Today we parted ways and I left my loves in the care of Kyoto, while I hopped the rails and tracked northbound, destined for Fukushima Prefecture, specifically Aizuwakamatsu, and to put a finer point on it, Tsuruga-jō. My destiny awaits in the form of an East Asia Series Spartan Race which happens tomorrow morning. (More about Spartan with gratuitous action photos down below…)
I journeyed across a good long swath of Japan, hopping on trains in Kyoto, Tokyo, Koriyama and finally hopping off at Aizu.
Aizuwakamatsu
Fun and funky, l like this place. It’s got a Midwest college town sort of feel. Lots of restaurants with an even mix of old and new.
Though there’s still no litter, it has a worn (not dirty or grubby) look. Aged with dignity – the wrinkles show but still feel vibrant. Young at heart and all that.
Tsuruga-jō
The oldest castle in all of Japan. Manicured… very manicured… maybe even preserved to a fault in comparison to the town it lives in. But stately, imposing and quite beautiful. Being that it’s nearly 1000 years old you might have expected something more medieval looking. Turns out these people have been into pagodas since the dawn of time. Though the 30-foot pyramidal masonry foundation does take you back to the middle ages.
While the castle is in pristine condition (I think it’s been rebuilt at least once) many of the surrounding towers are in ruins. A deep, wide moat surrounds the complex – so large you’d mistake it for a river.
The grounds are expansive and serene, protected as they are by multiple stone walls, a giant moat and a towering stronghold full of archers ready to smite to any dodgy looking characters.
Update: The next day, after my race, I was heading out and about a kilometers distance when I looked back and thought, I never went to the top of that thing. Not that I really really wanted to, but to come all this way and race around the fortress, I thought it deserved my full tourist-ness. So I hoofed it back, paid my 400 yen and ascended the great stronghold.
I zipped past 8 centuries worth of detailed history – maps of territories, biographies of important lords, scrolls of ancient poetry and cool looking military paraphernalia. I actually was interested in speed-reading it to get the basics, but I was really pressed for time and didn’t want to chance missing my train outta there.
I saw the gyaku manji (reversed swastica) symbol in many places (shops selling old stuff) while in Japan, and again in the castle museum dating back a half millennia.
And I can’t not mention 7-11’s
They were everywhere in Japan and Thailand. Unlike their American cousins, these had good food! Fresh, delicious, healthy, cheap food. for $1.25 I could get a delicious filled rice triangle, and for another $2, I could get a fresh egg salad and ham sandwich. Attention American convenience stores – buy a ticket to Japan just to see how it’s done. You don’t have to ONLY pedal vice and crap food.
Meanwhile…
Back at the Kyoto branch of Team Tyner-Tikkanen…
The noodle dream is being realized. Zephyr and Stasia loves themselves some slurpy noodle dishes – and you can’t shake a chopstick there without twirling an udon or two.
Noodles, shopping, tons of walking and it sounds like part of Zephyr’s recent dental filling jarred loose (probably from trying to bite into that bonito fish) – just another travel memory souvenir!
About Spartan
Hmm… Spartan. Isn’t that one of those naked warrior dudes? Well, yes though technically they did wear helmets. I plan on wearing clothes but I can’t speak for anyone else.
Spartan is an obstacle race with varying lengths and levels of difficulty. The one I’m speeding towards is one of the easier ones – at 3-4 miles and 20-something obstacles it’s their shortest course. The course lengths go upwards of 35 miles with more than 60 obstacles. The shorter length is still a decent challenge though – the competitors go for speed rather than slow-burn endurance.
The obstacles are no picnic – often involving scaling 10 foot walls, traversing uphill gyrating monkey bars, flipping 450 pound tractor tires, carrying buckets of rocks and sandbags uphill, climbing ropes, throwing spears and swinging across a length of hanging rings.
But here’s the kicker. You get one chance to complete each obstacle (in the correct way). If you fall, slip, miss your target or otherwise fail, you get ‘punished’ and have to do 30 burpees. Burpees are a quick way to get worn out and every spartan has a love/hate relationship with them. Regardless, it’s best if you can avoid them during a race.
Despite the masochistic description they’re great fun! You have to train for them though or they’ll absolutely suck and you’ll curse me for ever recommending them. Despite being labeled as a ‘race’, the goal is to complete the course, not to win – though that’s great too, but there can be only one of those.
Plus you do get a banana and a sweet medal at the end.
For a middle-aged person who came into health and fitness late in life, they are a fantastic way to motivate me into keeping a healthy lifestyle. I still drink beer and occasionally indulge – I mean it’s all about balance – but there’s always the next workout.
“Moderation in everything, including moderation”
– Sam Tikkanen
To turn up the heat, I’ve signed up to run in the Elite wave, the most competitive option. I will be getting passed by all kinds of ridiculously-fit, professionally-sponsored people half my age. I am not anywhere near their level – but I am running with them because the other early entry times were sold out. My goal is to not finish last.
Further Proof that Japan Loves America
They display our presidents in posters and murals. Just today I saw images of Trump and Jimmy Carter (or is that George Bush?)
The Itinerant Three TnTs 