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観光ルールは色々と決まっている。
善光寺参りのついでにおそばを食べるとか、
軽井沢に行けば旧軽の銀座でぶらぶらするとか、
戸倉上山田温泉に来れば亀清に泊まるとか
（まあ、その最後のは適当に作った。）

もう一つは、野沢温泉に行けば、大湯に入る事。

野沢温泉は外湯が13件がある。その中の大湯は野沢温泉のシンボルです。木造の建物で天井の中心は湯気が通れるようになっている。近所の皆さんが毎日に来ていて、訪ねる人々とお話ししながら入れる。

今回はスキーの後、子供達を連れて大湯に久しぶりに入りました。以前に入った時、お湯の温度があまりにも熱くて他の印象があまりなかった。今回はもちろん、その熱さに驚いたが、野沢温泉のお湯のしっかりした硫黄の香りで感動しました。本当に「ザ・温泉」って感じ。
しかし、お湯の暑い事！湯船は「あつ湯」と「ぬる湯」の2つに分かれている。それを気にせずに湯掛け（シャワーがないので桶を使って湯船からお湯を通る）は間違えって「あつ湯」から取った。死ぬかと思った。
「ぬる湯」こそ非常に暑くて、「何がぬるいか？！」と思った。恐らく43℃ぐらいだった。他のお客さんと話して、お水を「ぬる湯」に出した。そして、おいてある木の板を使って、セルフサービスで湯もみをしました。やっと適温の40℃ぐらいになって、皆で入りました。

野沢温泉。本物のスキーしてから、本物の温泉。素晴らしい！

With travelling in Nagano, there are certain rules to follow. Such as,

When going to Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City, stop for soba noodles for lunch.
While visiting Karuizawa, take time to browse the Old-Karuizawa 'Ginza' shopping street.
If you come to Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen, stay at Kamesei Ryokan.
(Well, I might have made that last one up.)

One more is, when you go to Nozawa Onsen, take a bath at the Oyu public bath.

There are 13 "Soto-Yu" public bathhouses in Nozawa where locals and visitors alike are welcome to go and take baths for free (donations accepted). Locals take turns cleaning and maintaining the facilities, and the bathhouses act as gatherins spots to chit-chat and catch up on things.

One of those bathhouses is Oyu. The stately elegant wood construction with the raised center roof to let the steam out is the classic "Yu-ya" (bathhouse) style. This is onsen culture at its finest.

It had been years since I'd bathed at Oyu. So on this ski trip to Nozawa Onsen, the kids and I took the time (and followed the rule) to take a bath there.

Warning: Nozawa's hot springs are scalding hot! Oyu is divided into mens and womens sides, and further divided into "Atsu-yu" (hot water) and "Nuru-yu" (moderate water). But even the nuru-yu was painfully hot (around 43 deg C), so we and the other guests added tapwater, and I used the wooden plank to stir up the bath, bringing the temperature down to a more enjoyable 40 degress C.

The onsen water has a rich sulfur content. The strong smell makes bathing here a fantastic multi-sensation experience.

Nozawa Onsen -- amazing skiing and amazing hot springs. Check it out!

野沢温泉大湯　Nozawa Onsen Oyu

千曲市の八幡地区に武水別神社があります。市内で恐らく最も歴史のある「やわた神社」は社伝によるとＢＣ3世紀に出来たそうです。市の代表的な神社です。

八幡神社の道挟んでの所でホテルうづらやがあります。昔は神社の周りに沢山の旅館があった様だが、現在はうづらやさんしか残っていません。さらしな湯の里　八幡温泉との事で、鉄分の入っている（？）お湯です。

先日は千曲観光協会の理事会でお世話になりました。
歴史的な神社の側に泊まりたい方にお勧めです。

Chikuma City's arguably most historical Shinto shrine is Takemizuwake Jinja in the Yawata neighborhood. Simply known as Yawata Jinja (Shrine), according to legend this has been a religious site since the 3rd century BC. Yawata Shrine is probably the grandest in all of Chikuma City.

Right across the street is Hotel Uzuraya. In the past, there used to be several ryokans (inns) around Yawata Shrine, but Uzuraya is the only accommodation left. Their bath features the local hot spring water from the Sarashina Yu-no-Sato Yawata Onsen source. The notable (?) mineral content is iron.

Recently I had the opportunity to go to Uzuraya for a Chikuma City Tourism Association meeting. For anyone interested in staying at a hotel right across the street from a major historical shrine, this would be a good option.

