Golden Week (Part 4): Saga Prefecture

Tuesday, April 29
The following morning, Jamie cooked a yummy breakfast of French toast, eggs, Spam (!), and strawberries! Feeling quite pampered, Chris and I loitered around for awhile, not wanting to leave the coziness that comes with good company and a warmly decorated home. Around midday, however, we agreed that it was time to move on. The departure was particularly difficult knowing that it would be our last meeting at this particular stage in our lives: I'll be moving home this year and Jamie has re-contracted. Friends throughout our college Japanese studies, coming to Japan on the JET Program was the realization of a long-held dream for both of us. And now, moving on to different paths feels strange, but I'll always consider her a sister, and I know that we'll meet again soon!

With a sad goodbye, Chris and I drove west, to Saga Prefecture. We visited 吉野ヶ里歴史公園 (Yoshinogari Historical Park), where visitors are invited to experience Yayoi period life, touring reconstructed villages and participating in craft activities. As much of the park is oriented toward children, I enjoyed it more than the typical history museum, where rather than instead of viewing artifacts behind cold glass, I ran my hands through a large bowl of shelled chestnuts, viewed the village from atop a watchtower, and dipped my fingers in a cool, running stream.

Jamie packed us spam musubi for the road, and we ate them as a snack before entering the park.

I took a woven hat offered at the entrance, as the day was surprisingly hot. I shed my layers and went sleeveless, exposing my winter arms to the sun. The Japanese women took the opposite tactic and hid their skin beneath long sleeved shirts, pants, and UV protective gloves.

Skeins of spun fiber await weaving.

Chris demonstrating a pose common among period haniwa figures.

Two men chatting in a hut. I think they're gossiping. I dig the hair.

Visitors admire the village "palace." The king lived in separate housing, but this large complex was used for community meetings.

Yayoi people were buried in these capsules, the bodies laid in crouching positions.

We ended the visit over a shared meal of icy somen. In Hawaii, we eat somen year-round, but the cold, slippery noodles are a summer-specific treat in Japan.

Leaving the park, we stopped at the 吉野ヶ里 道の駅. Sadly, Kyushu doesn't offer a collector's book for the stamps.

Blueberry soft cream.

We then left Saga, not having much else to do there. The prefecture is known across the country for its beautiful pottery, but not ceramic fans ourselves, Chris and I moved on to Nagasaki Prefecture. We checked into Comfort Hotel Nagasaki and went in search of dinner at the nearby YouMe Town.

We ate a local specialty--トルコライス, a one-dish meal that includes pilaf topped with tonkatsu, along with sides of spaghetti and salad.

The Nagasaki hotel included Internet, but at the end of the day, I was too exhausted to update the blog.