Japan Travel: Kyoto Temples and Shrines

March 22, 2016 by 3 Comments

If you visit Japan, I highly recommend including Kyoto during your stay if you can. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan from 794 until 1868. Because of that long history as being the capital for 1000 years, you can find a lot of older buildings reflecting traditional architecture that are entire streets and neighborhoods, as well as literally thousands of temples and shrines. In fact, Kyoto has the largest concentration of designated Cultural Properties in Japan.
The Deva gate and three-storied pagoda at the entrance of Kiyomizudera Temple. Also one super fierce dragon sculpture. Details at Kiyomizudera Temple.
Details at Kiyomizudera Temple

Kyoto is also famous for its cuisine because as a city away from the sea it grew a lot of unique regional food fit for royalty, and even Kyoto water is reknown and used by many sake producers. With the combination of palaces as well as temples in its culinary lineage, you can choose from enjoying elegant kaiseki cuisine or Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine. For today’s post, I’m going to focus first in Kyoto Temples and Shrines.

After our onsen stay and dining on ryokan cuisine for breakfast, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko by Mount Fuji to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route – so much that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign showing the main travel and transfer points.

After our onsen stay, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign: Kawaguchiko to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto!

For us, this means Kawaguchiko (the red dot you see to the left) to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto! It sounds like a lot of transfers, but checking out and catching a train around 11 AM, we still got to Kyoto sometime around 4 PM in the afternoon to relax the rest of the evening.

On our first full day in Kyoto, we decided to stretch our legs from all that sitting on the train on our travel day by doing a self walking tour of a few of the beautiful and most famous Kyoto temples and shrines. It’s so easy to walk and find a temple or shrine along the way everywhere in Kyoto that you actually need to be careful you don’t get “templed/shrined out” where you see so many they start to blur. I found the Japan Guide on Kyoto extremely helpful in planning which stops we wanted of the many options thanks to their descriptions and photos of each of the sites which are organized by districts in Kyoto.

In planning your Kyoto Temples and Shrines to visit, I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I also tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

So here is my list of Kyoto Temples and Shrines you can visit in a single day just by walking. These I am sharing today are all located in Southeastern Kyoto. I have another walking tour for visiting temples in the Arashiyama District of Kyoto in a future post. This walk starts from Kiyomizudera and goes about 3 km or about 2 miles north to Heian Shrine, but with all the sights along the way it really is an all day excursion.

Kiyomizudera Temple

Kiyomizudera Temple is famous for it’s wooden balcony that gives visitors a view of Kyoto as well as cherry blossoms and maple trees in spring and fall, respectively. Since I came in winter and currently parts of the temple are going through reconstruction, it was not the stage that stood out from Kiyomizudera for me.
The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice

Instead, it was

1. Jishu Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. Right after passing the balcony, which is super crowded, you will see stairs leading upwards to your left. You should walk pass the god of love himself, Okuninushi, and his rabbit companion, Hare of Inaba who is a messenger.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards

Specifically for Jishu Shrine, there are two stones on either side that you are supposed to navigate from one to the other with your eyes closed in order to have luck in finding love. Some have people help guide them a little, which means that you will find love but with help.
Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.

This area is also full of various shrines to different gods besides love to pray for other kinds of wishes, as well as various talismans varying from ema boards,  incense, omikuji (paper fortunes), etc. There are even hitogata paper dolls to “wash away” your health problems by placing them in buckets: when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes like here Daikoku Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Okage Myojin is the god who is believed to be a guardian deity especially for ladies. The Japanese ceders behind this shrine were used for Ushinotoki-mairi or 2AM visit where the ladies of old days would nail a straw doll on the ceder of their enemies putting a curse. Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Here, you write down your troubles on a hitogata paper doll and put it into the water - when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.

You can purchase charms /omamori varying from good health, long life, conception, children, to successful study to traffic safety. Unlike most temples who offer omamori, here at this shrine they have English translations for all the charms and all the altars which helps give a lot of context to what you are seeing.
Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking

2. Otowa Waterfall is the reason Kiyomizudera Temple was founded here. After going downhill from the balcony to its bottom, you will find three streams of water where visitors use cups attached to long poles that are disinfected each time using UV rays. The belief is that each individual stream of the three streams offers a blessing of long life, success, and a good love life. Drinking from all three streams is considered greedy, so make your choices carefully!
The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life

Higashiyama District

On the way from Kiyomizudera Temple to our next temple, Kodaji Temple, you will be walking through the Higashiyama District which is a historic shopping street area, also referred to by the actual street names of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. These streets with its old fashioned storefronts has been serving those on temple visits for centuries and lets you stroll around what feels like the traditional Kyoto of old.
Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings

Stores range from selling lots of lucky cat and other animal trinkets to ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration. Besides lots of little stores, there is plenty of food, from restaurants to snack stands including versions of the temple and shrine snacks I highlighted earlier in a post.

store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of cat but also other cute animal trinkets store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration

Higashiyama District also has a whole map of various healing Buddhist statues you could seek out to touch/rub for merit with your right or both hands. I didn’t visit them all, but I found quite a few without seeking then out.  I rubbed Hotei a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity, Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity, the Temmangu Ox said to bear your suffering for you if you touch the corresponding area of the ox, and statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene. It can’t hurt to touch just in case it does work right?
Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub. Hotei is a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub, including Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit - this one you could rub for health aches and pains to go away, the Temmangu Ox here is said to bear your suffering for you. If you have an ailment on your body, touch the corresponding area of the ox Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit. These are statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene

Kodaji Temple

Kodaji Temple was established in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s historical figures who helped play a part to unify Japan, by Hideyoshi’s wife Nene. What is notable about this temple is its Zen Gardens, aka the carefully maintained rock garden. It’s not as famous as Japan’s most well known Zen Garden at Ryoanji Temple (also in Kyoto), but the location in this area is more convenient to seeing a lot in one day, and still evokes the same beauty, even if interpretation of what the designs mean isn’t quite as enigmatic.

I was surprised that this was one of F’s favorite temples/shrines that we visited because he really enjoyed the moss landscaping,  and I really liked the delicate shapes in the rock garden. The peacefulness here was very inviting of contemplation and worth the small entrance fee.
Looking back at the gate from the path that led to Kodaji Temple in Kyoto Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaiji's Tsukiyama garden with Kaizando Hall

Yasaka Shrine

Now continue walking north to Yasaka Shrine. The most distinguishing characteristic of this shrine is it’s great location not far from Gion (Kyoto’s entertainment and geisha district) and there are lots of great restaurants just outside of its gates along the streets of Shijo Dori and Higashi Oji Dori.
Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

This Shinto Shrine has lots of gorgeous lanterns that look great both in the daytime and in the nighttime (it is always open, always free). You can see since it’s close to New Year’s how the stage happens to be decorated for the year of the monkey.

Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

Chionin Temple and Shorenin Temple

Chionin Temple‘s Sanmon Gate is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s. It’s on the way to our final destination for today in Kyoto Temples and Shrines. We didn’t stop at Chionin, just walked by so we can admire the entrance. If you do enter, make sure you check out the largest bell in Japan, weighing some 74 tons and cast in 1633,  it requires 17 monks to ring the bell at New Year. The temple grounds are free, but there is an admission fee to visit the gardens and the “Seven Wonders” of Chionin, one of which is  a uguisubari or nightingale floor that chirps with every footstep so no one can sneak around!
The massive Sanmon Gate of Chionin Temple, Kyoto is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s.

