Lost In Japan

I woke up this morning feeling a little apprehensive about last night, but Ricky and I both promised ourselves not to let it ruin our day. At about 8am Adel Weiss was played over loud speakers across the town and we still have no idea why, but people didn’t seem to rise until then. The first thing we had to do was go and find more cash so after getting ourselves ready minus a shower because the water wouldn’t go hot, we headed off to the seven eleven down the road. Seven Elevens here are awesome because the ATMs don’t charge all that much. We got our cash and a few pastries and ice coffees before heading off to Kinugawa station to catch a limited express to Shimo Imaichi and onto Nikko.

Once we arrive we quickly snatch up an English Nikko tourist guide and we are soon off to Nikko National Park to check out the temples. It takes us about half an hour before we arrive at Sanbutudo Temple. I am immediately drawn to the Japanese Strolling garden opposite the temple and we pay a fee and enter. This place is amazing!!! amazing amazing amazing!!! I have seen a fair few gardens in my life so far thanks to mum but I think this one probably tops them all so far. Ricky and I walk around for a while and I take A LOT of photos before we exit to have a look inside the temples.

Sandutudo temple is notable for it’s 3 HUGE gold statues which all mean something, but now I have forgotten what that is exactly. I wouldn’t say the architecture of the temple was amazing, however Nikkō Tōshō-gū, which was up next, had some pretty intricate detail. This is also the origin of the three wise monkeys with the original carving on one of the outside buildings of the shrine. I found this fact a little exciting because I had grown up with the knowledge of the three wise monekys but didn’t know where they had come from. The main temple required us taking our shoes off and I think my feet were actually going to freeze off. It took away from the experience a little I think as I couldn’t wait to get around and get my shoes back on.

We’re feeling a bit peckish by now so we head down from the temples and eat some traditional ramen for lunch. Ricky had crumbed veal on rice as well. The waitresses and staff find it funny that we can’t make up our minds whether we want udon or soba noodles because we can’t remember which is hot and cold.

Having seen enough temples for a while, Ricky and I head off to see the Jakko waterfall. We walk further away from the town centre until Ricky sees a sign for the waterfall. This is a 2.1k walk from the bottom and then 2.1k back down. If we had have done this again I probably would have tried to get a bus there and back but this time we are walking. On the way up I discovered an empty overgrown swimming pool which delights Ricky to bits so we stop and take some photos there. At the top Ricky also has the opportunity to take more pics with his new b’day presents, his neutral density filter and his gorilla pod.

When we arrive back at the bottom it’s getting to about 4pm. This town is strange and everyone is already packing up shop. Ricky finds a internet cafe at the information centre while I go and stroll around the local shops and then we head down the road to eat some strange pseudo Italian restaurant. We order ‘garlic bread on tomatoe’ and a ‘many mushrooms pizza’ and then top it off with some cake and decent coffee that was a bit cold and costs about $5:50. Coffee here has outrageous prices and the stupid thing is, it’s shit house! By now it’s bloody freezing and we need to get back to the hotel. We buy some Nikko grown and produced pear wine to swig at the hotel which we can barely drink by the time we get back because we are so tired.

When we arrive at the hotel we pay our fee and ask if they have internet. They guy at the desk looks confused… so we ask again. ‘interneto?’ .. ‘ahhh.. hai. interneto..’ The hotel man walks around the desk at reception, picks up the computer, turn it around and sits it on the front counter. Ricky and I are in a fit of giggles because this is just bizarre and then the man is grabbing us some seats from the pokies to sit on while we use it with great enthusiasm. Later I come downstairs to ask for a wine opener and after a little bit of translation troubles and three people running around trying to find my prized possession, I leave armed with my cork screw. Before I leave I notice a dog sitting on the floor of the restaurants kitchen. Holy Moly. I imagine the food police in Australia getting a geezer of that one. (In fact, almost every shop in some parts of Japan, especially in Nikko, come complete with a dog to say hello to). I give this place 5/5 for their service. They certainly go the extra mile.

Our Favs

1. Reception internet use.
2. Seeing a train split in half. One to go in one direction and then the other free to leave in another direction. Thank god we were on the right half.
3. Ricky trying to explain his noodle choice to the waitress. We could hear the cooks laughing in the kicthen.
4. Seeing fire men training upside down and really fast along a rope.
5. Crazy empty pool!
6. 8am town alarm.
7. Super Ultra toilet seat in our lunch resteraunt complete with seat temp adjustment.