timestamps:
0:00-3:12: day 4 (osaki)
3:12-6:35: day 5 (osaki)
6:35-10:46: day 6 (akita)
on days 4 through 6 of me and my host family’s road trip from tokyo to hokkaido, we stayed at fukiagekogen campground in osaki, miyagi prefecture for 2 nights. the towns of onikoube and naruko onsen are known for traditional kokeshi dolls and naruko gorge, a beautiful valley that is best viewed during the autumn season. while in osaki, we enjoyed hikes through the town, the stillness of nature, and the campground’s open air onsen.
we then drove a few hours to shin tamagawa onsen in akita prefecture, stopping at misato, a roadside stop (or michi no eki) along the way for souvenirs and local goods. at misato, we came across fresh, locally grown produce, another stop on the stamp rally map, and masks of namahage, creatures from japanese folklore originating from akita prefecture. people would usually dress up like the oni and go around at festivals or pre planned houses to scare badly behaved or lazy children.
as we neared the hotel, the mountains became steeper, and the visibility foggier. the secluded onsen hotel nestled in the mountains was surrounded by nature as well as geothermal rocks that myself and the kids explore in the next video. we spent the rest of the day relaxing at the onsen, eating dinner, doing laundry, and settling into our room.
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music (in order):
“new seeds” — globuldub :
“howling fjord” — globuldub :
“reality check” — globuldub :
“it’s about the journey” — globuldub :
“weather report” — bonus points :
“van trip” — globuldub :
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