Another awesome day today in Japan, our last full one and I can't believe this leg of the trip is nearly over.
The hotel offers breakfast, good thing because Samara and I couldn't find a 7-11 for our breakfast supplies last night, so we made sure we ate well, there was fruit and yoghurt, and toast, scrambled eggs and funny little sausages (which tasted good) , there was also rice and vegetables if you wanted. Full from our tasty breakfast we left the hotel behind, our first stop Tokyo Post Office, which is right next to Toyko Station. Both Samara and I sent boxes home, I could have probably bought more (next time :) ) but there was enough that we don't want to have to lug it all the way through the US and it also creates room for more shopping. (It's funny how travelling makes shopping so much more fun :) ) Next stop the Shinkansen to Nagano, another 2 hr train journey covering approx 250 kms, and it's pretty impressive as you are leaving Tokyo and you look out the window and on the beautiful clear day that we had you can see Fuijisan in the distance. We have
been extremely lucky with weather, (it's been chilly which you kind of expect when you're travelling in winter :) but we've only had one grey day, so we are really pleased that our last full day in Japan is glorious and we get that amazing sight of Fuji in the distance.
From Nagano there is another 37kms and an hour bus trip to Jigokudani. At Nagano station there are a few buses, as you are heading into ski country, and the language barrier could have been a problem as the timetables destinations etc are of course in Kanji, but a little picture of a monkey tells us we are at the right bus stop. There's a bit of a wait, and it's chilly, and the bakery at the station was doing a roaring trade, us included, nothing like hot chocolate and warm baked goods while waiting for a bus in the snow :)
I can see why people like to ski around here and our bus journey isn't even going that far up into the mountains, but it is beautiful. Before we start our hike to see the monkeys we check the bus timetable, although I really love Japan and part of me doesn't want to leave, I didn't want to be stranded in the snow because we missed the last bus back to the train station (as we have a plane to catch tomorrow)
Thankfully we have pictures again to show us which way to go :) , there a few houses here, a small inn (and a toilet block with woohoo not just the Japanese toilets but those lovely ones with the warm seats which is great when you are out in the snow
...anything to keep you warm, and as you can see it's a little chilly. You go through the little town and out the other side to reach the path leading to the Monkey park.
I think my face say says it all, the distance doesn't worry me, but my first impression is oh crap, please don't tell me it is going to be like that all the way, that's an accident waiting to happen. I know what I'm like, a klutz at the best of times but if I'm having to negotiate icy paths like that all the way it's going to be a loooooooooong day. (see the yellow triangle....thankfully that was only me on the way down LOL)
I'm sure there are people who walked that 1.6kms really fast(by the way that's just to the entrance....there's more walking after that :) ) but we took our time, it was gorgeous and I'm not sure how
many photos we took, but lets say it's going to be fun going through them all.
There are a few people on the path, some on their way back, but most of the time we are on our own and it's great enjoying that fresh mountain air. We come across the Ryokan in the middle of our
walk and I think it would be a nice place to stay (yep the next time :) ) completely out of the way from anywhere. The smoke coming from the chimney makes me think, heat- yes please......you know it's cold when you're hiking and you're still glad you've got your hat, gloves, scarf and coat on.
From here there are stairs up, and up again, thank goodness I have good grip on my shoes, because there are a couple of icy patches that would send me all the way down if I didn't, and I know Samara would probably be too busy laughing to help me if I slipped. :P
Before you know it, you see your first glimpse of the monkeys. It's funny how the monkeys don't roam all over the mountain, (well they probably do but you don't notice as you are walking the path) but then again they're not silly they stay where it's warm, and the 'Monkey Park' is where all the thermal springs are and when you feel the heat coming off the water
you know why they're in there. They are so cute, but seriously some people are so stupid, thinking that because you can get up really close to them that they're not wild creatures, (there were a couple of women who started shrieking when they got too close and they swiped at them-which set the monkeys off even more). Samara and I got pretty close but knew to keep our distance too. Of course we
took lots of photos and picked up a couple of cute little souvenirs, had a hot drink and set off back down the mountain. We timed it perfectly, as the weather started to turn on our way down, and yes I slid half way down that little bit of mountain
from the picture above. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long for the bus (again perfect timing) but if we'd had to wait it wouldn't be a problem anyway as the bus station was heated .
We have had a fabulous day and I'm so glad our schedule changed and this became our last day in Japan. Fresh air, mountains, monkeys and bullet trains, a great last dinner and Die Hard 2 in Japanese on the TV for bedtime viewing, what a great last full day in Japan.