Utsukushi no Mori
02/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Hakone Okada Museum of Art and Oshino Hakkai 　岡田美術館、忍野八海

July 2019, Taking the Tokaido A wild, wet and windy night. Torrential rain and the van rocking in the gusts. The morning brings no respite as the rain is still relentless and forecast to be so until lunchtime. There is not a lot we can do, so decide to take a look at the Okada Museum of Art in Hakone. We set off along the coast road, strewn with leaves, branches and the occasional rock, detritus from the storm. Of course, all the places along here that boast a Fuji view are overly optimistic. Finally, we take Route 1., the old Tokaido. This is the route to Edo (modern Tokyo) […]
Mt.Hotaka
23/02/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Abo Toge / Abo Pass　安房峠

Summer 2018, Michi no eki Fuketsu no sato is a busy michi no eki on the main route between Matsumoto and Takayama. Consequently, a lot of tour buses stop here and it is on the Highland Kamikochi and Norikura bus lines. Thunder in the night and the day breaks cloudy with intermittent rain. After driving towards Matsumoto, to take advantage of the cheaper gasoline, we U-turn towards Takayama. Skirting the town, we have wandered its crowded tourist sites in the rain before and have no desire to do so again, we head slowly on R. 173 towards Gujo Hachiman. Having time on our hands we plan to check a few […]
Kuonji temple
07/02/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Kuonji Temple　久遠寺

Summer 2018, Wake to an overcast, misty morning at Asagiri Kogen, Michi no eki. Immediately we move further away from the stench, emanating from the manholes, so we can attempt breakfast. Kuonji Temple Set off for Kuonji, as the day brightens into sunshine. Shy, Fujisan continues to drape its elegant form in cloud. By 9.30am it is 30 degrees C. The road to Kuonji passes Motosuko, Motosu Lake, and then climbs into the mountains before deciding to follow the wide but shallow Fujigawa. Fuji River. Kuonji is approached through a traditional temple gate and then, a narrow street, climbing past the usual shops and restaurants associated with major temples. The […]
Matsumoto Castle
28/01/2019 / Last updated : 10/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Matsumoto Castle　松本城

Day 70, November 2016, A cold morning, and getting colder, with a chill wind blowing. The michi no eki ‘Alps Azumino Horiganenosato’ is busy with elderly people from small trucks delivering vegetables. Customers, buying large amounts, crowd the shop. There are signs requesting that people don’t buy too much of any one item, only 3 bunches of spinach, for example. Matsumoto Castle We set off for Matsumoto castle and park in the city parking. Then go to the bank, which somehow gives us a discount on the parking. The castle is interesting as castles go. It is at least original, not a concrete replica so, you can see how it […]
Suwa Taisha
28/01/2019 / Last updated : 10/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Yatsugatake Highlands and Suwa Taisha　八ヶ岳、諏訪大社

Day 69, November 2016, Kiyosato Highland　　清里高原 A very wet night but, we woke to a warm morning of weak sunshine, golden hills and Onbashira paraphernalia. Onbashira is the crazy festival, held every 7 years, when the locals ride tree trunks down a very steep hillside, hoping not to get killed. We decide to visit Kiyosato Highland, a place D. used to visit as a child. As the road starts to climb, the clouds roll in and cover everything. This mist lends a truly mysterious air to the larch forests and we drive gently through mist wreathed trees. Sometimes, we stop at viewing spots or parking places. We can see nothing […]
Komoro Kaikoen
06/01/2019 / Last updated : 16/03/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Komoro – Castle, garden and town　小諸

Day 64, November 2016, Waking Nightmare I awoke to the realization that Trump was not just a nightmare but, a hard reality, on this bitter morning. The michi-no-eki ‘Raiden kurumi no sato‘ is surrounded by mountains but there is no significant snow on them. Komoro We decide to start the day with a walk in the gardens of Komoro castle ruins ‘Komoro Kaikoen’. The momiji is very pretty and some white plaster buildings make it all very picturesque but, I can’t help feeling how excited I would have been 30 plus years ago. I still appreciate it but, it doesn’t excite. There is not much of the castle to see […]
gate of Zenkoji temple
30/12/2018 / Last updated : 16/03/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Togakushi to Zenkoji 　戸隠から善光寺

Day 62, November 2016 Numata River Terracing Yes, there is ice on the windscreen but the damp towels hanging on the wing mirrors are not frozen solid. The temperature did not drop that low. After breakfast, as this area is a famous example of river terracing, we walk across the carpark of michi-no-eki Shirasawa to an observation point. Unfortunately, as is the all too common with viewing points, the trees, planted as landscaping, have grown so as to completely obscure the view they were supposed to compliment. The viewing point is, as a result, pointless. As we drive out of Numata on R.120, however we get an idea of this […]