Where did Friday go?  It seemed both a very long and a very short day.  I suppose loosing 8 hours due to the time difference was some of the reason but the travelling had something to do with it as well. We finally arrived in the Takiyama National Youth Nature Centre at about 9:30pm having had supper (sandwiches) on the coach from Toyama airport. 

On arrival we were issued with towels (which proved to be strangely unabsorbant) and bedding. The accommodation was bunk beds in dormitories, sixteen beds to a room.  In typical Japanese style the mattresses were very hard and the pillows were huge bean bags. Surprisingly these were not too uncomfortable and we didn't wake up with bean impressions in our faces.  The bathing facilities were also very Japanese.  Communal baths and showers - shower first and only when clean could you go in the large very hot baths.  One of our (adult) number nearly caused an international incident by coming out of the baths inappropriately attired - he had to send someone back to the dormitory for some more clothes!
 

One of the dormitories at the National Youth Nature Centre

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