\nThe market was in full swing, and since it was still pretty early, people are just starting to trickle in. It was just as cold as it was when I first walked through the market, but I noticed that no matter what the weather is, the ice cream stall is still open, and is still making a sale. There are sweets for sale, souvenir items, clothes and accessories, freshly baked bread, and of course, fresh produce. If you get too cold, you can duck into some of the bigger stores to thaw out for a bit before heading back out and continue walking down the market.<\/p>\n

I break away from the group to head to the konbini<\/em> across the river. I love checking out convenience stores and supermarkets when I travel, and the stores in Japan are chockfull of items that would fascinate and\/or leave you chuckling. With a bottle of hot lemon warming up my hoodie’s pocket, I started on a pleasant stroll back to the bus. Along with some people from the group, we stop by Sannomachi street for a quick look and the requisite photo for Facebook and Instagram.<\/p>\n

The parking lot was starting to fill up when we drove out, and as we passed Miyagawa street, it was already full of people. We drove out to the expressway, towards Shirakawa-go. It was very interesting to see the mountains this time, as the last time I saw them, they were white with snow and the trees were barren. Now, the trees are still full of life, and the mountain was covered in splashes of green, red, orange, and yellow.<\/p>\n