We also walked by Shorenin Temple without going in (there is an admission fee). Mainly, we admired this beautiful mossy tree just outside. This temple is not as busy as the famous Kiyomizudera or Chionin, and has a tranquil, secret feel with multiple gardens and ponds, teahouse, and paintings to admire that are connected all by covered walkways between the buildings.
Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance

Heian Shrine

I knew the Heian Shrine gates was supposed to be huge – it is after all the largest Torii Gate in Japan. I was still shocked when I could already see it down the street – way down the street, but still really visible – from the Shorenin Temple a little over half a mile away. Below, you can see how it compares in sizes to a huge tour bus and cars/people behind me.

First sighting of the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long

In truth, the Heian Shrine isn’t that old – it was built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto (then named Heian-kyō). The buildings convey the atmosphere of the Heian Period which had artistic integration with Chinese culture. Heian Shrine is supposed to be a 2/3 scale replica of the original Kyoto Imperial Palace (now destroyed).  It was refreshing to have such a big open courtyard space to walk in after the smaller spaces of all the previous stops.
The shrine’s main buildings convey the atmosphere of elegance of the Heian Period (794-1185). In those days, the Japanese people welcomed Chinese culture warmly, and we can still find in this shrine today many features and artifacts connected with Chinese culture. The actual shrine grounds themselves are very spacious, with a wide open court at the center. Kyoto was shocked and depressed after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1940. Later, the citizens came together to build a new city after World War II. The construction of Heian Shrine was a symbol of revival for the city. The revival consisted of the new Kyoto in education, culture, industry, and daily life, where at the same time the

We were pretty beat by this time (it was late afternoon) and I really only wanted to see the main courtyard and the giant gates, so we walked back to our lodging to relax and rest our feet before dinner after this. If you still have some wind though to keep going, there are also huge gardens to visit (the Heian Shrine is free, but there is a fee to enter the garden).

Even though the distance between Kiyomizudera Temple and Heian Shrine is only 3 km or about 2 miles, when I looked back at my phone pedometer at how many steps I took that day, it totaled 19725 steps – or about 8.75 miles!

So of all these stops I’ve shared today in Southeast Kyoto, which do you think you would most be interested in? Do you put together DIY tours in a neighborhood or area when you travel?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Dining at a Ryokan

March 1, 2016 by 13 Comments

I had previously shared some of the details about onsen (hot springs) and staying at a ryokan (Japanese inn) by Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji – Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. One of the incredible parts of the ryokan experience besides the onsen was the elaborate traditional Japanese meals I enjoyed. Dining at a Ryokan is a highlight of visiting Japan you should definitely try to enjoy.

When you check into the ryokan, you will be asked to choose a dinner dining time, and in our case a breakfast dining time as well – at Maruei these were certain time slots we could select from. With a traditional Japanese meal, you should expect lots of little dishes, all beautifully arranged and balancing options of raw and cooked, hot and cold, rice and soup, different cooking techniques like pickled, with sauce, steamed, etc. The dishes focus on being very fresh and seasonal, highlighting local specialty ingredients while conscious of colors and textures in the careful presentation. You can see a great breakdown of what are the kinds of foods you would see in a kaiseki here at Japan Guide and Japan Talk.

Traditional Japanese Dinner

Our dinner was served in our traditional Japanese room, with us sitting at low tables sitting or kneeling on the tatami mats that comprise our room floor.
Dining at a Ryokan: Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, photo she took from the sliding door to our traditional tatami mat room Dining at a Ryokan: Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, photo she took from the window side of our traditional tatami mat room

The placement of the multiple dishes, each one with artful presentation, was meticulous where she would adjust the bowl or chopsticks to exactly the right place. There were so many dishes she took multiple trips to bring them on her tray, and food just kept appearing unexpectedly! Below is NOT all the dishes we ate for dinner… just the first setup, and she has just lit the flames underneath the kettles and the cooking stone in the middle.
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, there were so many plates I would take a photo and then she'd be back with another dish to add!

Ok, now here are all the dishes! I should note at this point all the steak has migrated to my hot plate while vegetarian F has all the vegetables on his (and eaten quite a bit of them already). If you are vegetarian or otherwise have a special diet, definitely let them know when you first book your reservation. Unfortunately not all ryokan can make substitutions in their dishes so you may need to have backup food that you bring – I know we had rice balls and bakery goods we brought just in case.
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, there were so many plates I would take a photo and then she'd be back with another dish to add! She mostly spoke Japanese so it was a bit mysterious eating each dish because I didn't know what everything was... and I ate a lot because the dinner was included and couldn't be modified for any diets so it wasn't vegetarian so I ate Fred's portions too! Here the steaks have all migrated to my hot plate already while all the vegetables are on his (and he's eaten quite a bit of them while I'm taking photos)

I didn’t take a specific photo of it (I didn’t of the soup or rice dishes either – got too excited to eat!), but the miso soup was soooooo good. It gets poured it out of the kettle you see there over the flames in the corner. Towards the end I opened the lid to find it had all these little clams in it, which is probably why it was so delicious.

Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, there were so many plates I would take a photo and then she'd be back with another dish to add! She mostly spoke Japanese so it was a bit mysterious eating each dish because I didn't know what everything was... and I ate a lot because the dinner was included and couldn't be modified for any diets so it wasn't vegetarian so I ate Fred's portions too! Here the steaks have all migrated to my hot plate already while all the vegetables are on his (and he's eaten quite a bit of them while I'm taking photos)

The server, who always gracefully would slide the door while kneeling, mostly spoke Japanese so it was a bit mysterious eating each dish because I didn’t know what everything was. A true food adventure.
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, there were so many plates I would take a photo and then she'd be back with another dish to add! Fred both both plates of this since it was vegetarian Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, there were so many plates I would take a photo and then she'd be back with another dish to add!

The little basket of lightly fried vegetables was adorable. And I can’t complain about double steak helpings…
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, one of my favorite dishes and that little basket of fried veggies is adorable I had two servings of the steak and F took all the vegetables since he's vegetarian as part of our Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

Raw seafood dish. I still don’t know a graceful way to eat whole shrimp like this without going all in with my hands, so I was glad to eat it in the privacy of our room with no spectators except for disgusted F… hey at least it wasn’t live.
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, was glad to eat the shrimp in the privacy of the room because it was messy to eat! Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, was glad to eat the shrimp in the privacy of the room because it was messy to eat!

Dessert
Traditional Dinner in our room at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei: Dessert

After this dinner F and I went to soak in the private onsen we rented (making it my 3rd onsen visit of the day since I had already visited the indoor and outdoor onsen segregated for women earlier to try those before they switched out the next day to the other 2 of the 4 at the ryokan). Then we opened some sake from our ryokan in room fridge and snuggled into our futon cover while watching TV.

They didn’t have many channels and so for our Christmas show they seemed to be showing a local feed of those holiday shows at elementary school where kids perform for parents, which was a hoot because it seemed the classes were sized at only 8-10 kids all under the age of 7 and of mixed understanding levels of the dance routine they had learned. Super cute and funny.

