Snow, Onsen and Crab!

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T18:34:23+1100

So last day in Tokyo I went to the stationery fair in Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, hoping to find some interesting pens! Unfortunately apart from this DIY Kakuno stand, not too many fountain pens

It is what it is....So I created my own Kakuno

The heart shape eye face you can only get in the DIY events in Japan, I believe.

Okay that's it. Promise, I won't talk about fountain pens again

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T18:41:38+1100

I had planned to leave Tokyo around 2pm, arriving into KamiSuwa about 4.30pm, just in time for the sunset.
But since I finished with Mitsukoshi earlier than expected, actually managed to get on the 1pm Limited Express Azusa, just.
Problem! I was running to catch this one (one train per hour), forgot to buy a new bottle and the drink I got had only a little left. Train already departed so I couldn't go back to the platform....and didn't see any vending machines onboard....

Thank god there's the trolley! I haven't seen one in ages....saved me from dehydration

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T18:52:36+1100

Arrived at Kami-Suwa station about 3.30pm.

There's a foot bath inside the station

Didn't book shuttle bus as I was unsure about arrival time.
Only a 10 min walk from station though.

Hotel Beniya.

【公式】諏訪湖湖畔のホテルに宿泊するなら｜上諏訪温泉　ホテル紅や

諏訪湖湖畔のホテルに宿泊するなら、上諏訪温泉「ホテル紅や」。最上階の温泉展望浴場にてアルプスの山々や長野県諏訪湖の絶景をご覧いただけ、別館にある岩盤浴やドライサウナなどで癒しのひと時をお過ごしいただけます。地元食材にこだわった信州の味や料理長自慢の信州そばに舌鼓。

hotel-beniya.co.jp

I booked a high floor lake view modern Japanese room.
*how to decipher the language: when they say modern Japanese room in a ryokan, chances are it's a tatami room but with beds - that's my favourite kind.

Entrance

Bathroom

Shower

Bedroom

It's on level 11 of 14.

Lake view!
Building on the right were apartments, I believe.

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T18:57:36+1100

The highest level, 14F, is their public bath.
Picture from hotel website.

There's a lounge outside.

Oooh I love this ryokan!

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T19:00:54+1100

Nice and relax, back to my room for the sunset.

Had some tea....
They also have the tea capsule thingy..

Ah but I very much prefer a more traditional one...

Sunset

rbjhan · 2025-03-04T19:18:32+1100

You see, many ryokans only sell their entry level rooms to solo guests. Like the small ones facing the street if you check the floor plan upthread...
I am very grateful Beniya is not like that. This room plus breakfast for 17K Yen was a steal!
(It is in Kami-Suwa ofc, most guests were Japanese as far as I can tell...)

Didn't book dinner because I already had something in mind.
During check in I asked front desk staff to make a dinner reservation for me (this whole conversation was in Japanese). She called the restaurant, it was all good until they asked for a number....she told them the guest was a foreigner and had no Japanese number....there were quite a bit of back and forth and her telling them it's a guest staying at the ryokan, clearly the restaurant was a bit reluctant...finally it was done, phew! (Exactly why I didn't do it myself...)

Oh man I hope the food could make up for the trouble.