I enjoy Yokohama and Tokyo, but it was a relief to take the bus to Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture. Kusatsu is a world away from the high-rise, neon-light, relentless city. There are no multi-level highways, railways and subway; there are no commuters going to work in the morning in crowded trains, or making their way home late in the evening; there are no crowded department stores.
Kusatsu is an onsen town in the hills. Steam rises from water courses throughout the little town, and there’s a smell of sulphur in the air. I explored the town (which takes barely an hour to do) and the little temples, drank tea in style, and relaxed.
I stayed in a Japanese-style ryokan and had a delicious supper. I know this is becoming a bit of a theme of my time in Japan, but maybe this will be the last picture of food for a while.
Notes from a Korean island 
What pretty food – though the leaf at the bottom looks remarkably like a stinging nettle (don’t suppose it was though!)