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Published: September 22nd 2010
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Richard and I exchanged bemused glances. How had we arrived here, in a beauty salon at 9pm in rural japan, looking like a cross between a burns victim and a papier mache model? It had been an interesting, slightly surreal day......
A few days previously I had travelled from Nagasaki to Shiminoseki, where I had met David Brent, sorry, Richard off the ferry*. In an attempt to save money, Rich had bought a tent in China, and we planned to find camping spots wherever we could and work our way up the west coast of Honshu, before eventually arriving in Kyoto. After a night's camping in a park on the Shimoneseki hillside, we crawled our way through plunging gorges and windswept coastline up the JR rail network, arriving at a station just outside Matsue in the late evening. We spent a night in a pleasant wooded campsite high in the hills, and the next morning set off for Matsue itself to try and find somewhere to camp closer to civilisation.
After having sorted this, we decided to explore Matsue castle, the second oldest castle in Japan. However upon closer inspection, I was a little disappointed that despite being marketed
as such, it had actually undergone 'a complete restoration from 1950-1955', so had been stripped of many of it's original features. It was however a very scenic setting, providing lovely views over the city. It was also fascinating to see how the walls were constructed entirely from huge boulders, that seemed to slot together effortlessly.
We headed by bus for our campsite, and quickly realised that we were in fact based even further from civilisation. But boy, was it worth it! After a lift from a lovely lady at the bus stop, we found our campsite on a tiny island, connected to the mainland by a narrow bridge and overlooking the harbour of a docile fishing village. We arrived just as the sun set over the craggy headland, and quickly pitched our tent on a patch of grass overlooking a stony, curving beach with turquoise waters. Rich placed the beers in the shallows of the beach to cool, and we raced up the cliff to catch the setting sun and enjoy a beer as we soaked in this alluring setting. We spent the rest of the evening in the age old competition of masculinity: fire lighting. I am sorry
to say that after an hour of attempted wigwams, criss-crosses and stick rolling we reverted to the 21st century method.....spray it with deodorant so it lights like an inferno! The backdrop for the evening of mackerel and potatoes was provided by howls of frustration from the darkness, as Rich waded around in the shallows trying to find the beers that had unfortunately drifted out to sea. I have rarely seen a man so devastated and broken.
The next day, we decided to explore and find somewhere to pick up provisions. We set off in a northerly direction and walked. And walked. And walked. Early in the afternoon, we staggered into another deserted beach community and came to the conclusion that there was probably not a shop to found anywhere along this coastline. Now those who know me will agree that when I am hungry I can get somewhat.....irritable. It was 2.30pm, we hadn't eaten all day and we were miles from anywhere. We decided to hitchhike back into Matsue for food. Now I have never hitch-hiked before, so set out with great enthusiasm. After five minutes, a car tore bast, screeched to a halt and the driver proceeded to
walk back towards us. Result! "Konichiwa....I am an off-duty policeman" he announced gravely as he flashed his badge. Well done Matt! I managed to bodge some excuse about wanting a bus, promised to get the next bus in 2 hours, and as he disappeared over the horizon.....promptly began hitching again. Just as I had had enough and snarled at Rich that i was going to find a better spot, a sparkling white Subaru (the only car available in Japan apparently) swung in and two grinning, blinging japanese blokes hopped out and offered us a lift to matsue. Great!
As we sped along, we managed some small talk in the margins of familiarity between our languages. As I looked around, the car was stuffed with Miss Kitty toys, key rings and other various childrens' paraphernalia. "So how many kids do you have then?" I asked cheerfully. "Oh no. No married. No kids" the driver replied. There followed a frankly awkward 20 minutes where Rich and I exchanged nervous glances and I checked the locks on the doors.
Thankfully, this of course turned out to be absolutely fine, and taught me a valuable lesson for Japan. Trust human nature. In
the western world, we grow up cynical and believing that people will only do nice things if there is something in it for them. It is therefore initially surprising, but ultimately refreshing, that many Japanese people welcome Western people into their homes. Crime is virtually non-existent. Trust is a major factor in everyday life, where it seems to be accepted that honesty is the only way for harmony to be maintained.
And so it proved. We were wined and dined at our host's flat, presented with polo shirts as a gift, and even driven home by one of their friends.
It was with this new outlook on generosity that we met a fisherman the next day. After a brief conversation, we were delighted to return from the beach to find that he had prepared the freshest BBQ breakfast imaginable, with grilled sardines fresh from the sea. During a late-afternoon stroll, we bumped into him again and were invited back to his house for a beer. But in japan, a beer is never just a beer. Beer, was followed by sake, which was followed by pickled plums, rice, various raw sea creatures and more sake. As he showed us
his photo albums and special keepsakes, grandchildren streamed into the room and we had great fun, singing and exchanging phrases. It was in this spirit of relaxation that the mother of the six grandchildren started miming some sort of steam action on her face. "You like?" Rich and I exchanged accepting looks and shrugged. We were sweaty, sun-sore and after two days avoiding the 200 yen shower and sleeping in a straw-filled duvet cove, we a carried a certain 'scent'. We were certainly not going to decline any free pampering!
So it was that she surged into action, making frantic calls and squeezing herself, the two of us and five children into the car. Even granddad tried to squeeze into the boot, but was dissuaded! Just as i thought that this was a new record for a five-seater car, we pulled into various estates and a supermarket carpark and picked up a colleague and another child. With small children wedged in foot wells and perched on laps, we swung into her beauty salon. As if the night wasn't surreal enough, it emerged that we were to be the first male recipients of a pioneering steam facial treatment that her
family were pioneering.
Well, we were cleansed, lotioned, steamed and lathered with some sort of facial mask. It became apparent that she was concerned about our red faces, and thought that the treatment was necessary for our comfort! We tried to explain that this was merely a permanent complexion for any Brit abroad, but she insisted.
Well I am pleased to say that we looked......exactly the same. But of course we made 'oohs' and 'ahs', and made the appropriate comments about looking ten years younger etc. However, the treatment obviously works long term, because if my future wife looks as young as our hostess does after seven kids then I'll be a happy man!!
We returned to our campsite shortly after 10, and just as we thought our Matsue experience couldn't get anymore surreal, we plunged into a boozy BBQ with our campsite neighbours. Copious food and drink was consumed, fireworks were launched and much laughter was had. I also took great mirth in seeing Rich being offered a 'sausage', and watching him swallow it whole. I took great joy in informing him that it wasn't a sausage, but in fact some sort of crustacean where you're
only supposed to eat the top part!
As I staggered to bed, I reflected on why we are so suspicious of good-nature. I also considered that I didn't mind being addressed as a 'gaijin' (foreigner), as it was often used in a friendly context. Finally, I decided that tomorrow would definitely be the day that I had a shower. Probably. Maybe..........
*Richard is currently going through an 'experimental phase' with his facial hair....if you ask me this is the fault of Austin, the moustache-wearing yank from the Shanghai blog.
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Ed Toon
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Good work
Matt these are simply brilliant....excellent reading. Keep up the good work.