Best Hiking Spots in Japan

*Published in Pinoy Gazette June 2016 issue

Bukod sa pagpunta sa mangilan-ngilang magagandang dalampasigan sa Japan, isa sa mga pinakakinagigiliwang gawin ng mga Hapon tuwing summer ay ang pag-akyat ng mga bundok. Hindi lamang mainam sa katawan ang pagha-hike, masaya rin itong bonding activity ng pamilya at barkada. 

Maraming mga bundok kung saan maaaring umakyat all year-round, mayroon din naman mga seasonal lamang tulad ng Mt. Fuji na maaari lamang akyatin tuwing July-August. Ang Mt. Fuji ay inaakyat ng halos 20,000 tao, kapwa turista at residente, bawat taon. Nakakamanghang makita na magkasamang umaakyat ang mga maliliit na bata at mga retiradong matatanda sa Mt. Fuji. Ang tatlo sa pinakamatataas na bundok sa Japan ay ang Mt. Fuji na may taas na 3776m at matatagpuan sa Shizuoka at Yamanashi, ang Kita-Dake (Minami Alps), may taas na 3192m, ay kilala sa tawag na “Shirane-san” na ang ibig sabihin ay three peaks (binubuo ng Kita-Dake, Aino-Dake at Notori-dake) at matatagpuan sa Nagano, Shizuoka at Yamanashi; at ang Hodaka-dake (Kita Alps) na may taas na 3190m at matatagpuan sa Gifu at Nagano. Kung hindi ka man ganoon kahanda para umakyat sa tatlong nabanggit na bundok, marami pa ring ibang bundok na maaaring akyatin ngayong summer. 

Mga Kilalang Hiking Spots bawat Rehiyon

Ang Daisetsuzan National Park ay tinatawag ring “Roof of Hokkaido” dahil matatagpuan dito ang pinakamatataas na bundok sa Hokkaido na binubuo ng Asahidake, Tokachidake, Shikaribetsu at Ishikari. Noong 1993, kinilala ito bilang pinakamalaking national park sa Japan na may lawak na 230,000 hectares. Hindi lamang magagandang tanawin ang makikita mula dito, matatagpuan ding naninirahan sa bundok ang iba’t-ibang uri ng hayop tulad ng ezo deer, blakiston’s fish owl at black woodpecker. Mag-ingat lamang dahil mayroon ding mga brown bear na nakatira dito.

Ang Shirakami Sanchi ay binubuo ng mahahabang bulubundukin sa pagitan ng Aomori at Akita. Naging UNESCO World Heritage Site ito noong 1993, isa sa mga pinakaunang nabigyan ng ganitong karangalan sa Japan. Isa sa mga pangunahing atraksyon nito ang three-tiered Anmon Falls. Bukod dito, naninirahan din sa makapal nitong kagubatan ang black bear, serow, golden eagle at 87 pang uri ng mga ibon. 

Kung sawa na sa pag-akyat sa Mt. Takao na isa sa pinakasikat na hiking site malapit sa Tokyo, maaaring alternatibo ang Mt. Mitake. May layo lamang na dalawang oras mula sa sentro ng Tokyo, mainam ito para sa mga gustong mag-unwind at makapiling ang kalikasan. Mula sa cable car station sa bundok, aabutin ng 20 minuto pa papaakat sa pinakatuktok kung saan naroon ang Musashi Mitake Shrine. Kung gusto mo namang higit pang i-challenge ang sarili, maaaring ituloy ang hike papuntang Mt. Hinode bago bumaba. 

Ang Kamikochi sa Nagano ay isa sa pinakakilalang hiking spots sa rehiyon. Tinatawag din itong “gateway to the alps.” Sinasabing isang Buddhist priest na nagngangalang Banryu ang unang umakyat dito noong sinaunang panahon kung saan ang pag-akyat sa mga bundok ay ginagawa bilang pagsamba sa kalikasan. Noong Meiji Period, mas naging katanggap-tanggap ang pag-akyat ng bundok bilang leisure activity dahil na rin sa impluwensiya ng mga banyaga. Higit na pinasikat ni Reverend Walter Weston, isang Ingles, ang Kamikochi nang ikwento niya sa kanyang librong “Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alp” ang mga karanasan nya sa pag-akyat dito. 