Traditional Japanese Breakfast

I woke up early to visit the last two indoor and outdoor onsen, and then we went to breakfast at our designated selected time. Breakfast was served in a communal dining room, and when we entered after giving our room number they already had a table with part of our breakfast set up. They also had another long table to the side where anyone could go up and pick up a few additional sides to add to breakfast.

Breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. Breakfast came in specific time slots that we could select from. When we arrived, it was a combination of a set meal already ready for us, we could choose whether we wanted white rice, brown rice, or porridge, and there was also a small buffet of side dishes to choose from.

Here’s a better look at my specific setting. The main course you can see is the salmon in the upper left, and in the top middle is a tofu hot pot dish with mushrooms that is being heated from a small fire below. There is also fruit, some sort of custard thing in the yellow bowl, and a trio of three little bites in a lacquered tray.
Breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. When we arrived, it was a combination of a set meal already ready for us, we could choose whether we wanted white rice, brown rice, or porridge, and there was also a small buffet of side dishes to choose from. The main course you can see is the salmon in the upper left, and in the top middle is yudofu (a tofu hot pot dish) that is being heated from a small fire below it. Breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei - a tofu and mushroom broth, salmon, fruit, some sort of custard thing in the yellow bowl and a trio of three little bites in a lacquered tray

For the tofu hot pot dish with mushrooms, there is another accompanying dish of sauce as well to further flavor it. There also is another dish that seemed to have some sort of melon soup.
Breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei - For the tofu and mushroom hot pot dish, it is being heated by a flame underneath it and there is another dish with sauce in it to add more flavor A melon soup as part of Kaiseki Breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

You have the option of white rice, brown rice, or what I selected which is a rice porridge along with your breakfast.
You have the option of white rice, brown rice, or what I selected which is a porridge along with your kaiseki or traditional Japanese breakfast set at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei You have the option of white rice, brown rice, or what I selected which is a porridge along with your kaiseki breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

Part of the breakfast were these two dishes, an egg and a custardy mayo tomato lettuce thing you see in the shiny silver foil wrapper. And yum there’s more of that miso soup with lots of little clams in it.
Part of the kaiseki or traditional Japanese breakfast set at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei Part of the breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei - egg and a custardy mayo tomato lettuce thing in the shiny silver foil wrapper

I didn’t take a photo of the side buffet, but here are some of the items I picked out to add to my rice and soup set: eggplant, tofu, some fried vegetable.
Eggplant, tofu, some fried vegetable from the side buffet at breakfast at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

And here’s our view next to our table during breakfast of Lake Kawaguchiko
Wakakusa no Yado Maruei: our view next to our table during breakfast of Lake Kawaguchiko Wakakusa no Yado Maruei: our view next to our table during breakfast of Lake Kawaguchiko

Staying at a ryokan was one of my biggest highlights of my trip to Japan. We got so relaxed at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei and it was such a much needed break after a week in Tokyo and before our next week in Kyoto and Osaka. Generally F and I are the kind of travelers who like to go out a lot – our lodging is just a place to sleep and can be no frills, and usually it’s location that matters most to us. In this case though, we went out of our way to visit this ryokan and it was so worth it that we wish we could have stayed another day just to do more nothing but eating, soaking in Onsen, and resting. We had made a choice when planning our trip to either have one night in a ryokan like this, or spend one night at Mount Koya at a Buddhist Temple – and we obviously picked the more pampering ryokan onsen experience over the spiritual and simple commune to try a monk’s life for a day.

The simple serenity staying at the ryokan nourished us in a way we didn’t know we needed, and it wasn’t just about the food (although definitely wonderful) that I shared above. The hospitality was warm yet also gave us our own space. There was no hustle of crowds or noises within the ryokan walls, and it seemed everyone was speaking in whispers to maintain the peacefulness of the atmosphere. And there’s the way onsen water heat just melts your body balanced with the chiller outside air and while gazing at the wind blowing snow off Mount Fuji that is somehow mesmerizing at the time and unforgettably memorable to me still now looking back.
One of the rotenburo, or outdoor onsen, at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei
One of the rotenburo, or outdoor onsen, at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei that I visited, during a brief 10 minutes when I had it all to myself
What did you think about the traditional dinner or breakfast I shared – do you think you could eat it? Would you rather dine in your room but sit on the floor at low tables, or be able to sit at tables and chairs like in the dining room at breakfast? What is your ideal view for an outdoor hot tub?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Onsen by Mount Fuji

February 23, 2016 by 5 Comments

In my last Japan Travel post, I highlighted our visit to see the Jigokudani Snow Monkeys famous for keeping warm and bathing in natural hot springs in part of the Japanese Alps. A few days after that day trip from Tokyo to the monkey hot springs, F and I headed to human hot springs in the mountains. Here’s a look at how I researched an onsen for us and where we stayed – Wakakusa no Yado Maruei by Mount Fuji.

In the early morning Wakakusa no Yado Maruei will swap the men and ladies' indoor and outdoor onsens. So, there are 4 and you can experience 2 the first night and you can experience the other 2 (1 outdoor, 1 indoor) in the morning since they are always gender segregated. This is the indoor one downstairs, which was the better indoor one since the other one was just like a swimming pool. This indoor one had 2 - a special vitamin mineral bath in one room, and in the other one it was all rocks and had a waterfall!
In the early morning Wakakusa no Yado Maruei will swap the men and ladies’ indoor and outdoor onsen designations from the evening.  So, there are a total of 4 onsen and you can experience 2 the first night and you can experience the other 2 (1 outdoor, 1 indoor) in the morning since they are always gender segregated.

Finding an Onsen Experience Right for You

First, a few definitions and traditions that you need to know as you are searching for an onsen to visit:

