Gliding above the Japanese Alps!

Many other Ryokans and places to stay too,

generally thinking....patience, small scale and time up sleeve for hanging around if you feel comfortable - will possibly be rewarding.

You might feel it - the slow life.

Enjoy the moment.

Local people sometimes appreciate a conversation in broken Japanese, that's longer than 'konichi-wa, arigato'.

If you can make just one long sentence / question? - It could trigger a real Japanese adventure......what's your hit? Even though you may sometimes think we are crazy, respect for local people is the most valuable thing you can bring. We can see it on your face and in your eyes even if we cannot speak. We can hear you.....that's right - crazy but half true.

Their are many things here, 15-100kg, that move amazingly fast - seem to fly - even though thick vegetation,

sometimes 4legs, sometimes 2legs, sometimes 4legs and wings?!!??!!! - Get off the bus / train, away from the noise of the city and Yamanouchi-town hills will hit you. There is nothing here, so 'don't come', but if you do end up here for some reason, talk to some locals and have a look for yourself. About 50km x 80km of,....er.....nothing.

If you are busy and in a hurry, recommend Tokyo Disneyland - you can feel busy and in a hurry there too.

Also interesting ha ha.

Yamanouchi = rural culture, high class entertainment, nothing.^-^....

....and there's the railway company that pumps people up here to see the snow monkeys for a moment before whisking off again...help us out by acclimatizing a little ha ha. You won't understand 'the snow monkeys' in one day. ..Why,... Talk to people if you can...what's a biosphere? What's Unesco? How much water is in a tree? Is my smart phone alive?

Around Yudanaka station, there are sometimes volunteers to help visitors,

your help to help the volunteers is also appreciated. Volunteers and respect will make it all work.

A little more info at yudanakastation.com

or Zeno's site also very good.

Yamanouchi official tourism webpage here

Also worth a visit on the way Obuse town, Suzaka City, Matsushiro....good luck.

Location: Jigoku-dani (Hell-Valley), Yama-no-uchi Machi (Mountain-the-IN Town), Nagano-ken (Long-feild-land), Nihon (Japan)

For mountain accommodation:

• Shiga Palace Hotel (one of few hotels up here that operate almost 365days a year - your business is our business^-^ - most reliable ski training ground in Japan, and best instructors will maybe teach you Japanese - make good friends)
• Hotel Khuls Ichinose
• Hotel Grand Phenix
• many others, google it

Emergency Telephone

110 Police, 119 Fire or Ambulance - needed more often than you'd expect.

Monkey problem Tel 0269-33-4379

Mountain rescue 110 or 119 - user pays.

Recommended accommodation: Ryokan Biyu no Yado (JTB)

Recommended sightseeing outside of Yamanouchi-town:

Obuse Town Suzaka City Matsushiro Iyama City