After five days in Tokyo, we were eager to explore the Japanese countryside and the Nagano prefecture. The Nagano region is well-known for excellent summer hiking and exceptional winter snow-powder conditions (a dream destination for snowboarding).
We boarded the Shinkansen "bullet train" from Shinjuku station to Matsumoto in Nagano, Japan, where we planned to stay two nights.
When we arrived at Matsumoto around 11:00, we planned to take a bus or taxi to our Hotel Tamanoyu and then return to see Matsumoto Castle. However, inside the train station, there was a tourist office where a helpful guide explained to us that it would be best to tour Matsumoto Castle first and then take the bus to our hotel (to avoid going back and forth, wasting time) since our hotel was 5 km away (20 minutes by taxi or bus). She explained that Matsumoto Castle had storage for large suitcases, so dropping them off at our hotel was unnecessary.
We decided to follow her advice and took the bus to Matsumoto Castle. Once admitted, we found coin-operated lockers and deposited our suitcases inside them. From here, we toured the grounds and then the insides of this beautiful castle. Unlike German, French, or English castles, Japanese castles are often built with a lot of wood on a stone foundation (while European castles are mostly stone).
The castle had many narrow corridors and ladders, with low ceilings and holes for shooting arrows and firearms.
One had to use caution walking around and ascending and descending the staircases. I did not know how armed soldiers in their heavy armor could walk around here.
Many ancient rifles and cannons were on display, showing the history of firearms in Japan.
We had to walk barefoot while walking through the castle (carrying our shoes in plastic bags). This is the norm for many Japanese temples and buildings.
The very top of the castle was reserved for the warlord and was challenging to reach. We used extreme caution to crawl up on a narrow vertical ladder. From here, there was a beautiful view of the surroundings.
I was surprised that such a wooden structure (initially built in 1504) could survive so much time.
Finishing with the castle, we purchased drinks and ice cream from nearby vending machines, retrieved our luggage, and returned to the bus stop. We needed bus #11 and had to wait until one arrived. They were running 1-2 buses per hour.
Eventually, we reached our Hotel Tamanoyu ( a traditional Japanese Ryokan). We were offered hot Matcha tea and small Japanese snacks when checking in. The hotel manager explained how to use the public Onsen (Japanese indoor/outdoor hot springs) and local buses to get around Matsumoto. He also asked us to pre-order breakfast and dinner and to make reservations for private Onsen reserved for hotel guests. We made reservations for breakfast and dinner at the hotel.
Since we were hungry, we asked for recommendations for lunch. Since it was after 14:00, many local Japanese restaurants were already closed, but he suggested we try going to "Garage" a few blocks away.
After dropping off our luggage in our room, we grabbed our raincoats and walked toward the Garage. The streets were quite empty, with very little car traffic. Eventually, we saw a sign for Garage, but it was a small Ramen restaurant. We didn't know any better, so we entered inside.
We found a very charming Japanese restaurant with menus in hand-written Japanese (and no English menus). We tried to communicate with the waitress and eventually ordered our ramen. I tried using Google Translate to convert the hand-written Japanese characters into English but without any success (Google Translate was useless primarily in Japan).
Without any doubt, this was the best ramen we tasted anywhere in Japan (and the cheapest lunch we've ever had, about ¥800 (about $7.00 per person). The ramen portion was quite generous, with noodles and meat. The noodles were so delicious - nothing like we've ever had.
After lunch, I decided to find a nearby ATM (in a 7-Eleven), which was shown to be nearby (using Google Maps). On the way to the 7-Eleven, we found the "Garage" restaurant. It looked unique outside, so we stopped by to check out the menu. There were many exciting desserts.
We tried a slice of Tiramisu and a few other specialties. The desserts were delicious, but we were full of ramen and probably had little space for more sweets.
From here, we decided to try going on a hike, and we walked eastward toward the designated hiking trail. However, Inna was not feeling well and returned to the hotel with Alex while I proceeded alone.
I decided to get to the top of the hike as quickly as possible, worried about getting caught in the rain. It was pretty cloudy, and my Yahoo weather was forecasting rain showers.
I hiked briskly to the top of the Matsumoto city overlook. Since all the signs were Japanese, I took photos of them to remember the way back.
I eventually figured out which way was to the top overlook over Matsumoto. I recorded the hike with the Strava app. For my hiking statistics, click here.
I did not realize that the city of Matsumoto was so large and spread out.
Once on the top, I traced my way back, running into a Shinto shrine and then to Hotel Tamanoyu.
I met with Alex and Inna and decided to try the Onsen at the hotel before dinner. We enjoyed bathing in the hot springs both inside and outside. It was pretty lovely.
After some rest, we dressed in our pajamas (provided free of charge) and prepared for dinner.
