{"id":2629,"date":"2015-10-08T13:47:37","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T04:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-10-08\/2629"},"modified":"2015-10-08T13:47:37","modified_gmt":"2015-10-08T04:47:37","slug":"touring-the-countryside-of-otsu-city-with-its-mayor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-10-08\/2629","title":{"rendered":"Touring the Countryside of Otsu City with its Mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 48mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 3200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMy New Photography Assistant<\/span>\nNaomi Koshi, who moonlights as the mayor of the City of Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan\n\u50d5\u306e\u64ae\u5f71<\/span>\u30a2\u30b7\u30b9\u30bf\u30f3\u30c8\u3001\u8d8a\u76f4\u7f8e<\/span>\u3055\u3093<\/b>\n(\u30a2\u30b7\u30b9\u30bf\u30f3\u30c8\u4ee5\u5916\u306e\u526f\u696d\u306f\u6ecb\u8cc0\u770c\u5927\u6d25\u5e02\u306e\u5e02\u9577\u3067\u3059\uff09\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The other day I got to participate in a relaxing<\/span> countryside tour in the\ncity of Otsu, next to Kyoto. The tour company<\/span>, Tour du Lac Biwa<\/a> (“<\/span>Lake Biwa Tours”<\/span>),\nspecializes in unique experiences of things not generally open to the\npublic (even to Japanese) combined with countryside food and hospitality,\nall presented in English.<\/p>\n\n

When I've gone on tours by them in the past (including this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, and this<\/a>) it's usually been\nas a “<\/span>test foreigner”<\/span> to give them feedback as they design their tours, and\nto share my photos with them. It's a symbiotic<\/span> relationship, where I get<\/span> to\ndo really fun stuff I'd not normally have access to (unless I paid<\/span> to go on\nthe tour, of course), and they get my considered opinion and some pictures\nfor their web site.<\/p>\n\n

My blog write-ups about my experiences with them probably sound like\nadvertisements; I think<\/span> they're really great and\nthe time I had<\/span> with them was one I want<\/span> to share. I've been living in Japan on and off\nfor 25 years, yet these tours have let me experience new things most\nJapanese don't even get to do.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, this time was a bit different, as they were hosting the mayor of\nOtsu, the city where most of their tours take place, to show what they as a\ntour<\/span> company are doing to promote the area, and to explore how to work\ntogether with the local government. I was one<\/span> of three long-term foreign\nresidents of Japan invited to join the discussion (and the tour) with the\nmayor.<\/p>\n\n

Otsu is a medium-sized city with a population<\/span> on par with Honolulu or\nAnaheim, and in land area with San Jose or New Orleans. Being immediately\nadjacent to both Kyoto and Japan's largest lake has garnered it a rich<\/span> part\nof Japan's history, yet the separation from Kyoto by a small<\/span> line of\nmountains has kept much of it free from the urban sprawl that has been\ncrowding out Kyoto's nature more and more over the last 1,200 years.<\/p>\n\n

The Mayor of Otsu for the last several years has been Naomi Koshi, who\nsurprised me both by showing up in jeans and a T-shirt, and by being fluent\nin English. Her clothes<\/span> were perfectly appropriate for the activity, but\nsomehow I had<\/span> a more<\/span> stuffy pre-conceived image of “<\/span>The Mayor”<\/span>. Seeing her\nthis way made me feel immediately comfortable.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 42mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPre-Tour Briefing<\/span>\nat Shiga Station (\u6ecb\u8cc0\u99c5), Otsu City\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It turns out that Naomi is a Harvard-educated lawyer who has practiced law in both New York\nand Tokyo. She grew up<\/span> here in Otsu.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 32mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 110 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBicycle Introduction<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The adventure this time was a version of Tour du Lac's “<\/span>Lake\nBiwa Electric Bike Tour<\/a>”<\/span>, abbreviated in several spots to accommodate\nthe mayor's schedule.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 58mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe Entourage Departs<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The bikes are electrically assisted, so it's not at all the cycling that I do<\/span><\/a>,\nbut it certainly was a perfect<\/span> fit for a relaxing<\/span> tour because we could go\nup into the hills with absolutely no effort.<\/p>\n\n

