Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Nagaden Yudanaka Station 長電湯田中駅

Yudanaka Station 湯田中駅 (N24) is the terminus station on the 33.2 km long Nagaden Nagano line 長電長野線. The train station is the gateway to Yudanaka Shibu Onsenkyo 湯田中渋温泉郷, a cluster of nine hot spring spots - Yudanaka 湯田中, Shibu 渋, Shin-Yudanaka 新湯田中, Hoshikawa 星川, Honami 穂波, Kakuma 角間, Andai 安代, Kanbayashi 上林 and Jigokudani 地獄谷. Yudanaka Onsen 湯田中温泉 traces its origin to more than 1,350 years ago, while Shibu Onsen is well known for hot springs waters with healing properties which gave rise to its reputation as "Tenka no Yakuto 天下の薬湯" (translates to world famous medicinal hot spring). From the train station, we transferred to a bus to visit Jikogudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen 地獄谷野猿公園 or more famously known as Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク), a popular tourist attraction where visitors can see wild Japanese macaque bathing and relaxing in hot spring waters.









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What's nearby?

(1) Bus stop, just beside the train station.
- Nagaen Bus Kanbayashi line 長電バス上林線 (Bus 20) heading for Shibu Onsen 渋温泉, Hoshikawa Onsen 星川温泉, Andai Onsen 安代温泉 and Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク.
Bus schedule: https://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/local/diagram/timetbl_pdf.php?route=NKN01
- Nagaden Bus Shirane-kazan line 長電バス白根火山線 heading for Shibu Onsen 渋温泉, Hoshikawa Onsen 星川温泉, Andai Onsen 安代温泉, Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク, Oku-Shiga Kogen 奥志賀高原 and Yokoteyama Ski Resort 横手山スキー場.
Bus schedule: https://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/local/diagram/timetbl_pdf.php?route=YDS01



(2) Kaede no yu 楓の湯, a public communal bathhouse located just beside the train station.
Because of its close proximity to the train station, one can see train arriving/departing from the platform from the resting area of Kaede no yu. Did not manage to visit any of the hot spring spots of Yudanaka Shibu Onsenkyo nor soak in this facility which utilises the area's natural hot spring waters. Instead, we relaxed our foot in the complimentary ashiyu (footbath 足湯) situated just in front of Kaede no yu, while waiting for the next train to arrive.

Kaede no yu 楓の湯
長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏3227番地1
Operating hours: 1000 - 2100 hrs (last entry at 2030 hrs); closed on first Tuesday of every month
Admission fee = 300 yen (adult); 150 yen (child)
http://www.town.yamanouchi.nagano.jp/kaedenoyu/index.html









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Commemorative stamp:

Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Toyoko Inn Nagano Eki Zenkoji Guchi 東横イン長野駅善光寺口

Stayed 16.10.2016 (Sun), 20.10.2016 (Thu)
Booked thru' Toyoko Inn's website.
Single = 4,579 yen (16.10.2016); 5,437 yen (20.10.2016)
Twin = 9,504 yen (16.10.2016); 9,028 yen (20.10.2016)









Pit stop. Stayed in this particular branch of Toyoko Inn on two separate days (first and fifth day) because Nagano city was a pit stop for the first leg of our travel in Nagano Prefecture. After a night's stay in Nagano city, we packed light luggage and visited Obuse 小布施, Asama Onsen 浅間温泉, Hakuba 白馬, Matsumoto 松本, Kamikochi 上高地, Shirahone Onsen 白骨温泉 and Azumino 安曇野, and finally made our way back to the capital city on the fifth night. Currently, this is the only Toyoko Inn branch in Nagano city and is situated near the main train station and shopping malls. In addition to its convenient location, similar level of services is provided in this particular branch.

Perk. One other feature which I like about Toyoko Inn is that it tries to incorporate regional dishes into its simple yet delicious breakfast fare. During our stay in this particular branch, we got to try Shinshu soba 信州そば during breakfast and it was delicious! As the terrain and weather in Nagano Prefecture favours buckwheat agriculture, Shinshu soba has been highly acclaimed as one of the best buckwheat noodles that one can find in Japan.



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What’s nearby?

(1) JR Nagano Station 長野駅, Nagaden Nagano Station 長電長野駅 and bus terminal, about 3 minutes walk away.
- JR Nagano Station is one of the train stations served by Hokuriku Shinkansen 北陸新幹線, which originates from Tokyo and ends at Kanazawa 金沢駅, in Ishikawa Prefecture 石川県.
- Nagaden Nagano Station is the terminus station of Nagano line. Yudanaka 湯田中駅, the train station nearest to Jigokudani Yaen Koen 地獄谷野猿公園, and Obuse 小布施駅 are two notable train stations on this railway line.

(2) Nagano Ekimae Post Office 長野駅前郵便局, about 3 minutes walk away.
https://map.japanpost.jp/p/search/dtl/300111252000/

Post office has become one of the places I will look out for whenever I am in Japan. Apart from buying stamps from here to send postcards back home (one of the habits I have cultivated over the years), getting the regional exclusive Postacollect postcards is another objective of my visit to post offices. To date, Shinshu soba (2017 - 2018), Zenkoji (2015), Kamikochi (2012), Matsumoto Castle (2010) and apples (2009) have been featured on Nagano's version of postcards. 
https://www.postacollect.com/gotochi/area17/

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Toyoko Inn Nagano Eki Zenkoji Guchi 東横イン長野駅善光寺口
〒380-0824  長野県長野市南石堂町1315-8
https://www.toyoko-inn.com/search/detail/00212/

How to get there?
3 mins walk from Nagano Station Zenkoji Guchi / Exit 長野駅善光寺口