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The ryokan where we stayed was very traditional… beautiful tatami mats, very hard pillows! Checking the book for the next adventure – soaking up some winter sun. |
we had an amazing view out our window… I’m sitting in the ledge looking out |
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The indoor bath – once you get used to the sulpher smell it’s amazing – I love the old deep timber bath. |
in yukata coming up the stairs from the onsen – the ryokan building looked ramshackle from the outside but was very beautiful inside. |
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The outdoor onsen was amazing – soaking in hot water while snow fell – then a monkey got in the bath with me! Lucky they empty and scrub it out everyday… |
Snow monkeys are teh cuteness! They’re not really very wild anymore. |
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Hehe – it’s all warm soaks until someone picks a fight! |
This is the hot spring in the monkey park – which is 5 minutes walk from the ryokan where I stayed… |
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baby monkey swinging on a rope |
there was sun on the other side of the river – so I wanted to head over… ummm – scary scary plank was the only way across! |
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Mother and baby in the sun |
hehe – the monkey spa! You could tell which monkeys were the Dommes – they had two or three attendants each – the less important ones had to groom themselves. |
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see – teh cuteness! |