Day 4 Nagano and overnight stay in a Ryokan

Today we're leaving the big city and heading to the Japanese mountains. We have chosen to stay in an old Ryokan. To make our journey from city to city affordable, we have already obtained the Japan Rail Pass in Germany. With this pass, we can use all lines of the Japan Rail Company for 14 days for 324 euros. The network stretches across the entire island, so we are able to reach all of our destinations. Since the ticket price for one journey is usually between 70 and 90 euros, we can save a lot of money here.

We regret not buying and activating the ticket on the second day. The counter where we have to exchange our voucher for the train ticket is very crowded and we are making slow progress. After 45 minutes, we finally succeed and can make our way to the Shinkansen. We have high expectations for the most punctual train system in the world. With an on-time rate of 99%, it is hard to imagine that there is any other train company that can keep its schedule better.

The train works like a Swiss clockwork - the planned departure at 12:10 is exactly what happens. In fact, we start rolling at 12:10. Our anticipation is growing, even though we don't know exactly what to expect yet.

We will spend the next few days together as a group of three. Thomas and I have already agreed to go to an onsen together, explore Kanazawa, and possibly visit Nara. Thomas is on a big Asia trip and happened to have the same time period in Japan as us. It's a lucky coincidence because we get along well and can enjoy the time together.

After our arrival in Nagano, we check into our hotel and set off to visit some shrines and enjoy the beautiful scenery. We have finally found blooming cherry blossoms after being too late for the Sakura in Tokyo. The weather is fantastic with a clear sky and not a single cloud.

We explore the Yudanaka district, which used to be part of the Olympic city, and visit the athletes' village where the athletes were accommodated back then. It is sad to see that the buildings that were specifically built for such events have not been properly maintained over the years.

After enjoying some cherry blossoms and the breathtaking mountains, it's time for a meal. We haven't gotten tired of seeing new and interesting things, so we don't notice our hunger.

After a delicious bowl of ramen, the time has finally come. We can try out the onsen, the real reason for our stay in Nagano. The ryokan where we are staying seems to be deserted as we seem to be the only guests. This is sad for the operator, but good for us. For those who don't know what a ryokan is, let me briefly explain that it is a traditional Japanese inn that specializes in accommodating guests. Ryokans are usually located in rural areas or near hot springs. We are lucky to be directly connected to such a spring and can relax on site. We sleep on tatami mats and a futon, which is quite hard, but that's how we wanted to experience it.

We follow the instructions from the internet and work our way through the onsen experience step by step:

1. Strip down and thoroughly wash in the onsen area
2. Go into the onsen bath and relax.
3. Go back to the washing area, wash again, and rinse off any soap residue.
4. Dry off and get dressed.
5. Relax and hydrate.

Our onsen has two different baths, an indoor one and an outdoor one divided into two heat zones.

Since the water comes from a hot spring, no electricity or anything else is needed to heat or pump the water from the ground. Theoretically, we could stay in the onsen all night. However, since the water is at least 40°C hot, it makes us tired. Afterwards, we relax with chips, beer, and a Japanese game show.