I am not just bad at socializing, rather, I fundamentally have trouble with interpersonal relationships. So, I have a few friends I can truly call such. I have almost none at work, but I do have some at the bars.
One day at one of such bars, I was invited to go to Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture. A former regular at that bar lives in Sakata. My only condition was to board the limited express “Inaho,” which runs along the Sea of Japan, at sunset time. It was indeed already factored in the plan. With that, I made an instant decision.
Despite being slightly drunk at that time, I stopped by another bar before heading home. Still, I booked a hotel at Sakata during that night. A few weeks later, I reserved limited express trains on the days tickets went on sale. So far so good.
However, such enthusiasm is easily gotten excited but soon calmed down. On the day before departure, I had an opportunity to visit a Japanese-style izakaya bar where I had wanted to try in my junior high school days. Despite my early morning departure, I ended up bar-hopping for three places and came home completely drunk. I kind of knew that this might happen, I was not sure whether to be proud or ashamed that I had already finished packing before going out for drinking.
In the next morning, I had to take the first Joetsu Shinkansen train. I was not sure what time I got home the night before. I supposedly woke up after just a short sleep and boarded the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station without really knowing what was going on. I transferred to a limited express train at Niigata Station, and I had reserved a seat on the ocean side of the Green Car (first class). I thought of drinking beer while looking at the ocean in the morning.
However, by the time I arrived at Niigata Station, I was exhausted from my hangover and did not have willpower to buy beer during the transfer time. On the other hand, it seemed there were plenty of people who had the same idea and they were able to act on their plans. When the limited express Inaho No. 1 train departed from Niigata Station, sounds of beer cans opened echoed throughout the Green Car. At the same time, the sounds were my cue to fall into a deep sleep.
The limited express train was supposed to be running along clear skies of the Sea of Japan, but in the end, I arrived at Sakata Station without seeing much of the view. It was like sleeping all day in a luxury hotel with an ocean view, which in a sense is the ultimate luxury.
Perhaps thanks to my deep sleep on the train, I had recovered by the time train arrived at Sakata Station. One of the friends made a lunch reservation at a famous local sushi restaurant. Since I had already fully recovered by then, I was able to enjoy both sushi and sake. It would accomplish one of my major missions of the trip.
For dinner, I was taken to a soba restaurant deep in the mountains, where seemed to be main destination of the friends. It was a wonderful place, seemingly converted from an old farmhouse. Arriving just before dusk, I heard the evening cicadas chirping, the sounds gradually changed to the cicadas, and finally frogs. In a charming tatami room, I enjoyed sake and appetizers with delicious soba. I ended up ordering extra soba, and for some unknown reason, I also stopped at a Sakata Ramen shop before returning to the hotel.
In Sakata, there is a museum dedicated to Ken Domon, a famous photographer who was originally from the city. Since I run a photography-related blog, I probably should visit the museum and learn something.
However, I decided to avoid visiting the Ken Domon Museum of Photography. I was not a fan of museums in general, but that was not the only reason.
I just take typical photos at famous tourist spots. Moreover, I prefer vivid colors, which is the opposite of Ken Domon’s signature monochrome shadow. Even if I saw the works of a renowned photographer, I would probably just notice insurmountable differences with him. There was no need to come all the way to Sakata to realize something I already knew.
While searching for an alternative plan, I noticed that the Shonai area, where Sakata City takes a part, has many waterfalls fed by underground water from nearby Mt Chokai. The owner of the bar, where we initially discussed this trip, is originally from nearby town of Kisakata in Akita Prefecture. There was a spectacular waterfall in Kisakata, so I asked my friend to take me there on the second day.
Then it was time for the main event to me, the limited express Inaho No. 14 train back to Niigata in the evening. The weather was perfect. I took a seat on the ocean side of the Green Car again. The train left Sakata at 6:18 p.m., which was perfect timing because sunset was around 7:00 p.m. on that day.
Learning from my mistakes in the previous morning, I had decided to drink strategically for this evening train – I had not had any beer at the Sakara Ramen shop.
I had a glass of local beer at Sakata Station as a starter and boarded the train with some sake. I drank about three cups of sake while watching the sunset onboard. By the time the limited express train arrived at Niigata Station, I was pretty drunk.
It was the middle day of a three-day weekend, so I thought a late southbound Shinkansen to Tokyo would not be congested. However, it seemed there were some big events in Niigata, and the trains were full of young women. Even the Green Car seemed to be nearly full.
I was able to buy local Echigo Beer during my transfer at Niigata Station at this time. Using my embarrassment at my own drunken smell as an excuse, I changed to a Gran Class (premium class) seat with no passenger next to me.
As if to make up for my failed plan on the first day, I opened a can of beer as soon as the Joetsu Shinkansen departed from Niigata Station. Right after I went to throw away the empty cans when the train passed around Nagaoka Station, I then realized the Shinkansen was already approaching Ueno Station. Although it was my first time riding in Gran Class, but I slept soundly and the ride was almost over before I knew it.
On this trip, I enjoyed myself thoroughly where I wanted, but detailed execution of the plan was somewhat flawed. Drinking is not a problem, as it was a part of the game plan. The biggest problem was that I paid extra money for the trains without any purpose other than sleeping.
I had to convince myself that they were ultimate luxury.
COLO’s Traveler Guide: Sakata
Times listed are based on the timetable at the time of visit.
Day 1
Tokyo 06:08 (Toki 301) > Niigata 08:10
Niigata 08:23 (Inaho 1) > Sakata 10:32
・Sankyo Warehouses
・Sushi Koise
・Sekikawa Shinaori Center
・Soba Restaurant Omatsuya
Accommodation: Wakaba Ryokan (where is supposedly good, but no non-smoking rooms available. I stayed somewhere else)
Day 1 Tips
・The main event for my friends was visit to Ohmatsuya. The surrounding atmosphere combined with good food made the place absolutely perfect. This restaurant has a branch at Ginza in Tokyo, but it is probably a different world compared to the Sakata.
Day 2
・Visit to fishery ports along the Sea of Japan
・Mototaki Waterfall
Lunch: Maesan Zero
Sakata 18:18 (Inaho 14) > Niigata 20:23
Niigata 21:11 (Toki 88) > Ueno 22:38
Day 2 Tips
・The Inaho No. 14 departs from Akita and runs along the Sea of Japan between Akita and Sakata as well. In March, sunset in Sakata is around 5:30 p.m., so boarding the train from Akita during that time may be a good idea. Bring sake aboard the limited express, gaze at winter leaden sky over the Sea of Japan, then disembark in Sakata after dark. Head to the sushi restaurant, then enjoy late-night Sakata ramen. Sounds good.