{"id":59256,"date":"2020-03-14T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-14T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=59256"},"modified":"2020-08-07T23:55:16","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T14:55:16","slug":"fukui-hibiki-terraced-rice-fields","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/fukui-hibiki-terraced-rice-fields\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature, History and Accommodation in Fukui\u2019s Obama City and Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GAH! MONKEYS!!!<\/strong> It was quite the surprise to stumble into a group of wild monkeys at Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields<\/strong>, and I stood frozen in place as they scattered into the surrounding countryside. It marked a brief but lively interlude on my historic and natural journey through Fukui Prefecture’s (\u798f\u4e95\u770c)<\/strong> province of Wakasa<\/strong> containing Japan’s loveliest beaches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The History of Obama City<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hugging the coast along the Sea of Japan (\u65e5\u672c\u6d77), I started my day in Fukui’s Obama city<\/strong>. Obama\u2019s close proximity to the rich cultural exchange that occurred centuries ago between Korea and China with the then-capital of Kyoto made it into a historically important trading post in its day. Today, the ancient center of trade in Obama reflects its intimate ties with the old capital, and alleyways still resemble some of Kyoto\u2019s ancient roads lined with latticed wooden buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obama literally means \u201clittle beach\u201d, and I\u2019m greeted by twin bronze mermaids at the edge of the city by Mermaid Beach<\/strong>. There\u2019s a free parking lot to the right, and I set off on foot to explore the old city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The twin bronze mermaids marks the edge of Mermaid Beach along the Wakasa coastline<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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      Local grocery store in Obama<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
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      Walking through Obama\u2019s Historical Sancho-machi District<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      To see the concentration of Kyoto\u2019s ancient influence, I walked 10 minutes to the narrow alleyway of Sancho-machi <\/strong>(\u4e09\u4e01\u753a). As the historical chaya<\/em> (teahouse) district, the road flourished with rest stops, traditional Japanese sweets shops and teahouses that employed the services of the geisha<\/em><\/strong>. Ryotei Harima is the last chaya <\/em>teahouse that still engages the artistic and cultural services of the geisha<\/em> to this day. The Benigara<\/em> lattices and old teahouse buildings are beautifully preserved, and have been given the designation of an important traditional building conservation district of Japan.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Some of the old teahouses still retain their historic tradition as caf\u00e9s, and their lights were lit up to welcome passing visitors in from the cold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Historical Sancho-machi District in Obama city<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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              Peeking through a doorway<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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                    Monkeys at Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    After my walk through Obama\u2019s Sancho-machi district, I followed the coastline 50 minutes to the Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields<\/strong> (\u65e5\u5f15\u306e\u68da\u7530) of Takahama Town. As one of the 100 Terraced Rice Fields of Japan<\/strong> (\u65e5\u672c\u306e\u68da\u7530\u767e\u9078), the impressive sight of over 200 rice paddies coupled with the enclosed Wakasa fishing port is a stunning example of a quintessential Japanese rural landscape. From the reflected waters of flooded paddies during the spring to the snow-covered terraced fields, the paddies undergo fantastic seasonal transformations that make it photogenic throughout the year. On this day, the sea had brought in a seemingly impregnable expanse of clouds. Even so, I decided to walk to the top of the fields in case I was lucky enough to catch a glimmer of the evening sunset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                      Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields in Takahama Town<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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                      While absorbed in my surroundings, I didn\u2019t notice when I turned a corner and unexpectedly walked straight into a field of wild monkeys. Raiding the private gardens of Hibiki residents, I had interrupted a thieving in progress. I think I surprised those monkeys just as much as they surprised me, and they instantly raced for cover into the surrounding hills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      At this point, I laughed out loud. I thought about the two monkeys I had seen earlier by the side of the road, and something about their audacious public appearance made me think that they were up to no good. I guess I was right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      I walked up the rest of the pathway to the top of the fields where I waited for more monkeys and the evening sunset. Neither ended up revealing themselves that evening. Only the darkness of night and the whistling calls of monkeys in the nearby forest descended around me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                        Tail end of a monkey<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
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                        Electric fencing of Hibiki resident’s gardens<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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