Thursday, January 2, 2014

15 Noto felszigetrol Niigata-ig

Szeptember 14-e, szombati nap van. A mai napra kituzott cel eljutni a mintegy 400 km-re fekvo Niigata varosaig. Ebbol a legnagyobb feladatnak egyelore a Noto felszigetrol valo kijutas es az eszaki iranyba tovabb halado Hokuriku autopalya megkozelitese latszik. 

A noto-i autostoppolas a mai napon sem megy sokkal simabban, mint elotte. A nap nagy reszet a felszigetrol kivezeto, mintegy 150 km-es utszakaszon toltjuk hat kulonbozo autos kocsijaban, illetve rajuk itt-ott orakat varakozva az ut szelen. Mire feljutunk ama bizonyos Hokuriku autopalyanak abba a parkolo-pihenojebe, mely a tovabbiakra nezve tokeletes stoppolohely, mar estefele jar az ido. Elottunk all meg mintegy 250 kilometer, es ismet ugy vagyunk vele, hogy csak akkor megyunk valakivel, ha elvisz egeszen Niigata-ig. 

Besotetedett mar javaban, mire ezt a szemelyt megtalaljuk. Pontosabban aztan o talal meg minket. Latva tenykedesunket, egy baratsagos, beszedes kamionsofor  szolit meg, hogy o szivesen elvinne a vezetofulkeben, ha nem zavar a kisse szukos hely minket. Hat, valahogy ma nem zavar. Igy erkezunk meg keso estere Niigataba, annak is egy, a leendo szallasunkhoz nagyon kozel eso parkolojaba egy oriasi kamion iszonyatosan rumlis kabinjaban, csomagjainkkal egyutt az ulesek mogotti fekhelyen ucsorogve. Azert jo kaland volt, meg sosem utaztam ilyen pazar kilatassal az elottunk, korulottunk halado forgalomra. Elismeresem, tiszteletem es koszonetem a kamionsofore, aki kulon a mi kedvunkert hajtott be a belvarosba, ami egy ekkora jargany eseten bizony kulon becsulendo. 

Megerkeztunk Niigataba. Bucsuzkodas roppant keszseges kamionsoforunktol...

A neptelen mellekutcakon koborolva, szallasunkat keresgelve dobbenunk ra, hogy a megadott iranymutatasokkal valami santit. Nem egeszen ugy kanyarodnak, kapcsolodnak az utcak, mint arra szamitottunk. Altalaban az iranyokkal, utvonalakkal kapcsolatban en vagyok hatarozottabb, de most Teodora van inkabb vonalon. Hirtelen otletkent, valamifele megerzes nyoman egyszer csak befordul egy haz nyitott ajtajan, ahonnan feny szurodik ki a sotet utcara. Mar lepek is utana, hogy megallj, ne setalj csak ugy be valakinek a lakasaba, mikor belulrol koszones hallik. Megerkeztunk. Ujabb couchsurfing szallashely, es ujabb erdekes tapasztalat. 

Tanulok egy szamomra uj kifejezest: geek (gik). Ez itt keremszepen egy igazi "Geek House", azaz gik haz, gik mivoltara teljesen buszke het lakojaval egyutt. Meg kulon "Geek House" egyseges mintaval nyomott polojuk es kis felragasztos matricajuk is van. Het felnott ferfi, a huszas eveikben, illetve a harmincasok elejen, akik egyutt berlik ezt a hazat. A gik let pedig nagyjabol a kovetkezoket meriti ki: minel tobb idot tolteni a szamitogep (ertsd MacBook) elott egyutt, egy szobaban, es az eletet a virtualis valosagban elni. Minden egyeb tevekenyseg, mint pl. etkezes, takaritas, haztartas  csak mellekes, csupan biologiai letfenntartast szolgal. Kepzelheto a folyoso, a konyha, a furdoszoba es a kozossegi szoba allapota a magatol odahalmozodott mindenfelek es lerakodasok kozt kialakult osvenyekkel. Azert megis mindent egyutt veve, lattunk mar rosszabbat is. Ugyhogy bizakodoak vagyunk. Ha azt tuleltuk, ezt is tul fogjuk elni, az biztos. Most az egyszer amugy orulok, hogy a halozsakom becipzarozhato egesz korbe. Igy biztos, hogy nem erek hozza semmihez alvas kozben. A fogadtatassal kapcsolatban egyebkent semmi kifogasunk nem lehet. Egytol egyig nagyon kedvesek, udvariasak, ahogy az jo japanokhoz illik. Sot, egyikuket leszamitva, aki szuper hallgatag, egeszen vidam beszelgetos elso felorat toltunk el, mielott mindenki ujra rakapcsolodik agyhullamai teljes kapacitasaval a vilaghalo megbabonazo csodajara.

