Sydney Report No. 9 "Mt. Fuji and Mt. Yari” Mountain Guide" # 4 "Visiting Matsumoto” SR第9号 「富士山と槍ヶ岳 山岳ガイド」#4 「松本観光」

Sydney Report No. 9 "Mt. Fuji and Mr. Yari” Mountains Guide" # 4 "Visiting Matsumoto”

The 4th day of my guide experience for friends from Sydney. I got up early (4 am) and went to “Tenkubashi (天空橋)” of Keikyu Line. They were staying at “Keikyu Inn Haneda” and came to the station at 6:30 am. I led them to Shinjuku Basta (新宿バスタ) via Shinagawa by 7:30 am.

All my guests already had “Suica” cards so it was smooth to use public transportation in Tokyo. But I had to buy Highway Bus tickets from Shinjuku to Matsumoto beforehand. The bus left at 7:55 am.

It was their first experience to take Highway Bus in Japan, therefore it must have been interesting for them even taking 10 minute break at service area. They were the last passengers who came back to the bus seats at the service area.

The bus arrived at Matsumoto Bus Terminal at 11:30. They had reserved Station Hotel. It was next to JR Matsumoto Station, so it was easy to find the hotel.

[Station Hotel in Matsumoto, 松本のステーションホテル、마츠모토 스테이션 호텔]

After checked-in, we left our luggage at the hotel and went out to Matsumoto city for sightseeing.

I noticed a billboard saying “Saizeriya” on the top floor of a tall building. It was “Alpico” building from which buses leave for Kamikochi. So we went to “Saizeriya” again in Matsumoto.

["Bottoms Up!" at Saizeriya,サイゼリヤにて「乾杯!」、사이제리야에서 "건배!"]

It was indeed nice location just like observation deck. They ordered house wine and even “beef stake” for me. We enjoyed the Italian dishes, then we headed for Matsumoto Castle.

[We ordered "house wine",ハウスワインを注文した。하우스 와인을 주문했다.]

[A view from the restaurant, サイゼリヤからの展望、사이제리야에서의 전망]

Matsumoto Castle is one of five castles which are designated as “National Treasure.” The original castle was built during Azuchi Momoyama Period (1573 – 1603).

[In front of Matsumoto Castle Park, 松本城公園前にて、마쓰모토성 공원 앞에에서]

[Castle Tower of Matsumoto Castle, 松本城天守閣、마츠모토성 천수각]

[Inside of Matsumoto Castle Park, 松本城公園内にて、마츠모토성 공원 내에서]

It is said that there were more than 25,000 castles before Edo period in Japan, but there were drastically reduced by three occasions:

1) The Ikkokuichiro Ordinance (一国一城令), a statute established by the Edo Shogunate on August 7, 1615. For various daimyo, ordered to destroy all castles other than the castle where they were living.

2) “Haijorei (廃城令)” (an order to abandon castles) in 1873 by Meiji Government

3) “Air raid” by US Air Force during World War Ⅱ.

It was really a miraculous fortune that Matsumoto Castle survived during such crisis. It is beautiful to look at from the outside of the castle.

We paid 610 yen each to enter the castle. It was also nice to walk around the inside of the castle. All beams, flooring boards, ceiling boards were black and shining. And I felt cool breeze as I climbed “Tenshukaku (天守閣)” or castle tower.

[In front of the Castle Tower, 天守閣入口の前で、천수각 입구 앞에서]

We were all excited and enjoyed the sightseeing of the castle.

[A view from Castle Tower, 天守閣からの展望、천수각에서의 전망]

After seeing the castle, we separated into 5 groups. There were 4 couples, and two single men (Mr. Kim and Mr. Choi left their wives at home and came by themselves). I joined Mr. Kim and Mr. Choi and we went to "Nawate Street (縄手通り)" or“Frog Street” along the river in Matsumoto.

[At the entrance of "Frog Street", 「カエルの街」入口にて、"개구리 거리"입구에서]

[At Frog Street, 「カエルの街」にて、"개구리의 거리"에서]

After returning to the hotel, we enjoyed “Hinoki Buro (ヒノキ風呂)” on the top floor of the hotel. It was nice and relaxing.

In the evening, all of us went out for dinner. We entered a restaurant which served a Japanese dish called Genghis Khan (ジンギスカン) or Mongolian mutton barbecue.

