Japanese Alps

Japan is located on the Ring of Fire. It is a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircle the basin of the Pacific. The land sits on two tectonic plates, the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. The boundary between the two plates is in the middle of Honshu Island, the largest island. So, it is no wonder that the Japanese Alps are located here and it is only about three to four hour drive from Tokyo.

We decided to make Nagano town to be our base to explore one of the most dynamic landscape in the world. A visit to Nagano would not be complete without a stop at Zenkō-ji, a 7th century Buddhist temple which overlooks the city. The complex is immense and features many beautiful ancient ornate structures with intricate colorful wood carvings. Many people from all over the world come here to retreat from the merry-go-around of daily lives. Strolling inside the complex and absorbing the serene ambiance was the best way to let all of my jumbled thoughts and restlessness wash away.

The mid-west part of Honshu Island is not only the home of Japanese Alps but also the home of two feudal era Japanese villages in Kiso valley. Tsumago and Magome are practically next to each other separated by a beautiful twisty mountain road. These time capsules were as timeless and traditional as I could have imagined.

Walking around these villages, my mind wondered to images from movies depicting the Japanese feudal time. I day dreamed to the time when the Japanese Samurai Warriors in their colorful armors, ghostly masks, and terrifying swords marching down the narrow alleys of these villages. Nowadays, the wooden structures with paper screen doors and artful bonsai gardens gave the sense of peace and tranquility.

Another highlight of this region is Kamikochi, the Japan Alps National Park. We had to take the natural gas powered bus to get in and out of the park. Once we arrived, we were greeted by not only the most pristine air my lungs had ever experienced, but also the mesmerizing Ansel-Adam-like views of the mountain tops that rise upward from the 1500 meter plateau.

This picturesque dreamy region is dotted by many hiking trails. Groups of hikers were lining up in orderly fashion to start their hiking through the lush forest filled with birch and Japanese larch trees. The alluring Azusa River that flows through Kamikochi and feeds Lake Taisho makes the already picturesque dreamy region a perfect weekend sanctuary.

Our minds were overwhelmed by the number of mountain passes we saw as we browsed the 3G MMI navigational system. We were like little kids in the colorful candy store. We were paralyzed by the options. We looked at the gas gauge to make sure that we had enough gas for this driving excursion. The rest of the day was something that could not be described in words. We took turns driving this agile A5 through the narrow corkscrews, hairpins, and switchbacks with steep elevation change.

We didn’t speak to each other because our minds were empty. My fingers wrapped around the perforated sport steering wheel. Occasionally, some of my neurons fired in certain rhythmic order because of the stimuli that came through my eyes, ears, and spine. The next thing, I downshifted, braked, turned, revved up, accelerated, and up shifted. The syncopation repeated again and again. No more jumbled thoughts…it was just a blissful time.

Pure Enjoyment of Audi Driving

Many car manufacturers make reliable and comfortable utilitarian cars. Others make luxurious cars that give certain status of the person driving them. And they find their customers and they make profit. Very rare, a car manufacturer builds car out of passions for engineering, craftsmanship, and performance.

Audi is one of those rarities. Additionally, Audi always have the driver and the passengers in mind when they design and build a car. Audi makes sure that the enjoyment of driving is not lost in translation of marketing requirements, product specifications, and engineering constraints.

I know this not because Audi told me, but because what they have done with this new A5 (http://www.audi.co.jp/a5), and what I experienced in driving this engineering masterpiece. The car not only moved precisely the way I told it to, but the car generated so much positive emotions inside me. I found Zen through driving this Audi.

http://www.audi.co.jp/a5), and what I experienced in driving this engineering masterpiece. The car not only moved precisely the way I told it to, but the car generated so much positive emotions inside me. I found Zen through driving this Audi.

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Japanese Alps

Japan is located on the Ring of Fire. It is a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircle the basin of the Pacific. The land sits on two tectonic plates, the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. The boundary between the two plates is in the middle of Honshu Island, the largest island. So, it is no wonder that the Japanese Alps are located here and it is only about three to four hour drive from Tokyo.

We decided to make Nagano town to be our base to explore one of the most dynamic landscape in the world. A visit to Nagano would not be complete without a stop at Zenkō-ji, a 7th century Buddhist temple which overlooks the city. The complex is immense and features many beautiful ancient ornate structures with intricate colorful wood carvings. Many people from all over the world come here to retreat from the merry-go-around of daily lives. Strolling inside the complex and absorbing the serene ambiance was the best way to let all of my jumbled thoughts and restlessness wash away.

The mid-west part of Honshu Island is not only the home of Japanese Alps but also the home of two feudal era Japanese villages in Kiso valley. Tsumago and Magome are practically next to each other separated by a beautiful twisty mountain road. These time capsules were as timeless and traditional as I could have imagined.

Walking around these villages, my mind wondered to images from movies depicting the Japanese feudal time. I day dreamed to the time when the Japanese Samurai Warriors in their colorful armors, ghostly masks, and terrifying swords marching down the narrow alleys of these villages. Nowadays, the wooden structures with paper screen doors and artful bonsai gardens gave the sense of peace and tranquility.

Another highlight of this region is Kamikochi, the Japan Alps National Park. We had to take the natural gas powered bus to get in and out of the park. Once we arrived, we were greeted by not only the most pristine air my lungs had ever experienced, but also the mesmerizing Ansel-Adam-like views of the mountain tops that rise upward from the 1500 meter plateau.

This picturesque dreamy region is dotted by many hiking trails. Groups of hikers were lining up in orderly fashion to start their hiking through the lush forest filled with birch and Japanese larch trees. The alluring Azusa River that flows through Kamikochi and feeds Lake Taisho makes the already picturesque dreamy region a perfect weekend sanctuary.

Our minds were overwhelmed by the number of mountain passes we saw as we browsed the 3G MMI navigational system. We were like little kids in the colorful candy store. We were paralyzed by the options. We looked at the gas gauge to make sure that we had enough gas for this driving excursion. The rest of the day was something that could not be described in words. We took turns driving this agile A5 through the narrow corkscrews, hairpins, and switchbacks with steep elevation change.

We didn’t speak to each other because our minds were empty. My fingers wrapped around the perforated sport steering wheel. Occasionally, some of my neurons fired in certain rhythmic order because of the stimuli that came through my eyes, ears, and spine. The next thing, I downshifted, braked, turned, revved up, accelerated, and up shifted. The syncopation repeated again and again. No more jumbled thoughts…it was just a blissful time.

Pure Enjoyment of Audi Driving

Many car manufacturers make reliable and comfortable utilitarian cars. Others make luxurious cars that give certain status of the person driving them. And they find their customers and they make profit. Very rare, a car manufacturer builds car out of passions for engineering, craftsmanship, and performance.

Audi is one of those rarities. Additionally, Audi always have the driver and the passengers in mind when they design and build a car. Audi makes sure that the enjoyment of driving is not lost in translation of marketing requirements, product specifications, and engineering constraints.

I know this not because Audi told me, but because what they have done with this new A5 (http://www.audi.co.jp/a5), and what I experienced in driving this engineering masterpiece. The car not only moved precisely the way I told it to, but the car generated so much positive emotions inside me. I found Zen through driving this Audi.