After waiting for over a year for it to arrive, the Unzen flannel cabin party finally happened!
Being a block 10 event, the party brought in cool people from not only Nagasaki, but from Fukuoka, Saga and Ōita too. I had never been to Unzen before, and after seeing Emily’s video on last year’s party (a fellow Nagasaki JET), I just knew I had to go.
Clad in heart glasses, a flower crown (both available at Wego) and of course the required flannel, me and my buddy Aaron were all set to go! The bus journey was a little long, but absolutely worth it. The views were spectacular as we drove along the coast and winding roads sealed off by bamboo forests. I wouldn’t be lying if I told you I got a little bit emotional. I was reminded suddenly of just how lucky I am. Japan is such an amazing country and I think sometimes I forget how beautiful and wonderful it can be. That’s why I love trips, they make me see how awesome my life is. And so, with good music, stunning views and pretty awesome company, the journey flew by!
There was one stop, however, which cracked me up. Not far from Unzen, you can find a town called Obama. Not only was this town right on the sea, with steam coming out of the ground every which way, but it also had a very creepy statue of Barack Obama, which I felt made the place seem more complete. I’m sure you’d agree. It was an honour to have him wave to us on our journey!
The moment we arrived in the quaint, traditional styled City of Unzen, we were picked up by Emily and whisked away to our mountainous cabin resort. We had three cabins rented out and with hills, trees and an array of wildlife (in the form of Goats, horses and sheep, the latter of which I was very happy about, me being the proud Welsh person I am) to keep us entertained. It was wonderful, and the feeling of summer saturated my skin. With three cabins to ourselves, I’m pretty sure we took over half the resort, which made me feel a little sorry for the fellow campers who were staying with their families. As much as I hate the phrase, I think of a bit of Gaijin Smashing happened, much to the regret of me and the surrounding Japanese families. But truly, the place was idyllic and I was never more glad to be a part of block 10.
With alcohol, a roaring BBQ and three cabins full of friends from all over Kyushu, there was little else to be desired. It became evident pretty soon, however, that I was not the drinker I one was, and have apparently left my party hat somewhere back in Wales. I didn’t even make it to 1 am, and was passed out in my pyjamas amongst the raving. Well done Naomi, well done.
We spent our following morning eating homemade French toast on the veranda in the company of friends, everyone buzzed from the night before and basking in the warm spring sun. I felt calm, at peace and more than ready for the day ahead of. And so, clad in spring clothing and with a skip in my step, I set off to explore Unzen, my sense of adventure renewed.
With the smell of sulphur guiding us, Aaron, Christina and I decided to make the hells our first point of call, following the path between them as the earth bubbled and boiled all around us. As if it were breathing, the earth hissed and grumbled, spewing out steam from its core. Like stepping into the fires of mordor, the earth seemed alive, angry almost. Each hell has its own name and story and I wish we had had more time to read them all.
The path led us to a stone torii gate guarded by statues of lion like creatures. It was a beautiful sight, and for a moment I just had to stop and stare. The shrine was peaceful and beautiful, and deserted bar one demonic looking cat that watched over the shrine. I was reminded me once again of just where I was in the world and just how much I loved it. It may sound strange, but sometimes it’s easy to forget where you are and how much you enjoy your daily life. I was more than happy for this overdue reminder.
We concluded our little excursion with a visit to a homely little place called Kaseya Café. With a delicious array of bread and drinks to choose from, I was spoiled for choice! Which, if you are a vegetarian or vegan living in Japan, you will know how rare that is! Not wanting to leave the place of famous onsen boiled eggs without actually eating one, I finally settled on an egg filled fried bread( I have no way of knowing if it was an onsen egg or not, but I can pretend that it was and feel a little better about the whole thing.) I decided to be greedy and add a soufflé-esque cake to my order, along with Unzen lemonade to wash it all down. It was pretty bloody delicious!
At 13:00 on the dot the bus turned up, and we were transported back to our everyday lives. With the sound of The Lumineers lifting my soul, they bus journey sped by, and I was gifted once more with wonderful views. I went on to have a great evening with Chad, filled with Chinese food and fireworks. My time in Unzen as brief, but I completely fell in love with the area and will 100% be visiting again before I leave Japan.
Teatime With Naomi 