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Yashiro's Little Old Schoolhouse

この戸倉上山田温泉は合併で千曲市になったが、合併相手の更埴の中心街が屋代です。この間は用事があって、行ってみたので道を迷いながら屋代小学校に辿り着いた。旧本館が立派な２階建て木造建物でびっくりした！

説明文章によると、１８８８年に建てられて、擬洋風建築スタイルだそうです。１９７８年まで使われたって、凄いね！９０年間も。

何で千曲市はこの建物をもっと人に見せる（＝観光扱い）にしないのか、不思議。私がこの千曲市に６年半住んでいて、市の観光協会の理事だし、協会の印刷物を作る委員会に４年ぐらい務めているから市の観光資源の全て知っているはずなのに、屋代小学校旧本館は初めて見たもの。

Around 10 years ago, our Togura-Kamiyamada merged with neighboring Koshoku to become Chikuma City. Old Koshoku's central district is called Yashiro. Recently I had an appointment there, and while wandering the back roads I stumbled upon Yashiro Elementary School and its original main building.

I was surprised to find such a beautiful 2-story classic wooden building! According to its sign, the schoolhouse was built in 1888 in Gi-You style, with traditional elements (such as the Japanese roof tiles) intertwined with designs borrowed from the West (like the columns and the round arch). The schoolhouse was apparently used until 1978 -- an amazing 90 years -- before being replaced by the concete eye-sore behind it.

I've been living in Chikuma City for 6-1/2 years. I'm on the board of directors for the city's Tourism Association, and have been on the committee in charge of producing the Association's pamphlets for 4+ years. Why am I just now finding out about this hidden gem of a schoolhouse? Why doesn't the city try to make better use of it?

屋代小学校旧本館Yashiro Elementary School's Original Schoolhouse

It's modern replacement -- Uggh!

Mimaki's indoor bath with the fenced-in outdoor bath in the background

また温泉巡りの続き。今回は東信の東御市の御牧の湯。千曲川の周辺で沢山の立ち寄り湯がある：　あぐりの湯、布引温泉、アートビレッジ明神館、等など。川の反対側にゆらり館、ゆぅふるｔａｎａｋａ、等など。競争が激しい中で、御牧の湯の役割は何でしょうか？

設備は割と新しいけど、例えばあぐりの湯ほど綺麗じゃない、
浅間山の眺めは良いですが、露天風呂に入ってしまえば塀でブロックされる。（明神館とかの方が勝ち）
場所は県道40号沿いで便利ですが、ゆぅふるtanakaが駅の側で、百倍ぐらい便利。
じゃ、御牧の湯の売りは何でしょうか？私が思いますが、湯質です。「透明、油臭、塩味を有する」って成分分析書に書いてある。その通り。その他の立ち寄り湯の皆は温泉が薄いせいか、銭湯とあまり変わりがない。
従って、小諸・東御市当たりの達湯に入ってみたいので、湯質にこだわりがあれば、御牧の湯がお勧め。

Another hop to an onsen, this time Mimaki no Yu in Tomi City. There are so many day-use onsen in this stretch along the Chikuma River, how does Mimaki no Yu compare?

Well, it's facilities are relaticely new, but they aren't as grand as Agri no Yu in neighboring Komoro City.
The view of Mt. Asama in the distance is nice from the indoor bath, but is blocked by a fence from the outdoor one. Art Village Myojinkan's panaroma view of rice fields in the foreground and Mt. Asama in the background is much more spectacular.
Mimaki no Yu's location is convenient, located as it is right along Prefectural Route 40. But if convenience is your thing, you can't beat Yuufuru Tanaka, just steps away from Tanaka Station.

So what sets Mimaki no Yu apart? As they used to say back home at the Olympia Brewery, 'It's the water'. All of the other bathhouses in the area seem to have a lot lower mineral content in their water. Mimaki no Yu's onsen analysis sheet says their water is clear with a slight oily smell and a salty taste. Not sure about the source of the smell, but the water is high in natrium (sodium) content.

If quality of the onsen water is high on your list of criteria, then Mimaki no Yu would be a good onsen to try.

