Let’s Go to Nagano!!!

We have a young family tradition whereby we go out the weekend before school start to celebrate the end of summer vacation and kick-off the school year on a high note. We had been doing this since my first born started going to school. We as parents, realized that our schedule are now dictated by school breaks, unlike when they were in pre-school where we can choose when to go and find the least crowded times to leave our home town. For those in Chandler, we highly recommend our go-to staycation resort, The Princess Hotel in Scottsdale. Every summer (at least pre-pandemic), they have the best programs for families. There are summer themes, and the whole place decorated with that theme. There will be music and party by the pool side for kids of all ages, and at night a giant screen is set up to watch movie inside the pool or by the pool. At one summer we even have nightly fireworks display. Below are few of our adventures throughout the years. By looking at it, wow, how time flew by fast.

We plan to continue this tradition even during the pandemic.

Now that we are in Japan, we promised to do the same, with no cars, and no understanding of where is where 😀 We wanted to go somewhere cooler, somewhere not too far. The search took us to Nagano. From the readings over the internet, it’s mountain ranges made it the Skiing destination for city dwellers. So we purchased our Shinkansen ticket, and off we go.

Nagano, is so so beautiful. A true must-see. The mountains are lush with green forest so high it touches the cloud. There are farms all through out. Vineyards after vineyards, apple orchards, peach farms, plums, rice, wonderful bounties of nature.

This Shinkansen is not as fast as the other Shinkansen we took going to Kyoto. After an hour from Tokyo to Nagano, we still need to take an hour train going to Yamanouchi. There are many many things to do in Nagano, as we have learned, since we have no car, and it’s quite out there, we choose 1 to 3 of what we wanted to do. We chose to experience a traditional Japanese Ryokan, experience the natural hot springs, and see the monkeys. These are the very popular images of monkeys who bathe in hot springs during snow.

We stayed at a more than 100 year old Ryokan in an old town of Shibu Onsen. The tiny town is known for its 9 onsens and believed that each one has its own healing effects spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

As in any traditional Japanese accommodations, it has shared bathroom, and for non families, shared rooms.

When you check-in, part of your accommodation is key and map to the 9 Onsens.

The town is quaint and had been around for a very long time. You can tell by the buildings and the size of the road. It was built before cars were around. Once again, we’re reminded of how lucky we are to explore this area before the tourists from all around the world comes. I imagine how these roads are filled with people and lines into the restaurants and onsens would be.

Our traditional accommodation is a wonder! We are all excited to sleep and unfold our mats, excited with our robes, and most of our time is spent (when it’s raining) in our balcony watching the town go by. But, watch your head, these are not built for tall people.

And here below are photos of the many cool looking onsens we did not get to try. Why you ask? My kids are not ready to follow the protocol to be fully unclothed 😀 You need a master key to enter the onsen, and each onsen has a male and female area to dip. To experience hot springs, we rented a private onsen instead 😀 this makes interesting conversation with my children LOL!

What is a trip to Yamanouchi without seeing the Monkeys!! 🙂

We love love love animals, and in particular monkeys. This national park is filled with monkeys in their natural habitat. They live on the trees and come down by the river and hot springs to play and cool off. It so heart warming to see mommy monkeys carrying and feeding their babies, grabbing them when they are being rascals, and protecting them if there are conflicts.

This family greeted us at the entrance.

Walking alongside monkeys.. so cool! 😀

More monkey photos

And on our last day, we went and rode one of the biggest gondola in the world that can seat up to 166 people at once! Took us to the many ski resorts. We are definitely going back in winter season to enjoy a different scenery.