Japan Day 13

My host family stay continued into Day 13. After a wonderful breakfast, my host dad took me for another drive while the ladies cleaned up and got ready. I tried to help with the dishes, but I was ceremoniously told that Japanese men do not clean up. This traditional way of thinking, which may be interpreted as chauvinistic, is also rapidly becoming outdated as western views infiltrate Japan. Interestingly, I don't think that they see it as gender biased either. Culturally, they are coming from hundreds of years where everyone has specific jobs and roles. While women may be expected to do the cleaning, they also control the finances at home.

Anyways, Tadayuki and I went for a drive around Kamisu and visited the port again. However, as we went deeper into the industrial area of the port, I was amazed to see how foggy everything was around us. The unusual fog was easily explained when he pointed out that the refineries and electric generators at the port use cold sea water to cool the turbines. However, the cold water becomes hot and then gets flushed back into the sea. When the hot water meets the cold sea and the cold morning air, steam rises from the ocean. Except, there is enough steam to cover the entire port area.

After our drive, we returned home to pick up the ladies. We then drove to Katori City or Sawara. When we arrived at Sawara, we were entertained with music from a band floating along the river in a boat. We stopped by to have some tea along the river. We then also visited the house and a museum devoted to Ino Tadataka. Ino San created a detailed map of Japan in the 1800s by walking for over 17 years all over Japan. His map is so detailed that even satellite images of Japan superimposed over his map show just a few minor errors in latitude.

We then ate at a soba noodle shop that was opened in the 1700's. In fact, most of the buildings in Sawara maintain an old appearance and thus gets used often in Japanese samurai movies or period dramas.

We then rushed back to city hall where I bid goodbye to my host family and our group was whisked off to our next stop at Tsukuba to stay at a traditional Japanese inn or ryokan, the Tsukuban Edoya. This was a highlight finish to our time in Ibaraki. The ryokan featured tatami mat floors, futon beds, Japanese foot baths called Ashiyu, and an outdoor hot spring bath or onsen. We even had the privilege of watching a performance by the innkeeper's wife who performed a traditional peddler show that tries to encourage the sale of the popular Tsukuba Toad Grease that is believed to heal cuts and scrapes. Her performance included the use of a Japanese Katana (sword) that sliced paper into ribbons to prove its sharpness but its inability to pierce the skin covered in the fantastic Toad Grease...hilarious.