Kettonknek a kozossegi szobaban jut alvohely. Masnap, vasarnap reggel van de azert aranylag koran kell kelnunk. Fel nyolckor ugyanis kezdodik a sracok kedvenc rajzfilmje a teveben.  

Errol a szakaszrol fenykepeket nem  keszitettem, viszont IDE kattintva az eddig megtett utunkat lathatod a terkepen.




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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

15 Niigata

We arrived to Niigata late lat night, in a huge truck. I always hoped we would get a ride in a big truck while doing all this hitchhiking and i was so excited that we did. Actually, if that guy hadn't picked us up and gave us a 300 km ride on the expressway i have no idea how we could have made it to Niigata the same day. We were riding in the loft, behind and above the drivers head in his sleeping space. It wasn't the most comfy seat, but I enjoyed the view - I have never sat so high on the road. 

He took us all the way into Niigata city, and dropped us off at a convenient convenience store parking. I mean , it was convenient for us, because it was in the center, not so much for him, his truck occupying almost the whole parking lot. I would say it is an art to maneuver a big truck in the narrow streets of the lego-like cities in Japan. 

We didn't even know that one of our funniest couch surfing experience is still awaiting for the night. We were staying in a geek house. And if you don't know what that means, I am not surprised. I didn't know. We arrived to an old Japanese two-story home, and we were welcomed by Haru, our host and seven other guys, who are sharing the same house. They were all sitting in the living room, so you would think they are very sociable. Well, no. They are geeks. And they introduce themselves as geeks, they have this strong geek identity. It means they are always on their computers. They all had MacBooks and we were sitting around in the living room, each one of them with a laptop. When I asked what they do for a living, some said they were IT students, others had IT jobs. It was a totally new culture and layer of society unfolding before my eyes. The lack of physical activity and eye contact was still bearable, but one thing that really made me a strong non-believer of the macBook religion was the lack of hygiene in the house. I guess you can't stay online while you are cleaning the bathroom, and obviously it is too much time staying disconnected, so I would guess they haven't cleaned for the last couple of years. The bad news was that we had to sleep on the floor in the living room. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, then I decided to laugh for three reasons. 

1. we made it to Niigata and we have a place to stay with funny but friendly people.  
2. we are here for only one night 
3. on our list of all the places we have stayed we agreed it is only the 3rd dirtiest. And if we have survived the other two, this won't be a challenge too big!


Knowing this, we gave special thanks for having sleeping bags and fell asleep happy, but setting the alarm at 7am for Sunday morning, because the guys said their favorite cartoon starts at 7.30 so they will be down in the living room by then. 

geek living room, with Hunor blending in

14 Nomi es Noto felsziget

Nomi egy Komatsuhoz egeszen kozeli kisvaros neve. Korulbelul negy evvel ezelott Teodora jart mar itt egy Japan Tent nevre hallgato Japanban elo kulfoldi diakok szamara szervezett program kereteben. Akkor egy kedves csaladnal vendegeskedett nehany napig, akiket, mivel epp erre visz utunk, szeretnenk meglatogatni.

Szeptember 11-en, szerdai napon jarunk mar, annak is szep napos keso delutanjan. A kb 30 kilometeres utat Kumivel es Naokival tesszuk meg, akik bucsuzas elott ezt a segitseget szivesen felajanlottak.

Kaori es Tetsu mar szeles mosollyal es vacsora elotti ropogtatnivalokkal elokeszitett asztallal varnak rank. Nemsokara elokerul a nagymama is, aki a mar amugy is kedelyes tarsalgasba  uj lenduletet hoz hangosan vidam termeszetevel, no meg egy jo uveg umeshu-vel (az umeshu japan szilvabol keszult edes alkoholos ital), melyet a nagypapa keszitett. Nagypapaval sajnos betegsege miatt nem talalkozhatunk, de remeljuk a csaladdal egyutt, hogy felepul es folytathatja a szilvaval vegzett muveszetet. A vacsora koruli beszelgetes nyoman az elkovetkezo napjainkra vonatkozo terveink is modosulnak kisse. Igy indulunk masnap reggel - a valtozatossag kedveert szemerkelo esoben - az innen eszakra fekvo, nem tul messzi Noto felsziget iranyaba.

