Japan 2019

Monday18November

Wake up in Iida. Day's activity: take the Shinhotaka Ropeway in the Japanese Alps! Just that... But for that, we still have 4 hours of driving, so off we go again to crisscross the beautiful (fortunately) Japanese roads!

The mountainous landscapes have donned their autumn coat and it's superb. November has nothing to envy May, very popular for its cherry blossoms.

We satisfy our curiosity above the Nagawado hydroelectric dam on the Azusa River.

Built from 1961 to 1969, it is 155 meters high!

The incredible vertical labyrinth on the dam's side walls!

Here we are at Shinhotaka, a hot spring resort located at the foot of Asia's longest ropeway. We are not at the start of the ropeway but at Shirakabadaira station where visitors must change lines to continue the ascent.

We refuel in the station's cafeteria with a hearty rāmen, the Chinese noodle soup, here with a large breaded shrimp...

The station is a hot spring resort and benefits from the warm underground waters. It's therefore natural that an onsen is available to tourists! We've already tried them several times since the beginning of the trip, but this will only be the second time it's outdoors. Don't forget that you enter an onsen completely naked, and here, the cable car passes almost directly overhead, so don't linger out of the water!    

In the onsen changing room, a foot acupuncture board is available. You just have to stand on it to enjoy it, no need to even know how to read Japanese...  

Here we are now in the cable car cabin, passing next to the restaurant and the onsen. In the parking lot, our car seems ridiculously alone! Perhaps the Japanese have anticipated the worsening weather... Let's not forget that up there, one of the most beautiful views of the Japanese Alps should be offered to us...  

And here we are at the expected 2156 meters... And as the clouds foreshadowed, the view is completely blocked! Apart from the fir trees, no summit pierces the thick fog...  

If you feel like it, you can send a postcard from these 2156 meters...

At this altitude, rain turns into snow. Fortunately, in the absence of a panorama, a short walk is possible among the snow-covered fir trees.

Alright, let's go back down! And by the way, our car still hasn't made any friends! lol.gif

In the resort, a sign allows foreign visitors to indicate their nationality. And the winner is?... Taiwan!

We are now leaving the area to continue our journey north.

Here we are in the small town of Chikuma where we are trying a Ryokan for the first time! At Kamesei Ryokan to be more precise. These traditional inns do everything possible to respect Japanese traditions, whether for the decor, services, or catering.

"The rooms are Japanese style (washitsu), equipped with sliding partitions (fusuma and shoji), a low table (kotatsu) in the middle of the room, and a decorative alcove (tokonoma) displaying hanging scrolls (kakemono) or a floral arrangement (ikebana). The floor is generally covered with tatami mats made of rice straw; guests sleep on a futon unrolled before nightfall"
© Wikipedia

It is the manager himself who will come and set up our futons in place of the low table. All we'll have to do is enjoy the onsen, practically mandatory in a Ryokan to have a good night's sleep! Tomorrow, a special day awaits us, centered around monks! Well, almost... doubt.gif