With Isabella Bird — Part 5: On the Road to Aomori – Journeys in Japan

With Isabella Bird — Part 5: On the Road to Aomori – Journeys in Japan

It was pretty country, even in the downpour, when white mists parted in fur crowned heights looked out for a moment. Or we slid down into a deep glenn with mossy boulders. Lykan covered stumps, ferny carpet, and damp balsamy smell of pyramidal cryptoria and a tawny torrent dashing through it in gusts of passion. [Music] Today we are in the northern part of Akita Prefecture near the city of Noshiro in the gorgeous forests around the town of Futatsui. And 140 years ago, this is where the British traveler and writer Isabella Bird passed through on her journey throughout Japan. and I’m going to be following in her footsteps via her book, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, in the same steamy, rainy weather that she experienced herself on her way up to Almori Prefecture, tracing the path of the intrepid traveler Isabella Bird. [Music] On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Kiara Terso follows the route taken by the 19th century British explorer through the northernmost tip of the Tohoku region. [Music] Starting some 500 kilometers north of Tokyo, this section of the journey begins in the Hiyama district of Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture. Bird made her way northward along the Ushu Kaido Highway, heading toward a village of samurai warriors where a mountain castle formerly stood. So, as Isabella was traveling through this region on horseback in the pouring rain, she admitted herself that her exhaustion and the terrible weather probably colored her impression of the area. But this place, Hyama, was apparently different. It started raining again. Ah, there’s a temple. I’m going to go check it out. For centuries, this Buddhist temple called Tahoe has stood here overlooking Hiyama. It was brought here 400 years ago from the KTO region together with the samurai. This is one of the few places in the area where you can still find traces of the old days. Hinoyama, a village of samurai on a beautiful slope, was an exception with its fine detached houses, pretty gardens, deep roofed gateways, grass and stonefaced terraces, and look of refined quiet comfort. Everywhere there was a quantity of indigo, as is necessary, for nearly all the clothing of the lower classes is blue. [Music] Isabella Bird’s book, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, is a record of what life was like in Japan 140 years ago. She wrote it in the form of letters home to her sister. Bird was born in Yorkshshire in the north of England. She was 47 when she arrived in Japan and later went on to travel further in Asia and the Middle East. Beginning in Yokohama, her journey took her to Niko, Nigata, Akita, Almori, and finally to Hokkaido. She also visited western Japan. In all, she spent six months in the country, half of which was spent in the north of Japan. [Music] Leaving Hiyama in Agata Prefecture, Bird carried on northward via Odate. This is the route that Kiara will follow. Ooh, excellent. So, this is not an eye or indigo plantation, but rather something better for this hot, steamy day. It’s a cha or tea plantation. I love tea, so I’m going to see if I can get some. people grow tea this deep in the mountains. Ah, there it is. There was tea. Green tea has been grown at this plantation for 300 years. Myama was one of the northernmost areas of Japan for producing green tea. There used to be about 200 tea farms in this area, but only two have survived. [Music] Still, [Music] [Music] Traditionally, tea is grown on hillsides in areas where drainage is good. but with some mist providing the right level of humidity. This type of environment produces tea with a rich flavor and deep aroma. [Music] The way the tea is produced remains largely unchanged since the time of the samurai. It’s not Yeah. Next to the tea plantation stands an ancient shrine. For generations, the Old Taka family have served as the priests of this shrine while also protecting the tea plantation. As the current head of the family, Old Taku is continuing to guard the tea traditions of Kyama. Ah, fresh [Music] [Music] So Isabella mentions the presence of indigo and how the lower classes wear this deep blue color. Now, as she travels through Japan, of course, she got to understand a little bit more about the culture and society. And as she was getting towards the end of the part of her journey in Akita Prefecture, she wrote the following. [Music] All are bound alike by the same rigid fedters of social order. a traditional code which if it works some evil, works also so much good that I should grieve to see it displaced by any perverted imitation of western manners and customs. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] The center of Old Date City lies about 50 kilometers east of Hiyama. During the feudal period, it was a large castle town. But 10 years before Bird’s visit, it was burned down in the Civil War that brought the era of the Shoguns to an end. When Bird arrived there, she found a ramshackle town, crowded and with the streets lined with many blacksmiths forges. She says she could see no special reason for such a large population. But she also wrote this [Music] has however a trade with Noshiro by the turbulent river Yonetsugawa and makes large quantities of coarse lacquer for and bowls and the short knives which are used for reaping [Music] as well as the hose and matx which are almost the only implements used for the garden-like cultivation of Japan. There are few traces left of the city that Bird saw, but there is one traditional local folk craft that continues to be made. [Music] This color, the color of the wood, it’s almost golden. It glows. known as Mag Wapa. It’s made from thin strips of Aketa cedar wood that are bent into shape. Owner Kurimodi Shunji is a sixth generation artisan. This craft has been practiced in Odate since before the Edeto period when it became a side job for members of the samurai class. One property of cedar wood is that it holds in moisture. There was great demand for bento boxes made of magapa as the wood helps prevent cooked rice from drying out. foreign. [Music] [Music] [Music] Starting in the 17th century, cryptoatry Trees known locally as Akita cedar have been planted continuously in this area for the use of succeeding generations. A wide range of Mag Wapa items are made these days from traditional designs to newly developed products. First, strips of the wood are soaked in water for 24 hours, then boiled to soften the fibers and make the wood