Kaori, Tetsu no meg a Nagyi tarsasagaban

Noto felsziget, mivel kivul esik a regio minden fo utoeren, kisse videkiesebb, hagyomanyosabb es lelkisegeben is eroteljesebb vonalat kepvisel tobb termeszettel es szentkent tisztelt hellyel. Az autostoppolas valahogy ma nem megy annyira siman, mint remeltuk. A felszigetre kivezeto foutig is tobb ugrassal jutunk el, es kozben egyszer ugy elered az eso, hogy ugy dontunk, kivarjuk a veget egy kozeli nyilvanos mosoda varakozoasztalanal szunditva.

Tokeletes pihenohely mig odakint zuhog az eso.

Tobb szakaszban stoppolassal es gyalogosan bandukolva jutunk el a felsziget elso celpontjakent kiszemelt latnivalojaig. Ez a Hatagoiwa nevu sziklaegyuttes, mely a helyi legenda szerint akkor keletkezett, mikor egy helyi istenno a tengerbe vetette szovogepet. Az ido ekkorra keso delutanban jar mar es mivel faradtak is vagyunk ugy hatarozunk, itt letenyazunk ejszakara. A mellett, hogy a hely tokeletesen megfelelonek tunik erre a celra, az idojaras is kegyes hozzank. A felhozet kisse felszakadozott, csillagos ejszakara van kilatasunk, ami tekintve, hogy satrunk a kulso vizallo reteg hianyaban csupan a szunyogok ellen nyujt vedelmet, remek hir. Kenyelmesen berendezkedunk tehat az elhagyatott partszakaszon, joizuen megvacsorazunk, es az este naplemente cimu musora utan az orrunk elott allo, kotellel osszekotott sziklaparos esti diszkivilagitasa csak meglepetes raadas az eloadasban.

A Hatagoiwa sziklak esti diszkivilagitasban. 

Masnap, 13-an reggel, stoppolassal probaljuk folytatni az utunkat. Celunk a felsziget majdnem legeszakibb csucskeben fekvo Wajima varoska, annak is a hires neves reggeli-delelotti kistermeloi piaca.  Nos, csak probaljuk a stoppolast… orakon keresztul nem vesz fel senki. Ugy tunik, hogy a felszigeten egyre beljebb haladva a valtozas nem csak abban all, hogy a videk egyre falusiasabb, hanem abban is, hogy az erre jarok egyre kevesbbe tudnak mit kezdeni az autostoppolas jelensegevel. Legtobben ugy haladnak el mellettunk, hogy azt mutatjak, eszre sem vettek minket. Masok pedig kisse zavartan es szegyenlosen visszaintegetnek. Egyre inkabb azt erezzuk, hogy legalabb annyira furcsa jelenseg vagyunk, mintha ket foldonkivuli probalna eligazodni mondjuk Alsoviharfalvan.

Autora varva… nem tul nagy a forgalom.

A fakusi csendelet kephez tartozo kellek: a halszaritoporgentyu.

A gyors forgasban egyreszt a hal jobban szarad, masreszt pedig semmifele rovar nem tudja megkozeliteni.

Egy helyben acsingozni nem nagyon akarunk tovabb, igy nekiindulunk gyalogosan. A szarazfoldi oldalon sziklas  es szepen megmuvelt teruletek valtakoznak, tobbnyire rizsfoldek, helyenkent otthonos, egyszeru vonalvezetesu japan fahazakkal, masik oldalon pedig a vegelathatatlan tenger a kek minden arnyalatat felsorakoztatva. Kis falusi halaszkikotok mellett is elhaladunk itt-ott, ami kulonosen is kedves szinfoltja a helyi eletnek.  Az idojaras is tokeletes, meleg napsutes kiser minket. Javaban ebedidoben jarunk mar, mikor epp kapora jon egy utunkba eso nagyobb elelmiszerbolt. Ebedunket a kozeli partszakaszon fogyasztjuk el, nem is akarmilyen helyen. Allitolag az a pad a vilag legesleghosszabb padja. Hat mit is mondhatnek, tenyleg hosszu na. Jol esik a napsutesben a nyugodt sziesztazas, foleg a sok hatizsakos gyaloglas utan. Nem karhoztathatunk senkit azert, mert nem vesznek fel autojukkal, hiszen senki sem felelos azert, hogy mi igy kozlekedunk, de megis felgyulemlik nemi bosszusag. A szep ido, a tengerpart es a teli pocak ezt is feledteti.

