Toyama, Japan--The feeling

Kani (Crab)--one of Toyama's premium dishes

Ryokan

Tateyama mountain range

Women washing vegetables in a communal washing area

            Toyama, Japan is located in the center of Japan’s Honshu island bordering the Sea of Japan. Toyama is a haven for a nature lover for it is lined with beautiful mountain ranges, ocean, rivers, and plains. Although Toyama is a great touristic spot, the feeling that one can experience in Toyama is very useful for discussion. When walking into a little village near the ocean, it is so quiet there aren't noises of kids playing or anyone talking. You might have the urge to ask yourself “where is everyone?” But Toyama is about the small community of hard workers. For example, there are several washing sites located around villages that use water from pure river flows coming from the mountains. Even though the water might be freezing, women can come here to wash laundry, wash vegetables, collect drinking water and chat while doing these menial tasks. They are enjoying the simple tasks of life by incorporating a sense of community. We stayed at a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese style hotel, where an old women by the name of ookami-san treated us with warmth and kindness. The ryokan had been in her family for several generations and she herself lived and took care of the house with delicacy. Each room had a story and she cherished each guest in the house. This sincere, hardworking personality is customary of Japan’s older generation as well as the people who live in the country side of Japan. I find them to be generous and hospitable as well as filled with grains of knowledge about Japan that can be useful for getting the feel for “real” Japan.