Japan Hour: Road Trip To Nankai Electric Railway (Part 1)
(Local lines) There is still a lot to see in Japan. A spontaneous trip on a local line across Japan. Let's walk freely.
We will surely find beautiful scenery and heart-warming encounters. From the first station to the last, we'll look for places that cannot be found in guidebooks. The locals always know the best places. So all aboard on this trip of enquiry and discovery! This time, the journey takes place on the Koya Line of Nankai Electric Railway, which departs from the centre of Osaka Prefecture and heads into the wild mountains of Wakayama Prefecture. The great nature of Kii mountain range and colourful autumn leaves spread outside the train windows.
Koyasan, a World Heritage Site, is just beyond the terminal station. (Koyasan, a World Heritage Site) Let's make a stopover and discover great places in Japan. I thought Izumo Taisha was in Shimane Prefecture. -It's as nice as the main shrine. -Amazing. Is there a hidden spot in the shrine grounds here? Sorry? A mysterious building found only through enquiring the locals, and a village linked to Yukimura Sanada.
This is impressive. However... This doesn't go to Hashimoto! What? Am I wrong? There's nobody on the platform. I'm starting to panic.
The journey is filled with unexpected events. The shrine is that way. -What? -It's a long walk.
What? A spontaneous two-day overnight journey without solid plans! This feels nice. Let's get started! Our spontaneous local line journey of enquiry and discovery! (Spontaneous local line journey of enquiry and discovery) The journey begins in Naniwa Ward in Osaka City, where Tsutenkaku Tower is located. (Naniwa Ward, Osaka City) This is where Shiomibashi Station, the first station on the Nankai Electric Railway Koya Line, is located. -Good morning. -Good morning. -It's quite early. -Yes, it is. The weather is perfect.
Did you bring good weather? Yes, I definitely did. Good. I always bring rain. -Really? But today it will be fine. -I'm glad to hear that. -Thank you very much. -I'm sure of that. -It'd be terrible if it rains on the trip. -Yeah, I agree.
Our travellers are Satoshi Jinbo, who joins the show for the fourth time, and Yumi Morio, joining the show for the first time, who worked with Mr Jinbo on a TV series 20 years ago. -The train we'll take today... -Yes? is the Koya Line of Nankai Electric Railway. It's my first time taking this line. Me too. It looks quite retro.
-Yeah, I thought so too. -It looks retro. There's a lot of information about Koyasan. You're right.
It's a World Heritage Site. There's barely any travel guide. A World Heritage Site. Incredible.
It is a World Heritage Site, and also... Is this for this year? Yes, it's been 1,200 years since it was established. -Amazing. -It's an important year for them. Amazing.
-Here is Shiomibashi Station. -Okay. From here... -This is the Koya Line. -I see. This splits into three lines, and the Koya Line is the green one.
-Okay. -There are quite a lot of stations. -That's a lot! -You're right. We're trying to go to Koyasan, the terminal station, right? Wait. This is a cable car.
Let's go there at the end. -Great. There are quite a lot of stations. -Yeah, there are. Looking at station names, are there any that catch your eye? -How about Asakayama? It costs 260 yen. -Asakayama. -It's a good time to see autumn leaves. -Exactly.
From the name, I picture that there are nice parks around the station. (Osaka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture) Our duo will first head to Asakayama Station based on Ms Morio's intuition. Let's hope that they'll find beautiful scenery. (Asakayama) Two tickets. Do you ever take trains? No. You don't, do you? I don't go out of my house a lot.
-Is that true? -I love staying home. -Really? -Yes, I love staying home. I'm happiest when I'm at home working on a colouring book. For Ms Morio, this trip will be a big adventure. I haven't bought a ticket in a while. The train is arriving at the platform.
Have a great journey of enquiry and discovery! (Established in 1885) The Nankai Electric Railway was established in 1885 and it was originally called Hankai Electric Railway. The Koya Line, connecting Shiomibashi Station and Gokurakubashi Station was opened in 1929. Now, in commemoration of the 1,200th anniversary of Koyasan, special express trains are in operation. (Red Koya, Purple Koya, Black Koya) (9:10 am) Now it's time to leave.
