Wait. Are you sleeping roadside on these travels, like in bamboo and grass?
I’m waiting for you to find breathtaking scenery. It must exist. But when I read here about red chimney stacks and then the phrase “I had expected a shimmering sea,” I thought uh oh. This trip for him is going to be a bust. (It is indeed true though that we have to search out the picturesque spots now in Japan following its seven decades of industrial, who the fuck cares self-pillaging.)
I am partial to Numazu not at all for the looks of the town but for its amazing fish markets. At least there is one reason to stop there.
Sometimes I'm sleeping roadside, sometimes I find a hotel or AirBnB. Don't worry, the next couple of days are breathtaking scenery... then I'm back in the suburbs in Tokyo! Sadly, I missed Numazu's fish markets. Walking in the middle of summer didn't help, Mount Fuji was constantly hidden in the humidity even around Hakone. The next walks definitely need to be more scenic!
Yes, from Hiroshige's prints, it certainly does look amazing! I guess the direct comparison with the UK would be the Great North Road from London to Edinburgh, all parts of which have been paved over with one road or another, so that's not much of a walker's paradise. The more ancient Ridgeway and Icknield Way tracks in England from the Stonehenge era are still footpaths or unpaved tracks for the most part though, so those are definitely a walker's paradise. The parts of the Tokaido that are on high ground (the mountain passes) are still pretty good for walking. Virtually the whole of the Ridgeway and Icknield Way are on high ground because the valleys in England were too wet and muddy and difficult to cross in ancient times.
Also, the chalk paths in the south of England look lovely.
I read Simon Armitage's "Walking Home" about his experience along the Pennine Way and it was rather good. There are also a couple of books I've downloaded from Project Gutenberg that I'm looking forward to reading: "The Old Road" (1911) and "Afoot in England" (1909).
I haven't read Simon Armitage's book yet, I've only heard about it. I will give it a try! The older books you mentioned will be interesting to look at too, definitely ones to add to the wishlist!
Sleeping outdoors can be an interesting and even nice experience, if you find the right place. Four years ago, for instance, I slept on the beach twice in Shimoda despite the warnings of my wife who already saw me as a victim of oyaji-hunting hooligans.
This morning I was walking along the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line when I found a green overgrown island in the middle of an intersection. If you are interested, I'll tell you where you can find it...
Wild.
Wait. Are you sleeping roadside on these travels, like in bamboo and grass?
I’m waiting for you to find breathtaking scenery. It must exist. But when I read here about red chimney stacks and then the phrase “I had expected a shimmering sea,” I thought uh oh. This trip for him is going to be a bust. (It is indeed true though that we have to search out the picturesque spots now in Japan following its seven decades of industrial, who the fuck cares self-pillaging.)
I am partial to Numazu not at all for the looks of the town but for its amazing fish markets. At least there is one reason to stop there.
Sometimes I'm sleeping roadside, sometimes I find a hotel or AirBnB. Don't worry, the next couple of days are breathtaking scenery... then I'm back in the suburbs in Tokyo! Sadly, I missed Numazu's fish markets. Walking in the middle of summer didn't help, Mount Fuji was constantly hidden in the humidity even around Hakone. The next walks definitely need to be more scenic!
I can only imagine the beauty of the Tokaido during the good old days. In this respect, I guess the UK is still a walker paradise.
Yes, from Hiroshige's prints, it certainly does look amazing! I guess the direct comparison with the UK would be the Great North Road from London to Edinburgh, all parts of which have been paved over with one road or another, so that's not much of a walker's paradise. The more ancient Ridgeway and Icknield Way tracks in England from the Stonehenge era are still footpaths or unpaved tracks for the most part though, so those are definitely a walker's paradise. The parts of the Tokaido that are on high ground (the mountain passes) are still pretty good for walking. Virtually the whole of the Ridgeway and Icknield Way are on high ground because the valleys in England were too wet and muddy and difficult to cross in ancient times.
Also, the chalk paths in the south of England look lovely.
I read Simon Armitage's "Walking Home" about his experience along the Pennine Way and it was rather good. There are also a couple of books I've downloaded from Project Gutenberg that I'm looking forward to reading: "The Old Road" (1911) and "Afoot in England" (1909).
I haven't read Simon Armitage's book yet, I've only heard about it. I will give it a try! The older books you mentioned will be interesting to look at too, definitely ones to add to the wishlist!
Sleeping outdoors can be an interesting and even nice experience, if you find the right place. Four years ago, for instance, I slept on the beach twice in Shimoda despite the warnings of my wife who already saw me as a victim of oyaji-hunting hooligans.
Yes, finding the right place is crucial! Also, the right time of year. I wouldn't recommend the height of summer!
This morning I was walking along the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line when I found a green overgrown island in the middle of an intersection. If you are interested, I'll tell you where you can find it...
That sounds perfect! Now I find myself constantly looking out for good places to sleep outside, it becomes a mindset.