A Cocoon in the City

No work last Saturday; it was a long weekend indeed. Despite the sunny weather out there, this is the season when pulling yourself out of the bed proves to be a major feat. I'm so proud of myself for being discipline enough to wake up early, well, after a couple of hours' struggling. So, it was no early than noon that I eventually got ready to go out before I rot in the suffocating room (Nowadays, I wonder if I'm claustrophobic).

Usual photo session. I had a couple of places in mind but somehow, I wasn't in the mood to travel far. Besides, I had to drop by at Bic Camera. So Shinjuku it was. After grabbing an ND filter (which sadly is yet to make its debut, so more on that some other time) at Bic Camera for my Tammy 17-50, I took a stroll in the west area of the station. Then, it caught my attention. Yes, one of the strangest buildings I've seen in Japan (if you don't consider the black pyramid next to Tokyo Tower). To some, it may look like a monolithic phallic monument. To me, it resembled some kind of monster cocoon from the Ultraman series.

Oh, it is the Cocoon Tower, duh!


The first time the building caught my attention was during a trip to the observatory in the Tokyo metropolitan office building a few blocks away. Frankly, I was ignorant of the fact that the building was a recent addition to the already packed metropolitan district - as recent as last summer. In fact, the official opening was on last October.

Oh well. So we've got another high rise building in Shinjuku. What's new?

Hey, don't miss the point here. It's a piece of artwork, don't you think so? To put it curtly, it's a strange design. A subtle way of rephrasing that, would be "futuristic". It was hard to find a spot in the crowded district to take a shot at the structure in full. So just check out their official website for a photo of it. Simply speaking, it's a gigantic cocoon with a gigantic ball (or is it a dome?). Ah, pardon my lack of vocabulary.

Now, this building was designed by Tange Associates. Though it wasn't by Tange Kenzo himself, I must say that this building is second to none of his other works.


So, what purpose does this cocoon serve? Believe it or not, it houses three vocational schools: Tokyo Mode Gakuen (東京モード学園), HAL (ハル東京) and Shuto Ikou (首都医校). The former two specializes in designing, and the latter, medistry.

Whoa, a 204-meter tall 50-story monolith as vocational schools... I wonder what justifies that...

Photo Slide 1

Just a short photo slide I made in one night using Flash. It's my first Flash project so there's still plenty of room for improvement. Photos featured in the slide are taken in various places in Japan from December 2007 to September 2008.

Yeah, I know the colours are terribly compromised after the compression. But all photos are featured in my Flickr Photostream, so feel free to drop by.

Oshinomura

SUMMER VACATION 2008
10-11 Aug: Mt Fuji
12-18 Aug: Kansai, Hiroshima
21-27 Aug: Japan Tent, Ishikawa Prefecture

Okay, that was my plan. First item, checked. Second item, checked. Third item... Damn, they rejected me again!

Japan Tent is an annual homestay programme organized by some good folks in Ishikawa Prefecture. Free of charge - transportation, food, accomodation, everything. Sounds interesting, no? Everything that's FOC is enticing!

That is exactly where the problem lies. The number of foreign students applying for the homestay programme way exceeds the limit the Ishikawa folks set - 350 participants. So, every year, they draw lots, Bingo-styled or somehow. Unfortunately, Bingo-styled or not, when it comes to drawing lots, my chances are between nil and zero. True enough, I couldn't make it to Japan Tent.

I thought I was going to be busy this summer holidays. Okay. Cool. I'd have to make some adjustments.

Then, my host family called.

"Wanna join us for a family trip to Oshinomura?" Mrs Yoshida invited.

"Uh, Oshino.... Uh Oshimu... Oh, yeah, of course!" I didn't even have any idea where it was, but man, I was more than glad to join! From what I gathered, it's some village near Mt Fuji. Apparently, it's famous for the approximity and the view of Mt Fuji, duh.

But oh oh oh, wait! Must update my map...

2008 Summer vacation map, version 2.0. Zoomed in on Kanto region.

See? It is close to Mt Fuji! The drive there took less than three hours. It was a slow ride; should have taken less time but Mrs Yoshida insisted on showing me around the area so she took a slight detour.

