The stream running like a chorus of cicadas woke me up. In the dark and silent world the sound is very clear to the ear, or even a little noisy. With the eyes closed, I keep myself for a while in the stream-sounding natural world. It is at 5:00.

Breakfast at 7:30 in the dining hall. The staff takes good care of Emiko. She becomes pleasant to see rice-porridge dish. The same with me, though at home every breakfast is smoothie-juice, coffee, thin bread and yogurt. I feel relieved both in body and mind to be honest.

After back to the room, I have been thinking in the seat about how to spend the day looking over the stream. I have not yet totally abandoned the visit to Matsumoto Castle in mind.
Whether is it raining or not? Anyway it seems very much like threatening to rain over the window.
Thinking this way, then it has truly begun to rain considerably. It must definately be rainy the whole day today both according to the weather forcast and the real sky.

Looking at Emiko watching TV quietly, I finally decided to walk around the hotel and see the other sights here than yesterday, and to take soba lunch at another Japanese restaurant.
On the other hand, Emiko, all of a sudden, like having made a firm decision, said to me, "Shall we go to Matsumoto Castle from now if there is still a bus service?"

The traffic company called "Alpico Traffic" has a connection between Shirahone Spa and Matsumoto urban area. A bus service until Shin-shimashima, and a train service there to Matsumoto Station. But the bus service is only four times a day with only a 10:21 bus to Shin-shimashima in the morning, and the last one back from there is at 15:30. Fortunately or not, even this service is until tomorrow this year.

The bus stop was within 10 minutes on foot. We did not have any trouble.
The bus started on time and drove along the foot of Mt. Norikura to Shin-shimashima, where we were going to transfer to a train for Matsumoto Station.

The road was steeply downward and winding from the very beginning, and the bus naturally jolted right and left. The rain became full-scale. Even if the carsickness medicine helps Emiko this time, it is not a pleasant thrill for us.

But, look at the scenery over the window until Sawando for 10 and some minutes! The surroundings of a steep stream roaring a sound are really a simple chain of woods. The red leaves are over with carpets of fallen leaves under dead trees, ..., a secluded district in the mountains like a drawing.

From this area houses began to appear, and the river became widened with the stream gentle.
We are at Sawando Terminal, seemingly in a large village. Here the people to go to Kamikochi Heights change buses.
We four people stay in the bus.

We pass through tunnels one after others from here.
A waterfall has come to our eyes. The basin looks navy-blue. The view around the Nakawado Dam under it is beautiful. There are red leaves left from this area.

Driving around Hounzaki, the automatic announcement in the bus let us know Nomugi Ski Resort was near. Then according to it, "The Nomugi Pass, too," which is familiar to me for the sad history of women factory workers by the movie I used to see in my youth. I forgot most of the detail, but it is the fact the movie was heartbreaking.

Was this mountain pass in that movie? It is a winding steep slope even now, beyond imagination during Meiji and Taisho Period. During those days girls around this area walked up and down over this pass for seasonal working at Suwa district of raw silk industry.
It was written in 1968 by Yamamoto Shigemi as a non-fiction story and then was filmed.

From Shirahone to Shin-Shimashima, Other Pictures

Arrived at Shin-shimashima Terminal at 11:15.

Transferred to the train for Matsumoto starting at 11:30.

For about 30 minutes in the train, I had a lively talk with a young gentleman of the age 29.
I knew he had been with our couple in the same bus, but I greeted him firstly here and then a long talk started.
He says he is from Tokyo and has been working here at Shirahone since two years ago. Why? What kind of work and where? .....? I have no interest in any background check, so we just introduce each other. When one topic ends, the next topic follows immediately, and so on, so on.
Our talk did not stop at all for 30 minutes until the train arrived at Matsumoto Station at 12:00.

Our couple entered the information office in the station and asked the way to Matsumoto Castle and any soba restaurant of recommendation on the way.
A staff lady, showing a map, said, "You will get there in 15 minutes along this road. I personally recommend Miyota."

There was a line at the entrance to "Miyota", a Shinshu-soba restaurant. We waited for 30 minutes after all.
I ate simple zaru-soba noodle, while Emiko tororo-soba (grated-yam-soba).

Due to this delay, we got to the castle late at 13:10. Even so, we had 50 minutes to see its inside. Emiko, once visited here before, decided to walk around the garden, and I entered the castle by myself.

I just made my effort to climb up rather than went up to the keep on the 6th floor. I never had such a hardship. The steep steps and large difference in level. In addition, the width of the steps became extremely narrower from the 4th floor, which increased risk.
Aside from the handicap of my left lower body, I was totally exhausted when finished climbing. Though I hoped to take pictures of what I wanted at first, my true feeling gradually became nothing but tired with no such idea. I wonder how other people managed themselves.

Inside Matsumoto Castle

Appearance

The handout explains as follows.

The visiting time was good enough for me including the walk around the garden.

Matsumoto Castle, Other Pictures

- - - - -
It was still a little over 14:00. Since the train from Matsumoto Station was going to start at 14:46, we took a comfortable walk, opening an umbrella in the sprinkling rain and not feeling pressed for time. For myself, I was actually standing the dull pain of the left lower body.

In Matsumoto City Area, Other Pictures

The train arrived at Shin-shimashima at 15:20. And our bus started there at 15:32, getting to Shirahone Bus Stop near our inn at 16:53.

Enjoyed a hot spring both in the large bathroom and the open-air bath. Then gorgeous dinner from 18:30.
I thanked Emiko for today and drank a toast of beer in a mug tonight. Main dish is beef stake and sashimi.

Both of us were satisfied with moderate eating.