Breakfast and sayonara to Kokuya

It snowed over night so there was a light dusting of snow over our balcony. This bodes well because we had decided to go see the snow monkeys again. Our next stop will be Matsumoto and it's not more than a couple of hours there from Yudanaka so we reckon we have enough time to see the monkeys again. Having said that we still need to give ourselves some time to get to Matsumoto because the last time we did this drive we drove into Matsumoto in near blizzard conditions and struggled to find the car rental drop off before it closed. That time we got to the car rental place within five minutes of closing but the guys were cool enough to drop us back at our hotel. I'm pretty sure they'd have found our frozen corpses in the Spring thaw if we'd attempted getting to our hotel by ourselves. Sometimes the service in Japan can be extraordinary. We're not dropping the car at Matsumoto this time so we won't be as stressed about getting there at certain time.

But before we go off gallivanting over the countryside we had to have our last dip in the onsen, breakfast and then check out of the ryokan. There's never enough time in the mornings for us sleepyheads to have a long soak in the tub. We have to have breakfast over and done by 9 AM and checked out by 10. With the breakfast spreads as they are you do not want to miss breakfast under any circumstances.

Again, breakfast is special. I actually struggle making a reasonable attempt to try everything. I'm usually just a toast and cereal kind of guy and I really have trouble coping with more than that. But you have to try. Michelle has no problems. I think she loves Japanese breakfast more than just about anything.

We thanked our delightful breakfast, and dinner, servers. Those women are extraordinary. They're there first thing in the morning serving us breakfast and still there last thing in the evenings serving us dinner.

After breakfast we finish packing and load the car which has magically appeared in front of the lobby again. Georgia got to say hello to a little doggy that belongs to one of the staff or the ryokan. After a few photos in front of the Ryokan we wave bye bye to our wonderful hostess and drive about 100 metres up the road to a small shrine and stairway for more photos. At this rate it will take us about 3 hours for the 10 minute drive to the snow monkey park. But Georgia in her parka and little red boots is worth a photo or two at every opportunity.