On the way there, we ran into a Piano and Violin concert, which we listened to briefly. The duo played a few Japanese songs I did not recognize.
Our dinner was a 7-course formal affair with many dishes we did not recognize. We even had a pre-printed menu in English to explain everything.
The presentation of multiple items was exquisite, but I did not know what I was eating until I read the menu. Here is a brief description of the meal:
1. Appetizer included the following:
2. Soup included the following:
3. Sashimi included the following:
4. The main Dish included the following:
5. Vinegar Dish included the following:
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
After waking up, we had a delicious breakfast at our Tamanoyu Hotel.
This time, we ate some fruit and a small sample of eggs and sausages.
The desserts were nothing less than divine.
We boarded the Shinkansen "bullet train" from Shinjuku station to Matsumoto in Nagano, Japan, where we planned to stay two nights.
When we arrived at Matsumoto around 11:00, we planned to take a bus or taxi to our Hotel Tamanoyu and then return to see Matsumoto Castle. However, inside the train station, there was a tourist office where a helpful guide explained to us that it would be best to tour Matsumoto Castle first and then take the bus to our hotel (to avoid going back and forth, wasting time) since our hotel was 5 km away (20 minutes by taxi or bus). She explained that Matsumoto Castle had storage for large suitcases, so dropping them off at our hotel was unnecessary.
We decided to follow her advice and took the bus to Matsumoto Castle. Once admitted, we found coin-operated lockers and deposited our suitcases inside them. From here, we toured the grounds and then the insides of this beautiful castle. Unlike German, French, or English castles, Japanese castles are often built with a lot of wood on a stone foundation (while European castles are mostly stone).
The castle had many narrow corridors and ladders, with low ceilings and holes for shooting arrows and firearms.
One had to use caution walking around and ascending and descending the staircases. I did not know how armed soldiers in their heavy armor could walk around here.
Many ancient rifles and cannons were on display, showing the history of firearms in Japan.
We had to walk barefoot while walking through the castle (carrying our shoes in plastic bags). This is the norm for many Japanese temples and buildings.
The very top of the castle was reserved for the warlord and was challenging to reach. We used extreme caution to crawl up on a narrow vertical ladder. From here, there was a beautiful view of the surroundings.
I was surprised that such a wooden structure (initially built in 1504) could survive so much time.
Finishing with the castle, we purchased drinks and ice cream from nearby vending machines, retrieved our luggage, and returned to the bus stop. We needed bus #11 and had to wait until one arrived. They were running 1-2 buses per hour.
Eventually, we reached our Hotel Tamanoyu ( a traditional Japanese Ryokan). We were offered hot Matcha tea and small Japanese snacks when checking in. The hotel manager explained how to use the public Onsen (Japanese indoor/outdoor hot springs) and local buses to get around Matsumoto. He also asked us to pre-order breakfast and dinner and to make reservations for private Onsen reserved for hotel guests. We made reservations for breakfast and dinner at the hotel.
Since we were hungry, we asked for recommendations for lunch. Since it was after 14:00, many local Japanese restaurants were already closed, but he suggested we try going to "Garage" a few blocks away.
After dropping off our luggage in our room, we grabbed our raincoats and walked toward the Garage. The streets were quite empty, with very little car traffic. Eventually, we saw a sign for Garage, but it was a small Ramen restaurant. We didn't know any better, so we entered inside.
We found a very charming Japanese restaurant with menus in hand-written Japanese (and no English menus). We tried to communicate with the waitress and eventually ordered our ramen. I tried using Google Translate to convert the hand-written Japanese characters into English but without any success (Google Translate was useless primarily in Japan).
Without any doubt, this was the best ramen we tasted anywhere in Japan (and the cheapest lunch we've ever had, about ¥800 (about $7.00 per person). The ramen portion was quite generous, with noodles and meat. The noodles were so delicious - nothing like we've ever had.
After lunch, I decided to find a nearby ATM (in a 7-Eleven), which was shown to be nearby (using Google Maps). On the way to the 7-Eleven, we found the "Garage" restaurant. It looked unique outside, so we stopped by to check out the menu. There were many exciting desserts.
We tried a slice of Tiramisu and a few other specialties. The desserts were delicious, but we were full of ramen and probably had little space for more sweets.
From here, we decided to try going on a hike, and we walked eastward toward the designated hiking trail. However, Inna was not feeling well and returned to the hotel with Alex while I proceeded alone.
I decided to get to the top of the hike as quickly as possible, worried about getting caught in the rain. It was pretty cloudy, and my Yahoo weather was forecasting rain showers.
I hiked briskly to the top of the Matsumoto city overlook. Since all the signs were Japanese, I took photos of them to remember the way back.
I eventually figured out which way was to the top overlook over Matsumoto. I recorded the hike with the Strava app. For my hiking statistics, click here.
