Perfect Fall Days

Perfect Fall Days are Here! 

After a typhoon. There still is a blue sky underneath all that smog.

These pictures are already outdated, the rice plants are starting to yellow a bit. 

A nostalgic view. This used to be the view on my way home from work. But since we moved far away, this is no longer the road "home". 

Welcome fall in Japan! Goodbye sticky sweaty days. 

Things to do in Chubu #5: Gero Hot Spring Town

Things to do in Chubu (Central Japan) #5: Gero Onsen Hot Spring Village

Acessible via train from Nagoya, or the Japan sea-board city Toyama. Also near Takyama folk village. 

This is a more expensive trip than the others I post on my blog, if you stay overnight and factor in train fare to the destination, as it's tucked in seclusion in the mountains of Gifu. Very scenic and there are lovely spas in a variety of price ranges. But I find many of them expensive as the Japanese hot spring resort experience often involves food service in your room. The food's delicious, but room service is expensive in any country! I stayed at the Miyabitei Grand Hotel. It had great views and a great rooftop bath.

I'm still looking for my perfectly natural and stinky hot spring in Japan but have yet to find one that has notes of sulfur or lithium. But for a free time trip it's a good escape.

1. The area around the station after snowfall, December 2011

More around the station.

The interior of our room, prepared for our arrival sweet snacks and hot green tea. 

The view from the room, town side.

We went with family friends and had a great time! 

Cute wares available in souvenir shops.

Hotel Miyabitei was nicely decorated. The experience may be difficult for someone who doesn't know Japanese, or may be just fine. I did all the exchanges in Japanese. Primarily they want to know what time you want your dinner, and we had complimentary use of a private bath as well for my husband and I, which the time for also had to be reserved.

More of the lovely decorations in the hotel lobby.

In Japanese, Gero is the sound that frogs make, so frog statues can be scene throughout the village. This is an Ashiyu bath where you may soak your feet for free. 

More of the foot bath.

It's a quaint town, and looks lovely in the winter and spring. Make that any season.

And we'll close with a winter view. 

Things to do in Chubu #4: Showa Village

Things to do in Central Japan (Chubu) #4 
Showa Village at Minokamo, Gifu

Showa "Village" is a little historical replication town from the same family as Meiji Village and Little World in the Gifu, Inuyama (just outside of Aichi) area. It is supposed to bring back memories of life during the Showa Era, or 1926-1989 (Apparently Godzilla and the original gameboys are already getting outdated so it's time to enshrine the memories of the time period at this park.)

Most of the replicas seem to focus on 50s/60s items such as television sets. Overall it's just a big park where you can walk around, stretch your legs, and see painted buildings. It cost money to enter but was not so expensive. Next to the park there is a Michinoeki.

They have some animals, which, perhaps it were best they didn't as the pens seemed a bit small and I can't imagine an alpaca enduring the summer in Japan, but overall it was a nice day out to stretch your legs and escape some of the smog of the big river delta that is Aichi and Mie prefecture.

Enjoy these photos, taken during springtime.

Max standing before a mock tea plantation. The tea bushes are real. It was nice.

House related to the tea plantation. Most buildings house small shops where you can pick up basic Japanese snacks like Dango (rice balls on a stick), meat on a stick, or oden fish cakes. 

Various activities are available for an additional but reasonable cost, such as ceramic pot throwing on a wheel, or simlpy painting already made pieces. 

Apprently people were really happy and really bright during the Showa Era.

There are murals throughout the park.

A schoolhouse, or building done in a traditional style.

A bus/train runs around the park and you can wait for it at little shack like stations like this.

The alpaca.

Small Animals "Encounters" Area

Look at the cute alpaca face! 

Room to roam if the city gets too tight for you!

A little house where you can watch rice pounding.

The pounding.