Ang Mt. Koya sa Wakayama ay hindi lamang kilala bilang isang ordinaryong hiking site kung hindi isang iginagalang na pilgrimage site. Dito nakabase ang Shingon School of Buddhism kasama ang 100 pang ibang templo at monastery. Maaari ring manuluyan at magpalipas ng gabi sa mga Buddhist temples dito na tinatawag na shukubo. Huwag ding palagpasing bisitahin ang Okunoin Cemetery kung saan nakahimlay si Kobo Daishi, kilala rin sa tawag na Kukai, na siyang nagtatag sa Shingon School of Buddhism.

Ang Kankakei Gorge ay tinatayang isa sa pinakamagagandang gorge sa buong Japan. Matatagpuan ito sa Shodoshima Island, pangalawa sa pinakamalaking isla sa Seto Inland Sea, sa Shikoku. Mayroong dalawang trail na maaaring pagpilian paakyat ng bundok pero mayroon ding ropeway na magdadala sayo direkta sa tuktok. Bukod sa Kankakei Gorge marami pang ibang lugar sa isla ang maaaring bisitahin tulad ng Twenty-Four Eyes Village, lokasyon ng nobela ni Sakae Tsuboi na ginawang pelikula noong 1954 at 1987, at ang Sakate Port, isa lamang sa 7 ports sa paligid ng isla, kung saan maaaring kumain ng fresh seafood habang pinagmamasdan ang ganda ng dagat.

Ang Yakushima sa Kagoshima sa isla ng Kyushu ay kinilala noong 1993 bilang UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kilala ito sa mga puno ng yakusugi, mga ancient cedar trees na sinasabing naging inspirasyon sa anime na Princess Mononoke na ginawa ni Hayao Miyazaki. Isa sa pangunahing atraksyon dito ang Jumonsugi, tinatayang pinakamatandang puno ng cedar sa buong mundo, na may edad na 7,000 taon!

Iba-iba man ang dahilan ng pagha-hike, mapa-leisure man kasama ang pamilya, pilgrimage man o self-searching, maraming trail na pagpipilian sa iba’t-ibang kabundukan sa Japan. Tandaan lamang: pag-aralan ng maigi ang mapa, basahing mabuti ang mga trail signs, magsuot ng angkop na sapatos at damit at magdala ng hiking gadgets na makakatulong sa pag-akyat!

Reinventing ‘A Piece of Cloth’: The Works of Issey Miyake

*Published in the July 2016 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal

“The act of design and its process are synonymous with excitement and joy.” 

–Issey Miyake

Japanese designer Issey Miyake is well-known for his out-of-the-box ideas translated into avante-garde collections created all through out his almost 50-year old career (and still counting). And as what these collections reflect, every piece of cloth has a story. These stories are brilliantly told in a recent display of his creations titled, “Miyake Issey Exhibition: The Work of Miyake Issey” held at The National Art Center, Tokyo from March 16 – June 13, 2016. 

Official poster of the exhibition

Issey Miyake went to Paris in 1965 to continue honing his skills in the field. In 1968, he witnessed the May ‘68 protests where young people expressed their sentiments against authoritarianism. This experience inspired him to “create clothing like jeans and t-shrits that can be worn by everyone.” This is when he started expoloring the relationship between “a piece of cloth”, the body and the space between them. Combining his love for research, his enthusiasm for experimenting on the use of new materials and his good grasp of Japanese traditional craftsmanship, he was able to develop a kind of signature style that is distinctively his own. Miyake explains his vision by saying that, “Every day, I imagine something new, create something that has never existed, and build a new reality.” But despite the spontaneous flow of diverse creative ideas, his basic principle remains the same, making clothes from “a piece of cloth.”

