Japan (Nara) April/May 2008 D-8

Travel Highlight – Lake Hamanako, Nagoya Bridge, Ninja Village & Nara

This morning, we had to pack up our luggage as we had to leave Shizuoka and stayed in Nara for two nights. Also, Mochan had to pick up another CS member from the JR Shimizu Station to join our bus trip to Nara.

After the pick up, we headed to the Tomei Express Highway and made a stop at Lake Hamanako. This is a popular tourist spot and an ideal place for long distance travelers who need to take a short or visit the toileto (toilets) and grab some food or have a cup of Starbuck ko-hi (Coffee) or drinks to recharge their energy.

On our way to Ninja Village, we passed the Nagoya Bridge. Along the hidari (left hand) side of the highway, I saw a large public car park and a huge Ferris wheel & roller coaster in the background. After the Nagoya Bridge, we had a brief stop at a rest house and I bought a stick of sausage & snack for Y300 (RM9) for a quick bite.

We arrived at the Ninja Village, Iga City around mid-day. Iga City is about 8 hours by car from Tokyo, 2 hours from Nagoya, 1 hour from Nara and 2 hours from Kyoto.

I believe many of us are familiar with Ninja & Ninjutsu as we see them all the times in movies, TV and cartoons. A Ninja was the name applied to those who used the martial arts of Ninjutsu to outwit their enemies. As we entered the Iga City, a tall signboard with three Ninja figures poised in standing and lying positions greeted us. Along the main street, we could see local visitors and families dressed in Ninja uniforms heading or returning from the Ninja Village visit.

At the front entrance, we met a group of our local members, led by Kazuki , one of our CS host in Tokyo. We paid Y600 (RM19) for entry to the Ninja Residence and the House of the Ninja Art and Ninja Tradition (Museum). At the Ninja Residence (an old farm house), a female guide narrated to us the various tricks and traps of a typical Ninja house. This residence contained features like revolving walls, secret passages, and hidden doors. After 15 minutes talk, we visited the House of the Ninja’s Art and shown a Ninja film using their skills to penetrate the Ueno Castle and the method used to enter and exit the castle. The final part of the Ninja Museum houses the largest collection of Ninja documents, uniforms, weapons and tools used during the feudal period of Japan. For an additional Y200 (RM6), visitors were taken to a Ninjutsu Demonstration Arena to witness real Ninja engaged in combat exhibition. The demonstrators shown us how Ninjas used the various weapons like throwing stars, Katanas, Sai daggers and Bola sickles.

After the show, we took a stroll to the Ueno Castle, which was rebuilt in 1935.

We arrived at Nara in the evening and checked into Mayumi’s (our CS host in Nara) 2 storey café/premises. We paid Y2,000 (RM64) per night to our host for our stay including a breakfast and dinner. As the premises we stayed do not have a shower room, we had to take our bath in a public onsen (hot springs), located within walking distance from Mayumi’s premises. We paid Y380 (RM12) for this steaming bath.

After a delicious dinner (steamed rice with egg and pork meat; fried chicken satay), a small group of us decided to take a stroll to the old Nara area and historical sites. After more than two hours of walking, we began to feel tired. We headed back home and it was closed to 23.00 – a good time to sleep! Oyasumi-nasal (good night)!

No one is in charge of your happiness except you. When you are in Ninja Village, put on your Ninja costume, you will see happy faces everywhere!