Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Hot Spring Christmas 1

   By Emi Tsuruta

   Note: This is one in a series of posts about my life.  If you'd like to
know more about my friends and me, drop by my home page at:
/~emitsuruta/

   I've got a whole bunch of other stuff I want to tell you from last year,
but this time I want to skip ahead to last Christmas.  I think I might have
mentioned this, but I got to go back to Japan again for a couple of weeks.
I was feeling a bit homesick, and I wanted to see my family, and maybe
visit some hot springs while I was there.  Originally, my boyfriend Ryosuke
was supposed to come back with me.  He made a whole bunch of reservations
for inns he was going to take me to, but then his boss told him they needed
him over the Christmas rush, so he couldn't come.

   I decided it would be a waste not to go, so I started emailing my
friends and family, and asking if they wanted to come with me in Ryosuke's
place.  Michiyo and Miori couldn't come, but my cousin, Namie was free. 
She's a couple of years older than me, and just got married.  I asked about
her husband, but he had to work over Christmas, so I emailed her all the
info.  She said it sounded great.  In any case, I wanted to hear about how
things were going with her hubby, so we had a lot of catching up to do.

   One small problem was I was a little worried that my mom might want to
come along.  I mean I like my mom and everything, but she has this picture
of me as her innocent little girl, so I can't really be myself around her.
Anyway, as soon as classes finished, I flew home to Japan the next day.  My
dad and sister Norika were still working, so it was just my mom at home. 
She had all sorts of things she wanted to tell me.  I eventually managed to
sneak away, and give Namie a call.

   It sounded like Namie was really looking forward to the trip.  I guess I
told you, but the last time I saw her I sort of gave her some advice on how
to spice up her love life with her new hubby, so I wondered if she was
going to tell me about that.  I was looking forward to seeing her too.

   I guess when Namie and I were younger, we were always more like rivals
than friends.  Namie is really good-looking, and I guess I felt a bit
jealous.  At the wedding, she looked absolutely gorgeous- so pure and
innocent - in her wedding dress, but somehow Ryosuke had talked me into
wearing this revealing dress.  I was so embarrassed.  Still, after the
wedding though, Namie kind of came to me looking for advice.  I think
before she got married, she mustn't have dated too many guys, so she wanted
to learn about men.  I'm no expert, but anyway, I tried to help as best I
could.

   Anyway, the day of our trip, I got all dressed up in my ski duds -a
slick red and white coat, ski pants, a beige toque, futuristic goggles.  I
look pretty fashionable I thought.  I left early with my dad, and
thankfully, my mom decided to stay home, and write new years' cards.  Dad
took a different bus, and when I arrived at the station, Namie wasn't there
yet.  I waited a while, but when she came, I almost didn't recognize her.
She was wearing sunglasses, a ski jacket and tight fitting jeans.  She
looked great - young, alive, ready to have fun, I thought.  Anyway, we got
on the train bound for the Izu peninsula, and headed out.

   Once we'd settled in, I couldn't hold back my curiosity.  I asked her
about her husband, but she just giggled, and blushed, and wouldn't tell me
anything.  Apparently though, things were going well, and she thanked me
for my advice.  I was still dying to know what had happened, but she
wouldn't talk.  Anyway, I was glad to see her looking so happy.

   She had plenty of other things to tell me about her new life.  She was
helping at the community centre, booking groups to perform.  We rode along
chatting and laughing.  Every once in a while, we'd pass a castle or a nice
view of the ocean or Mt.  Fuji.  It was fairly clear weather, but Mt.  Fuji
was still sort of hidden behind some white fluffy clouds.  It didn't matter
though.  We just sat there munching on snacks and gabbing away having the
greatest time.

   When we got to Mishima in Shizuoka prefecture, we got out, and changed
trains, heading south to Shuuzenji, the last stop.  I'm sure I told you
about Shuuzenji before.  It was one of the places where Ryosuke and I
stopped in my last trip there.  Ryosuke was up to his usual games that trip
too.  Somehow he'd fooled me into riding around in his car in just this
short hoodie with nothing on underneath.  He must have planned to come back
here, just to remind me.  I hate to think what he might have planned for
this trip.