The exhibition, divided in three sections, showed how Miyake’s experiementation with clothes has progressed through the years. The spaces in Sections A and B were designed by TokujinYoshioka. Section A exhibited Miyake’s earlier works. He has continually sought new methods and technologies for making clothes since he established the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. Because of his forward-looking mindset, Miyake refuses to be bound by convention. Although he uses Japanese traditional crafts and materials as a starting point, he adds his own style by recreating the clothes into something more contemporary. Miyake and his team experiment with ways to turn their ideas into realities and then deliver the finished, tangible pieces to people who can fully utilize them. Some notable pieces in this section were the Shohana Momen, made from a frabric traditionally used to line men’s kimonos; Sashiko,  made from a quilted-fabric used for Judo uniforms and farmers’ work clothes; and Tanzen, a kimono-style coat with a tie-belt. 

In Section B, Miyake’s clothes were displayed on “Grid Bodies” that were specifically designed by Yoshioka for this exhibition. Because of Miyake’s vision to connect the cloth and the body, he created a body series from 1980-1984 that showcased materials that are uncommonly used for clothes like plastic and rattan shaped into wearable pieces. In 1980, Miyake displayed a new collection called Plastic Body for the Autumn/Winter collection. The pieces were made using fiber-reinforced plastic on a mold of a human torso. Two years after, he showcased Rattan Body for his Spring/Summer collection. Using the techniques of Shochikudo Kosuge, a Japanese artist from Hayama, Miyake sculpted rattan and bamboo materials into wearable forms, creating a contemporary interpretation of a Japanese samurai armor. This collection was also featured on the cover of an American art magazine, Art Forum, in February 1982. Needless to say, it is a notable achievement for a piece of clothing to be featured in an art magazine. Wire Body and Waterfal Body were released in Autumn/Winter 1983 and Autumn/Winter 1984 respectively.

The space in Section C, designed by Taku Satoh, was meant not only as a display space but also as an interactive space where visitors could try folding clothes with complex structures and watch demonstrations. This section exhibited five of the most innovative aspects of Miyake’s work. Right next to the entrance to this section, a row of Olympic Team uniforms were displayed. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Miyake was commissioned to design the uniforms of the athletes from Lithuania. From this experience, Miyake thought of showcasing the designs of ten more teams for his 1993 Spring/Summer collection. The Materials area showcased the different materials that Miyake used for making clothes like polyster, horsehair, ramie, rayon and silk. In the IKKO TANAKA-ISSEY MIYAKE area, pleated kimonos printed with basic shapes like circles and triangles neatly arranged to form an image of a Japanese woman’s face were on display. Dresses in the A-POC section were said to have  been created from a single piece of thread in a single process. Also exhibited in the Pleats area was the pleats machine used by Miyake in making his pleats designs. A special demonstration was held every morning during the exhibition. When making pleats, Miyake makes the clothes first and then feeds them through a heated pleating machine, contrary to the usual practice of creating pleating first and then turning the pleated fabrics into clothes. Miyake’s 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE/IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE collection showcased dresses with complex folding structures. 

In the last part of the exhibiton, there were also some short films about Miyake that were shown to the audience. First, there was a motion graphic called “Making Things” created by Yugo Nakamura and music composed by Cornelius. Other works shown were: The Work of Issey Miyake 1960-2015 directed by Shinya Nakajima; Beyond Time and Space directed by Yuriko Takagi; Visual Dialogue directed by Irving Penn; Waterfall Body and Kamiko directed and edited by Yu Yamanaka.

Miyake believes that clothing should not only enrich people’s lives but also bring joy to anyone who is wearing them – something that Miyake has done and has continued to do all these years. From a piece of cloth, he was able to visualize and revitalize a new clothing revolution that, as he says, “turns ideas into realities.”

How to Apply for a Japan Tourist Visa

Published in the February 2016 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal.

See the rest of the pages here: https://issuu.com/filipino-japanesejournal

          The rising popularity of anime, cosplay and JPop in the Philippines has attracted a lot of potential tourists to Japan. People are drawn to Japan’s extreme image of eccentricity and traditionalism that are, surprisingly, blending harmoniously in its landscape. As part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic plan, Japan is targeting to attract 18 million tourists in 2016, 2.5 million of whom are projected to come from Southeast Asia alone. An even more ambitious goal is to raise this number up to 30 million in 2030.

