Rosses in Japan: Day two ends in Myokokogen

Deep in the subway maze in Tokyo Station Hannah and Mickey spot each other getting off the Maronouchi Line and greet each other casually and warmly. Like this happens every day.

We compare notes on the adventures of the day and head off to grab some food with Zelda before she heads off.

Then we catch the shinkansen bullet train to Nagano where we will meet Bill, Masayo and Sena. From there, they will drive us to Myokokogen, the small town in the Japanese alps where they live on the edge of a ski resort.

Our rail travels so far

Navigating the station and buying tickets is an adventure. I'm carrying two credit cards and a debit card but only one credit card works in Japan, and it is only good to withdraw cash from an ATM. And not any ATM, mind you...so far only the ATM at Citibank works. Not even the ones in the ubiquitous 7-11s work. I successfully buy shinkansen tickets from the vending machine (which we mastered on the subway lines) but when we head for the ticket turnstyles with our Giant American Suitcases we are stopped cold. We are directed to the ticket agent office where local tickets to supplement our reserved tickets are purchased. We run for the train and have 11 minutes to spare. Easy!

It is great to see Bill, Masayo and Sena. Their house is set on a hillside just downhill from a small Buddhist shrine and beside a small stream that runs fast with water off the mountains. It also serves as Bill's office where he does writing and other creative work, and also the world headquarters of Dancing Snow - Myoko Outdoor Adventures, a ski, snowshoeing and backcountry and mountaineering adventure company. Not a bad gig.