Blog - Kamesei Ryokan (inn) in Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen, Nagano, Japan | Hosted by an American Innkeeper

長野のリアルタイム放射線情報 Nagano Radiation Levels in Real Time

August 10, 2011: 長野に来る理由 Reasons to Come to Nagano

戸倉上山田は福島の原発工場から約３５０ｋｍ離れているけど、放射線はどうなっているかとの心配は当然ある。ヤフーマップでリアルタイムで長野市の放射線情報が分かるマップがあります。

HPは　http://radiation.yahoo.co.jp/

このマップを見れば、今のこれを書いている時点で0.084μSv/時で、年間計算で0.81mSv/年だそうです。世界平均の2.4mSvより大分低いです。

皆様はどうぞ、安心で信州へ是非、お越しください。

Even though our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada is located around 350km from the Fukushima nuclear plants, people are naturally worried about radiation if they visit. Yahoo Maps has recently released a map showing real-time radiation levels for 11 locations in Japan, including Nagano City.

The website address is: http://radiation.yahoo.co.jp/

Although the website is only in Japanese, but the data is presented in easy to understand numbers. And as of this writing, the data shows the level for Nagano at 0.084μSv/hour which calculates to an annual level of0.081mSv/year. The global average is 2.4mSv per year, so our level is well below the average.

Check out the info for yourself, then come and enjoy Nagano with the knowledge that you won't have to worry about radiation.

新しい家族風呂の木の塀造り Working on the Wood Fence for the New Family Bath

August 9, 2011: 温泉タウン戸倉上山田 Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada

It's staining, not whitewashing, but I wish Tom Sawyer were here...

作り始まってきた亀清旅館の家族風呂の作業は今、木の塀の部分です。昨日はステイン塗。少しずつ形になってきています。

工事中の間はお客様に迷惑ですが、一日でも早く完成するように頑張ります!10月末は目標としています。お楽しみに!

The work on Kamesei Ryokan's new family bath is progressing. Right now we are working on the wood fence for the approach. Yesterday was staining day.

The construction must be inconveniencing the guests right now, but we are making good progress and I hope to have the bath completed as soon as possible! We are targetting the end of October, so stay tuned!

今年の千曲川の花火は話題的 This Year's Chikuma River Fireworks Show was a Memorable One

August 8, 2011: 上山田お神楽 Kamiyamada Lion Dance

Last night's Togura 'Hanabi'

今年の戸倉温泉「千曲川花火大会」は全国ニュースになりました。

この小さな町が3.11以降の自粛ムードをブッ飛ばして、花火大会を盛大に開催したからじゃなくて、

直前に大雨が降ったからじゃなくて、

小さい町の割に大々的にやって、1万発もだして、千曲川の上と音を反射する城山と五里ヶ峰の間と言う最適な場面で、目の前で見れて、最後は万葉橋のナイアガラと言う感動的な花火だからじゃなくて、

じゃ、何でニュースになったでしょうか?

その大雨のせいで、千曲川の水の流れが溢れて、花火師の11人は帰られなくなったからです。夜中、消防のクレーンで助けられた。けがはなくて、良かった。花火大会も雨で中止にならずに、それも良かった。

でも、一つは分かった:戸倉の花火の皆さんに騙されていた。「５０何間、雨で中止になったのは1回もない」と言われました。今回はスターツの時に大雨だったにかかわらず、中止にならなかった。という事は、という事は、今まで雨で中止にならなかった理由は、雨が降っても中止しないからだ。なるほど！

でも、スタートの時は雨が降ったが、その後止んで、私の布団引きの作業が終わってから花火を見に行った頃は既に星空になっていました。星と花火、素敵な合わせでした。

Togura's Chikuma River Fireworks Display last night made the national news.

Not because our small town was able to put on the show despite other festival being cut back in the aftermath of the 3.11 disaster.

And not because the show went on after a heavy squall at the start.

And also not because it's an amazingly extensive show with 10,000 blasts of fireworks, surprisingly big for such a small town; not to mention the picturesque setting over the Chikuma River situated in a narrow valley with mountains that reverbrate the sound.

So, why was our show in the news?

Because 11 of the pyrotechnicians got caught on their island by raising river waters. The water volume was swollen by rainfall upriver, and the 11 men had to be rescued by a fire department crane. Fortunately, none of the 11 were hurt. And also fortunately, the show was not interrupted by the rain.

I did learn one thing though. Those Togura fireworks guys duped me. They had said the show had never been canceled by rain in 50+ years. Last night, the show went on despite rain at the start. So when they say it had never been canceled, they mean that even though it rained, they never canceled. Ah hah!

But I, for one, was glad the show took place. By the time I finished flipping futons at our inn and went down to the river, the rain had stopped and the stars were out. So I got to enjoy a fireworks show with twinkling stars, too.

