Another bike race in the mountains, the Yatsugatake Granfondo. Not for me, of course. I'm just along for the ride. The non-ride parts of the ride. Fresh air, nice food, onsen time. I've only been to Nagano a few times, but it's always gorgeous. We stayed at a faux-Swiss chalet hotel called Hut Walden. There was a Japanese copy of Thoreau's Walden in each room.
It's near a touristy little village of knick knack shops and cafes called Moeginomura. Everyone there seems very excited about their local music box museum - the hotel guy urged us several times at check-in to make sure to use our free passes to go, then asked again at breakfast if we'd gone yet (and then when we were planning to go). I always think music box collections sound lame, but these did turn out to be impressive.
The town of Kiyosato was apparently a booming mountain resort during the bubble years, but it's mostly shuttered now. There are portraits - photos, drawings and bronze busts - of a legendary figure named Paul Rusch all over town. Everywhere. Hanging in the entrance hallway of the musicbox museum. Towering over a garden. Taped to some kind of donation box next to the cash register at the ice cream counter. He taught the people to make cheese and ice cream, and this seems to be the only thing that's still flourishing.) His stilted motto is also plastered on everything - "Do your best - it must be first class." It's written in neon at a beer-brewing restaurant. It's weird. And great.
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