I did not realize that the city of Matsumoto was so large and spread out.
I met with Alex and Inna and decided to try the Onsen at the hotel before dinner. We enjoyed bathing in the hot springs both inside and outside. It was pretty lovely.
After some rest, we dressed in our pajamas (provided free of charge) and prepared for dinner.
On the way there, we ran into a Piano and Violin concert, which we listened to briefly. The duo played a few Japanese songs I did not recognize.
Our dinner was a 7-course formal affair with many dishes we did not recognize. We even had a pre-printed menu in English to explain everything.
The presentation of multiple items was exquisite, but I did not know what I was eating until I read the menu. Here is a brief description of the meal:
1. Appetizer included the following:
- Jelly-like rice cake seasoned with green tea
- Fried river fish seasoned with vinegar
- Green leaf in Japanese soup stock
- Bacon and cabbage seasoned with Miso
- Fig-dressed sesame cream sauce
- Sweet potato paste shaped into an iris flower
- Small fish fried with green tea powder
- Green bean steamed with salt, Castella of Tofu refuse
- Steamed Dish - Savory Steamed egg custard with bean curd and green bean sauce
2. Soup included the following:
- Fish paste and bamboo shoots shaped into flowers
3. Sashimi included the following:
- Raw river fish with salad
- Shishu salmon, sea breams, lemon soy sauce
4. The main Dish included the following:
- Chicken steak with Miso
5. Vinegar Dish included the following:
- Tofu of white asparagus with Japanese apricot sauce
- Whitefish rolled with seaweed
- Wild edible plant and radish with vinegar
- Miso salad of chicken and seaweed
6. Soba includes the following:
- Handmade buckwheat noodles (a Matsumoto specialty)
7. Dessert included the following:
- Green tea au lait with tapioca and sweet beans, watermelon, strawberry
This had to be the most exotic meal I've ever had. I really enjoyed parts of it, and the flavors were quite unique. In Matsumoto, handmade buckwheat noodles are a significant specialty, but I prefer flour-based noodles (like the ones in my ramen).
We also enjoyed Japanese plum wine - my first time trying it out. I enjoyed it, but finding it in the United States is challenging. The brand recommended to me was Kirin (but I could only find Kirin Sake).
After dinner, we rested, and I watched a bit of the Japanese World Cup, where Japan played Colombia. I watched it on a large Japanese television. Surprisingly, not too many hotel residents showed any interest. Baseball is far more prevalent in Japan than soccer. (Japan beat Columbia with a score of 2-1).
After dinner, we rested, and I watched a bit of the Japanese World Cup, where Japan played Colombia. I watched it on a large Japanese television. Surprisingly, not too many hotel residents showed any interest. Baseball is far more prevalent in Japan than soccer. (Japan beat Columbia with a score of 2-1).
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
After waking up, we had a delicious breakfast at our Tamanoyu Hotel.
This time, we ate some fruit and a small sample of eggs and sausages.
Since the forecast predicted rain, we were unsure how to plan our day. We really wanted to hike in the famous Kamikochi region.
However, getting there would be difficult - as only specialized buses go there in the early morning. Besides, heavy rain showers would make hiking quite unpleasant. The correct decision would have been to stay in Kamikochi, but we did not have enough time.
We decided to visit the famous Matsumoto City Museum of Art in downtown Matsumoto. We hopped on a bus and were there in 25 minutes. Unlike Tokyo buses, Matsumoto's buses only announced stops in Japanese, and one paid the fare based on distance traveled. When boarding the bus, one had to pick up a paper ticket with the pick-up location printed in Chinese characters.
The museum exhibit was dedicated to a local Matsumoto legend - Yayoi Kusama. She is famous for sprinkling polka dots on everything.
She featured many unique exhibits that could not be photographed and some significant modern works that could.
Of the many museums I visited, I enjoyed this one the most, as the colors and schemes brightened my mood.
As Inna was feeling unwell, we stopped for lunch at the museum's cafe - Bistro Centime.
In addition to delicious tea, we ordered some delightful entrees (quiche), soup, and beautiful desserts!
The soup was outstanding!
However, getting there would be difficult - as only specialized buses go there in the early morning. Besides, heavy rain showers would make hiking quite unpleasant. The correct decision would have been to stay in Kamikochi, but we did not have enough time.
We decided to visit the famous Matsumoto City Museum of Art in downtown Matsumoto. We hopped on a bus and were there in 25 minutes. Unlike Tokyo buses, Matsumoto's buses only announced stops in Japanese, and one paid the fare based on distance traveled. When boarding the bus, one had to pick up a paper ticket with the pick-up location printed in Chinese characters.
The museum exhibit was dedicated to a local Matsumoto legend - Yayoi Kusama. She is famous for sprinkling polka dots on everything.
She featured many unique exhibits that could not be photographed and some significant modern works that could.