Let's hope for great encounters! The Nankai Koya Line is a local line that connects Osaka and Wakayama prefectures. There are 41 stations in total, and the line has a total distance of 64.5 kilometres. From the terminal station, a cable car is available to go to the World Heritage Site Koyasan. Their goal is to get recommendations from local residents and create an original travel guide with 10 entries. The only things they can use are a timetable and a map.
The train runs through the city centre of Osaka. We're in a big city. You're right. There are many buildings. We're still in the city centre. To take the Koya Line, they need to transfer at Kishinosato-Tamade Station.
-We need to transfer. -This way. Today, let's have fun visiting different places. -This looks great. -Yeah. It's long too. Perfect timing for a transfer.
-Nice. -The 1,200th anniversary. They're promoting it a lot. -A lot. -Yeah, they're promoting it a lot. Yeah, quite a bit. The doors are closing.
After making the transfer, our duo heads to Asakayama Station, which is five stations away. If anything stands out to you, -please let me know. -Okay. -We can get off. -I understand. Shall we ask someone? Yeah.
Can we ask you some questions? Good morning. Can we talk to you? -We're going to a place called Asakayama. -We're all standing around him. Is there anything in Asakayama? -There's nothing famous there. -No? Where are you going? I went to school but since I'm sick... -You're going home? -Yes.
-You're sick? -Sorry to bother you when you are sick. Is there any place along this train line that you recommend? There's nothing in Asakayama, right? Near Abikomae Station, they have trams, and there is a garage for the trams. You might be able to see some trams there. I live near Abikomae Station. -That's why you know so well. -Yes. I see.
They have a sudden change of plans here. They decide to get off at Abikomae Station, one station before Asakayama. Abikomae Station. (Abikomae Station) The train arrives at Abikomae Station. It'd be great to see a tram garage.
-Let's go. -Feel better soon! Over there. Take care. Thank you very much. (Shiomibashi, Abikomae, Gokurakubashi) -Which way should we go? -Yeah. Which way should we go, Shirausu? -This way? Thank you. -Go straight and you'll see a track. -Turn right there. -Okay.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you very much. -Take care. -Take care. I forgot to check the timetable. How do I read this? It makes no sense. -Around 10 o'clock... -Do you get it? -I guess there's a train at 10:42 am. -10:42 am.
Over here? They walk for 15 minutes from the station. That way? -That's it! -I see it. I see it.
They look like toy trains. -With those colours. -You're right. So cute.
-This one looks cute. -I like this one. -It's blue and yellow. -I'm sure kids love these. Nice! -This one too. -There are old-fashioned ones too. Yeah! This is great.
I like the one in the back. This is a nice garage. Hankai Tramway is the only tramway in Osaka Prefecture and it runs through Sakai City. (Hankai Tramway, Abiko Garage) Since its opening in 1897, it has been known locally as the "Chinden". There are currently 38 cars in total, and 30 are covered in advertisements in different colours. All of which can be seen here at Abiko Garage.
It's backlit. We look like Hayashiya Pe and Pa. That's true. (Entry 1) The first entry in the guidebook, Abiko Garage of Chinden trams which are popular among the locals. We need to decide where to go next. -Yeah. -We haven't decided yet.
What about Asakayama? -Asakayama. -Should we go? Let's forget about Asakayama. Are you sure? -The boy told us there's nothing there. -That's true, he said there's nothing. He told us that. What should we do? What do we do? Shall we go to Hagiharatenjin Station? That far? Why not? -Shall we go there? -Let's follow your intuition.
It's called Tenjin so I'm sure there is something to see. Okay. They will now go to Hagiharatenjin Station eight stations away. Ms Morio suspects there to be a shrine, but is she right? It's the same colour.
That's true. With a yellow line. Let's go. The doors are closing.
(10:42 am) With the first entry found, their journey starts out very well. I see a river. -What river is it? -I wonder.