The place where we headed to, Oshinomura (忍野村) is also famous for the eight springs of Fuji (忍野八海, literally translated, the Eight Seas of Oshino). Glaciers on the summit of Mt Fuji melt into water; the water then passes through subterranean rocks and makes it all the way to the eight springs. Believe it or not, the process takes 85 years! In other words, the water in the springs was formed from glaciers 85 years ago!

"Try keeping your hands in the water for 30 seconds," a signboard by spring challenged. Nah, what's the big deal, I thought. But I couldn't manage to do it. The water was icy cold!

It's a cool place alright, both literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, throughout the recent years, more souvenir shops start to pop up and one can't help but wonder if bringing in more tourists is in the best interest for the village in the long run.

The inn where we headed for wasn't far from the springs. Inn Fujitomita is run by a family whom Mr and Mrs Yoshida have known for over 30 years. It's a very nice place with tennis courts, BBQ huts, a camp site, a pool and onsen. The place is frequented mostly by hikers, especially in the summer.

When we got there, a group was already checking out. So, soon, we had the whole place to ourselves! Muahahaha! And I even had the room with the best view. Unfortunately, the weather hadn't been favorable.

"But, wake up at 6 tomorrow morning," I was told. I did, and voila, Mt Fuji was standing right there. Without the glaciers, it looked kind of bald though. This photo was taken at 5.45. Soon after that, Mt Fuji disappeared into the clouds once more.

Sorry for not posting the photos in chronological order. But allow me to rewind to the previous night, just for a brief introduction of the people I met.

This photo was taken after the nomikai (drinking party). It became sort of a reunion between old friends.

The first guy on the left owns a boutique, together with his wife (far right). We had a chance to stop by at their shop, Gabacho, just next to the torii of Sengenjinja, the starting point of Mt Fuji's hiking course in the olden times.

The second guy is the owner of the inn, Mr Tsuji, a multi-talented person. He used to study in the States, then worked for the famous John Wayne as a gardener for about five years in the 70's. After returning to Japan, he helped his parents at their inn. He expanded the building, dug a swimming pool, set up a campsite nearby, cleared a land for three tennis courts., tends the garden.. All by himself! Oh yeah, he even made wooden toys for his grandsons. A local magazine featured him in a 12-paged interviewed in their first issue. He proudly showed me one of the few yellowed copies he kept. The second lady from the right is his wife.

In the middle is the Yoshida family who was kind enough to bring me along for the trip. Though it was only a short one, it gave me a glimpse into Japanese families. Quite like a homestay, I'd say. And yes, Oshino Hakkai (忍野八海) was definitely worth a visit.

Now, one month left before the new semester starts. Of course I was already making plans for my next trip...

Hiroshima: Going South

1600hrs, 12th August
Even after a night's sleep, I'm still feeling like a zombie. Needless to say, the whole body aches too. And sheesh, can't the cicadas out there are give me a break?

This is my schedule for summer. Super-packed, no?

Leaving for Kyoto tonight but am yet to pack my bag. Gotta make a move... Now!

0040hrs, 20th August
Back from trip. Tired like shit. The messy room's giving me a headache. But I just can't wait to post these photos!

京都金閣寺

奈良興福寺五重塔
The clan temple of the Fujiwara clan, which commanded both power and fortune in many centuries.

奈良東大寺
Listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site, Todaiji is also reputedly the largest wooden building in the world.

奈良燈花会
Lanterns light up the grounds of Todaiji and the compounds of the surrounding temples in Nara for 10 days in this summer festival.

大阪万博記念公園

万博記念公園太陽の塔
The Tower of the Sun was named after a Japanese novel, The Season of the Sun, where a character broke through a sliding paper door with his erect penis.

広島原爆ドーム

宮島厳島神社大鳥居
The enormous torii gates to the Itsukushima Shrine stands magnificently in the sea. During low tides, the gate is accessible on foot from the shrine. The gate was built with four extra columns to provide stability.

