Stop! Oni time!

Well today started off as usual, but so far there's been a twist in my plans. I woke up, did all of the usual stuff to get ready, stopped off at the bakery and got some Danishes and coffee for the train ride, got my ticket, and boarded soon after. The train ride was nice. It's been really cloudy outside, allowing you only to see the bottom of the dark green mountainsides. Then you have the beautiful see of japan on the other side, crashing against the shore. After an hour of train riding, we finally arrived at Noboribetsu station. Again, when I got off the air smelled of sulfur, and it was raining. I exited the station and started walking down the main street, thinking that Noboribetsu onsen was close, but it's actually a full bus ride to get there. So I walked back to the station and got on the bus. There was one problem though.....it was the wrong bus. So I got off and checked when the bus going back was going to get here. It was coming a full 2 hours later! So I started walking, going from stop to stop back towards Noboribetsu, checking the times to see if they would change. Luckily, I found a bus stop that had a bus coming in the next half hour, so I waited in the little box on the side so I wouldn't have to wait in the rain. Now, as I was sitting, waiting for the bus to come, an old woman walked in and started waiting as well. She asked me where I was from, and after that we talked for a good 15 minutes, until the bus came. She told me that "I should continue to learn Japanese and that it is a good language". I mean, I obviously knew that already, but it was nice to hear that from a Japanese person. Now we are both on the bus, headed for Noboribetsu station. I hope I will get to Noboribetsu onsen in time to do everything.

First off! Seriously, screw any notion I gave that today was going to be "the usual"! They could make a blockbuster movie about all the shit that happened today. There was action, suspense (the missed bus would be part of this), danger, and serenity. After getting back to Noboribetsu station, I took the correct bus to get to Noboribetsu onsen. Actually, it was the same bus I was on, so I pretty much wasted 100 yen getting off and then back on. The bus ride took about 15 minutes, and dropped everyone off at the bus station in Noboribetsu Onsen. Now, remember that sulfur smell I told you about? Well, that smell got really intense once I left the bus, so much so that it was impossible to get used to. I pretty much smelled like an egg at the end of the day. Anyways, after getting off the bus I walked into the information office to find out how to get to my destination, the whole reason I came to Noboribetsu Onsen, Jigokudani. The scar of Japan, a scorched earth among a peaceful mountainside, that is what Jigokudani is. It essentially translates to "Hell Valley", which helps to explain why the town's mascot is a towering Oni demon. Jigokudani is also a source of the town's onsen water. After getting directions, I started climbing the steep road that would lead me to Jigokudani, stopping briefly at a very small park that housed a steaming geyser. Also as I was climbing the streets, there was a little stone Oni with onsen water coming out of it so that you could see what the water was like. Me being curious and all, not only did I pour the water on my hands with the little cup like you're supposed to, but I also tasted the water as well. That was probably the first of a few mistakes I made in Noboribetsu onsen. It tasted like day old mayonaisse left out in the sun, and then boiled. Not that I know what any of that tastes like, but I assume that that's how it would be. Now before I talk about Jigokudani, I want to describe how beautiful Noboribetsu Onsen is. it's a tiny town sandwiched between to amazingly beautiful, steep mountains. Then right above the town is the steaming mountain Oyunuma, the largest source of onsen water for the town. Mist and steam floods the town all day, along with the strong smell of sulfur. So, after reaching the top of the town, I could see the wasteland. It zigzagged through the mountains, running it's trail of destruction for about a mile and a half. Personally, I think they should call it the Anus of Japan because I had to put my towel over my nose at certain points when exploring it, that's how strong it smelled. The ground is so dangerous within Jigokudani that you have to walk either around it, or on a wooden platform that runs through it's center (The platform has rails of course). I started off by walking up a trail that went through the forest area, talking me to an observatory section that let one see all of Jigokudani from it. From there, I could see all of the thick, boiling onsen water trickle down the center, and the steam from it made the air dense and warm. I then followed the trail that led down to the wooden platform, which would take me to the center of the scar. At the beginning of the platform, there was a sign that said "water is over 80C. Do not touch. Of course there was a little pool below the sign, so I touched it anyways. I did one of those quick touches, and I thought my fingers were going to boil! Not only is the water extremely hot, it also has a ton of sulfur and other minerals in it. I guess I learned my lesson. I continued to walk down the wooden pathway to the center of Jigokudani, breathing in the warm sulfuric air that rose from the ground. At the center, there was a boiling geyser with steam billowing out of it. I put my hand out to feel the steam, and the heat of it hurt burned slightly. I should really learn not to touch things that are known to be very hot. From the center you could see up close the surrounding ground. Sulfur and calcium deposits were built up in layers where the water flowed, and the water itself was a milky orange color. I was practically sweating from the amount of heat that the ground was creating, but the rainy mist cooled me off a bit. One thing I forgot to mention, people used to use Jigokudani as a place to commit suicide, where they would throw themselves into the waters and boil to death. Why people would want to die in such a slow and painful way? I have no answer, but it definitely sounds auful. The sulfur alone would melt your skin