車で来信の際、ETC利用証明書を取って、プライズに当たろう! Nagano Prefecture's Drive Campaign

February 16, 2013: Uncategorized

長野県観光課の主催で「信州ドライブキャンピーン390(サンキュー)」が実施中。2013年2月1日(金)~4月21日(日)の間、県外から車で長野県にお越しになる皆様がアルクマグッズから宿泊券まで抽選で当たれます。

亀清旅館にそのチラシがございますのでETC利用証明書を取っておいて、信州に遊びにおいでやす!

Nagano Prefecture's Tourism Dept. has introduced a new promotional campaign to entice folks from outside the prefecture to take a drive and come and enjoy a stay in Nagano. From 02-Feb thru 21-April 2013, visitors who drive into Nagano on one of the expressways can submit their toll stub with the campaign application to enter a drawing for a wonderful prize. 390 prizes in all, from Arukuma character goods to a free night's stay at an inn of your choice in Nagano.

We have the fliers here at Kamesei so when you come by car to our inn, save the toll stub and enter to win a prize!





亀清Chef武井の親子杏仁豆腐 Parent-Child Annin Pudding by Kamesei's Chef Takei

February 15, 2013: Uncategorized

秋から冬のここまで、亀清旅館のChef武井はデザートで手製のアップルパイを作っていた。地元の上山田産のりんごと一つな隠し味で、人気なデザートでした。

しかし、りんご農家の在庫がなくなり、春が近づいてきて、この戸倉上山田温泉で皆が楽しみにしているのは春先の杏の花。近くの森地区は「あんずの里」と呼ばれて、日本一杏生産です。その農村的な村は4月の頭となると、全体的に薄いピンクの色となる。そして、6月に杏の実が出来る。

従って、Chef武井はデザートとして、杏仁豆腐に切り替えた。上に手製の杏ジャムをかけている。プディングの中に杏の種からの粉、上に杏の実からのジャム。言わば、「親子杏仁豆腐」。

これを見ると、冬はそろそろ終わって、杏の時期がそろそろ始まる感じする。

From last fall and until this point in the winter, Kamesei Ryokan's Chef Takei has been making apple pie for dessert. Using apples from local Kamiyamada orchards and adding a secret ingredient, the dessert has been a hit with our guests here at Kamesei.

However, the local orchardists have come to the end of the season's supply. In addition, we are fast approaching the apricot blossom season. Our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada is 20 minutes away from Mori "Apricot Village", Japan's #1 growing area of apricots. In early April, the entire Mori valley will be covered by the light pink apricot tree blossoms. And the fruit will be ripe and ready to pick a few months later, in June.

In anticipation of the apricot blossoms, our chef has switched to Annin Pudding for dessert. It is a creamy almond tofu pudding that historically uses powdered apricot pit centers. Chef Takei tops the pudding with a dab of apricot jam. Part of the pit, part of fruit -- it's like a parent-child version of Annin Pudding!





松本の土蔵で一汁三菜 A Basic "Ichiju Sansai" Lunch in an Antique Matsumoto Storehouse

February 14, 2013: Uncategorized

松本の「うらしま」で魚定食ランチを食べてきました。1863年に建てられた土蔵、おしゃらなインテリアー、家庭的な味、こだわりの味噌汁。シンプルで良い。尚且つ、880円でなかなかリーズナブルな値段。

ランチ定食はサバ味噌煮、サラダ、漬物、噂の味噌汁。

一汁三菜だ。

日本料理の基本だという事、最近に初めて知った。

なるほど。納得です。
なおかつ、その歴史的な土蔵と言う背景で。
更に納得。

「うらしま」。松本市街のお勧めのランチスポット。

The other day I had lunch at a demure little restaurant in Matsumoto called "Urashima". The restaurant is in a historical (circa 1863) earthen-walled storehouse ("dozou" or "kura" in Japanese). I personally love these types of buildings and was excited to see one getting put to good use as a restaurant (instead of being torn down and replaced by a prefab house like they do here in my city).

