Susan Spann's Blog, page 30

The Joy of Japanese Vending Machines

Japanese vending machines have a worldwide, and well-deserved, reputation.

You can find jidohanbaiki (vending machines) in every train and bus station, hotel, and public area, as well as on many (if not most) streets in cities of any significant size. Most stock drinks:

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But many sell food, though food and drinks are rarely found in the same machines. Normally, a machine offers one or the other.

The strangest thing I’ve seen in a vending machine is cheese sticks:

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(These were in a vending machine on the platform at Gifu Station. The machine also offered various fresh-packaged pastries.)

Unlike U.S. vending machines, which typically sell only cold beverages, machines in Japan will typically offer both hot and cold drinks (from the same machine). Hot beverage choices normally have red backing behind the price information:

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And yes, the offering on the right really is corn soup. (The one in the center is cocoa, and the one on the left is one of Japan’s many brands of coffee.)

As you can see in the larger vending machine photo above, the price backing on cold beverages is customarily blue (denoting cold).

Unlike coffee vending machines in the USA, which normally dispense coffee directly into a styrofoam or paper cup, the coffee dispensed from jidohanbaiki–whether hot or cold–is packaged in sealed cans, some with soda-like pull tabs and others with resealable screw-off caps like a water bottle.

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People often ask me if Japanese vending-machine coffee is any good. I love good coffee, and drink a lot, and in my opinion Japanese vending-machine coffee is excellent. Despite being pre-packaged, and canned or bottled, it rivals most fresh-brewed coffee you’ll find in the United States, and the vending machines really do dispense it HOT.

More on Japanese coffee another time…but if you find yourself in Japan, be sure to buy at least one drink from a vending machine, and let me know what you think about it too!

Have you ever bought drinks from Japanese vending machines? Leave a comment and let me know!

Visiting Gifu Castle

During last autumn’s research trip to Japan, I spent the night in Gifu (city and province), which lies northeast of Kyoto and near the southernmost end of the Japan Alps.

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(The characters on the post read “Gifu”)

I arrived at Gifu Station in the afternoon, with just enough time to visit the castle before it closed at sunset. I’d been looking forward to the trip, because during the later part of the 16th century, Gifu–and Gifu Castle in particular–was the mountain stronghold of Oda Nobunaga, a Japanese Daimyo (feudal lord) who also appears as a character in my Hiro Hattori / Shinobi Mystery novels.

The castle sits on a hill overlooking Gifu Park, a 15 minute bus ride from Gifu Station:

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Although you can hike up to the castle, I didn’t arrive in time to make the hike, so I opted to ride the ropeway (a car suspended from an overhead cable). Like many ropeways in Japan, the one in Gifu has lovely tickets:

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They even have a walking map of the castle area on the back:

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The ropeway ride takes about five minutes. From the top, it’s another 15 minute walk to the castle — most of it uphill, and most of that up flights of stairs. The path to the castle follows the old approach that switchbacks up the hill, an easily defensible path that Oda Nobunaga no doubt used to great advantage.

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The castle itself comes into view a couple of minutes after you leave the ropeway:

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Though it’s clear from that first glimpse how far you still need to walk to get inside!

Signs along the way describe the history of Gifu Castle and the feudal lords who controlled it. They’re written in English as well as Japanese, making Gifu Castle an interesting site for Western tourists. (Many Japanese historical sites have signage in Japanese only, so unless you read the language, you need to do your research before you go.)

There’s also a lovely reproduction of a painting showing Gifu Castle in its heyday, during the 16th century:

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While walking, visitors can enjoy lovely views of Gifu City, spread out below the castle hill:

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And, of course, the castle itself, which remains in sight for most of the walk.

