県外からいらっしゃったお客さんは戸倉上山田温泉に泊まる楽しみの１つは姨捨からの夜景を見る事でした。が、夕方になってえらい雨が降ってきちゃった。仕方が無く、中止かな？でも、もう少し様子を見てみょうと。そうすると、８時ごろ、雨が多少に軽くなったので、皆、姨捨にゴー！
前の日はちょうど雨が止んだ後に我が「姨捨夜景・伝説ツアー」に連れて行って、空気がすんでいてとっても綺麗でした。今晩の夜景は比較したら、霧がまだ残って、あまり遠く見えなかった。それでも、お客さんがとっても喜んで頂きました。電車のスイッチバックも見れたし。（お客さんのお子さんは夜景より、電車の方が面白かった様です。）
偶然、今日は長野市で県の観光協会の研修会で「着地型旅行商品：事例や企画学ぶ」と言うことで、旅行業界の６０人が集まったようです。千曲市観光協会のやっている正式（＝有料）の姨捨夜景ツアーが紹介されたようです。観光地としてやはりこういう努力が必要ですね。
ただ、「着地型旅行商品」より楽しい表現が無いのかな？
Some out-of-prefecture guests that had come and stay with us were looking forward to going to see the night view from Obasute Station. However, as evening came around, it started to rain. Heavy. Cats and Dogs heavy. We waited a while, and the rain let up a bit, so we piled in the car and proceeded with our Obasute Night View / Legends tour.
I had been there the night before with some other guests, and we managed to time it for right after the rain stopped. So the air was nice and clean, and the view of the lights of the Zenkoji Plain was extra spectacular. By comparison, tonight a light mist remained and not much of the Plain was visible. However, the guests were delighted nonetheless.
By coincidence, today, the Nagano Prefecture Tourism Bureau held a conference on creating "Chakuchi-gata Ryoko Shohin" which loosely translated means Tourism Products ('Ryoko Shohin') designed to be enjoyed after arrival ('Chakuchi'). 60 people from the tourism industry gathered to discuss and study such Products. Our town's official (='for fee') Obasute Night View tour was featured. Areas that rely on tourism definitely need to put in the effort to develop such tours.
I just wish there'd be a funner name than Destination Tourism Products...
