We recently took a road trip with our friends Ralph and Yuki up into the mountains south of Tokyo a few hours. Ralph and Yuki had stayed at some of the cabins earlier that year. They also have a pet schnauser named "Mimi".
The trip was alot of fun, and we drove high into the mountains. We then took a ski lift up the side of the mountain to get a good look around. The entire valley area is a popular getaway location, and is very pet friendly.
We decided to take a ski lift up the mountainside to see the sights. Sadly, it kept trying to rain on us that day.
It felt weird to get onto a ski lift with no snow around...
Ralph and the pup named Mimi
Teresa, Yuki, Ralph and Mimi.
Yours truely with the Kiyosato Valley behind me...
Teresa uses some very high powered binoculars to check out the valley.
We holed up in a cafe for a while when it started to rain. The people running the lift brought us some disposable rain jackets.
Sisko enjoys being carried down the mountain to the ski lift.
I ran ahead to get some cool photos of the others...
I think the dogs didn't mind the rain so much as not being able to explore and sniff everything they were carried past...
We then stopped for lunch at a pet friendly restruant. The food was good, but what was extra nice was they had special areas for you and your pets to eat in the same place.
We went out again a few weeks later to the same place to spend the night at a pet and cabins area. Here Mimi and Sisko pose in a puddle of sunlight.
Sadly, old Godzilla was getting a bit worn, so I bought this new vehicle to replace the old SUV. This is a Mitsubishi RVR I bought.
Yuki and Teresa get chauffered to Kiyosato while Ralph and I are up front...
Here is the cabin we stayed at. Ralph and Yuki's cabin was next door. It was actually a pretty good sized place.
Here is a shot of the living room of Ralph and Yuki's cabin.
I sit and relax a while...
Even high up in the mountains there is good cell phone coverage.
There are several nice wooded fenced areas for the dogs to run around and play with each other in.
A family photo....
Here is my current wallpaper of my computer at work! Such a lovely lady, and good looking puppy!
Teresa took this shot as I set Sisko up for a posed shot. A whippet dog wanders over to check everything out.
Sisko is looking cute in his Disney outfit...
Teresa had fun checking out all the new dogs that would come by for some attention in one of the dog run areas.
The next day we all explored more of the valley.
Behind Yuki and Ralph is a working daily farm high up in the "Japanese Alps".
They get a lot of snow up here in the winter, but right now the landscape reminds me of California.
There were alot of fields with cattle and sheep in them. Alot of resturaunts and scenic views as well.
Of course Teresa can't pass the opportunity to get some soft serve ice-cream!
A view of one of the mountains around Kiyosato.
 
The valley is also known for its peach orchards too. Fortunately it was the right time of the year for fruit stands to be everywhere!
The lady running this stand takes a peach and cuts it into slices for us to try. It must have worked, because we bought about $40 worth of peaches!
The Japanse are all about what looks good, and presentation. I got to admit, the layout was very well done!
We tried some yellow peaches...but they were not so good. We liked the regular ones tho!
I could have eaten every peach in the place. Of course that would have been pretty expensive. Each crate was about $60.
Another picture of our new car...
The ladies load our peach purchases into the cargo area, while Sisko and Mimi supervise!
We then went to the cool Kiyosato shopping village, where it is pet friendly! Shops and resturaunts allow you dog to come in!
This is a shot that sells all sorts of cat nicknacks...
There are several dozen stores and food shops all along this area that you can park and walk along.
They all have a European feel and layout.
Sisko was a huge hit with the everyone, even the smallest of children!
Sisko even got to meet some cows for the first time!
 
Here is a picture of part of the Kiyosato Moeginomura shopping area we went to.
We ate our last meal at a place called "Rock". It is also a beer brewery. The food was pretty good.
Sisko and Mimi sit next to their parents as we eat!