台風18号のせいで、午前中は地元の電車が走らなかったし、ここの上山田小学校が休みでした。しかし、周辺の山が守ってくれたようで、上山田は損害が無かった。心配だったりんご農園も大丈夫だったそうです。

子供達は休みだったのもあって、上田市に連れてきました。
以前に上田の昭和ころからのアーケード、海野町に行きましたが、今回は更に歴史のある江戸時代からの柳町に行きました。柳町がもっと古いのに、海野町ほどさびていないと言うのは不思議でした。やはり、江戸時代の石畳の道や木造の建物は味がある。そして、町の人々の努力のお陰で、その何百年前からの味が今日にも伝われる。
柳町の代表の店の一つはルヴァンというパン屋さんです。自然酵母の利用（不自然な酵母はある？）と言うこだわりのお陰か、おもみのあるパンでこの欧米人の口にとっても合いました。そして、パン屋さんの建物はまたすごいですよ。戸隠の忍者屋敷のパン屋さんの版って感じ。所々に面白い隅があって、色んな楽しいオブジェもあって、とっても良かった。
上田城に行く観光客が多いですが、もうちょっと足を伸ばせばこの柳町にも簡単に行ける。お勧めです!

Due to Typhoon Melor, our local train stopped running this morning, and Kamiyamada Elementary School closed for the day. Thanks to the surrounding mountains, however, the storm didn't hit Kamiyamada very hard. Our area apple orchards fortunately escaped without much damage.
Taking advantage of the kids' day off, I took them to Ueda City. I had been to Ueda's Showa-era shopping district Unno-Machi before. Today we explored Ueda's Edo-era district, Yanagi-Machi. Despite being older by several hundred years, Yanagi-Machi seemed to have more vitality than its Showa-era counterpart. I think it's due to the charming feudal period stone slab streets and classic wooden buildings. Thanks to the efforts of the townspeople, the neighborhood retains much of its historical character.
And Yanagi-Machi's crown gem is definitely the Levain breadshop. Not only is their bread fantastic, but the building is amazing. They pride themselves in using "natural yeast" (is there such a thing as unnatural yeast?) and I'm not sure if that's the reason or not, but the rich texture and full flavor of the bread certainly pleased this westerner's palatte. But the building, oh the building! It reminded me of the ninja fun house in Togakushi with all of its mesmerizing nooks and crannies, let alone the interesting objects and nicknacks throughout the place.
Many tourists go see Ueda Castle. From there, it's an easy walk to Yanagi-Machi -- I highly suggest it.

注：亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から車で約30分、戸倉駅から上田駅まで電車で約12分。
Note: Approx. 30 minutes by car from Kamesei Ryokan; or about 12 minutes by train from Togura to Ueda Station.

上田の観光地北国街道柳町のHPはこちらClick here for Yanagi-Machi's website.

パン屋さんのルヴァンのHPはこちらClick here for the website of Levain.

戸倉上山田温泉の隣の坂城町に人間国宝の宮入先生の記念館にもなる「鉄の展示館」という刀の博物館があります。定期的に「手つくりナイフを作ろう!」という体験コースをやっています。昨日は友達と息子達を連れて、やってきました。宮入行平先生の息子さんがやり方を皆に教えていました。思い出になる経験でした。次は11月22日（日）、午前の部は10：00から、午後の部は13：30から、約一時間半程度、参加費は500円です。詳しくは坂城町鉄の展示館 Tel(0268)82-1128

When you think of 'traditional' Japan, what images come to mind? Geisha, Ninja, Samurai, Katana...

Geisha still exist, but are becoming increasingly obsolete in today's society. In addition, fewer and fewer young women today see becoming a geisha as a viable career. Here in our town, Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, there are still 35 geisha, down from a peak of over 350 in the Showa heydays. It's a struggle, but efforts are being made to preserve the living geisha heritage in our town.

