COLORFUL DAY AT OUCHI-JUKU, JAPAN

Memasuki Ouchi-Juku membuat saya teringat pada Shirakawa-Go, desa tradisional Jepang dengan daya tarik utama pada bentuk rumah-rumah yang ada. Atap rumah-rumah yang ada di Ouchi-Juku memang tidak berbentuk segitiga gassho-zukuri style, namun bahan bangunan dan atap yang tebal membuat suasana Jepang tradisional sangat terasa menyenangkan di desa yang berada di Shimogo, Prefektur Fukushima ini.

Entering Ouchi-Juku reminds me of Shirakawa-Go, a traditional Japanese village with the main attraction in the form of existing homes. Roofs of houses in Ouchi-Juku do not form a triangle gassho-zukuri style, but the building materials and thick roofs makes the traditional Japanese atmosphere feels nice in the village of Shimogo, Fukushima Prefecture.

Bahkan, sejak tiba di Stasiun Yunokami Onsen pun, saya sudah langsung menikmati suasana tradisional. Stasiun dibiarkan dalam bentuk seperti di masa lampau, set perapian untuk memasak menjadi display menyenangkan yang menggambarkan suasana rumah Jepang di masa lampau.

In fact, ever since arriving at the Yunokami Station Onsen, I had immediately enjoyed the traditional atmosphere. The station is left in the form as the same as it was in the past, the fireplace set for cooking turned into a fun display that describes the atmosphere of the Japanese house in the past.

Kami yang datang di musim panas langsung disambut bunga-bunga yang bermekaran, bahkan sejak sebelum kami tiba di area desa Ouchi ini. Jalanan memanjang beralaskan tanah dengan rumah tradisional di kiri dan kanan jalan membuat Ouchi-Juku terlihat rapih, namun menarik.

We came in the summer and immediately greeted by blooming flowers, even before we arrived at this Ouchi village. Elongated streets paved with traditional home ground on the left and right road of Ouchi-Juku make it look neat, but interesting.

Yang menarik, di musim panas ini warga Ouchi-Juku mendinginkan minuman botol di saluran air di sisi jalanan. Air yang dingin dan segar membuat minuman tetap segar, dan inilah yang dilakukan sejak dahulu sebelum ada teknologi kulkas :D

Interestingly, in the summer, the residents of Ouchi-Juku cool bottled drinks in the drains at the side of the road. The water is cold and fresh, so it makes drinks stay fresh, and this is done since long before there was refrigerator technology :D

Berbagai toko yang menjual souvenir dan barang-barang tradisional menghiasi pemandangan saat kami berkeliling Ouchi-Juku. Namun, satu hal langsung menarik perhatian kami, someone in Japanese traditional clothing with it's head covered! Dia berjalan kaki sambil memainkan seruling bambu, an Ouchi-Juku traditional musician! He really excited when we told him that we're from Indonesia, mungkin belum banyak orang Indonesia yang mampir ke Ouchi-Juku :)

Various shops that sell souvenirs and traditional items adorn the scenery as we drive around Ouchi-Juku. However, one thing immediately caught our attention, someone in traditional Japanese clothing with it's head covered! He's walking on foot while playing a bamboo flute, an Ouchi-Juku traditional musician! He was really excited when we told him that we're from Indonesia, maybe there are not many Indonesians people who stopped by at Ouchi-Juku :)

Kami kemudian terus berjalan menyusuri jalanan memanjang Ouchi-Juku yang mengarah ke bukit. Dari ujung jalanan kita dapat menaiki tangga untuk melihat desa tradisional ini dari atas, melihat turis yang menikmati berjalan kaki menyusuri jalanan sambil mampir ke berbagai toko dan tempat makan.

We then continued down the lengthwise street of Ouchi-Juku that leads to the hill. From the end of the street we can climb the stairs to see this traditional village from above, saw tourists who enjoyed a walk down the streets, stopping at various shops and places to eat.

Sejak dahulu, Ouchi-Juku adalah desa yang menjadi lokasi persinggahan. Terletak di rute perdagangan Aizu - Nishi Kaido, di antara Aizu dengan Nikko sehingga banyak pejalan yang singgah di Ouchi-Juku untuk beristirahat, makan dan berbelanja kebutuhan perjalanan mereka. Kini Ouchi-Juku tetap ramai, namun bukan menjadi persinggahan trader di rute Aizu - Nishi Kaido, melainkan menjadi daya tarik turis untuk menikmati suasana tradisional Jepang.

Even in the past, Ouchi-Juku is a village that became a stopover location. Located on the trade route of Aizu - Nishi Kaido, in between Aizu and Nikko so there are many pedestrians who stopped by at Ouchi-Juku to rest, eat and shop for their travel needs. Now Ouchi-Juku is still crowded, but not a stopover for traders in the Aizu - Nishi Kaido, but has become the main attraction of tourists to enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional Japan.

A visit to Ouchi-Juku will make you happy, will keep your eyes glued to various interesting things, to various colors this small beautiful town have since long time ago..

@marischkaprue - her colorful day in Ouchi-Juku became perfect after an ice cream in a sunny day

NOTES

OUCHI-JUKU

Shimogo, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Prefecture

Japan

GETTING THERE

Nearest Station: YUNOKAMI ONSEN Station

FROM TOKYO:

Tokyo Station to Koriyama Station by Shinkansen Yamabiko (77 menit)

Koriyama Station to Aizu Wakamatsu by JR Ban etsu West Line for Aizu Wakamatsu (66 menit)

Aizu Wakamatsu to Yunokami Onsen by Aizu Railway for Aizutajima/ Aizu Railway 6 for Aizukogen-Ozeguchi (37 menit)

Train fare: around ¥9600 (non reserved seat during Shinkansen)

FROM Yunokami Onsen Station:

Taxi ride: around ¥1.950

Bus (only operate during April to November): from Yunokami Onsen Station to Ouchi-Juku, ¥1.000 for one day pass, bus available every hour during morning - evening.

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