花火師のレスキューニュースはこちらClick here for the pyrotechnicians rescue news

Hanabi over the Chikuma River

そろそろ花火タイム　Almost Fireworks Time

August 7, 2011: 亀清旅館 Kamesei Ryokan

Getting Ready for the Fireworks Show Above the Chikuma River

露店がならんで、人が場所を取って、花火師たちは必死で準備していて、

戸倉の千曲川花火大会はいよいよ今晩!

夕立は気持ち降りそうですが、戸倉の花火は毎年の8月7日なので、この５０何年間で雨で一度も中止になった事がないそうです。

今日は町全体が賑やかで、皆さんが今晩のショーを楽しみにしています。今年は見に来られていないのであれば、来年は是非、お越しください。

田んぼは今、一番深い緑色 The Ricest Fields are at their Deepest Green Color

August 6, 2011: 温泉タウン戸倉上山田 Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada

私は田んぼの式の色が大好きです。秋は稲穂の金色、冬の起こされた土の茶色と雪の白色、春の苗の黄緑、そして夏の深い緑色。

ちょうど今は周辺の田んぼの色が一番深い緑色。代表の姨捨「田毎月」の棚田の田んぼは今、見事。

この時期は大好きです。

I love how rice fields reflect the four seasons. They turn golden brown in the fall at harvest time, then a rich shade of brown contrasting with white snow as they lay barren in the fall, and a lovely shade of yellow green after they are planted in the spring. And in the summer, a deep green color as the plants reach maturity.

Right now the rice fields around town are at their deepest shade of green. The terraced rice fields at nearby Obasute are particularly stunning.

I love this time of year.

プラスチックバンブーはもう、卒業 No More Plastic Bamboo

August 5, 2011: メディア Media

No More Plastic Bamboo!

亀清旅館の後継としてきたのは、伝統的な昔ながらの作りを憧れて、守って行きたいという気持ちでした。その中で、もちろん、直さないといけない所が沢山あるし、ダサくて変えたくてしょうがない所もある。

その一つはコンクリートブロック。亀清もそうですが、日本ではブロック塀が多い事!作るのは楽で良いけど、その後の見た目は誰も考えないのかな?街並みが崩れちゃう。我が宿のブロック塀を年々に壊して、木の塀を作って設置している。見た目は少しずつ良くなってきている。

もう一つのダサい部分は人工竹です。目隠しとしてプラスチック竹の塀は安くて楽だが、それを見て喜ぶ人はいるのかな?

今は家族風呂を作り始まっていますので、その工事の中で前から気になっていたプラスチック竹の目隠しを取り外して、それこそ木造の塀を作って設置する事になっています。このプラスチックバンブーをやっと卒業が出来て、嬉しいです。

木造はコンクリートやプラスチックより人間にどれだけ優しいかと。お客様はきっと喜んで頂けるかな?

When Mari and I moved to Kamesei Ryokan 5-1/2 years to start taking over the business, we inherited an onsen inn with lots of traditional features that we want to preserve. There are, however, tons of things that need fixing, as well as an embarrasingly large amount of places that are ugly and need updating.

One such area is all the concrete block fences. I don't know what it is about Japan and concrete block, but the blemish of block fences is everywhere. Here at Kamesei as well as throughout the country. Granted, they are easy and cheap to build, but doesn't anyone consider how ugly they are? Over the past few years, I have demolished several of Kamesei's block fences and replaced them with hand-made wood ones. There are still many left to replace, but I believe I've made a bit of improvement to the town's overall appearance.

One other area that I am hoping to get rid of is all of the plastic bamboo. Here again, plastic bamboo is cheap and easy to install as screens. But does anyone look at plastic bamboo and think, "Ah, how lovely"?

In the area that we are building our new family bath, there has been a particularly hideous plastic bamboo screen. We have taken it down and will replace it with a wood fence. Finally!!!!

Wood has such a more welcoming feel than concrete and plastic. I am certain our guests will appreciate the improvements!