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Like many Japanese historical sites, admission to the castle is very reasonably priced (300 yen, about $3, which also includes admission to the secondary castle museum nearby). Inside the castle, visitors can view a number of exhibits, including swords, armor, and even early firearms (some from the 16th century, and others which are reproductions of period arms and armor). You can also walk out onto the balcony that encircles the upper level of the castle, which has spectacular views of Gifu:

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I left the castle just in time to catch the sunset from the ropeway as I descended. 

Historically, Gifu is an important province, in part because it served as Oda Nobunaga’s base of operations during the later half of the 16th century. I was glad I took the time to visit – and I’ll share more photos from inside the castle in future posts.

Have you ever visited Gifu? Or any Japanese Castle?

A Visit to Ryuanji (Osaka, Japan)

Ryuanji is a Buddhist temple located in Minō Park, just north of Osaka.

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The temple itself lies about a 25 minute walk from the park entrance, on the path that leads to Minō Falls (one of Japan’s most beautiful waterfalls, and the reason many people visit Minō Park).

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Originally founded in 650 by an ascetic monk named En no Gyoja, Ryuanji is also the home to one of the oldest statues of Benzaiten (the goddess of music, fortune, and knowledge) in Japan. Although originally known as Minō-dera, the temple is now known as Ryuanji. It has been a functioning Buddhist temple continually since the 7th century.

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Although I didn’t have the chance to see the Benzaiten statue the day I visited, I did spend time on the temple grounds, appreciating the architecture and the exterior statues, including this lantern (toro):

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Which features a dragon and three familiar monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) carved in relief around its base:

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I also appreciated the lichen-encrusted guardians watching over the temple entrance:

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Like many temple guardians in Japan, they were simultaneously familiar and unique:

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Although the temple is fairly small compared with some of the enormous precincts in Japan’s major cities, Ryuanji is a lovely, quiet place to rest and meditate, and I’ll definitely visit again, the next time I’m in the Osaka area.

A Visit to One of Japan’s Most Spectacular Waterfalls

Minō Park, North of Osaka, is home to one of Japan’s most spectacular waterfalls – the 33-meter (99′) Minō Falls:

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The falls are the park’s most famous attraction, though it’s also known as one of the best places in the Kansai Region for viewing colorful autumn foliage (momijigari). Even the manhole covers in the park demonstrate the area’s pride in its autumn leaves:

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Visitors reach the falls by hiking a paved 4km trail from the park entrance. The path terminates at the falls, and takes about 45-60 minutes to walk, depending on walking speed and physical fitness. (The walk is paved the entire way, and mostly flat, so it’s suitable for walkers of all ages.) 

The paved path parallels the Minogawa (Mino River) through a beautiful forest of massive trees.

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A line of small restaurants near the falls provide visitors a place to stop for ice cream, snacks, or even a meal–the menu offerings include ramen, udon, and sandwiches.

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The falls themselves are spectacular, and well worth the walk. (Though truthfully, the walk itself is worth a visit to Mino Park – it’s peaceful and beautiful in and of itself.)

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The viewing platform in front of the falls has over a dozen benches where visitors can rest and relax while watching the waterfall or enjoying a snack from the nearby restaurants. Although the platform can get crowded at certain times of day, if you visit early in the morning, seats are easy to find.

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A gentle spray comes off the falls, creating rainbows like the one in the photograph above.

You can tell you’ve almost reached the waterfall when you see the restaurants:

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People sometimes bring their dogs to walk in the park – and they seem to enjoy the spray from the falls as much as people do:

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Minō Park doesn’t show up in many guidebooks or tourist websites. During my visit, most of the visitors to the park were Japanese. This might be due to an actual-or-perceived belief that foreigners care more about historical sites involving castles, temples, or other activities than sites involving scenic beauty, but if you like a nice walk in the woods (especially during foliage season) I definitely recommend Minō Park.

 

Ninja News!

The national reviews for Betrayal at Iga have started coming in, and they’re great!

Publisher’s Weekly says: ““Spann keeps getting better, as shown by her fifth novel set in 16th-century Japan, a taut closed-circle mystery with perilous consequences…. Fans of classic whodunits will be pleased.”

