Mt. Rokko

   Tomorrow, I know that I will wake up and feel like an old lady...in fact, I all ready feel like an old lady! I hiked up Mt. Rokko today and it was tough!! I started at about 8:30 AM in the morning and was hiking until about 2:30 PM (up and down very steep hills and with many short breaks). Even in that amount of time, I did not reach the top of Mt. Rokko. This link describes the course I took well. The only inaccuracy is that this course is described as "easy." If this course is easy, I would hate to be the poor souls who are climbing the medium or even difficult courses! I am certainly not in athletic body shape, but when a course is listed as "easy" I do not expect to be constantly huffing and puffing and taking many (and more) breaks. Therefore, this course, in my opinion was medium-difficult. 

   The first part was through a residential district up hill, then the path led into the woods and towards a waterfall and shrine area. There was an entrance area to the "Rock Garden." This was not a traditional rock garden, this was a death trap of scrambling and climbing over rocks, being afraid to look down over steep cliffs and ledges, as well as rocks that one had to hold onto in order to clime up particularly steep slopes. I called it death-trap, but it was still an enjoyable challenge. After that it was either slightly sloped, or very steep. Again, I enjoyed it, but it was quite exhausting and my whole body aches. 

   It was interesting because most people were very friendly (maybe because I was the only white person daring to climb this course, as well as the fact that I was travelling by myself). One woman guided me through half the course and discussed life in America as well as sympathized on the hardness of this course. In America, during hiking, if you pass some one, you usually say hello or nod in recognition. Again, probably most of the talking and chatting that I experienced was because people were curious about where I was from ("What country do you come from?" I got that question a lot). And of course, when I answered in Japanese, "Your Japanese is good!!" 

   Overall, the climbing experience was very good. And someday, I would like to return and finish climbing Mt. Rokko. 

   After climbing, I descended a steep slope into Arimaonsen resort area. Once there, I had my first onsen experience which was very relaxing. I took a swimsuit, just in case. But it was a "everyone get naked!" onsen. Of course, it was separated by gender, but I couldn't help but be self-conscious. In America, bathing is a very private thing: you shower and soak in privacy. In Japan's public baths, you wash and soak in front of everyone and it is very unnerving. 

   After the onsen, I returned to the area around my ryokan (inn), ate Easter dinner at the okonomiyaki restaurant attached to the hotel and am now sitting in my room resting.

   I had a very good day today and I will probably sleep well tonight.  Tomorrow, I am off to Okayama to see Korakuen ("one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan")!