So begins the next part of my world travels to Australia. I had a very brief flight from Seoul to Osaka which was super early in the morning but I arrived at Osaka refreshed after the complimentary coffee on the flight and ready to start the next chapter!
I was quite excited to return to Japan, I had been twice previously and for a number of weeks each time where I had been to numerous locations but this time was going to be a bit different. This was more of a stop off than anything else, just 5 days in Osaka, one of Japan’s major cities and one that I enjoyed quite a lot due to its smaller size compared to Tokyo, and the great street food culture of the central tourist area Dotonbori.
Although I’d be based in Osaka I was actually going to go a bit off the beaten track for a typical tourist and drive down to a place called Shirahama where I would stay in an Onsen. You may be thinking where is Shirahama and what is an Onsen?
Shirahama is a town in the Wakayama Prefecture (think of a prefecture as a county in the UK) which is known for its beaches and Onsens. Onsens are essentially hotels that make use of hot springs in the area in order to provide baths and relaxation to its customers, think of them almost like the spas we have in the UK but with a Japanese twist.
Anyway, the reason I was heading there was to meet a Japanese friend I’d met on a previous trip in Japan, she was on vacation at the time and wanted to show me some a part of Japan that you wouldn’t usually see as a tourist. I think it’s a bit refreshing to go to back to a country and explore with someone from there, they always know the more interesting, but off the beaten path kind of things to show you.
In retrospect though I do hope I didn’t come across as someone who was looking for a ‘local tour guide’ which I certainly feel like I’ve taken advantage of in the past…. much to my regret.
I remember it felt weird flying to Osaka as I’d always flew to Tokyo Haneda. However Japan being the way it is, I found it super easy to get to where I needed to go due to the amazing public transport system in the cities. In fact I was staying in an Air BnB I had stayed in previously that was located in a quieter area of Osaka on the outskirts of the city but of course still with a 7/11 (Convenience store for the Brits that don’t know the glory of a 7/11!) within walking distance so I could have really cheap dinner if I needed to!
There was never much of a plan for me with this part of the trip. I was still very much in the stage of my life where I would just let others plan things for me and go with the flow, to be honest even now I wish I’d asked more about the areas I was going to or the history of them because I really feel I missed out in that respect.
I met my friend on my first full day of being in Osaka as they had to work the previous day and they also lived in the next city Kobe. They offered to do all the driving so I didn’t feel the need to get an international licence. I remember the car we rented was tiny and what is called a Kei Car which are basically compact cars with smaller engines, usually made by Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Daihatsu, they are perfect for the smaller side streets and mountain roads you’d usually be driving around in Japan.
I was surprised at how comfortable the car actually was but luckily I wasn’t driving so I got to just enjoy the scenery as well as the conversation. As soon as we got out of the city I was just looking out of the window constantly at the beautiful rural landscapes I’ve since fallen in love with. I truly believe Japan has some of the most amazing nature and landscapes in the world, so much so that when I had a 7 hour train from Kobe to Nagasaki the year prior I found myself gazing out of the passenger window for pretty much the whole time.
I was mesmerized by the mountains and the almost endless roads that were punched through them to become winding tunnels. We would pass through so many small villages on our journey that were seemingly in the middle of nowhere but I truly envied the residents as I imagined them probably all knowing each other and having a real sense of community between them.
When we arrived at the Onsen I felt very out of place or I guess out of my element. I was by no means the only ‘foreign’ person there but I felt as though I did not know the proper etiquette for the situation I was in, everything felt so much more formal than I expected. I knew I had to take my shoes off at the door but had no idea what I should do from that point onward. My friend ushered me around almost as if I was a child who knew no better and finally informed me I needed to wear a yukata which is like a unisex summer Kimono.
I had absolutely no idea how to put the bloody thing together but soldiered on and found they were quite comfortable in the end albeit not the easiest thing to take off when you went to the bathroom! The atmosphere of the Onsen was probably one of the few places I’ve been to that I could truly describe it as relaxed, in fact you could hear no noise, no cars, no banging… Just pure silence other than birds tweeting and other guests moving from room to room.
Not much really happened here but I enjoyed the experience of just relaxing, It’s a shame I was banned from using the public hot spring because of my tattoos because of the connotation to the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) and crime. I was not really offended as it’s not my country but I couldn’t hide my disappointment. Luckily for me we had a private deep wooden bath on the balcony, which in January in the freezing cold night was definitely amazing. I really enjoyed my experience in Shirahama and hope to return some time and experience it with my Wife.
I will say the food in the Onsen was gorgeous, especially the dinner. Typically in an Onsen you’ll be brought a number of different smaller dishes on one plate. Usually the main will be a Fish or Meat based meal and it doesn’t always look like that much volume wise but once you get into it it’s quite filling! I’ve always loved the Japanese way of having multiple smaller dishes as one main meal rather than typical ‘one plate’ style of the UK.
On our way back to Osaka we did a bit of a round trip and ended up going to Kumano Kodo. Which was essentially a number of hiking trials but the main tourist area is dedicated to an amazing temple situated near a waterfall. At the time I didn’t even pay attention to where we were but I remember loving being surrounded by forest and nature, the amazing landscapes and the picturesque aforementioned waterfall.
What disappoints me again while writing this is that I didn’t truly take things in properly. I wish I’d known more about where I was staying or visiting because I could not even tell you the specific area I was in in Shirahama or the names of towns/villages I’d stopped by in on the way to Kumano Kodo. I’ve certainly learnt from this feeling since then but I’d encourage you all to just take more notice, note things down if you have to but sometimes trips and vacations are so fleeting that you’ll struggle to remember aspects as you get older.
Kumano Kodo has always been one of the places that stood out to me in Japan as so different from the UK. If you go to a tourist area in the UK you’re going to be met with traffic, you’re going to be met with an abundance of signage and you’re going to pay a lot for parking. Interestingly in Kumano Kodo there was little parking however a local shop keeper would let you park on their property and all they would ask is that you come and take a look at their shop after your trip. I loved this, but the Brit in me felt as though I had to buy something from the shop when we returned.
My friend assured me this was not the case but I bought some snack food anyway and thanked them for their kindness. The elderly gentleman that ran the place stopped me as I left and explained to my friend that they did not get many foreign people in the area during the winter season and it was nice to see me so he gave me a gift for free! It was a flag that showed places of interests within the local area, I still have the flag today!
Although my time in Japan during this trip was short It was so nice to return. It’s no secret if you know me that I have a deep interest in Japan, originally due to Anime and Video Games but these days it’s more the culture, the nature and of course the cuisine! I think this is one of the trips that solidified that I’d love to keep coming back, I wanted to keep exploring new places and see the differences from city to city or town to town. Little did I know at this stage that the next time I would go to Japan would be with my pregnant wife!
It’ a bit of a shame I don’t have much more to say about Shirahama, I really enjoyed my time here but it was just so short there isn’t that much more to tell. It always makes me laugh that I’ve been to Japan three times at the point of this trip, been obsessed with the culture and food and then in the end I married someone from Japanese… Anyone would think I had planned that out!
After this trip I returned to Osaka for one more evening and again wondered around my at this point haunt of Dotonbori for some more amazing food. Next I’d head to Hong Kong, somewhere I’d been over 10 years prior and somewhere I was a bit hesitant to return to, but that’s a story for next time!
Interviews With You! By Lewis Jane 
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