Happy Holidays from Japan! Winter has arrived in Akita the empty rice fields, roads, and treetops are now covered in snow. I woke up this morning to fresh snow and blue skies. Christmas in Japan is largely known as a holiday for couples. While Christmas is celebrated in Japan, the more significant holiday is the upcoming New Year. During the New Year’s celebrations, which last about three days, families gather and celebrate enjoying the days by relaxing and spending time together. I will be in Nagoya during お正月 (Oshougatsu) New Year’s and am looking forward to welcoming the new year in Japan!
I spent my Christmas traveling to Aomori by train. This is the northern most city on Honshu Island. I previously wrote about Aomori and its famous Nebuta festival. However when I arrived, the area was covered in snow, and I mean covered! Snow was everywhere, and when I say Aomori gets a lot of snow, I mean that they measure it in meters and use a massive truck with a snow conveyor belt that drops the snow in another truck which then drives to the ocean and drops it there as there is no other place to put it. Snowplows do not plow that often and many roads remain covered in snow during the Winter, part of the reason being there is often no where to push the snow to in the small space efficient neighborhoods. That isn’t to say they never plow but it is an expectation that drivers purchase snow tires and it works out fine. Furthermore, as neighborhoods’ often have little room in front of houses, snow is shoveled into sleds and pulled to a nearby open field or a kind of community snow drop off point so to speak. The phenomenal amount of snow would make for some great snow forts. The entire area has a wonderful nostalgic and natural feel to it and I was truly taken aback by the winter wonderland. I had a great time staying at my friend’s house and it was nice to shovel some snow again. The trip or perhaps more appropriately, the snow there has convinced me to grab my skis and move to Aomori as soon as possible.
The night after Christmas I boarded a night bus headed for Tokyo, the trip takes about 11 hours, but as it travels during the night passengers try and sleep as much as they can. I arrived yesterday at Tokyo station and experienced the shock of seeing the busiest subway station in the world. Wow! I boarded the subway and headed to Shinjuku where I would begin my journey in Tokyo. I will spend the next few days exploring the area and will update my blog after the trip with stories and photos!
Happy holidays everyone and safe travels!
ジェフ
Below is a picture of where we would take the snow by sled and drop it.
A view of one of the streets in Shinjuku early in the morning.