The bikes used by NORU tours in Kyoto, which I've written about\nbefore<\/a>, are not electrically assisted, but they don't need to be because of the\nflat routes they take. On this tour<\/span> in Shiga, we'd be going way up to a\nrice<\/span> field in the hills, so the electric motors were much appreciated. It took a<\/span> bit of experience to figure out that paradoxically, the less effort\nyou put, the faster you went: the electronic motor would do all the work if\nyou just lightly moved the pedals, but would scale back to leave you in\nfull control of the power if you leaned into it.<\/p>\n\n

So, the entourage of cyclists, TV crews, newspaper reporters,\nphotographers, tour staff and city staff headed out for the day's\ntour...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFirst Stop<\/span>\nJuge Shrine (\u6a39\u4e0b\u795e\u793e)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Despite being just a few minutes from the station, the area was\nremarkably serene. Normally the tour would go in to explore the shrine\narea, but on our abbreviated tour we merely stopped for a photo.<\/span>..<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPhoto Op<\/span>\none of many\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The next stop a short distance away was at the house of local artisan\nMasao Iwasaki, who specializes in a distinctive<\/span> type of pottery.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAt Masao Iwasaki's House<\/span>\n\u5ca9\u5d0e\u653f\u96c4\u306e\u5bb6\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

His house is hundreds of years old with a lovely<\/span> thatched roof, but due\nto the abbreviated schedule of the day, I didn't<\/span> get a chance<\/span> to explore it\nwith my camera as much as I would<\/span> have liked.<\/p>\n\n

He's turned one of the rooms into a\ngallery<\/span>\/showroom<\/a> open to the outside, so you can just walk up to check\nout his work....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooks Marshmallowy Soft <\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

We stole a few moments to go inside...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 1250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWide Variety of Pieces<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 42mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 160 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDistinctive<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

His style is quite distinctive, and can perhaps be a bit<\/span> overwhelming when so much is displayed together in one presentation,\nso I found<\/span> it better to concentrate on an individual piece at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 48mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDimpley-Face Bowl (\u3048\u304f\u307c\u9262)<\/span>\n$50 plus tax\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPhoto Op with the Mayor<\/span>\nthe artist and the mayor photographed by the artist's wife\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 45mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 4500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOne Of His Works<\/span>\nin situ<\/i>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 40mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOn The Move Again<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLakeside Park<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLovely Day<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The little park is one that you literally won't find on the map, but the\nlocals (such as the tour leaders) know it and bring their kids to play in\nthe water, or do yoga in front of the wonderful view. There's nothing\nparticularly special<\/i> about the place... it's just a quiet,<\/span> lovely\nplace to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRiding Along the Lake<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

You may recognize this general view as one that appeared often in “<\/span>Pleasant 105km\nBike Ride From Kyoto, Along Lake Biwa, to Takashima\u2019s Shirohige Shrine<\/a>”<\/span>.\nIt was, as seems to be the theme for this tour, lovely<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nShino-san<\/span>\none of the tour leaders\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Abbreviated Shrine Stop<\/span>\nThe Hassho Shrine (\u516b\u6240\u795e\u793e)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This shrine played a part in Japan's war-torn history 500 years ago,\nsaving some important relics from a powerful<\/span> warlord trying to obliterate\nall opposition in the region. But on our<\/span> abbreviated time table, we didn't\ndo more than stop by the parking lot.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading Up into the Hills<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSteep!<\/span>\nthe ease of the battery assist made the cyclist in me feel ashamed \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStill Going Up<\/span>\npassing by rice hung to dry\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 58mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 140 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNot Your Typical Tourist Activity<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 62mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStill Heading Up<\/span>\nvery much appreciating the battery\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAlmost There<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nIntroductions<\/span>\nthe 86-year-old man in the blue hat is the chief elder of the local farming community\nwho told us stories about farming in the area when he was a child<\/span> in the 1930s\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nExpansive View<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRice Harvest<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I've written about the rice harvest many times,\nsuch as “<\/span>Stages of the Rice Harvest<\/a>”<\/span>\nand\n“<\/span>The Rice Harvest, Old-School<\/a>”<\/span>, and\nmany others (including\nhere<\/a>,\nhere<\/a>, and\nhere<\/a>). This tour would be the first\ntime I'd actually get to try it myself.<\/p>\n\n

(This part of the tour is obviously seasonal, so I suppose<\/span> other times of the year you might participate in\nplanting, or just visiting.)<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 55mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFruits (so to speak) of his Labor<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 55mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nVery Sharp Sickle<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

