Tami Kashiwabara and Joan Craig

“Living in the lap of luxury” is how Joan Craig, pro angler from London, Arkansas summarized her recent visit to Japan. Her whirlwind tour, hosted by Tami Kashiwabara, pro angler from Nagano, Japan and boyfriend Shinya left Joan with lots of memories and an appreciation for American food. Joan has asked ebassfish.com to share photos and a blog of her trip to Japan.

The Flight To Tokyo:

I had to fly from Little Rock, Arkansas to Atlanta, Georgia to catch a flight to Tokyo, Japan.. I did not sleep on the plane. I even took a pill and still did not sleep. I was too excited, I guess. It was the quietest plane I have ever been on. I was on an aisle seat with an older Japanese man and woman between me and the window. I asked them a question, but  they spoke no English.

The section of the plane where I was sitting was only half to three quarters full. The stewardess came by and asked if we were together. I said no. She asked if I would like to move so I would have more room. I told her I wanted a window seat (all but one was taken). She said I would be more comfortable in a middle section where there were 3 seats together. I was thinking this would be great because I could lay down and sleep. So, I moved and in a few minutes, a young college age boy moved into the seat at the other end of my row. So much for me lying down! It didn’t matter anyway, because when the plane left Atlanta, every window shade went down and I never saw a cloud, rain, ice or anything. Everybody was sleeping or trying to sleep. No one talked to each other very much either.

I watched 5 movies during the flight. I do not remember all the names. I guess it was like being at home, sitting in my chair like I do everyday, except without the household chores. I did speak a couple of times with the man across the aisle. He was a professor from New York of Japanese origin. He was going to Tokyo to give a speech. He slept most of the way. The young college kid said he was going to a town not far from Tokyo. He either watched movies, listened to an I Pod, or played video games. There was very little conversation during the flight.

We were served 2 meals and a sandwich snack on the flight. The food was cooked Japanese style and did not taste too bad. They served lunch just before we got off the plane in Tokyo and with that meal I ate something that did not sit well on my stomach. No matter what I drank or ate, I could not get rid of the bad taste. I drank a lot of diet coke on the plane and a small bottle of white wine served with the lunch after we left Atlanta.

The flight lasted 14 hours. The plane displayed a tracking map of the flight. When we left Atlanta, we flew NW over North and South Dakota, across Canada, across Alaska, across some of the Pacific Ocean then down the coast of Siberia to Japan. We were at 40,000 feet most of the time. I never got to see any of this with all the shades closed. I felt like I was in a big tube.

When we landed in Tokyo, it was 50 degrees. It took me 5 hours to clear immigration, baggage and customs. Tami and Shinya picked me up and we had a 4 hour drive to Nagano. A little town of 300,000 people! The traffic was worse than rush hour traffic in Little Rock. By the time we got to Nagano, I had been awake 28 hours straight.

Day 2: Sightseeing in Mountains

Tami and Shinya took me to Snow Monkey Park up in the mountains. We were hoping to see snow, but there was not any. It was about an hour drive. We parked and walked 15 minutes up the mountain. There were hot springs there and I could smell them. There were beautiful waterfalls. The monkeys came out of the mountains to play in the hot spring water. They play for about an hour or until they are full of food and then they disappear back into the mountains. Their hair looked so soft and fine. We were lucky enough to be there when the caretaker threw food to them. The monkeys were not scared of us at all.

Tami and Joan pose in front of geyser at Snow Monkey Park.

From Snow Monkey Park, we went to a museum of a famous Japanese painter, Takai Kouzan. He painted thousands of years ago. I saw hand-painted handkerchiefs and a beautiful hand-painted and carved carriage from olden times. We walked through some vendor shops in the town of Obuse and tried some bites of food. I am not sure what it was, and I did not find anything that I was just wild about. There are lots of gardening areas in this portion of the country. I saw the largest green onions I have ever seen. We went into a paper shop and it was amazing to see what the Japanese people can do with paper.

The roads are so narrow in the towns and the side of the road you drive on is opposite of what we drive on in America. Most Japanese-made cars have steering wheels on the right side. Shinya has an American-made Blazer, so his steering wheel is on the left side. I am afraid I would get mixed up if I were driving.

We left the town of Obuse and went to a hot springs spa area. I do not know the name it it, but we are staying at the spa (hotel). It is very elaborate.

Day 3: Bathing in the Hot Springs

I have bathed in hot springs 2 times and sauna 1 time so far. First, you undress and put on what they call the wraps: an obi (sash) and robe one-toed socks and house shoes. These are furnished by the Spa (hotel). You then go to a dressing room, take off everything and walk into a water area. You sit on a very low stool and bathe with a hand-held shower. You must bathe body and hair before entering the hot springs. From there you get into a pool inside a building with other women who are bathing. The water is very warm (hot). Next, you get out of the hot spring and walk outside where the air is cold and get into another pool of water.