The novel releases July 11 in paperback and ebook formats, and I’ve scheduled the first Sacramento-area signings:

- On July 14, I’ll be reading and signing at Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills from 6:30 until 8pm

- On July 22, I’ll be signing from 1pm-2pm at Barnes & Noble Birdcage Center in Citrus Heights from 1pm to 2pm.

If you live in the Sacramento area, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello!

A Visit to Minoo Park (Osaka, Japan), Part 1

While planning last autumn’s research trip to Japan, I realized I’d need to spend a night in Osaka–not for research, but as an efficient jumping-off point for my three-day research trip to Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture. (Koya is best-accessible via electric train and ropeway from Osaka, a journey of about 2 hours.)

I hadn’t spent much time in Osaka, but while researching ways to spend the afternoon-and-evening before my departure for Mount Koya, I discovered that I’d be just in time to sample a little-known regional delicacy that’s available only in one place for a couple of months each year: momiji tempura (tempura-fried maple leaves).

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As it happens, the home of momiji tempura–Minō Park (also written Minoo or Minoh Park) lies just north of Osaka, about 30 minutes from the hotel I’d booked near Osaka Esaka Station. Better still, Minō Park is also known for its lovely autumn foliage, and home to one of the top-ten waterfalls in Japan (the eponymous Minō Falls).

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an autumn afternoon, and the park and falls did not disappoint. (Nor did the momiji tempura - and I blogged about it here.)

As soon as I left the train at Mino-o Station, I started seeing vendors selling pre-packaged boxes of momiji tempura – hint to the wise: if you wait until you reach the park itself, you can buy much fresher ones, direct from vendors. Just look for the signs, like the one hanging over the doorway below:

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A map at the park entrance shows the popular features of Minō Park, including the 4 kilometer walk to the famous waterfall.

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The path is fairly even, and not too steep or difficult. If you can walk 4km (and there are places to rest and get a cup of tea along the way) you shouldn’t have trouble making it to the falls. If you get thirsty, consider a local specialty: yuzu cider. 

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(Yuzu is a citrus native to Japan, and specifically to the northern Osaka area. The cider is non-alcoholic, and tastes a little like sparkling lemon-lime-orangeade.)

Although the foliage had just begun to show its autumn colors the day I visited, I enjoyed the search for colorful leaves.

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The walk to the falls passes through old-growth forests filled with massive maples, pines, and cedars, and it parallels the Minō River (spoiler alert: the river’s source is the falls…). From the path, you can see a number of smaller waterfalls:

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And several beautiful ponds – so clear that you can see the bottom and the fish that live there.

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The walk to the falls took me a little over an hour–it might take longer, if you prefer to walk more slowly–and since I left quite early in the morning (and on a weekday), the park was not too crowded the day I visited. 

Join me Wednesday for the next stage of the walk…the waterfall!

To reach Minō Park from Shin-Osaka Station, take the Midosuji Line to Umeda Station, transfer to the Hankyu-Takarzuka Line and take the train to Ishibashi Station, where you transfer to the Hankyu-Mino Line toward Mino-o (各停). From Mino-0 Station, walk north to Mino-o Koen (Note: koen means park in Japanese).

Using Coin Lockers in Japan

Coin lockers are a fantastic way to store suitcases and other belongings while touring or day-tripping in Japan. 

Since many hotels and ryokan have early check-out times (some, as early as 9am, though 10 or 11am is more common) and travelers may have several hours to kill before checking into the next night’s lodgings, public coin lockers are often a great way to free yourself for sightseeing during the day.

(Note: most hotels and ryokan will store baggage, free of charge, during the day before or after checkout – but sometimes it’s more convenient to store luggage at the train station, so you don’t have to return to the hotel to pick up your bags before catching a train.)

Most major (and many smaller) train and subway stations have coin lockers. Look for the sign reading “Coin Locker” – or, more commonly: コインロッカー.

