It’s Valentine’s Day and a short drive to our next destination Yufuin, about 25 km from our last stay.  Yufuin is known as a “spa town” because of all the hot springs.  You can see steam rising from some of them up in the hills.

We spent the day wandering around the town.  Here are some eggs cooking in the hot geothermal ground water outside a store by the sidewalk.

Then there was this zen-like laundromat.

And a few doors down – a restaurant maybe?

Speaking of food, it’s time for lunch and there just happens to be a brewery in town.

The food was buffet style, many many choices.  Just grab a tray, a bowl or two and a dish.  These dishes are great for folks who like to keep their food separated.  This was my first pass at the buffet.

Back out on the street we came upon other interesting sites, like a chopstick shop

and a beautiful ikebana stand

and a restaurant that specializes in Snoopy?

There was also this sign to give you some perspective.

And this beautiful paving.

And speaking of pavement . . . since we’d spent all day walking around town we headed back to our ryokan (like an onsen but in a hotel).  On the way back we stopped to rest at this lovely foot bath.

Ahhh

where we shared this bottle of local honey Mead that we’d purchased on our wanderings.

Then a hot bath and off to dinner.  Tonight’s meal . . . in case you want to follow along.

First course – beautiful isn’t it?

Second course – cook your own meat and vegees, just the way you like ’em.

Third course

Fourth course – salad with raw salmon

Last course – the rice, miso soup, a little more vegees, and green tea.

Then back to the room for a night cap to go with our Valentine’s Day chocolate.

So now here’s our room before dinner and here it is after dinner.

In the morning we head up to breakfast and thank goodness Tracy knows what’s going on.  She’s fluent in Japanese and our amazing guide/translator on all these adventures.

Breakfast – preset and ready to eat.  Very typical Japanese breakfast.

Then it was back in the car for the long drive home, quite content with many happy memories.