Nikko Day 2 - part 1

So, on my first night at the hostel I had Japanese curry for dinner and spent a good hour soaking in an outdoor onsen just around the corner. It was wonderfully relaxing bathing outdoors and to top it off I had a beer afterwards, with a nice Panamanian guy from San Fransisco that I'd met at the hostel.

I snuck in with a camera and took a photo of the place, kekeke, though the picture doesn't quite do it justice.

The following morning's breakfast was toast and coffee and then I set off to explore Nikko properly. I spent 2000yen on a bus pass which would take me to Chuzenji Lake in the mountains and all the major tourist sites in the area. The following pictures are from the Futarasan and Toshogu Shrines and the Rinnoji Temple. The shrine are is also famous as the home of the monkey carvings in "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" poses (which I failed to take a good photo of).

Oh no! You can see up my noes and all of my 5 chins!

People bowing as a priest chants scripture

Behold! Three different types of Japanese lantern! Wah, sugoi!!

The coolest old-man ever, sat at the exit to the temples with a cat on his knee, blowing on a bird whistle.