Homage to Hokusai's famous work
After a night of rain, we woke to a fine morning so we walked a couple of kilometres from our michi no eki into Obuse through orchards full of huge apples. Obuse is a wonderfully twee little town with splendid little gardens and buildings, pavements made from cherry-tree blocks, and fully geared up for tourists, with lots of shops selling food and gifts.
Interestingly there was reference to Obuse in Rough Guide but it wasn't shown on the National Geographic map - a reverse to the situation we usually found when touring Japan.
Interestingly there was reference to Obuse in Rough Guide but it wasn't shown on the National Geographic map - a reverse to the situation we usually found when touring Japan.
We were in the heart of apple country
Huge apples
It was chestnut time so there were plenty of roast chestnuts available, and shops full of chestnut-related goodies.
Sweet chestnut season in full swing
Old saké brewery
We spent some time in the Hokusai museum (he being a famous local painter of the nineteenth century who also influenced European artists) and raided the museum shop for some lovely fabric prints. Some of these - and others that we bought elsewhere in Obuse - may be gifts, but it will be difficult to part with them.
We also sampled saké in an ancient brewery - an acquired taste we think and certainly not as nice as the saké we have tasted after a meal in restaurants - clearly we do not have a sophisticated saké palate.
Woody got here before us
Sweet chestnut products everywhere
