Jaime and I are planning (right buddy?) to go on Sunday. We were thinking of buying the JR 10,000 unlimited local pass which is good for 3 days or 3 people for one day (confirmation on that?). We would love a 3rd person or as many people as are down.
Leave Shibuya 8am - arrive Shimosuwa Noon. Leave Shimosuwa 6pm (or sooner if we are done) and return by 10. Not too bad for 3300 yen and the chance to see crazy people slide down steep hills on giant trees.
I just did a translation about this written by the CEO of Epson. Apparently, taking part in the Onbashira is just like working at a company. Can you imagine?
Awesome!! I am totally down. I was thinking about seein if Eddie would be into it as well. Seems like his kind of thing.
You guys think this is doable for Sunday?
Leave Shinjuku 8:33 on "Togenkyo Panorama" (快速桃源郷パノラマ号)
Arrive Kofu 10:22
Leave Kofu 10:56 on Chuo Hon
Arrive Shimosuwa 12:17
We need to know if the 1万 ticket is good on the Panorama train and we should also check to make sure 3 different people can all use it on the same day.
We may also want to check into making sure we can still get into the festival if we arrive at 12:30.
I am in Kobe until Saturday but lets get this locked in.
For the seishunjuhachi kippu you get 5 rides - it can be one person 5 times, or 5 people 1 time, it doesnt matter. And its actually like 12,500 I think. Only works for JR as far as I know. Check the JR site for more info.
Ive always wanted to go to that too - will have to wait 7 more years...
The ones we got last time could also be split up like that 3 people one ticket one day. Or 2 people 2tickets and a couple of cheap normal tickets 6 days.
I got the seishunjuhachi kippu a couple of years ago too. that worked out okay but it's for non-express trains I think.
Anyway take lots of pictures of people being crushed under logs for me.
I made the Nagano/Edo trip several times on the express and it is a bore, even if you fernerate heavily on the way to the station. I can't really imagine what it would be like dragging it out into 4 hours...
4 hours isn't really all that bad, especially if you've got a few people to chat with along the way. The bus I took to Kobe the other day went right past Lake Suwa. Pretty built up area. The greater Suwa metropolis seems to be more of a city (7 cities I believe) than Nagano-shi.
So who is into this? I know Danz is for sure. db? sparkle? Are you guys thinking it sounds doable?
I would rather do the 3300Y train but the 5000Y bus would probably be worth it. It sounds like that train ticket doesn't exist any more. I know that the train ticket that Jonathan and I bought back in October was definitely good for 3 days of local travel or 3 people all on one day. It sounds like the Seishunjuhachi ticket that just finished in March but for 3 days instead of 5. No one I can get a hold of seems to know for sure though.
The other option is the old rent a car standby. It would be likely faster and less expensive (with a full load) but maybe more of a hassle. Any one like that idea? Maybe we could find someone that wants to go that already has a car. 2 days to go. We need to lock this down.
car rentals?? yah right unless of course Mr* got his international license...welcome to the Manzone
I am down for sure and so is Mary...we are going to buy our bus tickets today...7:20am bus is what we are shooting for. Mary is also inviting a bunch of her friends, but I am not sure who is in or not...
My vote is every man for himself! Big crews become a hassle quick...
We went to Onbashira, 8 hours of bus riding to watch one log slide down an 80 foot hill. Woopity doo!
But it was marginally fun. At least we all got to hang out together, right guys?? ...for part of the time.
oh boy
Here's some pics:
I had a "really good" vantage point for the first log:
For that matter, no one at the whole place could really see very well. It was like the damn festival was designed to be frustratingly hard to view.
Vantage point for log 2...which we had to leave before came down:
These kids are too cool for school:
Big ropes:
It was actually pretty funny when the log finally dropped. It slid 10 feet and then stopped and everyone fell off. Then they all pulled it down the hill. Here is the movie (5.3MB) It won't be online forever so download it while its is hot!
I did notice the Epson campus and thought of you. Why is there what looks like a control tower on the building with the Epson sign? Is that the president's office?
That's not the Epson main office. The Prez of Epson has offices in another, bigger building. He also has a bevy of some of the horniest looking secretaries imaginable. One little cupcake with a lot of attitude nearly made me cum just passing her in the corridor. An English colleague of mine was once seen to fall on his knees involuntarily and sniff the chair that she had just sat on.
But I digress...
Suwa seems pretty small when you live there, and the shopping and cultural options are very limited.
I think so. It's on a bend in the road with a railway line running right past it no? (Good liquour store a bit further along)
Dunno what it's for though. A lot of Epson buildings are just empty shells that used to have manufacturing that was shipped to Asia. Cold as a bastard in winter.
) on Saturday if anyone's innerezted.
unless of course Mr* got his international license...welcome to the Manzone 
8 hours of bus riding to watch one log slide down an 80 foot hill. Woopity doo!