Ninja schools also continue to exist in Japan in pockets here and there. In Nagano, we are fortunate to have the Togakure Ninja School's heritage, kept alive by a group of active practicioners. They offer free access to their weekly lessons where you can experience real, honest, actual, wouldn't-be-unusual-to-break-a-bone ninja lessons every Sunday night in Togakshi -- for Free!

Samurai were officially ended with the Meiji Restoration. However, their memory is kept alive by their descendants all across the country. Our neighbor across the street from Kamesei have a museum-like room in their house that includes the battle armor of their great-great-great ancestor.

Katana swords you would also think would be on the verge of extinction. However, in Nagano Prefecture alone there are 5 or 6 swordsmiths that continue to make katana today. In neighboring Sakaki Town, there is the "Museum of Tetsu (Steel) in Sakaki" dedicated to Living National Treasure Hirayuki Miyairi. Miyairi-sensei has since passed on, but his apprentices as well as his son carry on the sword-making tradition today.

The museum occasionally offers Knife Making By Hand lessons. My buddy Matt and I took our kids yesterday to experience it ourselves, under the traditional teachings of junior Miyairi-sensei. Using traditional tools and methods, we each made our own little knife.

The next lesson is scheduled for 22-November (Sunday) from 10am and again 1:30pm (each lesson runs about an hour and a half). Cost is 500 yen per person. For info, contact the museum at 0268-82-1128 or on the web at http://tetsu.town.sakaki.nagano.jp.

クッキーの材料の為に、戸隠にそば粉を買いに行ってきました。ついでに（どっちがついでかな？）忍法センターによって、子供達を遊ばしました。秋の青空に戸隠の立派な山に我が美咲ちゃん。戸隠高原の自然が気持ち良くて、「この為に長野に来ました」とさらに思いました。シルバーウィークでにぎやかだった戸隠から。

I took the kids for a drive to Togakushi to buy some soba flour for making more cookies. While there, we stopped at the ninja center for the kids (and their dad) to play. A fine autumn blue sky, majestic Togakushi Mountain, and our little Misaki. Once again, I was reminded of why it was I moved to Nagano. I love the great outdoors and the clean air of places like Togakushi.

Info on Togakushi HERE.

晴れている日曜日のお昼・・・ピックニックをしょうぜ!教会の帰りで長野市の篠ノ井地区の茶臼山恐竜講演で子供達とピックニックしました。T-Rexの足元でサンドウィッチを食べました。恐竜に食べられそうなところで自分が食べるのは不気味な雰囲気・・・
茶臼山恐竜公園はJR篠ノ井駅の裏、車で約１５分です。恐竜が好きな保育園・小学生に最適。（２歳半の美咲ちゃんはちょっと怖がっていた。）

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon -- picnic time! The kids and I stopped at the Chausuayama Dinosaur Park in Nagano City's Shinonoi district. We ate sandwiches at the foot of a T-Rex (who seemed to be looking hungrily down at us!).
The Chausuayama Dinosaur Park is located on the hill behind JR Shinonoi Station and is a good 15 minutes by car from the station. (Bus access is limited.) 25 life-size statues of various dinosaurs -- perfect for those junior dinosaur fans out there. Our 2-1/2 year-old Misaki was a little frightened by the huge dinosaurs, but even she climbed the ladder up into the stomach of the T-Rex.

