Snow monkeys and other serendipitous friends

Now that I’m more than halfway through my stay in Japan, I’ve had more than enough time to adjust to the pace of life and visit (and revisit) several of my favorite, lesser-appreciated nooks in Tokyo — from chowing down at the cheap udon place in Shibuya, to browsing the used bookstore tucked away in Ebaranakanobu, to learning Japanese gaming lingo (read: grammatically — and probably otherwise — improper slang) in Card Kingdom, and sipping Okinawan milk tea in Ikebukuro.

Yet, one of the most memorable experiences of my time in Japan so far was away from Tokyo, on my trip to Yudanaka, in Nagano, about a week-and-a-half ago. I had initially intended to travel as far from Tokyo as Gunma prefecture, famous for its ski ranges and hot springs. However, I’d failed to anticipate how popular shinkansen tickets would be that weekend due to all of Japan returning to their hometowns for O-Bon festival (a celebration that welcomes back spirits of ancestors). I was, fortunately and serendipitously, able to hop on one of the last trains out of Tokyo, with a terminal station in Nagano. Stepping outside the daily commotion of life at the heart of Japan was a refreshing change of scenery, pace, and atmosphere: I stayed in the quaint town of Yudanaka, home to a flourishing hostel scene (despite the relative dearth of tourists when I’d visited) and — more excitingly — the famous Japanese macaques (aka snow monkeys) that bathe in hot springs situated throughout Jigokudani (literally “Hell’s Valley,” though — as per the photo below — not sure the place really deserves such an ominous name).

And of course, the obligatory monkey photo (you could actually get within arm’s length from them!)

On the return trip from Jigokudani, I met a Danish university student with whom I explored Obuse, rumored to be the favorite town of renowned artist Hokusai. Besides various Hokusai-related attractions, Obuse is famous for its chestnut pastries and desserts.

On the second day of my two-day trip to Yudanaka, I rented a bike and embarked on a 100km ride through the countryside. I started out attempting to keep up with a local Japanese that I’d met but parted ways with him about halfway into the ride and completed a shorter, 60km circuit instead. It was probably (read: definitely) the most strenuous bike ride I’d ever done: entirely uphill, on the side of a highway, through the rain — but the scenery was spectacular! (Photos hardly do it justice, but see below anyway, taken from a not-so-great-place-to-stop-and-take-pictures-in-the-middle-of-the-highway)

On the way back, after meeting up with my Japanese friend, some locals showed us a fresh water source piped in from the Yomase River that runs through town, and we all took turns drinking from the hose.

Later that evening, I met, at the local foot bath (a hot spring for feet!), an older Japanese woman who happened to speak a little bit of both English and Chinese. We conversed for hours as our feet shriveled, and she invited me to the local O-Bon festival that night, where I learned a ton about Japanese film and music history.

Work-wise, I’ve been wrapping up a few briefing documents — profiling major challenger banks and fintechs — in preparation for the open API banking research group’s trip to Germany and the UK. I’m excited to be joining the team for a visit to the German embassy later in the week as well.


Written by Victoria Pu’19, Economics major, FSI Global Policy Intern at The National Institute for Research Advancement in Tokyo, Japan.

FSI Internships

We provide placement, mentorship and a stipend to students engaging in off-campus internships at international policy and international affairs organizations. For 2018 and on please visit: https://medium.com/freeman-spogli-institute-for-international-studies/fsi-students/home

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The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford offers engaging, policy-focused Stanford student opportunities.

FSI Internships

We provide placement, mentorship and a stipend to students engaging in off-campus internships at international policy and international affairs organizations. For 2018 and on please visit: https://medium.com/freeman-spogli-institute-for-international-studies/fsi-students/home

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