Golden Week Extravaganza! 27th April - 6th May.

So I have found myself sitting in my apartment almost 2 weeks after David's arrival and then 2 days after his departure and feel as though it all happened in the blink of an eye. I'm guessing it will take a lot longer to read about it though so if you're interested and/or bored grab a cup of tea and get comfy!

Saturday 28th April

David arrived on Friday afternoon to glorious sunshine but my plan to visit Zenkoji in Nagano on Saturday was slightly dampened by torrential rain and the winds to go with it. We decided to go for it anyway and hoped that it might brighten up as the day went on.











After visiting the temple grounds and finding the "key to enlightenment" (which involved walking through a pitch black tunnel looking for a key to turn), we decided that some lunch was in order and so headed to the Hungry Caterpillar for a sandwich.





After some huge sandwiches (very un-Japanese and unexpected!) we walked around the town for a while before meeting Kat later at the Asian Night Market for a cocktail.





We had then planned to have dinner with Bel, Matt, Kiren, Kat and Bec (all the way from Aomori) before taking Dave for his first orginal Karaoke experience. After dinner, we grabbed some chu-hais from the combini and headed on to our nearest karaoke spot in Nagano city.


Kat making sure Dave understands the concept of Karaoke.


Bel and Bec


Dave making his debut and Matt as backing vocals.


Dave and Kat


Ok, now only 2 mics and 6 people... you got to use whatever is close to hand!

Sunday 29th April

Our karaoke session was cut short (we only stayed for 2 1/2 hours whereas the others kept it up til the wee small hours!) by the fact we had to catch the last train back to Iiyama but it meant we were on fine form to meet up with Makoto on Sunday to treat him and his wife to lunch at a local soba restaurant before he lent us his car for Golden week.



After lunch we visited a nearby park and joined the crowds in veiwing Iiyama's local flower "nanohana" which actually turned out to be fields and fields of Oil Seed Rape!



We then left Makoto and Tamie back at their home so we could drive over to Yudanaka to visit the snow monkeys bathing in the natural onsens.



Even though the weather is much warmer now with no snow, the monkeys still come down from the mountain to play in the onsens and eat fruit so David managed to get some great photographs of the monkeys eh... monkeying around! We had dinner in the form of a MOS Burger and then back to Iiyama to plan the next few days of out road trip. With a map only in Japanese we wanted to make sure we had a vague route planned and so if we didn't make our destinations we would at least have driven somewhere!


Dave and Makoto's alloys!

Monday 30th April (destination: Takayama in Gifu Prefecture)

An early start meant we were ready for take-off just after 9.00 am on Monday morning but just as we were packing up the car David noticed a puncture in one of the car's tyres. Not a good start and as we crawled to the nearest garage I was desperately trying to look up "we have a puncture" and "please repair it today" in my phrase book at the same time praying they would not have to replace the entire tyre. Luckily, the culprit was a nasty nail which was sucessfully removed and the tyre repaired without too much damage to my holiday fund! So we were on our way...






Somewhere on the road from Nagano to Matsumoto


A quick stop to check the map


Gifu prefecture - on the way to Takayama

Before arriving in Takayama we took a slight detour to Mount Shinhotaka to take a gondola trip to a popular viewing spot.








... and I am wearing flip flops in the snow!

We then found a foot onsen at the bottom of the mountain and decided to relax for a while before heading on to Takayama.





We arrived in Takayama in time for a wander around the streets and then a Japanese dinner in a local restaurant.




"Ok Dave, let me deal with the udon!"


Dave and his well-and-truly-grilled Mackerel!

Tuesday 1st May (destination: Kawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture

We managed to leave on time this morning without any puctures but we did seem to get caught in some Golden Week traffic just outside Nagano city. A few hours later and we were cruising nicely on the Chuo Expressway to Yamanashi prefecture, home of Mount Fuji. We had booked in a hostel at Kawaguchiko - the lake at the foot of Mount Fuji - and had planned to spend a day and a half in the area. Dark skies and plenty of rain on Tuesday allowed us to spend the afternoon soaking in a nearby onsen. As the onsens are split I briefed David on what to do (1. take off clothes, 2. have a shower and 3. get into onsen) and sent him on his way hoping it would be the relaxing experience I had promised (sometimes the Japanese like to stare!). After about an hour in our respective onsens, we enjoyed edamame beans (baby soy beans) and beer in the onsen bar before hunting down the "Wolrd Famous Chinese Restaurant" in Kawaguchiko.











Wednesday 2nd May

The next morning the sun was streaming through our shoji screens which meant a possible viewing of Mount Fuji was on the cards. We had planned to hire bikes anyway to cycle around the lake and as soon as we turned the first corner, there was Fuji-san in all its glory...




Fuji-san from the otherside of the lake.





After our cycle we took a cable car to another view point called Tenjo-zan.



The Japanese feel that Mount Fuji has a truly humbling presence and I must say I could have looked at it all day!









Wednesday afternoon we made the drive back to Iiyama to prepare for our Tokyo trip in the morning. David has the rest of the photographs from Tokyo onwards so I will finish part 1 of our holiday here and let Dave pick it up with the rest!

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