Nangokuso Minamiizu-cho

first day; we had to catch a bus from shinjuku to hakuba which took us 4.5 hrs to get there. when we arrived at hakuba we've arranged a pick up from the hotel that we will be staying for the next 5 days. (hotel phoenix wing) we were greeted by a nice young guy at the happo bus information centre from the hotel. we were surprised that the guy who greeted us is also from australia as well. anyway, we've booked a room for 2 adult for 4 nights without ...

... since it was all in Japanese. So the next day we took a train to Nagiso and then a short taxi ride to the post town of Tsumago. The town was part of a route that linked Tokyo with Koyto during the Edo Period and survives along with Magome. Tsumago is government protected so the street and buildings remain the same from long ago ...

... Quand on a voulu partir pour Kamikochi, des gentilles personnes nous ont mis au courant qu'il y avait eu des glissements de terrain suite a des averses et que la route etait donc fermee. Changement de programme, on ira donc dans le sud vers Nakatsugawa pour faire une petite rando entre 2 villages (Magome et Tsumago) situes sur l'ancienne route Tokyo-Kyoto. Ces ...

... Kyoto. Other assure me that it's because of sakura, but I'm not certain that there'd be any fewer gaijin even a few weeks down the road. I'll call Kyoto a must see becuase you just have to, but I would totally draw the line at waxing poetic about grasping Japan's history through Kyoto--in some ways, a museum could achieve the same task. It's about pictures, monumental scales and saying you've done it in Kyoto. Next up: Kanazawa, the Kyoto of the northern coast. -mike

... at a mountain is enough to change a person in a profound way. That should give you an idea of how great this thing is". Truly one could call this place a kind of paradise. But, that's not where I got the idea for today's title. That came to me during the train ride out here. It was a hazy afternoon when I said "good-bye" to my few friends in Tokyo, strapped my backpack on, and went to the train station for the final time. From there, I boarded ...

... a great mountain guide at Happoone, Hakuba 47, Goryu and Tsugaike Kogen. These mountains which form part of the Japanese Alps have magnificent views. They are absolutely awe-inspiring and make a person feel insignificant, but totally inspired and connected with the planet at the same time! We had to pick our jaws up off the ground more than a few times, and certainly concentrate so as not to ride off a cliff from checking out the views too ...

... One of the runs was 5.9 Kms long, making for a seemingly endless ride down the mountain. It was one of our favorite runs. The top of the mountain had great views of the surrounding Japanese Alps and the village below. We stayed at a place called Lodge Nagano. It was a fantastic lodge run by an Australian guy who had been living his last 18 winters in Japan. I want his job! The lodge had super friendly staff who cooked you breakfast each ...

... high mountain passes between Kyoto and Tokyo. I chose this route because the old post towns along the way are known for their historic wooden architecture, particularly Narai. Charming and beautiful. True, rural Japan...simple slow life!

... Waterfalls was "147m" from there. We are more likely to trust an exact number than approximate one. Instantly, I decided to visit the waterfalls. Frankly speaking, they were not must-sees, but thanks to the beautiful view, I took a better rest on a large rock near the waterfall. Tsumago was 3.2 km walk from there. There was another rest stop on the way, Otsumago, with a tea house and hand-wash station. Unfortunately, it was not a post town and I didn't see anybody there, but it was ...

2-day orienteering competition http://orienteering.com/nagano/event/19 94/n15/index.html 第15回長野県オリエンテーリング大会 成績 1994年8月 1日目「信州大芝高原」 2日目「信州伊那高原ますみヶ丘」（チェイ シングスタート）