  • Ofuro: a deep soaking tub and you usually do not change the water between people who use it (you usually use it one after another in the evening) because it takes so much water to fill, plus it’s more for relaxation than cleaning yourself as you need to wash before entering. Think of it sort of like a hot tub but without the bubbles and jets. Some ofuro are for one, but others can fit two people.
    Ofuro in our room at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei
    Ofuro in our room at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei
  • Sento: a public bathhouse with many ofuro, the water used may be heated tap water or hot spring water
  • Onsen: a term meaning hot springs in Japan, aka the water is naturally heated from within the earth. Keep in mind that just because an onsen has the hot water doesn’t necessarily mean the bathtub itself is a natural hole in the ground, it includes man-made facilities that pump hot spring water into them.
  • Rotenburo: a term meaning an outdoor hot spring bath, the tub may be natural (like a waterfall) or man-made with a view to natural surroundings and open to fresh air.
    Example of the upstairs rotenburo at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. When we checked in this was the rotenburo marked for women. Then by morning it had switched over so I was able to visit the other rotenburo which was smaller but had a direct view of Mount Fuji instead of of Lake Kawaguchiko like here. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei
    Example of the upstairs rotenburo at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. When we checked in this was the rotenburo marked for women. Then by morning it had switched over so I was able to visit the other rotenburo which was smaller but had a direct view of Mount Fuji instead of of Lake Kawaguchiko like here. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. I have a great memory of sitting in it alone shortly after a mother and her two kids had left so I had it to myself, and looking out into the lake and seeing a crane fly low, skimming over the water. This was the first onsen I went into and after that I got over the naked requirement because it was clear no one was looking or cared.
  • Ryokan: a traditional Japanese inn. They usually have tatami floors in the room and no bed as instead the staff will set up futon mattresses in the evening for guests to sleep. There are no chairs either – instead there will be a low table where you will kneel to enjoy tea or dine if meals are brought to your room. Many times onsens are offered by ryokan so that you can stay the night after your legs feel like jelly from all the soaking and relaxation.
    At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, this is the main room after removing our shoes in the foyer and walking through our sliding door screen. You can see a little closet with onsen supplies (robes, a plastic bag for carrying things to the onsen rooms) on the left, and our private onsen with a view of a small rock garden and Mount Fuji to the back behind the glass, after the massage chair
    At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, this is the main room after removing our shoes in the foyer and walking through our sliding door screen. You can see a little closet with onsen supplies (robes, a plastic bag for carrying things to the onsen rooms) on the left, and our private onsen with a view of a small rock garden and Mount Fuji to the back behind the glass, after the massage chair
  • Yukata: a casual kimono robe where the left side is folded over the right and then the robe is tied closed with a sash. Many ryokan will provide yukata for their guests so you can change and stay in them, wearing the provided yukata and slippers wherever you go inside the Ryokan. The robes are unisex – just make sure to tie it with left over right as the opposite way is for the dead.
    Us in our yukatas on the observation deck of Wakakusa no Yado Maruei - yes the yukatas were provided by the ryokan. I mapped it and from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, a walk Mount Fuji is only 30 km away from here
    Us in our yukatas on the observation deck of Wakakusa no Yado Maruei – yes the yukatas were provided by the ryokan. I mapped it and from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, a walk Mount Fuji is only 30 km away from here
  • Hot Spring Resort Town: This is an area that offer many facilities with onsen, and often you can visit multiple of these facilities as they are all part of a network for that town, traveling between each one in your yukata! Two famous resort town areas are Kurokawa Onsen (by Mount Aso, south of Fukuoka) and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma (200 km north of Tokyo in the montains)
  • Hot Spring Theme Park: Essentially a modern take of a Hot Spring Resort Town but built as a single large business instead of a destination of many cooperating businesses.  Some parks are traditional like Ooedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba just outside Tokyo and Japan’s first hot spring theme park. Others are more themed and allow bathing suits and have specialty baths like Hakone Kowakien Yunessun/Mori-no-Yu that offers green tea spa, coffee spa, and wine spa (Seriously! You can see photos of these on Atlas Obscura); and meanwhile Spa World in Osaka recreates hot springs from around the world in its amusement park.

Onsen are a huge popular activity in Japan, and has been part of Japanese culture for a long time as individual homes did not use to have individual ofuro. So people went to a communal public bath to not only wash but also socialize. Ok technically, the washing happens individually at small stations with faucets and a hand held shower head and a stool for sitting along with provided soap and shampoo products, which you see to the right of the photo below. Then the socializing happens while soaking in the shared tubof some sort  (natural or man made) after cleaning yourself. This is still true today – I saw families staying here for mother / daughter and also small groups of girlfriends who came and enjoyed onsen, chatting while relaxing in the hot water.

One of the indoor onsen I visited during my stay at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. When we checked in this indoor onsen on the first floor was for women and there was another indoor one for men. Then by morning it had switched over so I was able to visit the other indoor one previously marked for men- it was even nicer because it was styled as an indoor waterfall, and also had an additional mineral bath onsen and a sauna. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei.
One of the indoor onsen I visited during my stay at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. When we checked in this indoor onsen on the first floor was for women and there was another indoor one for men. Then by morning it had switched over so I was able to visit the other indoor one previously marked for men- it was even nicer because it was styled as an indoor waterfall, and also had an additional mineral bath onsen and a sauna. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei.

Meanwhile, the sento that are still in business, since ofuro are more common in homes, are now upgraded by often adding minerals or infusions to their tap water, or additionally having saunas, massages, and other spa services available (one example I considered was Spa LaQua in Tokyo Dome City open 22 hours a day- there’s a great blog entry about it by GaijinPot).

It is totally possible to visit and enjoy a relaxing hot bath wherever city you are staying as there is so much volcanic activity in Japan (doh, islands formed by such activity) that there are literally thousands of establishments with access to water heated naturally by the earth.

The questions you need to ask yourself in choosing your onsen experience are

1. How long do you want to stay? It is totally possible to visit some onsen as part of a day trip where you do not spend the night, such as at the Hot Spring Theme Parks (some outside Tokyo and also Osaka), or by using day passes you purchase at some Onsen. There are some where instead of bathing, you can just soak your feet for a partial experience via foot bath called ashiyu. You can find ashiyu in a variety of places, including even in public parks, airports (example: Kagoshima) and trains like the Yamagata Line Shinkansen.

On the other hand, devoting a whole day to the onsen experience will give you the full relaxation that will help you understand why onsen are so important and popular in Japanese culture that they love even bathing at home in the ofuro to get their fix until they can go to an onsen.

2. Will you be ok being naked? Most onsen are segregated by male / female, and you must be naked – no bathing suits. If you don’t feel comfortable enough, then you may want to choose a Hot Spring Theme Park that allows bathing suits.

There are also a few that have co-ed onsen – if you are hoping to share the experience with your opposite ex partner you don’t necessarily need to seek the co-ed ones.  Instead just rent a private onsen (usually if they are available, you can rent them by the hour). And, with the private onsen rental no one sees you naked except whoever you share the private rental with.
The private onsen that we rented for an hour at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei- we didn't know it had a Mt Fuji view because we went after dinner and it was dark, official photo from the ryokan
The private onsen that we rented for an hour at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei was less than $15 an hour for use by both of us. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei.

3. Finally, where do you want to be? You might browse based on looking for one that is within a day trip away from a major city you are in like Tokyo or Osaka. You could search based on a rotenburo view you want (such as a mountain, or the ocean, or forest and rivers, or of cherry blossom trees). Another filter might be because you want to try lots of different kind of onsen you would go progressive onsen visiting in a location that has multiple onsen in the same facility,  or an onsen town.

One additional note: tattoos are still viewed as subversive in Japan. This is changing with newer generations but many Onsen ban tattoos. They may enforce this rule with no exception even though it’s clear you are not yakuza (Japanese gang members) or they may look the other way if no other patrons complain. One way to help this is to cover any visible tattoos with bandages, or inquire if the Onsen is strict with this rule.

Onsen by Mount Fuji

For us, the answers were that we wanted to stay overnight, we wanted a view of Mount Fuji, and we wanted a private ofuro or rotenburo with a view of Mount Fuji to enjoy as part of the room. I also looked for a ryokan that had multiple onsen on the property so I can experience different set ups, and a private onsen that we could rent just for the two of us.  F has an upper arm tattoo he didn’t try to cover up, so the in room Onsen and time we rented at the private Onsen were his main experiences while I visited every one on property, so the in room and private ones were important criteria.

I found all of this with Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. As my previous spreadsheet planning post could probably help you guess, I totally used a spreadsheet to check off different amenities to compare them with the name, location, url, price, and various features of course. There’s a section at the end of this post of the websites I used for research.