In support of this initiative, Japan has recently relaxed its strict visa restrictions for Southeast Asian countries. Tourist visas for Malaysians and Thais were recently waived. Unfortunately for the Philippines, Filipinos are still required to apply for a visa to enter Japan.The good this is, multiply entry visas that would allow tourists to stay for as long as 15 or 30 days are now being issued to Filipinos. With affordable low-cost carriers operating between Manila and Tokyo and other areas in Japan like Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, the dream for Filipinos to visit Japan is now within reach.

            It is important to take note that tourist visas are only being processed through certain travel agencies accredited by the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines. The application would be smooth and hassle-free if the required documents are complete upon submission. Here are some simple tips to remember:

• Visit the website of the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines for accurate information. This sounds too basic and simplistic and yet this is the step that most people forget. While friends and family members can give substantial tips and advices on how to apply for a visa, the website gives you official information. It provides the list of documents to be submitted and the contact numbers of accredited agencies. Forms can also be downloaded from the website. (www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp)

• Get in touch with an accredited travel agency. Make sure that you are contacting the correct agency. The Japanese Embassy does not accept applications from other agencies not accredited by them. The visa application is free but the travel agencies charge a processing fee that ranges from P1000-P1800 for individual applicants and P2000-2500 for those with guarantors.

• Make sure your documents are complete upon submission. Some of the basic requirements to be submitted are: valid passport, visa application form, proof of previous travel to Japan or other countries (old passport stamps), Certificate of Employment, Letter of Explanation for requesting a multiple entry visa, Bank Certificate, Income Tax Return (ITR). Please note that there might be additional documents that are required to be attached apart from the above stated depending on your situation. For example, those applying for a tourist visa to visit relatives or those applying with guarantors might need to attach documents proving their relationship to the person they are visiting.

• Check the date of issue of the documents. The birth certificate and/or marriage certificate to be submitted should be officially issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) within one year. If you thought that they would not check it, well, sorry to say, but they surely will. If your copy is more than a year old, you should request a new one through the NSO branches or online.

•  Bring the complete documents to the agency and pick it up upon release. Tourist visas are released through the agencies within 5 days. You don’t directly pick it up at the Japanese Embassy. If the documents submitted are insufficient, the agency might request for additional attachments. To avoid hassles, make a checklist of all the required documents to make sure that you will not miss anything. It would be a total bummer if you exerted an effort to bring the documents to the agency only to find out that you forgot some. If you do not have time to pick up the passport at the agency, you can check if they offer delivery services through courier companies. 

With an easier and smoother visa application process, coming to Japan is no longer a far-fetched dream for those who want to see real cosplayers in Meiji Jingumae or take photoshoots under the sakura trees.

How to Enjoy Spring in Japan on a Tight Budget

This article was published in the March issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal.

Read the rest of the pages here: https://issuu.com/filipino-japanesejournal

           Spring is a very popular time for tourists to come to Japan because of the appeal of the transcendent Cherry Blossoms. Contrary to the impression that traveling to Japan can cost you an arm and a leg, enjoying this peak season on a budget is highly possible if you know where to look for the cheapest treats. 

            Watch out for discounted fares. Your airfare can eat up almost half of your budget if you are not eager to find cheap flights. Compared to other destinations in Asia, Japan can be a little more expensive, but not that expensive to hinder you and not go at all. Thanks to all the low-cost carriers that are traveling to and from the Philippines, you can avail a cheaper airfare compared to those offered by major airlines. Flights by low-cost carriers are cheap enough for your budget, but if you want to save even more, better wait for seat sales that happen 3-6 months before your desired travel time. Sometimes they are difficult to get because they easily get sold out so it requires perseverance and patience to wait and book for these kinds of fares. Moreso, these carriers now also offer flights to other parts of Japan like Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya that can be a little cheaper than the direct flights to Tokyo. These sites can also offer you an interesting adventure that is very different from the highly urbanized Tokyo.

            Book service apartments. With a growing number of people offering their own apartments or vacant rooms to tourists, you can now stay in an authentic Japanese residence like a local via websites like airbnb. Or if you are up for a greater adventure and if you don’t mind sleeping in a stranger’s uncomfortable couch for free, you can try couchsurfing and meet a new friend who can probably help you get around Japan too.

