Japan September 28-October 7, 2007 Part 4

A funny thing happened on the way to Nagano: we were enjoying our morning coffee at Starbuck’s at the Matsumoto train station and noticed three young Japanese women in traditional dress (kimono with obi on their backs, stockinged feet wearing thong sandals) sitting on stools in the corner and sipping on cold drinks! It would have made a great picture but we were a little embarrassed to do so! Our train left at 10:00 and we sat in the front car, directly behind the driver with a clear view of the surrounding mountainous scenery-it was pretty cool! We arrived an hour later and checked in to the Hotel Metropolitan right next door to the station downtown-you don’t get much handier than that!
















After lunch we took a private train to Yudanaka to see the famous snow monkeys in their park, Jigokudani Yaen-koen. There are over 200 simians that have been here since about 1960. They even have their own “onsen” (hot bath)!

Entrance to the Monkey Park
















Pat checking out a hot geyser
















Note the onsen on the left with a couple of monkeys on the side. They have a live-cam directed on the site which can be fun to watch: http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/english/top/english.html






























Pat took some of the most amazing pictures with his telephoto lens, but sadly, they were all erased somehow from his computer, leaving only my "not so great" pictures















































We walked back to the train station down a peaceful mountain road and past this cemetery.
















The train back to Nagano passed through some pretty farming country in the valley and we saw apple and cherry orchards, vegetable gardens, vineyards and lots of beautiful fall flowers (begonias, cosmos, vincas, impatiens, etc.)

Jumpa lagi...