Cycling Around Mount Fuji

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Note that this photo is a posed shot. You are supposed to cycling anti-clockwise around the lake! Haha If you are deciding between taking the train to Kawaguchiko or driving, you can check out the car rental prices at   https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/english/user-guide/reservations.html   and train prices at   http://www.hyperdia.com/ It depends on whether you’re staying overnight at Kawaguchiko and the number of people travelling. Remember to add toll fees of about ¥4200 one way. We decided to rent a car but forgot about the toll fees so it ended up being more expensive. I’d say if you’re staying for one night and there are at least 3 of you, renting a car is a good option. If there are two of you and you want more freedom to move around (such as going to neighbouring places like Oshino Hakkai, Chureito Pagoda, Yamanakako etc) it is also better to rent a car. You should also be warned that traffic is congested upon leaving and arriving at Tokyo. We parked our car at our ryokan Kozan

Japan September 2017: Harie Village of Living Water (針絵:生水の郷)

One of the many waterways in Harie
針槐の水路
Crystal clear spring water
生水



(すみません、日本語があまり上手じゃない。)

Since we only called in the morning to book a tour (available times: 9AM, 1030AM, 130PM), only Japanese tour was available. I guess if you call early enough, you can request for an English-speaking guide. The train costs 970 yen per person and the tour costs 1000 yen per person. If you have money to splash, there is also an English tour available from http://www.yutour.net/tours/002_harie.html but it costs at least 10,000 yen per person which includes 
  • English-speaking tour conductor (licensed guide interpreter)
  • Admission fee for guided walking tour in Harie
  • Fare for all transportation listed above
  • Insurance
  • Local tax

あの日は朝電話で予約して、日本語を話せるガイドさんだけいる。もし早く予約して、英語を話せるガイドさんもいるかもしれない。電車は970円、ツアー費は1000円。http://www.yutour.net/tours/002_harie.html は英語のツアーがあるけど、ツアー費は10000円だ!
The phone at Harie community center
古い電話
Our guide, Maeda San
ガイドさん前田さん
Our visitor pass which allows us to visit Kabata in homes, led by Maeda san
かばたに入れるのパス




Maeda san met us at the sign and brought us on a tour of the village. She explained that there are about 140 households with about 600 people. The village seemed quiet and for the entire tour, we only met the occasional elderly on a bike or walking around. Maeda san told us that the youngsters commute daily to the cities for work so at the time of our tour (1030AM), it's exceptionally quiet.

There are no restaurants and no vending machines in the village. Only a small preserved fish shop, a bean curd shop which was not open and what Maeda san described as 美人の店 bijjn no mise, shop for beauties. We spotted a Takkyubin van and Maeda san explained that they use takkyubin quite a lot due to the lack of shops in the village.

この街はめっちゃ静かだ。前田さんは「みんな都市へ行って、勤めているよ。」と言った。レストランもない、店もない、二度販売機もない。みんなは宅急便で買い物する。

Preserved Fish Shop
魚の店

Bijin no mise (Shop for beauties)
美人の店
The highlight of this tour is really the waterways that run through the village and the kabata with Japanese carp, places where the villages draw fresh water for daily use. We were told that you can leave a pot used to cook curry in the kabata for a few hours and it will be clean. Amazing!!!

水路とかばたも面白かった!カレーを煮た鍋がかばたに入れて、3−4時間内は綺麗になる!

Kabata outside a house
家の外のかばた

Indoor kataba
家の中のかばた
The water maintains a constant temperature of 13 deg C through summer and winter. In the past when there was no refrigerator, people chilled their fruits and vegetables in the cold water.

水はずっと13度保つ。夏も冬も同じ温度だ。昔のころ、みんなは果物とか、野菜とか冷やすために水に入れた。

The water maintains a constant temperature of 13 deg C throughout the year. The greens at the side are watercress which can be used in salads.
水の周りはサラダの野菜
Maeda san recommended a Japanese restaurant that serves food made with the village's water but it started to rain heavily on our way there and we spotted the little Italian-style restaurant called Restaurant Hinata so we decided to step in and were glad we did. The restaurant is run by an elegant middle-aged couple and the wood-fired Japanese curry pizza was really good!

前田さんは生水を使う料理のレストランを紹介させた。でも途中雨が急に降っていた。近くのレストランへ行った。このイタリアのレストランは本物のだ。カレーピザーはめっちゃ美味しかった!





Pizza oven
ピザーのオーベン

Delicious Japanese curry pizza
美味しいカレーピザー

They grow various plants in their little garden
いろんな植物
http://harie-syozu.jp/guide

Access:
45 min from JR Kyoto to JR Shinasahi station from where it's a 15 min walk to the village.

アクセス:
JR京都駅から45分かかりに直接な電車でJR新旭駅へ行って、15分歩いて。

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