Urashima refers to a Rumplestilskins-type Japanese legend where the hero (Urashima-taro) wakes up from a nap to discover it's decades later. In the case of this restaurant, old Rump, err, Urashima would feel quite at home in its old-fashioned interior and historical exterior.

The restaurant's basic menu has simple meals featuring a lot of fish. I had the miso-stewed mackerel and it came with a salad, pickled vegetables and a bowl of miso soup.

I since found out this is the basic foundation of Japanese cuisine: "Ichiju Sansai", meaning "One Soup, Three Side Dishes". Japanese cooking at its simplest. Contrast that with American cooking which, when you get down to the fundamentals, is basically "Meat and Potatoes". That would make for a great Nichi-bei Kankei (American-Japanese Relations) research topic -- debating the relative advantages of Ichiju Sansai vs. Meat-and-Potatoes.

That will have to wait for another day. For today, it's simply to enjoy a basic, healthy meal at a 150-year old storehouse in Matsumoto.

うらしま Urashima






山賊焼きの戸隠れ道バージョン Ninja-style Bandit Chicken

February 13, 2013: Uncategorized

Never mind the bandits, Ninja Chicken is here!

山賊はいつも走り回っているから鶏肉料理を作る時に細かく切る余裕がない。

ですから、山賊焼きと言うのは大きいチキンスライスの唐揚げ。いつもの細かく切ってある唐揚げよりでかい。

先日は久しぶりにごとく亭長野駅前店に行きました。オーナーの宮下さんは忍者です。戸隠れ道の忍者。

信じられない?是非、行ってみてご覧。

ところで、宮下さんが出してくれた一品は「忍者焼き」でした。山賊焼きの戸隠れ道バージョン。真っ黒でした。ごまを使って。ニンニクもたっぷり。

宮下さんの想像力と松本名物の山賊焼き、素晴らしいコンビ!

Ya know how bandits can never stay in one place for a long time? Because they're always on the run, their cooking tends to be not very refined. In Matsumoto, there is a local dish called 'Sanzoku-yaki' which basically means 'Bandit Chicken'. It's basically karaage-style fried chicken with large slices rather than the nugget-size usually associated with karaage chicken. The reasoning is that bandits don't have enough time to cut the chicken into small pieces.

The other day, I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Nagano City, Gotokutei (Nagano Station location). The owner, Miyashita-san is a ninja. Of the Togakuredo school.

(Don't believe me? Go and see yourself.)

Anyways, one of the dishes he prepared for us was "Ninja-yaki". Apparently ninjas have the same problem as bandits -- no time to properly cut chicken. Plus, ninjas are really shadowy, so the ninja version of bandit chicken is rubbed in black sesame seeds for a dark, secretive look.

Matsumoto's yummy local specialty bandit chicken combined with Miyashita-san's creativity -- ninja-yaki is a winner!

ごとく亭Gotokutei






テレビ出演告知#3: 千曲市x長野放送 Upcoming TV Appearance #3: NBS Chikuma City Special

February 12, 2013: Uncategorized

いとうまい子さんとの撮影

3つ目のテレビ取材:
千曲市が長野放送とコラボレーションで
「わがまま!気まま!旅気分 ~2013信州・千曲市~」
と言う番組で、
タレントさん いとう まい子 が千曲市を紹介する旅番組。

放送日時 
NBS【県内放送】2013年3月2日(土)14:00-14:55予定
BSフジ【全国放送】2013年3月2日(土)11:00-11:55予定

最近はテレビ取材が多くなりました。1月に朝日テレビにお世話になり、2月はNHK長野と毎日放送、3月はこの番組。
実は、今回のいとうまい子さんの番組が有料でした。かなり悩みました。最初は我が亀清旅館のこの年度の広告宣伝予算が既に使っちゃったので断った。尚且つ、経験不足ですがこういう有料旅番組は「ただの宣伝だ」と見る皆様にバレバレじゃないかと心配。
しかし、広告会社が泣いていて、「千曲市の岡田市長が態々取り組んだ企画で他の宿の全部を回って、全部に断れて、いとうまい子が戸倉上山田の宿に来られなかったら情けないよ!千曲市の為にお願いよ!」と。
そこまで言われたら…
そして千曲市観光課から態々のお電話:「受けてくれて有難う!」
まあ、貢献が出来た様で。