off! Anywho, after exploring that scar of the earth, I decided to go on an adventure through Mt. Oyunuma, following the trail that led up it's steep slopes. The climb was rough, but I pressed on. The ground severely sloped upwards and the steps were rather large, so it was work getting up the path. It was at this point that I grew feint from hunger. I seriously thought I was going to die if I didn't get some food or water. At this point I was only about halfway up the mountain, and still had about thirty minutes to go before I got to the top. I was sweating profusely, even though it was super cold and rainy, and I felt very feint. Lucky for me, there is a halfway point where you can sit and rest. So I rested for a few minutes, gathered what strength I had left, and continued on. It took me another ten or so minutes to reach the top, but it was well worth it. I looked down and had the most amazing view of a lake made up entirely of boiling onsen water. At this point I've learned my lesson and will not be putting anything at that temperature and acidity near my hands or mouth, I assure you that. The lake was surrounded by barren land, with mineral deposits circling the water. I could see the steaming water flowing slowly down towards Jigokudani, and the strong smell of sulfur emanated from it. The patches of sand around certain parts of the lake were bubbling and spewing out steam, making me even more hungry as it made me think of stew. The view made me so full of awe though that my hunger subsided against. I then proceeded to continue along the trail, which slowly took me back to town. The pathway led me back into the deep forest of the mountain, with only a small trailhead showing me the way back. It was both beautiful and fear inducing, as the forest was full of sounds and a mix of mist and steam. I was counting on the little Kami statues that dotted the forest to lead me back to where I needed to be. Of course I thanked them all as I passed by, for they led me back safely to Noboribetsu onsen. That was probably the most dangerous adventure of my trip. Boiling acidic sulfur fields of death has now been checked off on my list of things to experience. After that rather intense hike, my hunger came back to me full throttle, and I decided to head quickly to the nearest food establishment. I went to a local restaurant that my guidebook recommended, and it did not dissapointed me at all. I ordered a large bowl of mountain vegetable soba, that contained these strange vegetables and plants that o have never seen before. It was a little bitter, but quite delicious. The meal definitely suited the atmosphere. After I exited the restaurant, I noticed that the mist was flooding in pretty hard. I was in between the tops of two mountains after all, so I was kinda expecting that to happen. Since I went on such a big adventure, I thought that I deserved some big relaxation. I hunted down the best onsen in town, with the recommendations of a few locals, and went forth. This particular onsen was about three times more expensive than the other, so it came out to around twenty dollars. Oh was it money well spent! This was the most massive and relaxing onsen I have ever been to! The ceilings were extremely high, And there were at least ten different kinds of baths. Each one had different minerals in them, but they all smelled like sulfer obviously. They had some very obscure, yet amazing things as well. One of them was a set of pipes that stuck out from the wall about thirty feet up, and dribble out boiling onsen water. Now I'm sure you can guess what they were for, and that would be, massage! The water was heavy from the minerals and would pound against the spot you had the stream aim at. I think I sat under the spout for at least half an hour. I was trying to get the most out of my money, so I was at the onsen for about two and a half hours. That's a long time to soak in boiling water, but I've been weary from my travels, so I needed it. The most amazing of all of the onsen was the outside part. There were three baths outside, all of them made of dark stone and filled with boiling onsen water. The smallest one was fed water from a little watermill made out of old cedar wood. The biggest of the outside onsen stuck out past the ceiling and had the most amazing view of Jigokudani. I stayed in that one the most, just staring at the amazing scenery of the mountains while mist and steam filled the sky, and rain slowly fell to the ground. It was a very peaceful and serene moment, and I enjoyed all of it very much. After I was finished with the onsen, I got dressed and left the building. It was at this point that I truly smelled like eggs. Another nicety of the onsen…free towel!!!! I got a free sweat towel that says Noboribetsu on it and has a picture of a chibi (miniature for those who don't speak otaku) oni's face with a towel on it's head. I walked back down to the bus station and sat on the bench for a good twenty minutes, waiting for the next bus that goes to the JR station to come. I asked the guy inside the station what time the next bus was coming, and he told me the next one wasn't for another hour! Now, I think for both adventure's sake, and for the sake of storytelling, I should let you all know that this man had one arm. Anyways, after finding out that the next bus wasn't for a while, this very kind one-armed bus station man offered to give me a ride down to the station. I was extremely thankful of his help, and he got me to the station, with time to spare, before the next train back to Sapporo. By the way, the inside of Japanese cars is really cool. They have little stat displays on the rear view mirror, and the nav systems all have DVB-M tuners (wireless digital video broadcast). So, I thanked Abe-san (that's his name, not the "san" of course) as much as I could, and entered the station. I can't remember if I mentioned this before or not, but I have a newfound respect for transportation employees in japan. They are all very helpful and nice, unlike those in America that hate their jobs and just grunt, spit, and fart. They also have very nice uniforms. And so, as I write this on the way back to Sapporo, I look back on today's adventures with much fondness. Until next time, I say goodnight.