Rain from the Morning
It’s been raining since this morning. So, I spent my time consolidating info in Notion (which I just started using the other day), reading books, messing around with my piano and saxophone (Aerophone), and looking into things that have been on my mind. One of those things is how annoying it is when the cord of wired headphones catches on my neck while playing the digital piano (lol).
Quite a while ago, I bought a Bluetooth transmitter—I think it was from UGREEN—to try and go wireless, but the latency was so bad it was basically useless. I’d bought it without doing any research, so both the transmitter and the headphones only supported SBC/AAC. Looking back, the result was pretty obvious.
But since I recently bought the Pixel Buds Pro, I thought maybe if they supported aptX LL, I could just buy a new transmitter. Sadly, no such luck—they don’t support it. Hmm, if I really want to do this, I’d have to replace both the transmitter and the headphones… maybe it’s not worth the trouble. Just in case, though, I checked the Bluetooth headphones and earbuds I already own (I somehow have four pairs…), and surprisingly, my neck speaker, the AT-NSP300BT, supports aptX LL. Even better, my old Taotronics TT-BA09 transmitter that I’d tucked away also supports aptX LL. Talk about luck! I gave it a try and found I can play with almost no noticeable delay, which makes me pretty happy. It works great with my Roland Aerophone, too.
Let’s Go to the Onsen
After lunch, I didn’t have much to do, so I thought about hitting an onsen for the first time in a while. I was torn between Hanasaki-no-yu in Kanzanji and Aratama-no-yu in Hamakita. The first time I went to Aratama-no-yu, it was crowded, smelled strongly of chlorine, and only a few tubs seemed to use the actual spring water, so I thought I might not go back. But on my last visit, I noticed the chlorine smell was much milder, and I could enjoy that signature, surprisingly silky-smooth water in every tub. So, I decided to revisit today.
As usual, the parking lot was almost full, but I managed to snag a spot just as someone was leaving. It definitely looked crowded, and I noticed they were giving out extra stamps at the entrance. Looking closer, it turned out to be the “26th” (Furo-no-hi / Bath Day), which probably explained the crowd.
The slightly yellowish, viscous water still surprises me with how slippery it feels when you rub your skin. Finding water this good is pretty rare, even compared to places like Kabuto-yu at Nanasawa Onsen in Kanagawa. Plus, being able to enjoy such unique water at a place that feels like a standard “Super Sento” is quite a treat. I wish it were a bit less crowded, but I guess it’s popular for a reason.
Car Sharing is So Handy
Once again, I realized how convenient car sharing is. Even when I suddenly decide I want to go to an onsen and leave in 10 minutes, I can just book a car and go. There’s a fairly large lot nearby with a decent number of cars, so I almost never run into a situation where one isn’t available. For trips under 6 hours, it’s only 220 yen per 15 minutes including gas, which is perfect for a quick outing like today. It gets pricey for long distances or extended use, but usually, those plans are set in advance, so I can just book a regular rental car. However, for things like hiking when I want to leave in the middle of the night, car sharing is a lifesaver because I can book at the last minute and just go.
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