As the farmer explained how to harvest rice, he pointed at the blade of the sickle and, well, let me quote him:\n“<\/span>It's very sharp, so if you cut your finger, it hurts<\/i>.”<\/span><\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDeep Experiential Knowledge<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This is perhaps just the curious geek in me, but I love<\/span> to listen to experts talk about things I know<\/span> little about.\nFor example, the Sarah of my recent post “<\/span>Bridget and Sarah\u2019s Tour-de-Kyoto<\/a>”<\/span>\nis an expert in food preparation on a huge<\/span> mass-market scale (e.g. preparing 100,000 boxed lunches for an airline or supermarket chain). I'm familiar<\/span> with the end product but have only a vague<\/span> imagination for the challenges that go into the design and preparation\nof that end product, so I find<\/span> it fascinating when someone can shed real light on it. As I chatted<\/span> with Sarah, I sensed<\/span> in her\na “<\/span>this must be really boring and no one ever asks me about this stuff<\/i>”<\/span> reaction, but I found<\/span> it interesting.<\/p>\n\n

So in the same way, I found it interesting as the community elder\nexplained a difference<\/span> in how they tie the rice bundle now compared to when\nhe was a kid.<\/span> I didn't<\/span> even fully grasp what he was saying, but was\nfascinated by the fact that it was something that anyone gave a thought<\/span> to.\nBut, of course, they must give it a lot<\/span> of thought, as it's an important\npart of the process; if the knot fails or is too tight, rice production\nsuffers. Such detailed thought about such a seemingly<\/span>-trivial issue\nillustrates to me how much thought must go behind so many aspects of life\nthat we don't have a personally<\/span>-detailed understanding about.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 48mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTying the Bundle with Debbie<\/span>\nDebbie is the mom of Anthony's friend, Kenny<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHarvesting Like a Boss<\/span><\/span>\nSteve Burkholder swings the sickle for the first time\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I gave it a try as well. The sickle is indeed very sharp and easily cuts through the rice stalks.\nFour cut handfuls make a bundle<\/span> to be tied...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 110 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTying my First Bundle<\/span>\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOver Here to Hang It...<\/span>\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHang it to Dry<\/span>\nafter about a week, it'll be ready for deshucking and consumption\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading Back for More<\/span>\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPhoto Op<\/span>\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 44mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFun New Experiences<\/span>\nthe mayor grew up here, but had never done this\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 32mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHaming It Up for the Camera<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 32mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMore Serious For the Camera<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nJapanese Sake Made From This Rice<\/span>\none of nature's more enjoyable bounties\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The rice we're harvesting is a special rice intended for sake (Japanese\nrice wine) production. I asked<\/span> how it was different from normal Japanese\nwhite rice, but I didn't<\/span> fully understand the subtle nuances. I asked<\/span> in\nJapanese; I should<\/span> have asked in English through one of the tour\nleaders.<\/p>\n\n

In any case, the sake is made at an old brewery in downtown Otsu that\none can visit as part of a\nseparate<\/span> “<\/span>culinary feast”<\/span> tour<\/a>. I did this<\/span> tour last year and to my shame\nI haven't<\/span> written about it yet, but it was really interesting. Public\naccess to the brewery is normally limited to just a modern<\/span> storefront, but\nas members of the tour we were ushered through the back door into the\nbowels of the 100-year-old complex, where we were given a tour<\/span> (and samples!) by the n<\/i>th<\/sup>-generation headmaster brewer\nrunning the place.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 36mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMayoral Duties<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPhoto Op<\/span>\nphoto by Hiromi Kawaguchi<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 220 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Historical Stopping Point<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

On the way to the next part of the tour we stopped for just a minute<\/span> at\na mini<\/span> shrine related to one of the bigger ones we'd stopped at earlier,\nfor another touch-point on the history of the area. I think<\/span> more interesting to the\nforeign visitor is how the mini shrine (at the left of the\nphoto above) seems to be on the property of the nearby houses, such as the one\nbeing gestured to on the right.<\/p>\n\n

The shrine and its historical significance are a source<\/span> of pride to the community,\nand part of that pride is evident in how the line between personal and shared space is\nmore flexible than what we're used to in The West. Having lived here so\nlong I've gotten used to it, but this was the first time it was pointed out\nto me so clearly. It's one of<\/span> the many little tidbits that make Japan so\n“<\/span>foreign”<\/span> and interesting to western visitors.<\/p>\n\n

