Yamada Ryokan (Otari ♨️) Stay DAY 2

-----------Continuing from DAY 1-----------

Staying for consecutive nights is truly wonderful (3rd time).

Consecutive nights provide a Buddha-like composure that can accept any event.

I believe the worldly desire known as "insatiable curiosity" is the polar opposite of this "sublime composure."

It is the mindset that thinks, "Even though I could stay at two ♨️ ryokans during a three-day weekend, why stay at just one place..."

Until now, I have been completely controlled by this desire.

However, through this consecutive-night stay, a sense of ease has been born in my heart, and finally... oh, but I have to go hiking to Tsugaike Nature Park now!

The purpose of this consecutive-night stay was not to savor sublime composure, but rather the opposite: to forcibly cram in two summer resort hikes.

In other words, this consecutive-night stay was merely an imitation of the consecutive-night stays I admire; it was, so to speak, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

In the end, what lay at the root this time was also just "insatiable curiosity."

In the future, I would like to transform into a "sublime consecutive-night player" who enjoys "sublime composure."

I will make this a challenge for the next stage.

So, after having a light Morning Spa 2, I will start preparing for the hike.

Access from Yamada Ryokan to Tsugaike Kogen is even closer than going to Hakuba.

I drive up steadily and first take the gondola (Hakuba is Adam, and Tsugaike is Eve).

Next, I take the ropeway and arrive at Tsugaike Nature Park.

The hike begins.

I thought it would be all flat, but there were some ups and downs.

While many people were observing the alpine plants with interest, I was convinced that if I did an impression of Manitaro Makino from the morning drama, it would definitely get a laugh (I didn't do it).

A drink after exercise.

I return to Yamada Ryokan with a light sense of fatigue.

It is a relief to have a place to return to nearby.

Staying for consecutive nights is truly wonderful (4th time).

DAY 2 login bonus.

So, I will start my hot spring therapy.

The ♨️ Demon's Waterfall (*) is also still there.

*A structure I named on my own on DAY 1 (I realized later that it is a waterfall bath).

I'll wander around the building.

My goodness, it is super wonderful and very lovely.

I will also take a tour of the Edo building.

It is 5:30 PM, so it is time for dinner.

The fact that the menu changes is also a pleasure of staying for consecutive nights.

The one Western-style dish was very delicious and nice.

Staying for consecutive nights is truly wonderful (5th time).

I will also do hot spring therapy at night.

I realized for the first time on the night of the second day that the ♨️ Demon's Waterfall was actually a waterfall bath!

Staying for consecutive nights is truly wonderful (6th time).

Taking a waterfall bath with demonic-looking mineral deposits behind me is quite a sensation.

Due to two consecutive days of exercise, I start to feel sleepy while looking at the stars from the open-air bath.

Since I'm not used to seeing so many stars since I was a child, I feel a sense of awe when I'm in an area where you can observe a massive amount of stars.

I feel like I can somehow understand why stars are present in the traces of ancient civilizations around the world.

At the very least, the air must have been clean.

zzzzzzzzz

It is morning.

After reading a bit of My Home Hero, I head to the warming venue.

It is breakfast.

I will come again.

Have a good day 🏞️

A few years ago, I encountered terrible traffic on the Chuo Expressway on the last day of a long weekend, so I decided to return via the Hokuriku Expressway, even though it's a bit of a detour.

Before that, I stopped by Hakuba to tour the Snow Peak facility, and while I was at it, I bought a waterproof jacket for hiking at an outlet price at Patagonia.

After that, I also stopped by a supermarket in Itoigawa and bought a large amount of local dried soba noodles and soba dipping sauce.

In the end, I arrived home 8 hours after leaving Hakuba.

By the way, the outbound trip via the Chuo Expressway took just under 6 hours without any detours.

The cause of the time difference is, of course, traffic jams.

I did my best to avoid traffic by driving on local roads from Otani Castle to Nagahama on the Hokuriku Expressway, and from Ritto to Kasatori (Keiji Bypass) on the Meishin Expressway, so I have no regrets, but it is certain that 1) it would have been better to choose the Chuo Expressway instead of the Hokuriku Expressway, and 2) it would have been better to finish the purpose of going to Hakuba on the last day during the first day.

I will be careful next long weekend!

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