8:15AM: Wake up, shower, pack backpacks, post to TwinF.
9:08AM:
Depart Kanazawa Garden Hotel for the beautiful Kanazawa train station
(literally best exterior we've seen)- no train schedule to Takayama in
hand.
9:22AM: Arrive at station, get coffee,
breakfast, visit ticket counter. Ticket guy gives us ticket to Toyama
(next town up) and says little but "change change change- change change change".
9:49AM: Board train to Toyama.
10:30AM: Arrive at Toyama, find schedule for next train to Takayama- see that next train leaves at 10:31 on Track 3.
10:31AM:
Race to Track 3 in time to view the caboose of Takayama train mock us
while departing station. Exasperate knowing former train guy could have
let us know.
10:35AM: Visit ticket counter to discover
meaning of "change change change". To get to Takayama, we must depart
at 1:47PM (3 hours later), change to a bus, and then change back to
train to arrive at 5:15PM. Feel pangs of discouragement.
10:47AM:
Resolve to tour Toyama. Put bags in locker (US$5), rip out page in
guidebook, which reads "The heavily industrialized city of Toyama has
few tourist attractions." Roll eyes, take page with us.
11:21AM:
While sitting on park swings at Toyama Castle Park, discuss Ben
Franklin's public library idea and the naming of UPenn's Oxymoronic
Fighting Quaker Marching Band (of which Sachi's brother Mark was
percussion leader).
12:17PM: Eat ramen noodles for lunch
next to Japanese businessmen. Despite delicious noodles, discussed our
preference for the rich and hearty Southern Kyushu ramen.
1:44PM:
Buy two giant maple cream puffs and salmon sushi. Board two-car train
packed with Japanese school girls, which seem to make up at least 60%
of the Japanese population on weekdays around 12-2. Wonder outloud-
why aren't they in school right now? Why do they ALL have the same
haircut?
2:35PM: Arrive in the tiny mountain town of Inotani having gobbled cream puffs and sushi. Oishi!
3:25PM:
Depart Inotani on a small bus containing 3 people (us included) with
legroom about 3 inches shorter than Lee's femur. Ride through the
brand new 2.6 km Koshiji Tunnel. Even on the rickety mountain bus, an
automated female voice reminds us of the stops in Japanese.
4:35PM: Arrive in the two-horse town of Tsunogawa to catch final train.
4:45PM: Depart Tsunogawa for Takayama in 2 car train, containing the same 3 people as the bus.
5:15PM:
Arrive in Takayama- on time as usual. Pick up map from tourist
office. Walk to first choice hotel- closed for renovation. Walk back
to tourist office for more info. Walk to Rickshaw Inn (7 minutes) to
find it is full- realize we should had the tourist office call first.
Walk to Hotel Hana- get room for US$93 per night for 2 nights-
expected. Relax.
6:05PM: Tour town on foot, laugh at our knack for walking streets after closing time.
6:45PM:
Eat at tiny bar restaurant run by a friendly couple knowing little
English. Have local specialty Hida Beef and sake. Sachi translates
conversations about us between unsuspecting people at the bar.
8:15PM: Return to hotel for long hard night's sleep.
