Well Japan is a great country but the weather is all over the place – going from spring, like this:
Then to winter like this, all in the space of a day:
(I will be wearing the same clothes in all the photos by the way – it’s like being photoshopped into them. That little red doll I am holding is a child protector – it has no face and adopts the emotions of the child it is guarding. Yes, weird.)
It has been cold over the last few days – thermals all the way. We went to an onsen the other day which is an outdoor hot spring, and being Japan, has loads of rules on how to behave. The biggest one being you have to be totally naked. Bar a little towel to cover your modesty. So you have to leave your embarrassment in the locker with your clothes. Full of little old ladies who don’t give a toss anyway. But it was fantastic, sitting in a hot bath with a fabulous view of the lovely snowy mountains. I had a great chat with this lovely English girl Claire who is on the tour with us and it turns out there is Japanese word for it – skinshippe,the camaraderie you experience in an onsen. Sitting naked in a bath with a stranger will bring it on alright.
The group are actually really nice and we have a great laugh – no headbangers or awkward people. Mostly English and two Americans so no cultural differences and we all like a drink. The woman in the B and B was not impressed the other night when we kept her up till 11pm (after dinner at 6.30) drinking sake and laughing. So it’s all good and am really enjoying things. We are off today to Kanawaza then Hiroshima tomorrow so am really looking forward to it. Might be cranky after that.