Holiday in Japan (Day 6)

We slept well, waking at 7.15, rented a towel from reception, and had a bath. We left and walked to Shin-kyō (神橋 – sacred bridge). Some man unexpectedly fetched us a map and explained the route that we should take. I bought some batteries in a souvenir shop and we set off.

We decided not to walk across (and back) the bridge, once only used by high-ranking samurai, for ￥500, as we had a good view of it from the adjacent bridge. Legend has it that the Buddhist priest Shōdō Shōnin first visited Nikkō, he was helped across the river at this point by two snakes, who formed a bridge and then vanished.

After climbing many stairs, we bought a combined-ticket and entered Sanbutsu-dō (三仏堂 – Three Buddhas Hall), one of the halls of Rinnō-ji (輪王寺), a Buddhist temple. Inside were three impressive, giant, gold-leafed Buddhas, each about 8 metres tall. We ended up caught in a Japanese tour, though we did not really understand much. There were a few more, smaller Buddhas dotted around, and a little praying place in another building close by. Three women were cleaning it when we were there. It was full of Buddha statues.

Next, we went to Tōshō-gū (東照宮), a huge, shrine complex, comprised of many intricately carved buildings. At the entrance, a five-storey pagoda awaited us. Inside, we was the Sacred Stables (shinkyū-sha), though the horse was out. I thought it was going to be a horse sculpture, but it turns out it is a real horse, the only one to be serving a shrine in Japan. Over the stable doors, however, were some monkey carvings, including the famous “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” monkeys. Opposite was an imaginary elephant, carved on a building.

We went in further, through the amazingly complex Yōmei-mon (陽明門) and looked at Nara-mon. Ieyasu’s tomb was an extra ￥520, which included a tiny carving of a sleeping cat, but we decided to pass. We went around inside the main temple: Haiden, where we had to remove our shoes. Inside were more intricate carvings, and we could look at Nara-mon from the other side.

After, we went to the Temple of the Medicine Buddha (薬師堂 – Yakushi-dō). It was covered in scaffolding, but the inside was untouched. A giant painted dragon was painted on the ceiling, though alas the original was lost in a fire. The temple worker said something in Japanese, before clapping two wooden sticks together a few times. The echo sounded like a rattle, and is supposed to sound like the roar of the dragon. The Buddha in the hall was surrounded by his guardians: one of for each of the Chinese zodiac years, though there was no visible to connection to each one. Each guards the people born in that year.

Next, we made our way to Futurasan-jinja (二荒山神社). In one of the shrine buildings, some ceremony was taking place: aimasajyuyo-shiki. There were cameramen filming, and we watched for a while whilst two girls performed some kind of initiation ceremony (we asked one of the staff in a souvenir shop). We entered the main shrine, which was very calm and tranquil. Inside there was even a detached bridge, leading across to nowhere special (you could walk next to it to the same place). There was also a ring-tossing game for everyone to play. The shrine itself was very simple: a small, sacred pool surrounded by some rocks. It was very moving.

Our final visit around the area was to Taiyūin-byō (大猷院廟 – The Great Yūin Mausoleum). Up many stairs and through a few gates, it was much less extravagant than Tōshō-gū, but still elaborate. The temple was down a recessed corridor and inaccessible, but viewable. The surrounding walls were black lacquer with gold paint.

We left the temples and shrines and made our way along the river Daiya (大谷川), via a small temple called Jyoko-ji, where there was a graveyard containing many hatted Buddha statues. We walked by a stone park (a park with stones in it) and along to Ganman-ga-fuchi (含満ヶ淵) abyss. It is simply a place where the river runs fast over giant rocks, and we managed to find a path right down next to it. This appeared to be a dammed off tributary, but we were fine. In the same vicinity, there were 45 statues of Jizō (地蔵), the Buddhist saint of travellers and children, though most were damaged in some way and some were even completely missing. All had red bibs on.

We walked back to town, with James having an ice cream from near the stone park. We walked down the main street and found an Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き – Japanese pancakes you make yourself) restaurant where we ate. I had a Cheese-Mix (チーズミクス) that comprised pork, shrimp, cheese and squid, whereas James had the beef. There was a slightly amusing incident when James tried to pour water from a kettle (unknowingly), and the two girls to us had to intervene to show us the cold-water jug! To cook Okonomiyaki you just mix up what you receive and pour it onto the giant hotplate that is at each table. You flip it a bit, and it comes out like an omelette. It was tasty, despite the squid!

We returned to the station, buying postcards, and a choco-crunch bun each. On the train back to Utsunomiya there were two noisy American couple boasting about their experiences to each other. Makes me hate to be a gaijin.

From Utsunomiya we caught the double-deckered MaxYamabiko to Tokyo. Unfortunately, we had seats on the second floor, as I think the being closer to the ground would have been much cooler! From Tokyo we travelled to Kozu, seeing our first sakura on the way. We went on to Gotemba, where we caught the bus to Kawaguchiko. About six hours travelling time in total.

We checked in to our hotel and then went out for dinner. We found a tiny ramen place by the lake and ate there. Afterwards, we crossed the road and bought some snacks from the Lawsons over the road. There was a pyjama-clad family in there as well, who must have obviously come from a nearby hotel. Still an odd site.

We came home, and saw a young boy seemingly checking in by himself. We used the free internet for a while before watching Lord of the Rings on TV again (I think it was the third one, so maybe yesterday was number two?). We played more cards and drank umeshu. Then we went to bed on the tatami, on beds that we had to make ourselves.