Our Shinano train pulling into Matsumoto Station.
The Hotel Metropolitan is right at Nagano Station.
We came to Nagano on a Shinano Limited Express train, and the Hotel Metropolitan proved to be immediately adjacent to the railway station, a very convenient location. It was before check-in time so we left our bags and took a bus up to the rather famous Zenko-ji temple on a hill in downtown Nagano. We expected to see many kimono-clad youngsters celebrating their Coming of Age Day (at 20), another holiday today, but didn't really.
Old snow on older buildings near the Zenko-ji Temple.
The road up the hill at Zenko-ji temple is lined with shops and stalls.
The temple was impressive, with many buildings and features, and popular too with visitors. The New Year's holiday season seems to linger on, people were still buying hamaya or lucky demon-repelling arrows, and the streets to and within the temple were very crowded. Some visitors seemed to be skiers a little depressed with the damp weather.
Very imposing main entrance gate to the Zenko-ji temple in Nagano, but it couldn't keep the rain away.
We've seen these everywhere. They are ojizosama statues, smiling faces and red bibs, traditionally thought of as guardians of children.
A whole family of ojizosama here.
One of the two fearsome guadians in the gate at Zenko-ji.
This Buddhist temple has a long history, dating back to 642AD, and is famous for battles between Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen in the 16th century. Zenko-ji is one of the few pilgrimage sites still in Japan. The temple is very accepting of visitors - the crowds they were handling that day were astounding.
Heavy rain did not discourage the crowds visiting Zenko-ji.
A temple stall selling hamaya, arrows with demon-repelling powers, very popular in the New Year period.
Dragon at Zenko-ji breathing smoke. Passers by waved the smoke over themselves for good luck.
One of several bells we heard ringing at Zenko-ji.
The town mainly grew around the temple during the Nara Period (700's AD) when the nation's capital was south or here in Nara.
Nagano was the host city for the 1998 Winter Olympics, notable (to Aussies anyway) because Australia won its first individual Winter medal with Zali Steggall's bronze in the women's slalom. The city is surrounded by ski resorts, but being early January, winter has just started, and we don't think there was that much snow around yet. The weather was wet rather than snowy - there are few sights sadder than a soggy ski town. But there's plenty of time yet for a good season!
Nagano Station, like every other main city station we have seen so far, is a lesson on how to modernise major railway stops. (Planners in Sydney, please note!) Attractive architecture, open plazas, bright lighting, fabulous transport interchanges with ample room for buses, taxis and kiss and ride, and countless attached shops and cafes.
Piazza in front of Nagano Station.
Square in front of Nagano Station as seen from Hotel Metropolitan.
A day trip from Nagano (still in light drizzle) was through nearby Nakano to Yudanaka and Shiga-Kogen, a ski area, but also home to the Jigokudani Yaen-Koen or Wild Snow Monkey Park (1964). Transport arrangements to get here are obscure combinations of trains and buses stopping in odd places, but we found the easiest was an Express Bus directly from the "other" side of Nagano Station. And ticketing could be simplified too by a Snow Monkey One Day Pass which covered everything including access to the park, for JPY3200ea.
Shrine in a forest clearing
Bush track up to the Snow Monkey Park.
From the bus stop, you walk uphill through a village to a trail, maybe 2km in total. Most of the trail is easy walking, but the one steep section was treacherously slippery, and a conveniently located boot and non-slip-grips rental outlet was doing brisk business. A large flight of steps takes you to the park entrance, where there is an office, a shop and toilets, quite civilised.
From there, the park itself is quite compact. We gather winter is the best time to see the macaques because there's little food for them in the wild. Park rangers remedy that by scattering food, and it's obvious that the monkeys' main activity apart from bathing, is to find it.
Photographers on one side, macaques on the other.
Clouds of steam make it hard to get clear views of the monkeys in their warm bath.
Both expressing severe displeasure.
A lost soul wondering what to do next?
There is a river and one or two thermal baths for the monkeys. They obviously do enjoy the warm water, where they socialise, groom and squabble. They seem to like playing around the river, maybe it's warm too. Humans are warned not to bathe in the water - this warning must be superfluous, the water is dirty and smelly, and not just from sulphur.
They sure enjoy soaking in the hot water!
Even little guys have to forage.
A fine portrait of a wild Japanese macaque.
Apparently "Jigokudani" means "hell valley" because it was such an inhospitable environment to the ancients. Maybe the macaques have more sense - the warm water would be such a blessing in cold winters.
Too preoccupied with his phone to notice the monkey beside him.
What is he thinking?
Probably one photo too many?
Discussion by the pool.
Lonely Planet don't recommend this visit, and indeed the steep valley containing the park is over-developed and probably over-loved. There's even high-rise near the bus stop. Melted snow near warm water exposes ugly pipes and infrastructure, but this is by no means unique to this location. However, it's still visually unappealing.
Clean and white!
The macaques lean in delicately to take a drink.
What do the monkeys think of the tourists?
Two youngsters fighting over a very ricketty branch.
A few ryokans with onsens are right up at the park. These look interesting, but their hot baths are hardly private and we wonder how clean, and we'd prefer somewhere more secluded for open air bathing.
A couple enjoying their onsen heated by the roaring steam geyser in front of them.
Potted colour brightens up a wintery garden.
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