Yesterday we got out of the megatropolis of Tokyo and visited the woodland realm of Nikko. The above picture was taken at a famous shrine there which also serves as the tomb of one of Japan's greatest Shoguns. I don't recall his name, but his relationship with a shipwrecked Portugese sailor was the basis for the book and movie "Shogun." You can see Dunnington in a white t-shirt climbing the stairs. The outstanding feature of this shrine is that it is much more ornately decorated than any building we had seen previously. This is very un-Zen, but apparently that was the Zeitgeist. The building pictured is actually just one of the gates in the complex.
After days of walking around in the city, it was nice to get out and hike a bit. I have more pictures of this hike which I may post later; particularly interesting was a portion of the trail that was entirely lined with four-foot high statues of Buddah that looked like they'd been there for hundreds of years. At the end of the day we refreshed ourselves with a dip in the geothermally heated waters of the Yashio Municipal Spa in Nikko National Park. I could not take pictures as everyone was running around naked, including us (no, it was not co-ed--what do think this is, Germany?). Dunn took to communal bathing with aplomb, his favorite part being the sit-down showers you use to clean off before getting in the spa.
I'm so giad you'er writing to us.I'm tiping this.