A day trip to Obuse (小布施日帰りのたび)

It’s always exciting to visit places I’ve never been.

imageToday I start at Shinano Oiwake station of Shinano railway.

I had to get up quite early to get in 7:50 train. 信濃追分駅出発

image   image  A view of tweed around the station.Standing on the platform of the station Mr Asama can be seen beyond tweed.浅間山が見えます

image A train is coming. imageTrain is approaching,

This train for Karuizawa not for Nagano. 信濃鉄道です

imageThis is inside of Nagano Dentetsu which I have never been.

image   imageSome seets seem to have been brought from somewhere, from other train.I was surprised how much they charge from Nagano to Obuse, 670 yen, thought expensive. カラフルだけど運賃は高い

Arrived Obuse. This time there is no bus around the city, in fact no bus at all people have means of transportation only on foot. So I took a taxi to Gannshouin

image.   image  A small building outside Ganshoin and mountains behind. バスはこの時期動いていません

image   image  Entrance to ganshoin and information board.

image   image  Niomon gate and main building through Niomon gate.

image Ganshoin Hondou(main building) I went to Ganshoin to see a Chinese phoenix painted by Hokusai (Katsushika Hokusai) but I was not very much impressed.

image   image  Grape trees wrapped with straws to prevent them from cold north wind, they say.I started to chat with owner and she said she lost her mother-in-law and her husband last year. I always enjoy talking with local people.土地の人と話すのはたのしい

image   image  Two private houses.A house left reminds me of my home town Hakodate. The house looks like typical houses in Hakodate, in Hokkaidou.

image   imageNoren(shop curtains) are symbol of Obuse. They represent Sake or Obuse’s symbol chesnuts.

image   imageChestnut Tree Terrace & Masuichi Ichimura Sake brewer.Chestnut Tree Terrace coffee shop is recommended by information at the station and as they recommended their Mont Blanc cake made of Obuse chesnuts are so delicious that I had two.Masuichi Ichimura is known as an American woman invited an architect designer from Hong Kong and renovated the brewer completely with the etrangere’s sense.I read her book and was impressed on her different point of view.

 

image   image  Noren (shop curtain) of Obusedou, one of the most famous of Japanese cakes made of chestnuts.Museum was closed due to being under construction, I must visit them again.

image   image  Tiny quarter of old houses which brought me to Edo period(timetripped)/ 江戸時代のよう

image   image Where I am now? I am lost in other world? This is a reality or not? It seemed people lives cosily without having so many things, simple is best, so they carried simple life.

image   image  They know the beauty of pots. And even carrier is displayed.

image    image  Barrell to be used to make sake.

image   imageOld house with nicely trimmed pine trees. Barrells to see from different direction.

image    image  Exit gate and backyard of Obusedou.

image  People walking are matching to old houses.

 

 

 

Electric appliances/subtitle:one after another 家電

Toward the end of last year, floor heating stopped all the sudden.For a couple of days we were without floor heating.It was end November and we let an old oil heater we keep for emergency work.This oil heater works without electricity.This keeps you warm with oild match or lighter, so we keep this in case of all electricity gone.

Repair man came and changed a part.OK, all OK I thought.A week later, floor heating stopped again and  according to an error message on remote control repairman changed two parts.

Having regular visitors during New Year our aircondition which we bought about 20 years ago had to be renewed.It’s not working since summer.I asked a repairman to come and see whether possibilities of repair lies or not.He said he could not find anywhere wrong except sensor.But they do not produce the same type any longer so I did not have any other coice than buying a new one.

We went to a couple of shops and found a shop they could instal one on 30th December. On 31st December, New Years Eve we have visitors and I was afraid that floor heating is out of order again.Anyway on 30th we had a new air conditioner.

It was only a few days ago when a large oil heater at my second house went off. Oh lala nad it was in the evening and not during office hours.The following day a repairman came and his explanation was exactly same as the case of airconditioner. Nothing wrong other than so and so part but this has been discontinued. Well, what should I do.Can you suggest alternative way, oh yes go without and be frozen dead. Exaggerating? No, I believe Japan’s pruducts are highly ranked in quality and will last minimum 30 years. However, despite the fact of good quality they keep parts for 8 to 10 years. incredible, indeed incredible!! …to Japanese