More Snow Pictures!

Makuragi Steps in Winter
Originally uploaded by gogakuhei.

I made a mistake in the number of steps, but that's been fixed. Sorry!

More snow! Well, snow pictures, that is. I don't think we've had snow in a couple weeks. This picture is from the Yusui town website: "冬の枕木階段"

Mt. Kurino stands over the town of Yusui. Up on the mountain, depending on the weather and time of day, you can see the Mt. Kurino Baths, a nearby geothermal power station, the Kurino Recreation Area, or the "Makuragi Kaidan". 'Kaidan' is 'stairs' or 'stairway'. 'Makuragi' is 'railroad tie'. That's right; a staircase of railroad ties.

But that's not all. This happens to be the longest railroad tie staircase in all of Japan! Insane! Six-hundred and eighty-something Five hundred and sixty-one steps going up the hillside. If the skies are clear, the view from up there is incredible. (Thought: Is this anything like having the "World's Largest Ball of Twine" in your town in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas?)

I conducted another cooking class yesterday; hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, and deviled eggs. I forgot to get the pictures off my phone yesterday, so those will have to go up tomorrow. I can say this, though - it all came off much better than I thought, or even hoped for.