Today we took our first bullet train to Nagoya where we bought a bento box for lunch which we ate on a narrow gauge railway up into the Japanese alps to Takayama . It was a very comfortable train with large window so we could enjoy the scenery.A wooded valley with quite a few little dams providing hydro electricity. The houses looked like you expected Japanese houses to look like,many with exquisite little gardens with neatly trimmed bushes and trees. as we climbed higher and higher we noticed snow on the hills and paddy fields. Takayama is a lovely old town with numerous traditional wooden houses. We strolled around the centre and tried the local sake before reaching our hotel which is a traditional Japanese guest house. You have to take off your shoes and are provided with a kimono type of dressing gown to wear to the hot stone communal bath,one for ladies and one for gents.Definitely the way to get to know your fellow travellers intimately. The bed is a futon which you have to make yourself and we'll see how comfortable it is by morning!