８月１０日:　射的大会メインイベント 8/10: Shateki Contest

August 4, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Misaki trying her hand at Shateki

この８月は戸倉上山田温泉でチャリティーイベントとして射的大会を開催しています。その目玉イベントとして、８月１０日に温泉街の射的屋さん４件が特別でお昼に営業してくれる(普段は夜だけ)ので私達旅館若旦那が立ち上げて、お客様と「射的で勝負」！　勝てば、無料宿泊券が当たるので、かなりいいチャンス。８月１０日に戸倉上山田温泉にいれば、是非、射的大会に参加して下さい。

いつ：　８月１０日(水)１６：００～１８：００
どこ：　戸倉上山田温泉の射的屋さん４店
なに：　射的大会：　若旦那と勝負
いくら：　５００円・１回
なんで：　無料宿泊券が抽選で当たる。旅館組合や我々旅館青年部の提供で、２万円分宿泊券を３組に。
目的：　旅館で販売している射的券の500円の内の200円を岩手県山田町支援として義援金で送ります。

All the month of August here at Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, we are running a shateki contest in support of the 3.11 disaster relief effort. The main event for this charity deal will take place on Wednesday August 10th -- a charity contest where contestants take on us ryokan junior association members. The 4 shateki stands in town have agreed to open in the afternoon (normally they only operate at night). And if the contestants beat us ryokan guys, they are eligible to win a free night's stay at one of the ryokans. So if you are in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen on 10-August, come and try your hand at the contest!

When: Wednesday August 8th from 4pm to 6pm.
Where: Any of the 4 shateki stands in the onsen.
What: Shateki contest where contestants take on one of us members of the ryokan junior association.
How Much: 500 yen per try.
Why: A chance win a free night's stay at one of the ryokans. (The ryokan association and us junior ryokan guys are offering 3 20,000 yen ryokan passes.)
Purpose: Of the shateki tickets sold at the ryokans, 200 yen will be donated to Yamada Town in Iwate Prefecture to help with the tsunami relief effort there.

新しい物が出来る前に、まずは古い物を壊す Before You Build, You First Gotta Demolish

August 3, 2011: グルメFoodie

良い汗をかく!

亀清旅館の初めての家族風呂を作り始まりましたが、まずは周りを壊さないと駄目。元々プールだったところを利用して、お風呂を作る訳です。そのプールのコンクリートを大分取り消さなければならない。

こういう道具を仕事で毎日使っていたら辛いけど、こうやってたまに使うのは逆に、ちょっと楽しい。

As we start building Kamesei Ryokan's first family bath, we have a lot of demolition to do at the start. We're using a corner of an old pool for the bath, so we first have to remove much of the concrete from the pool wall.

I don't think I'd want to use a jackhammer every day for my work, but every once in a while like on a job such as this, it's actually kind of fun!

戸倉上山田のネオンの復活? Togura Kamiyamada's Neon is Back?

August 2, 2011: 温泉タウン戸倉上山田 Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada

夕べは戸倉上山田の裏にある城山を見たら、びっくりしました：「戸倉上山田+温泉マーク」の看板が光っていました。我が温泉のシンボルは３．１１以降、ずっと暗かった。震災関係の節電もあったが、LEDに切り替える工事も入りました。

工事は先月の夏祭りまで間に合う予定だったが、遅れたせいかまだ暗かった。そして、昨夜はテストしていたらしいので、久しぶりに光っていました。工事が早く完成して、我が温泉のシンボルが復活するといいね。

Hollywood has its famous sign on the hills above the town. Here in our onsen town, Togura Kamiyamada, we have a sign with our town's name in kanji on Jo-yama, the hill behind us. But since the March 11th disaster, the sign's lights have been dark. Partially due to saving electricity in the disaster's aftermath, but also to allow for construction to switch the lights over to LED.

Last night, the workers must have been testing it, because the sign was lit up. I hope the testing is completed soon so we can have our town's symbol back in operation!

亀清旅館の家族風呂：　今日から作ります。 Kamesei Ryokan's Family Bath: Ground Breaking

August 1, 2011: 温泉タウン戸倉上山田 Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada

The 'Before' Picture

5年半前に若女将と亀清旅館に後継としてきたころ、お客さんから一番言われたのは「温泉に入りながら、星の光も浴びたい」と、露天風呂のご要望が強かったです。その後、自慢の手作り「１００年風呂」をこの手で造って、あれから沢山のお客様に喜んで頂いております。

この頃は今度、もう一つのご要望があります：家族風呂。１００年風呂の裏に場所もあるし、実はお風呂の枠が既にある。（１００年風呂造りのついでに作った。）この夏はここで貸切露天風呂を作ります。今日から作業が始まる。まずは会場準備。

When Mari and I moved to Nagano 5-1/2 years ago to start helping out here at Kamesei Ryokan, we oftened heard comments from our guests that they enjoyed our inn's onsen bath, but would enjoy it even more if there were an outdoor one. "We want to soak in the onsen as we bathe in the starlight," was how one guest eloquently put it.

So, after a lot of effort and help from friends, I built our "100 Year Bath" outdoor bath. And countless guests have enjoyed it over the years.

Since then, a new need has surfaced -- a family bath. We have the guy's bath and ladies' bath, both now with outdoor baths. But it would be great to have a bath that families or couples could enjoy together. So I have broken ground on our next bath. I hope to complete it by the end of October. Check back for updates on the progress.

Page
top