Day 7 - Strolling Through the Tea

The hotel, being a purple themed modern/business accommodation meant buffet breakfast again. Jon enjoyed cold ramen, and curry with rice. Lisa had rice with pickled plum, ginger, and spicy fish roe. We both had pastry, cake and donuts that look like ones Homer Simpson would love. They were delicious with a berry jam filling.

After breakfast we made a transfer to nearby Shimada and visited the Shimada Museum on the Edo era river crossings made before embarking on a walk across the Oi River, one of a number of very wide rivers that the Tokaido traverses. During the Edo Period, the shogun used these rivers as natural lines of defense, prohibiting the construction of bridges and the use of boats. Instead, travelers were physically carried across on the backs of porters, who waded from shore to shore. The post towns on both sides of the river have houses dedicated to detailing what the town looked like and how it operated at the height of the Tokaido journey. 

Our hike today took us as far as the post town of Nissaka, through the lovingly maintained tea plantations of the Makinohara Plateau and over a section of original ishidatami, a 1014 ft elevation gain. On the way, we passed through the hamlet of Kikugawa, where locals take pride in beautifully preserving their section of the old road. The old cobblestones were slick with rain, so it was slower going. Our lunch today was a combination of Japanese Curry and Japanese Italian. Jon enjoyed a pasta with red sauce and crab while Lisa partook of a pasta with eggplant and red sauce. We even had French style gateaux.

We finished our walk in Nissaka where there is a large and ancient Shinto Temple. And we each made an offering to the kami. The group transferred to nearby Kurami Onsen and our accommodation, an atmospheric ryokan inn, for the night. This is a hotel that features private and public bathing areas. Unlike our hotel two nights ago, this onsen, or public bath, uses thermal mineral hot springs to heat the baths. After two solid days of walking, a dip in a hot tub was just what we needed. We're even considering going back in the morning.

Dinner was a sumptuous repast of multiple dishes. Some of the dishes included sashimi (scallop, salmon, tuna), salad with carrot dressing, grilled wagyu beef, prawn and rice cake soup, barbecued eel, two types of clear broth soup, pickles, and of course rice. Tonight we were also treated to a matcha cake with matcha cream filling.
 

Which meal most appeals to you - Japanese Italian or traditional Japanese Kaiseki?