-It's the Yamato River. -The Yamato River. The train crosses the Yamato River. The weather is very nice.
It's a perfect day to be on a journey. We should decide where to find accommodation for tonight. -Okay. -We'll calculate back from there. -What I would like is... -Okay. Okay.
An inn where I can see autumn leaves, with a hot spring and delicious food. Are you serious? It almost made me want to punch you. Ms Morio is being greedy. Hopefully they'll find what she wants. (Hagiharatenjin Station) The train arrives at Hagiharatenjin Station. -We're getting off, right? -Yes, at Hagiharatenjin Station.
(11:00 am) I can see that we're in a residential area. Yes. Let's enquire people. -Let's check the timetable. -Oh, yeah.
Eleven... -11:37 am. -11:37 am. 11:37 am. Understood.
All right! -Here we go. -All right! The shrine is over there. What? Nice location. -I agree. -It looks nice. Why don't we go there? We have to go a bit farther. -It looks very impressive. -It really is.
-I hope to talk to someone. -Let's go inside first. We should go ask. All right. The shrine was established in the Heian period. It's believed to bring good luck for schoolwork and children's health. In 1996, they started an unique event called "crying baby sumo" which made the shrine famous.
(Crying baby sumo is held every year on April 29) Let's start enquiring people! Do you know any nice spot to visit near the station or in this town? For tourists? It can be a place you recommend. A place that's fun to visit. There is a branch shrine of Izumo Taisha. -Really? -Yes. -What do you think? -Do we go straight? Go straight, and before you hit a big road, you'll come to a railway track, so keep walking along the track. -You'll find it there. -Thank you.
She said that it's a branch shrine of Izumo Taisha. Great. I wasn't expecting to see that here. They already received good luck! However....
Wait. -Shall we cross here? -Why not? -Are we okay? -Is this the right way? Is this the right way? I'm getting a bit worried. -We can't go this way. -That's true.
Let's ask. Hello. What were you doing just now? Drinking? Nice. It's not a flower viewing party, is it? No, the flowers are starting to wither. Here and there.
We're missing some people today. -Do you always gather here? -Yes, always here. Nice, you have a happy life. That's great. We heard that there is a branch shrine of Izumo Taisha around here.
Keep walking on this road. -Along the train track? -Yes. You will see a store named Nozato on your right side. -Nozato? -Nozato. -Nozato. -It's a candy shop.
Turn right there. -Thank you. -You look familiar. Thank you very much. We'll head to Nozato then.
-Nozato. -Yes. They'll first look for the candy shop. Hello. Do you know a store called Nozato around here? -We heard about the branch shrine. -We'd like to go there. The shrine is that way. What? Izumo Taisha? Someone told us to go to a store named Nozato and turn right there.
It's that way. Oops. -How can we get there? -Izumo Taisha, right? -Yes. -Well... It's all the way that way. -Is it past the railway track? -Yes, it's past that.
-It's all the way over there. -It's quite a walk. What? At Hagiharatenjin Station, our duo hears about Izumo Taisha. We want to go to the shrine.
The shrine is that way. All the way that way? -It's quite a walk. -What? I said "quite a walk", but...
-I guess it's about one kilometre, right? -One kilometre? -I don't know. -Okay. Sorry. Go straight ahead along the track. -Then turn. -Without crossing the track? -No, you cross the track. -Okay. We just came from Hagihara Shrine.
It's near Hatsushiba Station. We need to go back to the station. Izumo Taisha is near Hatsushiba Station.
Why did you get off at Hagiharatenjin Station? -Tenjin... -For no reason. We wanted to get off because of the name "tenjin". I see. No more filming for me.
-Thank you. -No problem. -Bye. -It's a big road, right? -That's right. -You'll see a sign. Go this way. Sorry for the commotion. -Sorry. -Sorry for the commotion. In the end, they decided to head back towards Hatsushiba, one station back.
I see it. It's 800 metres away. (Izumo Taisha) -Really? -See? Let's keep walking. It says "Osaka branch" Impressive. Wow, impressive. -We made it. -Right? Incredible.
