In Ito City on the Izu Peninsula

Man, I'm a comic genius. I must be because I'm not even trying to be funny but people have been laughing at me since I got to the Izu Peninsula. A nice family today nearly fell over laughing, then gave me directions, then laughed some more. It's weird, but not unpleasant, to be spreading this much joy just by existing.

Once the initial hilarity wears off, the most common question goes like this: there's a pause, intense  concentration and then words, slow and careful: "where are you from?". "Irelando", I say. The teenagers today on Mount Omuro weren't sure about that. (Actually probably nobody is, but the kids were willing to admit it). "U2", I said. Much discussion in Japanese. One drew the letter and number on his palm with his finger. Nodding and more discussion, then "U2 bando?" "Yes!" "... Enya?" "Yes, very good!" "Radiohead?" "No, that's England."

"We are Japanese", the Enya fan said, and I pretended to fall over in astonishment. (If they're going to find me funny anyway I may as well get the occasional joke in). Laughter all round and then it was time to take the chairlift back down the mountain.

This evening I sat on the third beach of this trip and put my feet in the Pacific. It's my first time seeing it from this side and it does seem to be calm and gentle and, well, pacific on the beach at Ito City. There's a tsunami warning on the lamppost outside. It's hard to imagine.

The hotel here, K's House, is part of a hostel chain, but one that wins awards for being exceptional at what they do. This hostel is a hundred year old registered wooden building with tatami rooms and sliding doors and both shared and private onsen baths. My room (a dorm of four futons, but I've had it to myself) is so peaceful that I dropped all plans for yesterday evening and just sat by the window listening to the frogs. This region is well worth a visit but, even if it wasn't, I'd recommend visiting this hotel.