撮影は有料・無料関係なく、結構大変だ。かなり疲れます。先日の毎日放送の撮影は私が普段にお客様に提供している姨捨夜景・語り部ツアーも撮りたいと仰っていた。ツアーは夜9時過ぎに終わった。通常ならば、私がそこで部屋に戻って、晩飯を食って、倒れるだけ。しかし、ディレクターが「待って、インタビューしたい。」それが終わって部屋に戻れると思ったら、「待って、子供の頃の写真を出して欲しい」と。結局は夜10時近くまで撮影が続いた。「どこまで犠牲しなきゃ」と生意気で思ったけど、考えてみればディレクターはあれから東京経由で大阪に戻らんとあかんかった。

ディレクターやカメラマン、技術マン、ドライバーさん、
撮影はご苦労様でした。そして、撮った映像の編集も大変でしょう。頑張って下さい!

And the 3rd upcoming TV show:
"Greedy Self-Indulgent Vacation 2013 -- Chikuma City, Nagano"
Travel show featuring actress Maiko Itoh.
Scheduled to be broadcast on Saturday March 2nd:
14:00-14:55 within Nagano Prefecture on NBS,
11:00-11:55 nation-wide on BS Cable (Fuji Channel)

Actually, for this show Kamesei Ryokan payed a sponsorship fee to be featured. We really didn't want to, as we've used up our entire advertising budget for the year. Plus, I really suspect that viewers will be able to tell this show is just one long commercial. However, the ad agency cried that Chikuma City's mayor had personally organized the show, and that all the other inns had declined, and what a waste it would be for Itoh-san to tour Chikuma City and not come to one of the many great onsen inns, so do it for Chikuma City!

Civic duty won out.

Regardless of whether TV crews feature our inn for pay or for free, the shooting takes a lot of our time and energy. The Mainichi Broadcasting team wanted to film the Obasute Night View Tour I provide for guests. Normally after returning from the tour, I go back to our room, eat dinner and collapse in bed. This time, as I was about to go up to our room the director said, "Wait, one last interview." And then after the interview, "Wait, I need pictures of you from back in Seattle." I started to wonder just how much I have to sacrifice for TV, but then I realized the director still had to return to Osaka via Tokyo that night and then do all of the editing.

Those directors, cameramen, technicians, drivers etc. work amazingly hard. I have come to appreciate their efforts, and their artistry in making these TV shows.

Watch on YouTubeで見る





テレビ出演告知2: 毎日放送「知っとこ」 Upcoming TV Appearance #2: Mainichi TV

February 11, 2013: Uncategorized

Nakamoto Director and his crew shooting footage of Kamesei's kaiseki-style dinner

二つ目のテレビ出演告知: 

毎日放送 「知っとこ」
2月16日(土) 朝8時から(全国ネット)
日本の文化を守っている外国人(の様なコーナーだそうです。)
ディレクターの中本さんがこの亀清旅館を守ろうとしている青い目の若旦那のおもてなしについて。
どんな番組になるか、お楽しみに!

And our 2nd upcoming TV appearance:
Mainichi Broadcasting's Saturday Morning show
February 16th from 8am (nationwide broadcast)

Semi-regular feature on foreigners in Japan working hard on some aspect of Japanese culture.
This week it will be Yours Truly, applying my American hospitality to this traditional Japanese ryokan, Kamesei.

毎日放送「知っとこ」 Mainichi Broadcasting





テレビ出演の告知(1): NHK長野2月15日「知る信」 Upcoming TV Appearance (1): NHK-Nagano Feb 15th

February 10, 2013: Uncategorized

Director Maeda-san working his silver screen magic

お正月のテレビ朝日「スーパーJチャンネル」の出演後、最近はテレビ取材が続いています。何とか戸倉上山田温泉及び亀清旅館の良さをPRしたい!

