Yudanaka: In house Japanese breakfast :)

Yamanouchi is a municipality in Nagano Prefecture. Our ryokan is located in Yudanaka Onsen Village (Yudanaka Hot Spring Resort Village). From observation, this ryokan was run by Mr and Mrs Ichiro Yumato, also their daughter. Our initial booking was 3 person room without private bath, excluding meals. However upon checking, we thought let's have the breakfast - there was option of Japanese breakkie or Western style. We opted for the Japanese breakkie. After breakfast, Mr Ichiro would drive us to the monkey park :)

Breakfast was served in the dining area.

There was a jukebox and self-played piano in the dining area.

And our Japanese style breakkie... served with rice. Included were fish, tamago, soup, prosciutto , beans. I love the beans, suspect it was cooked with miso paste. Umm... see I used the word suspect... as you can see... I don't cook well..can't elaborate too much on that :P

After breakfast, we got ready to the Jigokudani-Yaenkoen. There were 3 other ryokan guests (a Australian girl in red parka, a Singapore lecturer and a said photographer) besides us, getting ready to go to the park. After I put on the snowboots on loan, thought I'll go wander outside for a bit.

This is right in front of the ryokan, piping hot water.

From here... straight up, leading to the train station.

One of the guests heading to the monkey together with us told us that he is a photographer. I remember Mr Ichiro did mention that at that time a lot of photographers will go to the monkey park to take pictures of the snow monkeys, a there were a couple staying at their ryokan. I thought he looked really like the photographer on the poster in the lounge area...

...but Moo Moo Gal said no... True or not... I don't know... but he did gave me some pointers on how to shoot the monkeys :)

As we hovered around waiting to get to the park, Mr Photographer pointed to us the view opposite the ryokan... there were a lot of birds on a tree.

Unfortunately, at this time we were told to get on the car, so we didnt get a closer picture. It was parking lot between ryokan and this beautiful view :P

Anyway, after visiting the monkey park and Shibu Onsen, we came back to take a shot.

Side note: Have to go shopping later...