Blogs from Nagano, Japan, Asia - page 6

Turning down the opportunity of the 04:30 train, our bodies now more adjusted to this time zone, we caught a more civilised 06:00 service towards Kamikochi. The journey consists of thirty minutes on a train followed by an hour on a coach. Neither of these were covered by our JR Passes and it was necessary to buy complete open return tickets for 4400 yen per person. From reading guide books I was prepared to find hoards of tourist marching in slow lines around the picturesque, but well visited Kamikochi. As we dismounted the coach at Taisho pond, I was pleasantly surprised to see only a few people around. The majority of these were elderly tourists who had come equipped with painting paraphernalia or SLRs with a bag full of lenses and clearly planned to settle in ... read more

This is written on a shinkansen away from Nagano (we’ll get there eventually) back to Niigata where I transited to get to Nagano. With a rail pass it is usually quicker to get 2 shinkansens – apart from the fact that there is likely only 2 direct (slow) trains a day anyway. Last post was in Akita I think. Not all that much there to see as the old castle has long gone. There was also a bit of rain about the day I left which surprised me so had to return to get my spray jacket. The only “sight” I saw was an old red brick bank building built in 1912 which has survived earthquakes etc. Apart from a couple of timber paneled VIP rooms what was of more interest was an exhibition of a ... read more

Geo: 36.6514, 138.181Serena had, had enough of Snow boarding.... so the boys went snowboarding And the girls went to make glass jewelery. That seems perfect.There is a small shop that made glass jewelery just out of the city. We got dropped off by Henry and we where going to find our way back to the hotel.It was a small shop with lots of natural light. It was called "Glass Beadmaking Shop"The little man gave Serena an apron and she started to select the colours of the glass and the design she wanted.She went behind into the workshop. The flame was lit and they began. He was wonderful and very patient. I could see the concentration on Serena's face. It was a slow process but very precise.She loved it so much that she ended up making 4 ... read more

Geo: 36.6514, 138.181Kids got collected at 8.30 and we where free. We got dropped off at the train station. We went for a walk on the main street.... It was cold...Did a bit of shopping and then caught a taxi back. Walked to the snowbording school down the hill and ate lunch with the kids.Kids where having a great time. I thought Serena would have wanted to come home with us... I was very wrong. We walked around a bit and then walked back up the hill and back to the hotel.Very cold but also very beautiful.Kids came home very wet and very tired. ... read more

Geo: 36.6514, 138.181Snow. Snow. Snow.This Christmas holidays the kids and husband decided that it would be a cold one.Snow. Snow boarding and more snow.The flight in we could see Mt. Fuji in the distance. Japan. Nagano. Hakuba. It was very warm when we arrived at the airport.Nagano is where they had held the winter Olympics so off we went.It was a 6 hour taxi ride from the Narita airport to Hakuba.The taxi stopped every 1 or 1 and a half hours for a stop.We would hop out of the car.The weather was like in Nanjing so we went to eat something.Squid seemed like the first option for the boys. Serena and I had Hot Chocolate and a toilet stop.It was so clean and the toilets are heated.... Yeah. The best thing in the world. Second stop. ... read more