easy to bend. I swear. [Applause] Whoa. Whoa. So they call you foreign. Bird continued north towards Almori, reaching the Yatate Pass, the border between the two prefectures. She was greatly impressed by the giant cryptoarriia trees she glimpsed in the tranquil forests. [Music] After traveling about 40 kilometers from Odate, Bird finally reached the Tsugaru plane. Oh, finally some sun. Oh, that feels nice. Rising directly ahead of her, she could see the iconic Mount Iwaki. A large town, Hiroaki, lies at its base. Because it was already starting to become westernized, Bird chose not to go there. Instead, she made her way here to Kuroishi, which was a thriving castle town during the Edeto period. The old merchants houses along the streets are largely unchanged since the time of bird’s visit. And traditional covered sidewalks known as Gangi keep off the snow and rain. This is the inner garden of a sake brewery founded 200 years ago. Isn’t this gorgeous? Isabella stayed in lodgings that also had an inner garden very similar to this. A neat town of 5,500 people famous for the making of clogs and combs where I have obtained a very neat airy upstairs room with a good view over the surrounding country and of the doings of my neighbors in their back rooms and gardens. [Music] During her time in Kuroishi, Isabella got to experience a Natsumatsuri and she wrote about it. I’m really lucky and get to experience the same festival that she did as well. And you can tell from all of these lovely lanterns that the festive feel is definitely in the air already. The Kuroishi Nepata Festival has been held here for over 240 years. Similar festivals are held throughout Tohoku, also known as Nebuta. Large papered lanterns are decorated with images of warriors and kimono clad beauties. People imbue them with their prayers, then float them down rivers, carrying away their hardships and misfortunes. [Music] Bird heard from her interpreter that the festival was really worth seeing. So, she put on a kimono and hurried outside to take a look. [Music] The Kurawishi nepot that she observed is still held to this day. And it was so beautiful and picturesque that it kept me out for an hour. It passes through all the streets between 7 and 10 p.m. each night during the first week in August with an arc or coffer. [Applause] [Music] The procession consisted of three monster drums nearly the height of a man’s body covered with horsehide and strapped the drummers and upwards and 30 small drums all beaten rub dubdub without ceasing. The hundreds of people and children who followed all carried circular lanterns and rows of lanterns with a tommo on one side and two Chinese characters on the other hung from the eaves all along the line of the procession. [Music] I never saw anything more completely like a fairy scene. [Music] In fact, at the time of Bird’s Visit, the local governor had banned all festivals of this kind on the grounds they were a bad custom. But we know from her book that the people in Kuroishi were still continuing to celebrate this event. [Applause] The energy of this festival is amazing. All of the floats are so different and so colorful. The music, the energy of the people is great. It’s I can understand why Isabella was so taken by it. [Applause] 9 km to the east of the town lies Kuro Ishigen, a hotring village dating back more than 400 years. When Bird first left Tokyo, she was worried about traveling on her own through Japan. But she took a rickshaw for the first time and visited the hotring alone. In the absolute security of Japanese traveling, which I fully realized for a long time, I look back upon my fears at Sakab with a feeling of self-contempt. As she passed farms, she writes that the people living there seemed placidly contented, as if living in a simple Garden of Eden, despite their basic housing, had a considerable amount of dirt. As she completed her trip through Tohoku, she wrote a passage she titled a trembling hope in which she contemplates what her Christian god must be thinking about what she called these heathens. Many solemn queries arise in this heathen land. Such and many similar questions must suggest themselves to anyone living among these people, learning their simple virtues and simple vices, and how kind the heart is which beats under the straw cloak of the cultivator. Realizing all the time how few out of these 34 millions have heard of Christ. So Isabella is very much a product of her time and her upbringing and she clearly brings that view when she’s in Japan as well which is kind of interesting uh to see now. It’s obviously very different how people view Japan. Now, Ali Prefecture is home to the Sugaru Shamisang, which is a three-stringed banjo like instrument, and apparently Isabella was not a huge fan of it. I, however, am. I think it’s fantastic. I’m very lucky to get to see a live performance of it today. That is really exciting. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Bird frequently mentions that Shamisen music was played at the lodgings where she stayed. And she writes about the sound of this instrument which seems so alien to her ears. [Applause] More Oh. Oh. [Applause] Jon Karabushi has become a traditional folk song of Kuroishi. [Music] Played on a traditional tugu shami. This song appears to have become popular shortly before Bird’s arrival. Its powerful rapid rhythm captivated people in Japan, reflecting the new age in which they were living. [Applause] Continuing 30 kilometers farther north from Kuruishi, Bird finally reached Almori Port. About 2 months had passed since she set out from Tokyo. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] So, it’s been 140 years since Elabella’s journey through Japan, and it’s been fascinating to follow in her footsteps. and read what she wrote at the time. Now, one can hope that we are moving towards more acceptance towards diversity towards different cultures and being more tolerant of those different of us. And as I go on exploring, as I do, I want to keep in mind the importance of keeping my ears and my eyes open to other people’s experiences, their stories, the music of where I go, and learn from them and not just through my own eyes. and my own viewpoint. To reach the Hiyama District, the starting point of this section, flights from Tokyo take around 70 minutes to Odate Noshiro airport. From there, it’s another 35 minutes by car. [Music]

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Through misty cedar forests and streets astir with lively summer celebrations, 19th century explorer Isabella Bird’s journey nears Japan’s northernmost end.