A trip to Fukura in Awaji Island, Hyogo where you can soak in the kind of warmth you can take home with you.
Feeling a little tired these days, an idea popped into my mind that I wanted to have time to relax. I decided to look at possible destinations for a weekend getaway. Remembering the news on gentle monkeys in Awaji Island, I suggested going to Awaji Island on Friday evening to my boyfriend. He got excited and said, "A road trip to meet the gentlest monkeys in the world sounds like fun!" It’s great that Awaji Island is just a two-hour drive from Osaka, so it would be very convenient for our spontaneous traveling.
The Monkey Center where wild Awaji monkeys live in peace.
We soon arrived at our destination, the Awaji Island Monkey Center. When we got there, some monkeys were busy eating, while some were sunbathing. The sight of monkeys spending time as they liked made us smile. The Awaji Island Monkey Center is operated as a wild monkey park with about 350 monkeys.
We happened to meet the center manager, Nobuhara, so we asked him if it’s true that monkeys in Awaji Island are the gentlest in the world. "Years of research and data have proven that Awaji monkeys are gentle. I believe that the peace-loving and tolerant leaders play an important role, though," he said.
We happened to meet the center manager, Nobuhara, so we asked him if it’s true that monkeys in Awaji Island are the gentlest in the world. "Years of research and data have proven that Awaji monkeys are gentle. I believe that the peace-loving and tolerant leaders play an important role, though," he said.
"The typical society of Japanese macaques has a clearly defined order of ranks. As they are very aggressive, leaders are not usually gentle and tolerant," said Nobuhara. "Macky, who led the monkeys for 15 years in Awaji Island was different. He looked after disabled baby monkeys and always made sure that the weak monkeys were not left behind by the troop," he added.
What the manager said surprised us because his description was so far from what we pictured about leaders in a monkey society. So, we asked, "Has the monkey troop of Awaji Island had a gentle leader since then?"
He answered, "Actually, the leader that succeeded after Macky died was selfish. He harmed others and took away their food, so he fell from power only three months into his reign. Members of the troop had already gotten used to how tolerant Macky was and could not trust the bullying leader. Since then, the leaders have been embracing Macky’s peace-loving style."
What the manager said surprised us because his description was so far from what we pictured about leaders in a monkey society. So, we asked, "Has the monkey troop of Awaji Island had a gentle leader since then?"
He answered, "Actually, the leader that succeeded after Macky died was selfish. He harmed others and took away their food, so he fell from power only three months into his reign. Members of the troop had already gotten used to how tolerant Macky was and could not trust the bullying leader. Since then, the leaders have been embracing Macky’s peace-loving style."
Upon hearing about the story of incredibly tolerant Awaji monkeys, I thought about myself. I felt a little bad about how I may have been intolerant when I was too busy. If I feel that way again, I will remember monkeys in Awaji Island eating their food peacefully, without fighting. Now, after the monkeys shared their kindness with us, we said goodbye to the monkeys.
The weather was nice that day, so we decided to go for a walk at Ohama Beach. I would have to say that this is the real pleasure of going on a trip without specific plans and schedules.
We arrived late in the afternoon. We sat on the beach while listening to the sounds of gentle waves and feeling the breeze on our faces. With the gentle sunlight comforting me, I realized the importance of spending time in this manner.
The weather was nice that day, so we decided to go for a walk at Ohama Beach. I would have to say that this is the real pleasure of going on a trip without specific plans and schedules.
We arrived late in the afternoon. We sat on the beach while listening to the sounds of gentle waves and feeling the breeze on our faces. With the gentle sunlight comforting me, I realized the importance of spending time in this manner.
Awajiken, a legendary ramen stall with a history of over 50 years.
When we returned to the parking lot, guess what we found? It was the pickup truck of Awajiken! We just saw online that you had to be at the right place and the right time to be able to eat this ramen, so this opportunity made us jump for joy!
Excited about my first time with a ramen stall, I said, "Two bowls of ramen, please!" in such a loud voice.
Excited about my first time with a ramen stall, I said, "Two bowls of ramen, please!" in such a loud voice.
I asked the owner, Kamata, if he always came to that spot. "I change my location depending on the day of week. My stall opens in Ohama Park at 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm, sometimes even at 11:00 pm, on Saturdays," he replied.
Although we thought we could only have his ramen if we were lucky, apparently, he might also come to a particular place if you make a reservation by phone during the day. Kamata said, "I sometimes accept group reservations and serve ramen after their group’s drinking session." And without thinking, my boyfriend shouted, "Oh man, I’m so jealous!"
Although we thought we could only have his ramen if we were lucky, apparently, he might also come to a particular place if you make a reservation by phone during the day. Kamata said, "I sometimes accept group reservations and serve ramen after their group’s drinking session." And without thinking, my boyfriend shouted, "Oh man, I’m so jealous!"
Kamata has been operating his stall for over 50 years. When I asked him what the secret was behind the longevity of his business, he answered, "My secret? It must be to become the best version of myself." What a cool and impressive man!
The friendliest place in Awaji Island. An izakaya welcoming travelers as well as locals.
After checking in at our hotel, we went to Aya Japanese Restaurant & Bar upon the recommendation of the hotel’s reception.
The owner, Bando, welcomed us in a cheerful voice when we entered. A long-established local izakaya, Aya will mark its 32nd anniversary this year. As we heard from the hotel staff that his friendly customer service attracts many customers, we were looking forward to seeing him.
The owner, Bando, welcomed us in a cheerful voice when we entered. A long-established local izakaya, Aya will mark its 32nd anniversary this year. As we heard from the hotel staff that his friendly customer service attracts many customers, we were looking forward to seeing him.
When we told him that we came from Osaka, he said, "A customer from Osaka told me that Awaji Island is a hidden gem for foodies because there are delicious foods at more reasonable prices here than at famous tourist destinations like Kyoto. So, please eat a lot!" We could see he enjoyed having conversations with his customers.
We enjoyed a friendly conversation with Bando over delicious dishes such as thick slices of fresh sashimi and fluffy and juicy Japanese omelet that he tried to cook like a savory egg custard. He talked about interesting local stories and stories with his children, reminisced about this customer who visited him every year from far away, and more. The evening was filled with laughter. We left the izakaya and walked back to our hotel saying, "How great would it be if we had a restaurant like Aya in our area, right?"
When we got back to the hotel, we happily lay down on the bed as we talked. We told ourselves, "Although we can visit Awaji Island on a day trip, it is really nice to stay overnight for a more relaxing time" and "I have been here many times, but I never knew it could be this fun here."
Getting to know gentle Awaji monkeys and experiencing warm hospitality by the people in Awaji Island, this trip softened my heart.
Getting to know gentle Awaji monkeys and experiencing warm hospitality by the people in Awaji Island, this trip softened my heart.
I have discovered a BASE where I can come anytime I want to be kind and share kindness with someone. I fell asleep thinking I could work hard again from tomorrow.