次は2月15日(金)夜7時から 長野県限定
NHK長野の「知る信」と言う番組で年一度の温泉特集。
ディレクターの前田さんが戸倉上山田温泉のお湯と、そして友人のPeterさんに手伝って作っている長野県の温泉の英語の本の紹介の予定です。番組のテーマは「温泉の良い話」だそうです。長野県の温泉は沢山の良い話がありますのでディレクターの前田さんの技術で楽しい番組になりそう。

スタジオで以前に亀清旅館にお越しになった信州出身の俳優 峰 竜太さんと私が憧れている温泉エッセイストとビジットジャパン大使 山崎 まゆみさん。

良かったら、ご覧になって下さい。

Ever since TV Asahi came and did a show on Kamesei Ryokan over the New Years Holiday, we have been busy with TV crews. It's a great chance to promote our inn and our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada!

Next up is a show called "Shiru-Shin" produced by NHK's Nagano branch. It will be broadcasted on Friday February 15th from 7pm, and will only be shown in Nagano Prefecture. Apparently it will be a 1-hour special about Nagano's onsens, and will include a feature on our inn and Togura-Kamiyamada. My work helping buddy Peter Ninnes on his "Nagano Top 100 Day-Use Onsens" will also be shown.

The show's theme is "Happy Onsen Stories". I am looking forward to watching it, as I know Nagano's onsens are full of great stories. I'm sure director Maeda-san will make the Kamesei Ryokan part of the show interesting. And in the studio will be two guests who have been to Kamesei, Nagano-born actor Ryuta Mine and Onsen Essayist and Visit Japan Ambassador Mayumi Yamazaki.

知る信 Shiru-shin





上山田地域にとって千曲川の存在感シンボル Symbol of the Chikuma River's Importance to Kamiyamada

February 9, 2013: Uncategorized

上山田温泉を守る波閉科神社の参道入り口にこんな獻燈がある。

話によると、昔の上山田温泉は千曲川の洪水で何度も水没された。町が立てられて、川の暴れでやられて、立て直して、またやられて…

そして、1952年で土手が出来、やっと安定して、これだけな温泉町が成り立った訳。

その土手との改修工事の記念で波閉科神社でこの獻燈が建てられた。上山田温泉の私達には重要な記念だ。

Near the entrance to Habeshina Jinja, the main shrine for our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada, is a pair of stone columns. They are engraved with the words "Chikuma River Stabilization Commemorative".

From what I gather, when the founding fathers of our onsen town struggled with rebuilding after a series of floods of the Chikuma River that runs through the center. It was only after a levee was built in 1952 that the town stabilized and was able to thrive.

The columns were erected in commemoration of the levee's construction.





長野温泉トップ100 温泉三味の瑞祥 Nagano Top 100 Onsens: Zuisho's Multitude of Baths

February 8, 2013: Uncategorized

Zuisho's Pride and Joy Stone Bath

長野県のトップ100温泉の調査の中で、とんでもない遠いところまで冒険しています。が、今回は我が亀清旅館の最も近い温泉施設: 湯の華銭湯 瑞祥 上山田本館。亀清旅館から歩いて1分。瑞祥は戸倉上山田温泉の7つの外湯の中で一番設備がそろっていて、一番湯船の種類が多い。料金は一番高い(650円/大人)ですが、それなりに設備や湯船が充実しています。
大浴場の岩風呂 ←湯口のお湯は飲泉OK!
ジェットバス
薬石露天風呂 ←温泉かけながし!
陶器風呂2つ
寝湯
沢山の種類のおふろ。サウナも付いている。
そして、お風呂以外はほぐし処及び食事処がある。(そば打ち道場もあるので瑞祥さんの手打ちそばがお勧め。)

今回はちょっと特別でカメラが許されたから写真を提供させて頂きます。

戸倉上山田温泉にお越しになる時、
宿泊は是非、亀清旅館に;
立ち寄り湯又は宿泊際の外湯はちょっと贅沢なお勧めかもしれませんが瑞祥さんにどうぞ、お入りになってみてください。上山田の単純硫黄泉なので、お湯もばっちり!

