What a big damage a lot of joltings of the wagon gave to Emiko as such!
A strange noise suddenly woke me up at 10:00 or so at night. Emiko, my wife, seems to be vomitting in the bathroom.

If it had ended then, it would have been no big deal, because there had been such a trouble of carsickness with her before.
This time was not such. She continued to vomit until 3:00 a.m.

Naturally she skipped breakfast.
So, I gave up the visit to Matsumoto Castle today and even all the expected plans of this trip. On the contrary, it might not be bad to make friends with the hot spring in this Inn for the whole staying days. I resigned myself to this happening, lonely eating okayu breakfast of the inn's pride.

According to TV, it is now minus 1 degree around here. But it will be fine the whole day and the temperature will go up to 17 degrees at the highest.

Though not influenced by Emiko, I feel dull in poor fatigue, too. Is it because of too much drink last night? Or because of that jolting drive on the winding slope?
So, not soaking in the bath this morning, I have been dozing off until later than 10:00.

"Let's walk around, shall we?"
Such voice, suddenly. I have no time to doubt it, because Emiko is ready.
We left the hotel at 11:00, and strolled a while along the stream according to a pictorial map.
It is quite fine and very warm like an Indian summer. Emiko looks comfortable, thanks to it.

When walked for ten minutes or so, the road forked at the point just after the tourist information office built like an old private house.
We entered a side road and found stone statues of Buddha, each about 50 centimeters high, looking this way. They are Thirty-Three Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.

Feeling receiving their kindhearted mercy, I admitted they were well matched with the surrounding plain landscape.

Back to the main road and going ahead, we found within a minute several thin falls on the right. This view was Ryujin Falls (Falls of the Dragon God).

Ryujin Falls with beautiful streams like innumerable white strings. Early spring of the wonderful contrast of fresh green following melting snow and fall of red leaves in full bloom, ..., these two seasons are highly recommended. (the pictorial map)

It is innapropriate to compare this view to Nachi Falls in my hometown. It is a small view here, but well matched with the very quiet surrounding landscapes.

Ryujin Falls, Other Pictures

There was a miniature hill near the tourist office. I walked up to the top to find the literature monument of Nakazato Kaizan.

The pictorial map explains as follows.

Looking at the monument, I recalled the illusion when I visited Mogami River in Yamagata Prefecture. This passage appears in the last chapter as "Daibosatsu Pass and Shirahone Spa".

There are Tsui-doshi or Kansuikei Valley down the foot of the mountain. They are said to be natural tunnels of limestone eroded by rapid streams.

- - - - -
Lunch at Baiko-an, a Japanese soba-noodle restaurant near Tsuruya Inn. Both the appearance and the inside are so elegant. It runs an open-air bath, too.

We did not order Tohji soba, the restaurant specialty, because Emiko had no appetite and this dish cooked in a pot has to be ordered at least for 2 in principle.
I ate Shinshu-zaru-soba noodle, and Emiko an okayu (rice-porridge) set. I helped eat Emiko's leftover, so I felt more than full.

Baiko-an Restaurant, Other Pictures

In the meantime, it was nearly 2:00 p.m. We decided to finish today's sightseeing.
Soaked in a hot spring a little longer, and dinner was from 6:00 p.m. Emiko ate half of the dish and I gave my liver a rest.
After watching TV for a while, both of us went to bed, too early to Emiko. She fell into sleep immediately and peacefully tonight.

I am looking back the whole day in bed.
Thinking of Emiko's physical condition, it was quite a bargain that we were able to walk this much, .....
Well, one of the most important places of interest we have not visited yet in Nagano Prefecture is Matsumoto Castle. I chose this trip sponsored by Hankyu Trapics which said Shirahone Spa is within one-day ride to the castle.
And then, what about this spa?
The following are what I have felt here since the arrival at the hotel yesterday evening.

1. An isolated place (an isolated island in Japanese)
There are two famous tourist sites in the vicinity. Norikuradake Heights to the south and Kamikochi Heights to the north. Though this spa is in Matsumoto City, the urban area is nearly 2 hours away, taking a series of a bus and a train both run by Alpico Traffic.
This spa is a small village in the mountain, reached only by a private car from a commonsense point of view. I didn't think it so remote this much.

2. A small village
This spa village probably with 11 hotels and inns belongs to Azumi area populated by less than 2,500 people in Matsumoto City. I don't know what the population is here, but I know all the staffs of this inn are from the outside of this city or from other prefectures.

3. Along the steep stream
May I say this is a village in a mountain valley where two steep streams meet together? The woods covering the village would have been in full bloom of red leaves just two weeks ago.

4. What about spa therapy?
Though Tsuruya Inn does not have such a facility, other hotels must be equipped with places for spa treatment. If so, I would like to compare them with those at Hijiori Spa in Yamagata Prefecture we visited 10 years ago.

5. Charming characteristics
Maybe due to my lack in sensitivity, I have not had any special feeling here yet. I doubt if this village is blessed with any ace in the hole for which common Japanese tourists come over all the way. But what about foreign tourists, especially from Western Europe? For this reason, how I wish the signs and guidebooks/pamphlets are also written in English as an international language. Even if they feel any inconvenience like poor talks of hotel staffs, they might appreciate this village all the better for such situation.
If considered as the stopover to and from such scenic spots like Norikura and Kamikochi, one-day stay in this isolated spa island might be their good memory.