   Anyway, our train eventually arrived at the last stop.  I guess it was
'cause it was winter and all, but there were hardly any other people
getting off the train.  It was so quiet.  We left the station, and outside
all the souvenir stores were all boarded up.  We were hungry though, so we
looked around till we finally found a little soba shop that was open.  The
shop was empty except for the one woman working there.  She took our order,
and then went around behind the counter to cook it.  Namie looked around
commenting on the rustic atmosphere of the shop.

   Soon, the woman brought us our soba.  She told us that we were kind of
lucky because when she'd got up, she'd considered not coming into work at
all.  Apparently, not many people come through Shuuzenji on weekdays in the
winter.  I found that a bit surprising.  Like I said, it had been a mild
winter in Kamakura, but now we were up in the mountains, so it was a bit
colder than down on the coast.  Namie asked if people headed home once it
got cold, and the woman said yes.  She asked us why we were there, and I
told her all about living in the States, and wanting to visit some hot
springs while I was back.  She started telling us about Tokkonoyu, the most
famous spring in Shuuzenji.  It turned out it was right near the soba shop.
It was one of the sights that Ryosuke had recommended we visit on his list.
She told us it'd been discovered by Kobo Daishi (a famous Japanese priest)
a long time ago, and princes and nobles used to come there to bathe.  She
told us how to get there, and after lunch, we headed out to find it.

   Namie and I were both feeling pretty good now that we'd had some lunch.
We walked along next to the river, and soon we saw a gazebo built on a
small rocky island in the middle.  We walked down, and there was a plaque
by the entrance labeled 'Tokkonoyu' explaining some of its history.  Namie
read the plaque, but I headed straight down the short wooden bridge. 
Inside the gazebo, there was a hot spring bath built out of these
wonderfully smooth stones.  I tested the water with my hand, and it was
really warm, even though the wintry wind was blowing in through the wooden
fence that ran around the outside.  Namie finally came down the bridge, and
joined me.  She laughed when she saw the bath.

   "How can anyone bathe here?" Namie said, gaping out at the street. 
There were no walls really.  The fence running around the outside was just
these widely spaced slats of wood.  You could see temple grounds across the
river, and back the way we came, there were houses and shops.  I suddenly
realized what Ryosuke had been planning - that he and I strip down, and
take a bath right in the middle of town.  Can you believe it?

   "Yeah, I wonder," I mused.  I took off my glove, and swirled my fingers
in the water.  "It's nice and warm.  Do you think anyone would notice if we
just went in for a quick dip?"

   Namie widened her eyes obviously shocked at my suggestion.

   "You're not serious, are you?  I mean it's freezing out...  and besides
there's nowhere to change."

   I wasn't sure what to think.  Surely the locals must slip in here for a
dip now and then.  It was a bath after all.  I looked at my watch.

   "It looks like we've already missed the 1 o'clock bus.  We'll have to
wait quite a while for the next one.  What do you say?  Do you want to
try?"

   It was pretty obvious from her expression that at first, she thought I
was absolutely crazy to even suggest such a thing.  She looked down at the
water.  I didn't say anything, but I could tell she was weighing the idea
in her mind.  Perhaps, she was thinking back to that day at her parent's
house when I'd been trying to convince her to show off her body to spice up
her marriage.

   "Are we even allowed to bathe here?" she asked incredulous.

   "Sure.  There's no sign or anything."

   She just looked at me obviously still worried, but I was starting to get
all excited at the idea.  I just wanted to try.  That's obviously what
Ryosuke had intended.  It was really too bad he couldn't come.

   I took off my scarf and coat.  We could hear the wind blowing, the
rustle of the leaves in the trees and even some cars far off in the
distance, but I swear there didn't seem to be anyone around.  Probably all
the locals were indoors.  I pulled my sweater off over my head.  I licked
my lips, excitedly undoing my blouse.

   "Emi!" Namie shouted, still not convinced.

