As we headed south towards Matsumoto which has a fine castle the route took us along a river valley (very full after the recent rain and only constrained by a series of big dams-cum-sluice-gates) in the mountains which was very attractive and provided some excellent scenery and views of rural life. Our guide, Mrs Google Maps continued her playfulness by occasionally taking us on little adventures along narrow roads unsuitable for our width (quite possibly because we had opted to avoid toll roads).
Sheila has informally classified roads along the lines that the more numbers they have the narrower they are, and if they have no numbers at all then they are farm tracks. We have done some of the latter, but now learned to ignore Mrs Google Maps when she tries anything too outrageous.
Sheila has informally classified roads along the lines that the more numbers they have the narrower they are, and if they have no numbers at all then they are farm tracks. We have done some of the latter, but now learned to ignore Mrs Google Maps when she tries anything too outrageous.
Had to believe the ones with green tinge are edible
We stopped at a michi no eki for an early lunch (a bowl of noodles in soup with vegetables) but a few miles further on we stopped at the next michi no eki which was set next to the river because it looked like a picturesque spot. It transpired that the annual mushroom festival was underway and we were made very welcome and given a free bowl of mushroom soup which was being made in a huge vat, and then we both helped to pound boiled rice which was made into sticky cakes (mochi) covered in toasted soybean flour.
Good for manners because it is not possible to talk while eating mochi. Two lunches in less than a hour. There was also a great display of wild mushrooms, some of which looked wonderfully dangerous. There were plenty of locals enjoying the free feast, and they seemed keen to share the experience with a couple of ancient gaijin.
This was an example of what makes a visit to Japan so interesting, you never know what is round the corner, in 2014 it was a magnificent autumn Shinto festival.
This was an example of what makes a visit to Japan so interesting, you never know what is round the corner, in 2014 it was a magnificent autumn Shinto festival.
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We did eventually get to Matsumoto - plenty of parking close to the castle.At the entrance to the castle we are welcomed by this couple.
The castle at Matsumoto (¥600 each entrance fee, about £4.50) is excellent and is also the original building. Many of the others in Japan have been rebuilt following fires, earthquakes and battle damage. The interiors are never very exciting, but this one had the usual hidden storey, vents so that you could drop stones onto people trying to climb the walls, some decent old guns and - never seen these before - old rockets.
Getting about in the castle was quite exciting because the staircases in the upper floors were very narrow, very steep, and two-way. This meant that you had to squeeze past people as you negotiated the stairs, and also avoid banging your head on the low beams. And all in bare feet because you had to leave your shoes outside.
We were very impressed by the staying power and agility of the mainly aged visitors to the castle - some of this was hard work but they all made it to the top and down again, though sometimes a tad slowly.
Getting about in the castle was quite exciting because the staircases in the upper floors were very narrow, very steep, and two-way. This meant that you had to squeeze past people as you negotiated the stairs, and also avoid banging your head on the low beams. And all in bare feet because you had to leave your shoes outside.
We were very impressed by the staying power and agility of the mainly aged visitors to the castle - some of this was hard work but they all made it to the top and down again, though sometimes a tad slowly.
These stairways were sometimes a tight squeeze
beautiful interior of the castle
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There is more to Matsumoto than the castle and after lunch we walked along Nakamachi street, famous for its old black-and-white storehouses, now converted into twee craft shops or bijou restaurants.
We were particularly taken with an old sake brewery which was now part museum and part shop for clothes made out of cotton roughly spun on old-style machines. It had been relocated here from elsewhere but had a beautiful interior structure.
We were particularly taken with an old sake brewery which was now part museum and part shop for clothes made out of cotton roughly spun on old-style machines. It had been relocated here from elsewhere but had a beautiful interior structure.
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We also admired a second-hand bookshop, and might have bought some old prints but another gaijin was deliberately blocking our way while he selected prints.
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The street was full of attractive old buildings and features like this ancient water pump.
We crossed back over the river and walked down Nawate street which has lots of tiny shops and restaurants. One veg shop was selling a bunch of mushrooms for ¥7,000 - almost £52, but you did get almost a pound of them. We later saw fewer mushrooms for a touch under ¥10,000 - almost £75.
We crossed back over the river and walked down Nawate street which has lots of tiny shops and restaurants. One veg shop was selling a bunch of mushrooms for ¥7,000 - almost £52, but you did get almost a pound of them. We later saw fewer mushrooms for a touch under ¥10,000 - almost £75.
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former sake brewery