A 460m hosszu vilagleghosszabb padjanal a Shika nevu kisvaros Masuhoura nevre keresztelt partszakaszan. Vegre kinyujthatom a labaim… :) 

A kesobbiekben azonban megis megerkezik a mi autonk. Egy fiatalabb ferfi all meg mellettunk kocsival, es kiderul, hogy meg mi teszunk jot neki azzal, hogy felvehet minket. Elmondasa szerint mar azota lelkiismeretfurdalasa van, mikor evekkel ezelott egyszer latott valakiket stoppolni, es akkor elhajtott mellettuk. Most mi lehetoseget adtunk neki a kiigazitasra. Nem volna dolga a felsziget eszaki feleben, de elvisz minket egeszen Wajima-ig. Sot, itt-ott egy-egy latnivalonal meg meg is all velunk egy kis idegenvezetesre. A wajimai reggeli piacnak mar termeszetesen se hire se hamva, de azert marad bameszkodnivalo nekunk is boven. Nagyon megtetszik mindkettonknek a varoska alaphangulata alacsony egyszeru fahazaival, szeles, rendezett, viragokkal diszitett utcaival. Feludito ilyet is latni a sok zsufolt japan betonvaros utan.

Teodoranak semmilyen helyzetben nem akadaly az ismerkedes :)

Kis piheno Wajima utcain.

Wajima utcakep. Nem mondhatni, hogy a kozlekedes eletveszely...

A kesobbiekben egy fiatal novel utazunk tovabb a felsziget csucsa iranyaba, es a keso delutan vorosbe hajlo lagy napsuteseben tokeletes idozitessel erkezunk a Senmaida-i rizsteraszokhoz. A megvilagitas tehat nem is lehet tokeletesebb a rizsteraszokon kizarolag hagyomanyos, kezi modszerrel javaban arato foldmuvesek fotozasahoz. A fotozason kivul azonban a kivancsisag is odavisz minket a munkasok koze. Miert a legfaradsagosabb ketkezi munkat valasztjak? Mekkora teruletrol kerul ki egy zsaknyi rizs? es igy tovabb. A terulet annyira meredek, es a teraszok helyenkent annyira szukosek, hogy gepi muveles egyszeruen lehetetlen. Kozeledtunkre meglepoen nyitottan reagalnak. Egy nyolcvan ev koruli furge nenike rogton at is adja helyet Teodoranak. Adogassa o az osszekotozott keveket fel a szaritoallvanyra, amig o megpihen kisse. Egy idos bacsi meg akkora odaadassal mutatja, hogy pontosan hogyan is kell a learatott kevet a szalmajaval osszekotozni, mintha ezen mulna a muvelet fennmaradasanak jovoje.

A Senmaida rizsteraszok.



A talicskazas bizony kemeny munka a meredek hegyoldalban.

Asszonyok pihenes kozben

Nincs kecmec…  aki kozel mereszkedik, rogton befogjak dolgozni. 

A szaritoallvany fabol keszul, az illeszteseknel kotellel csomozva. Minden evben felujitjak, mielott a szaritanivalo uj rizstermes felkerul ra.

A keve kotozeset kizarolag a regi hagyomany szerinti preciz mozdulatsorral lehet elvegezni. Minden egyeb probalkozas nyegle kontarmunka.

A Senmaida-i rizsteraszok utan mar nem megyunk sokkal messzebb. Egy helyi idos batyo visz el kocsijan a mintegy husz percnyire levo Sosogi falucskaig, ahol a kesobbiekben satrat is verunk a helyi apro halaszkikoto es egy szinten szentkent tisztelt sziklaegyuttes szomszedsagaban.  



Tekintve a kozlekedes tapasztalt nehezsegeit, a kovetkezo reggelen ugy hatarozunk, nem megyunk ki a felsziget csucsaig teljesen. A kovetkezo hetre ugyanis a Sendai-tol eszakra eso Ishinomaki varoskaban vallaltunk onkentes munkat a nagy foldrenges es cunami utani ujjaepitesben, igy ha az utemtervet tartani akarjuk, ezen a napon mintegy 400 kilometernyi ut all elottunk.     

14 Nomi and Noto Peninsula

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon Kumi and Naoki dropped us off by the road leading to Nomi, to a family I was staying with 4 years ago with JapanTent, a holiday program for foreign students in Japan. A warmhearted and always smiling lady, Kaori and his more reserved but friendly husband Tetsu welcomed me again and Hunor for the first time in their home. I was looking forward meeting with the grandfather too, who makes the best umeshu (sweet liqueur made of Asian plums) I have ever tried. But they told me he had been hospitalized with cancer. These news made me appreciate Kaori's smile and positive spirit even more. We talked and drank throughout the whole evening and suddenly changed our plans too (the good thing about hitchhiking is flexibility): we were planning to head on to Nagano the next day, but there is a remote and beautiful peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture, Noto, which is also said to be a spiritual place and it has always been on my mind. Also, the weather started to clear up and we have been missing the outdoors very much. We had a tent (although not waterproof) so we decided we would spend the next few days camping on Noto. 

night in Nomi

Hunor's first kanji! I have to admit it looks better
than the signs I made...