The location of Wakakusa no Yado Maruei is technically alongside Lake Kawaguchi, but with Fujisan only 30 km away,  it felt like we were only next door. After we arrived at the train station (Kawaguchi-ko Station), we followed instructions to go to the Information Center connected to it where the woman behind the desk called Wakakusa no Yado Maruei for us so they could get us using their shuttle. They run their shuttle so you use it to get to the train station after check out and they bring you to the ryokan for check in.

I was already super stoked even at the train station because the train you take to get here (Fujikyu Railway, not covered by JR pass) passes right by Mount Fuji: look at the view from the train window at the Fujisan stop (2 stops away), and at Kawaguchiko station when we got out! The stop in between Fujisan and Kawaguchiko is Fuji Q Highland – a roller coaster amusement park with Evangelion World, Thomas the Train land, and just a casual view of Mount Fuji. The train stop is closer to the park than even the handicapped parking spots for cars in amusement parks in the US.
View of Fujisan from Kawaguchiko Station when disembarking the Fujikyu Railway car View of Mount Fuji from the Fujisan stop while taking the Fujikyu Railway View of Mount Fuji from the Fujisan stop while taking the Fujikyu Railway

When we checked in, we were asked what time slot we wanted our dinner brought to our room, and also what time slot we wanted for breakfast in a common room. The front desk is also where you can inquire about renting the private onsen. After checking in, they brought us to seated area with windows overlooking Lake Kawaguchiko and welcomed us with green tea and a tea snack.
At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, after checking in at the front desk they took us to a room that seemed like an empty cafe with tables and chairs, and sat us at a table with a view of Lake Kawaguchiko to welcome us with tea and a tea snack At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, after checking in at the front desk they took us to a room that seemed like an empty cafe with tables and chairs, and sat us at a table with a view of Lake Kawaguchiko to welcome us with tea and a tea snack At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, after checking in at the front desk they took us to a room that seemed like an empty cafe with tables and chairs, and sat us at a table with a view of Lake Kawaguchiko to welcome us with tea and a tea snack

Then, we were taken to our room and given a small tour of the room including showing us how we shelve our shoes to wear slippers, how the toilet room had slippers to change into (this was also true even of the public restroom in the ryoken – there were just washroom slippers awaiting anyone who went in), and where to get the yukatas and also our little plastic drawstring bags to carry the complimentary washcloth, hair brush, scrunchee, etc. to the onsen. In the back past the massage chair there was a 3 part wash area – a tiled room with a sink area, another tiled room with the ofuro tub you could fill with hot spring water and open the window into a rock garden area and a view of Mount Fuji, and one final tiled room with a shower. Here’s a look at the tatami floored traditional Japanese room.
After opening our front door, there is a small foyer for us to remove our shoes and change into our slippers at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei After opening our front door, there is a small foyer for us to remove our sheos and change into our slippers at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. On the right is a bathroom, with bathroom slippers. Looking into our main room from the sliding door at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei At our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei, this is the private onsen with a view of a small rock garden and Mount Fuji to the back. You can see the wind blowing some of the snow off Mount Fuji back there behind the trees

After dinner, staff snuck in while we were at the private onsen and moved the table and set up our futon.
Our futon setup by staff at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

Going up to visit the observation deck (just one floor above the rotenburo floor) gives you a preview of what the rotenburo what the Lake Kawaguchiko view and the other rotenburo with the Mount Fuji view would be:
View from the rooftop of the lake at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. Later when I went into the outdoor women View from the rooftop of the lake at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. Later when I went into the outdoor women's onsen for the day, it was also a view of the lake from this side View from the observation deck at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. Mount Fuji, Fujisan! The viewfinder was free and pretty cool to look at the details of the the mountain View from the observation deck at our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. Mount Fuji, Fujisan!

As you may have seen me mention above, there were 4 onsen available to visit at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei. They are divided by men and ladies – with each getting one indoor and one rotenburo for the evening, and then by morning they are swapped so you can visit the other two. When we checked in, the rotenburo for ladies was the Lake Kawaguchiko view and a marble indoor one, then in the morning the ones I visited for ladies was a rotenburo with the view of Mount Fuji and the indoor one featured a waterfall setting and also an additional mineral bath. Both the indoor ones also had a sauna room.
One of the rotenburo at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei - they have one with the Lake Kawaguchiko view that is larger, and then a smaller one with this seemingly insanely close to Mount Fuji view. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei
One of the rotenburo at Wakakusa no Yado Maruei – they have one with the Lake Kawaguchiko view that is larger, and then a smaller one with this seemingly insanely close to Mount Fuji view. Photo from Wakakusa no Yado Maruei

Part of the wonderful experience of the ryokan was also having our dinner in our room. In the next Travel Tuesday post I’ll show you what our traditional Japanese dinner was like, as well as our breakfast the next day.

Have you stayed at a ryokan before, or is staying at a ryokan or visiting an onsen on your bucket list? Would you ever visit an onsen town, or onsen theme park?
At the rooftop of our ryokan Wakakusa no Yado Maruei with Fujisan only 30 km away

More Resources on Onsen and Ryokan

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Japan Travel: Snow Monkeys in Hot Springs

February 16, 2016 by 10 Comments

One of the favorite things I did during my trip to Japan in December was visit the Snow Monkeys of Nagano. Specifically, there is an area called Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park (also known as Shigakogen, although the park is not in the ski resort area of Shiga Kogen but at the base of the Shiga Kogen region). At the park you can encounter wild Japanese macaque who while living up to their name in that they live in the mountains where there is snow, also find respite from the cold by bathing in natural hot springs. There are other various areas and attractions on Japan that also feature snow monkeys, but only Jigokudani Monkey Park has the additional bonus of the snow monkeys bathing in a spa.
Me and snow monkeys at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Visiting Jigokudani Monkey Park is something you can easily do as a day trip from Tokyo, but it does involve a couple hours of travel time. You can also choose to stay in the area overnight, where besides seeing monkeys in hot springs, you can enjoy hot springs in onsen yourself in the nostalgic spa towns of Shibu and Yudanaka, or go skiing. Nagano is part of the four prefectures that make up the Japanese Alps with majestic peaks, multiple ski resorts, and seven cities full of sightseeing opportunities including Matsumoto Castle, Daio the largest wasabi farm, snow huts in Kamakura , or the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route you may have seen photos of with roads featuring towering 20 meter high walls of snow on both sides.

How To Get Here

You can take a tour from Tokyo to Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) or if you have a JR Pass you may want to book the one from Nagano instead and get to Nagano yourself via JR bullet train, aka shinkansen, since that will save a lot of money with the pass. Or do as we did, and do everything on your own time.

Getting to Nagano should be pretty straightforward from Tokyo or whatever city you start from as the shinkansen tickets are easy to get with multiple times available and the tracks clearly labeled down to which car to get into if you have a reserved seat (the signs switch between Japanese and English). To look up train times, I used Hyperdia which is a website as well as an app to help search routes and times for transit everywhere in Japan.
I pose as a conductor with a bunch of models of shinkansen while waiting for the time to board our bullet train to Nagano To Nagano we go to visit the Snow Monkeys - the station has clearly labeled signs showing which track to go to and even where each numbered car will stop so you can get to your reserved seat

For us, from Shinjuku where we were staying, we used our JR pass to travel 30 minutes to the station Omiya, which is a big shinkansen train stop. There, we then took a 1 hour shinkansen to Nagano with reserved seats that are free, again with the JR pass.

