Woken at 0430 by an sleep apnoea episode…a constriction of the throat which cuts off air supply and has me gasping for air, producing an unholy death rattle until the throat springs open of it’s own volition…lasted less than ten seconds but feels much longer! Managed to get back to sleep eventually, but it made for another disturbed night! Alarm at 0800. We breakfasted on fruit and yoghurt bought in the convenience store last night, and packed our bags.
Checked out at 1000. Flagged down a taxi and made for Tokyo station. Had coffee in the Rail Cafe then boarded the Bullet train to Nagano. Read some Dickens…got to the famous chapter recounting the death of Little Nell, an event that kept thousands in thrall back in 1840…all a bit OTT for the modern reader, though. Jumped in a taxi from the station to our accommodation at Sauna Villa…a rather modern looking suite of self-contained rooms. It looked rather like a post-modernist church. Left our luggage there and headed into town to find lunch.
Happened upon a rather splendid little ramen joint.
Walked up to a little temple and adjoining cemetery where Aki’s sister Natsuko’s ashes are interred in her husband Noburu’s Tonegawa family plot. Aki and Kath gave it a bit of a wash and polish, laid fresh flowers, and lit candles. Wandered on up the incline to take a look at the famous Zenkoji temple.
We paid to take a turn in the Dark Room, a passage beneath the shrine which is unlit…you stagger round the passage in pitch blackness, keeping your left hand to the panelled wall, until you find yourself grasping a holy brass door latch, which supposedly aids your rebirth as you mount the stairs back into the light. Walked back to the digs, doing a bit of window shopping along the way. Flaked out in our room for an hour or so, then headed out to the Gondo Arcade to find somewhere for dinner.
Ended up in a little yakitori joint. Aki and I went for the set menu…Kath wasn’t hungry, and contented herself with a glass of wine, and a little soup. Cold out…this is ski country, and the mountains that surround the city are topped with snow…cousins Nick and Sarah are up there somewhere!
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