November 17 – 19 2024, Japan. Hatcho-no-yu was a mountain retreat with natural hot springs not far from Nikko as the crow flies, but because it was in a remote section of the mountains, it was a long trip. At 2pm we grabbed our bags at the hotel and hauled them to the station, happy to be out of the yucky hotel, but not to be leaving Nikko. We took the train to Kinugawaonsen Station, where a steam locomotive was preparing to depart. Steam billowed over the tracks. It made for a beautiful sight. We left our bags at the bus stop, and wandered around. That’s how honest people are in Japan. They would chase after you to return something you left.

At a nearby shop, Shawn bought baumkuchen, a moist, layered cake that Japanese love. Several bakeries near the station made this cake by brushing batter onto a rotating spit over heat 15–20 times to create distinct rings. While traditional versions use a specialized rotating oven, home versions use a rolling pin wrapped in parchment paper to layer batter in a pan. The Japanese version is known for its light, fluffy texture.

We hopped on a bus that was taking us to a shuttle stop for our mountain hotel. It was a windy, two hour ride, as we wound our way up the Daiya River. The ravine was dotted with ugly hotels that reminded me of Soviet architecture. I hoped our place wouldn’t be the same. The ravine opened up dramatically to reveal a large lake, Lake Chūzenji, and after skirting it for some time, we continued into the mountains of Nikko National Park. Finally we were dropped in a large parking lot, and waited for some time until a small bus wound down the hill. We alighted, and after 20 minutes, came upon a lovely spot that looked more like a Canadian ski lodge than a Japanese hot spring resort.

It turned out that it was jointly owned by a Canadian and Japanese, thus the ski lodge ambience. I loved it. It was late in the afternoon when we arrived, so I bundled up and took a long walk along the stream running alongside the lodge. Several times I saw something move in the trees. The next day, Shawn and I walked and he saw several snow monkeys. That must have been what I saw. I got back to the lodge, and enjoyed the main room, laid out as a bar or restaurant. We had paid for breakfast and dinner, and had an opulent multi-course feast. After that, we trundled off the outdoor natural hot springs, the first I’d experienced in Japan. It was also co-ed, though there were certain hours that were ladies only. Shawn was disgruntled at this, and stayed longer than he was supposed to. I finally told him to leave, as there were several women in the pool. I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable.

It was supposed to snow the next day, so temperatures were falling fast. I loved the invigorating feel of being outside in a hot pool. Wonderful. Around 9 I headed back inside, lingering in the large bar for a bit. I decided to have an early night of it. Our room was freezing. But somehow, I fell asleep under the warm quilt. They didn’t have any heat in the rooms, which was fine with me. I have a high tolerance for cold.

The next morning, we awoke to snow on the ground. It was bracing and beautiful. We had a sumptuous breakfast, jumped in the hot springs, and then took a hike toward the shuttle stop together. We walked about an hour downhill when Shawn decided to turn back. It was on his hike back that he saw two snow monkeys sitting on a branch above the trail. He said they were chattering and making a lot of noise. Probably not happy to see him. I continued walking until I got to a steep climb up and over a mountain. I decided I’d had enough and turned back. A few hours later, I decided to hike up the canyon, past an onsen a 15 minute walk from ours, into the national park. I kept seeing signs for the Japanese Black Bear, which look like they’re wearing a white bow tie. I wondered if I’d see one.

Luckily for me, I didn’t. Not that I’m particularly afraid of black bears, but there have been more attacks by Japanese Black Bears in recent years, and I didn’t want to tempt fate. I’ve seen my share of black bears while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, and in the Trinity Alps. And have even seen grizzlies in Mt Denali National Park, Alaska. I stomped my way up the icy hard pack in my running shoes, taking in the bleak landscape. Most of the deciduous trees had lost their leaves, which I’d noticed all the way up the mountain from Lake Chūzenji. They’d had a bout of strong winds in the past week.

I headed back to the lodge and had a nice dip in the hot springs. Later we enjoyed another sumptuous dinner, hot springs, and hanging out in the lounge area. While I was sitting in the natural hot springs, it started to snow. I got my camera and took a video of snowflakes falling over everything, covering the ground, rocks, plants, and my head. I was in heaven, and would happily stay for a month. Around 9:30, I headed to bed. It was a bitterly cold night, and I jumped under the quilt wearing my warmest clothes. I as I warmed up, I shed layers, until I was in my birthday suit. I loved the quaint beauty of the place, and hoped I would be able to return one day.