   "C'mon, Namie.  We came to try some hot springs, didn't we?"

   I felt a bit weird having to convince her.  When we were younger, I used
to kind of look up to her.  She is a few years older than me, and she used
to act more grown up.  Then I went across to study in the States, and now
when I come back, it's almost like our roles have reversed.  I'm the one
who's suggesting things, pushing her to be more adventurous.  Her mom, Aunt
Sachi, is much more open-minded than my mom.  Probably, Namie has the same
wild streak in her.  Maybe she just needs a bit of coaxing.

   I took off my blouse, and set it down on top of my jacket.  Namie was
still scanning for people, but eventually she began taking off her scarf.
For some reason, this made me nervous.  I began to wonder if this was such
a good idea, but I was already too excited to just stop now.

   The wind felt so cold on my naked shoulders and tummy.  I stood up, and
started fiddling with the button on my jeans, but I was shivering with
excitement.  Namie took off her jacket, and was still looking around
anxiously, trying to decide if it would be safe.  She kneeled down, and
started taking off her boots, so I did the same.  We hadn't seen anyone,
but it'd be better if we hurried, and got right into the bath before
someone came.

   "I can't believe I let you talk me into this!  Of all the crazy
ideas..." she giggled nervously.  As I slid down my jeans and tights, I
felt the cold air on my legs, but my whole body was starting to heat up
from the excitement.  I glanced outside not so much to check for people as
to savor the moment.  We really were right in the middle of town.  I could
still hear the rustling of the leaves, but not much else.  I found it so
weird that such a built up place could be so quiet.

   I pulled down my panties too, and covered my mouth, amazed that I'd
actually done it.  Who ever thought I'd be naked in the middle of
Shuuzenji? I undid my bra, and threw it on the pile of my clothes, naked at
last.  Namie looked over at me in awe at my bravery, and I flashed her a
big grin.  I was so excited to be free of my clothes I'd almost forgotten
about the bath.  I padded over to the entrance, and peered out at the
street we'd come in on.

   "Where are you going?" Namie cried out, as she finally got her jeans
off. I swear I was honestly thinking of walking back up the bridge to the
street to see if anyone was around.  Looking back at Namie shivering there
in her underwear made me realize how crazy that would be.  I hurried back,
and got in the bath.  The water was so warm, and felt so good on my skin.
I'd really missed Japanese baths.  The tubs are deep, the water piping hot,
and they are usually in a place of great natural beauty.

   Namie finally finished getting undressed.  She has a great body - large
perfectly shaped breasts, a flat tummy and curvaceous hips.  I don't know
why she insists on covering up.  I stared over at her pubic hair, wondering
if it was thicker than mine.  It stood out so much against her porcelain
white skin.

   "What?" she said, blushing like crazy, her cheeks all pink.  Was she
excited too?

   "Oh, nothing.  I just thought you have an awful lot of pubic hair."

   She brushed it down flat, even more embarrassed.

   "It's not that much.  What about yours?" she said, sliding her long legs
into the bath.  I took another look outside, and then stood up to let her
see.  I felt so deliciously naughty, flashing her my pussy out here in the
open like this.  I spread my legs, but I was getting too excited too fast.
I slid back into the back fighting back an orgasm.  I don't know why I'm
getting so excited.  I'd better calm down.

   We sat there savoring the warmth of the bath.  Namie kept jumping every
time we heard a sound.  I was trying to act this all was no big deal, but
the truth was I was a bit nervous too.  I glared out at the street, and
only when I was satisfied that there was no one around, did I lie back, and
relax.  We sat there for a long while enjoying the view and the experience.
Finally, I asked,

   "Don't you and Aunt Sachi ever go to hot springs?"

   "Not so much.  Not like this, anyway." She finally showed me a weak
smile.

   "It's nice though, isn't it?  I really understand why those princes came
here.  It's heaven really."