[At "Genghis Khan" restaurant, ジンギスカン料理屋にて、징기스칸 요리 집에서]

I personally liked this barbecues, but ladies seemed not so. They left the restaurant before finishing their dishes, but we men finished all dishes and enjoyed drinking beers. Actually it was the final feast I enjoyed with them.

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シドニーレポート　第9号　「富士山と槍ヶ岳　山岳ガイド」#4 「松本観光」

第4日目は移動日で、東京のホテルから上高地おひざ元に松本へ高速バスで移動した。シドニーからきた10人は羽田空港近くの「京急ＥＸイン羽田」に宿泊していて、そこから新宿のバスタへの移動はちょっと複雑なのでホテル最寄り駅の京急「天空橋」駅改札で6時半に待ち合わせした。

10人全員、初日にSuicaを購入済なので、品川でJR山の手線への乗り換えはスムーズだ。新宿のバスタには7:30に到着した。松本行きの高速バスの出発は7:55で、余裕でバスに乗車した。

彼等は日本で高速バスに乗るのは初体験。サービスエリアでの休憩も物珍しいためか、発車ぎりぎりのタイミングで戻ってきた。

松本バスターミナルには11:30に到着。実は私も松本で下車するのは初体験だったが、松本の宿泊予定のステーションホテルはJR松本駅のすぐ隣で分かりやすかった。

ホテルでチェックインの手続きを済ませてから、荷物を預かってもらい、身軽になって松本市内観光に出発した。

鎌倉観光同様、まずは食事だが、ホテルの前からひときわ高いビルの最上階に「サイゼリア」の看板が見えた。このビルは翌日上高地へ行くバスの出る「アルピコビル」で、最上階は展望の利く良い場所だった。

[Saizeriya in Matsumoto, 松本の「サイゼリヤ」、마츠모토의 ”사이제리야 "]

ここでみんなはハウスワインを注文し、私には「ステーキ」をごちそうしてくれた。

["Bottoms Up!" at Saizeriya,サイゼリヤにて「乾杯!」、사이제리야에서 "건배!"]

イタリア料理をじゅうぶん堪能した後、この日のメインイベントである松本城見学に出かけた。

[They ordered beef stake for me, ビーフステーキを注文、비프스테이크를 주문]

[A view from the restaurant, サイゼリヤからの展望、사이제리야에서의 전망]

松本城は日本で国宝に指定されている５つの城の1つ。最初に築城されたのは安土桃山時代(1573 - 1603)で城主は7家に引き継がれた。

[In front of Matsumoto Castle Park, 松本城公園前にて、마쓰모토성 공원 앞에에서]

[Castle Tower of Matsumoto Castle, 松本城天守閣、마츠모토성 천수각]

[Inside of Matsumoto Castle Park, 松本城公園内にて、마츠모토성 공원 내에서]

松本城は江戸初期の「一国一城令」、明治時代の「廃城令」、太平洋戦争の「空襲」も免れ、築城当時の木材などがそのまま残る貴重な城だ。入場料610円を支払って見学する十分な価値がある。

天守閣には土足を脱いで最上階まで見学できる。ここでは風遠しがよく、涼しい。また、松本市内の展望もよく、すばらしい。

[In front of the Castle Tower, 天守閣入口の前で、천수각 입구 앞에서]

[A view from Castle Tower, 天守閣からの展望、천수각에서의 전망]

松本城を見学した後は、4カップルと、単身で来たグループに分かれ、私は単身で来たキムさん及びチェさんと3人で「カエルの街(=ナワテ通り)」を見学してからホテルに戻った。

[At the entrance of "Frog Street", 「カエルの街」入口にて、"개구리 거리"입구에서]

[At Frog Street, 「カエルの街」にて、"개구리의 거리"에서]

ホテルの最上階にはヒノキ風呂があり、三人で楽しんだ。

夕食は全員で街に出て、駅前の「ジンギスカン料理」を楽しんだ。ただ、マトンやラム肉、およびホルモンは女性陣には不評で、男性陣、特に私が大いに楽しんだ。翌朝の出発が早いので、この夜のパーティは早めに切り上げた。

[At "Genghis Khan" restaurant, ジンギスカン料理屋にて、징기스칸 요리 집에서]