Ollie Diary day5

May the 19th

On this grey Sunday, Kei-san, who lives in the same shared house, was kind enough to take over and bring me on a tour of various parts of the region.

We start in Kuse, where there's a big market that I'm lucky enough to see, as it's only being held today! There are lots of cute stalls selling handicrafts, trinkets and food. Families flock around the stalls in a cheerful atmosphere, flags fluttering in the wind and it's all very much like the Sunday atmosphere I love. We buy cheesecakes from the wife of the one who gave me the ukulele, which I recommend both for the taste and for its adorable cat decorations. (I need to find the name !)

Then we stop off in Katsuyama at a tiny restaurant run by a smiling couple to eat yakisoba, a mixture of noodles, cabbage and pork intestines cooked on a large hot plate.

We then head for the hidden Katsuyama castle, where the peace reigns.

This vast residence resembles the previous samurai's house, and once again it's an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the wood, the paper windows, the garden and the discreet decorations in each room: here, a painted enamel door handle, there, a small metal origami adorning the top of a window...

Not far from here is Kanba Falls, reputed to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan.

And indeed, its reputation is undeniable. The way water splits, through the rocks, into a myriad of beading streams is magnificent. It gives the impression that the rock is studded with rolling white pearls.
At the top of an endless row of steps, we also discover a mysterious cave.

We end our journey in Yubara, the town of salamanders and hot springs. Yubara leaves a strange impression in my mind: a collection of abandoned buildings, where the vegetation has reclaimed its rights and runs along the facades; but also, some interesting tourist spots and cute cafés. For the second time in Japan, I enjoy a scorching, rejuvenating onsen, before wandering through the silent town and its surroundings along the river.

I will tomorrow tell you about how the day ended at a restaurant!