【越後湯沢】清津峡・雪の花（共立リゾート）・湯沢高原で過ごす夏
We have arrived at Echigo-Yuzawa Station. There’s some time before the bus to Kiyotsu Gorge, so we stop by a café in front of the station. From Echigo-Yuzawa Station, East Exit, Bus Stop No.4, we board the local bus heading toward Kiyotsu Gorge. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the nearest bus stop, “Kiyotsu Gorge Entrance.” From here, it’s another 30-minute walk to the entrance of Kiyotsu Gorge. We take it slow, enjoying the sound of the river and the scenery. At first, peaceful rural landscapes unfold. Houses and rice fields spread out around us. Gradually, signs of people disappear. We pass through a pitch-dark tunnel on foot. This is the path we take to reach Kiyotsu Gorge. Walking along a narrow sidewalk, cars zoom by right beside us, which is a bit scary. We’re finally approaching the entrance of Kiyotsu Gorge. There’s almost no shade, so summer must be tough here. Tickets seem to be purchased inside the tunnel. We buy tickets from a vending machine. There’s a spot with eerie music playing, which is a little scary. Maybe it’s art? Shallow water on the floor reflects the scenery. The water is about 3 to 4 centimeters deep. You can walk barefoot or with shoes on. Kids will almost certainly get wet. If you’re not wearing thick-soled shoes, you’ll likely get wet too. There are few people here today, so depending on the timing, you can have it all to yourself. A photo taken in this quietness is truly special. We’ve returned to the entrance. There’s a small rest area here, and restrooms as well. We take about 30 minutes to walk back the way we came. Considering the bus schedule, we can’t take it too slow. As you can see, taxis don’t really come through here. A calm space with tatami mats throughout the entire building unfolds. The colorful yukatas make my heart skip a beat. Here is the souvenir shop. I walk feeling the softness of the tatami mats beneath my feet. Even the elevator floors are covered with tatami. A quick detour before heading to our room. Here, the famous Kyōritsu Resort’s specialty, “yonaki soba” (late-night noodles), is served. Don’t forget the post-bath ice cream. Besides the large communal bath, there are three private baths available. No reservation needed — if it’s free, you can enter right away. We’ll check out the private baths later. For now, let’s head to the room. A compact Japanese-style twin room. Yukatas are available, as well as traditional work clothes (samue). A coffee set with freshly ground beans. This little extra shows the service spirit of Kyōritsu Resort. Since the room has a sink, it’s easy to prepare coffee here. There’s also Japanese tea provided. The room is simply equipped with a shower only, but with the large bath and private baths available, it’s a comfortable and affordable stay. The long-awaited dinner. We received a sake tasting ticket at dinner. As expected from Niigata, Japan’s rice region — a delightful drink. I ate a little before filming. The bubbling pot sound whets the appetite. There are plenty of side dishes including beef tongue stew, soba noodles, and cutlets. The volume and variety exceed expectations. We have arrived at the private bath. I didn’t enter from inside, but arrived here by walking along the eaves. I chose the “Iwa no Yu” among the three private baths. It’s spacious enough for about four people. After bathing, you can choose ice cream: chocolate, vanilla, or Calpis flavor. At 10 p.m., they serve night soba noodles. You can choose soy sauce or ginger flavor (I ate some before filming again). The breakfast was colorful and very filling. There was even a sake lees soup, showing the local Niigata flavor. Here is the morning drink. The meal space is divided, so it feels peaceful. Now, let’s take a morning bath too. Ah, so relaxing. In the morning, the ice cream is replaced by Yakult. Now, we arrived at Yuzawa Kogen, about a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Here is one of the world’s largest gondolas. It looks just like a train. In winter, this place must be full of skiers. We have arrived at the summit. There are no facilities unless you come up here. Some summer activities are available. But mostly, it’s a place to enjoy the open field. There are some restaurants here and there. The ski resort has quite a large scale. There is a bus connecting the bobsled and the ski lift station. It’s actually walking distance, but we decided to take the bus. Unfortunately, filming is not allowed on the bobsled ride. You speed through the panorama at high speed. It was super refreshing. What about after the ride? Don’t worry. You can return slowly by ski lift. There are playgrounds, but some are marked as off-limits. What is this scary slide? We stopped by a café while waiting for the next gondola. I had a pear smoothie. Now, since the Shinkansen is here, we’ll return to ground level. Off-season Echigo Yuzawa is surrounded by greenery, with few people around. Because it’s a “nothing special” season, I feel I got to see the true face of this town. Thank you very much for watching until the end.
新潟・越後湯沢で過ごす、夏の静かな旅。
大自然の絶景【清津峡】、食のおもてなしが魅力の【雪の花（共立リゾート）】、世界最大級のゴンドラで絶景を独り占めできる【湯沢高原パノラマパーク】を巡ります。
2:50 清津峡
9:38 雪の花（共立リゾート）
19:10 湯沢高原パノラマパーク
#越後湯沢
#清津峡
#雪の花
#共立リゾート
#湯沢高原
#新潟旅行
#パノラマステーション