Rice Balls and Beef Curry Donuts and Gizzards

Yes, as the title suggests, today’s cuisine was far from satisfactory, although two ice creams later and I felt substantially better.

Julia, a US couchsurfer at Yuji’s, and I set off this morning for Hakone, a town in the mountains, famous for its onsen (hot springs). Today was a day of transport. Walk -->subway-->train-->funicular-->ropeway-->pirate ship-->bus.
Yes, that’s right. Not only did we get a spectacular view of the mountains from a cablecar and see steam pouring out of the hillside (serious volcanism!), but we also got to ride a pirate ship across a lake. A lake that was created by a volcanic eruption!

Highlight of the day:

The Open Air Museum. It was the most beautifully sculptured park I have ever seen. It had benches shaped like fried eggs. A giant silver ball suspended above walkways. Statues of shapes and sizes. A playground beyond nay kids whildest dream. It was a massive wooden criss-cross sculpture that enclosed a coulourful net with soft swings hangiong down and which the kids could scramble up. As Julia said “When I have kids, I’m moving to Japan!” From the museum, I’ve included a picture of “Miss Black Power.” We can’t decided whether its funny or racist. Probably a bit of both.

Embarrassment of the day:

The onsen. Not only did we nearly walk into the males’ bath but we then had no idea what to do. Awkwardly stripping off our clothes, we went to the side of the bath where we were supposed to wash. There was a little stall and a shelf at stall height with a bucket on it. A shower just above that. I decided that we had to somehow wash with the bucket so I chucked the water over my head. At this point, I realised that people were beginning to stare. I hastily showered my body, wondering how one could wash one’s intimate areas without looking like one was giving oneself a good feel. Turns out that you just do it and no-one thinks anything of it. However, the bucket, as it turns out, is not for head-dunking (funnily enough). It’s for sluicing the seat where somewhere else’s naked butt has been sitting. Great work, Phoebe.

Culinary note to end the day:
We went out for a meal with a nice Japanese man who took us to an underground restaurant where you sit in booths on seats on the floor yet the table is set down so your legs can dangle. He ordered us a banquet of bizarre yet delicious foods. Tofu is actually amazing. It only sucks in the West. There were, however, some particularly grisly pieces of meat which I decided to give a miss. Turns out I was eating gizzards, the equivalent to chicken belly buttons. Niiiiiiice. But other good dishes and my second interview in the bag, and I’m not complaining.