Frozen waterfalls!

More winter sights in Japan

February 2023

I spent the week living under a heavy cloud. The news my parents shared with me left me emotionally fragile and almost constantly on the verge of tears. Vegemite was my friend.

Why now?! Why at all??

In the phone call with my parents they had very tearily informed me that they were no longer going to be arriving in 3 weeks. They’d been planning this trip before we even left Australia. The knowledge of the fact that they were going to visit had given me a slither of hope when leaving Australia. Saying goodbye still really hurt, but I had something to cling onto. I would see them in just a few months. We all clung to that hope.

Now however, due to circumstances outside of their control, they couldn’t make it at this time. Not only could they not make it, but it came with the, oh so heavy, “C” word. Cancer.

I was absolutely gutted. We were all so looking forward to seeing each other, in just three weeks! It was a double-whammy for our family. Not only did my parents have to put their travel plans on hold so we wouldn’t be seeing them like planned, but it was because my dad had cancer. Cancer.

Now I couldn't help but question, would I ever hug my parents again?

In some ways, I felt so alone. Shujin was with me, yes. And I’d shared the news with the kids. But I’d chosen to hold it from Okasan, until I was stronger. I just didn’t have the emotional strength to answer the repeated questions or to deal with the shock of the news I’d have to retell over and over. So I lived in silence. I didn’t mind hiding in my shell, but it did feel strange keeping such a secret.

A week went by. Like a hermit crab emerging from its shell when it feels safe, I too, eventually came out of my dark place and found the strength to re-live life normally again.

Whether totally coincidental, or a miracle and gift from God to me, Okasan didn’t repeatedly bring up the news or have a shocked reaction when we talked about my dad. For this, I was so grateful.

My parent’s devastating news had come right after our first attempt at going to the Immigration Office to apply for our resident visas. Apart from the extensive wait time that afternoon, we also didn’t have everything we needed. Despite confirming the necessarily items beforehand, ID photos hadn’t been on the list given to Shujin, so we hadn’t gone prepared with any. We’d gone home quite frustrated and very disappointed. So now, we were more prepared, equipped with ID photos, and the knowledge that the Immigration Office is currently one very busy place! We had decided to go first thing in the morning to avoid the long queues. That way, hopefully it wouldn't take too much of Shujin’s working day.

We ate an early breakfast and set off before the kids left for school, not sure how heavy the traffic would be at that time of day. We chose the time wisely, making it to the Immigration Office before opening, but we weren’t the first ones in line. Others were already standing outside, waiting for the doors to open! The front door happened to be on the shaded side of the building and it was cold. Shujin offered to stand in line while I waited in the car, which happened to be parked in the sunny car park. I happily obliged.

Opening time came and I joined Shujin in line. Despite getting there early, the wait for our turn still seemed to take quite some time. I was able to take a seat this time. Shujin sat beside me, his back covering the “Do not sit here” sign. Once again, I people watched, and I had, once again, not come prepared for a long wait! As I watched people at the counter, the weight of the room felt oppressive. I thought about the seriousness of the situation for every person in the room and suddenly, I felt so vulnerable. So dependent. What would I do without Shujin? I still couldn’t speak Japanese apart from a few words and phrases. How do other people survive here???

Our number was called and we quickly hustled our way to the counter. Once again, Shujin did all the talking. He handed over the documents. After a short conversation with the Immigration Officer, we were asked to stand to the side. We waited. Once again, the wait wasn’t too long before we were called back to the counter. The Immigration officer spoke with Shujin, then Shujin turned to me and explained he needed to go buy stamps at the convenience store around the corner. Japan has this way of paying for things when dealing with government departments. The government departments don’t handle money. So you go to the convenience store and buy stamps to the required amount, and then bring them back and they are stuck on your paperwork to show you paid.

So off went Shujin and I waited.

Returning with the required stamps, Shujin passed them over to the Immigration officer. He passed back our personal documents, including our passports, but not before opening them up and showing us the new visa details that were now in mine and Missy’s passports. And just like that, we were accepted as residents for the next 12 months! Apart from all that prior waiting, getting visas on the spot really felt quick!

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I was enjoying my “Traditional Japanese Spring” days in February, even though it was still very cold. So cold, that, when we got chooks, I had to check their water regularly throughout the day, pouring hot water over the solid ice to melt it. What did farmers do in subzero conditions for their livestock??? I needed to look into this!

Not only was the chook water a problem, but I also wasn’t able to hammer in tall garden stakes to make a high fence for a large pen alongside their chicken coop. The ground was frozen. The low make-shift fence was only 1m high so the chooks just flew over when they wanted. When I was in the kitchen they would come to the kitchen door and hang around, like scabs hoping to get food. They would walk out onto the street and greet the neighbours who are walking their dogs… They would go over to the neighbours’ houses and who knew what they did... I'm just grateful no one had gardens in yet! We'd have made enemies for sure!

The predicted rain would be welcomed. Maybe it would melt the ground and I'd be able to fix the fence - no more escaping chooks!

On a walk around the neighbourhood Okasan and I came across a frozen waterwheel. Even the movement couldn’t keep it from freezing!

One weekend we took a drive up Mount Haruna, hoping to experience what we’d heard the locals talking about: A frozen lake and a frozen waterfall!! We were not disappointed! It truly was an incredible sight to see such a vast amount of water completely frozen. The winter was a little mild this year (huh?!) according to the locals around the lake, as it usually freezes at least 20cm thick and you are able to walk out onto it and go fishing. I don’t know about anyone else, but the thought of cutting a hole in ice that I’m standing on does not bring feelings of safety! Aside from that, the thought of fiddling around with bait and hook in below zero temperatures and waiting around for that hook to get a bite in below zero temperatures is certainly not my cup of tea! That is one winter sport I never need to try!

At the Haruna Shrine we walked along the path that followed the creek, winding it’s way upward. Right near the shrine, on the opposite side of the creek, there was a very tall and thin waterfall coming over the side of the hill. It was frozen, but still had enough water trickling down to form an an incredible ice feature at the base!

Beyond the shrine and further up the path we found the waterfall we had come to see. A frozen mass of what should have been waterfall about 5m wide and 10m tall, it was an incredible sight for sure, especially for us Aussies! I felt like I was in a movie scene. The locals said it was even thicker and wider and far more spectacular last year!

2022 Frozen Waterfall Credit to Kiyo

The incredible sights of winter that we were experiencing was so special and unique to us! And more was yet to come…