Ohara, Japan
 

I saw Spygirl's post on Ohara earlier this month, and glorialf and mealea also chimed in that they enjoyed it. Spygirl mentioned the Buddhist nunnery bldgs. that had burned to the ground and are supposedly being rebuilt, and the temple and monastery there. It sounds like an interesting short trip from Kyoto. I can't find any other info on this forum about it, almost no info on the web, and no info in guidebooks. Has anyone else been there, and if so, what did you think and what info can you provide to help me in considering and getting to Ohara, etc.? Thanks in advance.

I put Ohara into the search box at jnto.go.jp and got several hits including:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/RTG/RI/kan...ara/ohara.html

You might also consider alternate spellings of "O Hara" or "O-Hara"

Hi mrwunrfl. Back to basics for me, right? The JNTO sight you mentioned has more than I have found anywhere else, including directions. Thank you. We are basing ourselves in Kyoto the second full wk. of our stay and will make trips to Nara, Himeji, Osaka for sumo, and an overnight to Hiroshima and Miyajima. But I think we may also be able to do another short half day trip and this sounds about the right for that additional one. If we are lucky, the cherry blossums will be opened that last week of March.

ah sooo....i know that place well, o hara. its across the street from o tooles, another fine irish pub. ok, ok, slow day. ((D))

Bonjour emd,

I've been there last May, during the "women festival", nice 45 min bus trip (from Shijo-Keihan bus terminal) and a very pleasant place to explore on foot. There are some nice craft shops, beautiful temples and a couple good restaurants, simple traditional food. I couldn't visit all I wanted due to my mother being unable to walk much, but I will certainly return.

OK, Florence, it's a done deal now that I know you liked it and woudl return and I have your description. The women festival must have been interesting. I've seen lots of different festivals described all over Japan, but have never seen a women festival- what was it like?

The festival is about the women who used to grow vegetables and gather firewood and go down to Kyoto to sell themin the markets. Some still do nowaway and one of the charms I found in Ohara is seeing so many rice paddies, vegetable gardens, and old houses in good condition. On the day we went, it was a rather quiet affair, with women sporting traditional clothes and carrying small bundles of firewood, food and crafts stalls on the way to the temples, etc.

We were the two only foreigners and were treated extremely nicely, given all kinds of food samples, complimented on eating and liking them (the pickles are especially good).

At some point, my mother sat down on a low wall and when she stood up again, a couple ladies in their 50's ran up to her and brushed the back of her skirt. She was extremely surprised, but highly amused, until I could translate that those ladies were in fact explaining her skirt was covered by dust and twigs. We had a good laugh with those ladies, who only later realised how such a gesture could have been misinterpreted.

That, and the time an "obatarian"* gave her a slap on the rump in a 100 yen shop to make her liberate the way, were highlights of her stay.


* Obatarian is the generic name of obnoxious, pushy, demanding women in their 40-50's. Typically, obatarian will board a packed subway car without letting people out, stand in the middle of the door blocking the way of those wanting to board the train, then stay there for the next 5 stops ... The name derives from "oba-san" ("aunt", a polite way of addressing a middle-aged woman) and "batarian", the name of the monsters in the Japanese version of the movie "the return of the living dead").

Florence, you gave me a good laugh (on the obatarian story) to start the day. One more question: JNTO site says to take the bus from Kyoto to Demachi-Yanagi station (40 min.) and then from there another bus for 30 min. to Ohara. So I guess there are two ways to get there, and your one 45 min bus from Shijo-Keihan terminal sounds much better. Thanks very much.

I found my notes, and there are 2 bus lines to Ohara, # 17 and 18 from Kyoto station. One station is located along Kawabata-dori (along the Kamogawa) just above Shijo-Keihan terminal, but we boarded the bus in Shijo-dori, almost in front of Teramachi covered arcades.

Also, Florence, I have seen some short mentions of Kurashiki from you in your posts. Would you please elaborate on your expereince w/that town, as we are looking into possibly stopping there on the way to/from Hiroshima.

It's been 5 years since I visited Kurashiki: the traditional merchant part is quite interesting with its typical warehouses along the river, some dating from the Edo-era, some transformed in craft and art studios. There are several museums worth a visit, and the famous Tivoli park is surprising, to say the least. Without Tivoli, 1/2 day stroll is well worth it.

Thank you for digging out those notes, Florence. I really appreciate it. I would really like to stop in Kurashiki and be there in the evening (but still get back to Kyoto for the night, not sure yet if this is doable.) The traditional crafts look great, and there is a nightly festival of lights going on while we will be there in the spring (the avenues stretching out from Kurashiki station are all lit up w/thousands of white lights each evening from Feb. to early April: www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp.kankou.
TOUR_e/SPR/03_e.html

Ooops- that should be:
http://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp.../SPR/03_e.html
This appears to be the city's website and lists the festivals, etc.