Tsuruga, Fukui: The Encounter of a Lifetime

Dear readers, I finally got Internet installed at my apartment; thus, I’m ready to share with you all some of the many reasons why Tsuruga already feels like a “home” to me – I am exactly where I’m supposed to be. As I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to take a few days to settle down/make my apartment “mine”, acclimatize, and explore as much of Tsuruga as possible; well, I can certainly put a checkmark on all of these categories now. I’m amazed by the fact that although I’ve only been in Japan for less than two weeks, it definitely feels like I’ve lived here my entire life. Hereafter I will explain some of the reasons why Fukui appears to be custom-designed for me, or perhaps it’s the other way around. I was even welcomed by a fairly decent earthquake a couple of mornings ago…J

I suppose it would be wise to begin by giving a quick intro to the Fukui Prefecture in general. According to official government statistics, Fukui enjoys the second longest life expectancy in all of Japan (Okinawa occupies the 1^st place). Furthermore, 90% of all eyeglass-manufacturing takes place within Fukui. Some of its many other industries enjoying a large global market share include: Echizen Lacquer Ware, Echizen Washi (Japanese Paper), Echizen Pottery, and other traditional crafts such as knife- and chopstick-making. During winter, Fukui counts with several (10) ski-slopes and opportunities to go hiking throughout its many mountains. Lastly, and from a personal standpoint… an extremely interesting fact is that 80% of the dinosaur fossils in Japan have been discovered in Fukui (if you’ve known me from childhood, you are well aware of the fact that I wanted to become a Paleontologist since as long as I can remember). Suffice to say that the word Fukui itself stands for “well of happiness”. Capice?

Tsuruga-shi:

Now, let me take you to the South of Fukui, where I’m currently located, in a city/port-town known as Tsuruga. Ironically, prior to my arrival here, I heard other JET’s tell me that Tsuruga is very "rural"; however, having explored most of the city on my bike, I can assure you that Tsuruga is anything but just “rural”. Now, if you look out for Tsuruga on this map, you’ll notice that it is literally right in the middle of Japan. Being situated only 3.5 hrs from Tokyo, 1 hour from Kyoto and 2 from Osaka via train + having the option of taking the Shinkansen (bullet-train) from its train station makes Tsuruga an extremely convenient location for anyone willing to explore any destination throughout Japan. Moreover, the Tsuruga port offers the option of taking a ferry to Korea and Mizushima Island for a very reasonable price.

My Apartment:

Without a doubt, two of the main reasons why I absolute love my apartment is that it is located right in front of Kehi Pine Tree Park, one of the three most beautiful pine tree forests in Japan, and is also a 5 min. walk from Matsubara Beach, a popular summer destination for many Fukuians. Moreover, there is a convini (a.k.a. convenient store) right beside my apartment known as Family Mart, where I can literally have access to anything from sake, beer, sushi, pastries, magazines, ice cream, tea, and… wait for it….YES, FIREWORKS!!! (WOOOOT! J) It simply does not get any more convenient than that… period.

Kehi Pine Tree Forest & Matsubara Beach:

OK, let me tell you a bit more about the Kehi Forest & Matsubara Beach. Not only is the beach located at the base of the Tsuruga Bay and is surrounded by mountains, but it also counts with various bars and small restaurants throughout its shore. Furthermore, one can easily rent a rowboat, wave-runner, or even a powerboat to go fishing or wake-boarding from early in the morning until late in the afternoon. One of the things that has amazed me most about this beach, is how warm and clear the water is. One can spend the entire day snorkeling while taking pictures of colorful fish, crabs, and seashells. In addition, one cannot fail but notice the amount of….forget seagulls…..HAWKS!!! flying throughout the beach while looking for a bite to eat. To say nothing about the way the moon and the stars look at night from this enchanting place. Oh and the ancient pine forest right behind it along with the millions of insects composing a harmonic masterpiece in the evenings… well, let me just say that nothing I say here could compare to experiencing it first-hand (Hence, come check it out!!!)

Kehi Shrine:

Built in 702, this shrine is the chief guardian shrine of Hokuriku. Its large torii (doorway/gate), about 11 m. height, is one of the three largest in Japan and is designated a National Treasure. This shrine is only a 10-minute bike ride away from my apartment located right in Tsuruga’s downtown core, close to the train station, and 2 km away from Tsuruga’s port. Would you believe that a crane came to give me a warm welcome on top of the torii (doorway/gate) the first day I entered the shrine? I couldn’t have asked for a better blessing; it simply doesn’t get any more Zen than that.

Kangasaki Castle Ruins:

Located only 6 km from my apartment, these castle ruins are one of the most historic battlefields in the Nabokucho period (1336-1392). In the age of civil wars, it also became a battlefield between the Azai/Asakura army and the Oda/Toyotomi/Tokugawa Army. The ruins are most famous during the cherry blossom season because of its location on the base of a low mountain.

Tsuruga Sports Complex:

This place is unreal as it is only a 20-minute bike ride away from my apartment and it counts with an Olympic-size pool, an impressive track & field stadium, a base-ball stadium, B-ball courts, tennis courts, soccer courts, a huge weight-room, a martial arts dojo, and a sweet zen-style lake to simply sit and hang out.

Awano Junior High School (JHS):

This is the school I’ve been assigned to teach at. It is the BIGGEST and some say “challenging” JHS in all of Tsuruga with 700 students (50/50%), 45 staff members, and 22 classes. Some may see this as a “frightening” and challenging situation; however, after having spent some time at Awano over the last couple of days while getting to know the staff, I rest assured that there is no better school for me to be teaching at. Indeed, what greater privilege than being given the opportunity to teach 700 students. That means that I could potentially be invited to 700 houses for dinner over the next year….k, no… make it 2 or 3 years (so much for having dinner at my apartment by myself…). In addition, Awano JHS happens to have the greatest number of extra-curricular clubs to get involved in Tsuruga with activities ranging from baseball, T & F, tennis, B-ball, V-ball, soccer, cooking classes, etc.

In any case, you get the picture. These are just a few of the places I’ve managed to explore in the short-time I’ve been here. I have much more to see, including the onzens (thermal-baths), hiking trails in the surrounding mountains, and the Mizushima Island – an uninhabited island near the tip of the Tsuruga Peninsula with clear and shallow waters + wind-surfers and divers (I’ll make a post about it next week once I check it out). I also look forward to visit the Five Lakes of Mikata and the Tsuruga Lantern & Firework Festival (one of many more to come) happening this Sunday at Matsubara Beach.

In conclusion… this place is exactly where I want to be and I sincerely hope that many of you will be able to come experience it with me at some point in the not-so-distant-future.

Regards,

- Iker

PS – Next weekend will bring me the opportunity to turn a dream into reality and conquer the summit of Mt. Fuji. I’ll be thinking of you all.

“I write it down not to remember it later; I write it down to remember it NOW.”