Day 6 Gifu Homestay, WTRD 37 October 10, 2017

Takayama Fall Festival

This morning we awoke at 5:30 and left our hosts’ home after just a quick cup of coffee at 6:20.  We caught the 6:44 train to Gifu, and boarded a charter bus at 8:00 pm with all of the Sacramento Ambassadors, their hosts and many day hosts.  Our homestay hosts provided breakfast in a bag with egg, juice, dumpling, breakfast bar, and a banana to eat on the bus which we did around 8:30.  

We also received bottle water and a bag full of snacks for our bus ride.  One hour later and about 20 miles from Takayama, the bus stopped in a commercial rest area where we could use the toilets and by a snack if we wished.  But lunch was also passed out to us at 9:45 and we were encouraged to eat it before we reach Takayama.  It was two meals and snacks within 2 hours!  No one can ever say we didn't get enough food on this journey.

The women’s restroom was a modern, clean, and a busy place, but traffic in and out moved efficiently, perhaps because each of the numerous stalls were mapped on an electronic board that showed whether the stall was busy or free and visitors did not have to walk around looking for a free toilet.  Great concept.

Our hosts, Friendship Force of Gifu indicated that there would be crowds of people at the festival. We are 35 Friends traveling together were divided into smaller groups to more adeptly move through crowded streets.   Kiyoko Watanabe was our leader and Toshiko and Fumio, the round up leaders.  Each leader has a flag and a route to follow.  The roundup volunteers tried to keep us from straggling to far from the group. I wore a bright pink shirt, so that I stand out in a crowd, and if I got lost, at least I could be found.

After having a group photograph taken, 

our group's first stop for the day was a post box along the route we were taking.  We knew there was a geocache placed nearby.  Russ quickly found the geocache along our walking route under the post box.  We shared and explained the experience to  our Japanese leaders and our Sacramento Ambassadors in our small group.

After that we, leisurely walked around, visiting the morning market, looking in shops, stopping for coffee or tea.

The day was warm and sunny and the streets were alive with activity, markets, and open shops.

One of the main attractions of the harvest festival is displaying the beautifully decorated  yatai, portable Shinto shrines from regional areas.  The main procession was yesterday when the yatai paraded through town.  Today the yatai were stationery by the Sakurayam Kikkokan Temple.

We also enjoyed shopping and people or dog watching.

A unique and intricate marionette show was the final event of the festival.  The puppeteers are hidden inside the yatai pulling strings and poles.

The day progressed far too quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to leave.  At 3:30 we boarded our bus for the trip home. The driver and our hosts passed out coffee and tea and even more snacks before we got under way.  

As we rolled down the mountain road video screens dropped down from the ceiling 

and bingo cards were passed out and all enjoyed several bingo games with prizes to help pass the time in the bus. 

Everyone had an enjoyable day!  Thank you Gifu Club for such a great day to visit Takayama.

All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's

Day 5 - Friendship Force Gifu-Sacramento, WTRD 36 of 49, October 9, 2017

Monday, October 9, is a national holiday in Japan.  It is a sports holiday. We are not too sure what is done on this day, but I am sure we will find out.  Russ is wearing his Tokyo soccer shirt so that he is properly dressed, he thinks, for the occasion, but has a change of dress clothes along for the late afternoon and evening.

Our plan for the day is visiting the Asahi Brewery with our homestay hosts for  a guided tour and tasting and then meet up with Andy and Homestay hosts the Sakatas for lunch.  It is our host the host luncheon.  Suzanne has a scheduled home host change today, so her activities are different than ours until we meet up this evening.

After lunch we make a quick stop to change clothes and drive to Gifu about 1.5 hours from our hosts' home in Kasugai where we will meet up with all of the other members of the Sacramento club and Gifu hosts for a Welcome party.

Asahi Breweries 

We arrived at the Brewery around 10:45.  Our tour started at 11:00. Russ and I were issued an Ipod for listening to the different stops in English. Since today is a holiday, we got to see all of the brewery, but no workers were on the floor and the machines today were not operating.  Presumably, all the workers are involved in some sort of sport today, just like we all visit a cemetery on Memorial Day.  Right!?

