Kevin Riley Inc

DAY 1

On Monday morning, we got up early (Well, 8 am is early in our house) and caught the local train up to Osaka Station. There, we had reserved seats on the Kinosaki Express. Ah … just sitting back as the train goes through the mountains, past beautiful farmland, and up to the small hot springs town of Kinosaki.

We arrived at Kinosaki in time for lunch. Then, we checked into our inn and got changed in Yukata (the casual cotton Kimono we wear when going to the baths at a traditional inn), Hanten (the small slip-on coat worn over Yukata when it’s cold out), and Geta (wooden sandals). Time to go on our Sotoyu Meguri (outside bath tour). In Kinosaki, on any given day, six of the seven Onsen (hot springs) are open. When staying at an inn, you then go out to these and go from one to the next. Sane people usually visit 2-3 Onsen, as all that soaking in hot water does turn you quite boneless. We (not being classed with the sane people) challenged ourselves to do all six.

Here we are at the beginning of our Sotoyu Meguri, on one of the many bridges over the small river that runs through the middleof Kinosaki.

We spent the next few hours wandering from one Onsen to the next, fortifying ourselves with snacks along the way. I’m eating grilled Senbei (a rice cracker that in this case is soft, wrapped around a stick, and grilled over coals) and Rieko is getting ready for our second Onsen – Yanagi Yu – which had beautiful beams inside the bathhouse.

After five Onsen, it was time for a refresher with Onsen Tamago (eggs cooked in the Onsen waters). We tied our sack of eggs to the wood framework, and then killed the 10 minutes it takes to get really soft eggs by walking to a nearby temple.

We did it! All six Onsen. Talk about relaxed. It’s like someone took out all your bones and turned you into Jello. We sauntered back to the inn, had a wee rest, and then it was time for the feast. Yes, that’s a pile of crab legs, claws, etc in the wooden tray, and we’ll spend the next two hours cooking them in the Nabe (pot) and eating delicious crab.

Along with the crab feast, there were many little appetizers (Zenzai) and other little delicacies that kept being brought in throughout the feast – Sashimi, roast goose, and …. something interesting? There was a small eggcup-like bowl holding a rather delicious delicacy. And that’s the contest.

WHAT IS IT? Look at the photo below (sorry, that’s as close as I could get on such a small item). If you guess correctly what it is, you will win a very nice prize – one of my top products. But, you have to guess what it is.

DETAILS: Put your guess in comments below and let the games begin.

Winner(s) will get to chose from a list of top products, including Product Creation Lab Workshop, Traffic Generation Lab Workshop, From Hobby To Info Product Empire, and many more.

DAY 2

Time to return to Osaka, but first we had a nice breakfast and one more soak in the inn’s own Onsen. Then, the train back home, where we ate Eki Ben (train station box lunch). Here’s Rieko saying one last good-bye to crab – until next time.

UPDATE: And The Winners Are ….

There were two winners and each chose the Traffic Generation Lab Workshop DVD-ROM as their prize. A copy is shipping to:

Denis Thornton
Lynn Norton

And the answer is: Namako (Sea Cucumber). Although the creature itself looks quite unappetizing, Namako in a vinegary sauce is quite delicious.

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