Blogs from Nagano, Japan, Asia - page 15

After then end of the tests, essays, group meetings, and everything that is routine...... Japanese students do what any other students some parts of the world would do...they go on vacation! So as I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I joined a volleyball club here at Ritsumeikan that meets once a week just to play volleyball and hang out. When I heard that there was going to be a group snowboard trip of course I did not hesitate to join! Being a true southerner from Atlanta I have never snowboarded, skied or for that matter seen huge amounts of snow in my lifetime thus far so I was a little excited and scared at the same time. The cost of the trip was 17,000 Yen ( $185 USD--that exchange rate just keeps falling :( ... read more

Here are some snow pictures of us on the boards, and a view from a gondola...... read more

There are lots of things that make Japan great. For instance, the rice maker sings twinkle twinkle little star to you to let you know your rice is cooked, the pedestrian lights play a nice song for you whilst you cross the road, you can smoke everywhere including Macdonalds, and everyone wears faces masks without anyone looking twice. AND, to top it all off, there are snow monkeys. The snow monkeys hang out in the onsens (natural hot springs) and soothe away their stress. The monkeys are all around you, they are around your ankles, walking past you and just chowing on some food whilst you kneel down next to them. I have taken some pics of the snow monkeys. They look like little people wearing monkey suits. They are now my favourite type of monkey. ... read more

Here are some photos from our day trip to Motsomoto castle, which is a beautiful traditional castle with a moat.... read more

Nagano, like the few Japanese cities that I have so far experienece has lots of wide avenues lined by tall buildings that are lit up very colourfully at night. The main attraction for me was the ease with which one could get to Jigokudani Yaen-koen. Apparently it is the only place in the world you can witness monkeys (Japanese macaques) bathe in hot springs. On the way to Jigokudani Yaen-koen there are lots of orchards that are rich with fruit at this time of the year: apples, grapes and satsumas. The apples and grapes are huge! All the fruit in Japan is expensive. The large apples are tasty, the large dark grapes taste like Fanta grape (or maybe that should be the other way round) and the satsumas are really sweet. The last bit of the ... read more