茶臼山恐竜公園HPはこちらClick here for the website of Chausuyama's Dinosaur Park

先日は研修会で湯田中渋温泉に行ってきました。以前から行ってみたい宿の２件の見学が出来ました：湯田中のよるづやと渋の金具屋。
金具屋の４階建ての木造建物は見事です。アニメから出てきそうなのではなくて、アニメが真似しているぐらい格好いい。一部が国登録有形文化財になっています。
今までは概観しか見ていないので今回は中を見させていただきました。インテリアが工夫して、感動しました。最初は木造同士の亀清旅館に使えるヒントがあるかなと思ったけど、スケールが違う、世界が違うと良く分かりました。言葉じゃ感想を伝えられないので写真の方で見せればと。
次は湯田中のよるづやさんに行きました。ここの「桃山風呂」が登録有形文化財です。内湯の建物が神社みたいです。温泉の神様の神社って感じ。外湯は露天風呂というより、温泉の池です。また亀清とスケールの違う事！仲間と一緒に入っていましたが、裸の使いに最適な広くて良いお風呂です。
長野の温泉旅館文化の奥深さを感じさせました、湯田中渋温泉。
The other day, I went to Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen for a seminar. I got a chance to see a couple of ryokans that I had really wanted to see: Yudanaka's Yoruzuya and Shibu's Kanaguya.
Kanaguya's 4-story wood building is spectacular. Some say it's like from out of an anime movie -- I say the anime movies copied Kanaguya. Part of it is even a registered National Cultural Treasure.
Up until now I had only seen Kanaguya from the outside. This time, I got to take a tour of the inside, too. I was hoping to get some hints I could use for Kamesei's interior as they are both wood buildings, but I found out that Kanaguya is in a league, a universe all to itself. There's no way words can convey how impressive Kanaguya's interior details are. I've attempted to express a little of it by these pictures, but you'll just have to go and see for yourself to fully appreciate it.
Next we went to Yorozuya in neighboring Yudanaka. The "Momoyama Bath" there is also a registered National Cultural Treasure. And what a bath it is. The indoor bath's building is like a shrine -- a shrine for the onsen god. And the outdoor bath is more like an onsen pond, it is so huge. Again, I was just in awe at the scale.
I consider myself fortunate to have gotten to see Kanaguya and Yoruzuya, and now appreciate the depth of Nagano's Onsen Ryokan culture that much more.

湯田中渋温泉は戸倉上山田から来るまで約１時間、また、長野駅から特急電車で約４５分。
文化財やどのHP:　金具屋　よろづや
Yudanaka-Shibu is approx. 1 hr. by car from Togura Kamiyada, or 45 min. by exress train from Nagano Sta.
Cultural Treasure Ryokan websites: Kanaguya; Yorozuya
The best guide to Yudanaka-Shibu: Zeno's Guide

私はお客さんにいつも「どこを回って来たか？」と聞きます。このごろ、美術館関係だと答えるお客さんが多いです。特に、長野市の水野美術館の今の展示会「四大浮世絵師展」が人気あります。北斎、広重、歌麿、写楽の四人の作品を同時に見える機会がなかなないらしいです。そして、我々欧米人に最も人気がある北斎の「神奈川沖浪裏」(SHINさん、有難う!）の実物も見える。これは凄い！９月５日から１０月１２日までです。若女将と二人でデートで行ってこなきゃ！
注：９月２７日（日）に版画体験も予定しているそうです。「消しゴムで版画をつくろう」というワークショップです。
詳しくはここ。

I always ask our guests what places they have been sightseeing on their way to Kamesei, and lately many have been replying "Museums". One that is getting a lot of attention lately is the Mizuno Art Museum in Nagano City. Their current display is called "The 4 Ukiyoe Masters". This is a rare chance to see actual works by Hiroshige, Hokusai, Sharaku and Utamaro all in one place. They even have Hokusai's "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" original print on display. (You know the one with a huge wave framing Mt. Fuji.)
The show runs through October 12th. Mari and I will have to go on a date together and go see it!
Also, on Sunday, September 27th, there will be a Wood Block Print Workshop, where you can make your own ukiyoe using an eraser. Check it out!
Details (in Japanese) here.

２年前のNHKの大河ドラマ、風林火山の時に、亀清のお客さんの中でその戦国時代のファンが多かったです。戸倉上山田温泉の裏の荒砥城は撮影現場として使われたし、周辺の山がその話の中で出てきたし、川中島古戦場が近いからです。今年の大河ドラマ、天地人では隣の新潟県がメインですから長野に影響が無いだろうと思いました。でも、やはり、真田ファンが多いみたいので戦国時代に興味のあるお客さんはいまだに少なくは無いです。

