Woke around 0715. Did some packing then descended for breakfast. Checked out at 0920 and headed for the train station. Caught the slow train to Takayama, way up in the mountains, on the way to Nagoya. The higher we went, the deeper the snow…some two metres deep on the scattered rooftops.
Got into Takayama at around 1130 and walked to the Iori lounge to check in. Met at the door by a friendly young American chap who served us tea and mochi cakes. The lounge is also home to a spa and sauna. Sadly we weren’t staying there, but in a small old fashioned house situated toward the historic old town.
As we couldn’t check in until 1500, we left our baggage with young Jackson, and walked into the old town. There are a couple of streets of historic timber housing, much of which now utilised as commercial and retail premises, situated in the conservation area.
They were quite busy with tourists taking photos, and browsing around the shops. We stopped for coffee and cake at Cafe Takayama…got to sit out in the afternoon sunshine. Then ambled northward along the river before doubling back to our quaint accommodation. Jackson met us there and showed us around before leaving us to it. I popped out to the nearest supermarket for beer.
We donned our yukata and showered before taking turns in the outdoor hot tub. Then dinner was delivered. Aki complained that her teeth bracing wire had partly broken and it was causing a bit of pain when speaking or eating…she got the lady who delivered the food to phone round a number of local dentists, but they had all knocked off for the day.
We got through dinner though…sashimi and prawn to start, followed by braised beef and vegetables cooked in individual cast iron pots on little stoves. It was all a bit of a faff, not helped by the rather cramped conditions. I slept downstairs on the futon so as to be able to access the loo at night…the stairs from the upper bedroom are steep and a bit slippery. Kath and Aki took the more conventional twin beds upstairs…
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