May be posting more once I settle down. So long for now!

Mt Fuji: Making it to the Top

I'm back from Mt Fuji, alive! Woohoot! Well, half-alive!

* * * * *

1134hrs, 10th August - Preface

This is where I'll be by tomorrow morning... Well, if we make it...

1950hrs, 10th August - Departing from Shinjuku
Boarded the bus at Shinjuku. There were seven of us.

Ogikubo and Kuramoto (my classmates)
Takeshima (we used to be in the same class but he's now in another major)
Martin (from Argentine)
Ying Ying (from China)
Chew (friend of Ying Ying who's under a student exchange programme in Waseda University)

When we came out into the highway, it started raining. Although we have brought along raincoats, hiking in the rain is no joke. Just on the previous day, a 52-year-old hiker was killed by lightning. (cf: nikkansports.com) There was a hailstorm too.

It was on the next day that we found out that it rained heavily in Tokyo that very night. Luckily, weather was favourable at Mt Fuji.

2200hrs, 10th August - 5th Station (2305m)
We reached the 5th Station 10 minutes before schedule. We tried to look for a changing room in the souvenir shop but later decided to change in the dark outside just to save 100 yen fee. Jeez, misers...

It was at the souvenir shop that I bumped into... Gosh, Kim! She's a Malaysian post-graduate in TITech. I haven't got many chances to meet her even in the school. But here at Mt Fuji? Wow, talk about coincidence. (Photo by Kim)

"Oh my God, Dai Kah Zheh (Big sis in Chinese dialect)! What a surprise. Are you going up or down?"

"Wow! Thought I got the wrong person. Yeah, We're going up."

With her were Yeap from Kuala Lumpur and Danny from Singapore. All fellow TITech-ians. It happened that Yap's birthday is on 11th August. They brought a cake along to celebrate the occassion.

Phew, birthday celebration on Mt Fuji...?

2300hrs, 10th August - Starry night
After taking a group photo (need to get it from my friend before posting it up), we started our climb from Yoshida-guchi, in high spirits.

In the beginning, everything was easy-going. We chatted and gazed upon the starry night. And hell, there were plenty of shooting stars! I counted a total of three throughout the whole journey!

"Gosh, this is better than a planetarium," someone commented.

Yes, indeed. The stars were shining bright. That's not something you can see back in Tokyo. Of course, most importantly, we were lucky because the sky was clear.

In no time, we reached the 6th Station. It was rather crowded there. So we only stopped for a while, took a snap and continued our ascend to the 7th Station.

2400hrs(?), 10th August - Comes the tough part...
I didn't take note of the time. But I suppose we reached the 7th Station around midnight. There were plenty of rest houses along the route, serving drinks, food and accommodation. But things were damn expensive. A bottle of Coke was 500 yen.

A simple rule of thumb: Price α Height
Or, we called it "inflation"

I met Kim and company more than a few times on the way. Gosh, they looked tired. As Kim told me then next day on MSN, "You look bubbly..."

Yeah, I was, but not for long...

0100hrs, 11th August - "8th Stations"
We could see the lights from the rest houses on the 8th Station. But it took us almost forever to get there. Well, honestly, we didn't really know which one was the 8th Station. We came along many "8th Stations". All the rest houses had different names and they were all "8th Stations".

When we came to the first "8th Station", it was barely 0100hrs. Our initial plan was to make it till the 8th Station by 0430hrs for sunrise... Which meant we were 3 hours ahead. Though we were all very sleepy, we decided that it'd be hard to wake up once we fall asleep there. So, we started off again. Our target was to get to the summit, if possible, before sunrise.

But the route got tougher. Landscape changed from easy slopes to loose pebble and stone paths... Everytime we came to the next rest house which we thought was the 9th Station, it appeared to be the 8th Station. Spirits were low.

One... Two... Three... I don't know... Hell, I lost count... But there were so many rest houses and they were all "8th Stations"! By 0400hrs, we came to yet another "8th Station". There, we decided to rest and wait for daybreak. It was cold up there, with temperatures hitting as low as 5°C. To worsen the situation, the wind was strong.

