Back on the Slopes

21st February, 2010

Today Tom and I got back on the slopes after a couple of rest days and we had a great time. Stuck to the easier runs but it was a lovely sunny day so that meant Ice and Slush so the easy runs were challenging enough for us today!!

We went to Iwatake Ski Area today and the views were amazing!!

Tom in front of the Japan Alps

Denise in front of the Japan Alps

Icy Trees
















View from the top of the Gondola or Gondora as they say here!
This Gondola is 2.5km long, its a nice ride.

View from Gondola heading down the mountain

So that was our day in the slopes...sunny, icy, slushy and now its time for dinner!!

**Update**

WOW thats all I can say about tonights dinner...went to a little place called "Hie"

It was kind of like Tapas/YumCha where you picked little dishes and go from there

We had

Crispy Potato Salad

Tuna Sashimi

Smoked Salmon & Salad

Roasted Beef & Vinegar

Fire Festival

20th February, 2010

Today we managed to go on our walk as planned yesterday as it was a nice clear day and not overly cold.

This is a Snow Bunny I made on our way into town...hehe

I found this Russian Man whilst I was out walking..hehe

Found this funny little sign outside of an Art Gallery on our way into town.

After wandering around town for a bit we caught the bus to where we thought the Fire Festival was but we misjudged it by quite a few stops and ended up at another part of the resort. So after catching the right bus we eventually found the 40th Fire Festival of Happo, Hakuba.

Tonight will have to be one of the highlights of our trip, it was great to mix with the locals at one of their celebrations.

These are the food tents that were filled with many local dishes like Pork , Vegetable Miso with Udon Noodles, Local Marbled Beef on Skewers dipped in brown sauce, Chicken Skewers, Seafood  Bowls, Spiced Teas and Gluhwein ( Hot Spiced Wine).







                                                                                                                                                             The first event was a Flare Display by the Happo Ski School Instructors

For all special occaisions like festivals and weddings a Sake Cask is broken open and we got to witness this tonight. The Sake is then shared with the community.

After the breaking of the Sake Cask we were entertained by the Happo Traditional Drumming Group...I took some video of this but unfortunately it doesn't do much justice to how it was in person but its a sample anyway...was amazing to watch and listen to. They did several different performances with all different variations of drumming styles.

Click Here!! Traditional Japanese Drumming ~ Video

The big drum that kept everyone else in time...was funny to see little kids drumming away on this.









They were very active in their drumming jumping all over the place

The Happo Ski School did some formation skiing with no crashes which was very spectacular to watch and afterwards they did stunts through a Ring of Fire

The night finished with a spectacular fireworks show, even the Japanese ooo and ahhh at them.
It was a great night and  freezing our butts off was almost worth it, standing on the snow for hours will do that but the 30min walk home soon got us all warmed up again.

And we made it just in time for a Hot Spring Bath before bed..woohoo!!

Another great night in Japan ...

Whitehorse Walk

19th February, 2010

Today was a rest day as Tom's shoulder was playing up and I still wasnt feeling up to skiing. We decided that we would go for a walk into town for a look around and got as far as 3 streets down and decided we needed to put another layer on as it was getting quite chilly.
By the time we had got changed it was snowing quite heavily and so we pulled the pin on the walk and wawtched some of the Olympics on TV instead.

Being in a country that has a large team in the Winter Games means that there is more coverage which has been great! and understanding it hasn't been a problem either as you can hear the English commentary just under the Japanese one.

For dinner tonight we went to the Whitehorse Hotel which is run by TJ who chats on the same Ski Forum as we do, as each Friday night they put on an Aussie BBQ. Dinner was great and we stayed in the bar till close and I even got to play behind the bar, mixing cocktails for some of the guests. Thanks TJ!

Then it was home to bed.

Perfect Views and Wandering

18th February, 2010

This was this mornings breakfast - also get homemade bread rolls each morning!!

















The View we have to put up with from the Breakfast table each morning!
















Tom and Yutaka ( our host) went snowboarding today and said it was a little icy out there but still lots of fun.

I did the washing ( oh joy) and also went for a walk into the main part of the village.



These are the Ski Jumps used in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, about a 10 min walk from where we are staying.

The Hakuba Metal Manhole cover

Got back to the Pension to find Tom worn out and in bed snoring away...will have to wake him soon for dinner...what will it be tonight?

Well tonights dinner was Japanese!!! I know its surprising but there ya go..hehe

We went to a place called CoCoRo just down the road from where we are staying and its was amzing food! and we had the place to ourselves.

Chicken on Rice with Egg, served with Miso Soup and Pickled Veg













Tom had Char sui Pork and Rice...very yummy

And we got free donuts for dessert as the Chef was preparing a new menu :)












Us at CoCoRo

Tom loved this place as it had Footwarmers in the well of the table...hehe

Playtime at a local school                                                                                    

17th February, 2010
Views overlooking the Hakuba Valley from Happone

Went out skiing this morning and it was lightly snowing for the first few hours then it stopped and was quite mild.

