Kurobe Gorge

This is what I hope will be a highlight of my first stint in Japan. People come for the day from far flung Tokyo and Kyoto. I'd prefer not to do this on the weekend but today's weather is near perfect, better than yesterday's.
It turns out to be a long day as I leave the hotel at 7:30 and return a bit before 5pm. It is possible to get to Unazuki station (the starting point of the Kurobe Gorge train) by public transport but it's more convenient to drive.
The route takes me ENE around Toyama Bay to Kurobe and then SSE into the mountains to Unazuki. I buy a ticket at 8:53 for the 9am train. There are 3 stations after Unazuki where one can stop. Tickets can be bought at each station. I decide to go to the last station (Keyakidaira) and am the last person to board the train. I'm sitting in the regular (ie. cheap) carriage, which is open to the elements and contains backless bench seats. There is some spray that comes through in the tunnels but that's all part of the adventure.
The other people on the train are mostly families and elderly people. Most don't stray too far from the station when we disembark at Keyakidaira station. There are a couple of trails to onsen and open air hot baths that are close to the Babadani river. This river looks like it would be used to generate hydroelectric power. There is a strong smell of sulphur around the hot baths. It's a very warm day, last thing I need is a hot bath!
Opposite the Meiken onsen across a bridge, I take my shirt off for a little while so it can dry out. There's noone around, I'm in the shade and there's a nice breeze. It seems appropriate somehow.
Back at the station, I buy some lunch in the upstairs bistro. In the land of vending machines, I put in money and push lucky button #24 to order a beef curry. A ticket prints with the number 580 on it. This number will be called out when my meal is ready, which is a slight hitch as I don't know the Japanese number system. I take the approach of waiting to see if anyone picks up a meal after a number is called. This fortunately works!
I buy a ticket for a brief stopover at Kinetsura station, which is the next station along. Then it's back to Unazuki in the cheap seats, then home!Read more