Matsushima, ah Matsushima...

That is the first line of a famous poem about Matsushima, one of the three most scenic views in Japan and where I spent my Saturday. I was invited by the sales department and it was a really good time. I kind of wish we weren't so rushed the whole time and I'd like to go back and be able to take my time.

Matsushima is a small town overlooking a bay that is dotted with tiny islands covered in pine trees. Matsu means pine tree, shima means island, thus we have pine tree islands. These islands scatter the water-some bigger than others, some more famous than others, but together they do provide a spectacular sight especially if it's a sunny, brisk autumn afternoon.

We left the parking lot at 6:30am and we went by a bus that was perfect for the 17 other travelers, our luggage, our snacks, and our coolers full of alcohol. Like the last bus ride I took, the guys were breaking out the beers as soon as they got on the bus but I had to refuse until around 8.

With all the drunks, we stopped a few too many times for bathroom breaks and arrived to Matsushima late. We missed the boat that we were scheduled to ride and decided to get lunch and take the next one. Lunch was amazing-being on a bay that is famous for its oysters and being in an area that is famous for seafood in general, everyone ordered oysters and kaizen-don(sashimi donburi). The oysters were huge, slippery and ugly but they were delicious. I ate fresh scallops, oysters, sashimi and I was content.

On the other hand, my fellow travelers' tastes weren't fulfilled with mere seafood they needed something else. What was it? Beef tongue. Near bye Sendai is famous in Japan for its beef tongue. Every Japanese city has at least one local delicacy that it claims to be the best in Japan. My town for instance claims it's sauce katsu is the best in the land. Osaka claims its Takoyaki to be better than anywhere else, and Hiroshima's okonomiyaki is famous all over the islands. But Beef Tongue? So random. Honestly, I've had beef tongue before and it's pretty good but I'd rather eat steak or prime rib. I just thought it was hilarious that these people were creaming their pants over something so obscure as cow tongue. Myself and a few others opted out of the beef tongue craze and went to see the castle ruins of Aoba castle. I was glad that I did it because there was a beautiful view of Sendai with some nice statues and monuments in the park.

Back to Matsushima-we took a little cruise boat around the bay and got to see a whole bunch of the islands. Every now and then the boat stopped so we could get better looks at certain islands which were said to be more beautiful or famous than the others. I didn't really care about this because the scenery as a whole is what makes it one of the 3 scenic views. The view wasn't the most awe inspiring thing in the world-the rocky mountains and some coastal views in Hawaii beat Matsushima in terms of awesomeness, but this
place's beauty was very subtle. It wasn't one view that made it one of the most scenic places in Japan but it was the experience. A single tree rising from the rock; the holes bored from thousands of years of weather wear; the hawk darting out of the woods to catch a fish; the fisherman in their boats; the oyster pastures spread out over the water-the list goes on but it were these small things that gave it beauty. It wasn't merely the islands but it was the spaces between them that made them inspiring. The serenity invoked from the autumn leaves dusting the mountains in the distance and the simple, pointless conversations with my companions made the hour spent on the water more than just walking around a tourist trap.

We made the ride back from Sendai that day and made it back to Kiryu by around 9pm. We still had a lot of snacks, beer, and chu hai left over so that was split up amongst us to take home. I'm actually enjoying one of those beers as I currently write this blog entry. I think a day in the Sendai area was enough but I wish I could have taken more time to walk around the cities of Matsushima and Sendai to get a feel for the local flavor a bit more. But, it was a good trip and hopefully I'll return during another season to get another experience.