After a few rides and a fantastic morning nap between them in a wash&dry, we were in Noto peninsula, staring at the sea in dripping rain again. The further up north we penetrated in the peninsula the more it started to look like an enchanted land with dramatic rock formations, old wooden farmhouses and small fishing ports. One of the most famous rock formations is Ganmon on the Kongo Coast. Ganmon means rock-gate and it is indeed the entrance of a spacious cave on the shore. According to legend, Minamoto Yoshitsune was hiding in this cave when he was running away from his brother, Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. 

hitchhiking with a lovely family in Noto

a real treat on Noto...

Unfortunately the more north we got, the less likely it was to get a ride. The good news were that the weather cleared up and we found a nice and cozy spot for camping. It was right in front of a rock formation that is called Hatagoiwa, and according to local legend, was formed when a Goddess threw her loom into the ocean. It is a formation of two rocks interconnected by a thick rope - this is a symbol of matrimony. It was an enchanting and mysterious place to be, very calming and energizing.
We set up our tent, watched the spectacular colors of the sunset after rain, ate our dinner of leftovers and were surprised that the formation in front of our eyes was illuminated by a strong light from the shore. We enjoyed the specular view and the starry sky from our private balcony for a few more hours before going to sleep. 

Hatagoiwa

sunrise from "our balcony"

The next morning we were excited to go to the morning market in Wajima city, the northern part of the peninsula, but we had to face the reality of backcountry. Nobody would pick us up for hours. Eventually we walked for about an hour to the next village, bought some fruits and bread for breakfast and went to the beach to take a break from our own negative thoughts. After all, nobody was responsible for us, so we did not have the right to be offended by not getting a ride. Usually my rule was to take a break of trying to hitch a ride whenever I start to turn demanding, skeptical or bitter about it. Besides being irrelevant, none of those states of mind are good for your health. 
We ended up having our breakfast on the longest bench in the world (what a treat). And then, although apparently as September started one day ago, it was already autumn and nobody was in the water, I still decided to take a swim. The last time I was in the ocean was in Yakushima, and I was craving for salty water. I have seen five or six stingrays in the water, got refreshed and a bit homesick for Okinawa. 

Hunor brushing his teeth by the longest bench of the world


In the afternoon we eventually got our ride to Wajima. A guy picked us up, maybe same age as Hunor and he told us he had seen hitchhikers once a few years before (I see. This is how often people try to hitch a ride here!), but he was in a hurry and couldn't pick them up. He felt bad since then, so he wanted to make up for it. Good for us! He gave us a small tour of the spectacular rocks on the shore and took us all the way to Wajima. We were planning to come here for the morning market which was obviously long over by the time we arrived, still it was a lovely small city with more structure and interesting buildings to it then we have ever seen in the mostly concrete cities and towns we have visited in Japan. To my utmost surprise, we found a 1:1 replica of my favorite statue, the Nike of Samothrace right in front of the door of the town hall. I really wanted to ask the mayor why this statue and why in the doorway. Maybe it was there to intimidate people who were trying to go to the town hall to complain. 

city hall entrance in Wajima
with Nike greeting the visitors

house in Wajima

After a ride with a friendly young lady, we were at the rice terraces in perfect time. First, because it was autumn harvest, so the fields were alive: full of working farmers. And second, because it was late afternoon and the beams of the setting sun caressed the rice stems with a loving yellow light. After they cut the rice crops they stack them and hang the stacks on a high wooden structure to dry. I went up to ask a group if that was ok and the birds won't steal the rice. Their answer was a short no and an invitation to try their work, so I was helping them hang the stocks for the next 15 minutes. Mostly old people were working, the lady who took a break while I was taking her turn must have been in her eighties. They looked disillusioned, tired and worn out. They said in these rice fields they do everything manually and of course they can produce less and be no competition for mass production. Lot of work and no profit - they said. For us tourists however it was a dreamlike experience. The terraces moving with the rhythm of work and the constant music of waves behind them, like a slow, endless dance. 

rice terraces






We spent one more night in Noto, but we never made it to the tip of the peninsula. It has been one of the hardest places to hitch a ride, so I don't recommend it to anyone without a car, except with plenty of time and readiness to walk a lot.

wooohoho, Japanese can be a little too tense when it comes to time...


It is an amazing place, a journey back in time and a humbling meeting with peaceful old spirits haunting the rock formations, the caves and the old roads along the coast.