Narai-Matsumoto Post #2

Hey-ya peeps!

Apparently, I am still battling that nasty influenza buggy. Bleh!For the last couple of days, I will run around town completing errands, then crash at home in my dorm. Speaking of my dorm, I still am in disbelief that I am in Japan and am already calling my dorm "home". And to me, it really is my home, which is good. I am starting to have small moments of missing home, nothing to strong, but still missing aspects of home. That is to be expected, since every person experiences homesickness once they are away from it. (Apparently, I am easily distracted as well....)

Anyways, onto the main topic. In today's post, I am turning my focus to the Narai Road. During the Japanese era known as the Edo Period or Tokugawa Era, which lasted from 1600 to 1868, there was a road called the Nakasendo Road, which ran from the old capital of Kyoto to the new capital, Edo (now modern-day Tokyo). The town of Narai was along this road and actually marked the halfway point. (This info, by the way, is coming from the Japan-guide.com page. The link will take you straight to the Narai Road section.) Now, this section of the road in known as the Narai Road.

In the photos I will have below, please take note of the building styles. They will look old, right? That is because they are the original buildings from the Edo Period! Here at Narai, you can find a lot of carpentry and carving shops that sell wooden keychains to utensils to old style Japanese coin purses. This town is also known for all of its owl statues and carvings, because owls are very common here and are a symbol....of....something that slipped my mind.... Gomen Nee~! (Sorry!!!)

Narai lies in the Kiso Valley, which skirts the Japanese Alps. That's why the area here is so mountainous!

In short, truly, truly this is one of the places to go to if you are interested in Japanese history.

If ya interested in learning more about Narai, Kiso Valley, Nagano Prefecture or the city of Matsumoto (whose Castle will be the topic of the next post), please visit the Japan-guide website, which is linked above. This is a website I use a lot and highly recommend to satisfy your curiosity about Japan.

So now for the pics! I will comment on some of the pics, so please watch for the comments!!!

We've arrived to the lil' town of Narai! So the photo above and the photos beneath are of the surrounding area. We will be traveling over a wooden bridge (from the 1990's :P ), then heading beneath a street to get to Narai Road (officially!!!)

 

Here we go a-hiking across a field and past a rest point and playground before reaching the beneath-the-street tunnel.

Oh look! A well!!!!

 Friends playing on the playground. We are so grown up! :D

Carved seats at the rest point.

To the tunnel, we go!

Oh look! A cute little stream beside us in the tunnel....

...And a waterfall!!!!

Sha sha! (Click Click) It's Group Photo Time!!!
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But I don't have the photo....  >_<  Gomen Nee~!

AND WE'VE ARRIVED!!! 

Narai reminds me of the ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) by the master artist, Hiroshige Ando(Sur Given).

Our CSU Sensei! (Note: there are not really any pluralizations of words in Japanese). There are some pluralization of words, but they are rare and signified by a special kanji (Chinese Character).

A Cemetery. These are quite interesting, but very saddening (esp. for a Christian) to visit.

Here's a shrine I found. Shrines are very common are Japan, even in cities like Tokyo. I actually live near a couple of shrines. Some are small like this, while others are mere statues, and others are contained within buildings that have gardens and land to hold festivals.

Japan is a very nature-conscious land. As you will see within this set of photos, there is a lot of greenery that beautifies the towns and cities, esp. old towns like this one.

And here, my friend has found a tanuki statue. Tanuki are a mystical creature in Japanese lore. They are often considered to be "raccoon-dogs" in English, but just consider them to be like raccoons. If you find a tanuki statue, apparently touching it will bring you good luck.

More greenery! The flowers here in Narai are very beautiful and diverse. They really add to the magical of the place!

Hey! I found a small alleyway!...Thought I'd share it with you!

A gathering of friends! For what, I don't know!

A storefront! I just love the old style of Japanese architecture! Of course, when I say "old style", I am referring to all the historical styles of Japanese architecture. Just like in European history, each era of Japanese history has its own style of architecture! But, one would not recognize it without studying Japanese art and architectural history!

Another storefront! I also look the crafted decor on the streets. I know, I am a total Japanophile. (Japanophile = "Japan-Lover"; It's a real word, just look it up!)

Did I mention I love Japan!? :D

More greenery and decor. I absolutely adore the purplish leaves of that one plant!

One of the things about Japan that fascinates me the most is the clashing-harmony of Modern and Old! I mean, just look at the photo above! Humans walking down a historic road, just like old times, but with modern clothes and modern transportation going down the road!

We still have more to discover in Narai!

And more to discover....!

This small street seems like it is straight from an anime!!!

This is one of those statue shrines I told you about!...At least I assume it is....

Again, this photo above is like a modern version of a Hiroshige ukiyo-e print!

Another photo of the Old and the New!

Okay! Let's take a break from our trip to discuss this sign in the photo above. 

That board in the photo above looks old, doesn't it? Well, surprise, surprise, it is! This was an old message board used by the Shogunate (Militaristic Dictatorship) of the Edo Period. Whenever a new law was enacted, the announcement would go up here. Probably the most famous "new law" of that era was the law that forbade the practice of Christianity. The Edo Period was a scary period for the Christians, many of which were persecuted and killed by the government. But mind you, the Shogun (Dictator) was also very afraid of the Christians. Since they answered to God, the Shogun knew that he did not have dominion over them. Plus, the Christians, both European missionaries and native Japanese, had made some choices in the previous eras that caused a lot of fear and distrust towards them.

Now back on the road!...Walking it, I mean!

Someone's little garden. It is quite common to find personal gardens like this on larger properties.

A photo of a photo! Don't know why doing this amuses me, but it does!

Cha-chan! (Tada!) We have traveled through Narai!

Now!...Back to the bus!

Now we are leaving Narai! Wave good-bye to it! (Bye bye!)

At about this point in the trip, I fell asleep on the bus. So, I believe the next few photos are around the city of Matsumoto.

And we have arrived in Matsumoto!!!

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Since we have made it to our next destination, it means that this post is done!!! The next post will pick it up from here!

School starts tomorrow for me, so I don't know if the last part of the Narai-Matsumoto Trip posts will go up tomorrow nor Saturday. I have a class on Saturday (which for us in Japan is the day after tomorrow), so I will be busy for part of that day. Anyway, the last post will be up this weekend and I hope to sneak another post in, as well.

Until then, later Peeps!!!