Car Inn Hotel Takayama

... design!

I was told that each room of the hotel is uniquely designed. Each room reflects a theme. Unfortunately, their website doesn't show any of their rooms. Only hotel guests have a privilege to see them.

There is a library on the second floor of the building, where you can take a look at books on art and architecture.

I really wish to come back for lunch and spa!

Soba restaurant "Takano" that stands on the half way of the two main streets of Yatsuo, I heard, is famous among soba manias. Soba plant is cultivated by Yatsuo farmers, so there are many soba restaurant that serve locally made soba noodles.



You cannot leave Yatsuo without having soba!!

... the sunlight.



Several new houses seem to have been built, but they seem to maintain the traditional architectural style. They must have been designed to retain antique feelings.

Stone-walling streets of Yatsuo is a sight to see!! As houses are built high up on those stone walls, they almost look like a castellated walls. Those houses create unique view.

... city, had delicious saki (again) and went to a small private soy sauce maker. It was some of the best soy sauce I have ever tasted – and some of the most expensive too (I bought a small bottle for 780 yen!) The region is also famous for “Hida beef” which is similar in taste to “Kobe beef” but not as well known. We tried to get to a restaurant to taste this beef but the wait was two hours and none of us wanted to wait that long.

There was a great ...

... These houses are between 300 and 500 years old and have to be “re-thatched” every 40 years, a process that takes about 4 days and the help of the entire community.

The houses are huge, usually 3 and 4 stories tall with a great room on the first floor with a fireplace in the center. The smoke from the fire rises up through the 2nd and 3rd floors which have vented floors. After many years, this smoke and soot creates the ...

... onsen, blue= mens. Strip butt naked, scrub and rinse using showers and buckets from head to toe thoroughly OUTSIDE the hot water pool then, once clean, proceed to soak to your heart's content inside the steamy hot bath- all while determinedly maintaining a disreet, above the shoulder line of vision. Sounds a bit odd i know but once you get the hang of it, I can't say there's much else I have experienced that is more relaxing, especially when i discovered the little ...

... be a great sightseeing spots that Toyama City can be proud of. The falls are not specutaclar in neither size nor amount of water, but it was a kind of place where you can get away from a hustle of a city. The temperature there was probably 10 degrees lower, and I felt like I wanted to stay there all day as the day we visited there was a very very hot day.

... there as we wandered off in search of the ryokan. Without any problems we found our accomodation, and they have made every effort to make the place as authentic as possible. We were greeted warmly, and we were a little early for check-in, so we left our baggage and went for a walk to have a look around the town. The closer we got to the river, and away from the main shopping street, the prettier the town got. The little ...

... neverending whiteness! Although I have to admit, the snow does have some dangers. One thing I learnt is never stand right on the curb of the road whilst a semi-trailer is going past, as you will get drenched in snow, sleet, icy cold water and other unidentifiable substances. And then you will watch all the superior Japanese people glance pitingly at the dirtiness of you, the dirty gaijin. Today I went to the Hida ...