寒い１２月の週末の日で雪が道に残っていて、でも子供達は休みだし、家族で何かしようか? 思い切って、信州高山温泉郷へドライブし、七味温泉に入って来ました。我々は毎日、上山田温泉に入っていますけど、偶に違う温泉に入るのもいいですね。七味温泉は上山田より硫黄が強くて、温度も１，２度高かった（４３℃ぐらいでした）。結構刺激的でした。色はその日によって違うらしい。私達が行った日に色が緑でした。そして、一番良かったのは雪景色となっていた松川渓谷を眺める大能野天風呂！信州の大自然＋温泉・・・ええ所やナ!
What's a family to do on a cold, snowy December Sunday? Why, go for a winter drive up to the mountains of course! The kids were off from school, and our inn was quiet, so we piled into the car and drove up to Takayama Village, about an hour east of Nagano City. There we went to Shichi-Mi Onsen for a soak in their bath. Of course, we take a bath in Kamiyamada's Onsen waters everyday, but it's fun to try other onsens every once in a while. Shichi-Mi's has a lot stronger sulfer content, and is a couple degrees hotter than hours (approx. 43 deg F). The color apparently varies day to day -- the day we went it was green. The best part was the outdoor bath with a spectacular view of the Matsukawa Valley covered in snow. Nagano's beautiful nature and wonderful onsens -- I knew there was a reason I moved here!
信州高山温泉郷・七味温泉
上信越道の須坂ICから約４０分；長野電鉄須坂駅からバス（冬期間は山田温泉でシャットルに乗換え、平日は一日３本、週末はもっと頻繁に）
紅葉館 Tel(026)242-2710
Nagano's Takayama Onsen: Shichi-Mi Onsen
Approx 40 min. by car from the Suzaka IC (JyoShin-Etsu Expressway) or 40 min. by bus from Suzaka Station on the Nagano Dentetsu Line (during winter, change at Yamada Onsen to the shuttle; 3 busses daily, more often on weekends)
Koyokan Tel (026)242-2710
Red Bridge over the Matsukawa River on the way to Shichi-Mi Onsen