御牧の湯Mimaki no Yu

Mimaki's entrance (note Asama Mountain looming in the distance)

我が息子達の夏休みの最後の日だったので、軽井沢に連れて行って、軽井沢ガラス工房で吹きガラスを体験した。

自分は一度体験したので、工房のＨＰを見たら小学生も出来るって書いてあったから、子供達の夏休みで最後でもう一つな良い思い出を作りたかったから、行ってみました。

私の自家、シアトルはガラスアートの世界の中で、ベネチアに次ぎぐらいに重要な街です。子供のころから芸術家のＣｈｉｈｕｌｙさんの作品を見て、いつも憧れていました。しかし、吹きガラスの体験はなかなかできない。

という事で、この同じ長野県の軽井沢で吹きガラスの体験が出来る場所がって、嬉しいです。尚且つ、親子で楽しめて、とっても良い思い出になりました。

For our sons' last day of summer vacation, I wanted to do something special with them. So I took them to Karuizawa to try glass blowing.

At the Karuizawa Glass Studio, you can blow your own glass. Their website said kids from 6+ can do it. So I made a reservation, and we all piled in the car and went for a drive to Karuizawa. It took approx. 1 hour to get there from Kamesei Ryokan.

My home town of Seattle is probably second behind Venice in glass art. I grew up drooling over the creative works of glass artist Dale Chihuly, and had always dreamt about trying glass blowing. But there just aren't a lot of studios in Seattle where amateurs can try it.

Which is why I am so excited that here in Nagano Prefecture, in Karuizawa Town, there is a studio where beginners can try their hand at blowing glass. It was great to experience with together with the boys. Working around the white-hot kiln, under the steady guidance of the studio staff, making your own glass was a confidence-building and rewarding experience.

軽井沢ガラス工房 Karuizawa Glass Studio

Kenny making glass in Karuizawa

Andy blowing glass

The finished product

The glass studio

Monju no Yu's entrance

長野県のトップ100温泉巡りの続きで、もう一度東信の鹿教湯温泉に行きました。公衆浴場「文殊の湯」に初めて入ってみた。

鹿教湯温泉の事は日本語の情報が沢山あるから、今記事は主に英語にします。（なおかつ、少しきつい事も書きますので…）

In my research of Nagano's Top 100 Onsens, the latest one I went to is Kakeyu Onsen. I've been to Kakeyu many times, but this time I wanted to check out the main public bath, Monju no Yu.

First, a bit of background on Kakeyu Onsen. The name means 'The onsen that a deer revealed'. According to legend, a particularly religious local hunter went to the mountains to try to find some game. He wasn't having luck finding any animals, and ended up walking deeper and deeper into the mountains. As he was about to give up and return, he spotted a deer grazing. He took up his bow and shot an arrow that hit the deer in its back. The deer ran off with the arrow still attached. As fast as the hunter chased, he couldn't keep up with the deer. Since it was getting dark, he decided to return home. The next day, he searched the area where he encountered the deer but to no avail. As he was about to go back home, he saw the deer bathing in a pool of water, apparently fully healed. Just then, Monju Bosatsu (the bodishattva of wisdom) appeared. "In recognition of your fervent belief, I am revealing the location of this onsen to you. Share it with everybody."

In Kakeyu Onsen, there is a temple dedicated to Monju Bosatsu (said to be one of the top three of such temples in Japan), and the main public bath is named Monju no Yu, in honor of the diety.

Monju no Yu is the current configuration of Kakeyu's O-Yu main bath. Historically, none of the inns had their own baths. Residents and visitors alike would come to the O-Yu to bathe. Nowadays, the 22 current inns and hotels have their own onsen baths, and many residences have soaking baths and/or showers. Yet even today, it is common to get a change of scenery and try another onsen bath, hence the popularity of Monju no Yu.

Located next to the original spot where onsen water first came to the surface (some 1200 years ago), the current Monju no Yu bathing facilities were built relatively recently (1990's?). The location overlooks the Uchimura River and is adjacent to Godaikyo, Kakeyu's symbolic wooden covered bridge that leads to the Monju Bosatsu temple. It's a picture-perfect location, and so tranquil. Walking down the lane from Kakeyu's main street to the river, it's like a different world, one that time left behind and that belongs to nature with the shady wooded valley and gurgling stream below. It was easily 5 degrees cooler down by the bridge and bathhouse than up on the main street.

