On Setsubun day, I received good fortune in Nagano.
After waking up, I first soaked in a hot spring to warm myself up; then I went back to my room to catch up on some TV shows, leaving a little respite during my ski vacation. Today's itinerary officially started at 11 am.
My first stop was a Lawson convenience store 🏪 to pick up the Ghibli Park tickets I had pre-ordered online. Being able to collect tickets at a convenience store is something only Japan makes feel so "natural and convenient." That ticket wasn't just an admission ticket; it felt like a stamp on my future fairytale world.
Next, I went to a 7-Eleven multi-function machine 💳 to transfer the 2000 yen compensation I received for a delayed flight in Hokkaido last year to my physical card. The whole process seemed simple, but it took me ages to figure it out, and I even had to overcome several difficulties to register for a NANACO membership. These seemingly trivial little things, once completed, made me feel particularly at ease.
Afterwards, I went to Nagano bus station 🚌 to buy tickets for tomorrow's trip to Shiga Kogen. Shiga Kogen is one of Japan's largest ski areas, renowned for its consistent snowfall and diverse slopes. For skiers, just holding their tickets in hand is enough to generate excitement.
With all the chores done, I could finally treat myself. I found a hidden gem on the second floor, a weekday-only commercial lunch 🍝🥗🥤 of pasta, a Japanese-style salad, and a juice for only 1200 yen. Not overly fancy, but just enough to fill my stomach and soothe my soul.
After lunch, I strolled leisurely to Zenko-ji Temple ⛩️.
Zenko-ji is Nagano's most representative ancient temple, boasting over 1400 years of history. It's one of the few Buddhist temples in Japan that doesn't belong to any particular sect. Today happened to be a Setsubun-e (festival) event, and when I arrived at 1:30 PM, the temple was already packed with people. Adults and children alike held bags, their eyes glued to the stage—
Because, wait, the abbot and special guests would toss beans 🥜✨, symbolizing "warding off misfortune and welcoming good fortune," from the stage.
The atmosphere was lively and warm; I even saw news anchor Natsumi Uemura 🎤 participating, adding a touch of familiarity and warmth to the event.
Amidst cheers, I was lucky enough to catch three bags of beans (peanuts). At that moment, I suddenly felt as if my luck for the day had truly been caught by these little beans.
Travel, sometimes, isn't about how far you go, but about living each day at just the right pace.
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