We left our house around 9 am and traveled by train to downtown Tokyo. We then hopped on a Shinkansen to travel west to Atami. The trains in Tokyo have become normal and don't elicit the excitement they once held. However, the Shinkansen is still pretty exciting. Just the word "Shinkansen" puts a smile on our son's face.
When we arrived in Atami, we left the train station and walked right out to a group of people sitting with their feet in what appeared to be a fountain. I raised my eyebrows at my husband and he quickly explained they were soaking their feet in a hot spring. There was a towel vending machine right next to the "fountain" to purchase a small towel to dry your feet off after soaking them. Before I could even finish shrugging my shoulders, my husband and son were already removing their shoes. So I quickly joined them. What a fabulous way to start a vacation!
We then bought tickets to a loop bus ride that took us around town with various stops along the way. We hopped off to see the beach. Atami is on a bay, and features an artificial sand beach. I love a sandy beach and could care less if it was trucked in sand or formed there naturally. It felt good to walk on it.
After our little walk on the beach, we got back on the bus and headed up to see the castle. To get to the castle, we had to go up, up, up steep hills with switchbacks and nerve-testing drop offs. At one point, we were headed down a steep embankment and the guide commented "it's just like a rollercoaster!" Not cool dude, not cool. Of course, the rest of the time in Atami, my son exclaimed "I love these roads! They are like riding a rollercoaster!" We finally made it to the castle, despite the crazy trip up. Japanese castles are amazing. Most of them have been rebuilt, including museums in the interior. But they still are beautiful and awe inspiring. I've been to my fair share of castles in Japan and this one did not disappoint.
The castle had another hot spring offered for soaking feet while taking in the view from the hilltop. We sat and relaxed while my son went on and on about the ninjas he imagined. Soon it was time to catch the next bus.
We took it to see a geyser. The geyser used to be natural, but stopped shooting up water and steam many years ago. So, it has since been assisted by a man-made pump. We walked up to the geyser and within a minute it was shooting up and delighting us all. Next, we went around the corner to the shop that invented manju - a steamed cake filled with sweetened red bean paste. I find them to be tasty treats, but they definitely aren't for everyone! It took me a long time to learn to appreciate anko (red bean paste), but since I've decided I like it I enjoy eating it in a variety of ways - including steamed in a little cake.
Back on the bus again, we traveled back to the train station. We then called the time share and they sent a van to come pick us up. The van took us up another crazy steep hill, with switchbacks and not always wide enough for 2 cars. As soon as we checked in, we settled into our room - a traditional Japanese hotel room with a tatami room that would be switched from a "living room" to a "bedroom" before bedtime. When we arrived it was set up with a little table and seat cushions. We sat down and had a quick cup of tea. Then we headed off to the onsen for a soak before dinner (more on dinner). After coming back from dinner, our room had 3 futons laid out for our beds. Although many might not think sleeping on futon at a hotel sounds divine, trust me, it truly is.
After dinner we enjoyed the lovely autumn leaves in a garden near the time share. A truly wonderful way to spend the evening.
It was a busy and fun day. Luckily it didn't rain, and that added to the pleasure. We really needed some time to play and visiting Atami was the right way to do so.
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