April 17, 2025 Thursday
Nagano to Niigata to Nagaoka
Nagano to Niigata to Nagaoka
After another happy breakfast, we were out the door of the hotel by 8:30 AM. All our suitcases were left outside our rooms to be picked up by "Tiger" who drove the van holding all our baggage.
We stopped at a shrine for a dog named Hayataro who lived 700 years ago. Erika told us that girls were being sacrificed to a baboon monster. Hayataro was able to rescue more girls from being killed by destroying the monster. The shrine was erected to honor this brave canine. 
Our next stop was Minowa Ichinomiya to see plum or peach blossoms.
We then traveled on to Niigata to see a fireworks presentation at the Nagaoka Hanabi (Fireworks) Museum. We were told that this started after the WWII bombing.
During the long ride after the fireworks museum, Erika told us about the famous snow monkeys who like to soak in the onsen waters during the winter.
Nagano is known for their delicious sweet apples. The apple growers were really upset by the monkeys who kept coming to eat the apples from their orchards so the farmers started throwing apples as far away as they could to keep them away from their trees. Eventually some of the fruit landed in the hot springs. The monkeys went after them and discovered how much they liked the warm waters. More monkeys began going into the hot springs.
We arrived in Nagaoka. Our hotel for the night would be the Hotel New Otani Nagaoka. Matt took us to a shopping center where we happily went to another 100 yen ($.70) store. That was fun. We grabbed a quick dinner there which we had in our hotel room.
Our next stop was Minowa Ichinomiya to see plum or peach blossoms.
Unfortunately, it was a little too early in the season so the trees were not in full bloom.
There was a lot of forsythia. However, we had a huge hedge of it next to our house when we lived in Illinois so they weren't that amazing for us. Still, you could enjoy the happy color.
Art climbed up the tower there and could see lots of cherry blossoms in the distance.
We then traveled on to Niigata to see a fireworks presentation at the Nagaoka Hanabi (Fireworks) Museum. We were told that this started after the WWII bombing.
During the long ride after the fireworks museum, Erika told us about the famous snow monkeys who like to soak in the onsen waters during the winter.
Nagano is known for their delicious sweet apples. The apple growers were really upset by the monkeys who kept coming to eat the apples from their orchards so the farmers started throwing apples as far away as they could to keep them away from their trees. Eventually some of the fruit landed in the hot springs. The monkeys went after them and discovered how much they liked the warm waters. More monkeys began going into the hot springs.
Eventually Life Magazine photographed and wrote an article about them which made them world famous.
We arrived in Nagaoka. Our hotel for the night would be the Hotel New Otani Nagaoka. Matt took us to a shopping center where we happily went to another 100 yen ($.70) store. That was fun. We grabbed a quick dinner there which we had in our hotel room.
Tomorrow, we'd be taking a 75 minute jet foil ride to Sado Island.
It's a very busy trip - so much to see and do.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your trip stories! Did you see any firework demonstrations at the fireworks museum.... I am assuming it was daylight so could not see them in the sky? And were you in the area where the snow monkeys live? You're a good dog, Hayataro!
ReplyDeleteIt was just a museum so we didn't get to see any actual fireworks. We did see videos of what it would look like.
DeleteYes, we were sort of in the area the snow monkeys live... sort of. It's interesting to wonder how Hayataro's legend began.
Sorry about the peaches -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteYou're doing and seeing so much! The snow monkeys in the hot springs, very cute!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying your trip as much as I am. I love the temples and shrines from a time we'll never know but know preserved. The fireworks table showing how they different orbs explode was interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, I'm so glad you're enjoying these posts about the trip. The trip was in April though. We've been so busy that I posted them well after we returned. After the trip to Japan, we went to Illinois to see our granddaughter graduate and now we've got our son and family visiting for a month so our lives are a little chaotic right now... but happily so.
DeleteNice displays! My pyromaniac son would love to see the fireworks museum. I always wondered how big they were before being exploded. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThe history behind some of the monuments makes them more interesting as in the snow monkeys.
ReplyDeleteGreat trip so far! It is worth all the headaches and hassles just before you left.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing trip. It is still my wish to do a bit of traveling.
ReplyDeleteWow!
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