0400hrs, 11th August - Puking on Holy Mt Fuji?
Kuramoto immediately fell asleep. I would have done so too if I felt better. At first, I thought it was going to get better once I take a short rest. But instead, it got worse and I eventually puked.

Oh my God, I puked on Holy Mt Fuji!

Luckily, all was well after that (at least for the meantime). I managed to pull myself together and got the camera ready for sunrise.

Martin had his tripod set up at the cliff. I didn't bring mine along because my backpack was already overloaded. 50% of it food. And now that I think of it, the throwing up was probably partly because of overeating. If only I knew I didn't need that much.

0430hrs, 11th August - Then, There was Light
At about 0430, the eastern sky started to glow in an orangy fire. The moment we were anticipating was about to come.

Daybreak!

Snap, snap... Snap, snap. Martin and I took many photos. We spent one whole night just for this moment. Neither of us wanted to miss the chance. This photo was taken at 0457hrs. (F7.1 17mm, HDR, 3exp ISO400)

I didn't manage to capture the clouds well. Martin has got a better one on Flickr. But somehow, he's not satisfied with it...

Martin was busy snapping away when we took this group photo. Nice backdrop! Notice that both Kuramoto and I had the same cap. We got them when we visited Hitachi a month ago. Kuramoto brought it along because it's the only cap he has; while me on the other hand, thought that it might look nice in my resume should I consider of working in Hitachi! (Photo by Ogikubo)

0515hrs, 11th August - Making it to the Top
The ascend after that was terrible. We were roughly 500m from the peak. But each step was torturous. Pressure was about 620mmHg (compared to the 720mmHg at sea level). Air was thin up there. Many people suffer from the so-called high altitude illness. In worse cases, hikers die.

I almost died too. To go on or to turn back, it was a difficult decision to make. Whether it was a wise choice, I don't know. But I didn't have the courage to turn back. Afterall, we made it all the way up here.

Taking every painstaking step slowly, I proceeded ahead. (Imagine taking a 2-minute rest everytime after taking 10 flights of steps.) Takeshima and Kuramoto walked behind me.

"I thought you were going to black out and roll down the slop!" Takeshima later recalled.

Well, thanks to everyone, I made it up there. Without their encouragement and help, I wouldn't have made it, or worse, I could have gotten killed!

0700hrs, 11th August - Woohoot! The summit!
Woohoot! The summit! The very place that took us more than 3 hours to get to although we could see it from the "8th Stations"!

Back at the 8th Station, there were many hikers. But not everyone made it up here. Most turn back after sunrise. But the summit was already crowded enough.

Photo of a random hiker.

At 3772m, on top of Japan! (Photo taken by Ogikubo)

I was totally worn out and was not in the shape to scout the area. We made a brief stop at the crater though. Much to my disappointment, there was no bubbling lava...

0830hrs, 11th August - The Descend
After a short rest up there, we started our descend. Thank God it was easy as pie compared to the ascend. I galloped down the slope, braking with the hiking stick every now and then so as not to rush down the cliffs and be gone forever.

We were like trekking on martian landscape. Brown soil at first, then pebbles. Further down, rocks and finally black volcanic ash.

Another random hiker in orange. He looked like a ghostbuster. "I ain't afraid of no ghosts! 'Cos I've got my hiking stick!"

There's nothing much to talk about the descend though. Except that it was a long way down! Longer than the ascend! When we later checked the map in the souvenir shop at the 5th Station, we discovered that the descending route took us on a long detour. Okay, it wasn't psychological.

1300hrs, 11th August - Dirty, Hungry and Sleepy (and retarded?)
14 hours of hiking without a proper nap. Everyone was dirty, hungry and sleepy by the time we made it to the cafeteria at the 5th Station.

Ogikubo and Kuramoto were acting like retards. Obviously, they suffered from brain damage due to the lack of oxygen up there.

We booked the 1600hrs bus, which was a miscalculation. We were thinking of entering a hot spring but it appeared that there is none!