Also, a little more bit of background on Kakeyu Onsen. It is the home to Kakeyu Hospital which specializes in rehabilitation, taking advantage of the rejunivate power of the onsen water. In fact, a majority of the guests to Kakeyu come for extended stays (called 'Touji' in Japanese) -- to recuperate after an operation, to rest up in the farming off-season, to take time to write a book, etc. The relatively cool (38-40 deg C) temperature of the onsen water lends itself to long, leisurely soaks. And the town is fairly compact with just the degree of hills to make going for a stroll a bit of good exercise. Several of the inns offer "Ji-sui" where guests cook for themselves during their long stay.

Along with nearby Reisen-ji Onsen and Oshio Onsen, Kakeyu is a designated National Recuperative Onsen District. The mineral content of the onsen water is considered to be so good for your body when taken internally (i.e. for drinking) that Kakeyu was selected as the Ozeki (top in sumo ranks) of Eastern Japan.

With its legendary origins, history and rejuvinative waters, I wanted to give Kakeyu Onsen's Monju no Yu a try. And, so, does it make Tyler's Top 100 Onsens of Nagano list?

If one (any one at all) of the showers had more than just a trickle,
if the baths had even just a small water spout (I don't care if the baths have to be recirculated -- have some of the water enter the bath from a spout; that is one of the essential things that make an onsen an onsen!)
if the outdoor bath had more than just a peek-a-boo view of the Uchimura River and the iconic Godaikyo bridge,

then it would make my Top 100 list.

So, Kakeyu Onsen is definitely one of Nagano's more important onsen districts -- I just suggest not limiting yourself to the official public bath Monju no Yu; Try a bath in one of the hotels, too. And you can't go wrong with Saito Hotel. Their outdoor bath features an exquisite garden.

文殊の湯Monju no Yu

Monju no Yu's indoor bath (not a single shower had more than a trickle!)

The outdoor bath and the peek-a-boo view (in the plastic bamboo -- uggh!)

Where it all started -- the location of the original Kakeyu onsen spring

Kakeyu's iconic wooden covered bridge, Godaikyo. Decorated with ice candles in the winter.

Stroll-friendly lanes in Kakeyu Onsen

Promoting Nagano's Gourmet Specialties via microwave curry

ちょっと恥ずかしいですが、私はチン・カレーのファンです。昼ごはんに、時間があまりない時に袋を開けて、パッとチンして、パッと食べれるのが嬉しい。栄養はあるかどうか不安だけど、味は良いし、お腹がいっぱいになるし、楽だし、安いし…日本に来てからの気に入りの1つ。

そして、基本的に私はＳＢ派です。近くの上田市にＳＢのカレー工場があって、通る度に「アッ、良い香り！」。

この間、久しぶりにスーパーでチンカレーを買いに行ったら、新しいのは2つがあった:
りんご和牛・信州牛カレー
と
信州ハーブ鶏カレー

値段はＳＢの3倍ぐらいけど、長野県の名物グルメ牛肉と鶏肉を生かして、これは応援しなければならないと思って、買ってみました。長野県の皆さんは「Ｍａｄｅ　ｉｎ　Ｎａｇａｎｏ」をどうやって広がれるか、必死です。チンカレーは良いアイディアだ！

じゃ、味は？実は、まだ食べていない。美味しくなければ、どうするかと悩んでいます。取り敢えず、長野県の食材のユニークな取り組みとしてここで紹介したいと思っています。

I am a bit embarassed to admit, but I am a fan of Japanese microwavable curry. You just open the pack, microwave it for a couple of minutes, and voila! Yummy curry for lunch. It's inexpensive, fast, fills you up, tastes good, and it's so easy. Just don't ask how healthy it is...

Anyways, my personal favorite is curry by SB. Their factory is in nearby Ueda City. Everytime I drive by it, the tantalizing scent comes wafting my way.

The other day, I went shopping at a local supermarket and saw 2 types of microwave curry that I'd never seen before: Shinshu Wagyu Curry and Shinshu Herb Chicken Curry. 'Shinshu' is the classic name for Nagano, and the Wagyu and Herb Chicken are 2 made-in-Nagano products that the prefecture is hoping to promote. Nagano's Wagyu is from cows that are fed Nagano's apples, so has a hint of fruity sweetness. The Herb Chicken is free-range and has a highly regarded taste.

Increasing the presence of Nagano's gourmet products via incorporating them into these curries is certainly a novel idea. And does the taste hold up to the hype? That is yet to be seen!