Miyoshi-kan Aizuwakamatsu

... and a few onsens. The reconstructed villa was pretty steep, as admissions go, but it did offer something different than most houses--it was furnished and had an air of what really went on day to day, including where cooking and washing and rice threshing was done. There's even a poop chute where doctors can check the health of the samurai through their excrement. And English signage to explain what the Hell all those tiny tatami rooms were for--who knew most of them were ...

... natural piping hot springs while taking in the splendour of the mountains opposite was truly something, and being the lazy sod that I am I certainly could have lain there for many more hours, if it wasn't for Tom getting restless and finding it all a bit too hot for his liking. Then enjoying the traditional kaiseki meal, served in a hatched hut set by a fast flowing river was also memorable and delicious. Quite a sight we all ...

... the northern peninsula is pretty remote. We looked into driving or taking a train to Hokkaido (there's a v-e-r-y long tunnel that connects Honshu and Hokkaido), but that is one LONG trip! It will have to wait 'til next time, and we'll fly. The expressways allowed us to make good time, and we got there in about 3 hours. However, as I've stated before, they're expensive; we spent ...

Well I had to do it...one last day in Japan looking at temples. This time escaping Tokyo back into the mountains North of the city. In all Tokyo is a bit of a let down, not huge amount of sites to see....I guess the war effected alot of things here. The best thing about the place is the small districts and the crazy people. Well Nikko...its a bit like some of the other places i have seen Nara ...

... the parents lounging around the onsen (hot spring) just taking it all in and the kids running havoc it is v funny. On the way out I saw two young monkies fighting, I had to take a video of a monkey fight...... but as I got a little bit closer one of the monkies jumped on me and turned the camera off ........ I couldn't stop laughing. And then the snow started ....... we headed for Tokyo

... at out hotel up a long set of stone steps. When we got there we redeemed our Pass for a set of tickets at a ticket booth. We wanted to save the Toshogu Shrine, the famous resting place of the first shogun Tokogawa Ieyasu, for tomorrow. So we started at the Three Buddhas Temple and Rinno-ji. The Three Buddhas temple was really great because you could get really close to the three giant, gold, Buddha statutes, whereas in many Temples ...

... believe I wore it with pride the whole afternoon... Including Sound check! Just some goofy, fun back stage stories for y'all. After the show, people were pretty tired from the week before, but I was able to get a Jason, Amy, Tatsuya, and Ken out to the bowling alley. Thank GOD Tatsuya and Ken were there... because we would have NEVER figured out the Japanese and the way to get registered on the First floor. But with their help, we figured out easily ...

... got her another yet!)so we wanted to get one, the owner offered to drive us to get a new one which was really nice after we got the bag he then took us out for ramen his treat. the food at the hotel was great but even tho they had an english menu the waiter made a mistake on the second night and we had curry and rice two days in a row. we basically spent two days relaxing, we had a walk and saw a shrine, i got to know a japanese dentist in the outside bath (and no there was no gay love).

... is filled by the local hot springs. There is quite an involved set of etiquette and rules to be followed so as not to offend. Since Japan is a volcanic country, there are many of these Nikko is in the alps so it was quite frosty - with snow still on the ground in some places - and the weather didn:t really cooperate with our plans but it was all good. The people we have encountered have been outstanding andit was quite a contrast to Tokyo.

... 1634 on the order of his grandson Iemitsu (Ieyasu died in 1617). The shrines and buildings are unbelievably ornate. From the main complex I had to climb 200 stairs (not an exaggeration!) to reach Ieyasu's mausoleum. After leaving the Toshugu Shrine I wanndered into Futarasan Shrine and Rinnoji Taiyuin Temple. I must admit, by this point I had seen enough of shrines and was ...