It's been a way too long since we've been to Japan in winter season. Hokkaido is our pick as the snowfall is earlier and more reliable, but by June 2019, the air tickets (direct flights) were crazily priced and very few seats are left. It was to the host of the 1988 winter olympics, Nagano! With Hakuba as the most famous region, we decided to head to Tokyo and to Hakuba. And here the usual routine while at the best airport in the world!!
Rare and exquisite!
A wefie before a gruelling flight.
Book the chef had has the Como-partnered meals, wholesome pancakes here very yummy. Not heavy and full of flavours!
The flight departed around midnight in Singapore, after meal service it was 1am+, and the cabin lights were on at 4am (I thought there was a mistake, as the flight was to arrive at ~7ish). Having to lose an hour due to time difference, it turned out to be right, and 4am breakfast time it was....leading to a very tiring first day.
It was clouds all over as we were landing and I saw a 'chimney' spewing 'clouds' and thought I was hallucinating and within 20 seconds we touched down. And the clouds were heavy FOG instead, and the chimney was a real chimney!!! It was clear blue skies by the time we get to Narita's terminal. The terminals are huge and it took a very long time to get our bags. It was off to Tokyo station via Narita express, and a ride to Nagano via JR.
Le wife found this place online at Nagano station, the region is famous for Soba and this was so so despite us being very hungry.
Should have ordered zaru soba (cold soba) but it was winter, how leh??
The Jigokudai snow monkey are legendary, it's on the bucket list of almost everyone visiting Japan. I was expecting snow and an all-white snowcape. The drive took ~45mins and a 40min uneventful walk through the forest led us to the mother of all smells. It hit us before we saw them, yes monkey fecal matter was plentiful, and this park was man-made, to attract monkeys to the area, an onsen was created for them to dip in.
Yes they're cute, have red faces (especially after a long dip in the hot waters), they do not snatch anything from tourists, as we're strictly not allowed to feed. They feed on soba corns in winter, and apples in summer attract them back to the park for the summer visitors.
Yes they are very patient models!
bye smelly monkeys!
I left something at the lunch place and we had dinner right net to it, another soba session and a less than ideal tonkatsu.
A happy post-dinner shopping of Amera tomatoes and other 'atas' items left us happy.
Another 45min drive to Marriot at Hakuba was rather uneventful, we expect to see/reach snowy conditions (hey..we had snow tyres!) as we wind up higher in the mountains but NO, zero snow! It was rather late and a very nice room awaited us.
Japan + winter = onsen! A perfect combination! Can perfection be improved? Yes, if you have the Onsen IN YOUR ROOM!!!
the yield from the supermarket, really love supermarkets raids!
And yes, sake can be drunk IN THE ONSEN, (cos I say so!)
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