12 April 2014

Day 5: Shibu Onsen

Previously:
Day 5: Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen (Part 2)




Red bean manju



Shibu Onsen is a little peaceful town about 45 minutes from Nagano by train.  This place is far different from the hustling bustling Tokyo, in here the town only have roughly couple thousands people and very famous with their public baths and also visiting Snow Monkey Park is highly recommended if you stay here. 









One of the temple in town





Curry restaurant
  
Irori Fireplace
 
Omoshiroya Yugijo (shooting gallery and cork guns)



Tiny laneway with cobblestone street
Spend some relaxing time strolling around the tiny laneway in this town is amust.  With wearing kimono and Geta, absorbing the authentic Japanese atmosphere and old architectures.  Feel really romantic and indulgent in the charms and nostalgic of this town.




There are 9 public baths in Shibu Onsen town and they are free for you to use if you stay in one of the Ryokan in Shibu Onsen and more privilegely you still can have an access to public bath at night.  Otherwise, if you don't stay here overnight, you can buy the ticket for public baths from the information centre.


Public Bath







Foot bath

 
Loving this moment

  
Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Day 5: Kaiseki Dinner at Kokuya Ryokan

11 April 2014

Day 5: Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen (Part 2)

Previously:
Day 5: Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen (Part 1)


Kokuya Ryokan
Kokuya Ryokan
 

Soft boiled egg cooked in onsen (Onsen Tamago)
Definitely gotta try this onsen tamago, they just right in front of Kokuya Ryokan.  The egg is slowly cooked in the water from onsen (hot spring).




Wooden Geta







Free internet




There are 8 hot spring baths inside ryokan with 2 of them are for private use.  The bath room is separated between male and female use and it then gets swapped at 9pm.  The bath is differed by 3 different colour curtain, red for ladies, blue for men and green for private use.  These are the photos of their hot spring baths.
















Natural Hot Spring
  
Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen
Shibu onsen street, Yamanouchi town Shimotakai-gun
Ph: 0269-33-2511


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Day 5: Shibu Onsen

09 April 2014

Day 5: Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen (Part 1)

Previously:
Day 5: On Our Way To Shibu Onsen


Welcome Green Tea and Mochi

Once we arrived in Kokuya Ryokan, the nice lady showed us around the Ryokan and briefly explained the facilities in here.  I probably need a map, the place is a little bit confusing, so complicated the way from point to point.  Inside Kokuya, there are 8 hot spring baths and 2 of them are for private use.  Will talk more about this in the next blog.

Then the lady took us to our room, where we gonna enjoy and relax there for the next 2 nights.  She welcomed us with green tea and a chestnut mochi while talking us through what we can do for the rest of afternoon. 







Lounge area in day time/bedroom at night






Outdoor shower



Private Hot Spring Bath

Private Hot Spring Bath

Let alone hot spring bath is already ecstatic me and here we have it privately in our balcony, it totally blew my mind.  Sunk into it, that's the first thing we do.




Kokuya Ryokan


After we came back to our room from dinner, this comfortable futon-bed was already been set up for us.

Shibu onsen street, Yamanouchi town Shimotakai-gun
Ph: 0269-33-2511


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan: