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:


07 April 2014

Day 5: On Our Way To Shibu Onsen

Previously:
Day 4: Mount Fuji and Hakone


Ekiben shop
Ekiben Shop at Tokyo Station
  
Shinkansen
Shinkansen/Bullet Train


Inside Shinkansen
 

Unagi Ekiben
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
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: