Ouchijuku~last Weekend Adventure with Friends here in Utsunomiyia Japan

Let's start this wonderful rainy, windy, cloudy day off with going on a trip to Ouchijuku with our good friends.

Ouchijuku is a small village isolated in the mountains of the prefecture of Fukushima, in the south. This is all I know about where we are going today.  Our journey is going to fun learning about this location. I have been told that it is a Post town which is suppose to resemble the way it was many years ago.  The wiring is suppose to be buried so as to not take away from the look of the village. While waiting to be picked up at the Utsunomiyia train station Marlon and I sat and drank some good ole Micky D's coffee. The wind is very strong outside today!!

Glad we didn't have to sit outside long the wind was a little cool. Rick and Teresa are here to pick us up :-) Don and Deb are in the 3rd row of seats so Marlon and I take our spots for the journey that lies ahead. Teresa is just such a wonderful thoughtful person, she has packed us 2 breakfast sandwiches and a package of BIG cookies.  She never ceases to amaze me.........
Our bag of goodies yes so delicious. Thanks again T for being the nice person you are.

Thought this was interesting to talk about. There was a policeman standing on the corner watching traffic at a stop light. The next thing I know they are blowing the whistle and directing a car to pull over so they could write them a ticket.  Wow....they don't have police cars so I guess this is there way of catching traffic violations.

It's time to stop for a bathroom break a little guy directed us into the parking lot. I had seen a shot we had passed that I just had to have. I took off to get my picture while the rest off the group went inside. There was a passenger train traveling across the bridge that I thought was pretty cool.

Got my shot and caught up with the rest of the group. Do you see the train moving across the bridge?
We are all back in the car again after a break and heading towards our destination. I am on top of the world as we are headed for another adventure with all of our great friends. As we pulled into the parking lot we all felt the chill in the air we are on top of a mountain so its very chilly and raining but not real hard.  We all are headed up to the village of Ouchijuku. I can see the rows of Japanese houses/shops. Can't wait to see what all those places have inside them. 

 The minute we got up to the village Deb and Teresa saw the pumpkins growing on some frame work.  YIKES its great to see them get so excited.

Rick has suggested that we make our way up the left side then when we get to the end we will have lunch before going back down the other side. Sounds like a great plan to me, we can shop till we drop here yippee.......

 The view is beautiful even in the midst of the rain and cold. I am loving my time here at Ouchijuku.
Glad we are getting near the end I'm starting to get hungry.  Some of the village people were making lunch items to sell.  I saw this some fish on a stick which did not look appetizing at all. 

Hurried to the next shop to get past those terrible looking fish. Found a nice gift for my son Chris in the next shop.

There are some people dressed like they did many years ago in Japan here around the village.  We all got our pictures as a group taken with then. This is our last stop before heading on up to the restaurant at the end of the village.

We are almost to the place to eat but there are still a few more shops we can hit before eating.

There are some more people I want to get my picture taken with don't really know what they are suppose to represent. ?

We have a little bit farther to go and I'm glad because my fingers are cold and I need warmed up. When we entered the restaurant we had to take our shoes off which is a policy that happens in most places to eat.

We are all seated at a Japanese style table with cushions to sit on.  Up close to the front of the restaurant there was a guy sitting taking care of the fire that was cooking some fish on a stick.  Once the fish was done some of it was put in a hanging object so it would not burn.

The men ordered the famous negi soba which is eaten with a negi which is an overgrown green onion.  I had some rice.

Negi Soba

 We had a beautiful view from inside the restaurant.

 We are all finished eating and ready to head back out.  The rain has stopped and the sun is trying to pop out from behind the clouds. The guys have decided to take a walk to the top of the hill where there is a lookout over the village. This will get me the picture to post which will give you a better bird's eye view over the town.

 The guys found us shopping when they returned back down the mountain. 

I smell fair food some where.  Don found the place where the smell was coming from.  Boy it smells so good, Don gave us all a piece of his doughnut.   I have to have one of those doughnuts they are so good and moist. YUMMY.......

I could not believe my eyes !!! There was a crate full of beer. What an awesome way to make use of what you have right in front of you.  They just sat there beer in the cement tunnel that had freezing running water in it. Each side of the street had the running water.  Bet that beer was nice and cold. The water runs fast enough that they had to tie it to a pipe to keep it from floating away.

Now on to the rest of the village. I am so enjoying my time here and will never ever forget the great time I have had with such wonderful friends as I have here in Japan.

 Stopped at this one shop that not only roasted chestnuts but used them in baskets so awesome I really wanted one but would be hard to get it home.

 Saw some characters walking down the street; they were friendly and looked happy doing their jobs. Dressed like they did along time ago in Japan with authentic looking costumes.

 

Loving, loving, loving, this place and the beauty of it.

 WOW here comes Deb with her items she has purchased!! Looks like she is happy with what ever it is she bought. Us ladies surely are enjoying our time here in Ouchijuku.

We are getting close to the end of our trip through the village and Teresa and Deb are going to get their pumpkins.  They are excited as they spot a place to buy them. They made their purchases and walked away happy they have a REAL pumpkin for Halloween/Fall.

 Heading back to the car to get back to hotel. The journey up the mountain to the village of Ouchijuku was worth the trip. Teresa is wanting to stop at some farm markets on the way back.  If we spot some we will stop.

On the trip back to the car we stopped and took a few pictures.......of course.......we love our cameras.....

 On our way back we found some farm markets that were only selling ringos (apples). Teresa said stop at this one they look like they need business. Wow she made the right choice on this place, they were so excited that we stopped they were getting their camera out to take picture of us. LOL  The lady who ran the road side stand started cutting up apples for us to taste.  Boy were they good.  We bought a $5 bag of apples which contained 7 apples so not bad price for the best apples.

 We had made our purchases and I was taking a picture of what i thought were her apple trees.  She came up to me and told me those trees were not hers. She wanted us to follow her to her orchard which was across the street. So I told the guys to come on and follow her.

 She took us back to a certain area in the orchard where she wanted us each to climb the ladder and pick an apple from her tree.  What an honor to get treated to getting to experience this in Japan.  The Japanese have been so kind to us.

The joy we are getting out of the kindness of these people is a wonderful feeling. Walking out of the orchard and heading back to the car with our apples in our hands.  The men all got to pick an apple also.

 The group showing off our apples.

Back in the car again and heading home.  There are lots of curves going down a mountain.......its alot of motion. I'm glad we stop so we can get our feet back on solid ground.......LOL Saw some monkeys along the road and stopped to get some pictures.  This is my first time to actually see them. They are mean I think and should not be fed. 

 Rick and Teresa have pulled over at an onsen foot bath.  Now this is going to be a new experience.  I can smell the sulfer and it stinks. Teresa has brought us some towels to wipe our feet off when we are done.  The water is hot I can see the steam coming off it.  Man the day just keeps getting better.  I'm in total awe at this adventure.

 

 Stopped at a roadside rest and Marlon and I bought a bouquet of flowers for Teresa.  When she got home she displayed them in her Fall arrangement including the apples we bought!!! wow great job Teresa. :-)

 Yes we did stop one more time before going back to Utsunomiyia to eat. We stopped at a dam.

Ate dinner at a tungcashu place. Marlon and I had been wanting shrimp and we finally got some. Wow delish. I didn't put pictures in but I almost forgot we stopped at another farmers market before making it back to Utsunomiyia. Long day but a great fun filled adventurous day.