Daio Wasabi Farm. Shirahone Onsen Awanoyu　　大王ワサビ農場、白骨温泉

Oct. 31st. & Nov. !st. 2025

Michi  no eki Otari

Michi no eki Otari is a good place to stay in that it has an onsen and very good facilities. It is on the main road and trucks roar down or rev. up the hill all night so it is on the noisy side. Nearby Hakuba is on the same road and has similar parking so Otari is the better option, certainly it is far less crowded. We were the only vehicle apart from distant trucks.

Daio Wasabi Farm

The day is chilly, overcast and windy. Rain is forecast for the afternoon as we set off for Daio Wasabi Farm. We had scant information about this place so were surprised to find it was so large and popular. There are many, many cars in the huge parking area plus a couple of tourist buses. Thankfully, it covers an area so large the number of people is not an issue.

It is essentially a place to walk around and view the extensive river beds adapted for growing wasabi. This means, large areas of water running over pebble beds planted with wasabi. There is black sheeting to protect the shade loving plants from the summer sun. It is surprisingly interesting and provides an opportunity to stretch legs, view trout and a very lovely stretch or river with a couple of water wheels. It is possible, I think, to ride inflatable rubber boats too. 

There are various shops and restaurants but the parking and entrance are free. The wasabi soft cream, which we felt compelled to try, was a disappointment. No significant flavour at all. The soy sauce of Shodoshima and the onion of Awajishima, on the other hand, were excellent. Sad soft cream notwithstanding, this is a good spot to visit.

Nihon Ukiyoe Hakubutsukan　　日本浮世絵博物館

From the wasabi farm with the forecast rain appearing imminent we make for the  Nihon Ukiyoe Hakubutsukan (museum). This houses the largest collection of Ukiyoe in Japan (the world’s largest collection of this form of art)

There are a large number of Hiroshige, Tokaido prints on display and various other artists notably Kunisada. There is a video in English on the wood block printing process. Naively, I had not realized the production of the prints such a collaborative process.

Matsumoto City Rekishi-no-sato Museum　松本市歴史の里

Behind this museum, housed in a very modern building, we discover a seemingly overlooked Matsumoto City Rekishi-no-sato Museum. Here we find a number of historical buildings reconstructed on this site.

One splendid Meiji era building was a former courthouse, another a cheap inn where many working girls travelling to the silk mill stayed. Yet another, a silk weaving factory and, surprisingly, a juvenile jail which was used until 1990. No one was in this place, the museum I mean.

Michi no eki Azumino Matsukawa

This historical building museum was another free entrance attraction and interesting enough that we would have liked to spend more time. Our reluctance to linger due to the weather. We wanted to grab a parking spot near the toilets, preferably next to the roofed handicapped parking area at michi no eki Azumino Matsukawa as the rain is finally starting. Alas. we are too late and we are two spaces from the covered area. No avoiding getting wet but not too far from shelter. The rain is beating a tattoo on the roof as I write.

Next morning the michi no eki was busy at the start of a three day weekend. It is a good place to stay but does not provide rubbish bins.

The rain eased off around 2a.m. and the morning brings what turns out to be a false promise of fine weather.

Shirahone Onsen　白骨温泉

Today, we are going to Shirahone Onsen to take a bath at Awanoyu. This, D. tells me, is a famous place and one of the few mixed baths still functioning in Japan.

We approach through splendid autumn colour and, as the sun breaks through the rain clouds, we are treated to a superb rainbow spanning the narrow valley.

On up to the onsen. This proves to be somewhat confusing and rather small. The changing room is jammed with bodies, luckily they are dressing rather than disrobing so the bath area is not crowded.

It is pleasingly timbered but very slippery underfoot. There are a handful of washing stations – soap and shampoo provided. There are two indoor baths, one slightly larger than the other though neither is very big. The larger is rather tepid, perhaps suitable for a long soak, the smaller is strongly sulphur, white and opaque and much hotter. Outside, another small bath again rather tepid and, in the cold drizzle, not conducive to lingering.

So, time to take the dark wooden passage leading to the mixed bath. This bath was larger with a preponderance of men. There was only one other woman besides D.  This bath was not very warm either so D. and I abandoned it shortly. D. was rather disappointed as she had wanted to visit this bath for some time.

Hiraiyu Otaki　平湯大滝

From the onsen we drive Abo Toge, ablaze with colour even on a damp overcast day.

Down and past Hirayu Onsen and a quick visit to Hiraiyu Otaki. We have passed this way many times but have never visited this waterfall. It is, we discover, a single stream falling from height. Ok, but it is pouring with rain so we don’t linger.

Michi no eki Hida-Hakusan

After shopping for supplies in Takayama, in a very impressive cloudburst, we make for michi no eki Hida-Hakusan, a favourite of ours. It has an onsen but is generally quiet. The facilities are very reasonable and it is possible to park nearby.