-This looks amazing. -It's impressive. -This one looks nice. -How great. Let's first ask for permission to film.
Let's hope it goes well. This way? What did they say? -They gave us permission. -They said okay. That's great. Look at the shimenawa (sacred rope). Impressive.
I'm so impressed. -Very impressive. -It's as impressive as the main shrine. -Let's visit the shrine. -Let's do that. They first visit the shrine. Hello.
Hi there. Sorry for visiting so suddenly. I thought Izumo Taisha was in Shimane Prefecture? There are branch shrines of Izumo Taisha in each prefecture of Japan. -Is that so? -Yes. Osaka branch shrine is one of them. It looks very impressive.
-It's very big too. -Yes, it is. (Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture) Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture has branches all over Japan. Osaka branch shrine here is also dedicated to the deity of Izumo Taisha. (Shichi-Go-San celebration) The majestic roof of the Osaka branch shrine's main hall is built in the same way as that of Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture. The shrine is believed to bring good luck in matchmaking which is the same as the main shrine.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you very much. Is there a hidden spot on the shrine grounds here? -Do you mean a spiritual place? -Yes, is there anything here? Let's see... Most of the visitors... I think most people come to the shrine to drink the sacred water. -Sacred water? -Yes. Where can we find that? It's behind this shrine building.
-It's behind this building? -Yes. -It is hidden? -What kind of benefits does it have? -You're so intrigued! -What kind of benefits does it have? It's good for healing illness. -It heals bad parts of the body. -Nice. We need to have some too. That sounds great.
Don't keep that a secret. Tell us. -I see. -It's sacred water. -It has great benefits. -We cannot miss that. I see it.
Sacred water spring. I see it. I'm glad you told me. We would've left without seeing this. You're right. We would've left if we hadn't known about this. Our duo is guided to Shinwaden.
What? Excuse me. Very nice. -Nice sound. -It really is.
Nice water sound. Very nice. -This is quite rare. -You're right. We can't usually drink the water. Yeah, that's what I thought. Shinwaden is dedicated to a deity of water.
The sacred water is believed to help growing crops in the fields, and to be beneficial for good health. Please scoop the water with a ladle. Why are there smalls ones and large ones? These are here... -for no particular reason. -Can I drink it like this? Now, let's enjoy the sacred water. -It tastes sweet to me. -That's what I thought too.
(Entry 2) The second entry in the guidebook, the Osaka branch shrine of Izumo Taisha, which brings a lot of blessings! -Thank you very much. -Sorry for visiting suddenly. Thank you. -We need to find a place for lunch. -That's right. That's the problem. This is Hatsushiba Station. We didn't get off here earlier. There is more stuff around this station. You're right.
How far should we go? Let's see. -Shall we go to Kongo? -Kongo. -I like the name Kongo. -Me too. It has a nice ring to it. -Yeah, it does. -Yeah. Our duo's next destination is Kongo Station.
The station name does sound nice, but should you be deciding a station based on the name? (12:34 pm) They've smoothly found two entries, and now it's time for lunch. They hope to find recommendations on good places to have lunch. I see some mountains now. Finally.
The overall atmosphere has changed. It looks pretty. The scenery has changed a lot. -This is a reckless journey. -Exactly.
-Yes, this really is reckless. -I shouldn't say that now. This is a reckless journey. Where are you going? We're heading to Kongo Station now. Do you know about the station? Yes, I live there.
-Really? -What? Can we ask you questions? Sure. What place do you recommend? -Let's see... -There should be something. -One station before that station... -Yes? There is a station named Osakasayamashi Station, and there... there is a pond named Sayama Pond, and it's the oldest pond in Japan. The oldest pond in Japan? Yes, it is.
There is a large museum there. If you're going to Osakasayamashi Station, next to Sayama Pond, there is a bakery. They also serve lunch. Their lunch menu is very good. What do you recommend from there? They have a lunch menu, and their pasta is good. -What is the bakery called? -It's called...
