このゴールデンウィークにお客様に「どこを寄ってきたか」中で、善光寺さんや松本城、戸隠、軽井沢、小布施などは相変わらず人気でした。しかし、今年は今までより多かったのは上田城と松代です。

真田幸村や戦国時代のファンが増えてきましたね。

日本人のかわいそうな所は皆さんは働き過ぎじゃないですか。休みが取れる時は全員が同時に休むからどこへ行っても混む。戸隠へ登ろうとしたお客さんは渋滞で途中で諦めて下りてきた。松本城へ行ったお客さんはお城の一番上まで登るのに数時間待ちだと言われた。

この連休の4日に用事があって、子供達と一緒に上田に行きました。上田城の駐車場は満車で車が溢れていた状態。その後、塩田平に行きました。上田が原古戦場の看板があった。長男のアンディー君は学校で戦国時代の事を勉強しているし、探検で行ってみた。矢印を追いかければ石久摩神社に辿り着きました。ここで川中島合戦の前哨戦となった上田原合戦の時に武田信玄の本軍が置かれた。3.5km先の村上義清が本陣を置いたという岩鼻の崖（須々貴城）を見渡せる。
この神社に記念の石碑もあり、
数千人の戦死者が出た合戦の無名討死者の墓もある。

ここに来れば戦国時代の武田信玄の立場を感じれる。

なおかつ、かなり穴場的な所なので、連休の最中でも誰もいない。

日本の連休楽しみ方の1ポイントレッスン：
戸隠や軽井沢は普通な時に行きなさい。奥社に行きたいなら、戸隠のではなくて飯山市の小菅神社のにしなさい。その杉並び木は戸隠の程でかくないけど、その代わりに人がいない。連休中は穴場がお勧め。いくらでも紹介が出来ますので聞いて下さい！

This Golden Week holiday, I asked our guests where they did their sightseeing on the way to Kamesei. Nagano City's Zenkoji Temple and Matsumoto's castle were as popular as always, as was spiritual Togakushi, Obuse the chestnut town, and the resort town of Karuizawa. This year, two places were mentioned more frequently than before: Ueda Castle and the samurai town of Matsushiro.

Apparently Ueda Castle's main samurai Yukimura Sanada and the Warring States era in general are gaining in popularity.

I actually feel sorry for people in Japan during Golden Week. So many people work too hard and can only take vacation during these peak holidays, so everywhere you go, it's crowded. Some of our guests tried driving up to Togakushi but turned around and came back due to the congested roads. Another party visited Matsumoto Castle but were told it would be a 2 hour wait to climb to the top.

On the 4th, I took our children into Ueda City. We visited the castle, and saw the parking lot was overflowing with cars. On a drive through Ueda's Shioda Plain area, we spotted a sign for a Uedahara Battle history marker. Following the signs, we came to Ishikuma Shrine. It was here that Shingen Takeda and his forces set up camp, looking across the Uedahara field to Yoshikiyo Murakami's fortress, Susuki-jo in 1548. A stone monument to the battle is erected here, as well as a Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, for some of the thousands of samurai who lost their lives here.

Standing there at the shrine, we felt like we were Shingen looking over the battle field.

And, despite it being the middle of the Golden Week holiday, we had the place to ourselves.

That's the key to enjoying one of Japan's peak holidays. Save the Zenkoji's and Matsumoto Castles for another time. If you want to see the Inner Shrine's majestic cedar trees, go to the ones at Iiyama City's Kosuge Shrine. They're not as massive as Togakushi's, but you'll avoid crowds. Visit the lesser-known spots like the Uedahara battle field. Ask us and we'll fill you in on plenty more off-the-beaten-track places to see in Nagano.

