| Author | Message | ||
     Ld Username: Ld Registered: 01-2007 |
http://wikitravel.org/en/Naruko Naruko Gorge Nestled in the mountainous backbone of Tohoku, Naruko is located entirely within the Kurikoma Quasi-National Park. Haiku poet Matsuo Basho passed through the area on the trip that became his masterwork Narrow Road to the Deep North. By train Naruko is accessible by train on the JR East Rikū-Tōsen Line, some 40 minutes from Furukawa, an interchange station with the Tohoku Shinkansen line. By bus Direct shuttle buses to Sendai and its airport run several times a day for a cost of around ¥1500. By car National Highways 47 and 108 also pass through the area. Get around Naruko is small enough to cover on foot, although there are also intermittent bus and train services. Geta, traditional Japanese wooden sandals, are popular among visitors and can even be rented from the train station. The local proverb geta mo naruko explains why: the literal meaning is "geta are also noisemakers", a reference both to the meaning of the town name (a naruko is a castanet-like clapper, originally designed to scare away birds) and the clip-clapping sound produced by walking on geta. The volcanically active area is famous for the Naruko Hot Spring Villages (鳴子温泉郷), a cluster of 5 villages — Naruko, East Naruko, Takayamadaira, Kawatabi and Onikōbe — with abundant onsen hot springs. The reputed curative properties of the springs make them especially popular with people in ill health. * Taki no Yu (滝の湯), in central Naruko up the hill from the train station, is a traditional old wooden bathhouse with waters blended from two springs, one milky white, the other clear. Open from 7:30 AM to 10 PM daily; entry ¥150. Many of the hotels in the area also offer entry to their baths during the daytime for a reasonable fee, usually around ¥500. * The Naruko Gorge (鳴子峡) is a steep 2.5-km-long ravine famous especially for its fall colors in October/November. The gorge is 20 minutes on foot from Naruko station. * Several ski resorts operate in the winter, especially around the hot spring resort of Onikōbe [1] Naruko is one among many places to claim to have originated the kokeshi, a cylindrical wooden doll emblematic of Tohoku. The Japan Kokeshi Museum is in Naruko, and some 80 craftsmen work full-time at the art today. Most guests eat breakfast and dinner at their lodgings, but there are a number of simple eateries in town. * Sobadokoro Kobana (そば処小花) is a basic noodle joint, locally well known for its trademark free-range chicken namban (southern barbarian) style. Basic bowls start around ¥300 but the chicken version costs twice that. Sleep Mid range * Ryokan Onuma [2] (tel. 0229-83-3052) stands out from the crowd by offering no less than eight (8) separate baths to sample, one of them outside and many of them reservable for you and yours alone. Full board costs up ¥ 13,800 per person, but the cheapest long-term stays with no meals go as low as ¥3,745 per day. ================================================== Naruko Hot Spring A giant ravine formed by torrents and a hot spring with plentiful waters containing all sorts of minerals Naruko Hot Spring is in the northwest of Miyagi, and consists of Naruko Hatto Hot Springs and the neighboring Shin-yu Hot Springs. It has been a hot spring town for over 1,000 years. Out of all the springs in the spa, Naruko Hot Spring is especially well known for its fine waters. Its waters are plentiful and contain all sorts of different mineral: sulfur, which relieves hardened arteries and high blood pressure and leaves the skin feeling smooth, and alkaline that helps remedy skin diseases. Naruko Valley is a large ravine formed by Ohya-gawa River, a tributary of the Eai-gawa River that flows through Naruko Hot Spring. The river's torrents have formed fantastically shaped rocks and sheer cliffs. Nearby is Lake Kata-numa, a crater lake which changes color according to the sunlight and presents a stunning view when the leaves turn golden and orange in autumn. In winter, Naruko Ski Resort is busy with people enjoying winter sports. Naruko Hot Spring is also the place of origin of the traditional Kokeshi doll, a simple wooden doll, and is also the production center for Naruko lacquer ware, which dates back for 350 years. Nihon Kokeshi-kan(Japan Kokeshi Center Museum) displays about 7,000 Kokeshi dolls, which are notable for their elegant features and bright colors. Naruko lacquer ware shops sell a wide variety of lacquer-painted goods, from affordable items such as traditional eating utensils and modern-looking coffee cups, to high-class lacquer ware. Getting there Furukawa Station is 2 hours 15 minutes from Tokyo Station by the JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line. Naruko Onsen Station is 55 minutes from Furukawa Station on the JR Rikuu-to Line. |