Our last day with our more-than-worth-it JR Passes.
Also, our last opportunity to ride the amazing Shinkansen.
Another day solo for me and Jen. We decided that we should visit Nikko. According to the posters we've been seeing for weeks now, "Nikko is Nippon". (Nippon is Japan). And if it's good enough for UNESCO to designate it a world heritage site, it's good enough for us!
Also, Phil, Julie and the girls were off to the airport today to fly home. Seems hard to believe that their two weeks are already up!
This is the Max Yamabiko--a double decker shinkansen that was attached nose to tail to the Tsubasa, another bullet train. They separate at a certain point on the route. On our way home we actually had tickets for the Tsubasa.
Nikko is set in yet another idyllic forest park. Giant trees, butterflies and cicadas--oh the cicadas. You know how at home you hear one, and it's pretty. A true sign of summer. Here, it is a chorus, a cacophony, an incessant buzz that you learn to tune out. It is really quite incredible.
This 1650 five story pagoda was rebuilt due to natural disater in 1818 and has no foundations. Inside there is a free-swinging pendulum pole that helps maintain equilibrium during earthquakes.
An ornate gate to a mausoleum.
Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. This is part of a series of monkey reliefs adorning the Sacred Stable. Not sure if this is the originator.
This is the precinct of the Tosho-gu shrine dating to the middle of the 17th century.
Us in front of the main shrine.
Shin-kyo bashi. A bridge to celebrate Shodo Shonin who established a hermitage in Nikko in 782. Note the foundations are actually torii.
On our way home that night, rightfully bushed, we had an amazing view of Mt. Fuji. It really is an imposing mountain.
4 comments:
i just spent 1 hour at work looking at your blog. i'm so jealous.
pierre
I would be wishing I could travel everyday forever!!! Talk about freaking jealous.
I'm surprised you haven't been teaching us a word of Japanese each day. Are you fluent yet?
Mama B.
Sh#!...we can't beleive you two have been gone so long and this is our first post...sorry...but life exploded...love the pics and the stories of adventures...Japan looks wicked! hope your journey home isn't as trying as your journey there...call us when you get back...
Sara, Matt & JSlim
Yes - your very cute, what was it - adorable little me!!!
what a vacation, you both must be so fit after all the walking. I,ll have to go into training before I visit. Hate to mention it but when exactly are you coming home?
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