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I didn't even wake up to my alarm this morning. Instead I was wide awake @ 8:15am and just got my butt out of bed and started getting ready for a good days work or hiking and then relaxing in an onsen. I got a shinkansen to Furukawa and then rode out to Naruko Onsen station. It took about a hour and 20 minutes and around ¥2000 to be dropped off and after a few minutes walking around and orientating myself. The reason I wanted to come was to go hiking along the 4km trail along the Naruko Gorge. I had heard good things about it and also how nice the trail is along the river. Just my luck though, the trail was closed today. I never did get a reason why though. Instead I went searching for the Shitomae checkpoint.
On my way there I ventured off the road for a little bit when I saw this series of tiny waterfalls and a newish looking bridge a little further in. So I went up there to get a closer look and saw that you could walk up to the train bridge that was over the whole area. I decided
why not go up and look around. It was a beautiful view of the valley but I lost my nerve when it came to actually walking out on it. It was pretty rusted and looked like it wouldn't be the smartest thing to walk out on it.
The checkpoint is along the historical highway that Basho walked along during this journey into the North. So I set out with a map and after asking a few people and getting turned around I though I had figured out where I was going. I turned right along a dirt road and starting walking. Naruko is surrounded by hills and trees so the walk was beautiful and full of good views. As I was walking, maybe only 10 minutes, a man walked past me. He looked like he was carrying groceries or something similar. Since I hadn't passed anybody else on the path I decided that I was obviously NOT in the right place. So I turned around and ended up asking another store owner how to get there. He was a bit more helpful and i was able to understand most of what he told me. Apparently, you have to go
to the start of the gorge trail but walk past it, under the bridge and then head down a hill and there it was. The site came with a Basho statue and small little rest tea place along the longer highway hiking trail. The funny thing is that the checkpoint trail ended where I had started on the trail I walked on. I was there and I didn't even know it!!
After walking around for a couple hours I decided to check out the famous onsens. There is an onsen in Naruko that is very famous and over 100 years old. Sadly, you have to bring your own towel for that one so i ended up at a smaller but still pleasant onsen for a quick cleaning and soak of the tired feet. The whole town of Naruko smells os sulfur in a constant reminder that the whole place is sitting on an thermic hotspot. When you venture out to the gorge it goes away but as soon as your back in town you smell it very quickly.
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LebdaWhen
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?? what is that on the manhole cover ??
Hey LebdaWho - thanks for including the manhole cover in your pictures. What is that on this one? I think that is one of the coolest things for each city in Japan to do. I miss the food and the special touches about each place and the shopping! You have some really great pictures here. Can't wait till your next blog! Love you, LebdaWhen.