A rainy drive from Nikko to Aizu 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan

During one of our recent trips here in Japan, we once again had the misfortune of not having the weather god on our side. As almost usual in the last years, it rained on most days, and most of the time quite a lot. But since we were in unknown territories there was still no reason to complain and we didn't want to let the bad weather spoil our good mood. Instead, we wanted to discover something new in the area we were in. Our main destination was Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture, located about 140 kilometers north of Tokyo. This city is particularly known for its large temple and shrine complex, which contains the mausoleums of the first and also the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty.

In the early 17th century, Tokugawa Ieyasu was appointed shogun by the Japanese emperor and since then ruled the Far East island empire as an unchallenged military ruler from his new capital Edo, later known as Tokyo. His descendants were able to remain in power until the second half of the 18th century, when modernity finally swept through Japan, fundamentally transforming the nation politically and socially.

We had almost said goodbye to Nikko, but on that day we made a (rather wet) stop at Chuzen-ji, a nearby lake located at an altitude of over 1200 meters. After visiting another shrine complex here, we were finally going to head off to our next destination, the Aizu region in western Fukushima Prefecture. It was quite a way through the mountains to get there, and from the looks of it, the thick rain clouds were probably going to be with us the whole time.

But we didn't really want to leave, so we drove along the Chuzen-ji and had a look at the scene from the other side. From there, we had a great view across the lake to Mt. Nantai, whose peak was hidden in dense fog clouds that day.

But even in this rather dull weather, the lake and its surroundings had a very special attraction, and the spring, which starts later up here in the mountains, already managed to set colorful and intense accents. There was no chance to not notice the cherry trees blossoming in bright pink and those then easily managed to lure me out of the car even in the pouring rain.

Maybe we'll have a little more luck on our next visit to this area and we will be able to admire and enjoy this great scenery in nice weather. But despite all the rain, we were actually totally thrilled and would have liked to stay longer.

Besides all the splendor and the glamorous history, there are also some contemporary witnesses here in Nikko, which show you that change is often connected with abandonment and decay. Japan is in this respect also a double-edged sword, on the one hand, the country cultivates its history and is set right in the modern age, but then there are always abandoned houses, stores and hotels, which remind us that often only those survive who have fortune and finances on their side.

For us it was time to say goodbye to the urban areas and to go into the mountains. At the beginning we had a multi-lane road in front of us, which then quickly became narrower and narrower and then meandered along some rivers through the mountains. I was really looking forward to the ride ahead of us, even though the clouds seemed to hang thicker and lower as deeper we went into country.

There were not many cars in the mountains that day and for a while we only passed single houses and from time to time a small settlement. Every now and then we were granted some great view over the river and the surrounding mountains and I just had to stop to really take in the scenery and also to take a few photos.

In the afternoon, after driving through the mountains for quite a while, we finally made it to the Aizu region and were back in inhabited areas. This part of the country has preserved its own cultural identity up to the present and still scores with its samurai history. After passing through a few towns, we came to a train station that we had already noticed on the trip down to Tochigi, and at which I was now eager to stop. Although it was still raining, I just had to get out of the car and take a close look at what was going on there.

Already from the street I could make out the special charm of the station in Yunokami Onsen and after we approached the station building from the other side, my first impressions were immediately confirmed. Located on the Aizu Railway Aizu Line, the station is one of only two stations in Japan with a thatched roof, which adds to the station's very special atmosphere. The cozy little station building just seemed like it wasn't from our time, and you could almost feel like you had suddenly traveled about a hundred years into the past.

A look inside also confirmed this feeling. There was even an iori, a sunken fireplace where travelers could warm up during the cold season. And next to the building there was also an ashi-yu, a warm foot bath. Here you are in a place where you don't have to be in a hurry. Here you can sit down peacefully and wait for your train, catching your breath and doing some soul-searching.

Unfortunately, I couldn't go directly onto the platform, and I could only venture a quick look here. But even from where I was standing, this station continued the charming impression it had made so far, and I would have actually liked to get on the next train and have it bring me to the next station.

But we were motorized ourselves and still had a little way to go before we arrived in the evening in Aizu-Wakamatsu, the administrative city of the Aizu region. But before we went on, I spent some time admiring the scenery, which was very charming even when it was raining. Nature started almost directly behind the station, and in the background the fog steamed through the mountains.

Everything was so wonderfully green and fresh and I was in a really cheerful mood. The drive from Nikko to Aizu was pretty much as expected, and even the rain couldn't spoil our good vibes. Here in the green heart of Japan, you feel very far away from all the hustle and bustle of the big cities and thus feel much more connected to the here and now. And in this region in particular, you can sense where our present actually comes from, as here in Aizu, the past doesn't seem to be gone for very long.

People here are probably not in such a hurry to arrive in the future and prefer to stay a little longer in their comfort zone. Changes can't really be stopped, but you don't always have to force them. Sometimes it's better to pause and take a good look around at the place you're currently at. If you are able to see and feel with your heart, you will soon realize that there is no better place to stay at the moment.

The Aizu region has been the destination of our trips on several occasions and I can't wait to go there again next time. With a little luck, we won't have to wait that long so hopefully I'll be able to tell you about our new adventures soon.

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