I completed a whole 1/2 a run when I stacked and pulled the muscles in my lower abdomen and was forced to sit it out for a couple of hours. Tom took off and had a good board around the mountain without me lagging behind him..hehe

I got back on the ski's after lunch and could manage better than I thought I woule be able to but only stuck to the Bunny Runs aka beginners runs for a little while before calling it quits and heading home for an Onsen.

After a nap and hot bath I felt a little better and so we headed out for a late dinner at the Korean BBQ ( forgot to take the camera but a barbie is a barbie), dinner was filling and it the spot perfectly.

Then it was home to bed.....

Matsumoto Castle

16th February, 2010

This morning we left our hotel and set out for Matsumoto Castle. Along the way we found all sorts of interesting things to see.





More decorative drain covers - the balls here are traditional silk balls that are everywhere in town.

More fancy than the ones you sent from Morocco Sharon...hehe













Coy in a pond..poor things were looking for a feed I think.

















Matsumoto Castle Information - if you squint its crystal clear!!!
























Matsumoto Castle - over 400 yrs old and still standing as glorious as it did back then

















The rear of the Castle and Red Bridge


















After we had a look at the Castle we walked back into the main part of town and found the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum, it was filled with all sorts of European and Japanese time piece's going back hundreds of years...this is just one of them.










We then caught the train out to Hakuba where we will be spending the next 8 days. Weather was pretty ordinary so no photo's from out the train windows this time but this is where we will be staying.
Lovely B&B with great hosts who "inducted" us into the Pension with a guided tours and heaps of local information on things to do.

Our room is the one with the light on far left


We have our own private onsen - hot spring- to soak in and it overlooks a snowy bank and the snow was falling when we were in there tonight - magic stuff!

Nothing spectacular for dinner tonight just a steak for me and chicken parma for Tom!

Been a long day and its up early to catch some snow in the morning.

Shopping in Tokyo..Again!!

15th February, 2010

Today we left Tokyo but not after we hit the Ski/Snowboard Shops to scout out some bargains.

If you were looking for a new set of ski's, new boots or a snowboard then this is the place to get them...up to a third of the price that you pay in Australia!

I ended up buying a new pair of walking boots as they ones I bought from Aldi for $35 are great for walking around on soft snow but not really made for walking around the streets and sightseeing. I got Columbia Bugaboots for 9489 yen or about $100..they are so comfy and after some fiddling around with different thickness foot beds they will be perfect!!

It was then time to quickly head back into one of the Department Stores to buy some Scrap booking pens that are $4.50 ea back home for 120 yen ea.....I nearly took all their stock and had the girls behind the counter giggling at me trying to explain why I was buying so many!!

On to the train we go again and this time we are heading out to Matsumoto where we are staying the night...more about the Castle at Matsumoto tomorrow though.

Will leave you with a another decorative manhole cover...

Tokyo from above and below...

14th February, 2010

This morning we awoke and the sun was shining after a grey rainy day that we had yesterday.

We went up the to the 45th Floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It was still hazy but you could still see buildings like they were a blanket spread across the world below.

We also went for a walk through one of the Department Stores and stumbled across this Kimono Shop...these were VERY expensive ones as the prices indicate!!
207,900 Yen = $2, 150 Yikes!!!

The red one up the back was over 300,000 yen!!

But they were the most stunning pieces. Drastic difference to the ones we found in a Flea Market for 500 yen!!



This is the Kebab Van we found outside of Shinjuku Station....they were so yummy but would be great after a big night out as well!!



This van looked like it was going to fall apart but the owner didn't seem to mind.







We then wandered around the streets taking in all the sights and sounds of Tokyo at its best, we then headed back to the hotel for a decent sleep.

Fast Train to Tokyo & Imperial Place

13th February, 2010



This morning we woke up to glorious sunshine and excited about our trip in the "Shink". We got there a bit earlier than we had to be so we could get some photos before we departed.






Tom & Denise with the Front of the "Shink" - Shinkensan Fast Train












Sukuraedamon Bridge and Imperial Palace Building


These areas aren't open to the public but they will let you take photos.

Donshin bansh Guardhouse

This is one of the 3 remaining guardhouses. The Samurai guardsman kept constant watch especially on the members of a lord's retinue who entered through Ote-mon Gate.

Close up of Roof detail on Donshin bansh guardhouse

Snappy posing in front of the Hyakunin-bansh Guardhouse


This was the biggest guardhouse set up front of the
Ote-san-no-mon gate leading to the Honmaru (inner citadel) and Ninomaru (second citadel), for inspection of visitors who entered through the Ote-min Gate ( Main Enterance) in the Edo Period.


100 Samurai Guardsmand had their quarters here and they worked shifts day and night.






















Just a sample of the Plum Tree Blossom on the Bairinzaka - Plum Tree Slope.


The first trees were planted in 1478!














After we checked into our hotel we went for a walk around the Shinkjuku Train station which has many restaurants and shops to check out. Dinner was simple and not worth taking a photo of as it was a Sunday night and about 830-9pm not many things were open apart from McDonald's...hehehe



Some of the scenery on the way home from the Train Station.