Fear Mountain and the "Wild" Horses at Cape Shiriya...

To escape work, school, and the ever-present claustrophobia associated with Misawa living, Chris, Noah, our friend Keli, and I opted for a little adventure this past weekend and decided to take a little roadtrip to the upper peninsula. We had heard rumor of a herd of wild horses that roamed free along the northern coastline and thought it would be fun to go in search of them.

After winding up and over mountains, passing through teeny coastal fishing villages, and traveling around the "Obscurity Wood of Hiba" (I kid you not--check out the sign), we finally made our way to Cape Shiriya, the northeastern most point of Honshu and home to the Kandachime horses. The result of two hundred years of crossbreeding between the Tanabu and French Breton breed of horses, these guys' claim to fame is their remarkable ability to withstand northern Japan’s brutal winters. Their name literally means ‘to stand in the frost’.



Our first view of these magnificent creatures involved a pretty amazing display of both their remarkable intellect and fiercely untamed spirit. I managed to capture the moment on camera:

"Hey, Blackie...Quick!! Go get some more change from that tourist. The old man just hung up on me when I told him last week's oats were stale, the hay was moldy, and that we're organizing a strike if something doesn't give ...."

So much for wild. :) I think one too many tourist has offered up a tasty treat and these guys now recognize that humans aren't to be feared. They were beautiful, though, and their imposing (yet elegant) stature reminded us of the Clydesdales we've seen in the States. It appears the Budweiser horses have some Far Eastern competition should the beer company ever be in need of additional "actors."

Noah greets Mr. Ed...





















...and shies away from others! (No, the foal isn't dead, just resting)

















Keli with one of the babies...
















Grazing at the cape...

The stallion...(he's the one that's closer)
















Family photo...



Having made good time on seeing the horses, the four of us then decided to travel inland and visit (or revisit in the case of Chris and me) Osorezan, which translates into English as "Mount Fear." The mountain is actually a volcano in the center of the peninsula and is considered one of Japan's most sacred locations. Unfortunately, my nose didn't find it so sacred--I had forgotten just how strong the sulfurous fumes that emanate from the place were and I was quickly reminded upon our approach as I grew nauseated from the "rotten egg" smell. Your nose just never seems to adjust to such things.

Before entering the temple, I took a few photos of Noah, Chris, and Keli at the beautiful red bridge that marks the gateway from "hell" into "paradise."





















Given our surroundings, it felt rather eerie to be there with a happy, smiling Noah. The temple is dedicated to the souls of unborn babies and dead children and I felt rather sad to witness the number of pinwheels (each represent a lost child) while in the company of my own little guy. Walking beyond the temple, we noted the piles of pebbles rising from the ground that are built in effort to ease the children's struggle in getting into heaven.


Since it was hot and Noah was getting a little pink, the four of us decided to cut our visit short and head back to Misawa. Although it was a long day trip, we had tons of fun! Here's a grinning Noah to prove it!



Cheers!


Amanda