Man, what a day! Seriously, I’m still reeling from all the craziness in Nishinoomote. I mean, I thought I was just gonna chill and teach a few classes, but nope! Life had other plans.
So, I wake up in my tiny hotel room on Nishinoomote’s main drag, Kōen-dōri. The sun’s shining, birds are chirping, and I’m like, “Today’s gonna be a breeze.” Ha! Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First off, I head to this little café called Café Kaze. It’s got the best matcha latte ever. I’m talking about the kind that makes you wanna dance. But guess what? They ran out of matcha! Like, how do you run out of matcha in Japan? I was so mad! I mean, c’mon, it’s like running out of rice! So, I settle for a sad cup of black coffee. Ugh.
After that, I stroll down to the Nishinoomote City Museum. It’s this cute little place, right by the Nishinoomote Port. I’m all excited to learn about the local history, but the exhibit on the local fishing culture was closed. Closed! I mean, what’s the point of being a visiting professor if I can’t even see the local stuff? I was fuming.
But then, I meet this old dude named Mr. Tanaka. He’s like, “Hey, you look lost!” I’m like, “Yeah, kinda.” He starts telling me about the history of Nishinoomote, and suddenly, I’m all ears. This guy’s a walking encyclopedia! He tells me about the famous Nishinoomote Festival. Apparently, it’s a big deal, and I totally wanna check it out.
So, I’m feeling better, right? I thank Mr. Tanaka and head to the Nishinoomote Shrine. It’s beautiful, man. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and I’m just standing there, soaking it all in. I snap a few pics for the ‘gram. Gotta show off, right?
But then, outta nowhere, this kid runs into me. Like, full-on tackle mode. I drop my phone, and I’m like, “Dude, what the heck?” The kid just giggles and runs off. I’m standing there, half-laughing, half-annoyed. Kids, man.
After that, I decide to grab some lunch. I hit up this little ramen joint on Shimozato Street. Best decision ever! The ramen is so good, I almost cry. Seriously, it’s like a warm hug in a bowl. I’m slurping away, and the owner, this sweet lady, keeps refilling my bowl. I’m like, “I’m gonna explode!” But I can’t stop.
Then, I get a text from my colleague. She’s like, “Hey, wanna join me for a hike?” I’m like, “Sure, why not?” So, we head to Mount Kaimon. The views are insane! But the hike? Oh man, it’s brutal. I’m sweating buckets, and my legs are screaming. But when we finally reach the top, it’s like, whoa. The view of the ocean and the city is breathtaking. Totally worth it.
But then, the weather turns. Outta nowhere, it starts pouring! I’m soaked, my hair’s a mess, and I’m laughing like a maniac. My colleague’s like, “This is the worst!” But I’m just standing there, drenched, thinking, “This is the best worst day ever!”
We finally make it back down, and I’m just ready to crash. But wait! There’s a street food market on Kōen-dōri! I can’t resist. I grab some yakitori and it’s like heaven on a stick. I’m munching away, and I see Mr. Tanaka again. He waves me over, and we end up chatting about life, food, and everything in between.
By the end of the day, I’m exhausted but happy. Nishinoomote, you’ve been a wild ride! I’m angry, I’m happy, I’m soaked, but I wouldn’t trade this day for anything. I can’t wait to tell my students about all this madness.
So yeah, that was my day. Just another day in Nishinoomote, right?