October 28, 2003
In the Nikko of time
I hate waiting. Thankfully, in Tokyo, the well-oiled machine ensures (mostly) that everything runs on time. Unfortunately, not always so for the inaka tourist traps. This weekend in the wilds of Nikko National Park, the machine went horribly wrong.
We thought we'd be sweet - go up on Sunday afternoon, stay the night (at Lodge Narusawa - highly recommended!) then sightsee all of Monday. It wasn't a public holiday so we figured the crowds wouldn't be a problem. Bup-Bow. WRONG!
Our first stop yesterday morning was the huge and fascinating temple complex on Nikko-San. Hato Bus Tours must have been having half-price pensioner Monday or something, as everywhere we turned, obattalions were pushing and prodding and generally pissing us off with their....erm...obattalionness.
There was, of course, a reason for the crowds - "Momijigari" ("Autumn Leaves Viewing") and up in Tochigi, the leaves are frikking stunning. Nikko is one of the most popular places for it and on arrival in the sleepy town, tourists (ahem... us!) get bitten by the red, orange and yellow foliage virus and promptly turn rabid.
We thought it would be nice to make the 50 minute journey out to Lake Chuzenji to escape the crowds. 90 minutes later we arrived at the lake which was, well, a lake. Pretty average. Overly touristy and commercialised, and when will the Japanese learn that they don't have to put a swan-shaped pedal boat on every lake in Japan?
We didn't mind the trip up, which was bumper-to-bumper, as it was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. The lake is high up in the mountains, which were coated with Autumn. You see, I have this thing about maple leaves. I f.u.c.k.i.n.g love them. I love them so much, I had one permanently etched on my butt. So, in spite of the fact that Matt and I were still barfing up our respective lungs, I had to see them and for some reason I had to see them in one of the most popular places in Japan. I should be shot.
What the "well-oiled machine" hadn't reckoned on was hundreds of thousands of sightseeing Cujos, frothing up the roads...
At around 2.30, we queued to wait for the bus to take us back to Nikko Station. Behind about 100 people. Buses are scheduled every 30 minutes regardless of season, so when no-one had moved at 3.00 it was no big deal. 3.30 a bus arrived and took 50 people. At 3.45, with the queue winding half-way up the street, train attendents confirmed that there was a problem, and 4 buses were dispatched from Nikko station. Keep in mind that the journey was a decent 2 hours in the godawful traffic.
Finally, at 4.30 one of the en-route buses arrived, and ferried Matt and I away. As we departed from Chuzenji there were still about 300-400 people waiting (if you're reading this and you were one of them - we feel your pain!)
I'm constantly amazed at the Japanese laidback attitude toward the squeaky machine. They sigh and say "Zannen, ne!" (too bad, yeah!) or "Shoganai" (it can't be helped). NO! NOT too bad! 2 hours of waiting for a bus sure as hell CAN be helped. Put more buses on during the busy season, people! It's not like you've never had a packed out Autumn before. SORT IT OUT!
The feistier Japanese frown and say, "Taihen, desu ne!" meaning, in context, "This is pretty fucking average"...
Back in Tokyo now. Virus abated. Calm. Looking forward to "Snow-Viewing-Season".