Eat at nice restaurants during lunch time. There are a lot of nice places that offer good food and relaxing ambiance may it be in Tokyo or Osaka. However, the prices of dinner menus in these posh restaurants with good views Tower can skyrocket in the evening. But there’s a cheapo way to experience these places. Make a reservation during lunchtime where restaurants offer cheaper lunch menus, sometimes as much as half the price. You get to try the food, enjoy the view and even save up a little for the next good restaurant you see around town. 

Avail special train passes. Transportation in Japan can be quite expensive but with a number of different train lines offering special passes, you can save a lot. There are passes that offer unlimited train rides or bus rides in a particular area for a day or more like the JR Rail Pass and the Kansai Wide Pass or a discounted round trip fare to a nearby destination like the Hakone Pass and the Nikko Pass.

Go to free sightseeing spots. You can go to these places without spending a penny for entrance fees. See the Tokyo skyline for free at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building or stroll around the moat of the Imperial Palace in Chidorigafuchi to see the lovely Cherry Blossoms dangling on both sides of the river with boats filled with lovers scattered all around the river.

Peak seasons like spring in Japan do not always equate to overpriced traveling costs. There’s always a way for the cheapo traveler to make ends meet!

 

Sand Dune Bashing at Sand Boarding sa Ilocos Norte

*Published in the December Issue of Pinoy Gazette

              Kilala ang Pilipinas sa magagandang karagatan at mapuputing mga buhangin na dinadayo pa ng maraming turista. Pero hindi lamang iyon ang likas na yaman na matatagpuan sa Pilipinas. Isa sa mga natatagong ganda ng bansa ay ang nagtataasang mga bundok ng buhangin sa Ilocos Norte na ginamit na rin na shooting location ng mga local at international na pelikula. Hindi lamang isa kung hindi dalawa ang kilalang lugar sa Ilocos Norte na maaaring puntahan upang hindi lamang makita ang magagandang tanawin mula dito kung hindi ang “maexperience” mismo ang paglalakbay sa mga ito.

Ang mga sand dunes o mga bundok ng buhangin ay nabubuo dahil sa malakas na hampas ng hangin at tubig mula sa ilog at dagat na nagiging dahilan ng erosion at deposition ng lupa na humuhulma sa mga ito. Sa probinsya ng Ilocos Norte matagpuan ang isang mahabang disyerto na nagsisimula sa Currimao (nasa North ng Laoag) hanggang Pasuquin (nasa South naman) kung saan matatagpuan ang La Paz at Paoay Sand Dunes.

Ang La Paz at Paoay Sand Dunes

              Matatagpuan sa Laoag City, capital ng Ilocos Norte, ang La Paz Sand Dunes na may lawak na 85 square kilometers. May layo lamang ito na 15 minuto mula sa sentro ng lawag gamit ang jeep o tricycle. Kilala rin ito sa tawag ng mga lokal na “Bantay Bimmaboy” dahil sinasabing hugis baboy ang mga bundok dito. Kinilala din ito na isa sa mga National Geological Monuments in the Philippines ng National Committee on Geological Sciences (NCGS) noong November 26, 1993. Maraming mga pelikula na rin ang kinuhanan sa lugar na ito tulad ng Born on the Fourth of July kung saan gumulong gulong si Tom Cruise sa mga sand dunes sa isang fight scene at Mad Max ni Mel Gibson na kihunan malapit sa tabing dagat.

           Ang Paoay Sand Dunes naman na matatapuan sa Paoay, Ilocos Norte at malapit sa Suba Beach ay may lawak na 88 square kilometers. Matatagpuan rin ito malapit sa Malacanang of the North. Sinasabing dito kinuhanan ang mga pelikulang Himala, Panday at Temptation Island.

