Japan: Day 8a - Tokyo to Kanbayashi Onsen and Korakukan

Today we successfully navigated three different train systems: firstly the Tokyo Metro, to get from Hiro-o (H03, our local subway stop) to Hibaya (H07); we walked the couple of blocks to Tokyo Central Station to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano; finally, we took the NagaDen (local train) from Nagano to Yudanaka. From there is was a taxi for the five minutes or so from Yudanaka to Kambayashi Onsen, and a 20 min stroll through a forest to the ryokan where we're staying, adjacent to the National Park.

The Shinkansen traversed the 224km in a very pleasant hour and a half (11:24am to 12:51pm, precisely to schedule, of course). We travelled at a modest pace, perhaps 80km/hr, until we were clear of the city and the last of the urban pick ups, then the pace picked up to perhaps double that (but probably faster). We banked around bends, hurtled through tunnels, glimpsed Mt Fuji (we think, but too faint to photograph well), and arrived in Nagano. Cost was about $80 per adult, half that for kids, including the $5 premium for a reserved seat (rather than take our chances in the unreserved carriage). There is oodles of legroom, the seats recline, and the armrests fold up - far more comfortable than economy plane seats.

Like others on the train, we immediately tucked into our bentos that we bought at the station (chosen from the very helpful plastic models). Interestingly, there wasn't the usual vast array of food shops at Tokyo station - they were all either bento shops or little kiosks with drinks/magazines/papers etc. They were all cold food, so didn't fill the carriage with food smells, which kept it pleasant.  [Later research revealed these are "eki-ben", where "eki"means "station" and ben being short for bento, takeaway food."]

Each is beautifully boxed, and comes complete with chopsticks and napkin

Ky's chicken schnitzel

JD's miscellany, with three types of rice and a bunch of pickled things

Mine had several different kids of fish, plus some pickled things

Jos's ~hand rolls (he didn't like them much)

We then spent an entertaining half hour perusing the "Train Shop" magazine (think a Japanese version of Sky-Mall), with lots of trousers and shoes and bags-with-natty-compartments, and some other wondrous things.

Some were brilliant, like this "Bug Baffler" an overshirt with built in  head guard made of insect netting.
(There are photos of me as a teenager, tormented by sandflies, with my head covered with a muslin scarf, trying to achieve the same effect)

We thought these waterproof spats were clever too -
great if you get caught unexpectedly in the wet wearing runners or suede shoes.

This gag-hair-hat was somewhat less practical

There were also several feet majiggers, including these bunion-savers

And this was rather inexplicable - we think it holds your tongue forward so your throat it opened so you can breathe easier. I don't quite get where the tuning fork comes in, or how it could possibly work.

Once at Nagano, we had a choice of a 40min bus ride, leaving immediately, or a 40min train ride that stops a little short of our final destination, but leaving 45minutes later, both options costing around $12-$13 each, each way. We opted for the latter, as that gave us time to top up our cash (our ryokan doesn't take plastic, according to the website), and find a tea/coffee/ice cream as required.

The Nagano Dentetsu is the local public transport system, operating both local trains and buses, and is generally known as NagaDen. Our limited express (Y100 extra, for a trip taking 45mins rather than an hour or more and a train change) trundled cheerfully through the countryside. Out one window, the land is flat with plastic greenhouses, and rows of manicured trees, and the odd rice paddy, with snow capped mountains beyond. Out the other are steeply rising foothills, covered in green evergreens and not-yet-sprung deciduous trees. Beyond them, yet more snowcapped peaks. Here on the flat, it is very pleasantly warm. The carriage is again spacious, clean, smoke-free and air-conditioned.

On arrival at Yudanaka, the end of the train line, we found a taxi to take us the 10mins or so to the foot of the path (Kanbayashi Onsen), Y1500.

Finally, we enjoyed a pleasant stroll along a well-maintained path, with lots of water management infrastructure (the felled trees show how powerful the flow sometimes gets) for around the promised 15-20 minutes until we arrived at the ryokan and the Monkey Park.

Along the way there were various signs, drawing your attention to various birds and beasts that inhabit the area. (No, we didn't see any of them.)

Japanese serow - a mountain goat

On checking into the ryokan, Korakukan (KOR-ak-kan, the middle 'u' is a barely there schwa), we discovered we are their only guests tonight. The rotembura are too hot at the moment, so we are advised to go visit the snow monkeys, and bathe later once they've dropped the temperature.

As the guide book said, the ryokan is a rambling wooden building, over several levels, with corridors going off every which way. As the only guests, we've been given the largest rooms, with a separate rooms for sleeping and sitting, and even an enclosed balcony. Yes, it's a little tired and run-down, but it's warm, comfortable and delightfully quaint.

A welcoming (and welcome) cup of tea

We also had some rice, cooked in the onsen, which we dipped in a powder which was rather yum.

The parcels of slow-cooked sticky rice, and the dipping powder

The unwrapped rice - a dense, sticky mass - on its own, very bland; as a vehicle for the dipping powder, excellent.