We then visited a couple of houses in the community...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRice-Cooking Stove<\/span>\n\u7b2c\u4e00\u7ac8 \u842c\u80fd\u578b\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The stove above immediately caught my eye as looking old and interesting, especially with the style of writing on\nit that says in Japanese “<\/span>No. 1 Stove”<\/span> and “<\/span>Newest Style”<\/span>, and in English script “<\/span>Lead Type”<\/span>\n(which I suppose<\/span> is a reference<\/span> to a kind<\/span> of metal rather than leadership, but without hearing it pronounced correctly it's up for speculation).<\/p>\n\n

So while I'm writing this article I was<\/span> surprised to find that this\nstove is still for sale\nnew<\/a> for $700. Seems a bit<\/span> pricey, but perhaps it'll pay for itself\nbecause it burns the discarded husks left over after the rice\nharvest...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 52mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 3600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Deep Inside<\/span>\nrice husks and a bit of dry pine to get things started\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 44mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nQuickly Raging<\/span>\nthe design makes it burn very hot very quickly, like a rocket<\/span> engine\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

There's rice and water in the pot being held above. It's put on<\/span> the stove and that's it: in 15 minutes the rice is ready to eat.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRice Cooker<\/span>\nmodern convenience\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

While the rice was cooking, we moved to the house of one of the farmers, and had\na lovely<\/span> bento lunch made with local produce.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 5000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nUnwrapping Our Lunches<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLovely Presentation<\/span>\nthe beauty and practicality of a furoshiki<\/a> cloth\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 36mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 5600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nYummy<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 3600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nYummy<\/span>\nthe aforementioned sake\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBag of Rice<\/span>\nshowing off the results of an earlier harvest\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nInterview<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

There were two separate TV crews following us around. The national<\/span> broadcaster (NHK)\nran this video<\/a> that evening.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 60mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2500 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTypical Countryside Scene<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The lady tending the garden in front of her house had nothing to do with the day's events, but she happened to be nearby\nand happened to be working on her garden, and since it made a quaint<\/span> scene, I thought<\/span> to snap a photo.<\/span> But just as<\/span> I was<\/span> about\nto take the photo, one of the tour leaders also noticed her and started chatting like the neighbors they were, to which the happy smile\nwas added to the scene.<\/p>\n\n

We said good-by to the Mayor Koshi, who was taken away by car, and to\nthe news crews who then went their separate ways. We then had<\/span> another\npleasant ride back along the lake to the train station where we'd started\nout....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The lakeshore was lined with flowers, so I had<\/span> to stop everyone for one last photo op...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNice Memory of a Nice<\/span> Day<\/span>\nThe three ladies in the foreground are the bilingual tour leaders\nthe man is Mr. Fujiwara from the Otsu City office of tourism\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

So that was my Tuesday. At the risk of overusing the word, it was a lovely<\/span> day.<\/p>\n\n

One of my favorite photos of the day was one of the first I took,<\/span> shooting backwards as we rode up a hill<\/span> to the first\nshrine. I had hoped<\/span> the focus would be on the mayor, but her smile was so big that it's clearly evident even out of focus,\ncomplimented by Steve's in-focus smile:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nIll-Composed, Poorly-Focused, Tilted<\/span>\nbut it sums up the day perfectly\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The other day I got to participate in a relaxing countryside tour in the city of Otsu, next to Kyoto. The tour company, Tour du Lac Biwa (\"Lake Biwa Tours\"), specializes in unique experiences of things not generally open to the public (even to Japanese) combined with countryside food and hospitality, all presented in English.<\/p>

\u3053\u306e\u9593\u3001\u9762\u767d\u3044\u4e8b\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002\u3053\u306e\u30f4\u30a3\u30c7\u30aa\uff08NHK\u3088\u308a\uff09\u306f\u7c21\u5358\u306b\u8aac\u660e\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>

When I've gone on tours by them in the past (including this, this, this, and this) it's usually been as a \"test foreigner\" to give them feedback as they design their tours, and to share my photos with them. It's a symbiotic relationship, where [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2,6,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

\u3053\u306e\u9593\u3001\u9762\u767d<\/span>\u3044\u4e8b\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002\u3053\u306e\u30f4\u30a3\u30c7\u30aa\uff08NHK\u3088\u308a\uff09<\/a>\u306f\u7c21\u5358<\/span>\u306b\u8aac\u660e<\/span>\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n