Nagano - Japanese Monkey Gang

Monkey Gang 🐒🐒🐒

We are only staying for one night at our accommodation. The accommodation has an onsen. So why not make use of the onsen more than once? Damian and I agreed to meet at 06:45 for the hot bath, so here we are, enjoying ourselves. What a monkey life.

After freshening up, we take the bus to the Monkey Park. This is also something new for us. We enter from the back and have to pull a ticket. It has a number on it. Each station has its own number. There is a screen at the front with all the numbers. The longer you ride, the higher the yen price on your ticket. When you exit, you show your ticket to the bus driver, and then you throw your coins into a slot. Complete trust. You could also throw in random money, the driver wouldn't notice in the rush. But it works.

After a while, we reach the park. This Monkey Park is known for its hot spring, which serves as a hot bath for the local monkey residents. If you've ever seen a photo of monkeys in steaming water in the snow, chances are it was taken right there. We spend some time here before moving on to Kanazawa on the west coast.

But before we take the train back, I can't avoid visiting a beautiful temple complex. The view is so satisfying, especially because we can see the snow-covered peaks of the surrounding mountains over the torii gate. Mark explains to me what the stone guardians on either side of the entrance, called komainu, are all about. Each lion dog has one mouth open and one closed. When you enter the complex, you take the side of the torii gate where the komainu has an open mouth. It's like an invitation to come in. When you leave, you take the other side, the side where the lion dog has its mouth closed. Whether it's the left or right side for entering can vary from temple to temple.

After this little knowledge session, we go to the hotel, and then to the train station. And we encounter the flap next to the vending machine again. Mark points out that the cash dispenser of the vending machine is just a facade. If you receive bills, it's a person sitting behind the machine. 🤣 All the people squeeze into the middle cars. 'Pah, beginners!' We do what we wanted to do on the way there, we sit in the last seats in the back, in a completely empty car. Views of the mountains for an hour.

After a bus ride with another payment based on trust, I arrive at my capsule hotel. I have chosen the superior version for now, a room. But in the coming days, I will continue to downsize. Until the minimum. For its size, it is probably the most efficient hotel I have ever seen. It is not allowed to make phone calls or talk in the pod areas. You can only listen to the TV through the provided headphones. You can only access the floor with the card, the rooms themselves are not lockable. But there is a security area under the bed. Definitely too small for my backpack, but after some rearranging, my backpack fits. But that's not a problem, because I'm not worried about my things. There are clothes in the backpack anyway, and we are in Japan after all. 😅

After a short break, we hit the streets again, heading to Kanazawa Castle. One thing quickly catches my attention. People wear masks much less here than elsewhere. It feels much more relaxed here. But it is also the most Japanese big city I will encounter. Because here there are almost only Japanese characters, even more than usual.

When we reach a hill after a short walk and see the castle, all three of us are equally disappointed. The whole complex is well maintained and beautiful, but there is something missing here. It all feels so sterile. So we decide to visit another location, the 'Garden'.

After wandering around the area, it's time for dinner. Smoking is heavily restricted in Japan. There are very few areas in public where it is specifically allowed. Also in some establishments. And that's where we end up, a restaurant where smoking is allowed. And indeed, someone at the neighboring table eventually starts smoking. I never thought I would experience that.

In the meantime, I bring up the topic of Spirit Animal again with a very good friend. For privacy reasons, I'll call her 'Caaaaaarl' 🦙. The number of 'a's can vary. 😁 We go through a few suggestions from Caaarl, and I give Caaaaaarl a few suggestions in return. Caarl says that a water animal is obvious. A koi, of course. A bird? Maybe a falcon? As for land animals, we end up with 'White Baboon' and 'Snake' as nonfinal choices. The truth lies somewhere in between and everywhere else.

After dinner, it's time to explore the area and hop from one minimart to another. Canned drinks, clicking 'Yes, I am 20 years old', sipping and strolling towards the destination. Or repeating the same procedure at the next minimart.

In a 7-Eleven, Damian draws my attention to the magazines. Since I'm here, I might as well immerse myself in the whole culture. So I take a look at what turns Japanese men on. A little bit of nudity, okay. Much less revealing, okay. But... Huh? What is this? A printing error? I keep flipping through. There it is again. And there. About half of the women have their eyes heavily pixelated. I look at it fascinated and puzzled. I realize that it doesn't affect me at all. I can't understand how someone can pleasure themselves to that.

In between, I recall a situation from a year ago, where I silently held eye contact with someone for over 15 minutes. Then came the question: 'How do you really feel?' That almost broke me emotionally, when it comes to the dam of grief.
Even farewells are completely different when you silently hold eye contact and enjoy it.

Yes, sex is great, no question. But without intimacy, it's just fast food. Satisfying in a hurry, but leaves you hungry for something good and leaves a stale aftertaste.

But maybe that's why some people's eyes are pixelated here. It makes them vulnerable, exposed, attackable.

After a trip through three cans and an antique district, our paths diverge, and I return to the hotel. I dream a lot, wild dreams, different dreams, often dreams involving groups. I process, I have a lot to catch up on. Sleep is the garbage truck of thoughts. I wake up every hour. A good night's sleep would be sexy already.