[samtcy] Consolidated 2 Japan trips (Kansai + One Piece exhibition + Tokyo + Nagano)
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Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 8: Nagano to Nozawa onsen *Christmas Eve
Those of you who were at the region (Korea, Russia, Japan) on Christmas eve 2012 might remember the extremely cold weather on this day. The news on TV in Japan reported high volume of snowfall at various parts of Japan on this day.
Usually, in December, it's not usual to see such heavy snowfall at Nagano since it's just the beginning of winter season.
In the morning on this day, we took a 1hr train from Nagano to Togari Nozawaonsen station. Just about 15mins into the journey and the outside scenery looks like mid-winter Hokkaido! It was ALL white!
Upon arriving at our station, my first step onto train platform and my foot sank into all that huge pile of loose snow. It went up to my knee level! So it's not surprising to say that my feet and socks already got wet at this point in time.
Those of you who have experienced having wet feet/socks at below -10 degrees celcius winter should know the feeling. Those of you who have not, just go dip your feet into a bowl of ice water with ice cubes would probably be close to what my feet felt like. Not really recommended for you to try though...my toes got numb after like 10mins.
Anyway, back to topic...
After we arrived at the station, we only had just a few minutes to catch the bus to Nozawa onsen village. The bus journey is about 25mins.
Upon arrival at our stop at Nozawa onsen village, all the streets were full of snow and slushy water. It was snowing so heavily I couldn't even read my map since its surface became filled with snow within 2secs of me sweeping the snow off it.
Walking on slushy water with luggage on snowy and slopey roads for 10mins while trying to located our ryokan is not fun. Luckily I sent my big luggage bag to Tokyo from our Nagano hotel (cost me 1200yen) the night before via luggage courier, so I only brought a small handcarry luggage bag. Poor hubby had to drag his big luggage bag around since he chose not to forward his luggage.
Finally found our ryokan, managed to loan some rubber boots from the ryokan and at least my socks could remain damp instead of soaking wet...so it was a step improvement for me.
Townsfolks were shovelling snow all day long and that's all we kept hearing and seeing when we took a walk around the village.
Hubby tried skiing again, while I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and gyoza at a cosy cafe near the ski slopes watching people tumbling down (hubby included).
384) Taking a 70mins local train from Nagano to Togari Nozawaonsen station. It's a small 2 carriage train but there's a toilet onboard the train.
385)
386) About 10mins into the journey, the scenery outside starts to become more white...
387) Another 5 more minutes, it becomes like this...
388) A further 10 more minutes, it resembles mid-winter Hokkaido...! Bear in mind that this is just December in Nagano.
Those of you who were at the region (Korea, Russia, Japan) on Christmas eve 2012 might remember the extremely cold weather on this day. The news on TV in Japan reported high volume of snowfall at various parts of Japan on this day.
Usually, in December, it's not usual to see such heavy snowfall at Nagano since it's just the beginning of winter season.
In the morning on this day, we took a 1hr train from Nagano to Togari Nozawaonsen station. Just about 15mins into the journey and the outside scenery looks like mid-winter Hokkaido! It was ALL white!
Upon arriving at our station, my first step onto train platform and my foot sank into all that huge pile of loose snow. It went up to my knee level! So it's not surprising to say that my feet and socks already got wet at this point in time.
Those of you who have experienced having wet feet/socks at below -10 degrees celcius winter should know the feeling. Those of you who have not, just go dip your feet into a bowl of ice water with ice cubes would probably be close to what my feet felt like. Not really recommended for you to try though...my toes got numb after like 10mins.
Anyway, back to topic...
After we arrived at the station, we only had just a few minutes to catch the bus to Nozawa onsen village. The bus journey is about 25mins.
Upon arrival at our stop at Nozawa onsen village, all the streets were full of snow and slushy water. It was snowing so heavily I couldn't even read my map since its surface became filled with snow within 2secs of me sweeping the snow off it.
Walking on slushy water with luggage on snowy and slopey roads for 10mins while trying to located our ryokan is not fun. Luckily I sent my big luggage bag to Tokyo from our Nagano hotel (cost me 1200yen) the night before via luggage courier, so I only brought a small handcarry luggage bag. Poor hubby had to drag his big luggage bag around since he chose not to forward his luggage.
Finally found our ryokan, managed to loan some rubber boots from the ryokan and at least my socks could remain damp instead of soaking wet...so it was a step improvement for me.
Townsfolks were shovelling snow all day long and that's all we kept hearing and seeing when we took a walk around the village.
