Best Japan Day

I had my best day in Japan yesterday. Why?

• After three days of no coffee whilst at the buddhist monastery, I had some mind-resetting Starbucks in Nagano (The Starbucks in Japan are fantastic – huge, with tons of seats made for computer use)

• I was able to find the correct train (to Yudanaka) I needed to purchase a ticket for, buy the ticket, and use the ticket, all with no issues! This could have been a first for me here in Japan.

• The scenery on the train ride was stunning, fields of cherry trees (in winter) as we slowly made our way into the snowy mountains

• I was able to find the correct bus I needed (to Snow Monkey Park – Jigokudani Yaen Koen), purchase a ticket, and use the ticket, all with no issues!

• While waiting for the bus, I had a great, cheap convenience store lunch of soba noodles w/ mushrooms & tofu. Not sure why, but I love eating like this, especially eating outside when it’s cold (longer post on convenience stores coming in the future)

• I met a great Singaporean, Nick, on the bus, and he became my travel buddy for the day (though he perfected his English by watching older American movies, so I had to hear lots of Adam Sandler quotes throughout the day)

• I achieved a life-long goal (and the only thing I really HAD to do in Japan), and saw the snow monkeys (longer post coming on this in the future)

• When traveling to my hotel, I must have punched in the wrong thing, because I ended up trying to check in to a real estate office. All four workers there were as baffled as I was throughout the whole exchange. But we finally figured it out, and they directed me to a the correct place (I also assured them that I wasn’t yet ready to buy a home). Situations like this suck in the moment, but afterwards you get a big adrenaline rush knowing you were able to figure things out.

• My hotel turned out to be fantastic, in a cool little town called Yamanouchi. It’s an onsen town, meaning there are public hot spring bathhouses throughout it. And my hotel is a ryoken, a traditional Japanese Inn with traditional rooms, but it’s large (for Japan) & has windows that opens to let in the cool air & sound of the river just outside. (longer post coming in the future about ryokens, and using a public onsen).

• I spent two hours teaching English & learning Japanese with Akiko, a bartender at a stand-up bar. I had a blast doing it, and even remember some of the stuff she taught me today. (BTW, it’s really hard to teach English! Don’t believe me? Ok, you try to explain, in very simple terms, the difference between “should”, “ought to”, and “have to”. I also realized how many contractions I/we use – I can’t imagine having to learn all those.

• I stayed up until 2am drinking with lots of Japanese locals in the bar. They all took turns practicing their English with me (except the couple from Luxembourg, who spoke English better than me), and I practiced some of my Japanese with them (which always elicits laughter). Lots of warm, interesting conversations, with many hours of buying each other rounds of great local beer.

• One of the locals was probably Yakuza, based upon what the other locals were telling me, and by the giant tattoo he had (pretty much only Yakuza have tattoos in Japan)

What a great day – this is why I travel, and travel solo.