Winter is Coming

That means something to some and nothing to others, but, put simply, it's getting cold (mid-November now, time to dig the woolies out). It's been a curious, coincident-laden, few months bringing us to this point. In six months it's gone from insufferably hot to finding the warm corner in the izakaya. Shooting stars may have been overhead last night but are somewhat difficult to see under the lights of the worlds brightest city (and I mean that by street lights before anyone asks).

One curious phenomena over the last few months has been the toll age is taking on us all (and our gratitude to the incredible Japanese medical services). In a matter of not so long, I've experienced the enjoyment outlined in the pervious article, one friend broke his arm falling off his bike (pedal variety); another ripping tendons falling off his and having to be re-sewn together (hint bicycles are getting more opinionated as we grow old; yet another standing up in restaurant and turning to leave only for his lower leg to remain targeted in the seated direction from the knee down, refusing to to join the rest of him in his strive for the checkout.

But one friend wins it all hands down. Three hospital visits in six months (but only three pins so I still have that over him though, to be fair, he wins hands down on stitches). We all picked ourselves up and pretended we were twenty five again. Which brings me back to Winter is Coming. Tokyo enjoys a modest flush of snow every now and then. Which leaves a blessing, and a curse, in its wake. Blessing, we don't have much; curse, no one has a clue how to respond when we do. Salarymen still wear slick, leather soled shoes and slide every which way you can imagine and taxis drive as if it's a beautiful sunny day, until they encounter said out of control salarymen. 

But the trains, the trains run on time, no "wrong type of snow" here (you need to be British to get that one). And over the next few months, as temperatures decline further, I'm sure we'll have opportunity aplenty to thank the medical staff again who've dodged those taxis and flailing salarymen to help us out. After all, just look at what we achieved in a short few months when it was nothing more challenging than dry and sunny. And now we're going to slide. Winter Is Coming.

Winter is Coming

Winter is coming to Japan. Soon the daytime temperature in Tokyo will be hitting low single digits and already snow has fallen in the capital; though admittedly that was the earliest winter wonderland has arrived in nearly sixty years. And this means it's onsen season. Yey! It may sound a little strange to the uninitiated but one of the greatest pleasures in life is to laze in a tub of hot water with friends as the snowflakes falls around you. And Japan is very good at this.

These days there are four essential styles of onsen (hot spring) that are popular with the populace. The international tourist focussed ones tend to require swimsuits but the traditional pools are almost universally au natural as it were though modesty maintained with a handy modesty towel. The classical onsen are segregated allowing your time or relaxation, neck deep in piping hot water, with the guys or girls. Though it has to be said the chatter from the ladie's side tends to be a little (lot) louder than the men's. 

Konyoku, mixed bathing, is actually the traditional variety (it's not inappropriate to bathe, however it is inappropriate to look) but these largely disappeared following western influences over the last century though if you really search around they can still be found, hidden away. And the final version is known as kazokuburo, or family bath. Usually unfrequented by teenagers but younger families or the slightly older will enjoy time together chatting the night away. Japan is more relaxed about spending family time together, a little freaky for a westerner, but just wait for the snowflakes to fall. Winter is coming.