Day 48-49 Selling Cakes & Resting in a Samurai Mansion in Yamaguchi
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Loading ...Just when I thought it was going to be a boring cycling day along big streets with trucks and dust, I cycled by several people waving and yelling out loud about cakes. I cycled on. For about five seconds. Wait. Cakes. Cakes?
I turned around and had to check out the opening of their new cake shop in Ube City in Yamaguchi Prefecture. They were so happy to see me turning around towards them. After getting some cookies for later, I waved on the street with them to advertise their new shop. While doing this, we saw another cyclist on the other side with big panniers, but he didn’t bother to stop here. Ah, he missed out the fun!
This is my idea of heaven! Cakes and a pink bicycle. Boring day? I can make it totally heavenly!
As I said in my previous post, around this area in Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for fresh seafood, particularly blowfish. There was even a police blowfish on this sign.
It was one windy day. I cycled against the strong headwind all day long. I rested with the cookies from the cake shop. This cookie was covered in “kinako” which is soybean powder, often used in Japanese sweets.
Cha-soba for lunch. Cha is tea. This soba (buckwheat) noodles gets the color from green tea.
Tunnels are one of the things that scare me during cycling. The sound of cars and trucks come from all around and it’s really hard to tell where they are coming from. Before every tunnel, I stop, turn on every light on my bike, and try to cycle as fast as I can to get through.
While getting beaten up by the wind, I saw the sign to Mouri’s (a samurai lord) Japanese garden in Hofu City in Yamaguchi. Look at this huge gate and my tiny bike!
When there are mountains behind a Japanese garden as if they were part of the garden, it is called shakkei, which means to “borrow a view.” Many famous Japanese gardens are often designed with the views behind their property as one whole picture. I sat on a bench here and enjoyed this huge, quiet garden.
My legs were tired from cycling in the headwind. I stretched them out in one of many huge tatami rooms in the samurai lord’s mansion. I was tempted to take a little nap…, but held myself from going that far.
Many old buildings and products have such attractive designs and are hardly old in their aesthetics. I liked these sliding doors with what I saw as clouds painted on them.
A boring day or boring life is something we create ourselves. The opposite is the same. An exciting day, an exciting life is something we create ourselves. I like doing the latter, with some sweets! What about you?
About the Author: Sachi
5 Responses to Day 48-49 Selling Cakes & Resting in a Samurai Mansion in Yamaguchi
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lol, I agree with you – I prefer the latter, too, within reason (and of course with sweets!).
I LOVE these views! Everything looks so lovely where you are! Perhaps I’ll have a chance to see everything one day, too.
I think I have a new dream to try to make happen!
It’s so nice to have dreams, and I’m glad that you’ve got a new one!
Sachi, I consider all of your lovely posts my “borrowed view.” I get so much joy reading you blog, thank you! I would have loved to visit that little bakery….
Stella,
A major reason why I’m cycling through Japan and writing about it is exactly for that reason – I want many people to enjoy it as if they were taking the trip. So glad to know that you are enjoying it, that means I’m accomplishing what I’ve set out to do
Yes I agree. I think I have learned more about Japanese culture and customs from this blog that from any other source.