Located between the mountains and the coast, Kanazawa combines many opposites, which are reflected in its architecture, the cuisine and the culture. When I first visited the city in 2014, I liked it so much that I wanted to return on the next opportunity. While it was raining for during the whole day, I made the most out of it.
From Nagano I visited two well-known destinations in the prefecture. In the morning I went to see the adorable Snow Monkeys bath in a hot spring and in the afternoon I explored Matsumoto Castle, part of the World Heritage.
This Sunday we left Kusatsu and I followed the Hokuriku line to Nagano. The former Olympic town in the mountains is famous for its soba noodles and a historic temple.
It’s half time of my trip. Spending a night in the Onsen town Kusatsu in Gunma prefecture I had a relaxing stay with friends from Tokyo. The water from the natural hot spring is used in many ways here besides for bathing.
The last two days we were skiing in the biggest resort of Niseko and I eventually left Hokkaido via Sapporo.