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Welcome to Tochio Onsen

去年の１２月に、奥飛騨温泉郷と上高地の旅館組合の交流会が行われました。今年のテーマは「インバウンド」（外国人観光客誘客）でした。私が呼ばれましたので、例の「欧米人の求めるおもてなし」の講演をさせて頂きました。

昨日、西穂高の山登りの帰り、奥飛騨温泉郷を通りました。私は初めてでした。新穂高温泉、栃尾温泉、平湯温泉などなど。何が印象的かというと、とにかく「奥」だったという事でした。この戸倉上山田温泉は真ん中に千曲川が流れて、周辺に１０００ｍの山々で、旅館は２７件ぐらいがそろっています。奥飛騨温泉郷は３０００ｍのでかい山の中のものすごく深い谷に、可愛いらしい蒲田川が流れて、旅館は数件ずつが所々に並べてある。その一番奥が見所、見事の２階建て新穂高ロープウェイ、手前の方は熊牧場という観光（？）スポット；とにかく山奥の温泉郷です。お湯は透明で大した香りがないけど、その山景色に特化して、露天風呂の数が日本一ではないかという話もありました。

せっかくでしたから（そして、自分の二男が山登りで疲れて、臭くて、入りたいとのもあって）どこかの良いお風呂を探しました。偶々寄った栃尾温泉の飛騨牛丼屋さんに昼食を食べながら、お店のおじさんに「おすすめの温泉はどこですか？」と聞きました。さすが地元で、「うちの店の真前に川沿いの露天風呂がある」と言ってくれました。「お越しになる皆様がうちの温泉の良さが知れるように、ここが温泉だと分かってくれるように、小さな、簡単な、料金は気持ちだけでいいような露天風呂がある」と親切に教えてくれました。

あまり期待しないで、食べてから家族は皆で入りに行きました。そうすると、結構広い石風呂でちょうど良い温度（４１℃？）で、周辺の緑の山を眺めながら、直ぐ側の蒲田川の流れも見れて（聞けて）・・・　良い雰囲気でした。二男が「ダダ、川を触ってみたい」と言い出す。またかや？と思いましたが、お風呂から近いし、こんなに自然で恵まれている露天風呂だから…　「よし、一緒に行こう！」二人で裸で露天風呂から出て、川まで下りて、ちらっと入ってみました。その冷たい事！あわててまた露天風呂に戻って、ぐばっと入っちゃった。

露天風呂・川に入ったりすること、これは戸倉上山田温泉・千曲川で出来ない楽しみやな。

Back in December, the Oku-Hida Onsen Area and Kamikochi ryokan associations had a get-together. The theme was "Inbound" (attracting guests from abroad), and they invited me to give a talk. I had been curious about Oku-Hida ever since then.

So, on our family's way back from climbing the Alps yesterday, as we drove through the Oku-Hida onsen district, I finally got a chance to see the area. Here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, we have around 27 inns situated around the huge Chikuma River flowing down the middle, with 1,000 meter mountains surrounding on both sides. But there in Oku-Hida, there are groupings of a few inns strung out along the valley, and what a deep valley it is, with 3,000 meter peaks towering above. And the Kamata River flowing down the middle is a cute little stream compared with the Chikuma River. At the very end of the valley is the impressive, double-decker Shin-Hotaka Ropeway, and more in the middle is a bear farm. Those seem to be the main tourist attractions. And the onsen mineral water is clear with no particular mineral smells. However, taking advantage of the deep mountain setting, there are supposedly more outdoor baths here than in anywhere else in Japan.

Anyways, our family of course loves onsens, so we were determined to find a nice outdoor bath to soak in along the way. The owner of the shop we stopped at for lunch in Tochio Onsen said there was one right across the street. A simple, small one, but right along side the river and the price was whatever one felt like paying. The town was proud of its onsen waters, and made this bath for visitors to enjoy and experience the onsen.

Hmm, a free onsen? We weren't expecting much when we crossed the street to check it out. It turned out to be a decent size, perfect temperature (41 deg C) and had an outstanding view of the surrounding green mountains and the gurgling stream next to it. As we were enjoying our soak, son Kenny said, "Dad, can I go and touch the river?" I thought, not again! But then I saw how close the river was to the bath, and how beautiful all of this mountain and river and onsen nature was, and said, "Come on, I'll go with you!" So the two of us hopped out of the onsen, and walked down to the river buck naked, and stuck our toes in. Wow, was it cold! We rushed back to the onsen bath and jumped in!

Soaking in the outdoor onsen bath and the river? That's not something we could enjoy back at Togura Kamiyamada Onsen with the Chikuma River!

新穂高ロープウェイのHPはこちらClick here for the Shin Hotaka Ropeway website.

栃尾温泉のHPはこちらClick here for info on Tochio Onsen

Family Vacation at Kamikochi

子供達の夏休みは昨日から始まりました。宿が忙しくなる前に、二日間に休館して、家族の夏休みを取りました。行先：北アルプその窓口の上高地！

天気は協力してくれなかったけれど、曇っていても大正池から焼岳、河童橋から穂高が見れて、感動的でした。温度はさすが標高１５００ｍの上高地で、涼しくて気持ちよかった。
うちの住んでいる戸倉上山田温泉の標高は約３７０mです。温泉の裏の冠着山（別名：姨捨山）の標高は１２５２ｍです。同じ長野県の中でも、上高地の標高が高くて、温度が涼しくて感心しました。