-I believe it's called Flour. -Flour? -It's Flour. -Flour. -Thank you for everything. Flour. -Thank you for the great information. (Osakasayamashi Station) They have another change of plans, and decide to go to Osakasayamashi Station which is one station before Kongo Station. -Thank you very much. -Thank you very much.
It's very helpful to us. A mysterious place and a great lunch place. They've got two great recommendations. Stations are close together. That's right.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you. You helped us a lot. -The gate is on this side. -Okay. Nice! (Shiomibashi, Osakasayama, Gokurakubashi) -Shall we take a look? -Sure. We'll eat and take a walk. -Okay. -We should spend some time here.
-We can take the 2:49 pm train, or... -Okay. -the 2:54 pm train. -Sure. He was right. Look.
-It's the pond. -Yeah. It's a big pond. -But before that, let's eat. I'm hungry. -Sure. Our duo will look for Flour, a bakery recommended for lunch.
Aren't you intrigued? It's the oldest pond in Japan. -I didn't know this city had that. -How can it be the oldest pond in Japan? We should walk along this road to the store, right? I wonder. -This will lead to the pond. -Okay. -Is Flour near here? -Where is it? Flour.
It's written there. -Flour. -I see it too. -Cakes, bread, Madam Yoko. -What's Madam Yoko?
It has a nice exterior. -Great. -I hope we can go inside. Please ask them for permission to film. Let's go inside. -Excuse me. -Hello. -Right now? -Yes.
What did they say? -They said okay. -Yes! Thank you very much. Let's look inside the bakery! (Flour, Sayama branch) From their table, they see... Awesome. Wow, look at that. The pond looks amazing.
-I can't believe this. -This looks incredible. It's like we came here just for this. I agree. -It's a wonderful place. -It really is.
Very nice. He said that this is the oldest pond in Japan. It's a big lake.
Let's decide first. What would you like to eat? He used to be an official chef of an ambassador. What? Impressive. What? He's a big deal.
He really is. What about this? Only 10 servings are available a day. That sounds good. -Should I ask if they still have it? -Sure. They use organic ingredients. That's great. -Excuse me. -Yes?
Is this dish still available? Yes. You're really lucky. You have great luck.
I'd like to have the pasta lunch set meal, please. -Pasta lunch. Sure. -Okay. Here is your change. Please wait at your table. -Thank you. -Thank you. Flour opened 10 years ago.
Their cakes made with seasonal ingredients and are very popular. They also have their own pesticide-free farm, and grow vegetables which they use in their cooking. The food is prepared by a chef who used to work as an official chef at the Japanese Embassy in the UK. Their lunch menu is very popular! Yes! -Thank you for waiting. -This makes me happy. -It looks delicious. -It has various types of food. Yes, it looks very balanced.
It's beautiful. -Can I start? Thank you. -Go ahead. -I'll start then. -Eat while the food is hot.
Yes, I'll do that. We walked quite a lot. How is it? It's a feast. I'm glad.
My food is here too. -I see it! -Thank you for waiting. Here is your hashed beef. Thank you very much. It looks cute! It looks great. Thank you very much.
This is their hashed beef, which is a limited dish with 10 servings a day. Thank you for it. They only have 10 servings a day. It looks great. I'll put this on the rice. Ten servings only.
Exactly. I can tell that it was simmered for a long time. I taste the sweetness of vegetables. I've never had anything so delicious before. It's simmered very well.
That's right. We got some good exercise and now we're having delicious food. -It's healthy. -It is. (Entry 3) The third entry in the guidebook, Flour, with an excellent lunch menu.
The bakery has great food, as well as a nice view. -Thank you. Sorry for visiting suddenly. -Thank you very much. -Thank you for the food. -Thank you for the food. The food was incredible.
-According to what we heard on the train, -Yes? -there is a museum. -That's right. -It's about the pond. -I'd love to go there. -Sure. -A museum about the pond. -Look at this! it's huge. -It really is.
It's huge and it looks beautiful because there is no wind. -I didn't expect this to be this big. -All the way... it looks like a mirror. It goes on for a long time. Just how big is this pond? It's very big.
