Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Central Japan Day 4 - Takayama - Sanmachi

View the first post in this series here.
View the previous post in this series here.

03 June 2008

Back from a cold morning walk to the Higashiyama Temples, we were slightly late for breakfast. Nevertheless the cold made us very hungry so I quickly tucked in. Right after breakfast, we checked out of our hotel. For the morning, we will be visiting the Morning Markets in front of the Takayama Jinja (old government house) that is near the Sanmachi (old private houses) area. The morning markets is a place where the elderly peddle their homemade/grown wares for the fun of it.


Breakfast, the standard international fare



Passing by Sanmachi, it is still drizzling

Morning Markets, Takayama
Morning markets, looks like this obaasan is still asleep!


Yet another group of students here on what seems to be a school trip. They get lots of these it seems


This is actually a good place to get Saru-bobos

Morning Markets, Takayama
Home grown vegetables

Takayama Jinja
Entrance to Takayama Jinja

Takayama Jinja
The main building of Takayama Jinja


A small shrine on the way from the Jinja to Sanmachi


A temple at the bridge


This is how they keep the river water free of debris -- using a filter of stones

Sanmachi, Takayama
A street in Sanmachi, clear water flows continuously through the drains


A local sake brewery! They say the bigger the ball, the better the sake


Brewing process


A seating area to have drinks


Decorations


It starts to get messy at the back where probably the brewing takes place


Many types of sake


I settled for a small one in one of those ceramic bottles, about ¥1400 for 330ml, effectively paying for the bottle, a large (720ml) normal bottle will cost about the same.


Souvenir shop


Shō-yu (しょうゆ, or 醤油, soya sauce) brewery


Barrels of shō-yu


With all the wooden houses here's an elusive fire extinguisher


Some souvenir saru-bobos


A chair shop?


At convenience store -- complete instant coffee, cup included!

We purchased some beer and snacks before returning to our coach. Then, we bid farewell to the peaceful Takayama. Next up we are headed to a ramen factory before visiting Hirayu Ohtaki (Great Waterfall). For the night we will be staying by Lake Kawaguchiko in the Mt. Fuji area also with an in-house Onsen.

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