そこから上がる北側の焼岳（２４５５m、今でも噴火が続いている）と３０００mの山々と、南側の霞沢岳（２６４６m）と六百山（２４４９ｍ）がまたすごい景色になる。時間と勇気の余裕のある方は山登りに最高；そうじゃない方は梓川周辺で十分楽しめる。梓川のターコイズ‐ブルーの色は私が大好きです。今回は初めて子供と一緒に上高地に来ましたので、梓川の色を子供に見せれて、嬉しかった。

他には子供連れの観光客も大勢いました。島根県から、山形県から、福岡県から、あちらこちら彼来ていました。やはり、北アルプスの大自然を子供たちに見せるのが大事だ。そして、香港や韓国、欧米からの観光客も来ていました。日本アルプスの大自然は海外にも通じる。

梓川・河童橋の周辺で散歩するのはおすすめ。色んな自然が見れるし、角度によって山の景色が変わる。上高地のインフォメーションセンターから朝は大正池向け、お昼は明神池向けのネーチャーウォークが行います。保険料として５００円がかかるそうです。詳しくはTel(0263)95-2433。

今回の私達の度で曇っていましたから楽しめなかったけれど、上高地の日の入りや日の出、そして夜の空がうんと綺麗だそうです。日帰りの方が多いらしいけど、観光バスが帰った後の夕方は静かで上高地をもっとも楽しめる時間です。私達が西糸屋にお世話になりました。奥原社長は親切で色々と山の情報をくれました。お料理は海の物じゃなくて、長野らしくで川魚や高原野菜が多かった。お部屋は和室にしましたが、ベッド付きの洋室及び、別館にホステル用な部屋もあるそうです。お風呂から３０００ｍの山々が見えるらしいです。（私達がいた時は曇っていて、残念ながら何も見えなかった。）

全国や全世界から人が集まる上高地。家族の夏休みでいい思い出になりました。

Our kids' summer vacation started yesterday, so before our inn gets busy for the summer, we took our own family vacation. Destination: Kamikochi, the gateway to the northern Japanese Alps.

Even with the weather not cooperating and the sky being overcast, we could still see Mt. Yake-dake from Taisho-ike Pond, and the massive Mt. Okuhotake-dake and the surrounding peaks from Kappa-bashi Bridge. And the temperature was so nice and cool. Where we live, Togura Kamiyamada, the elevation is 370 meters, and the mountain behind us (Kamuriki-yama, the mountain from the famous Obasute-yama legend) is 1,252 meters. The Kamikochi valley is at 1,500 meters, making for cool days even in the middle of summer.

And the mountains that raise up above the valley are simply awesome. Yake-dake (2,455 meters and still puffing volcanic ash) and the 3,000+ meter peaks on the north side, and 2,646-meter Mt. Kasumizawa-dake & 2,449 meter Mt. Roppyaku-zan on the south tower over the valley. For people with the time and courage, the mountains beg to be explored. For everyone else, there is still so much beauty and nature to be enjoyed around the basin below with the Azusa River flowing down the middle. I have been to Kamikochi several times, and one of my favorite parts is the Azusa River, with its turquoise blue water. This time, I was excited to finally be able to share my love of the river with our kids, and they, too, enjoyed it.

In fact, looking around we saw many other families bringing their kids to Kamikochi. There were families from northern Japan, western Japan, even the southern islands. In fact, there were a number of travellers from Hong Kong, Korea and Europe, too. I think the need to experience and have your kids experience the wonder of nature is universal!

For visitors that are just staying down in the valley, I highly suggest taking a walk along the Azusa River. The Kamikochi Information Center by Kappa-bashi offers nature walks, one in the morning to Taisho-ike, and one in the early afternoon to Myojin-ike Pond. The walks cost 500 yen to cover insurance. For more info, the Center's tel# is 0263-95-2433.

This time, we ran into cloudy weather so we couldn't enjoy Kamikochi's beautiful sunset and sunrise, and the stars at night must be spectacular. The valley can get pretty crowded during the afternoon with daytrippers, but after the tour busses leave in the evening, Kamikochi is at its quietest and most peaceful. That means you simply have to take the time to spend the night at Kamikochi. We had the pleasure of staying at Nishiitoya. Okuhara-san, the owner, kindly gave us all kinds of information about the Alps. For our room, we choose one of the Japanese style tatami mat rooms, but they also have western style with beds, as well as an annex with hostel-type rooms. And the meal was short on seafood, and long on Nagano's regional cuisine. We enjoyed soaking in the bath, but it would probably even have been better if the clouds weren't obscuring the 3000-meter peaks normally visible from the picture windows.

From all across Japan and the world, travellers are coming to Kamikochi to enjoy the spectacular nature. A trip here makes a perfect summer vacation.

上高地の詳しくはwww.kamikochi.or.jp is the official website for Kamikochi.

Andy and Kenny at Kappa-bashi

Nishiitoya Inn

Our room's balcony

Kenny playing with the turquoise blue Azusa River

Market at ToiGo

長野市は最近に行く度に、何かなイベントがやっています。先日はSBCテレビの本社、ToiGo、を通ったら、プラザにちょっとした市場が開いていた。今日は子供たちを連れて、ショッピングアーケードの権堂に行ったら、七夕の飾りでとってもカラフルだった。

この夏、善光寺へ行く観光客の皆が長野市をぶらぶらしたら喜ぶと思います。その後、戸倉上山田温泉へどうぞ！

Lately, every time I've gone into Nagano City, there has been some event going on. The other day, walking by the SBC televsion headquarters at ToiGo, there was a market going on in the plaza. And today, when I took our kids to the Gondo shopping arcade, the lane was full of colorful tanabata decorations.

All the people going to Zenkoji Temple this summer should enjoy strolling around the city center. And afterwards, come and take a bath in our onsen here at Togura Kamiyamada!

Gondo decorated for Tanabata