Of the many museums I visited, I enjoyed this one the most, as the colors and schemes brightened my mood.
As Inna was feeling unwell, we stopped for lunch at the museum's cafe - Bistro Centime.
In addition to delicious tea, we ordered some delightful entrees (quiche), soup, and beautiful desserts!
The soup was outstanding!
The desserts were nothing less than divine.
Who could skip eating cookies in the shape of Yayoi Kusama?
We enjoyed our meal there (one of the best lunches in a museum cafe), and Inna felt much better. From here, we walked to the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum. This small museum is funded mainly by Chikazo Honda (founder of Honda Motors). Mr. Honda, avid collector of watches and timepieces, donated generously to the museum.
The small museum featured many unique and exciting Japanese and European clocks.
The museum also features some very old gramophones.
Finishing the museum, we decided to go for a stroll through Matsumoto, when we ran into an Italian restaurant - Bang! Bang! Italian Eatery. Alex was hungry for pizza, so we indulged his appetite.
The restaurant was almost closed, but Alex ordered just in time. The pizza was excellent! Afterward, we stopped by a local outdoor sports store (like REI in the United States). I was surprised to see many skis still on display - but not snowboards. Also, I saw all the same brands of hiking and skiing gear as in the U.S. I was expecting all Japanese brands to be for sale, but I did not spot any recognizable Japanese skis.
From here, we walked to the famous Nawate Street, which has many unique Japanese shops.
There were many cute statues of frogs in all manner of poses.
There was even a shrine right on the street. In Japan, I was expecting a shrine at every corner.
We stopped by many small shops and street vendors, trying out uniquely Japanese snacks.
Does anyone try Yuzu pepper potato chips? They are pretty delicious! We purchased a bag to snack on.
How about gelato? We enjoyed some delicious matcha gelato, too. Getting tired from all the walking, we returned to the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, where we boarded the bus to our Hotel Tamanoyu.
We decided to eat dinner at our favorite Ramen shop, and we were delighted (yet again)!
I enjoyed another delicious bowl of fresh ramen. I wish I could have such ramen in the U.S.
We returned to our hotel and decided to enjoy the Onsen for the last time. I enjoyed spending time in the outdoor mineral pool.
It was time to return to our room and pack for the next leg of our Japanese adventure.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
After a delicious breakfast, we packed our belongings and checked out of our hotel. The manager ordered us a taxi (he went outside and waited for it to arrive, helping to load our belongings in the car).
The drive to the Matsumoto train station was short, and we were quickly there. We selected our assigned seat tickets and waited for the train to Kanazawa. It would be another Shinkansen.
We enjoyed our meal there (one of the best lunches in a museum cafe), and Inna felt much better. From here, we walked to the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum. This small museum is funded mainly by Chikazo Honda (founder of Honda Motors). Mr. Honda, avid collector of watches and timepieces, donated generously to the museum.
The small museum featured many unique and exciting Japanese and European clocks.
The museum also features some very old gramophones.
Finishing the museum, we decided to go for a stroll through Matsumoto, when we ran into an Italian restaurant - Bang! Bang! Italian Eatery. Alex was hungry for pizza, so we indulged his appetite.
The restaurant was almost closed, but Alex ordered just in time. The pizza was excellent! Afterward, we stopped by a local outdoor sports store (like REI in the United States). I was surprised to see many skis still on display - but not snowboards. Also, I saw all the same brands of hiking and skiing gear as in the U.S. I was expecting all Japanese brands to be for sale, but I did not spot any recognizable Japanese skis.
From here, we walked to the famous Nawate Street, which has many unique Japanese shops.
There were many cute statues of frogs in all manner of poses.
There was even a shrine right on the street. In Japan, I was expecting a shrine at every corner.
We stopped by many small shops and street vendors, trying out uniquely Japanese snacks.
Does anyone try Yuzu pepper potato chips? They are pretty delicious! We purchased a bag to snack on.
How about gelato? We enjoyed some delicious matcha gelato, too. Getting tired from all the walking, we returned to the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, where we boarded the bus to our Hotel Tamanoyu.
We decided to eat dinner at our favorite Ramen shop, and we were delighted (yet again)!
I enjoyed another delicious bowl of fresh ramen. I wish I could have such ramen in the U.S.
We returned to our hotel and decided to enjoy the Onsen for the last time. I enjoyed spending time in the outdoor mineral pool.
It was time to return to our room and pack for the next leg of our Japanese adventure.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
After a delicious breakfast, we packed our belongings and checked out of our hotel. The manager ordered us a taxi (he went outside and waited for it to arrive, helping to load our belongings in the car).
The drive to the Matsumoto train station was short, and we were quickly there. We selected our assigned seat tickets and waited for the train to Kanazawa. It would be another Shinkansen.
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