Totsukawa Village: Travels in Japan Beyond Tokyo and Kyoto
Most people who have been to Japan have visited Tokyo and Kyoto. A simple search online will provide a list of various festivals, unbelievable options of food and things to do. However, to my surprise, more than 80% of Japanese land is green forests. So, finally, on my fifth visit to Japan, I wanted to capture some of this scenic beauty and explore the prefectures of Wakayama and Nara with the help of my Japanese friends.
While many places that can be your centre spot to stay and explore one that is calm, serene, and right on the border of these prefectures is, Totsukawa village.
STAY in TOTSUKAWA VILLAGE
Totsukawa village is not any generic village, it is a perfect dream spot of any nature lover who wants to get away from the hustle-bustle of the city and also experience a relaxing (read healing) and contemporary Japanese stay.
During this trip, and for the first time, I stayed at a ryokan. This provided me the opportunity to experience tatami mats and kotatsu (tables fitted with heaters underneath) which will require experience stories of their own.
Totsukawa village, due to its amazing geographical location has three hot springs. Many of the ryokans in the village, have a community bath (another unique Japanese experience) and are built to receive water directly from the hot springs.
During one of these day trips, we drove to Dorokyo. This is a beautiful gorge located right at the intersection of three prefectures, Mie, Wakayama, and Nara. Regular boat trips are available where guide talks about the history and the beautiful shape of many of the rocks (in Japanese). A cafe which used to be a hotel is also located where you can sit and enjoy the scenic view while reading a book or having a leisurely conversation.
Another fun day trip from Totsukawa village is to the famous Nachi falls in Wakayama. Undoubtedly, these falls must have made it the preferred location to build the beautiful and holy shrine of Kumanonachi Taisha. The visit to the shrine can be done with a beautiful hike through the woods and then to the falls. It can be somewhat crowded and still a must-visit for its beauty. We started later in the day and were again back to our sweet and peaceful village by the night.
When it comes to a travel story about Japan, it will be a crime to skip mentioning food. As we were staying in a village, I was unsure of how the food will compare to the likings of Tokyo and Kyoto!
Once again our ryokan amazed me. Nara is one of the few prefectures of Japan that does not have direct access to the coast. At the same time, it is famous for boars and a variety of mushrooms, especially in fall. This provided us an exquisite experience of Japanese food. Every morning we had filling breakfast while we went to explore and every evening we had the most delicious meal with a huge variety. Every room has its own dining space making this experience more personal and unique.
This trip has let me see Japan in a new manner. I am sure my future trips will include a visit to these lesser-known and equally amazing places.
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