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



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.





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

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: Kokuya Ryokan, Shibu Onsen (Part 2)



Day 5: On Our Way To Shibu Onsen

Previously:
Day 4: Mount Fuji and Hakone



Ekiben Shop at Tokyo Station

  

Shinkansen/Bullet Train




 


Unagi Ekiben ¥1,000

 

Assorted Sushi ¥850

Japanese's Ekiben are look pretty on the box and they taste delicious as well.  Just little tip for you guys, avoid the deep fried stuff as it won't taste as good as when they freshly cooked, go for the food that good while served cold.  However, if you don't mind, that's ok too as the nice flavour is still there, as I don't mind too.


To go to Shibu Onsen,Yudanaka, firstly we need to catch train to Nagano station then head out from the Shinkansen station and follow the sign to the Electric Railway and catch the local train to Yudanaka station.  Train to go to Yudanaka is not included in the Japan Rail Pass and we need to pay ¥1,230 per person one-way for the express train.  In the mean time, we called Kokuya Ryokan just to notify them so they can pick us up in the Yudanaka station when we arrive there.

W

hen you have a chance to catch this Electric Railway to Yudanaka, walk to the front end of the train and you can see this amazing driver-view. 



Yudanaka Station

Yay!!!!  Finally, we arrived at Yudanaka Station.  I'm so looking forward in staying in this Kokuya Ryokan.  Private onsen, their delicious kaiseki meal, and our-first-time futon bed.

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:

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

Day 4: Mount Fuji and Hakone

Previously:
Day 3: Kimukatsu, Ebisu




First glance of mighty Mt. Fuji's peak

 

Our tour lady said that Mount Fuji is a shy mountain.  You can see them from afar when clear blue sky and that's happen only few weeks in a year.  The early bus ride, we could snap the peak of Mt. Fuji but then he is snugging back into his comfort place behind those white cloud.  Even in the Fuji information centre when we made a short visit, the peak was all covered with white thick clouds.  What a shame!!!




Mount Fuji from 5th station viewing point

 


Above the cloud



Our tour is including the lunch set meal.  Nine small dishes accompanied with udon and steamed rice.  No 'wow' factor in this meal.  Although the food are fresh and some of them have nice flavour but overall the portion is too small.  We still left hungry by then. 

After lunch, we continue our trip to Hakone.  From there we are cruising on the pristine Lake Ashi and then riding the Komagatake Ropeway up to heaven-like station where full of fogs (not always though) with 2,611 meter high-altitude.





I didn't know what's going on with the Tokyo's traffic that night.  I haven't really seen any traffic in Japan actually up to today.  We stuck on the highway for nearly 3 hours, where the tour normally get back to Tokyo by 7 or 8pm but today, we turned up extremely late, 10pm arrived at Shinjuku station.  We were starving, and didn't bother looking some restaurants in town as they might close already.  So, we were browsing inside the Shinjuku station where they definitely still open and yet busy with workers.  In quick search, we saw this congee shop, it looks cheap, nice and nearly full house too.



Pork congee with 2 pieces of Har Gao ¥980

 


Pork congee with soft boiled egg ¥880

  We made the right decision, eating congee in nearly midnight hour, what a great way to end the day.  The congee is very light so we won't feel guilty as not much calorie needed to burn.  The congee itself really have a good flavour and that runny egg yolk on top was absolutely divined.  


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Day 5: On Our Way to Shibu Onsen