Nikko temples and Yumoto-onsen

Okay, I'll make this short as I'm very tired. (I just misspelled the word tired 4 times.) Yesterday morning we got up at the buzz before the crack of dawn to catch a very early train, to catch another very early train from Tokyo to Nikko. That all went fine, though I don't do early very well. In Nikko we visited the very famous temple complex. We walked through and saw several beautiful temples. We also climbed 400 gazillion steps to the last resting place of Tokugawa Ieyesu, who wished to be interred high and to the northwest of Edo (Tokyo) so that he could forever protect his country from the evil spirits that come from the northwest and swoop down.

After a delicious lunch, we boarded the bus to take us up into the mountains to Yumoto-onsen for the natural mineral hot spring baths. It was a very traditional place. The floors of the room were covered in tatami mats (10) with a low table and sliding doors with paper between the panes. While we were at dinner they reset our room with futons on the floor for sleeping. We wore light kimonos all the time we were there, except of course when we were in the onsen- the mineral baths. The food was good and plentiful, the service was good, and we had a very relaxing time.

The next day, that was today, we headed back down the mountains to Nikko. On the way we stopped at Kegon Falls at Lake Chuzenji. It was a spectacular 90 meter falls that still had some ice. We also did a little shopping. Then we resumed our journey back to Nikko to catch the trains for home. On the way my handheld computer died a horrible and painful death, but I'll just have to put my grief aside and carry on bravely.

By the way, those of you waiting for pictures, I'm sorry but they will probably have to wait until I get back. I may add some pics to these last few posts, but beyond that be patient with me. More tomorrow after we get back from Kamakura.