Episode 8 The Train Inn

After leaving the campsite, I once again arrived at a place that looked like a campsite that I had passed through yesterday because I was too scared to stay there last night.
However, when I looked at the name of the place, I found that it was “House of Memories, The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness”.
Yes, it wasn’t a campsite, but it could be a memorial house to the movie starring Ken Takakura.

When I went inside, I saw props used in the movie and Ken-san’sfigure dolls.

”Anyway, I’m relieved I didn’t see that Ken-san last night.”
Because yesterday I tried to enter this place, thinking it was the campsite reception, but luckily it was locked.
Even I, a man, might have screamed if I had seen something like that in the dark, as I was very tired yesterday. ^^;

I have a tough schedule again today, but since I came to Yubari, I decided to eat some Yubari melon for lunch, so I bought some melons.
As youmay know well,Yubari is famous for its production of good quality melons. Melon is not my favorite food, but I sent it to my parents’ house by courier, and I thought I would regretit if I didn’t eat it here, so I bought it for my lunch today.
Local Yubari melons cost 1,000 yen each. Hmmm, a luxurious meal.

I wondered why Yubari melon scented air fresheners were placed even in thepublic toilets, even though it was a well-known production area for Yubari melons.
I thought, ” Maybe this will actually make Yubari melons less popular…” but I decided to take a break and eat some Yubari melons anyway.
At that time, I just crossed Yubari City.
After I finished eating a whole melon, I hurried ahead.
“Anyway, I have to gain some distance today so that I can reach Cape Erimo by tomorrow.”

From Yubari, I passed through Hobetsu-cho and joined National Route 237 along the coast.

The sun was already setting when I started running along the coast.

I became hungry again, so I ate a convenience store bento by the nearby river.

”I’m planning to arrive at night again today…” Igot tomy destination, Niikappu.
Then I thought that
“Unlike steep mountain roads, this road can be run even at night without so much hard work.Anyway, I’d like to gain a little more distance.”
And I searched for a campsite in Shizunai-cho, which was about 10km further.

However, when I got there, there was no campsite.
No, but there was one, then the signof “Train Inn” caught my eye on the national highway, so I believed it was expensive to stay thereovernight, but finally decided to pay 2000 yen.

However, that decision turned out to be some regrets.

The Train Inn was repurposed sleeper cars that were once in operation, and now as lodging facilities.
Once into there, the corridor is pitch black. I thought they should install at least the lights in the corridor.
(Perhaps there was a switch somewhere in the hallway, but I was too tired to find it.)
And there was a mountain right near outside the window of the room.
The atmosphere is such that it wouldn’t be strange if a bear showed up at any moment. (Horrible enough if I might end up seeing something scarier than a bear.)
In factI was the only person staying in the sleeping train.

I passed through the dark corridor of the train and entered the shower room.
The train was quite old and the strange atmosphere scared me, so I kept the curtains in the shower room open and kept my eyes open while washing my hair.
After I finished my shower, I went to the bedroom.
“I wonder if I have to sleep here?”

I never thought a stopped train could be so scary.

A train is normal when it’s in motion, and it’s my preconception that such a stationary train looks like a dead train.
I wouldn’t have thought so much if the place had been better equipped and had a cleaner, brighter atmosphere, but there was something about this place that was unbearable.(Well, that’s partly because I’m a cowward ^^;)

Unable to escape my fear, I kept the light on all night and slept until morning.
By morning, my fear had subsided, but I didn’t want to stay there for too long. So I quickly packed up my belongins and left.

Vol.2 RUN-08 Episode 7