The shinkansen we are riding is white and gold - I ran and took this shot from the car we were boarding and then quickly ran back before the doors closed as this was just a stop for the train, not one of the endpoints so it only stops for a few minutes. Our first shinkansen - our JR Pass lets us get free reserved seats. They all are roomy in leg room and have trays and a snack car that comes by, some of the newer ones also have plugs to charge electronic devices.

If you come on your own, once you arrive at Nagano, you can pay on your own for each transportation option, or for a savings, purchase a Snow Monkey 1 Day Pass at the station which gives you unlimited use of Nagaden buses and trains and includes the Snow Monkey entrance fee for 2900 yen for one day. This is a great option if you plan to make a whole day trip in Nagano since you can visit other attractions in the area, be it the ski resort or temples or what not. You can just pay for each leg individually too if you don’t have time to get the pass.

In terms of travel from the Nagano station to the Snow Monkey park, from here you have the option of either

  • taking the private train Nagaden (Nagano Electric Railway, which is not covered by JR pass) to Yudanaka then a quick 7 minute bus to the Kanbayashi Onsen stop and walk up the hill to the park. At Nagano station, you must exit the station to enter the underground Nagaden Nagano Station, next to JR Nagano Station, to catch the local (70 minutes and has one transfer at Shinshu-Nakano Station along the way) or limited express (50 minutes, direct) to the cute Onsen town Yudanaka. This route has more transfers and takes longer, but service is more frequent than below and if you are going to other destinations like staying at a ski resort or onsen, this may be the most convenient for you. To use this bus, you use the same system as other Japanese buses where interestingly enough, you enter at the back door. In this case, you will grab a small, numbered, paper ticket from the machine just inside the entrance and sit down. Then when you get to your stop (you will have to push the Stop button to signal you want the stop), your fare is determined by matching the number on your paper with the sign over the front door. Pay at the machine next to the driver at that front door exit.
  • you can take an express NagaDen bus from the East exit of Nagano station, Bus Stop #3 to the Kanbayashi onsen stop and walk up the hill to the park. This is a longer bus ride than the previous option, but you can go direct from JR Nagano station instead of more transfers. The bus ride is about 40 minutes – so overall, depending on your timing with the train and bus, it can be the faster option than even taking the Nagaden limited express train and more frequent local bus. How often the express bus runs varies – there are less buses per day in summer and but around 12 buses per day in winter. You can see the schedule here on the Nagaden Express Bus page (click on Shiga Kogen after translating the page – I used Chrome browser and Google Translate by clicking in the upper right url box to do the translation. This is also the first link in this content area of the linked page.) For Dec. 5, 2015 – April 4, 2016 this is the direct link to the schedule. This was the transportation option we took. The bus looks like any other limo bus, and you pay the fare with the bus driver when you exit at your stop.

Both ways still involve a bus, and you end up at the same Kanbayashi Onsen stop along the road. The small road you need to take if you face the gas station from the road is just to the left of the station.

The sign over the street indicating that yes, this place we stopped by a gas station and bus shelter is indeed for the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park that we can't see... because it's still a 30 minute walk away through the woods. Bus Stop shelter for both buses that stop here: take either the Nagaden Express that departs/arrives from the Nagano Train Station or the local bus from Yudanaka Train Station. Both stop here at Kanbayashi Onsen-guchi stop at which point you still have the same 30 minutes walk to the park entrance of Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. The Express Bus is more expensive then the Local Bus, but you can take it direct from Nagano Station instead of taking a train from Nagano to Yudanaka.

From here you will have to walk from the Kanbayashi Onsen stop by the road to the gate (Snow Monkey Park signs try to help validate you are going the right way as you walk). This will be about .4 km towards the start of a short 1.6km trail through the woods, and then after the trail you will arrive at the park itself.
Signs with silly monkey drawings trying to reassure us that we are going the right way to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park as we follow a street from the main one into some neighborhood... Confirming that we are walking along the right road to get towards the path that we can then walk to the Monkey Park. Can't read any of it, but I can follow the arrows... and other people who got off the bus with us. Confirming that we are walking along the right road to get towards the path that we can then walk to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

At the gate / right before the 1.6 km trail through the woods towards the park, there is a Snow Monkey Resorts Info & Gift Shop with monkey park souvenirs and which can also store your luggage and rent snowshoes or poles or winter gear like coats or purchase gloves, socks etc. to help you on your trek if you want. After you pay your admission, there are a few small lockers at the park entrance just past where you pay admission. The only restroom once you leave the train station is after the park entrance, right past a very small waiting area/gift shop.
For our December visit to now we're on the forest path to Jigokudani Monkey Park. It is extremely muddy

The walking trail is passable around the year, but wear comfortable waterproof shoes you don’t mind getting dirty especially in winter because it gets covered in snow, or as during my visit was a combo of Rain and snow so it got muddy and could be slightly slippery at the trail edges. After we returned to Tokyo around mid afternoon, we had to go back to the hotel because our pants were covered with mud spots from our walk and we couldn’t really go anywhere with that mess on us. So, you may have to be prepared to not go to another destination right away depending on the state of your pants and shoes! It was nice to stretch our legs walking on the trail after the time on the train and bus though, and despite the mud and we were at least happy it wasn’t icy snow. The woods are full of tall ceder trees, and it goes uphill but not very steep so it’s a very easy walk.
Walking along the muddy trail - at least it's not icy or snowy - for 1.6 km towards Jigokudani Monkey Park, surrounded by tall ceder trees Walking along the muddy trail - at least it's not icy or snowy - for 1.6 km towards Jigokudani Monkey Park, surrounded by tall ceder trees

After the trek through the woods,  you will emerge to the small town Shibu-Yudanaka just outside the park. Almost there! Now it’s just a slight walk to the stairs of the actual park where you will pay admission. From Kanbayashi Onsen when you get off the bus, it probably a 30 minute walk total from street to the monkey park admission window, about 2 km.
Small town just before the entrance of Jigokudani Monkey Park

From the admission gate, it’s only a 5 minute walk to the hot spring, although you can also walk around the path by the river where you might observe other non bathing snow monkey groups. It was very dramatic as we approached the hot spring bath because there was so much steam that we couldn’t see any of the snow monkeys at first – and then it blew away and there they were!
Approaching the hot spring where the snow monkeys bathe to warm up at Jigokudani Monkey Park Approaching the hot spring where the snow monkeys bathe to warm up at Jigokudani Monkey Park

It was very dramatic as we approached the hot spring bath because there was so much steam that we couldn’t see any of the snow monkeys at first – and then it blew away and there they were!

It was very dramatic as we approached the hot spring bath because there was so much steam that we couldn't see any of the snow monkeys at first - and then it blew away and there they were! It was very dramatic as we approached the hot spring bath because there was so much steam that we couldn't see any of the snow monkeys at first - and then it blew away and there they were!