「蔵の町」須坂市が長野市の東北側にある。先日に久しぶりに通ったら、あちらこちらに誇りの蔵の整備工事がされていた。須坂市はその遺産となる蔵を積極的に大事にしている様に感じた。欧米に無い、日本の江戸時代からの蔵はこの欧米人が大好きなので、嬉しい限り。

その歴史的な蔵の活性化は色んな悩みがきっとあるだろう。一つの古民家と蔵は去年に「ゲストハウスKURA」として生まれ変わった。オーナーの山上さんに顔を出して、ゲストハウスを案内してくれた。去年は成田空港の近くのゲストハウスに泊まった。その時はどれだけな人数をどれだけな狭い所で安く泊まらせるかという雰囲気だった。寝る所は２段バンクベッドだったし。須坂のゲストハウスKURAは広々した畳の部屋でお客さんが日本風で布団で眠れる。

ゲストハウスKURA:　お安くで泊まりながら古民家生活の体験も出来、なかなか魅力的な宿泊施設。

Suzaka City, situated to north and east of Nagano City, is known as 'Kura no Machi', or a town of 'Kura', meaning the old earthen-walled storehouses that were prevalent in the Edo era. On a recent trip to Suzaka, I was pleased to see so much construction activity going on to restore several of these historic Kura. For someone like me coming from a Western country, these Kura have a lot of mystique of the old Japan.

Of course, the reality is finding practical uses for these Kura is very difficult in today's world. One entrepreneur has come up with a unique application: Ms. Yamakami-san has started Guesthouse KURA in an old merchant's house with a Kura in its backyard.

Last year, I stayed at a guesthouse near Narita Airport. It was an exercise in squeezing as many people in to as small a space as possible for as cheap as possible. Sleeping quarters were tiny little bunk beds.

Guesthouse KURA maintains the inexpensive pricing, but guests sleep on futons sharing spacious tatami-mat rooms, while experiencing staying in a 100+ year old house. This is a great addition to the selection of accommodations here in Nagano Prefecture!

ゲストハウス蔵 Guesthouse Kura

「本物のワインはおフランスのだな」と言う考えはもう古い。あちらこちらにワイン作りの技術が上がってきて、世界中に高級のワインが出来る様になってきた。日本では山梨県はワインで有名ですが、気候が段々と変わってきて、最近は信州で良い品質のワイン葡萄が出てきた。高い技術で高質のワインは安曇野、茅野、東御市、所々です。

先日はその一つに行きました:　須坂市の楠ワイナリー。オーストラリアでワイン作りの資格を取ってきた楠さんに会ってきました。試飲もさせて頂きました。１本２～３０００円もするワイン（５０００円野もある！)で、贅沢でした。

楠さんにどこのワインが一番の憧れ課と聞いたら、彼はどこかのワインを目指していないと、須坂の土から北信の気候で育ってくる葡萄はなりたいワインになる様に、手伝っていると仰った。

感心しました！

亀清旅館は「ワインを飲める宿」と言うふうに育って行きたいと思っております。現在は長野産の安い五一ワインとイヅツワイン、そして私の拘りでワシントン州産のカベルネサーブィニヨンを扱っています。これからは楠ワイナリーの高級長野産ワインも。お楽しみに。

It used to be that for really good wine, you had to go to France. But nowadays, wine making technology has advanced to so far that you can find the highest quality wine all over the world. Here in Japan, Yamanashi Prefecture is renown for its wine production. But as the climate changes, Nagano's grape fields are increasingly producing world class wine grapes. And a handful of local winemakers are producing wine that rivals that of France.

The other day, I visited one such winemaker, Kusonoki Winery in Suzaka, northeast of Nagano City. Kusunoki-san studied Oenology and Viticulture in Australia, and in talking with him, his enthusiasm for really good wine was evident. He graciously let me sample some of his whites and reds. That was quite a luxury, as their prices are in the 2 to 3 thousand yen range, with at least one bottle priced close to 5,000 yen.

I asked Kusunoki-san what region's wine he likes the best. He replied that he isn't trying to reproduce any one wine. Instead, growing from the nutrients in his fields here in Suzuka, in Northern Nagano's climate, his grapes know what type of wine they want to become, and he considers it his job to assist them in that process.

Quite a humble yet amazing concept!

Here at Kamesei Ryokan, we currently offer two inexpensive Nagano wines as well as one of my favorites, a Washington State cabernet savignon. But it is my hope to slowly make Kamesei Ryokan into an inn where guests can enjoy fine wine. We are looking at offering such from the Kusonoki Winery in the near future. Stay tuned!

楠ワイナリー Kusunoki Winery
Note: Kusunoki-san's blog is bilingual Japanese and English.

