Monday 8 March 2010

Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen

It is something like a 30 minute walk to the Snow Monkey Park so we knew that Michelle's sneakers weren't going to cut it if it got muddy or snowy. When we arrived in Yudanaka we asked at shop if there was a shoe store in town. We got very precise directions to the little shop in the pictures below run by a delightful old lady. Shoes and boots were pile up haphazardly everywhere. Eventually the old lady dug out a pair of gum boots that fit Michelle. She has big feet compared to the average petite Japanese girls. The old lady laughed and talked to us the whole time. We never understand a word but sign language got us through. She even knocked 200 yen off the marked price of 2200 yen for the boots.
Shibu Onsen has 9 public bath houses open only to locals and guests staying overnight at Ryokens. We were given a key. You will see people strolling the streets of Shibuonsen between the various onsen in their Yukata just like the ladies below.
It is only about and hour from Nozawa to Yudanaka so we arrived to early to check-in at Kokuya Ryoken, our accommodation, but we popped in to say we had arrived and we asked for directions to Jigokudani Yaenkoen - the Snow Monkey Park.


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