We were both sick over the first weekend of the break, so stayed in bed watching movies and relaxing. Monday morning we were ready to take off on an adventure with our friends, Terry and Sherry. After a 2 hour drive north west of Tokyo, we arrived at our destination in Gunma Prefecture. This area is famous for its apples, and we were impressed by the large number of apple tree fields. At the moment, the trees are bare, and their grey, wiry branches spread out like long, gnarled fingers, ready to grab you - a perfect setting for scary movies! In autumn/fall, they will be loaded with apples... can't wait to see that!
The man who owns the field (pictured above), was kind enough to give us some apples from his cold store to sample - we all enjoyed the crispy, sweet flavor.
Off to the waterfall... Now, I have seen a lot of waterfalls in my time, and usually the ones I've seen in Japan don't really impress me... but this one is truly spectacular! The water rushes to flow over and down steep rock faces, and with no barricades, you have to keep behind the white line for fear of being swept away!
Checking into our ryokan was a breeze, and we were pleasantly surprised by our room. In the traditional Japanese style, it was a tatami room with a large cupboard to house the futons which are to be made up each night and put away each morning. The bathroom (toilets, washbasins) was just across the hall, and the dining room was at the end of the hall. The best part though, was the onsen... each morning and night we luxuriated in the steamy bath... the perfect way to start the day, and the best way to end it - 100% toasty warm before sleeping :) If you've never had an onsen experience, try to do so at least once in your life...
The meals (breakfast and dinner) at the ryokan were delicious... Japanese cuisine, with a few Western foods thrown in at breakfast time. The food was plentiful... we ate way too much... pickles, vegetables, soups, rice, nabe, sashimi...
The next day we visited a temple which was so peaceful... the various plants were just about to bloom. The koi (carp) were not very active... I think they are tired of winter and want some heat! With snow-topped mountains all around the various towns and villages there, I think they will need to be patient for a few more weeks :)
On to the highlight of this mini-break... Takaragawa Spa. This place is magical! With one female only onsen, and 4 mixed baths, you need to be brave! Fortunately, large towels were provided for women, so I didn't feel so shy about onsen-hopping! Ale, however, had just a little hand towel to cover himself with... bare-bottom alert!! Outdoors, surrounded by snow, these baths really do relax you. Yes, it is cold as you disrobe and approach the natural bath, but as soon as your body touches the steaming hot water... agh... and drinking cold Sapporo beer whilst relaxing adds that special touch ;) Photos to come...
Cards... we love to play cards... and someone amongst us is a shark... enough said!
On our final day, we did a spot of shopping - the local fruit, vegetables, and yogurt are wonderful! Then, sadly, we made our way back to Tokyo. Thanks to Terry for doing all that driving, and to Sherry for organizing the booking, etc. We had a great time away with you, and look forward to another trip away in autumn/fall. Can't wait to taste 'them apples' :)
