Mountain Fortress with the Alps in the distance
戸倉上山田温泉の上の荒砥城からの眺めはいつも綺麗ですです。山城の姿と千曲川の谷の組み合わせは格別な絵になります。（千曲川はどうして「千の曲り」というか、上から見れば理解できます。上田から善光寺平へ流れる川のくねくねが見れるので・・・）
そして、晴れている冬の日には雪のかぶっているアルプスも見れて、なお綺麗です。
先日はお客さんに乗せて行きまして、せっかく天気の良い日だったから私も荒砥城にお邪魔しました。勘助に会えなかったけど綺麗な眺めでホッとしました。
Arato-jo, the mountain fortress above our onsen town, Togura-Kamiyamada, offers a spectacular view any time of the year. The contrast between the rough-hewn fortress and the majestic river valley down below creates quite a picture. And from this birds-eye view, one can understand why the Chikuma River (literally "a thousand bends") got its name, as the river's course meanders back and forth during its journey from Ueda down through the Zenkoji Plain.
On clear winter days, visitors to Arato-jo are also rewarded with views of the snow-covered Japanese Alps.
The other day, I dropped some guests off at the castle, and since the weather was so nice, I paid a visit to the site, also. I didn't meet any samurai, but the view was breathtaking.