The garden is beautiful with statues and bamboo and Japanese maple trees in full color. The building design is very pretty. The water is so hot that it makes your heart race really fast and zaps your energy. Tami kept getting in and out of the water to cool off. I thought I was tough, so I stayed in the water until we were ready to go to dinner. We went into the dressing room to put our clothes on and I got very dizzy and sick at my stomach from being over-heated. I finally had to lay down on a bench for a while. Tami brought me some cold green tea to help cool me down. After about 15 minutes, I got to where I could sit up without feeling like I was going to pass out. I got OK and got dressed.

We had a traditional old-style Japanese dinner in our room. We sat on the floor and the tables were 2 ft high. We were served food by a lady that was dressed as a Geisha, but without the makeup. She was very nice and she sat on her knees all the time she was serving us. I was served every kind of food that the old-time Japanese people eat; raw fish, shrimp, horse, tempura, grilled fish (like whole trout), steak cooked on a leaf with soy paste. There was some cooked beef and vegetables, but I didn’t recognize any of the vegetables. After the food was cooked, it was dipped in raw egg. We had apple sherbet for dessert. It was good, but different. The rest of the food was ok, for a small one-time taste, but I would never eat it again. I also had a glass of Rosa wine, some green tea and a small cup of hot sweet sake.

After dinner, Tami and I went back to the hot springs and had another bath. We did not stay as long in the hot water. You cannot believe how soft your skin is after you have been in the hot springs.

Day 4: More sightseeing!

Today we are visiting Kyoto. The leaves are in full color and they are beautiful. There is snow in Nagano since we left. I am having a great time. You cannot believe the people here. You cannot stir them with a stick. The street in the old part of town where the temple is located, is just as narrow as Nagano. It was almost impossible to walk, much less drive. Parking is the pits! There is not any land to park on.

After we had walked for about 5 hours, Tami and I took a Rickshaw ride back to get closer to where the Blazer was parked. The Rickshaw was great, but cold. Our Rickshaw driver could speak some English. He was suppose to give us a tour, but we had already walked to most all the places he was taking us. I thought he was too small to be pulling the Rickshaw, but he did a great job.

After we left the old part of Kyoto, we went to the shopping district in one of the newer parts of the city. We went in a parking garage and the attendant told us to pull in just so. We got out of the car and one of the side-walls opened up and part of the floor dropped out from under the car and the car was slid into a box in the wall. Another car pulled in and it did the same thing. When we returned to the car later that day, Tami put a ticket and some money into the machine and it said to wait 2 minutes. Then, the wall opened and there was the car. It was amazing. The way Tami explained it, the cars are put in boxes on a big wheel. I was thinking it to be like a Ferris Wheel with the seats being the boxes.

                   Tami and Joan pose in front of a temple in Kyoto.

The food here is good only for 1 bite and then I usually put it down. I have tried any and every food put in front of my face, but I am looking forward to eating in the USA. Tonight, we went to a restaurant and had boiled beef and cabbage and tofu. I only had a couple of bites. Tami and Shinya had rice, some kind of gelatin, mushrooms and tofu.

I can read prices now, but I still do not know how to count the Japanese money. Tami helps me get it out of my billfold. Finding a cup of ice in Japan is hard. Everything is in a vending machine. There is not a drive-thru McDonalds in Kyoto. There is no room for a driveway. I have had trouble finding Diet Coke in Japan. The McDonald’s sign here is brown and small. It is against the city law in Kyoto to have a red sign for a chain restaurant. I have yet to eat at a McDonalds or KFC in Japan.

Day 5: My Last Day

While in Kyoto, be stayed at the Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto. It is the plushest hotel I have ever stayed in. We were on the 10^th floor. The view was outstanding. The drive from Nagano to Kyoto was breath-taking. Shinya and Tami realized how much I really wanted to see snow, so they took me to the mountains. It was so pretty . It was the perfect snow. I threw a snowball at Shinya. Tami was freezing, so she stayed in the car. We visited a temple and then came down the mountain and went to an Olympic building and made photos of the mogul run.

The last day was great. We spent most of the day either at a temple of some kind or waiting in traffic, or hunting a parking spot. We ate dinner at the Royal Host. I had food that was almost American. It was good.


        Tami and Joan enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto on Joan's last day in Japan.

Day 6: Saying Goodbye

I am packed and ready to leave. My stay in Japan is just about over. We have to drive to the airport in Kansai. Tami gave me a gift for coming and staying with them. They paid for everything: the plane, rooms, food, gifts for my family, tickets and much more. I must say that I have been in the lap of luxury. Tami and Shinya were very gracious hosts. Although we had to say goodbye, we will see each other again in January. Tami will be returning to the USA to compete in the 2007 Women’s Bassmaster Tour. Shinya will be there as her “bass caddie”.