Our outing came with perfect weather for cycling. A bit on the cool side, but not too windy and very sunny. The trip was well planned from beginning to end: Some folks rented cycles where we started, at the Miya Cycle Station, and we set off. First stop was at the shidarezakura, (drooping cherry trees) by the Tagawa River. Photos taken. Then off to Hachimanyama Park and up to the observation deck of Utsunomiya Tower. The view was fairly good, a bit hazy, but to the east the mountains in Ibaraki were visible to Tsukubasan, the southernmost peak in that range, to the west, the Nikko Range was clear, Nantaisan, one of the tallest in the range still covered with snow at the top, and in the center the Kanto Plain spreading out toward Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo.
After descending from the tower we moved on toward Oya, a very ancient town existing since the Heian Period, famous for its stone and its quarries. Most warehouses in the Tochigi area are built of Oya stone and are still a fairly common sight. We went down inside the quarry which was very cold and dark giving it a mysterious, cathedral-like quality. I was told that it had been used as a factory to make fighter planes by Fuji Heavy Industries during the war. In contrast to that martial past, there is a statue of the Goddess of Mercy, very tall and beautiful, made of Oya stone. Also nearby is a temple with a Thousand Hand Goddess of Mercy supposedly carved by Kobo Taishi, the founder of the Shingon Mikkyo Sect of Buddhism in Japan over a thousand years ago. Whether he carved it or not, it is accurately dated to the Heian Period.
From there we set off to Minami Utsunomiya and had monjiyaki. It is like monjayaki, eaten in Tokyo, except it is an Utsunomiya version. I had never heard of it before, but the entire experience was like going back 40 years in time. The proprietress has been running the shop for a long time, decades. The shop looks old and feels comfortable and warm. The proprietress explained how to eat it and we each ordered a bowl and then fried it on the grill at the table. Quite fun and congenial. The rule here is: Play with your food. This was a real neighborhood spot. All the customers talked to each other, including us, and it was easy to feel like family or a neighbor. My lunch was five dollars. And I was full. Thank you Kikuyasan.
The last leg was back to the Miya Cycle Station where we said our goodbyes. We are looking forward to more trips together.
My own reflection on this trip were: cycling is a great way to share an experience. Parking is easy, you can stop when you feel like it, and you can really enjoy the scenery. Also, pottering offers the benefits of mutual assistance (there were folks who were having trouble operating theirs and others to help them), sharing favorite secret spots, and interests. This social aspect is crucial to friendship building. The people in our group were very kind to each other and rich in experiences. Cycling was also a platform to dive into different topics. We are not one dimensional beings.
This will be a learning curve. I'm learning new things, becoming more proactive in making things happen and organizing. It helps when you realize you don't have to do it all yourself. I look forward to our next trip to see what adventures and experiences await us.
By the way, this is probably my last blog on Blogger. Blogger does not support iPhoto and uploading photos from there to here is just too difficult. I have a feeling this is due to the falling out between Apple and Google as there was a time when uploading pics was a breeze. Too bad. I will confine my thoughts to Facebook, which may be a horrible business, but does do what I need it to do: upload photos and videos easily, and reach an audience of folks who actually look at it. Does anyone actually read the blogs on Blogger? Facebook may be horrible, but you do get feedback. So thanks for all of you who've been reading this sporadic blog. If you follow Facebook you can find me there either under Peter Smith (I'm the one in Utsunomiya) or 宮ポタ.
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