武水別神社 Yawata Shrine

別所温泉に泊まって、朝に温泉街を散策したらアースワークスギャラリーを見た。まだ早かったから開いていなかったけど、外から見させてもらった。古民家の様な建物に主に陶芸が展示してある。

古民家と陶芸。素敵な組み合わせ。私は両方が大好き。

我が戸倉上山田温泉に佐良志奈焼きの「たからや」という陶芸専門店がある。温泉街をぶらぶらしながら、こういう店があって嬉しいね。

While staying in Bessho Onsen, I took a walk around to see some of the temples and shopping streets. As I wandered around, I came across the Earthworks Gallery in a traditional wooden building. It was still early so the gallery wasn't open, but I could see many ceramic works in the window.

Traditional Japanese wooden building,
Ceramic artwork ...

2 things I personally really love. What a great use of space. Shops like this really add to these hotspring resort towns. Here in Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen, we have a shop called "Takaraya" that sells our local style of pottery called Sarashina-yaki.

アースワークスギャラリーEarthworks Gallery

別所温泉は信州の最古の温泉と言われ、9世紀から歴史が記録されている。今は旅館17軒がその伝統と歴史を守っている。先日は県の旅館組合青年部で「上松屋」にお世話になりました。
入口のステインドグラスが特徴でお料理は手が掛かれて、宿の主人が活発的（宴会の時に侍の格好で挨拶してくれた）、若旦那が米国の大学を卒業し、若女将が台湾生まれ、国際的な宿です。
一番良かったのは朝風呂。高台にある風呂場の露天風呂からの別所温泉、奥の塩田平の眺めに上がってくる太陽の光、最高の朝風呂でした。
湯質は単純硫黄泉で温度は40℃前後。千数百年の歴史で続いてきた価値が分かる。

Bessho Onsen is said to be the oldest hot springs in Nagano with a history dating back to the 9th century. The 17 current ryokans work hard to preserve that history and tradition.
The other day, the Nagano Ryokan Junior Innkeepers Association gathered at Bessho, and the inn we stayed at was Uematsuya. With its distinctive stained glass entrance, and equally distinctive owner (he greeted us at our banquest dressed as a samurai), Uematsuya makes a unique impression on its guest. The son was educated in the States, and his wife is from Taiwan, so there is an international flair to the inn as well. The meals were elegantly prepared -- the chef's dedication to his art was evident.
But the best part of the experience was the morning onsen bath. Uematsuya's baths are set on a point overlooking the inns of the onsen as well as the Sanada Plain in the distance. With the sun peaking over the ridge, it made for a mystical sight.
Bessho's onsen water is a sulfur spring, and the bath temperatures were a pleasant 40 degress Celsius.

上松屋 Uematsuya

今回の青年部の集まりは研修会の為でした。会計プロの中村先生が旅館の経営者の知るべきな専門情報を教えてくれました。あまりにも専門的で、さっぱり分からなかった。資料を持って帰ってきたのでうちの会計士と相談しま～す！
The keynote address for this gathering of the junior innkeepers was by accounting guru Nakamura-sensei. He explained the technicalities that a proprietor needs to know. It was way too technical for me, though. I brought all the info home and will have to go over it with our accountant!

北信のもう一つの観光名所、高橋まゆみ人形館の２０１３年度の予定も来ました。高橋まゆみさんの作っている人形は凄い。その表情。その雰囲気。田舎の時代の知らないのんきな生活を表現する。
２０１０年に開館した人形館を見た事がなければ、是非行ってみてください。
見た事が既にあれば、下記の様に展示が変わるのでまた足を運べば良いと思う。
高橋まゆみ人形館は理由にして北信を巡れば良いかも。

Here's the 2013 schedule for another of Northern Nagano's must-see spots: the Mayumi Takahashi Museum of Doll Art.
These aren't toy dolls to play with, they are works of art. Art that catches the essence of the carefree lifestyle of the people in the Japanese countryside, a lifestyle that seems to know no age.
This museum dedicated to Mayumi-san's art was opened in 2010. If you've never seen it, you have to. And if you've already been there, you should go again to see these new exhibits.
Use the Mayumi Takahashi Museum of Doll Art as an excuse to explore northern Nagano.

2013.3.28 - 2013.9.24
高橋まゆみ～人形との出会い
本人の創作人形のスタートから人形館の開館へ辿り着いた道の紹介。（その途中はこの千曲市の稲荷山蔵し館の個展もあった。そこで私が本人の人形と出会った。）
Mayumi Takahashi's Doll Art Encounter
Display shows the road Takahashi-san took from first starting out with doll art to opening her own museum.
(Along the way, she had an exhibit here in Chikuma City at the Inariyama Kurashikan. That was where I first encountered her art.)

2013.9.26 - 2014.3.25
人形ができるまで
ただの粘土から可愛い表情の人形までの手順を表現する。
From Clay to Doll Art
Exhibit describes the process Takahashi-san takes in transforming plain clay into these dolls with such fascinating expressions.

毎月１５日 The 15th of Every Month 10:00-12:00
高橋まゆみさん在館日 Meet the Artist in Person

高橋まゆみ人形館 Mayumi Takahashi Museum of Doll Art