先週末は家族で直江津に行ってきました。そこに住んでいる友人のBlairさんが高田城（結局、謙信の後で出来たお城と分かった）と春日山城跡を案内して頂いた。高田城は復元したお城もあるし、周りの公園が綺麗です。（小林古径邸が必見！）比較的に、春日山城は何も無いといえば何も無いですが、登っていくうちにどれくらい凄かったか、謙信はどれくらい偉かったか、感じました。

直江津は戸倉上山田温泉から高速で約１時間です。

Two years ago, national broadcaster NHK's year-long historical drama, "Furinkazan" focused on Nagano. As a result, we had lots of guests interested in the Sengokujidai (Warring States Era) history. This year's drama, "Tenchijin", focuses on neighboring Niigata, so I assumed it wouldn't affect us much. However, we have been getting several guests that are fans of the Sanada family, our local samurai warlord.

Last weekend, our family went for a drive to Naoetsu, home of Tenchijin's star Uesugi Kenshin. Blair, my Canadian buddy who lives there, took us around to Takada Castle (which we found out later didn't come into being until after Kenshin) and Kenshin's home fortress, Kasugayama Castle. The castle in Takada has been rebuilt and there is a fantastic park around it (the Kobayashi Kokei house is a must see!). By comparison, Kasugayama is relatively bare as nothing remains of the original castle. However, climbing up to the location gives you a sense of how massive it must have been, and how powerful it's lord was.

Naoetsu is approx. 1 hour from Togura Kamiyamada Onsen by freeway, or approx. 2 hours by train.

私たち戸倉上山田温泉に住んでいる皆は家族の楽しいちょっとしたお出かけをしたい時に聖湖によく行きます。FujiQ見たいな遊園地とスケールが全然違うけれど、十分楽しめる。いいえ、十二分楽しめる。お盆中が忙しくて、我が子供達が犠牲になっていました。ですから今日は家族タイムでした。湖で白鳥のボートに乗ったり、リフトに乗って展望台からの景色（アルプスから浅間山まで、３６０°！）、そしてスライダーでスリル！戸倉上山田から来るまで約４５分です。

Locals living here in Togura Kamiyamada like to drive up to Hijiri Lake for some family fun. The area is much, much smaller scale than say, Disneyland, but I'd almost venture to say you can have just as much fun there. We didn't get to spend much time with our kids during the busy O-Bon period, so today was a family day. We rented a swan paddle boat, rode the lift up to the mountain-top viewpoint (360-degree views from the Alps to Asama Mountain), and the highlight was riding the Slider.
Hijiri Lake is about a 45 minute drive from Togura Kamiyamada.

私は１つな秘密があります。もし生まれ変わる事ができたら、走り屋になりたいと半分思っています。日産スカイラインGT-Rでクネクネな山道を走りたい。
まあ、現実は子供三人がいる、ミニバンに乗っているそろそろ４０歳になるただのおじさんです。
しかし、ドライブで山道を通ると、ちょっと走りたくなる。
そして、信州は見事に気持ち良い山道が沢山ある。もう、山道天国と言ってもおかしくない。ミニバンじゃ面白くない。GT-Rかモーターバイクで走ったら最適やな。
今日は長野市の帰りで千曲市の山奥の小田原でおそばを食べに行きました。地図と相談して、県道３９５号「川口田野口篠ノ井線」を通って見ました。そうすると、とんでもないクネクネな道になった。もう、最高でした。そして、途中で、大当たり！こんなに綺麗な景色ポイントがあった。黒姫や戸隠、北アルプスが見えた。感動した！
ちなみに、小田原空千曲市に降りて行く県道３９０号「小峰稲荷山線」はまたすごい山道です。途中でループの橋もある！
I have a little secret: I sometimes wish I could be reborn as a street racer. I fantasize about driving a Nissan Skyline GT-R on a windy mountain road.
In reality, I drive a mini-van loaded with 3 kids.
But whenever a drive takes us to a windy mountain road, my heart rate picks up. And Nagano is blessed with more great mountain roads than you can shake a stick at.
Today on the way back from Nagano City, we decided to head up to Otahara up in the hills behind Chikuma City for a soba lunch. After looking at the map, we took Prefectural Route 395. It turned out to be a crazy, crazy mountain road with lots of crazy curves -- I was in heaven! And half-way along, we hit a jackpot -- this great view of the Northern Alps, Togakushi and Kurohime. The view was breathtaking!
The road from Otahara back down to Chikuma City, Route 390, is another crazy, windy mountain road. It's so windy it even has a loop bridge!