There is also a live webcam set up manned apparently by a team of Monkey Supervisors.
Snow Monkey Livecam supervisor The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - Snow Monkey Livecam Team Meeting

One of the pluses of not going on a tour is that the crowd would ebb and flow clearly based on the presence and timings of tours. We were able to spend our own time here (about 1 1/2 hours once we were inside the park) so didn’t feel a need to rush. Even with a crowd though, everyone was very polite in taking turns in various good spots for photos (by the stairs for instance).
Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park. One of the pluses of not going on a tour is that the crowd would ebb and flow clearly based on the presence and timings of tours. We were able to spend our own time here (about 1 1/2 hours once we were inside the park) so didn't feel a need to rush. Even with a crowd though, everyone was very polite in taking turns in various good spots for photos (by the stairs for instance). Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park. One of the pluses of not going on a tour is that the crowd would ebb and flow clearly based on the presence and timings of tours. We were able to spend our own time here (about 1 1/2 hours once we were inside the park) so didn't feel a need to rush. Even with a crowd though, everyone was very polite in taking turns in various good spots for photos (by the stairs for instance).

While you are waiting for the bus after you finish after you walk back, consider stopping by Enza Cafe for a bite to eat. They also offer free wireless, and it’s one more clean restroom stop before the bus. You can pay by credit card or cash here. They had a warming Zenkoji-Miso Ramen featuring local miso, and even vegetarian options such as fried sweet potato and an odd vegetarian roll that was like Lettuce, Tomato, and mayo sandwich with rice and soy sauce and seaweed instead of bread…?!
After the 30 minute walk down, we hung out at Enza Cafe for a late lunch and wireless access before the next hourly bus would arrive to take us back to the train Enza Cafe is located just outside the Monkey Park, a short walk away from the bus stop. I had the zenkoji miso ramen, which uses a local miso Enza Cafe is located just outside the Monkey Park, a short walk away from the bus stop. they do have vegetarian sushi... sorta. This was like a Lettuce, Tomato, and mayo sandwich with rice and soy sauce and seaweed...?!

Background

Snow Monkeys are endemic to Japan. They are given this moniker because there is no other non-human primate that lives so North and in such cold climates.  With snowfall covering the ground where they would normally be foraging for food, this limits their diet to more meager buds, bark, and dirt for minerals and relying on energy stored from the autumn season. In the winter, the snow monkeys also huddle together for warmth from temperatures that could dip to 14ºF (-10ºC), but the tribes in Jigokudani area fortunate in their territory in that they also have the hot spring baths.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park - On the left middle, their heads are so fluffy! Then on the middle right, the baby sitting on a rock with mom Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park - Look at the lil baby sitting on the rock!

Jigokudani is located in the northern part of Nagano prefecture at an altitude of 850 meters. Jigokudani translates to Hell Valley because of the very steep cliffs, the fact that it is usually buried in snow 1/3 of the year, and there is constantly steam coming off of the springs. The Snow Monkey Park of Jigokudani is in the valley of the Yokoyu River, downstream from Shiga Heights and upriver from Shibu-Yudanaka Onsens.
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - it was fascinating for a while watching the expressions of this monkey as it relaxed in the hot onsen water, and did little details with its face and hands that seemed so human The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - it was fascinating for a while watching the expressions of this monkey as it relaxed in the hot onsen water, and did little details with its face and hands that seemed so human

The Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park was established around 1964 and has one man made pool and entices the wild monkeys to visit sometimes with feed comprised of barley with chaff, soy beans, or apples. However, visitors are not allowed to feed the monkeys as they are completely wild and may terrorize you and based on which monkeys are fed it can cause conflict among the monkey tribe if you don’t respect the rank order – better leave it to the experts. Both males and females have status rankings to establish dominance, and the youngest offspring of high ranking females inherit their mother’s ranking.
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - it was fascinating for a while watching the expressions and seeing them interact with each other or be lost in thought individually alt=

The park is open all year round. Since the monkeys are wild, there is never any guarantee of seeing the monkeys, though there are about 200 in the area and during the coldest periods (December – February) your chances are higher they will be drawn to the hot springs from the forests in the area which is their regular home. Besides the hot springs, the monkeys at Jigokudani are a draw because they have become very used to people and ignore them – just make sure you don’t look at the monkeys straight in the eyes, as that is taken as hostile action! Their faces are so expressive that you can see why they have a lot of weight in faces and not just body language.

Careful focus on arm washing, followed by a judge-y look it seems…?
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park

Since the snow monkeys here are a full natural troop in the wild, the longer you visit you can start to observe their societal hierarchy and relationships, which is why I prefer visiting on my own rather than on a tour that limits your time here. There are no bars in your way, and the monkeys come and go as they please as there are no gates or fences and so you could encounter them anywhere along the way in the park or even a bit outside the park. You can observe them so meticulously groom themselves as they bathe individually, or in a group helping each other out get to the hard to reach places.
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - it was fascinating for a while watching the expressions and seeing them interact with each other or be lost in thought individually The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - it was fascinating for a while watching the expressions and seeing them interact with each other or be lost in thought individually

Some zen out lost in their own thoughts it seems.
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park - Fading in and out of view from the steam Zenning out while enjoying the hot water in contrast to the cold air (it snowed for a bit while we were there, though it didn't stick) at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Zenning out while enjoying the hot water in contrast to the cold air (it snowed for a bit while we were there, though it didn't stick) at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Zenning out while enjoying the hot water in contrast to the cold air (it snowed for a bit while we were there, though it didn't stick) at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Zenning out while enjoying the hot water in contrast to the cold air (it snowed for a bit while we were there, though it didn't stick) at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

There are babies everywhere.
Just one of the tiny babies, hanging out at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Just one of the tiny babies, hanging out at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park

The snow monkeys hang out everywhere – in the water, on the rocks, even right next to you on the railings without a care for the paparazzi around them. Though it did seem one particular monkey was posing on purpose…
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park

It’s truly hard to not be charmed by them each individually – or in their groups. These two were snuggled like this the whole visit, demonstrating the definition of how close 2 individuals can snuggle.
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park. These two were snuggled like this the whole visit, demonstrating the definition of how close 2 individuals can snuggle.

It took up 3/4 of a day for us to make this trip – we arrived at Nagano in time for one of the two 9:05 AM buses, so we arrived at Jigokudani around 10:15 AM and we left around to catch the 12:50 bus so that we were back in Tokyo by mid-afternoon to relax as I wrote snow monkey postcards before we went out for Winter Illuminations (I covered that in a previous Japan Travel post) and dinner. It made for an early morning which is why I picked it early on in our trip – and there was no snow that stuck in our mid December visit although it did snow, and we saw snow at higher elevations above us. This excursion is one of the favorite things I did in Japan as it is so unique to Japan and many visitors to Japan don’t take this trip.

The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Yaen Koen Monkey Park

More Info on Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Us at Jigokudani Monkey Park in December 2015

Have you heard of the Snow Monkeys of Japan before? Would you make this a stop on your visit in Japan, or was one of the other options I mentioned earlier in the Japanese Alps be more interesting? Have you heard of the Japanese Alps before? Is there an animal that you would be willing to spend a half day or more especially to go visit when you are travelling?

Seeing the Snow Monkeys enjoying the hot springs made me want to enjoy one too… And I’ll cover human Onsen in my next Travel Tuesday post.  

