Awoke to big flakes wafting down and the distant conifers heavy with snow. Onsen egg, rice, fish, pickled vegetables and coffee then out into it.
Hard packed with 15cm of show pony snow on top. Looked awesome but each turn reported that ominous ice-rasping sound and the knees had to absorb something way less forgiving than deep powder. That said the trees were dressed in white and beautiful.
Lunch at Buna where two old blokes introduced us to a local (lunch) cocktail of midori and saki. Coupla those and a Buna curry and rice and we were good to go!
Lovely afternoon skiing in the gently falling snow.
Di had made sure we blended in with a couple of traditional onsen gowns and we crossed the road to the local public bath to cook our privates. I washed down first, as is customary, from the mountain ice water taps before noticing that the locals used a tub of steaming onsen water!
Down to horse meat restaurant for dinner (yam pancake, fungi and bacon, whole fish and ginger pork), then st Anton for a hot chocolate and new commer guru guru for a night cap.
Quiet read by the fire in Tanuki lounge and off to bed.
