Japanese Food Bites: Indulging in the Taste of Summer

I woke up around 7:30 a.m. feeling surprisingly groggy despite getting a full night of sleep. I headed down to the hotel lobby to drop off my luggage so it could be shipped ahead to Kyoto. After getting ready, I met up with the group and took the train to Tokyo Station to begin our trip to Bessho Onsen.

At Tokyo Station, Grace and I decided to share bento boxes for the journey. After walking around the various bento stations, we landed on two bento boxes, one with tuna nigiri and tuna maki, while the other had tonkatsu with rice and pickled vegetables. Since we had skipped breakfast, we immediately ate the sushi once we boarded the Shinkansen. The bullet train was incredibly comfortable and unbelievably fast, making the ride feel surreal.

After about an hour and a half, we arrived in Ueda and quickly transferred to another train heading toward Bessho Onsen. We almost missed it and had to sprint through the station. Unlike the Shinkansen, this train was older and slower, stopping in small countryside towns along the way. The mountain views were beautiful and made the ride feel peaceful.

We arrived around 12:15 p.m. and had free time before checking into our ryokan at 3:00. Most of our group visited a natural hot spring foot bath where we relaxed and talked while surrounded by quiet streets and old homes. Afterward, we ate our second bento box.

After finishing up our second lunch, Grace, Maryorie, and I explored the town and an old temple before running into Professor Ito at a woodworking shop filled with handmade sculptures, spoons, bowls, and chopsticks. She suggested we get shaved ice, so we walked uphill to a small shop where I ordered strawberry cheesecake flavor. It was one of the best things I ate all day.

When we arrived at the ryokan, Calvin, Johan, and I immediately changed into our yukatas and explored the hotel. We even attempted to hike uphill wearing the traditional wooden sandals, which quickly became miserable in the heat. Still, we got some great pictures before turning back.

Later, we relaxed in the onsen overlooking the mountains before getting ready for dinner. Dinner was an unforgettable eight-course meal with sashimi, miso cod, Kobe beef, and many dishes I had never tried before. Grace especially enjoyed how fresh everything tasted, particularly the vegetables and the fruit served for dessert. She said the vegetables tasted much fresher than what she is used to at home, and she loved how light and refreshing the fruit was after such a large meal. Grace also thought it was really special that everyone wore yukatas and shared the exact same dinner together. She likes when everyone eats the same food because it gives people something to talk about and react to together throughout the meal. At one point, everyone at the table was comparing favorite dishes and encouraging each other to try new foods. Grace described the dinner as an amazing shared experience and one of her favorite parts of the trip so far.

To end the night, we gathered in our friends’ room to play card games and joke around before finally heading to bed after one of the best days of the trip so far.