Absurd Majesty: Beppu: Castle of the Golden Snake

Beppu was the location of our first onsen (hot spring spa), and a resort town for thousands of years. Its natural hot springs have been amazing tourists for more than a millennium. We left Hakata in the morning and took a local train to Beppu, which took a few hours. In Beppu, we met Koba, who had just flown in from Tokyo. Koba and Hiro had been friends since they were six! He would join us on our travels for the day and at the onsen that night.

During the day we visited Beppu's observatory, which is a fading structure by the ocean overlooking the town. It was built in 1957 and has seen better days. We then booked a tour guide/cabbie to take us around the town. We first visited a castle (the "castle of the golden snake"). It's a traditional structure built with a wonderful outlook on top of a hill.

Outside the building we were greeted by the former king of the place, a huge golden snake that had died some years ago.

As the story goes, people would come from Beppu and the surrounding area to give the snake their respects, and receive good luck. Who wouldn't want good fortune? People could gather both good fortune and wonderful views at this particular location. It happened to be a beautiful day out for us, so good fortune was apparently already with us.

We then took off our shoes, as is the custom in Japan, and entered the building. Before heading to the top for yet more impressive scenery, we were asked to sit down in the back of the second floor of the castle to meet the new master. An older couple was sitting there, the man with a huge golden snake at his lap, and the woman with some trinkets for sale at a little table. The new master snake was more than 9 feet long, and around 25 pounds. It eats one bird once a week.

The old man spoke to us in Japanese about the religiosity of the snake. I didn't understand what he said; my attention was focused on the huge snake itself. After we had asked our questions, he asked us to sit closer to the snake. Perhaps because I was the most "Geijin" of the crew, or perhaps because of my natural toughness (or so I'd like to think), he asked me to put my hands on the snake and kneel before it, which I did. Its scales were smooth and welcoming. Then, without warning, he put the snake around my neck in one quick motion, making a loud thwack! sound. He said a few words of prayer, and took the snake away.

I was surprised, as was everyone there save the old man's wife, but I think Jane Ann may have been the most surprised. The snake around the neck was meant to symbolize death, after which rebirth would bring good tidings. Having performed the ritual on me, he asked Jane Ann afterwards to go through the same death/rebirth, and she did it. I wondered if the myth of the Phoenix originated here. Later she said to her family that she had met with what she was most afraid of - a snake, up close and personal!

(Note: the old man said no pictures of the master, but Hiro got one before he said so. If someone reminds me, I'll link to it later)

At the top of the building, there were additional views that we enjoyed. Nothing like a snake around your neck to help you appreciate a beautiful day in a foreign land.