Hi! Hope you're enjoying your time in Japan (welcome! sorry it's so warm) so please don't feel obliged to answer this.
I read Heed the Siren's Call on ff.net many many years ago and it 1) was my comfort fic, and 2) introduced me to OP (yes, I read the fic before reading the manga cause I loved your writing and I'd finished all the FT/HTTYD fics). I only just discovered the whole Sea Shanties series on AO3 so I've been devouring it with great delight (and many tears - so many tears).
I just wanted to thank you for your fics, for introducing me to my one of my favourite mangas, for showing a lonely teenager a heartrending picture of love and family and that a gentle heart can be as strong as any pistol punch. And because OP was a big part of my partner and I becoming friends - helping me find my own Shanks, of sorts.
Ngl, I debated sending this for a long time cause it feels pretty self-indulgent. But I'm getting married in 6 months so I'm in an oddly sentimental mood. Anyway I hope it is some encouragement to hear of the impact your stories have had on people! ❤️
I got this a few days ago and have been thinking about it ever since. I don't even know which part hit me the hardest, although "showing a lonely teenager a heartrending picture of love and family and that a gentle heart can be as strong as any pistol punch" is one hell of a contender. And ahhh congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!! I love hearing about people finding each other, and hearing that I had even a tiny part in you finding your partner makes me unreasonably happy :')
I'm so glad you decided to send me this, because getting it meant everything<3
After parking my car in the parking lot and walking down a pitch-black road for a while, a small "town" suddenly appears, enveloped in dazzling lights. Inns, cafes or bars line both banks of the narrow river, with orange lights flooding in from the many windows. The buildings are old and western-style, but the place is filled with a nostalgic and modern atmosphere.
The two banks are connected by a few small bridges, allowing visitors to come and go as they please. In contrast to the light flooding in through the windows, the paths on the bridges and in front of the buildings are a bit dim, dotted with gas lamps and small lights that illuminate your feet, which is also very nice. As you walk down this path, you can see inside through the windows and hear the sounds of the clinking of dishes at mealtime, happy laughter, and even jazz music coming from the bar, along with the sound of a stream flowing through the river.
If you come in the daytime, the atmosphere is sure to be different. However, I would recommend nighttime. Especially at night in winter. The town, warmly illuminated in the cold, is an unreal space where you can be satisfied even if you do not stay at an inn but just stroll around.
Nestled at the start of Shima Onsen, deep in the mountains of Gunma, is one of the few public day-onsens that has an outdoor bath (rotenburo) named Seiryu-no-Yu. We also like to call these places “jumping onsen”.. as in jump in and jump out 😊. For this one the cost is 500 yen for 2 hours and can even rent a towel set for 250 yen. The water and views are great and they even have drinking onsen water in the hallway to enjoy.. so good! But one of the best parts is that they also sell cold coffee milk as seen in the video, an absolute must after a hearty onsen dip 😌
This time we went to the Biggest tori gate in the world the Kumano Hongū Taisha a complex of more then 12 shrines with more than 800 years of history and the only onsen in the world, that is considered a world heritage site!
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As a little support to motivate me to make more Videos!