Hubby tried skiing again, while I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and gyoza at a cosy cafe near the ski slopes watching people tumbling down (hubby included).
384) Taking a 70mins local train from Nagano to Togari Nozawaonsen station. It's a small 2 carriage train but there's a toilet onboard the train.
385)
386) About 10mins into the journey, the scenery outside starts to become more white...
387) Another 5 more minutes, it becomes like this...
388) A further 10 more minutes, it resembles mid-winter Hokkaido...! Bear in mind that this is just December in Nagano.
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389) Arrival at Togari Nozawaonsen station. Look at the snow on the train platform. Snow went above my knee level when I alighted the train.
390) Most of the people were rushing to catch the bus since there's only a few minutes of transit time.
391) Managed to catch the bus.
392) Can see the train from my seat on the bus.
393) Arrived at Nozawa onsen village. Snow snow everywhere.
390) Most of the people were rushing to catch the bus since there's only a few minutes of transit time.
391) Managed to catch the bus.
392) Can see the train from my seat on the bus.
393) Arrived at Nozawa onsen village. Snow snow everywhere.
Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 9: Nozawa onsen *Christmas Day
It's Christmas day at Nozawa onsen.
We will be shifting to another hotel within Nozawa onsen today. This time, we will be staying at Nozawa Grand Hotel, which is our fav hotel room so far in all of our Japan trips.
424) It's Christmas morning...snow finally stopped.
425) Manhole cover
426) Nozawa onsen village....looked so different compared to the previous day without all the heavy snow.
427)
428) Walked down this slope the previous day to get to our ryokan on the previous night
It's Christmas day at Nozawa onsen.
We will be shifting to another hotel within Nozawa onsen today. This time, we will be staying at Nozawa Grand Hotel, which is our fav hotel room so far in all of our Japan trips.
424) It's Christmas morning...snow finally stopped.
425) Manhole cover
426) Nozawa onsen village....looked so different compared to the previous day without all the heavy snow.
427)
428) Walked down this slope the previous day to get to our ryokan on the previous night
434) My lunch. Katsudon.
435) My hubby's lunch. I prefer this over the Katsudon at this restaurant though.
While having lunch here, I met a group of Singaporean travellers outside the restaurant...recommended the Tonkatsu with sauce to them.
After lunch, it's time to check in to Nozawa Grand Hotel, just next door to the restaurant.
436) Exterior of Nozawa Grand Hotel
437) Welcome...
435) My hubby's lunch. I prefer this over the Katsudon at this restaurant though.
While having lunch here, I met a group of Singaporean travellers outside the restaurant...recommended the Tonkatsu with sauce to them.
After lunch, it's time to check in to Nozawa Grand Hotel, just next door to the restaurant.
436) Exterior of Nozawa Grand Hotel
437) Welcome...
Trip 2 (Dec 2012) Day 10: Nozawa onsen to Yudanaka (stay at Shibu Onsen)
Even though we have already been to the monkey park a couple of days prior, but we decided to make another trip back to the monkey park again so as to try to capture the snow monkeys with more snow in the photos (our earlier trip was drizzling and there wasn't much snow).
Therefore we were really lucky that it was snowing pretty heavily on this day.
448) Leaving our hotel at Nozawa onsen in the early morning in midst of quite heavy snow.
449) Managed to arrive at the train station with just minutes to spare...
450) Train platform is filled with thick snow
451) After a 70mins train from Togari Nozawaonsen station to Nagano, a 45mins Ltd Exp train from Nagano to Yudanaka station, waited 45mins for a cab (because we just missed the bus)...and finally we arrived back at the entrance to the Yudanaka Snow Monkey forest hiking trail.
452) 1.6km trekking in the snow wearing winter shoes with a hole in the sole is not fun.
Even though we have already been to the monkey park a couple of days prior, but we decided to make another trip back to the monkey park again so as to try to capture the snow monkeys with more snow in the photos (our earlier trip was drizzling and there wasn't much snow).
Therefore we were really lucky that it was snowing pretty heavily on this day.
448) Leaving our hotel at Nozawa onsen in the early morning in midst of quite heavy snow.
449) Managed to arrive at the train station with just minutes to spare...
450) Train platform is filled with thick snow
451) After a 70mins train from Togari Nozawaonsen station to Nagano, a 45mins Ltd Exp train from Nagano to Yudanaka station, waited 45mins for a cab (because we just missed the bus)...and finally we arrived back at the entrance to the Yudanaka Snow Monkey forest hiking trail.
452) 1.6km trekking in the snow wearing winter shoes with a hole in the sole is not fun.
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