Sand Dune Bashing and Sand Boarding

              Ilan sa mga activities na maaaring subukan sa sand dunes ay ang dune bashing at sand boarding. Nagkakahalaga ng P2,500 ang renta ng isang 4x4 sa maaaring magsakay ng 5 tao sa loob ng isang oras. Maaaring sumakay nang nakatayo ang limang tao sa likod ng 4x4 o kaya naman ay 4 sa likod at isang nakaupo sa loob ng sasakyan katabi ng driver. Mas masaya nga lang kung nakatayo dahil damang dama ang pagratsyada ng 4x4 sa mga sand dunes na may taas na 10-30 meters. Bukod sa mala-rollercoaster ride na karanasan, isa sa mga di malilimutang bahagi ng pag du-dune bashing ay ang makita ang magagandang tanawin na hindi mo inaakalang mayroon pala sa Pilipinas. Mula sa La Paz Sand Dunes ay matatanaw ang Laoag River na karugtong ng dagat at dumadaloy hanggang Cordillera. Kung pupunta ng maaga ay maabutan pang balot ng makapal na fog ang kapatagan sa ibaba na nagbibigay ng kakaibang ganda sa tanawin. Daig pa ng tanawing ito ang mga larawan na nakikita nating nakalathala sa mga kalendaryo.

              Maaari ring subukan ang sand boarding kung saan maaaring magpadulas pababa ng sand dunes gamit ang isang kahoy na board na parang nagiiskate-board or nag susurf. Maaaring gawin ito ng nakaupo o nakatayo, maaari ring isahan o dalawahan. Kasama na ang sand boarding sa bayad sa 4x4.

Mga Mungkahi

           Maiging pumunta sa sand dunes nang maaga upang makita ang sunrise o di kaya naman ay sa bandang hapon para sa sunset. Hindi rin masyadong mainit ang sikat ng araw kung pupunta ng ganitong oras. Huwag ring magdala ng masyadong maraming gamit dahil aalog-alog lamang ang mga ito sa loob ng 4x4 habang tumatakbo. Magdala ng maliit na tubig dahil tiyak na nakakauhaw hindi lamang ang init ng disyerto kung hindi pati na rin ang kakasigaw sa bawat taas-baba ng 4x4 sa mataas at madudulas na sand dunes.

             

Mga Kwentong Katatakutan sa Japan

***Published in the November Issue of Pinoy Gazette

              Naniniwala ang mga Hapon na sa loob ng mga tao ay mayroong reikon, isang makapangyarihang espirito na napapakawalan pagkatapos mamatay. Kung namatay ang isang tao sa di inaasahang dahilan tulad ng pagpatay o pagpapakamatay, sinasabing nanantili ang reikon sa mundo ng mga tao bilang yurei o multo. Kailangan nilang matapos ang kanilang mga naiwang responsibilidad o kaya naman ay mabigyan ng maayos na ritwal o libing upang matahimik.

              Sinasabing ang Golden Age ng mga Yurei ay noong Edo Period (1604-1868). Nagpapalitan ng mga nakakatakot na mga kwento ang mga tao noon sa isang storytelling game na tinatawag na hyakumonogatari kaidankai. Ilang sa mga kilalang nakakatakot na kwento sa Japan na nagpasalin-salin na sa paglipas ng panahon ay ang mga sumusunod:

              Ang Multo ni Oyuki. Mayroong isang kilalang larawan na iginuhit ni Maruyama Okyo na kung tawagin sa Ingles ay “Ghost of Oyuki”. Ayon sa kwento, nagising mula sa pagkakahimbing isang gabi si Maruyama at nakita ang isang magandang babae sa paanan ng kanyang tulugan. Maputla siya, walang kulay ang mukha, nakasuot ng kanyang panlibing na kimono at wala siyang paa. Nang sumunod na umaga, iginuhit ni Maruyama ang eksaktong itsura ng babaeng kanyang nakita. Ayon sa kwento ni Shimizu, minsang nagmayari sa larawan, nagkaroon ng relasyon si Maruyama sa isang geisha na ang pangalan ay Oyuki ngunit maaga siyang namatay. Labis na dinamdam ni Maruyama ang pagkamatay nito. (Hango sa Ghost of Oyuki ni Zack Davisson).  