-It looks like a lake. -Yeah, it does. I see a big building. What is that? -That's not the museum, is it? -I didn't expect it to be so big. It looks impressive. What is it?
It's a nice rectangular building. Is that the museum? -Is that the museum? -I think so. I wonder what they have on display at the pond museum. -Right? -It's a mystery.
Let's first ask for permission to film. -It's like we're in a maze. -We are in a maze. -Incredible! -It really is! Thank you for waiting. -What did they say? -They said okay. -You'll be surprised. -Yes, you will be. On the journey of enquiry and discovery on the Nankai Koya Line, our duo visits a museum near a pond.
-Let's go. -Go ahead. We're at the back of a waterfall. It's amazing. Back of a waterfall. We get to walk on such a place.
That's impressive. They are walking behind this waterfall. Come here. We have great news. -Amazing! -It's free to enter the museum.
It's a great building. Good job, Osaka Prefecture. Good job, Osaka Prefecture. -Amazing. -Look at that.
Hello, thank you for having us. Hello. What kind of building is this? This building was built by Tadao Ando, an architect. Many people visit this place from Europe. -The building itself is already amazing. -Yes. The pond was originally a reservoir, and it was mentioned in Nihon Shoki and Kojiki.
Many objects were found in the reservoir and Mr Ando built this to keep those objects. -Many objects were found? -That's right. -And they are on display? -Yes, they are. -That's what the museum is about. -Exactly. Museums like this don't exist anywhere else in the world.
-Interesting. -Interesting. (Sayama Pond) Sayama Pond is a national historic site mentioned in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. It has a circumference of about three kilometres, and it is the size of seven Tokyo Domes! It is believed to be the oldest dam-type reservoir in Japan, and it was built by hand 1,400 years ago. (The oldest dam-type reservoir in Japan built 1,400 years ago) For centuries, Sayama Pond has provided water to people which was essential to their living.
(Sayama Pond's irrigations) Please go inside. -Is it okay for us to go in? -Thank you very much. It'll feel like you're going into the pond. -I see, that's the concept. -I see.
This is an old bank. We cut it into slices and brought here. This? -Is it this big? -Yes, it is. Cut into slices? That used to be Sayama Pond's bank, and people used to walk on it.
-People used to walk there? -That's right. (Bank, Sayama Pond, section of the bank) They spent two years cutting out a part of the northern bank of Sayama Pond and moving it to the museum to be displayed. The cross section of the bank is 15 metres high and 60 metres wide. It has been repeatedly renovated and is made up of 12 layers.
The oldest objects found in the pond are said to be 1,400 years old. This is a water pipe from the Asuka period. It's made of Koyamaki trees (Japanese umbrella pine). (A water pipe from the Asuka period) -It's like being at the bottom of a pond. -That's right.
This is where the water comes in and out. -It's wooden. -How old is this? This is from the beginning of the Edo period.
When you lift the pillar, water comes out from here and flows towards Osaka. -It adjusted the amount of water. -Exactly. Impressive. (Entry 4) The fourth entry in the guidebook, Sayama Pond, the oldest reservoir in Japan! -Thank you very much. -Thank you very much. Thank you for the thorough explanation. -It was very easy to understand. -It was.
-Very interesting. -It really was. It was impressive, but... -Yumi! -Yes! We haven't found accommodations for tonight yet. We haven't even decided -which area to stay in. -What should we do?
-There's a train at 4:13 pm. -4:13 pm. -We can take that. -Yeah, but... The last stop for this train is Kawachinagano Station. Okay. The train stops there. -It's bound for that station. -Let's go to that station,
-Okay. -Let's enquire people there. If there are more accommodations at stations ahead, -then we can take another train. -Okay, sure. (Osaka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture) The next train is bound for Kawachinagano Station, four stops ahead.
They decide to go to the station and figure it out from there. (Kawachinagano Station) (4:13 pm) Look! -Autumn leaves. -We're starting to see autumn leaves. Do we have to walk there? -Will we walk? -Walking will be a bit hard.
