A Fuso service; Silk the story, active volcanos, and the no snow Monkeys

Called into the Fuso dealership in Takasaki to check out my squeaky brakes. Their service was beyond exceptional.

THANK YOU

The Tomioka Silk Mill.

Built in 1870 with French involvement.

It was the first brick and timber trussed building in Japan.

All the bricks are different sizes as the locals struggled with the process.

Previously Silk production was a cottage industry

With semi automatic machines introduced by the French production increased.

Interesting at first women refused to work with the French because it was seen that they drink blood. The Japanese government issued a number of notifications disproving this. Eventually the Forman started his 14 year old daughter working and that changed the perception.

Yes that ‘blood’ it was Red Wine

As full automation came production increased to be the global leader in silk production.

The downside the workforce declined.

The mill closed after 115 years in 1987 as other countries with cheaper labour dominated the market.

The active volcano Mt Asana, and the lava fields of 1748

Rhododendron flowers growing under still the smoking volcano

Got to have a real person in some of my pics

The hot springs in the central part of the very touristy town of Kusatsu

Some great roads up to our next active volcano

Note the bamboo as a ‘grass’ cover

Still active Mt Shirane.

It last erupted in 2018 hence the shelters dotted around.

We really wanted to walk to the crater but the whole area is closed because of activity

The same volcano from the other side , the line of sulphuric gas vents with the crater above

Lyn spotted this animal.

It’s a rare Japanese Serow.

A cross between a goat and an antelope !.

The road to the Snow Monkeys. Those trees are Cedar

There is no snow but each morning, encouraged by some feeding around 200 monkeys come down from the mountains.

The Japanese Macaque are unique to Japan.

Their habitat stretches across Japan and are the only monkeys living under such cold weather conditions

Looks content…