hirayu

We've spent the last few days in a small onsen town called Hirayu in the Japanese alps. It's beautiful here, steep high mountains covered with autumn colors from the trees. There is water everywhere, you can hear it flowing next to the streets, see it in the rivers, and you can see the steam and smell the sulfur from all the hot water springs everywhere. They have these small hot water fountains in front of most of the hotels, and public hot water foot baths all over the place. We've also used our hotels public and private open air hot water baths (onsen) a few times. There's nothing more awkward than getting naked with a couple of strangers in a pool, but you get used to it after a while. ;-)

 

 

 

 

We also did some short walks in the forest.

 

 

 

 

Thick layers of moss everywhere.

 

One of the many warm spring water public foot baths scattered around town.

 

Eggs being boiled outside a shop in a natural warm water spring.

 

 

We went up the Shinhotaka ropeway on one of the days, but it was too misty at the top to see anything.