Berry's SEAJ trip Day 62: Hot springs for me, hot springs for monkeys (8/6/15)

Kei picked me up from my hostel and we got donuts from 7/11 before heading to our first destination of the day. Drive into the mountain and eventually wind up at an onsen (public bath house) with milky white water; and we have the whole thing to ourselves.

An expensive resort onsen that we confused for the place we were trying to go. They pointed us in the right direction across the bridge.

Not a bad view as we cross the bridge to find our onsen.

Berry found some pretty flours as we headed toward the onsen. so we took pictures.

Let the onsen experience begin.

Look at that view. Best hot tub ever (and the milky white water coming from minerals in the water).

We be tubbin! Such a nice day for relaxing.

It is nestled in a valley with trees all around making for some beautiful scenery as we enjoy the hot water (the outside bath leaves black marks on your skin due to the mineral sediment on the rocks). So now would be a good time to mention that in these onsen's the genders have their separate areas and you are to enjoy the baths naked; yes I was bare-bum naked with a dude I met less than 24 hours ago in a giant hot tub – when in Rome So we hung out in the water and chatted before deciding we should go grab some food at a noodle place on the way to our next stop.

Little lunch stop in a quaint little stop on the side of the road. Tasty grub!

Berry met a new friend with a big heart after we ate lunch. 

After a little drive, we are at the Monkey Park. Have to pay 500Y to park and then another 500Y once we try and enter the monkey park itself. I figured the parking pass was also for the park (as the monkey park is secluded from the rest of the onsen town) but it was just to park in the lot. Before going into the Monkey Park, we went to the onsen right before the park which was not as nice as the first one, however it had an outdoor bath that people going to the monkey park could see you, so we did not go out there. This one was also colder as the water coming in was extremely hot and therefore they had to have cold water gushing into it in order to offset it. After the onsen, we go to the monkey park and there are tons of the monkeys just hanging around playing with each other. We get to their hot spring where there is a camera set up so people can watch the monkeys on the internet, and eventually a few monkeys wade in and swim around; I expected none to enter since it is the middle of summer. We then drive back to the onsen town and walk around so Kei can get some souvenirs and we can try some handmade gelato which was delicious; I got cheese flavored and it actually worked.

Our indoor onsen before we go see some monkeys. Figure we should also have been in an onsen if the monkeys are going to do it too.

We are almost there! Cant wait!

Nice view up the river of the Japanese area that contains the monkey village.

The cool house with the onsen we just came from.

Little natural steam generator outside the onsen on the way to the monkey park.

Monkey playing with water ripples. Goes to show you we arent so different.

Berry going over to meet some new friends of his.

Berry likes being pet by that monkey friend of his.

Monkeys humaning around

I wonder how one gets in on this action. Berry could use a good grooming.

Relationship goals right here

"mmmm this hand tastes better than the last"

Tiny cute monkeys scurrying about

Just a little lazy grooming action going on. nothing to see here.

Monkeys lounging on the walkway. 

I could have watched monkeys bath in hot tubs from my couch. dang it!

Love is all around us. Just gotta know where to look.

Berry talking to his lil monkey buddy.

Berry watching a monkey eat some grub in a hot tub. Pay no attention to those monkeys in the background.

See monkeys like waterfalls too. 

Monkey seeing monkeys not hearing, speaking, or seeing. 

Berry hanging out with his horribly taxidermied friend. 

Berry looking down at the onsen place we came from before checking out the monkeys. Great surroundings to be taking in.

Up at the entrance taking pics of the monkeys down below.

Evil monkey creeping on Berry. 

Cheese ice cream in a little tea house setting. Was surprisingly good.

Berry fancied the bell tower above the etched stone. 

We then went to check out Obuse but the town was more or less closed so we went back to Nagano and got Kei checked into his hostel. After he is settled, we and 2 other people from his place go grab some dinner at a nearby noodle place before grabbing a drink across the street at a place called “India Rock Bar” or something like that which had a large selection of antiquated stereo equipment. After our drink we got the check (we were the only ones in the place) and it was twice the expected amount. Turns out they have a 500Y pp charge if you sit at a table (it was on the menu but none of us saw it). I understand why that place had no one in it. After that place, we walk down the street and go into another place that didn't have the pp charge. We have a couple of drinks and the wait staff stay and keep serving after closing so that we could keep drinking. While there, we did a Hakushu vs. Yamazaki tasting and I was the only one of the 4 who preferred the Hakushu. After closing that place down, we went our separate ways as it was bed time.

The gang for the night. Wild and crazy guys. :)

Whiskey for the bear. He doesnt mind.