Gero Onsen (Spring 2013) 下呂温泉 + cherry blossom talk

The lobby of Gero Kanko Hotel.

My in-laws used to be regulars at this place, to the point where the owner would even come over and talk to them.  I can't remember exactly what I said to him (I'm sure it was grammatically horrible and a jumbled mess, but he was polite to be patient with me) but it was something about how I really loved Kurosawa movies. 

Usually when a non-Japanese person starts speaking Japanese, the Japanese person will ask what prompted them to learn the language, so that answer is usually ready to go.  They will also usually compliment you no matter how much you butcher something -which is sweet- so it's also helpful to have "Oh no, I'm seriously awful" also ready to go in response...

You could actually choose your own mushrooms at this place -- off tree bark in the lobby.

After dinner we were given lanterns and verbal instructions on how to get to the thermal baths.  The water in them is very soft and you can choose which one you'd like depending on what health benefits the mountain water supposedly offers.

I almost died on this outing, actually - I got separated from the others and almost wandered off the side of the cliff... (not kidding) and if it weren't for a 2 foot grating that made a small out-cropping, .... dead.

The walk was so quiet, you couldn't even hear the road or other people lodging.

My mother in law bringing us our lanterns for the walk to the bath house

We rented two private springs and split the time evenly between individual family members.

After that, it was time for some late night Kirin & karaoke with my in-laws.

Tomoko crushing it with a kid's song.

 

I loved my yukata so much... I wish I could've taken it home!

I still wonder about this person... who is she?  Where is she now?  

Cherry blossom season is beautiful but actually makes me sad.  I read that suicide is most common in springtime, not in winter.  Wouldn't have guessed that, but I see it.  

Maybe it's the idea of "mono no aware / 物の哀れ" - the fleeting nature of things, the sadness at the transience of it all.  Maybe it's having to face life coming back after the excuse of hiding away in the winter.