善光寺さんの上の戸隠高原はいよいよグリーンシーズンが始まりました。忍者も水芭蕉も冬眠から起きて来ています。長野駅からのバスも冬のスキー場ルートから奥社バス停に変更になりました。(更新した時刻表参照）
車の方は信濃町IC経由で戸倉上山田温泉・亀清旅館ー奥社は約60分です。

私の戸隠の忍者コネ、そば処「山口屋」の山口さん情報によると：
＊雪は奥社の参道にまだ少し残っていますが、道は雪がもう無い。
＊戸隠森林植物園の水芭蕉は今年、速く咲きそう。4月末が見頃でしょう。
＊戸隠れ道の忍者関係、戸隠忍法資料館は4月19日から、ちびっこ忍者村は4月27日から営業の予定。

戸隠高原は自然で恵まれている信州の中で特に恵まれている。奥社の杉の並び木はパワースポットとして近年に大人気になった。その参道が込み合う場合があるが、一歩離れて森林植物園に入ってしまえば、静かで穏やかな世界です。戸隠連峰が反射する鏡池も必見。

その上に、戸隠はお蕎麦で有名な信州の中で特に美味しいです。私達信州に住んでいる皆がわざわざ食べに行くぐらい。蕎麦の産地だし、その綺麗な空気とお水で作った蕎麦は一味違う。

そして、隠れているかもしれないけど忘れてはいけないのは戸隠れ道の忍術。ちびっこ忍者村と忍法センターの2ヶ所を楽しめます。

勿論、戸隠は自然と蕎麦と忍者だけじゃない。信仰（中社はお勧め）や竹細工など、他の魅力が沢山ある。このグリーンシーズンは是非、戸隠へ。そして、良かったら、お泊りはこの戸倉上山田温泉へどうぞ♪

Located on a perch at the foot of Togakushi Mountain high above the venerable Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City is Togakushi Kogen. Signs of spring are starting to appear throughout Togakushi as it transitions out of winter and into the green season. As the snow melts, the 'mizubasho' skunk cabbage and the Togakushi ninjas are coming out of hibernation. Even the bus from Nagano Station has switched destinations from the ski area to the entrance to the fabled Okusha (Inner Shrine). (See the updated Transportation Guide) And for people coming by car, it is only 60 minutes from our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada to the entrance to Okusha when using the Expressway.

According to my Togukashi ninja connection, Yamaguchi-san of soba restaurant "Yamaguchiya",

*Snow still remains along the approach to Okusha, but the roads are completely clear.
*The creamy white mizubasho flowers in the Togakushi Forest Reserve look like they'll blossom a week early this year, around the end of April.
*The two ninja sites have announced their opening dates for 2013: Togakushi Ninpo Center will open on Friday April 19th and the Togakushi Chibikko Kids Ninja Park will start up again on Saturday April 27th.

Nagano Prefecture as a whole is blessed with so much beautiful natural scenery, but within Nagano, Togakushi is special. The massive cedar trees lining the path to Okusha really impart a sense of the power of nature. Lately those famous trees are experiencing a boom of sorts as they have become known as a 'power spot' in Japan. But take one step off the path and into the Togakushi Forest Preserve, and you'll have all that peaceful nature to yourself. The snowy white flowers of the unfortunately named skunk cabbage are especially delightful. And be sure not to miss Kagami-ike, aka 'Mirror Pond' which perfectly reflects the grand Togakushi Mountain peaks.

In addition to all the natural beauty, Togakushi is home to some of the best soba noodles in Nagano Prefecture, which itself is Japan's soba mecca. Besides being a prime growing area for buckwheat, there is just something different about the noodles made here in the refreshingly clean mountain air using the crystal clear mountain spring water.

And, don't forget the Togakushi ninjas. This is the home of the Togakure-do school of ninjutsu, and there are 2 locations to get a feel for what Togakure-do ninjutsu is like. They are the Togakushi Ninpo Center and the Togakushi Chibikko Kids Ninja Park.

Togakushi is so much more than just nature, soba and ninjas. There's the spiritual tradition (Chusha, the 'Middle Shrine', is especially rich in mysticism), bamboo ware and so much more. This green season, come and check and experience Togakushi yourself. And in the evening, we here at Kamesei Ryokan would be happy to have you come stay at our inn in Togura-Kamiyamada onsen.

戸隠高原 Togakushi

山口屋そば　Soba Restaurant Yamaguchi-ya

戸倉上山田・戸隠の高速道路経由のアクセス Access from Togura-Kamiyamada to Togakushi using the Expressway