Fire! Fire!

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest of the US, I thought fireflies (or lightening bugs) were made up. The first time I ever saw them in real life was at Tobu Zoo! Suddenly, I really, really wanted to see them in nature.

I've heard that you can see them in certain places in Japan. Suddenly, I found (another) something to put on my must do list!

Not having a car really limited our chances of ever seeing fireflies. But the desire never dwindled. Knowing this, my husband always kept an eye out for where people would report seeing them. Then, one day, he discovered a place where my dream could become a reality.

There is actually a place in Nerima called Nakazato Native Forest that is a firefly sanctuary! They breed fireflies and release them in their little well maintained environment. My husband had to get reservations to go see them.

We showed up right at dusk for the special viewing event. They explained that we would not be able to take any photos. At first I was disappointed by this, but then I realized it was a blessing because I would be able to just focus on the moment.

The event had three stops. We started in the facility where we saw the lifecycle of the fireflies, including eggs. The second station had a couple fireflies in an aquarium. It was really nice to be able to see them so up close. The final stop was the sanctuary.

As soon as we stepped onto the path near the stream, we saw the little bugs flying around. My husband, son, and I all gasped immediately. It was pure magic!

My son was delighted to be told that if a firefly landed on the path, he could pick it up and put it back on a leaf. He quickly became proficient at transferring the bugs.

Watching the fireflies fly around was incredible. I will always remember this special event. While this isn't an "only in Japan experience", it is for me! And I'm so glad this little dream came true.

Soaking in Mount Fuji

The longer I live here, the more the lines blur between the "truly Japanese experiences" and what is my new normal. During a quick one day trip to Yamanashi, I had one of those moments that made me think "only in Japan..."

My son's school recently had a day off because it was the school's birthday. I'm not kidding! The entire school was closed in celebration of its founding. Since it wasn't a national holiday, we knew this would be a great day to get out and have an adventure. We rented a car and headed over the the town of Yamanashi, known for fruit crops like cherries, grapes, and peaches.

When we first moved here, someone told my husband about an onsen in Yamanashi that has views of Mount Fuji from the various pools. While soaking nude in a hot springs isn't for everyone, it is a very common thing in Japan. However, being able to do it while looking at one of the major symbols of Japan is not common (although many sentos have paintings of Mount Fuji adorning the walls).

Situated on the top of a tall hill (or short mountain), Hottarakashi is a decently sized onsen. There are two spas to choose from, with views of the mountain from each. They are aptly called "this" and "that" spa. We randomly choose one. It had four pools on the women's side and the same on the men's. Three of the pools were outside, and one was inside along with all the showers.

Upon arrival, my husband and son went to the men's side while I went to the women's by myself. I was surprised to find I had the onsen all to myself. That rarely happens, especially at such a special location. I quickly disrobed and rinsed off in the shower before wandering outside to sit in the pool looking at the mountain.

As a rule, cameras are not allowed in the onsen. 
However, since I was the only person there... I snuck a couple photos of the pools.

Mount Fuji in the background.

While the sky wasn't bright blue, it was clear, giving me a view of the often hidden peak. I found myself relaxing as I gazed at the landscape. It was quite warm, and I don't think I would have found it enjoyable if the outside temperature was any hotter (it was probably 28°C/82°F), but being there by myself and a clear sunny day was absolutely divine.

I have always wanted to soak in an outdoor onsen overlooking Mount Fuji. It seems like something strange to be on someone's bucket list, but it appeared on mine probably 20 years ago when I first lived in Osaka and didn't have the opportunity to do so. Since then, it has always lingered on that list of crazy things I'd like to do in my lifetime. It really is a uniquely Japanese experience.

Bite his head off

I am not quiet when it comes to my adoration of the famous character Totoro. His rotund, furry appearance appeals to me as a source of comfort. I just want to cuddle him.

Back in October, we were able to visit the Ghibli Museum. It was a great day getting to see the artwork and displays from the studio. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to enjoy some Totoro-themed treats. My brother had told me about a shop that sold Totoro cream puffs that we really wanted to try. However, the special pastries tend to sell out fast, which they did that day.

It took us months to get back there. But when we visited Kichijoji last weekend, we had to stop by to see if we could get a couple desserts. This time, we got lucky!

Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory in Kichijoji is super tiny. It is basically an entrance, a couple shelves on a wall, and a good sized refrigerator case. But what they offer - cream puffs - doesn't require a fancy décor.

Since there were three of us, we chose three Totoro puff pastries - vanilla custard, chocolate, and strawberry. They also offered matcha, but we didn't want to be gluttonous.

The kind shop operator boxed up our precious treats, and we continued on our merry way. There wasn't an option to eat them at the shop (I saw there is a café that serves them, but it is a half hour away in Setagaya).

Once settled near a temple, we opened up our precious cargo to find they were in perfect condition.

We dug right in. The cream puffs were more delicious that we had figured they would be. The puff pastry was crisp on the outside and cream inside was delightful. My husband was happy to find out the chocolate was actually dark chocolate, which is right up his alley. My vanilla custard was thick and rich. Our son's strawberry cream tasted of fresh strawberries.

We were delighted devouring the little Totoros. While it would have been fun to enjoy them on our Totoro themed day back in October, we would happily eat them any day of the week.

Visiting the gods

The current environment in Tokyo has us staying at home a lot these days. Covid is wreaking havoc on the prefecture, as well as many other parts of Japan. When my family gets stir crazy, we want to head out into the less populated areas to re-energize ourselves.

Feeling a need to get out of our neighborhood, my husband and I discussed several options for activities. After a bit of back and forth, we decided to explore one of the 28 defined routes to visit the seven lucky gods, known as Shichifukujin Meguri.

We chose a route that would take us to 9 shrines and temples in the Asakusa neighborhood, connecting us to the seven lucky gods with 2 gods that are visited twice along the way. The walk is just short of 7 kilometers (or 4.3 miles), which is a decent walk for a young kid.

Typically the Asakusa route would be pretty crowded, as it is a popular tourist area. However, the traffic in the area is extremely low, as foreigners are not being allowed to enter Japan and most residents are sticking close to home. So, we kind of felt like now would be the best time for us to go.

We decided to commemorate our journey by purchasing a (plastic) bamboo branch decorated with ema (little wooden placards) from each temple or shrine, as well as a square of cardstock used for special calligraphy at each stop along the way. The collection of calligraphy is quite popular these days, as it makes a nice souvenir. Each item cost ¥3,000 ($27 USD), paid in small increments at each temple or shrine.

There isn't a specific route, but we started at one shrine and picked up a map of the loop. Then we just kept walking from one to the next.

The map!

Finding our way.

Ishihama Jinja - Juroujin (寿老人): the God of long life/longevity and happiness.

Hashiba Fudouson - Hotei (布袋): the God of happiness, contentment, good fortune, bringing good match, bringing healthy children.

Imado Jinja - Fukurokuju (福禄寿): the God of wisdom, wealth, luck, and longevity.

Matsuchiyama Shouden - Bishamonten (毘沙門天): the God of war and victory.

Asakusa Jinja - Ebisu (恵比寿): the God of success in business.

Sensouji - Daikoku (大黒): the God of commerce, agriculture, and prosperity.

Yasaki Inari Jinja - Fukurokuju (福禄寿): the God of wisdom, wealth, luck, and longevity.

Otori Jinja - Juroujin (寿老人): the God of long life/longevity and happiness.

Yoshiwara Jinja - Benzaiten (弁財天): the Goddess of financial fortune, good results in learning, music, and art.

It was a fun little journey that we could accomplish together. Maybe someday we will take another journey, visiting different locations, on another day.