Chubu, the heartbeat of Honshu in Japan

My memories of Japan from a group package tour in 2011 are of Hello Kitty novelties, binging on sushi, and metropolises. The seven-day itinerary that covered Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka gave me an excellent impression of Japan.

Recently, when I was offered a media familiarisation trip to further explore the Land of the Rising Sun, I jumped at the opportunity.

As I had not heard of Chubu before, I googled it and learnt that Chubu means “central region” as it is located in the centre of Japan’s largest island, Honshu.

Encompassing nine prefectures, it is famous for its hot springs, rugged landscapes and heritage villages. After city-hopping on my first trip, I was now thrilled to experience its more cultural and natural attractions.

The simple life

Travelling deep into the heart of Central Japan by car, two fellow journalists and I enjoyed pastoral scenes of green rice fields, neat wooden farmhouses and bounteous rolling hills. Spring in May enthralled us with its bright colours and crisp fresh air.

An artist capturing the beauty of Japan’s Hida Mountains in Chubu. Photo: Tourism Commission of Hakuba Village

A gorgeous view taken from the bus along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to Murodo Station. Photos: The Star/Ng Su-Ann

Although our tour guide Akiko Konishi said sakura season had just ended the month before, I felt no regret and was most thankful to experience such charming country life in any season.

I said in jest: “Akiko-san, do you know any of the farmers here? It would be nice to be invited for tea in a typical traditional Japanese country house.”

To my amazement, she took out her phone, called a number, spoke with someone in Japanese using the word hai (yes) several times, and then turned to me and said: “OK, it’s arranged.”

I must have looked bewildered because she laughed, and added: “We will visit a local but I don’t think we should have tea because they still use charcoal to boil water in the house and your clothes may smell of soot.”

Little did I know then that the local she was referring to was not just any local. He was the owner of Wada House, the oldest and largest remaining traditional house in the Unesco World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go village.

Although the house is a private residence, part of it is open to the public for viewing. There, our guide introduced us to Wada, who greeted us warmly. Entering the house, we found spacious tatami rooms and traditional tools for silk weaving and farming on display.

This residence is among some 60 old houses in this mountain village, tucked away in the Hida Highlands. The settlement is noted for its gassho-style houses with their thatched roofs in the shape of a triangle, similar to hands clasped in prayer. Many of them are still inhabited to this day, and together with their adjacent padi fields, they reflect a true microcosm of village life made up of warm smiles and harmonious living.

Visitors posing in front of the traditional houses in the Unesco World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go village.

Join the hordes of tourists at the Shiroyama Observatory for the best view. We were blown away by the awe-inspiring panoramic view of the settlement. I could utter only one word: “Wow!”

The village looks just like a setting from a fairy tale. I half-expected Belle to emerge from the town library or Jack and Jill to skip by with their pail. While many visitors were busy taking selfies and wefies, I was simply overcome by the mood and visual poetry before me. It took several minutes before I finally whipped out my camera.

Alpine wonderland

One of Chubu’s “coolest” attractions is the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, also known as the “Roof of Japan”. The route passes through the breathtaking snowy scenery of Mt Tateyama in the Japanese Alps.

Visitors walking between the snow walls near the Murodo Station at the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route in Japan.

Visitors having fun on Japans Hida Mountains. Photo: Tourism Commission of Hakuba Village

As private vehicles are not allow­ed along the 90km route, it is traversed using a variety of public vehicles including cable cars, ropeways and trolley buses between Toyama Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture. As we rode the highland bus up the mountain, scenes of lush green foliage seemed to fade away, to be replaced with that of bright white fields.

We exclaimed at the first sight of snow on the ground. Although I have often experienced snow in my travels, each encounter never fails to thrill me.

In this Alpine paradise, we found ourselves surrounded by snow-capped mountains and of course, tourists posing for photos at every corner.

Our day trip up the mountains took us as high as 2,450m above sea level. One of the major highlights was a snow wall. Visitors could stroll along the road specially cleared, between the walls of heavy snow. The height of the embankment varies each day depending on the snowfall. It was 11m when we were there.

We spotted a few skiers zigzagging down the slopes but most of the visitors just played with the snow. Perched at strategic vantage points are observatories.

Drinking in the views at one of them, I was captivated by the soaring magnificence of untamed rugged contours, stretching far into the horizon. It was a humbling sight.

Matsumoto Castle

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route also boasts the Kurobe Dam, Japan’s tallest at 186m. However, like many public transportation stations along the route, the dam is not wheelchair-friendly. Be prepared to climb countless steps and walk a fair bit. We were bone-tired by the time we boarded a trolley bus to complete the last part of the route.

Ask any local there for the best remedy for fatigue, and the instant answer would be onsen (hot spring). This natural phenomenon flows into many villages in the Northern Alps. Some even liken it to the fountain of youth.

My guide said: “A bath is guaranteed to give your skin a smooth glow and you will look 10 years younger.”

Even wild Japanese macaques, more commonly referred to as snow monkeys, descend from forests and cliffs to soak in the baths during winter. I wonder if they also seek to look youthful or to just get warm.

Replica of a noodle dish, made at the Sample Village Iwasaki in Chubu, Japan.

Craft classes

Have you noticed the replica food samples frequently displayed outside Japanese restaurants, even in Malaysia? Well, you can try your hand at making fake pizza, parfait, lettuce, tempura and spaghetti at the Sample Village Iwasaki, one the many food replica studios in Gujo.

We attended a workshop where we had fun turning wax into sushi. We were three eager but clueless students under the direction of Yamada Manabu, who guided us patiently in each step. Finally, we completed our “masterpieces” which bore some semblance to the famous Japanese dish.

At another pit stop, we were taught the time-honoured tradition of making Washi paper from mulberry fibres in Gokayama. After each of us had produced a piece of the fragile paper, our task was not done yet. We had to use it to make a paper fan complete with colourful trimmings and collage.

Wasabi and monkey baby

Unlike many Japanese cities, life seems to glide by calmly and quietly in Chubu’s Hida Takayama. It was like exploring an open-air museum of beautifully preserved heritage houses, scenic bridges and tree-lined avenues.

Visitors are invited to follow Toyota’s journey into the automotive industry at the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya.

Daio Wasabi Farm chief executive officer and Wasabi Master Hama Shigetoshi grating the rhizome.

Along one of the oldest streets, we spotted quaint sake warehouses and machiya (traditional wooden townhouse), cafes and souvenir shops selling sarubobo (monkey baby) lucky charms, which are popular in this part of the region.

A big fan of wasabi, I was thrilled to visit the Daio Wasabi Farm where the plants are grown in spring water coming from the Japanese Alps. However, I was a bit disappointed with its wasabi ice cream which I found lacking in the familiar pungent taste. I had expected more after being told that the farm sells 4,000 cones to visitors daily.

We also explored the grounds of Matsumoto Castle although we didn’t have time to venture inside. Also known as Crow Castle due to its black exterior, this is Japan’s oldest castle, built in 1503.

Another pride of Japan is its automotive industry. We were given a glimpse of it through a one-hour tour around the Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya. The facility features prototype textile machinery, one of the core industries that helped build modern Japan.

This dynamic region has modern skyscrapers in one city and untamed landscapes in another. So, whether you are car-crazy, mad about nature or a history buff, Chubu invites discovery.

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This trip was courtesy of Japan National Tourism Organization Singapore Office.

Source : Star2.com