Sunday 12 August
Wisely we had ordered not only the western breakfast but also set it for 0900. Strangely, to us at least it seems the Japanese are early risers even on holiday so the breakfast room was deserted.
The ryokan is an eclectic mix of styles and ages - in the breakfast room two things have pride of place. A pianola which plays a mixture of Carpenters and classical hits and a genuine juke box.
After breakfast our host took us a few kilometers up the rod to the entrance to the Snow Monkey Park which a fee a few 100 metros gentle comb and a stop for coffee we reached. Having paid our 500 yen entrance we took a short walk to a series of hot springs by the river where the monkeys were lounging. Now clearly they are wild but the local tourist agency may well have been offering lessons in monkey behaviour for tourists !!
In truth the monkeys were fairly indifferent to the human traffic and as the tourist did not feed them carried on in there own sweet way. Seemingly the troop consists of 160 animals and they live for 25 to 30 years.
The walk back was mostly downhill through the wooded landscape and we headed into the cute sister village of Yudanaka - Shibu. Like Yudanaka it has a number of small public onsen maintained by the various neighborhoods each said to be good for specific aliments, not to mention 26 ryokan. Unlike Yudanaka however, they have pedestrianised the main street which adds to the charm.
As it turns out August is festival month and Shibu had a night festival ! The main street was lit and various traditional Japanese games were available including chequers, throwing the ring and the most traditional of all Japanese pastimes - karaoke. As always in Japan dinner choices are limited to establishments with an english menu. We found a small bar that served various snacks and yakatori.
Wisely we had ordered not only the western breakfast but also set it for 0900. Strangely, to us at least it seems the Japanese are early risers even on holiday so the breakfast room was deserted.
The ryokan is an eclectic mix of styles and ages - in the breakfast room two things have pride of place. A pianola which plays a mixture of Carpenters and classical hits and a genuine juke box.
After breakfast our host took us a few kilometers up the rod to the entrance to the Snow Monkey Park which a fee a few 100 metros gentle comb and a stop for coffee we reached. Having paid our 500 yen entrance we took a short walk to a series of hot springs by the river where the monkeys were lounging. Now clearly they are wild but the local tourist agency may well have been offering lessons in monkey behaviour for tourists !!
In truth the monkeys were fairly indifferent to the human traffic and as the tourist did not feed them carried on in there own sweet way. Seemingly the troop consists of 160 animals and they live for 25 to 30 years.
The walk back was mostly downhill through the wooded landscape and we headed into the cute sister village of Yudanaka - Shibu. Like Yudanaka it has a number of small public onsen maintained by the various neighborhoods each said to be good for specific aliments, not to mention 26 ryokan. Unlike Yudanaka however, they have pedestrianised the main street which adds to the charm.
As it turns out August is festival month and Shibu had a night festival ! The main street was lit and various traditional Japanese games were available including chequers, throwing the ring and the most traditional of all Japanese pastimes - karaoke. As always in Japan dinner choices are limited to establishments with an english menu. We found a small bar that served various snacks and yakatori.