Trip to Jigokudani Onsen Jan. 22-23, 2000
For trip of Kinugawa, click here
Seeing is beliving. Said one foreign participant. Monkeys were all over the onsen area. they were soaking in Onsen, setting on on onsen pipes because pipes were warm. We had a great treat to a rustic valley in Nagano.
We somehow found a bus terminal in Shijyuku. Left to Nagano. Mt. Fuji was pretty. We got off before Nagano, and visited Kagai Onsen (Matsushiro Onsen), it is a pre-historic buidling where warm but not extremely hot hot spring was pouring into the bath tubs. The water makes vapor sounds when it comes out of the ground, giving an impression that the water is boiling. But the water is right temperature for soaking for a long time. Too bad that the old main building which used to be a ryokan is no longer used. The owner of this hot spring seemed wanting to talk to us more, but we had to run to take a local train which only runs every one hour or two. The local train gained elevation, and from the window, you could see more snow....it was a nice view with rice fields with snow and apple trees with snow. From Kanbayashi Onsen, we enjoyed an easy walk on snowy trail for some half hour.
The dinner started at 5:00 pm, and we had a good chat over the dinner. We all laughed at the busy life in Tokyo. We decided that we deserve a good sleep tonight.
The following day, we had a late start. Negotiated for a late check out, and some were soaking with monkeys. Seeing is beliving, the monkey was all over the place, some soaked with people. We had a walk for about one hour to Shibu Onsen. Shibu Onsen is spotted with old wooden onsen ryokans. We continued to Nagano, where we visited Zenko Ji. Sung asked a question: "why are Ojizo-san (stone statures along the roads) wearing red skurfs?" None of us knew the answer. Please tell us an answer. After Zenko Ji, we had "Oyaki" feast. "Oyaki" is usually steamed bun filled with local vegetables and what not. One Canadian bought 30 Oyakis. A good luck.
We took Shinkansen on the way back. If we waited few more minutes, we did not have seats. Wine tasted great! A little journey came to an end rather very quickly in a shinkansen trip.
Was a good trip.
Toshi
Trip to Kinugawa, Kawaji, and Yunishigawa Onsen. Dec 18-19
This photo is what we saw in the morning.
From the grass roof of "Shimizuya Ryokan" a lot of icicles were extending down. On the left hand side of the bridge, there is a community bath house (you see concrete foundation) and the right hand side, there is an outdoor bath. Some people use these icecles for mixing with whisky.
This trip was one of the best trips we ever had. We enjoyed a 4-hour hiking around Kinugawa. The gondola to Maruyama was close for maintenance, and hiking became about one hour longer than originally we expected. We climbed Maruyama in about 50 minutes where we saw the valley. For most of us, light snowing weather in the top of the mountains was not bad at all. Very few people were walking along the trail, and the trailed seemed existing only for us. On the way to Kawaji Onsen, we looked at emerald color river.
In Kawaji, we took a warm soak in public outdoor bath houses. They were right on the edge of a river, looking hotel buildings. The men waved their hands to ladies in the hotel, and ladies also waved their hands at the men. Because of the gondola maintenance, we had to walk longer, and we had to eat while we were walking, and we were a bit sad about it..
While overnight stay was an option in this trip, all but one decided to go Yunishigawa Onsen and to stay there. We hired a large taxi from Yunishigawa-onsen station to Yunishigawa Onsen to save some money (bus 970 yen, taxi was 900 yen/person for about 15 km). We arrived at "Shimizuya-rhyokan" right before it became completely dark. Shimizuya-ryokan claims that its building is 850 year old. The roof is made of grasses, and has a such rustic atmosphere as a whole. Even it was a weekend, it was a slow season, and eight of us had the entire ryokan by ourselves. The lady invited us to rooms. The room was arranged with Kotatsu (heating box for your toes and legs) for eight persons, with mandarin orange and tea on the Kotatsu. The kerosin stove was sending very comfortable warm air. The rooms had nice clean tatami mats, Fusuma (room separators), and Shoji (paper screen on the windows). It was a really cozy and charming setting.
The dinner was truly superb. We sat around Irori (charcoal burn fire place in a part of the room - see a picture below). River fish was being cooked in charcoal fire to perfection. The deer meat in Japanese style soup was cooked on the charcoal fire. We had sashimi of Koi (carp) along with many mountain vegetable of the area. Suprisingly, they even cooked newt (Sansho uo) on the fire followed by terityaki Ayu (another river fish). It was real feast, and meanwhile, the lady was arranging food and telling us funny stories. We laughed and truly enjoyed the dinner. Overall, the best part of this trip was the hospitality of this "Shimizuya." Sometimes, expensive hotels show guests fancy traditional customs and art. But in this Shimizuya, hospitality appeared their way of life. It was very nice, and we all appreciated very much about this ryokan.
The small bath room of "Shimizuya" was open 24 hours. The water is transparent with a tint of sulfur flavor. (is apt for drinking).The Sunday, the air was clear with the blue sky. Even 8:00 am breakfast appeared too early. After breakfast (well, for some people this was a bit too authentic with Natto, raw egg, and a lot of mushrooms and mountain vegetable) , we spent another hour try to make ourselves for the day. But outside was not that bad. We walked along the river, went to the Heike no Sato which has collections of 9 old traditional houses of "Heike." Some craftsmen were working on traditional wood works. After walking, we had warm drinks. For some foreigners, Amazake (fermented sweet sake) was very popular - one person drinking two portions. We went to another soaking and left the mountain to head back. The train came to the station almost empty. We occupied box seats for four only half full, extending legs and all munchies and beer and what not. Was a really nice trip.
Drinking Amazake (sweet sake)
a dinenr around fire place called " Irori"
