[Back Post] Japan with Peko-chan 2017 #1/9 - Suwa, Nagano

Milky Peko-chan at Lake Suwa, Nagano Prefecture (on IG)

Besides the craft projects, I've been super behind in travel adventure posts! This trip in late 2017, we flew in to Nagoya名古屋 as the base as we were planning to spend time around the Chuubu region中部地方 (full travelogue below).

I confess, the only thing we did in Nagoya was stay overnight and eat Sorairo's famous vegetarian ramen (posted on IG), which was delicious. Never did get a chance to eat it in the Tokyo main store, so finding a branch in Nagoya Midland Square was a plus. We originally intended to visit the Astuta Shrine, Noritake Garden, and Tokugawa Art Museum, but decided to do that on another trip.

Scenic road trip from Nagoya to Suwa (on IG)

The first waypoint for our road trip was Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. Driving from Nagoya to Lake Suwa, we passed lovely scenic views of the Central Alps中央アルプス. Since it was November, the leaves on the mountain shoulders were turning colour, and dusting of snow on the peaks. Really beautiful. A vivid reminder of why road trips can be such fun.

So after some 2+ hours, we arrived at Tateishi Park立石公園, which boasts a fantastic, unobstructed view of Lake Suwa諏訪湖.

Lake Suwa from Tateishi Park, Nagano Prefecture

Scene from Kimi no Na wa., the fictional Lake Itomori.

A lake in the Kiso Mountains, Lake Suwa is probably best known today for being the real-life model for Lake Itomori in Makoto Shinkai's 2016 anime film Kimi no Na wa. I vaguely also remember it featured in a book I read many years ago, Autobiography of a Geisha by Sayo Masuda. It probably isn't really of much tourist interest, unless it's during summer where there is a summer festival and fireworks.

"Silent Bravery", Gonjo Mafune,
Suwa Glass-no-Sato Museum.

There really isn't much else at Tateishi Park, except the view of the lake. But it was a pleasant space to sit and watch the lake, and just feel the breeze in our faces. Which does carry a chilly tinge at this time of the year. Apparently, in the past, Lake Suwa used to fully freeze over during the winter months.

Much to my regret, we didn't actually have much time to spend around Suwa. Day-time is short in the autumn/winter months. But we did fit in another spot, the Suwa Glass-no-Sato Museum.

Hubby and I ventured up to the museum on the 2nd floor, which had some interesting exhibits. Of the exhibits, some were really fine glass work, and others not so fine, and there was a mix of traditional and modern designs.

My favourite exhibit was a dress of glass shards titled "Silent Bravery" by Gonjo Mafune言上 真舟 (website). That exhibit was very impressive, and I thought the imagery and title left a lot to imagination and interpretation.

Suwa Glass-no-Sato Museum

After wandering around, we went down to the first floor where the shop was located. To be honest, I thought the shop was pretty touristy and commercialised. There were some good quality glass items, like the glass dip pens, and artisan glass beads.

Got me some glass beads from Suwa Glass no Sato Museum.

Bought some of the pretty glass beads to bring home. Honestly haven't got a single clue what I will do with them. But they're just so pretty and well-made. Maybe I could turn them into hair accessories for the girls! That'd be pretty awesome~

With the little daylight hours we had left, we made a quick detour to the final stop for our day: a particular, non-descript grey building in Shiojiri塩尻. Only fans of Grand Seiko and Credor watches will understand this stop.

Seiko Epson Shiojiri plant, where the Micro Artist Studio is located.

So that grey non-descript building is the Shiojiri plant of the Seiko Epson Corp., and the location of Seiko's Micro Artist Studio, where those beautiful Credor timepieces are created. So Hubby, who has a Grand Seiko and Eichi II obsession, simply had to pay a visit, even if we couldn't enter the studio itself. (He just has to content himself with the SJX article.)

To be honest, I wouldn't mind returning to this area again, to explore. One of the sights in this area is the Hiraide ruins平出遺跡, historic sites dating back to the Jomon period縄文時代 (prehistoric Japan). Shiojiri is also a wine-growing region in Japan!

That pretty much concludes the first waypoint in this road trip. A rather easygoing day, somewhere off the beaten track. From there, we headed to our next destination, where we would be spending more time at: the Hida Mountains in Gifu Prefecture. Mountains, snow, onsen!!!

Japan with Peko-chan, Chubu-Kansai-Kyushu, Nov & Dec 2017 🚗 Suwa, Nagano • Lake Suwa • Suwa Glass Museum • Seiko Shiojiri 🚗 Hida Mountains • Shirakawa-go • Takayama • Hida Furukawa 🚗 Tokyo • Nakiryu & Kagari • Akihabara • Nippori Textile Town • Wadakura Fountain Park & Kokyo Gaien • Gundam Unicorn, Odaiba • National Art Centre (Kimi no Na wa. exhibition) • Nezu Museum • Kimi no Na wa. ✈️ Nagasaki Part I & Part II • Glover Garden • Old Chinese Quarter • Chinatown • Dejima • Sakamoto International Cemetery • Oura Cathedral • 26 Martyrs Memorial & Museum • Atomic Bomb Museum • Hypocentre Park • Nyokodo • Sanno Shrine ✈️ Osaka • Atelier to naniIRO • Junie Moon Osaka 🚗 Awajishima • Yumesenkei Besso Amahara • Senzan Senkoji • Izanagi Jingu • Onokorojima Shrine • Sumoto Castle • Eshima • Hokudan Earthquake Memorial Park (Nojima Fault) • O-naruto Bridge & Naruto Whirlpools • Akashi Kaikyo Bridge • Awaji beef & Awaji Burger 🚗 Kobe • Kobe Luminarie 2017 • Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial • Kitano Ijinkan