Photo taking was limited to the main floor with no photos on the upper floors where top brew secrets might be recorded. 

It would take 335 years for 1 person drinking 1 liter a day to empty just one of these tanks.

We were walked through the process of early  beer making to the highly efficient method of mass produced mechanization of beer brewing bottling, and packaging. 

Asahi Breweries are all over Japan, and they have their own agricultural forest and farm area to produce the materials needed for the beer.

They also claim to be 100 percent proficient at recycling everything used in the process from start to finish with no waste; very impressive.

When the tour ended, we entered a drinking hall for samples.  Contrary to our idea of a sampler size, each age appropriate person who was also not a driver (zero tolerance in Japan), received a .75 liter glass of draft beer. With two more like sizes waiting for the next round.  Wow!  All of us except Kiyoko, our designated driver, had the first beer.

  

I was still nursing the first, when Hiro went in for number 2.  The beer I really wanted to try was their black beer, a very dark beer at station three.  Like wine tasting, you start with the mild and move to the more robust.  I was afraid I would be ready for a nap before beer three.   Russ and I both opted out of beer two and went for the third beer.  I got a half glass and Russ a full glass.  It was perfect, and the beer was excellent.

Hosting the Host Lunch

By now it was time to head out for lunch.  We drove for just a bit and arrived at the restaurant where Andy and the Sakatas were already sitting in a private dining room.  Within minutes these beautiful black lacquered boxes on dark persimmon trays were delivered to each person.   

Inside was the most beautifully presented sushi, and it tasted wonderful as well. 

When it came time to pay, we learned to our chagrin that the restaurant only took credit cards for dinner not for lunch! That’s a first.

It is a good thing Andy had enough cash to pay for all of us. We had almost enough for our share, but not quite enough.  It all worked out fine, but for a brief moment I had visions of washing bento boxes or cleaning fish in the kitchen to pay for our lunch.

We returned to Watanabe-san home to change clothes for the party, and then got on the road for a 1.5 hour drive to Gifu.  Russ, Andy, Hiro, and I took naps while Kiyoko drove and chatted with Toshiko Sakata.  

Gifu Welcome Party

We arrived at the Grand Vert Gizan Hotel.  It was a beautiful venue.  Our party was on the fifth floor that had a Japanese garden in which we all had our photos taken with our homestay hosts.  It was fun for us to meet up with our other club members, all of whom were having wonderful times with each of their hosts.

After photos, the party began.  We were assigned to tables with  our hosts. Andy, Russ, and I were at one table with our hosts.  

Suzanne sat at a table with both pairs of her home hosts. 

Master of Ceremonies welcomed us and the national anthems of both the United States and Japan were played as we all sang.

Next the Journey and Host Coordinators exchanged welcome and gifts. 

While the first set of food was being set out on the tables. Each table had a large rotating center circle on which the main plates were set.


It seems redundant to keep saying how beautiful the sushi and dishes were artfully presented, and how good the food tasted, but just like the consistency of the train schedules, Japanese food and eating is a consistent art form.

As we finished our dinner there was flute, song, and instrumental entertainment.  

Our Sacramento Club provided ambassador entertainment in the way of a fun game led by Ray M., 

Place your Bet!  Heads, Tails, or Heads and Tails

and a song led by Rozlynn, "Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver and the other gold."  Everyone stood up, held hands and sang the song in a two part round, and seemed to enjoy the experience.

Now the real entertainment began with a fun magic show,

George doesn't know it, but he is about to lose his underwear.

followed by a group photo, and circle dancing.  

Looked like everyone was enjoying the fun, making new friends, and keeping up with the old.

Happy Birthday Barbara.

The evening ended by 7:00 pm as  those of us from Kasugai still had a 1.5 hour drive home and an early wake up the following morning to train back to Gifu, and board a charter bus to the Fall Takayama Festival.

All is Well With the Worrall Travel R's After a Great Party.