上田市の生島足島神社の独特な朱色は冬の雪と綺麗なコントラストになります。先日は上田市へ行く用事があって、帰りは久しぶりにこの「日本のおへそ」と言われている神社に寄りました。生島と足島の二つの神の神社にもなっているようだし、日本中の全ての霊魂が入っているようだし、日本全国を守っている神もなっているようです。つまり、重要な神社です。

と言いながら、正直って、神道に詳しくない私にはその朱色はとにかく印象的です。なおかつ、雪景色との合わせで更に見事な絵になります。

生島足島神社は戸倉上山田温泉・亀清旅館から車で約３０分です。もしくは、上田駅経由でしなの鉄道（戸倉駅）・上田電鉄（下之郷駅；レンタサイクル有り）コンビで行けます。
詳しくは神社のＨＰへ。

２月３日に生島足島神社の節分祭が行います。式は１４時から；１５時半から豆が飛びます。

With a fresh covering of snow, Ueda City's Ikushima Tarushima Shrine's brilliant vermillion color stands out beautifully with the contrasting white of the snow. The other day, I had an errand to run in Ueda, and on the way back I stopped to see this shrine which is noted for supposedly being the geographic center of Japan (hence its nickname: Japan's belly button).

This shrine is also noted for being the home of Ikushima, the fertility god, and Tarushima, the god of fulfillment. Furthermore, it also supposedly houses all of the souls from throughout Japan. And as if that weren't enough, its god is supposedly the guardian diety of the entire country. That makes it one noteworthy shrine.

For me, someone not very initiated in Shintoism, the thing that most stands out about this shrine is the destinctive vermillion color accenting the achitecture throughout the complex. And with a touch of contrasting white from the snow, it makes for even more of a photogenic setting.

Ikushima Tarushima Shrine is about 30 minutes from Kamesei Ryokan and our onsen town, Togura Kamiyamada, via car. It is also accessible by train, using a combination of Shinano Railway (Togura Station) changing at Ueda Station to Ueda Dentetsu. 'Shimonogo' is the closest station and has rental cycles available.

This shrine is so cool it has its own website. For info in English, you can check here.

February 3rd, Ikushima Tarushima Shrine, as well at shrines and temples throughout the country, the annual Setsubun bean throwing ceremony will take place. Ceremony starts at 2pm, been throwing at 3:30pm.

山ノ内町へ出張中で湯田中温泉のよろづやさんにお世話になりました。日本文化財登録された松籟荘という長野県の旅館を代表できる宿に。あまりにも豪華に贅沢で、我が亀清旅館には参考にならなかったけど、今回は勉強の為よりハードな出張のリラックスの為でした。宴会の時の小野社長のしっかりした挨拶からそれこそ長野を代表できる露天風呂と立派な内湯「桃山風呂」の雪景色、とにかく忘れらない夜でした。
そして、お料理。一品一品出してくれた会席料理で次から次へ、これは美術ですか？食べ物ですか？と。早取りの旬の味を出して、そして地元の美味しい食材をたっぷり生かして、日本の旅館は素晴らしいなと改めて思いました。

まあ、その中で亀清旅館で少しまねできるヒントも頂きましたので、我が宿こそ信州を代表できる作りでこれからも努力します。

During a business trip to Yamanouchi Town in northern Nagano, I spent the night in Yorozuya Ryokan in Yudanaka Onsen. Specifically in Yorozuya's Shoraiso, a building listed on Japan's National Historical Register. The facilities were so luxurious and extravagant that I had a hard time finding ideas I could possibly use at our humble Kamesei Ryokan. But this stay wasn't for research, it was for relaxing from a very ambitious outing.

From the way Ono-san, the owner, gracefully greeted us during our dinner to the winter scene Momoyama Bath, a building also nationally recognized, and its outdoor bath that is bigger than Kamesei's inner garden koi pond, we were thoroughly happy. And then the kaiseki dinner. What a treasure. Each individual dish, brought out one at a time, each one almost more of an artistic creation than just food. And such great use of 'haya-dori' -- ingredients anticipating the upcoming season, as well as showcasing the area's bountiful food culture. We were amazed.

Hopefully our efforts to improve Kamesei Ryokan will someday result in our inn being able to represent Nagano to some extent, too.

松籟荘のＨＰはこちらClick here for Shoraiso's website.

98年の冬オリンピックのおかげで、長野市にいくつかの施設が残されました。その一つはホワイトリングです。五輪の時はフィギゥアスケートやショートトラックスピードスケートが開催されました。　今はコンサートやスポーツ大会で利用されています。

先日は我が息子のフットサルの大会がホワイトリングで行われました。せっかくだったから中に入ってみて、写真を撮ってみました。

長野五輪のお蔭で、海外で知名度が高いです。今はNInJAプロジェクトの仲間たちと外国人観光客の聞き取り調査はしています。大半はオリンピックの気掛けで長野を初めて知ったのですが、オリンピック施設は決してみたいと思わないそうです。山とか文化、もしくは地獄谷の雪猿の方を見たいと。

でもホワイトリングとその他のオリンピックの施設のお蔭で、長野は世界的に有名になりました。その意味で、今でもホワイトリングはオーラが感じます。

Thanks to the '98 Winter Olympics, Nagano City was left with several unique venues, including this White Ring. During the Olympics, figure skating and short track speed skating took place in White Ring. Now the facility hosts concerts and sporting events.

Our son's futsal soccer tournament took place in White Ring last weekend. As it was my first time to go there, I took a peek inside and took some pictures.

Thanks to the Nagano Olympics, many people overseas are familiar with the name 'Nagano'.
My NInJA Project buddies and I are working on a survey of foreign tourists in Nagano. We are finding that many people first heard of Nagano from the Olympics. However, few are actually interested in seeing the Olympic venues. They are more likely to come to Nagano for the mountains and culture (and snow monkeys!). But even today, you can get a sense of the Olympic grandeur by going to White Ring.

ホワイトリングの公式ＨＰはこちらClick here for White Ring's official website.