In my relentless research of Nagano Prefecture's Top 100 Onsens, I've been to some pretty far away places. But this time, I went to the one closest to us here at Kamesei Ryokan -- Zuisho.
Located literally just across the street from us, Zuisho is one of 7 public bathhouses in our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada. It is the priciest at 650 yen for adults, but Zuisho is by far the most extensively appointed bathhouse and has the largest variety of baths:
"Iwa-buro" indoor bath featuring rare green and red-hued boulders, (The onsen water pouring into this bath is drinkable)
Jet-bath,
'Medicine-rock' outdoor bath whose special rocks add a milky feel to the onsen water, (This bath's onsen water is 100% free-flowing)
"Ne-Yu" outdoor bath which is enjoyed while laying down,
Two ceramic baths,
A third ceramic bath with normal water for a hot-cold treatment.
There is also sauna, too.

Besides the baths, Zuisho also has a complete massage facilities as well as cafeteria that features soba noodles hand-made on the premises.

This time I went I received special permission to take pictures, hence these photographs.

So if you come to our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada,
for spending the night I suggest our inn Kamesei,
but for daytrippers or people who want to try multiple baths, Zuisho is a luxurious option.

瑞祥上山田本館 Zuisho Kamiyamada



Zuisho's Facade. Elegant pine tree. Forested hills in the background.


Outdoor bath with 'medicine rocks'. Could do without the TV...


The 2 ceramic baths


One of the 'Yu-guchi' spouts


Water bath with garden


Warm lobby. Fireplace makes up for the TV at the outdoor bath!





手作り「100年風呂」のビフォー・アフター Kamesei Ryokan's "100 Year Bath" Before-After

February 7, 2013: Uncategorized

Kamesei Ryokan's Outdoor Bath -- Before & After

テレビの札性の為に下降の事を調べたら、懐かしい写真が出てきた。

7年前に私が亀清旅館に引っ越しして来たころ、温泉は内風呂2つだけでした。そして、一つの大きい(6x10m)のプール跡があった。そのプールはボロボロで恥ずかしかった。

先輩に道具を貸して頂いて、やり方を教えて頂いて、プールの縁を壊した。それから土をいっぱい運んで川からの石で湯船を作って、亀清初の露天風呂「100年風呂」を手作りで出来た。

あれからもう2つを作って、現在は3つの露天風呂がございます。そう考えれば、この7年間で亀清旅館はだいぶ進化してきた。

写真は最近に取った雪景色の100年風呂と、作り始まったころの様子のビフォー・アフターです。

A nostalgic picture turned up the other day as I was doing some research on our inn for a TV shoot. It was from when I started working on Kamesei's first outdoor bath.

When we originally moved to work here at Kamesei Ryokan 7 years ago, the only onsen baths were the 2 indoor ones. There was a large (6x10m) swimming pool, but it was in a sad state of affairs indeed -- a real embarrassment.

A fellow innkeeper loaned me his tools and helped coach me, so I jackhammered apart the pool, brought in a whole bunch of dirt, and made an outdoor bath out of stones from the river. Kamesei's first-ever outdoor bath, the "100 Year Bath".

Since then I've built 2 more for a total of 3 outdoor baths for our guests to enjoy. Kamesei Ryokan sure has come a long ways in this past 7 years.

Pictured is the nostalgic 'before' picture, along with an 'after' for comparison -- one recently taken with a touch of snow.



My coach Toshiki-san teaching me how to demolish concrete


Power Proprietor


Now, what to do with all that rubble?


Block foundation


Starting to take shape


Adding some extra touches


Disguising the emergency stairs


First test!