There's No Business Like Snow Business!

I SAW SNOW MONKEYS!!!! We arrived at our Ryokan just before 3pm and were out the door on our way to the Monkey Park at just past 3pm. It is about a 2km walk to the Monkey Park along a path through the woods from the parking area. I was racing as we thought that the park closed at 4pm. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we finally saw the entrance and paid our money. We were in! Immediately we saw our first monkey and then our next and our next. They were everywhere! And soooooo cute!!! We took about 100 pictures within the first 5 minutes. Monkeys in the snow, monkeys on the path, monkeys on the railing, monkeys in a tree, monkeys eating, monkeys … well, you get the idea. And then, we came across the monkey “hot tub”. It was just like being in a National Geographic special (even with the other people there). It really was wonderful. There was such a delight to seeing them soaking in the hot water, steam rising, grooming each other, and generally looking cute. We were also there for feeding time which was also wonderful. I have included a few of the better pictures so that you can enjoy them also.

After we came back from the Monkey Park we indulged in a little hot spring soaking ourselves. The baths are segregated which is nice because I didn’t really feel like sitting around naked with a bunch of strange Japanese men. After our skin turned appropriately red we rejoined in our room to go to dinner. Our Ryokan provided a private multi-course dinner for us which was lovely and while "traditional" it wasn't too too Japanese at the same time (read pickled fish stuff). Dress for dinner and ryokan-wandering was a Yukata which is a kind of Japanese cotton housedress (kind of like an informal Kimono). Our room was typically old-style Japanese with rice mats on the floor and really no furniture at all. Our beds were thick mats laid out on the rice mats. It was Spartan but nice. Breakfast this morning was also typically Japanese and not exactly to my taste. I love Japanese food but my tum isn’t really ready for pickled vegetables, mushroom soup, and dried fish in the morning :)

Prince Charming has always wanted to see the Sea of Japan so off we went. He splashed his hands about in the Sea and pronounced it good.
We are now ensconced in the Grand Hyatt Tokyo in the Rappongi District. It is definitely GRAND.

I hope that you are having as terrific day as I am!

Ella