Nikko

This past weekend, Brian and I visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nikko: it's a town filled with temples that aren't the typical Japanese style. It started as a shrine to a shogun, that just kept being added to. We visited Toshogun (above and below) and Rinnoji Temples, as well as wandering around the local grounds. Toshogun is the largest and most ornate of the temples, and it was really cool- there's carvings and really intricate paintings everywhere. It's home to the original Wise Monkeys (below), which are carved onto the wall of the stables.

We also visited Kanmangafuchi Abyss, which is an area on the river where the water has carved a really deep channel- it was absolutely gorgeous. In addition, along the wall is a really long series of Buddahs. Legend has it that they're continuously taken and replaced by ghosts, so that if you count them while walking from one end to the other, it won't match your count on the way back.

Also of note: the Nikko Park Lodge had an amazing vegan, zen Buddist dinner, and the staff there was incredibly well informed, helpful, and spoke superb English. Nikko Brewery is a local micro-brewery, and it's the first Japanese beer that I've actually liked. I also got to have some really good Indian food (dal curry and nan) at a restaurant in the square near the train station.

Pictures should be up soon on Brian's facebook account.