Naruko Onsen Adventure, January 2024 pt1

 The first stop on our adventure was Sendai city. Sendai is famous for Gyūtan (grilled beef tongue). This is the front of Sendai Train station.

Sendai is a very big city and we didn't want to waste anytime wandering around and getting lost so the first place we went was to the tourist information center and they gave us an easy to follow map to the Gyūtan restaurant that we wanted to visit.

Here we are! I don't think we would have found this restaurant without the map from the tourist/visitors information center.

That looks like a very expensive piece of beef!

Emi and I ordered lunch specials. This was my lunch special.   

And, this was Emi's lunch special.

The food was delicious and filling. 

After lunch we returned to Sendai train station to catch a local train bound for Kogota station where we would transfer to another train that would take us to Naruko Onsen (our final destination). 

This is our train to Kogota.

This is Kogota Station.

And, this is the train that will take us to Naruko Onsen!

Some people sleep on the train while others (like me) look out the window and enjoy the scenery. 

The view from the window. It's one rice field after another. This area is famous for their high quality rice.

After we arrived at Naruko station it was a short walk to our hotel. We've stayed at this hotel before and decided to stay here again because it's so nice and cheap reasonably priced.

Next morning (day 2): we have a plan! 

1.  I want to take a picture of the local train crossing a bridge over a stream.

2. We want to see Naruko Gorge.

3. We want to eat delicious Onigiri, also known as omusubi (rice balls) made at a small shop near Nakayamadairaonsen Station.

To do all this we'll need to walk about 12 kilometers (round trip) so here we go!

This is the first thing on the list. The local train crossing over the stream.

Heading toward Naruko Gorge (it's a long walk).

We have arrived at Naruko Gorge!

This place is very famous, especially in Spring, Summer and Fall! Of course we chose to visit in Winter when it's closed!

It's hard to tell but in the center of the picture is a train track going into a tunnel.

One has to be here to appreciate it. 

See what I mean? 

The person in the middle of the picture is Emi. I think she's leaving me behind.

Okay, we're back together and heading for the Musubiya (Rice ball shop).

Good news, here's a sign for the shop. We're heading in the right direction.

The turn off for the shop is just up ahead.

We have arrived! And, they are closed! 

It's okay, they'll be open in a couple of minutes.

Emi's placing our order.

Waiting.

We've got our rice balls! However, they no longer have an eat-in dining service; it's take out only! What an adventure! Of course Emi asked me "where are we going to eat"?

I said "we can eat at Nakayamadaira onsen train station". It's only a minute away, they have a heated waiting room and a clean restroom; it'll be perfect! So that's where we went.

The waiting room is cozy and there's nobody else here (because the train only comes here a few times a day).

It's time to eat our rice balls!

To be continued!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mike

Bonus shots!