[Chiba] Sea and Hot Springs, a 3-Day Trip | A Holiday to Unwind a Nurse's Heart

One day in July, I went to Chiba for a 3-day, 2-night trip.
Working as a psychiatric nurse, I tell people almost every day how important it is to "rest." But when it comes to myself, I surprisingly don't rest properly. So, I had a clear theme for this trip.
To properly create time to do nothing.

Day 1: Just gazing at the sea

I headed toward the Kamogawa area. On the way, I stopped at a gibier restaurant and found a cute deer T-shirt, so I bought it on impulse. Why do we become so generous with our spending when we're traveling? But I think this kind of "little waste" is part of the fun of traveling.
After arriving at the inn, I went straight to the sea.
Without doing anything in particular, I just gazed blankly at the sea while listening to the sound of the waves. The rhythm of the waves washing in and out strangely makes my breathing deeper. I didn't look at my smartphone. I didn't worry about the time. Just that much is hard to do at home.

Dinner was full of seafood. It was an inn with high reviews, but it was as good as its reputation—no, even better. I was so impressed by the boat-shaped platter of sashimi that I actually gasped when I saw it. I switched from beer to sake and enjoyed it slowly.

There were several hot springs at the inn, designed for hopping between baths. The temperature was just right—not too hot, not too lukewarm—so I didn't get tired even after a long soak. The sound of the waves, the steam, and the delicious sake. By the end of the first day, the tension in my shoulders had completely melted away.

Day 2: The days when plans fall apart are the kindest to travelers

In the morning, I went to a roadside station. I bought a lot of seafood, and the dried seaweed (aosa) I was allowed to sample was wonderful, so I bought that as a souvenir too. Sampling food is a guilt-free pleasure, isn't it?
After that, I had actually planned to book a sea bream fishing boat. However, the waves were high that day, so it was unfortunately canceled.
If it were the old me, I think I would have dwelled on the disappointment. But when traveling, unexpected things find their way into the gaps left by broken plans.
I learned there was a honey factory nearby, so I went to visit it. I found my favorite honey at the shop and bought it. If I had gone fishing, I wouldn't have encountered this honey. Days that don't go as planned are the ones that stay in your memory—perhaps that's what traveling is all about.

The inn for the second night was toward the Yoro Valley. There was a Muji store on the site of a nearby abandoned school, and I did a little shopping there too. The combination of an abandoned school and a store is somehow nice.
The inn kindly accommodated my early check-in, and the staff's service was truly pleasant. The building was wonderful both inside and out, and the hot springs and food were exceptional. It was an inn that made me think not "I want to come back," but "I don't want to go home."
And there was one more happy thing that day. An old friend who lives far away came all the way to the inn to see me, bringing souvenirs. No matter how many years pass, when you meet, you can return to the past in an instant. Reuniting while traveling stays in your heart more than any scenery.

Things I thought about on the way home

Having worked in psychiatry for 16 years, I have met many people whose hearts are tired. From that experience, I can say that what is needed for the heart to recover is nothing special.
・Time to just listen to the sound of the waves
・Eating delicious food slowly
・Trying to let go by saying "oh well" even when plans fall apart
・Meeting with someone nostalgic, even for a short time
This trip had all of that.
The fishing boat was canceled, but thanks to that, I encountered the honey. Good things were waiting for me after I let go of my plans. I think this is true not just for traveling, but for daily life as well.
Days that don't go well might just be "days to encounter something else."
I returned home feeling refreshed, and as I put the aosa I bought into my miso soup, I am already thinking about my next "do-nothing trip."
Thank you for reading until the end.