The lockers themselves are normally near the center of the station, along the walls:

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This is the size I use when traveling in Japan (I travel light).

They function pretty much the same as coin lockers in the United States: load the locker, put coins in the slot (be sure you have exact change), lock the locker, and take your key. The fee is a one-lock/one-open deal: if you re-open the locker, you’ll have to pay again before you can re-lock it.

Have you used coin lockers when traveling in Japan, or elsewhere? What tips do you have for making the process smooth?

 

For Love of Manneken Waffles

Japanese rail and subway stations sell some of the best snack food anywhere.

Case in point: Manneken Waffles.

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You can find Manneken Waffle shops in many of Japan’s larger cities, and most of the major train stations have a Manneken shop inside. The logo – line art of the famous Mannekin Pis statue in Brussels, seems an odd choice for a waffle shop, but considering that the statue is a well-known Belgian symbol, and the shop sells Belgian-style waffles, it’s more entertaining than weird.

Mannekin Waffle shops sell a fairly large variety of waffles, from the expected (“plain” and chocolate chip) to the unexpected–like this “grape” waffle I picked up in Kyoto station:

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The shop also features monthly “specials,” with seasonal ingredients. Last October, the menu included a pumpkin waffle, which I passed on because it’s not my thing. However, November brought “caramel apple” – an apple waffle with caramel icing and a chocolate drizzle:

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Delicious in every way.

Mannekin waffles are not overly sweet. Even the caramel apple one pictured above used a sour apple dough to complement the caramel icing (which, surprisingly, wasn’t sweet enough to overpower the waffle). I expected it to be a sugar bomb, but in reality it was extremely well balanced: sour, sweet, and crispy on the outside with a tender center.

If you’re traveling in Japan, keep your eyes out for mannekin pis…a tasty waffle won’t be far away.

To the Summit of Fushimi Inari Shrine

(To start this tour of Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine from the beginning, click here.)

The walk to the summit of Inariyama (Mount Inari) takes between 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on your personal fitness, pace, and whether or not you choose to stop for lunch or tea along the way.

After walking up many flights of evenly spaced stone stairs, visitors finally reach the summit.

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Don’t worry about missing it – the markers let you know.

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Like many of the sub-shrines and stations along the way, the summit features a number of places where worshippers can leave offerings (like the small red torii, which are normally inscribed with the donor’s name and sometimes a prayer or request for Inari’s aid):

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or light candles:

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The large summit altar features a sacred stone crowned with a tasseled rope–a familiar sight at Shintō shrines. (Out of respect for the shrine and Shintō practitioners, I don’t post photographs of the sacred stones behind the altars at major shrines–if you want to see them, visit the shrine–it’s a better experience in person anyway.) 

After spending a few minutes atop the mountain, it was time to head back down.

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The trip takes only 30-45 minutes, moving quickly (a little longer if you need to take it slow), but don’t rush the trip. The mountain is beautiful in both directions.

Most of the people I talk with say “Fushimi Inari changed me” – though many find it difficult to express exactly how. I understand, because I had the same experience the first time I visited (and every visit since).

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The peaceful, powerful beauty of Fushimi Inari gets inside you; visitors are often sorry to leave, and eager to return.

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I know I’ll be back at the earliest opportunity – and if you find yourself in Japan, I hope you take the time to visit, too.

 

 

 

Wordspring Weekend!

This afternoon (Friday, April 28), I’m heading north to Chico, California, to teach at the Wordspring Writers’ Conference, sponsored by the English Department at Butte College.

I’ll be teaching two workshops:

Writing a Killer Mystery (the A-to-Z of writing a page-turning mystery) & 

Putting the History in Your Mystery (or “Writing historical mysteries that don’t get lost in the details!”)

If you’re in the northern California area, and not busy Saturday (April 29), click over and check out all the information about the Wordspring Conference – I’d love to see you there!