Wednesday, June 11 -Exploring Akan-Mashu National Park

 I got up at six and decided I should experience the hot springs at our hotel.  I put on my Yukata (casual kimono-like garment) that the hotel supplies, grabbed the basket for carrying my towels, socks, etc. and left our room.  Immediately I ran into Mayumi who was also going there.   She was probably looking forward to a peaceful soak but now had to instruct me instead!

Hotel flower arrangements

We entered the women’s section, put our clothes in lockers, wrapped the key band around our wrists and went into the Onsen bath.   I sat on a tiny stool and spayed, soaped and sprayed again and then tried the first pool which was pretty cool.  I decided to move outdoors (freezing air!) and then lowered myself into a pool made of rough boulders that was a lot warmer.  It was lovely out there in the cool drizzle– there are more pools descending toward the roaring stream you can soak in until you finally get to the mixed sex pool (the only clothing optional one), but I didn’t feel like wandering about!

Woodcuts decorate the whole hotel

I eventually got out, went back to the lockers, dried myself off and went back to our room to get dressed for the buffet breakfast which had an enormous variety of choices. 

Breakfast buffet

At nine we met our drivers and took off in dense fog.   We first drove to the eastern side of the Akan-Mashu National Park and an overlook of a water-filled caldera which was unfortunately filled with fog.  We drove to a lower section of the park and walked on a boardwalk to a beautiful bright blue pond, full of small trout.

Mark took us to a small waterfall
where Cherry Salmon were valiantly flinging themselves upwards, trying to swim above the falls.  Only one in 100 makes it, and it was exhausting to watch them try!

Cherry Salmon valiantly trying leap above the waterfall

We continued circling the volcano and next we walked up to a hillside of bright yellow Sulfuroles, bubbling steam vents of sulfur dioxide that looked very frightening!

It was still overcast and getting onto 4 PM so we returned to our hotel and it started to rain quite hard.

A steaming sulfurole

We were relaxing in our room when the phone rang to tell us that a Hawfinch had arrived at the feeder outside the lobby.   We dashed downstairs and Bob had new life bird #45!

At 7:30 we returned to our private dining room for another elaborate feast featuring scallop sashimi, a hot pot of lamb and onions, miso soup, a whole grilled small fish, plus others!  Mayumi and Yuka gave us a demonstration of how to bow correctly (right from the hips with a perfectly straight back) and the angles: ~15%, 25%, and a full 90% for profound apology.

Mayumi and Yuka demonstrating proper bowing

We have another full day tomorrow before starting our journey back to the USA!