Iwate

Jeff had his birthday today, so a few of us ALT's spent the weekend celebrating with him in a ryokan.  A ryokan is a traditional Japanese hotel, usually situated near some onsen (hot springs) so guests can lounge around in yukata (like kimono but much less fancy) and soak in the onsen all day. The onsen are supposed to have mysterious health benefits, ranging from the standard claims of better circulation to the more incredible claims of cured cancer.

The onsen range in temperature, too, from lukewarm to scalding. The hottest ones are painful, but they can be endured as long as you slip into the water as quickly as possible and then not budge an inch afterwards. Your body actually cools the water around you, forming a protective layer; but once you move and bring the fresh water your way, it's almost unbearable.

The ryokan was so far up into the mountains that we had to leave the outdoor onsen at night because there were bears and monkeys and poisonous snakes around. And, of course, there was plenty of mysterious mountain cuisine to be had, including whole baby octopi and steamed bamboo shoots--you'd think either of those things would  be soft, but that would be a mistake.