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Imagine a view

外が雪となり、寒い冬に他の国では部屋に入り込んで炬燵のなかに潜りっぱなしするかもしれないけど、
信州では逆にその雪景色を抱いて、野天風呂へ行くと言う楽しみがあります。

先日は渋湯田中温泉の上の夜間瀬温泉「遠見乃湯」に初めて行ってみました。長野の野天風呂の代表の一つです。行った日は雪が降っていて、景色があまり見えなかったのは残念でしたが、子供達はお風呂の周りの雪に飛んだりお風呂に戻ったり、大喜びでした。私はその熱めのお湯で体がぽかぽかで、雪が顔にちらちらと降っていて、幸せでした。

遠見乃湯は内湯がないし、洗い場がシンプルですが、その分、野天風呂からの眺めがすばらしいです。天気の良い日は北アルプス及び善光寺平、北信五岳が見れます。信州の温泉巡りで夜間瀬温泉「遠見乃湯」に行けば信州の山景色ｘ温泉を楽しめます。

亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から車で約５０分。ＨＰはこちら。

On a snowy, cold winter day, people in other places in Japan may stay inside and bury themselves beneath the quilts of their kotatsu. Here in Nagano, we embrace the snowy scenery and head for the hills to soak in one of the many 'notenburo' -- onsen baths with scenic views.

Last weekend, I took our kids to Yomase Onsen's famous 'Tomi no Yu' for the first time. Located above Shibu Yudanaka Onsens at the entrance of the Kita-Shiga ski area, Tomi no Yu's bath features an amazing view of the Zenkoji Plain with Nagano City down below, along with glimpses of the 5 Northern Nagano Peaks as well as the Northern Alps in the distance.

The day we went, it was snowing so unfortunately we couldn't enjoy much of a view. But the kids loved hopping out of the bath, jumping in the snow surrounding the rim, then hopping back into the onsen. I, on the other hand, simply let the piping hot onsen waters warm my body to the core as snow flakes gently fell on my face.

The experience inspired a little haiku:

Soaking in the bath
Face looking up to heaven
Snow flakes gently fall

Tomi no Yu doesn't have an indoor bath, and the washing area is rather spartan, but the outdoor bath with its spectacular view makes up for it. If you want to enjoy one of Nagano's premier onsen baths with a view, then make sure to check out Tomi no Yu.

Located 50 minutes by car from Kamesei Ryokan / Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. Also accessible by bus from Nakano Station on the Nagano Dentetsu Line, or in the winter by busses from Nagano Station going up to the ski resort in Kita-Shiga. Website is here.

From the outside

Ｆｒｏｚｅｎ　ｉｎ　ｔｉｍｅ？

東信の中山道巡りした時に、佐久市の「茂田井間の宿」に初めて行きました。私の知識不足かもしれませんが、今まで見た長野県の観光資料の中で、茂田井は見た事がない；たまたま佐久市に住んでいるお客さんに教えて頂いて、行ってみただけです。そして、こんなに素晴らしく宿場の雰囲気を残している町でびっくりしました。

中山道の宿場と言えば、海野宿や木曽路の奈良井宿や妻籠が代表的になりますが、どちらかというと観光地になっています。もちろん、住民や職人が住んでいたり、働いたりしているけど、お土産屋さんや喫茶店、レストランなどもある。

茂田井は意外に観光臭くないです。お土産屋さんもないし、駐車場さえなかったです。土蔵造りの街並みそのままです。そして、立派な作り酒屋は２件もあります。この町はただの歴史資料館じゃなくて、一般的な人々が住んではったり、一般的な職人が働いてはって、つまり、息している、生きている町。歴史旅館じゃないのに、皆が土蔵造りの建物を大事に大事に綺麗にしています。特に、酒倉に入ったら、よだれが出そうぐらいに味のある建物でした。

私達が寄ってみた酒屋は武重本家酒造でした。「御園竹」と「牧水」レベルです。建物は格好良いなと思ったのは私達だけじゃなくて、日本の国の政府もそうらしい。というのは、建造物30棟は国の登録有形文化財です。スタッフの態度はものすごく明るくて、積極的で、「3月21日に酒蔵解放があるので、そのイベントの時にも来てね」とか。

悪いけど、長野県の観光部がこういう素晴らしい宿場、酒倉をもっともっと宣伝しないと駄目です。私みたいな、日本歴史・中山道に興味のある皆が大喜びですよ。

During a recent exploration with son Andy, I recently went to Motai, a way-station along the old Nakasendo road. Located in Saku City, it is technically an "in-between" station, catching the overflow from Mochizuki post town on one side, and Ashida post town on the other. I was happily amazed to see such an unmarred Edo-era townscape, with beautifully maintained earthen walled storehouses and not one but two operating historical sake breweries.

Here in Nagano Prefecture, usually when you mention "Nakasendo Post Town", you get images of Unnojuku in Tomi City, and the famous ones in the Kiso Valley, Narai-juku and Tsumago. While those towns have done a fantastic job of preserving their Edo-era townscapes, they tend to be a bit touristy. For example, even though some of their old buildings are actually lived in and worked in, there are plenty of souvenir shops, tea shops, eating / drinking establishments, etc.

Motai on the other hand has none of those. We couldn't even find a parking lot, let alone a t-shirt shop. Motai is not a history display -- it is a living and breathing village. Those classical dwellings aren't polished up to look nice for tourists -- they're lived in and lovingly maintened by the people that own them. And those sake breweries -- simply amazing.

The sake brewery we visited was Takeshige Shuzo, of Misonotake and Bokusui labels. Entering their compound and looking around their facilities had me drooling. And I'm not the only one that thinks their buildings are cool -- the entire collection of 30 structures are listed on Japan's National Historical Registry. And the staff was so helpful and friendly -- "Come back on March 21st for our Open Brewery event!" they said.

All I can say is, Shame on Nagano Prefecture's Tourism Department for not promoting a place like Motai. And who am I to say? Well, for one thing, I was the one who translated the entire English travel website and their was no mention of Motai. That's a true shame, because people like me who are interested in Japan's history and the Nakasendo would go crazy over a place like this.

茂田井間の宿は車で上信越道佐久ＩＣから下仁田浅科線で30分、電車で長野新幹線佐久平駅からバスで茂田井入口まで35分。詳しくはＨＰへ。Click here for details on Motai. Access by car from Saku IC on the Joshin'etsu Expwy via Shimonida Asashina Road, 30 min. Or by train from Nagano Shinkansen Sakudaira Station and bus to Motai Iriguchi stop (35 min.)

武重本家酒造のＨＰはこちら。Click here for Takeshige Honke Sake's website.

In front of Takeshige Brewery

The sake collection

Classic scene

Don't mind the drooling