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel – Winter Illuminations

February 2, 2016 by 13 Comments

My trip to Japan occurred during Christmas and New Year’s. For the Japanese, Christmas is not seen as a religious holiday, which makes sense since they don’t share the Christian religion, with Shinto and Buddhism dominating as the national religions instead. But, they have carried over one major thing – the idea of lots of sparkling holiday lights which they call Winter Illuminations.

In the Western world not all those that celebrate Christmas are religious either of course. Nowadays Christmas often leans more towards being a cultural holiday involving family gathering together. It’s also a consumerist holiday involving a lot of shopping and holiday sales in the name of gift giving and holiday parties.

But the Japanese don’t really celebrate Christmas in either of those ways either, with the only 2 exceptions being the pushing of Kentucky Fried Chicken as a Christmas meal, and the promotion of Christmas Cake. You can reserve your KFC meal ahead of time, and there are lines! I was somehow charmed by Colonel Sanders Santa every time I saw him though.
Kentucky Fried Chicken heavily markets its fried chicken as a Christmas meal - so much that you can pre-order family meals, and there are lines for Christmas! Colonel Sanders Santa! Kentucky Fried Chicken heavily markets its fried chicken as a Christmas meal - so much that you can pre-order family meals, and there are lines for Christmas!

For the Japanese, instead it’s New Year’s that is the time for gathering with families – many people close down their shops or leave work for extended holidays to return to their hometowns. Similarly, it’s the rationale of New Year’s for their end of year holiday parties, and big New Year’s sale with heavily discounted grab bags.

As for presents, I won’t try to touch the explanation for gift giving in Japanese culture that has a whole etiquette involved in terms of presentation, social obligation, reciprocation, and the many many reasons and occasions that call for gift giving, including coming back from a trip or as thanks (or even as a thank you for a thank you…). For Christmas, only children who believe in Santa might receive gifts – Santa doesn’t give gifts to non-believers, which apparently includes all adults.
Christmas Cake and more in Japan Christmas Cake and more in Japan
At least everyone gets to eat Christmas Cake, adults and kids

Instead, Christmas Eve and Day are regular work days. Some who might celebrate Christmas view it more as a romantic holiday where a couple goes out to celebrate on Christmas Eve. This explains why when I saw Christmas decorations, hearts sometimes showed up as a motif, and there were mostly couples not families who were out for Christmas.
Heart on Tokyo Tower as part of its Winter Fantasy ~ Orange Illumination from November 23 2015 to February 29 2016
Heart on Tokyo Tower as part of its Winter Fantasy ~ Orange Illumination from November 23 2015 to February 29 2016

The holiday lights are the most noticeable way that the Japanese celebrate Christmas. Most of the holiday lights I saw were in large public areas, often by a lot of stores, often in a park area and/or down entire streets. Though I don’t know if I can really call them Christmas lights, since some of those major light installations go up in early November. Although some of the lights might go down on December 25, others light installations might stay until even mid or end of February!

Christmas Trees are conceptual rather than any real evergreens or full of lots of ornaments.
Winter Illumination of a tree and penguin friends by Shinjuku Terrace City, a version of Christmas lights Winter Illumination of a tree with light projections by Shinjuku Terrace City, a version of Christmas lights

Overall, there are several places that offer holiday lights where I often saw a lot of couples walking and enjoying it hand in hand (and of course snapping photos). During my trip, we made it to 3 Winter Illumination displays.

Shinjuku Terrace City Illumination

Shinjuku Terrace City is sort of an outdoor shopping space that has a small park between the stores. Within this park, they light up 300 globes and 235,000 LED bulbs on the trees.
Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City

These lights are up from mid November to mid February. So even if you are visiting not in the Christmas holiday time, you might be able to catch them!
Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City

It also included a “Christmas Tree” which is really more like a sculpture in the shape of a tree. The Penguin tree you saw earlier in this post was from this area. Also, there was another tree at the end of the park. Interestingly enough, it was all white and more of a tree shaped sculpture. It was illuminated with a projector that offered different patterns based on people putting hands on pedestal placed a bit in front of it. Each pattern was animated and used different colors, lasting for 30 seconds or so.
One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations

You can see there were apparently six different possible patterns on the sign to the left. To the right you can see a globe like pedestal with outlines of two hands that people would place their hands on to start a new projection/illumination on the tree.
One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations

Roppongi Hills

Roppongi Hills area has a “Christmas Tree” along with lights within a shopping center, and also all down the street of Keyakizaka. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs that switch from a “Snow and Blue” theme to “Candle and Red”. These lights were up from the beginning of November until Christmas Day, so given when you see Christmas stuff show up in stores here in the US, I could justify calling these holiday lights.

I liked the extra sparkle of the tree.
Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme The winter illuminations at Roppongi Hills - this holiday tree changes color. This is a fashionable area (a bit like Michigan Avenue) and we noticed a lot more women making up the population then usual

In the park area, the darker shady areas with the trees around the pond and which was quieter than the shopping area with the stores made for a romantic walk as couples held hands.
They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does- it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does- it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does - it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights

Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street is a fashionable area (reminds me a bit like Michigan Avenue) and we noticed a lot more women making up the population then usual who were dressed really well. The blue and white lights along the classy street were on every single tree. We were on our way to Midtown so didn’t linger long enough to see the change to the Candle and Red theme.
Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills. along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red. And you can see the hearts here reflecting how Christmas is more a romantic holiday than the US

Midtown Christmas

Similarly, the Midtown Christmas, by the Galleria shopping center, has its display from mid November to December 25 also count as holiday lights to me. You can easily walk between Roppongi Hills to Midtown in order to see both these Winter Illuminations. The ones at Midtown include 180,003 lights and a “starry sky illumination” theme that include lights that appear to be shooting stars or falling stars, all set to music in a park in the back that they call a “Starlight Garden”.

It’s very organized even though it’s extremely popular – there is only one way to enter the park and then you walk counter clockwise, with cones and security there to maintain order. Here’s a look at the Starlight Garden from a balcony to get an idea of the size!
A look back as we walk towards the street of the size of the Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 to get a look of the size of the Starlight Garden A look back as we walk towards the street of the size of the Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 to get a look of the size of the Starlight Garden

The lights – the way they slowly turn on just the blue at the time, and then adding more, the way they move with the music slowly downward while twinkling, upward like shooting into the sky, or fast horizontally on a circular track like a shooting star… it was breathtaking.
The beautiful Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 with 180,003 lights and a starry sky illumination technology light show set to music for its Starlight Garden alt=
The beautiful Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 with 180,003 lights and a starry sky illumination technology light show set to music – in the background from this view you can see Tokyo Tower and its updated lighting that changes over time during the evening

These photos just don’t do it justice. So here’s a video we took, though that still doesn’t do justice to how it looked in person.

This is where I found a listing of the Winter Illuminations:

What do you think of how the Japanese celebrate Christmas? Is there anything you’d miss, or something you like about their view on Christmas? Have you been in a foreign country during Christmas before and how did they celebrate it that was different?

If you’re one of my Portland readers, and do you know there is a FREE Winter Light Festival for us too? Check out the family friendly Portland Winter Light Festival coming February 3-6, 2016 along the East Bank Esplanade and by OMSI.

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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