three days in Shinshu (5)

The last place we visited was Kaida-kogen.

The horses there were very friendly.

We nipped off the growing tips of the plants
and gave them to the horses.

I remembered the days when horses were pulling
sleighs in winter---my good old childhood!











We came back to Tokyo by Super Express Azusa 28.

When I got off the train and was going back to my
apartment, a violent thunderstorm broke over the city.

How lucky I was to have no rain during the tour!

I had a happy time in Shinshu.

three days in Shinshu (4)

The last day in Shinshu has come.

We left our hotel at nine o’clock for the foot of Mt. Ontake,
Kanose-eki, 1570 meters high.

We took a gondola lift to the seventh stage (2150 meters high)
of Mt. Ontake (3067 meters high).

(on the way to Kanose-eki)








Here we are, at Kanose-eki of the Gondola lift!

(in front of the station)




We took a gondola lift to the seventh stage of Mt. Ontake.
The weather was breaking but luckily we had no rain.

three days in Shinshu (3)

We took a gondola, then a ski lift and got to Kurumayama.

The scenery from the peak of Kurumayama, 1925 meters high,
is so beautiful!













(Kurumayama-jinja )




How I wish I could climb Kurumayama someday!
I mean, not by gondola or lift but on my own feet.
I am sure the day will never come.

We got to our hotel in Kamisuwa around 6:00 p.m.
The hotel stood by Lake Suwa.

My friend and I walked around the lake.

three days in Shinshu (2)

The next morning, my friend and I got up at six o’clock
and had breakfast at 7.

We left the hotel at 9::00 by sightseeing bus.

We went to Hakuba-goryu alpine plant garden which is
1600 meters high.

We first took a gondola (8 minutes), then ski lift (10 minutes)
and got there.

On the way back, my friend and I did not take a lift but
walked down to the gondola station enjoying alpine plants.







(Meconopsis,ヒマラヤのあおいケシ)




We had lunch at a French restaurant in Matsumoto.
Then we ran along Venus Line by sightseeing bus,
enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery of Shinshu.

The following are all taken from my bus window.











We got off our bus at Kurumayama Parking lot.

three days in Shinshu (1)

What cool, pleasant weather we had in Shinshu!

We had no rain in spite of the bad weather forecast
for Shinshu.

38 people joined the package tour to Shinshu.

Most of them were couples or families except my friend and me.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――
(three days’ journey)

★東京駅（新幹線グリーン車）⇒　越後湯沢　⇒　
（ここからバスで）⇒　津南（ひまわり畑）⇒　斑尾高原
⇒　白馬八方温泉

★白馬八方温泉　⇒　白馬五竜高山植物園　⇒　松本
⇒　ビーナスライン　⇒　車山高原　⇒　上諏訪温泉

★上諏訪温泉　⇒　鹿ノ瀬　⇒　（ロープウエイで）御嶽山
⇒　鹿ノ瀬　⇒　開田高原　⇒　松本駅
（スーパーあずさ２８号グリーン車）

――――――――――――――――――――――――――

We met at Tokyo Station at 8:30 in the morning.

I set the alarm to wake me at five.

I usually get up at seven o’clock, so it was very stressful
to get up so early.

First we took the Joetsu Shinkansen (first-class car)
and went to 越後湯沢, where we left the train and boarded
a sightseeing bus.

We went to Tsunan in Niigata-Ken to enjoy sunflowers.





I didn’t know and I was very glad to know Tsunan is famous
for its sunflowers.

In the afternoon, we went to Madarao-kogen, mountain resort
which is about 1000 meters high. We enjoyed late lavender.





I loved the mountain air there.

We got to the hotel in Hakuba hot spring resort.
I soaked in a good hot spring and had a good sleep.