parents and enjoying the buzz of Japan’s capital. Sayonara!

Matt

1. And they say Welsh place names can be tricky.
   ↩︎
2. The conductor came onto the speaker to apologise for the train being two minutes late. That’s right. I understand if you need to take a minute for yourself to recover.
   ↩︎
3. One for the teens, there.
   ↩︎
4. Fuji-San to its mates.
   ↩︎
5. Iris here, making revisions as I add the photos. Matt’s speaking for himself here, I went on an 8km run round a beautiful lakeside trail – check my Strava if you don’t believe me! ↩︎