the teachers hit nozawa

last friday, 10/22/04, i went with my teachers to nozawa in nagano prefecture for a huge party. we stayed in a ryokan, which is a mom and pop style Japanese inn. i paid quite a bit for the trip and was slightly disappointed when we entered this tiny rigged-up structure that looked like time had forgotten it. the rooms were clean, but not lavish. no beds, futons in the closet you spread out which is standard in eastern hotels.
drinking tea after arrival with takano sensei.

there were 12 of us, 9 men and 3 ladies, who carpooled, arriving at dusk. i wanted to sneak in an onsen [onsen is a natural hotspring] before dinner so uchiyama sensei and i headed to the bath. the smell of rotten eggs was undeniable. it’s the natural sulfur in the water which is why these baths are so good for you and why it is so difficult to guess the age of Japanese people i think. after dutifully washing i head into the tiny room only to be disappointed because the water was nearly boiling. i couldn’t get in. neither could the other teachers.
changed clothes and headed for a private tatami room up stairs for the festivities. this is where the whole experience made a 180. we ate the most unbelievable spread of food you can imagine. some of these pics are mine and some were taken by another teacher nicknamed zen chan.

we had four big boats of various sashimi. i was in heaven...and then they brought out the next boat of lobster sashimi. it was cut into scalloped ribbons and piled back in the cracked shells. the taste was sweet and tender, literally melting in your mouth.

here we are grilling matsutake mushrooms, an expensive delicacy confined to autumn and winter. they smell a bit like leather and taste very earthy.

this is some sort of kai [shellfish, no duh.] it was a bit chewy and too many ventricle-like appendages for my taste. the pot is nabe, a winter stew. this one had odd fish. and a huge plate of tempura.

this is a crab broth that had chunks of meat floating in it. delish.

me eating a fish head...where's my biscuit?

we drank...

and drank... [it's absolutely true, you never, ever pour your own drink]

until we were silly...

and even sillier...

i brought a Halloween game that drove everyone nuts and put us in stitches.

then back to the guys room for some more.

then on to a bar down the street. can’t believe they ordered more food. i stuck to the liquid diet.

which may explain why i have no idea whose slippers these are or why i was wearing them. you can get away with some horrible shoe fashion though. flip-flops and socks, no problem. bedroom slippers in public that are 3 sizes too small, don't worry.

the next morning we roused at 8. although i wanted to skip food for sleep, i couldn’t pass up the chance for an authentic Japanese breakfast; runny egg patty doused with ketchup, a grilled whole fish [tasty but tough to eat], miso soup, rice, juicy persimmons, whole little fish mixed salad, spicy roots and green tea. great hangover food [joke.]

started off shopping in nozawa.


went to bathe in an onsen at one of the most beautiful places on earth. this one was on the edge of a mountain overlooking a valley full of autumnal colors. all these birds flying by, steam rising off the water. awesome. it’s been ranked as the 4th best in japan i hear.
this is a pic of the guys side. there were too many naked ladies for me to snap any shots.

in front of the ladies entrance.

then on to fruit and vegetable markets.
we hit up a vineyard and winery where i stocked up on gourmet pasta sauces, homemade salad dressing and good red wine.


then on to an apple orchard. this is when the day really started reminding me of the weekends mom, ben and i would spend in the mountains in Greenville.
also stopped into an odd antique shop with a mean knife selection. had a blast. and doing this kinda thing with the colleagues really builds a bond.
oh yeah, at the vineyard we were standing on the edge of the road when a car came speeding around the curve. one of the teachers was facing me, not looking. i put my hand on his back to gently move him out of the way when i realized the driver was looking at his cell phone, not the road, and wasn’t slowing or swerving. i grabbed the teacher by the jacket and jerked him towards me, losing both of my shoes, we go staggering as the car whizzes by brushing his back. i thought i was gonna puke i had so much adrenaline. he thanked my profusely telling me he could go home and see his family again and on and on. he even bought me lunch at this awesome raman shop.
it's great traveling with these people because they know all the out of the way spots that i could never find if i hopped a train to nagano for the weekend. they are all so gracious and fun...the type of people you can truly enjoy being around. and imagine how much more i'd like 'em if i could understand what they're saying!