There's something about the countryside…

If you know me well, you would know that I'm a massive introvert who enjoys quiet spaces and a lot of alone time. I feel more centered and calm, less tired and more at peace. Away from the hustle and bustle of busy Singapore, I love spending my time, not chasing after famous tourist sites, but simply hiding in a mountain cabin, camping in the wilderness or going for a walk in the woods.

Today's trip from Ogawara to Sendai is not entirely a mountainous country like in Adatara, but its semi-countryside feel puts me at immediate ease. I enjoy the Tohoku scenery (aka north of Tokyo for those who don't know) so much more than the cities. There is a certain stillness and warmth to the place, the way countrysides are. I once remarked to Yuki that she's a city girl from Sendai, the biggest city north of Tokyo but she immediately quipped back with a happy smile, "... only to those in Tohoku. To the rest of Japan, Sendai is the countryside."

If Tokyo is the vibrant heart of Japan, its economic lifeblood, then Tohoku is its soul, at once wild and hidden away but present and comfortable with her own identity at the same time. The people it seems, reflect this confidence with natural ease. Today was the day that we were waved at and cheered on by the most number of people I can remember.

We mostly see many shy smiles from people in cars and wide-eyed passerbys, so when someone does approach us, we know it took a small bit of courage on their part to approach these 2 crazy looking foreigners with an equally crazy war banner hanging from their backs

The most touching one was when a guy, also named Yuki (written differently in Japanese), made a u-turn just to stop by the roadside to cheer us on. You know when someone smiles from their heart, you can see it in their eyes. He leaned out over the passenger seat of his car, his arms casually waving and he chatted earnestly. As his way of showing his support and feelings, he gave us a small token of cash and insisted we buy something that will give us a boost. His small act has touched our hearts just as surely as we have touched his.

That day, we received so much love from people, including coffee from an ojisan at 7-11 and of course a home made meal by Yuki's mom! Our trip has been so much more enjoyable because of these little interactions. And all this could only have happened because two strangers have decided to let go of their fears to meet at the side of a random road to see what beautiful experiences would bloom.

Michelle Yang