We had a late start due to the previous night's drinks, but with the help of ice cream cones, we managed to get onto the bus to Mt. Kinpo. Of course, I work on Mt. Kinpo 2/3 of the month, but I never tire of a leisurely hike there. We got off the bus at the information center, where a kind man gave us bus information in English. We found a stuffed tanuki in a display case. The tanuki is a dog/racoon animal that has gigantic balls. It is important in Japanese mythology, and stautes of it are everywhere. Soon we hiked off,through bamboo and pine trees, mandarin orange groves, and rice fields. Locals were drying persimmons and white radishes outside their houses. The end of the hike brings one to a lookout point which proffers views of the Ariake Sea. Around the corner is The Hill of 500 Buddha statues, each with a distinct facial expression, some even missing their heads! Past the hill is a cave in which Musashi Miyamoto spent some years as a hermit, writing his acclaimed "Book of 5 Rings". Waiting for the bus home, we had a beautiful sunset.
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