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    Steve & Lynne’s Japan Diary…

    Iron Heart Meet Ups & Travel
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    • LynneL
      Lynne
      IHUK Crew
      @Vik
      Joined:

      @Vik can’t wait to see yours too!

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • SteveS
        Steve
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        Kanazawa is indeed a ‘little’ Kyoto, and with our hire car we’ve explored a LOT - big up to @Lynne for finding all these places!

        First up we went to Gokayama and the Ainokura Gassho Village - there’s only about 19 houses there, and has a Swiss Alps feel to the place.

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        insta
        @saturdaytypefever
        @steve_ironheart

        last edited by Steve 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 22
        • SteveS
          Steve
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          From there, we drove along the Hakusan Shirakawago White Road for 2+ hours - breathtaking is the only word I can find for the views! It’s swinging mountain road, 33km long and rises to above 1400m above sea level. You really do need to hire a car to see some of these places!

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          @steve_ironheart

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 21
          • don_piponeD
            don_pipone
            Iron Heart Deity
            Joined:

            Beautiful places and photos!

            IG: @fadecyde
            WTB: IHSH-156 burgundy (M)

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • SteveS
              Steve
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              Finally we ended up at Chirihama Nagisa Driveway for sunset - This is the only place in Japan where you can drive right along the water’s edge - in any type of car (not just a 4x4).

              It is an 8-km stretch of beach road — a type of road that would be hard to find anywhere else in the world. The unique sand of Chirihama makes it possible. The sand particles are small, a quarter of the size of ordinary ones. They have a uniform, angular shape, which makes the driveway hard when it absorbs water.

              Seeing fishermen’s trucks for carrying unloaded fish at Chirihama, a local bus company employee tried driving a bus there in 1955. That is how Nagisa Driveway started.

              End of lesson!

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              @saturdaytypefever
              @steve_ironheart

              last edited by Steve 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 23
              • Daniel SanD
                Daniel San
                見習いボス
                Joined:

                absolutely stunning, great pictures!!👏

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                • ROmanR
                  ROman
                  Haraki san Prodigy
                  Joined:

                  beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • Shane BS
                    Shane B
                    IHG Crew
                    Joined:

                    @Steve & @Lynne Great pictures and journey! Thanks for sharing and have a great rest of your trip.

                    last edited by SteveS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • SteveS
                      Steve
                      IHUK Crew
                      @Shane B
                      Joined:

                      @Shane-B thanks mate - and also congrats to you and Maria!!!

                      insta
                      @saturdaytypefever
                      @steve_ironheart

                      last edited by Shane BS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Shane BS
                        Shane B
                        IHG Crew
                        @Steve
                        Joined:

                        @Steve Many thanks Steve.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • LynneL
                          Lynne
                          IHUK Crew
                          Joined:

                          Running out of ‘film’, but still going. This is a couple of days ago.

                          We started the day at Omicho Market for a gourmet wander before heading over to Higashi Chaya. Beautiful old streets with loads of character.

                          Picked up the car near Kanazawa Station and its huge wooden Tsuzumi Gate, then headed up into the mountains to Ainokura, one of the traditional gassho villages. A truly impressive place – steep thatched farmhouses tucked into the hills and a much quieter feel than some of the better-known villages.

                          Next stop was a washi paper workshop where we were introduced to traditional Japanese paper making. Really interesting despite language barriers - and something similar I want to do for ReLove by pulping our smallest denim offcuts.

                          From there we drove the sandy Chirihama Beach Driveway and watched the sun set over the Sea of Japan. Another highlight of the trip.

                          Then finished the day back in Kanazawa with a wander through the samurai district after dark. Definitely a brooding masculine vibe going on there.

                          Feeling fulfilled. Couldn’t have packed anything more into the day.
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                          last edited by ARNCA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 10
                          • goosehdG
                            goosehd
                            Mod Squad
                            Joined:

                            I am loving following you two on this trip! Is there any one thing so far that you wish you could have spent more time?

                            “our policy of no discussions regarding politics, religion, asparagus, and other controversial issues.” - Andrew

                            last edited by SteveS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • SteveS
                              Steve
                              IHUK Crew
                              @goosehd
                              Joined:

                              @goosehd I know Lynne wanted to spend a day doing a weaving course, and there was also an Indigo dyeing course she had her eye on - she might still manage one, but I think we probably needed a few more days (or weeks)!!!

                              insta
                              @saturdaytypefever
                              @steve_ironheart

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • SteveS
                                Steve
                                IHUK Crew
                                Joined:

                                Last stop on road trip is Takayama - the ‘old town’ was our stay, and well worth it - gorgeous looking building along a river. The highlight was experiencing Hida beef - a brand of Wagyu - and it tastes soooo good!

                                If you ever get to this area make it a point to try it.

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                                insta
                                @saturdaytypefever
                                @steve_ironheart

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 14
                                • ARNCA
                                  ARNC
                                  見習いボス
                                  @Lynne
                                  Joined:

                                  @Lynne said in Steve & Lynne’s Japan Diary…:

                                  and something similar I want to do for ReLove by pulping our smallest denim offcuts.

                                  This is a great idea. Look forward to seeing how you run with it.

                                  “His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white.“

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                  • SteveS
                                    Steve
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    oh, and a few expected shots of Takayama and its surrounding area…

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                                    insta
                                    @saturdaytypefever
                                    @steve_ironheart

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 20
                                    • LynneL
                                      Lynne
                                      IHUK Crew
                                      Joined:

                                      Wherever you are in the world, it’s good night from me and it’s good night from him 💙
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                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 12
                                      • MattM
                                        Matt
                                        見習いボス
                                        Joined:

                                        So is the plan to shift production from Japan to Gosport by teaching @Lynne to do everything?

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                        • JordJ
                                          Jord
                                          Haraki san Expert
                                          Joined:

                                          This has been such a joy to follow, you guys have done so much whilst in Japan, thank you for sharing it with the forum! I want to visit next year at some point and I'm definitely going to take some inspiration from what you've done whilst there

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • SteveS
                                            Steve
                                            IHUK Crew
                                            Joined:

                                            Back in Tokyo now for a couple of days after our rural exploring…

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                                            @steve_ironheart

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 13
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