Suddenly the scenery changed and now it looks very nice. I wonder if there are accommodations. It looks like a big city though. (Kawachinagano Station) Kawachinagano Station is a big city. This will make it easier to enquire people. (4:23 pm) (Shiomibashi, Kawachinagano, Gokurakubashi) -Which way should we go? -Which way? It says "Koya Kaido Road" -I like the font. -Me too. -We're in a big city. -The tourist information centre is closed.
(28 minutes to the 4:53 pm train) All I see is young people. Yeah. -The bus is here. -Yeah, the bus is here. -Are you taking this? -Are you taking this bus? Can I ask you some questions? We're looking for accommodations in this area. -Okay. -Is there any place that you recommend?
There are not a lot of accommodations here. There's a place called Kawachinaganoso. -Kawachinaganoso. -Kawachinaganoso. -Where is it? -That's... It's that way...
-Can we walk to that inn? -Sure, you can. Is it on that side? It's a bit up in the mountain. -Okay. -Up in the mountains? -What do you recommend there? -What do you recommend there? -There is a hot spring. -Great. -Their hot spring is very nice. -It's very nice? -Kawachinaganoso. -Yes.
-We can walk there? -It should be possible. They have the best hot spring around here. -They have a good hot spring. -Yes. Do you think we can stay there today? I'm not sure.
It's an old-fashioned hot spring inn. -Their baths are nice. -Really? -Thank you. -Thank you very much.
-Sorry, your bus is about to leave. -Sorry and thank you. -But... -I see. -Thank you. Sorry to bother you. -Thank you.
Great! It's a hot spring inn. -We don't know if they have rooms. -Yeah, but... It's great that we found one. It's also close to the station. Let's head to the inn.
We're going downhill. Yeah, but we're heading to the mountains. That's true. -Do we go this way? -Which way to go? We're on a bridge. It's so pretty. The river looks very pretty.
-It really does. -Yes. There is a sign! I see it. -Naganoso. -Naganoso. Great.
(Kawachinaganoso) What if they say no after we climb all the way up? That'd be disappointing. If they don't have rooms available, it'd be a disaster! They've been walking for 15 minutes from the station. I see it! Yeah, me too! I see many parked cars.
-It looks full. -Will we be okay? There's another car coming in. Wait.
It might actually be full. On the journey of enquiry and discovery on the Nankai Koya Line, our duo goes to a recommended inn near Kawachinagano Station. -What do you think? -I wonder. -They could also say no to filming. -That's also possible.
-We might get disappointed. -I hope we won't. Welcome. We're sorry for visiting so suddenly, but would it be possible for us to stay here tonight? We'd like two rooms, please. What did they say? -We can stay here. -Yes!
However... meals are not included. It's too late for them to prepare food for us.
-I see. -So if we don't mind that, -they have two rooms available. -They said they're almost full. -Yes, apparently. -Yeah. Is it okay for you to stay here? -I don't want to look for another hotel. -No way.
No way. Let's stay here. -I don't even mind sleeping in the lobby. -Yeah. That scared me. What will we do about the food? -Yeah, what to do? -Meals are not included.
-Thank you for having us. -Welcome to our hotel. -Your address and name, please. -Sure. On the east side of Kawachinagano Station is Nagano hot spring town, where Kawachinaganoso is located. The Koya Kaido Road runs through the town.
It's a very popular spot for people to relax as they head to Koyasan. At the end of the Meiji period and in the Taisho period, the hot spring was known as Gokurakuji Onsen and was quite popular. (Known as Gokurakuji Onsen in the Meiji and the Taisho periods) -Thank you. -Thank you. -Thank you for having us. -Sorry for visiting so suddenly.
Yeah, it was really sudden. This is your room. Now I can relax. Thank you very much. Shall we take a look? Is the sun setting now? Is it dark? Look! This is very relaxing. Look! We're right by the city.
Doesn't this look nice, Yumi? We're very close to the station. -Yeah, that is the station. -Exactly. -I can't believe it. -Yeah.
