June 20 Travel to Kushiro, Lake Akan and Ainu village

This was a BIG day.  We caught a early flight out of Tokyo and traveled to Kushiro on Hokkaido Island in the far north of Japan.  About a 2.5 hour flight.  The Japan vs Greece World Cup game was just starting, and every Japanese in the airport was glued to the screen as we were boarding (tie 0-0).  From Kushiro airport it was another 1.5 hours by bus to a thermally active area called Lake Akan.  The landscape here is familiar to the Northwest, with hillsides covered in lush trees, cooler temperatures and rain.  Very scenic and rural.
After checking into our hotel and a quick lunch (more fish/rice/miso!), we were wisked away to tour an Ainu village.  The Ainu are the indiginous people of Hokkaido island, and their history mirrors that of the North American indians in that they were driven off their lands by Japanese settlement.  We got to learn about Ainu culture and woodcarving crafts, and saw some Ainu dancing.  It reminded me of the Tlingit/Haida customs of Southeast Alaska in alot of ways from my time in Juneau.
OK, now the "onsen".  Best thing so far!!!  Onsen is traditional Japanese hotsprings, and the hotel we stayed at provides one of the nicest onsen experiences in the country I am told.  Onsen is a very important Japanese custom, a way to release stresses and reconnect for busy city workers.  Kushiro is near some volcanically active areas, so it is fed by hotsprings.  The hotel was amazing, designed to the smallest detail to induce relaxation and ease.  It is a traditional experience, with bamboo mats, tatami beds, and very spare furnishings.  The onsen baths have many customs, so we had to get some training on what to do and what not to do.  Clothing is not allowed, separated areas by gender, so sorry no pictures!  But once inside the onsen area there were an amazing variety of baths of different temperatures, saunas, "mist rooms", falling water massages, and so on.  Some areas inside, other areas outside with picturesque views of the lake.  Soft music plays everywhere, it is all wood and rocks and water, very natural, almost no one talking, just deeply relaxed Japanese (saw no other European/Americans other than we teachers).  I've really never experienced anything like it.  Later that night we had a beautifully presented meal of Japanese foods served by a woman in full kimono, impeccable service and food.  I slept so well this night!  I think this will very likely be the best day of the whole trip.