              Ang Bulag na Mangaawit. Papunta sa Edo ang samurai na si Hotsumi Kanji para sa kanyang taunang pagbisita sa kabisera. Isang gabi, habang siya ay nagpapahinga sa tinutuluyan ay nakarinig siya ng isang magandang umaawit na boses. Nagmumula ito sa isa sa mga kwarto sa kanyang tinutuluyan. Napagalaman niyang ang nagmamay-ari ng magandnag tinig ay isang goze – isang bulag na naglalakbay sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng bansa at nagtatanghal gamit ang kanyang shamisen. Inisip ng samurai na kasing ganda rin ng mukha ng babae ang kanyang boses kaya isang gabi ay pinagsamantalahan niya ito. Nang sumunod na araw, nagulat si Hotsumi nang makita niya ang napakapangit na mukha ng goze. Upang ayusin ang sitwasyon, niyaya ni Hotsumi ang babae na sumama sa kanya sa Edo. Inisip ng babae na nakatagpo na siya ng pag-ibig sa katauhan ng samurai kaya pumayag ito. Pero sa gitna ng paglalakbay, itinulak ni Hotsumi ang babae sa gilid ng bundok. Nang sumunod na taon, muling pupunta si Hotsumi sa Edo para sa kanyang taunang pagbisita. Sa pagkakataong ito, nanuluyan siya sa isang templo sa gilid ng bundok. Habang natutulog siya, nagpakita sa kanya ang multo ng goze at hindi na nakita pa ang samurai nang sumunod na umaga. Sa ibang kwento, sinasabing pagkatapos magpakita ng goze ay hinila niya si Hotsumi at inihulog sa isang hukay sa labas ng templo kung saan nakalibing ang goze. Dito pala inilagak ang kanyang labi matapos siyang matagpuang patay sa gilid ng bundok (Hango sa Mujyara ni Mizuki Shigeru).

              Ang mga Hidarugami: Kamatayan sa Pagkagutom.   Nagdadala raw ng matinding pagkagutom ang mga hidarugumi sa mga naglalakbay sa kabundukan at kagubatan na nagiging sanhi ng kanilang pagkamatay. Dahil mag-isa silang namamatay, walang nakakakita ng kanilang mg bangkay at hindi man lang nalalagyan ng tanda ang lugar ng kanilang mga kinamatayan kaya nagiging masama at mapaghiganti ang kanilang mga espirito at nagiging mga hidarugami na rin sila na nambibiktima ng iba. Upang labanan ang mga hidarugami, maiging magbaon ng pagkain sa paglalakbay. Kung makaramdam daw ng gutom ay agad kumain kahit paonti-onti.  May iba’t-iba ring bersyon ng kwento sa iba’t-ibang prefecture. Sa Shiga, sinasabing lumulobo ang tiyan ng biktima kung sila ay nagugutom. Kung may makitang tao ay manghihingi sila ng pagkain sa kanila. Kung sinabi ng kausap na mayroon silang dala ngunit nakain na nila ito, aatakihin sila ng taong gutom at bubuksan ang kanilang tiyan upang maghanap ng hindi pa natutunaw na pagkain sa kanilang tiyan. Sa Mie naman, sinasabing inaatake ng mga hidarugami kahit ang mga hayop na dumadaan sa kagubatan dito. (Hango sa “Mujyara” ni Mizuki Shigeru).

              Ang mga Naghihiganting Multo ng Angkan ng Heike. Si Morimoto no Yoshitsune ay isang kilalang heneral sa kasaysayan ng Japan. Nabuhay siya noong 1159-1189. Noong 1185, pumalaot si Yoshitsune kasama ang kanyang grupo sa Daimotsu Bay sa Hyogo upang tumakas sa kanyang kapatid na si Yorimoto. Inisip ni Yorimoto na isang banta sa kanyang kapangyarihan bilang shogun si Yoshitsune kaya gusto niya itong patayin. Masama ang panahon nang pumalaot sina Yoshitsune – malakas ang mga alon at nabalot ng makapal na hamog ang paligid. Mayamaya pa ay umahon mula sa tubig ang kalansay ng mga taong mula sa angkan ng Heike na nakalaban at pinaslang ni Yoshitsune. Habang sinusubukang labanan ni Yoshitsune at ng kanyang mga alagad ang mga kalansay, nananalangin si Musashibo Benkei, kanang kamay ni Yoshitsune at isang debotong monghe sa isang sulok ng barko. Matapos ang ilang sandali, naglaho ang mga kalansay, tumigil ang malalakas na alon at nawala ng tuluyan ang unos. (Hango sa “Mujyara” ni Mizuki Shigeru).