We started our day with an 'American style' breakfast - Joshie more than a little impressed it included toast. Part of the morning involved catching up on the washing (with only 3 sets of clothes each - this becomes reasonably important in short order) as well as watching a 20 minute program on how to make noises blowing on leaves - riveting stuff.
Once we set off for the day (and a cold and windy one it was) - we located Matsumoto-jo (Matsumoto Castle) in virtually no time due to our brush with it the night before. It is Japan's oldest wooden castle - and ranks as one of the most culturally significant in Japan.
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| Matsumoto-jo |
We were making our way around the gardens to the entrance (someone put a great big moat in the road), when we were stopped by an elderly Japanese gentleman, who enquired whether we spoke english. His face lit up when we said we were from Australia, and started talking about the Goodwill Guide Group (who give free tours of the Castle).
While a little on the fence about locking ourselves in to a tour (even if it was on an individual basis), our desire not to inflict hurt on this old guy decided it for us. He was great - and was able to point out many of the cosy features of the castle, including murder holes as well as openings to fire both guns and bows & arrows from. There is a hidden third floor (low roof, no windows) just above the second roof-line. While not entirely certain, our guide thought it would have been a nifty place to hide some Samurai. We had to carry our shoes in bags, as we would be leaving through another door at the end (I just hoped it wasn't via a trap door into the moat), which made negotiating the over 400 year old stairs even more challenging. They essentially became ladders at the higher levels - even having a designated 'catcher' (a burly looking bloke stationed at the foot of the steepest of the stairs). We made it to the top (either the 5th or 6th floor depending on who you ask), and the stiff breeze experienced at the foot of the castle was more like a wind-tunnel at this height.
On the way back down, our guide pointed out the 'ritual disemboweling room' (I was getting worried they didn't have one...). This delightful place would be used by the local Lord should his castle ever fall. Fortunately, the place never fell (as it is pretty impregnable), so the room is still in minty-fresh condition.
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| Up on the top floor of Matsumoto-jo. |
After farewelling our Guide (who gifted the kids some paper cranes), we picked up a miniature samurai helmet for Hamish and a paper lantern for Lily from the local souvenir shop. We also sought out some lunch (preferably out of the icy gusts slamming into us at each cross-street). We managed to track down a bakery-cafe and polished off an alarming/impressive amount of pastry.
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| Matsumoto-jo - now, with bright red bridge! |
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| The sun poked its head out, giving everything a cheerier aspect. |
We called into a Laundromat and then into a Starbucks while we waited for our final lot of clothes to dry. I picked up a kids comic called Doraemon (Japan's most loved cartoon character), as it was the only thing in english I could find. I'm pretty sure the guy behind the counter checked I had kids before deciding I mightn't be as nutty as first appeared.
We were back to our Ryokan in plenty of time for dinner, which (on this occasion) would be served in our room. Things were going to plan until they brought out the entrees.
I thought I heard the word 'horse'.
Looking down at some very thinly sliced, raw meat that was clearly not fish - I doubted myself. Surely not.
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| We said 'nay' to the 'neigh'. |
There - I heard it again. Horse sashimi (also known as basashi).
Waiting for the lovely folk to leave us, I managed to get a quiet word to Jen, who had not heard what the ladies had said. Getting a quiet word to someone in a single room is tricky, but we managed without alerting the drama-prone Martin children. All of the other unusual dishes on the table suddenly became warm and familiar in comparison.
We piked - there was just no way it was going to happen.
So we did what any other rational pair of adults would do in a situation like this - we hid the meat in other dishes, bowls, anywhere we could find really. Smiling and nodding at the lovely folk as they took away our partially-unfinished meals, we sat and rocked, and ate some Pocky. I think we just experienced the outer rim of our comfort zone.
Tomorrow sees us take a look at the historically-rich Kiso Valley, and then on to Takayama for the evening. It will be good to get back in the saddle again....
..sorry.