   Just when I'd almost convinced her to relax, I suddenly realized that
out on the street, there was a short older man walking this way.  Namie and
I both sunk down deep into the water.  I was worried that he'd spotted us.
He came right up to the entrance to the bridge, looking over this way, but
he eventually went past.  Both Namie and I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

   "That was close," she said.  "Here.  We'd better get back dressed before
more people come."

   "Calm down.  We've got plenty of time."

   "What time's the next bus?"

   I wasn't sure, so I got up out of the bath.  My body was nice and toasty
from soaking in the spring, but the breeze reminded me again of how naked I
was.  I looked at my watch, but then we heard the sound of a bus.  At first
I thought it might be our bus, but it pulled around the corner, coming
right this way!  It was clearly a tour bus.

   "Oh, shoot!  Quick!  Get dressed!" I yelled.  I grabbed my panties, and
quickly pulled them on.  As the bus drew nearer, it slowed down, and
stopped not so far from the entrance to the bath.  Oh no!  Now what?  We
had no time to get properly dressed, so I pulled on my coat, and motioned
for Namie to do the same.  My coat went down to my knees, so that was
alright, but when I looked over at Namie, I realized her jacket stopped at
her waist.  She was frantically trying to pull her jeans on, as the tour
guide and group filed off the bus.  I blocked their view as best I could,
hastily buttoning up my coat, and stuffing the rest of my clothes in my
backpack.

   The tourists were middle-aged Japanese and quite curious about us.  They
peered down curiously at my bare calves, and tried to get a look at Namie
too.  It was taking her forever to get her jeans on.  I think some of the
tourist might have caught a glimpse of her pussy, but what could we do?

   Once Namie was more or less decent, we walked back up the bridge as the
tour group looked on.  I clasped my coat tightly together to hide my
cleavage.  I felt horribly exposed.  I could feel the fur lining against my
naked skin.  The tourists all kind of stared at us, as we scurried off back
towards the soba shop.  As soon as we were inside, I called out to the
woman who'd cooked for us earlier,

   "Can we use your washroom?"

   She yelled back,

   "Sure."

   I let Namie go in first.  The woman came out, and asked what had
happened.  I rubbed my nose, not sure what to tell her, but soon she
guessed.

   "You didn't go in the bath, did you?"

   I nodded sheepishly.  She broke out laughing.

   "You're not supposed to go in there during the day."

   "It seemed like there was no one around, so I thought we could get away
with it.  Then a tour bus showed up."

   The woman couldn't stop laughing.  I felt pretty embarrassed.  I
definitely hadn't planned to get caught like that.  Namie came out, all
dressed now.  I quickly went in, and got back dressed too.  The woman was
still laughing when I came out.  We thanked her again, and headed off to
wait for the bus.  We sat there on the bench, drying our hair with towels,
and soon the bus came.  o Namie didn't say anything for a long time, just
kind of gazing off out the window.

   "You've changed a lot since high school, haven't you?" she finally said.
I laughed.

   "I suppose.  I've grown up a bit."

   Her eyes flickered for a second.  This was apparently not what she
meant. I countered,

   "You've changed too since last time I saw you.  You seem more
confident."

   She grinned.

   "Tell me about this boyfriend of yours," she asked.  I was a bit
surprised she was asking, but I guess I had mentioned he'd been the one who
planned this trip.

   "I met him in school in California.  We get along OK...  most of the
time anyway."

   "What's he like?"

   "Mmm.  I don't know.  It's hard to describe.  He's smart and
self-assured.  He was kind of the leader of our group, always organizing
things."

   "Like this trip?"

   "Yeah."

   Namie never quite came out, and said what was on her mind, but I
wondered if she'd somehow guessed the kind of games that Ryosuke and I get
up to.  We chatted away for the rest of the bus ride, and soon she seemed
herself again.  I wondered if maybe I'd pushed too far too fast, but she
didn't seem too worried.  It was no big deal really.  It was kind of funny,
I thought, seeing the look on the tourists' faces.

   Anyway, I've got a lot more to tell about this trip, but I guess I'd
better save it for next time.

   Take care,
   Emi Tsuruta My web site: /~emitsuruta/