I can't believe that the station is so close to the inn. Right? They were able to change their stay to one that comes with breakfast instead of having no meals. Dinner is also available by reservation, where they serve various seasonal dishes. (Course meal plan: 12,550 yen with two meals) -The first thing our duo does is... -Thank you again for having us. We're starting to get hungry. We'd like to go out to have dinner.
Is there any place that you recommend? In front of the station, there's a restaurant run by our former head chef. -Here is a map around the station. -It's nearby. -It's this restaurant. It's called Nagomi. -Nagomi.
-It's called Nagomi. -That's right. -Do they serve alcohol? -Yes, they do. -Great. Thank you very much. -Thank you. We'll be back. -It's cold now. -It really is. It's completely different from earlier.
They walk for 15 minutes from the inn. Is that the restaurant? -Where? -Over there. -This? -Can it be the place? -You've got it right. -Really?
-It looks very nice, like a hidden spot. -Very nice. It says "We're doing our best deep-frying" What does that mean? Good evening. -Mr Jinbo! -Sorry to bother you. -Excuse me. -It's Yumi Morio! Hi, sorry for visiting so suddenly. It's crowded.
-They said okay but it's crowded. -It's okay. But it's crowded. -Thank you for having us. -Let's eat at this restaurant.
Thank you for having us. (Nagomi) Thank you. They have different things. Do you mainly have tempura? Yes, this is a tempura restaurant. It's a tempura restaurant. Here are the single items.
-Our menu is over there. -Okay. -What do you recommend? -Perilla dumpling tempura. -I recommend that. -It's written here too.
Let's try that. -We'll take that. -Thank you. Does the manager here used to be the head chef of the inn? That's right. I see. Yeah, two years ago.
Did this place open two years ago? Yes, today is our anniversary. -Today? -Yes, two year anniversary. -Really? Congratulations! -What a perfect timing! The manager of this restaurant was the head chef at Kawachinaganoso until two years ago. He now runs a restaurant serving mainly tempura. The restaurant's specialty is perilla dumpling tempura.
This dumpling tempura wrapped with perilla is the manager's original recipe! -Here are the dumplings. -You gave us four of them. Thank you! -Thank you very much. -Thank you very much. -This is great. -This makes me happy. Thank you.
I see perilla. Yeah, me too. Do you use perilla instead of dumpling skin? That's right. That's fancy. That's such a good idea.
The outside is crunchy. I like the perilla flavour. Inside it's dumpling stuffing. It's original. It's tempura but light. Other than that, they order a platter with seven different kinds of tempura and a special salad with pike conger! (Special salad, 1,400 yen) -Did anything catch your eye? -The sauce rice.
Sauce rice? -You can't find that anywhere else. -What's that? -It sounds like a Kansai-style dish. -I'm curious. We're very curious about the sauce rice. We have a small one and we can split it into two. -Sure. -That would be great. The main ingredients of the sauce rice are chicken and red pickled ginger.
They deep fry them to make tempura. They top rice with shredded cabbage and seaweed, and finally the freshly made tempura. Then they pour over a special sauce made by the manager, which is a mixture of tempura sauce and Worcestershire sauce. At the end, they sprinkle dried bonito flakes. That's how they make the sauce rice! -Here is mini sauce rice. -Here it is.
-This is it. -Sauce rice. -Is it okay to eat this from the top? -Sure. How original. The dried bonito shavings look like they're dancing.
I see some sauce. -Thank you for it. -How is it? How is it? Does it make you laugh? -It's a typical Osaka dish. -Really? Right? Red pickled ginger makes it refreshing.
I like the ginger in it. -It's very Osaka. -Exactly. This place is amazing. We found a great place along the train line.
(Entry 5) The fifth entry in the guidebook, Nagomi with their creative tempura. Here you go. Thank you. -Thank you. -Thank you.
Bye. It's very cold. I'm so glad we found a place to stay. -Me too. -It's amazing. I've never felt so relieved on a trip.
This show is terrifying. That's very true. -Who came up with this idea? -Seriously! Subtitles: Iyuno-SDI Group
2022-02-23 07:24