先週は長野地方事務所の手配で白馬村を見学してきました。白馬の観光局にインバウンド（＝外国人観光客の誘客）の取り組みを説明して頂きました。白馬は三、四年前からオーストラリアからのスキー客を積極的に呼んで、比較的に成功している地域です。長野県の中で進んでいる方です。我々長野地方の人達はその経験から習いに行った訳です。

ついでに、白馬のグリーンシーズンの代表のイベント、「花三味」に参加しました。町の中からリフトに乗って山の頂上まで、１１箇所に花がそろっている場所を見れる。私が行ったのは５番の「白馬せせらぎの里」と８番の「いわてけユリの園」でした。せせらぎの里は江戸時代からの石造りのせせらぎで、所々にかわいい橋があって、アジサイが綺麗に咲いていました。写真を撮りたくなる風情。
その後は岩竹地区に行って、リフトに乗って、１２８９ｍの頂上まで登った。５０万球のユリが咲いていて、下は白馬村の谷、上は白馬岳、感動的な景色。その日は曇っていたが、晴れたら最高な眺めになるでしょう。この夏は残念ながら晴れている日が少ないけど、その分で観光客も少ないからすいていて自由にうろうろ出来る。
お昼は綺麗に直された庄屋まるはちと言う古い民家でした。実は、このお店に入れて、ちょっと嬉しかった。と言うのは、庄屋まるはちのパンフは半年前に出来たのでそのパンフの英語は私の作品です。文章を書いた時に、「本当にそんなに素敵な建物か」と思ったが、実物を見れば、作るのにそして綺麗に直すのにどれぐらいな努力がかかったか、感動しました。機会があれば、入ってみて下さい。

As part of the Nagano Area Office, myself and some of the other various town officials made a trip to Hakuba last week. Hakuba has been actively pursuing ski tourists from Australia the past 4~5 years and the efforts have paid off -- Hakuba is one of Nagano Prefecture's top attractions for "Inbound" (guests from overseas). We met with their Tourism Commission to get ideas for promoting Inbound tourism in the Nagano City area.

As part of the tour, we took part in Hakuba's premier green season event: "Hana San-Mi". There are 11 areas in the village, from flower-lined streams in town to alpine flowers at 2000-meters, reachable by a special shuttle bus and/or ski lifts that operate in the summer. Our group got to see 2 of the areas. The "Seseragi-no-Sato" is in town. It's a little rock-lined stream with quaint bridges over it and flower pots all over and bushes and bushes of brilliantly blooming hydrangeas. The scene just begs to be photographed. After that, we moved to the Iwateke area and rode the lift to the Iwatake Lily Garden. 500,000 lilies are planted around the 1289-meter peak. The colorful flowers with the Hakuba Valley below and the massive Hakuba peaks above makes for a dynamic scene. The day we were there it was cloudy -- on a clear day the view must be even more impressive. This summer, there have been an unusually few amount of clear days. That also means fewer tourists, so you can have the nature to yourself.
For lunch, we stopped at Shouya Maruhachi, a feudal merchant's house that has recently been renovated to bring back its original Edo-era glory. It is located along the Seseragi-no-Sato. I was really pleased to get to see the residence, because when Shouya Maruhachi's brochure was made last winter, I was the one tapped to write the English. It was great to see it in person. I realized, though, that my words didn't do justice to the workmanship that went into the residence. If you get a chance, check it out.

Links:

白馬村観光局・花三味 Hakuba Tourism Commission / Hana San-Mi
庄屋まるはちShouya Maruhachi
Lodging: Ski Japan Holidays; JHN Travel