For Gerry: North Japan Travel

In article , John W.
wrote:

IIRC a while back you were asking about travel in north Japan. Here's
an article from the Japan Times on Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, in
case you missed it.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/...20040625a1.htm

Thanks. John. Of course we already went in May, but this good stuff for
the log prior to next year. We had such a great time in humble little
Morioka that we may well head back that direction next year anyhow.

I really need to make a point of visiting the JapanTimes and other
English-language Japanese news sites more frequently. Particularly as
I find less and less stuff on usenet to keep me busy.

--
First they gerrymander us into one-party fiefs. Then they tell us they only
care about the swing districts. Then they complain about voter apathy.
-- Gail Collins

In article , John W.
wrote:

IIRC a while back you were asking about travel in north Japan. Here's
an article from the Japan Times on Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, in
case you missed it.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/...20040625a1.htm

Thanks. John. Of course we already went in May, but this good stuff for
the log prior to next year. We had such a great time in humble little
Morioka that we may well head back that direction next year anyhow.

I really need to make a point of visiting the JapanTimes and other
English-language Japanese news sites more frequently. Particularly as
I find less and less stuff on usenet to keep me busy.

--
First they gerrymander us into one-party fiefs. Then they tell us they only
care about the swing districts. Then they complain about voter apathy.
-- Gail Collins

Gerry wrote in message ...
In article , John W.
wrote:

IIRC a while back you were asking about travel in north Japan. Here's
an article from the Japan Times on Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, in
case you missed it.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/...20040625a1.htm

Thanks. John. Of course we already went in May, but this good stuff for
the log prior to next year. We had such a great time in humble little
Morioka that we may well head back that direction next year anyhow.

Somehow I had it in my mind that you were going in autumn. I've never
been to Morioka; what about it did you like?

I really need to make a point of visiting the JapanTimes and other
English-language Japanese news sites more frequently. Particularly as
I find less and less stuff on usenet to keep me busy.

The Mainichi also has some decent travel articles. Neither pub pays,
but most of the time the articles are good.

John W.

Gerry wrote in message ...
In article , John W.
wrote:

IIRC a while back you were asking about travel in north Japan. Here's
an article from the Japan Times on Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, in
case you missed it.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/...20040625a1.htm

Thanks. John. Of course we already went in May, but this good stuff for
the log prior to next year. We had such a great time in humble little
Morioka that we may well head back that direction next year anyhow.

Somehow I had it in my mind that you were going in autumn. I've never
been to Morioka; what about it did you like?

I really need to make a point of visiting the JapanTimes and other
English-language Japanese news sites more frequently. Particularly as
I find less and less stuff on usenet to keep me busy.

The Mainichi also has some decent travel articles. Neither pub pays,
but most of the time the articles are good.

John W.

In article , John W.
wrote:

IIRC a while back you were asking about travel in north Japan. Here's
an article from the Japan Times on Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, in
case you missed it.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/...20040625a1.htm

Thanks. John. Of course we already went in May, but this good stuff for
the log prior to next year. We had such a great time in humble little
Morioka that we may well head back that direction next year anyhow.

Somehow I had it in my mind that you were going in autumn. I've never
been to Morioka; what about it did you like?

No, just this past May, and when we got back I was gonna write a 30
page tome and post it, but in the end I think it languished somewhere.
Then I remembered the users generally don't read beyond a page-scroll!


Regarding Morioka, I'm not sure it's the town per se so much as our
slowly morphing relationship with Japan. Certainly it has this going
for it: it's a city, but it has a quiet contained feel that makes it
more townish than city-ish.

We stayed mid-town at the New Carina (the old Carina is the only place
we've yet been where the room was unacceptable). We went across the
street the first night to an elegant little bar named Bacchus. We made
friends with the bartenders and they recommended one of the finest
restaurants, Ken, that we have yet eaten at. Simply stunning in every
regard.

We stayed an additional night, for a total of four, repeating this
nightly. The bartenders literally *walked* us a few blocks to these
restaurants, introduced us, and left. Four stunning meals in places we
would never have found. During the days we explored surrounding areas
as instructed by guide books to good results; Kakunodate, Toono, etc.

In Morioka they speak very little English it seems, so I was compelled
more than usual to use my crude Japanese. This really seemed to open
them up and they were for more engaged than in most other places.
Apparently they don't get many tourists or at Gaijin there.

The more we speak Japanese, the more eager the Japanese are to fully
engage us. Once done, they are toting us around town, introducing us
to others, picking up the tab (!). Admittedly they are impressed that
I know their fiction, their film, their history--and then to think
we're their neither for business nor as teachers. Well, they're
seemingly floored.

Morioka seemed to really lock us into this mode. Additionally the
mid-town area is small, has both rustic and sophisticated areas, and
some historical stuff too.

We got closer to what we call "breaking the code" now. In Morioka we
began exactingly avoiding places that have english or picture menus
outside, began going up elevators in nameless buildings sticking our
heads out on each floor and making rapid decisions. In this way we
again managed to get past some of the tourist facade. Admittedly this
isn't just Morioka.

So in Morioka we know have at least a couple of folks that are eager to
see us again, and an eager desire to RE-visit places already seen.

I really need to make a point of visiting the JapanTimes and other
English-language Japanese news sites more frequently. Particularly as
I find less and less stuff on usenet to keep me busy.

The Mainichi also has some decent travel articles. Neither pub pays,
but most of the time the articles are good.

Duly bookmarked.

--
First they gerrymander us into one-party fiefs. Then they tell us they only
care about the swing districts. Then they complain about voter apathy.
-- Gail Collins