So we spent our 3 hours in the cafeteria, eating... and sleeping...

...Sleeping on the table like Takeshima here! It's a must-know skill every university students have to acquire!

Took this photo at the entrance of the hiking route before heading home. Mt Fuji was covered in thick mist. (Photo by Martin)

2030hrs, 11th August - Home
Finally, got home. Went to the shower directly. Gosh, was I dirty. I could rub black volcanic ash off my face! Even my nose was stuffed with ash! And when I looked into the mirror after a satisfying bath... there I saw, pink cheeks and a pink nose... Hahah!

Footnote
I have been thinking whether I'd go to Mt Fuji again. But the answer now is, no. At least not in the near future! Though it was an invaluable experience, you have to really earn for it. And if you do think of attempting the feat, never do it alone!

Useful links (Japanese)
For those who're planning for a trip to the summit:
富士登山に行こう！ - A comprehensive guide to
富士吉田市登山ガイド - Another guide maintained by Toshida City
後悔しない富士登山 - A guide to various hiking routes
富士山御来光時間 - Timetable of sunrise

St Luke's Tower

There's a list of places which I'd like to visit. But you know, travelling costs money and time, both of which I do not have. That's why these plans are more often than not, stalled...

Well, until one those days when I get this uncanny twitches that I feel wouldn't go away unless if I do something... Something like grabbing the camera bag and rush off somewhere.

This time, I went to St Luke's Tower in the vicinity of Tsukiji (築地), the famous fish market.

It's a high-rise building with hotel, expensive restaurants and an observatory deck on the 46th floor. Since I'd no business to visit a hotel, neither would I enter an expensive restaurant for a gourmet dinner, my destination was obviously the observatory deck.

The place is probably the smallest observation deck I've ever seen. But, what could I say? Entrance was free after all.In one corner was a fella hiding behind a black umbrella like a sniper under his camouflage net. I doubt that Japanese are superstitious about opening umbrellas indoors, but still, what he was doing, I couldn't understand until I tried to take a snap.

Geez, the reflection on the window was terrible. Now, that's what the umbrella was for! How thoughtful!

I headed back downstairs, got a folding umbrella and returned to the observation deck on the 46th floor.

Lesson of the day: An umbrella comes in handy, even if it ain't raining.

On one of the benches in the room, sat a teenage couple. Still in their school uniform, they probably headed directly to the observatory. Hell, these guys surely do know how to pick their dating spot!

"What's that guy there doing with an umbrella?" the girl whispered.

"To avoid the reflections on the window while taking photos. See the other man in that corner? That's what he's doing too," the guy surmised.

Cool. I had to admit that the guy was not only good at planning romantic escapades after class, but also had a sharp observation.

But I digressed.If I were to grade the place, I'd give it 9 out of 10. One point off because it doesn't offer a full 360-degree view. Another thing is, they close early; at 2030 hours. Since I was taking long exposure shots, it was pretty time consuming. Besides, I had to take time tweaking the aperture and shutter speed setting to compare the results. So before long, the staff came in and inform us that they're closing (i.e. shooed us out).

But apart from that, the place is totally great. Nice view on the bustling metropolitan city of Tokyo (good for photography); and romantic atmosphere. Just pray that there're no stupid photographers blocking the view by opening umbrellas, though!

HDR: Futako Tamagawa

Futako Tamagawa (二子玉川), a popular BBQ spot. The river separates Tokyo from its neighbour, Kanagawa Prefecture. (3 Exposure HDR)

Kyoto

(Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto)

43mm F/2.8 1/200 ISO200
Canon EOS Kiss Digitial X
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II

I'm glad that I got the 4GB compact flash. With a capacity of storing up to 400 RAW files, I had nothing to worry about storage space.

Spent the first five days of my winter holidays in Kansai. Of the four places I visited, Osaka - or strictly speaking, Umeda, which was basically where I hanged out - was the lousiest, and Kyoto was the best. Nara has magnificent otera's (temples) but I just hope they can supply toilet paper in their otearai's (toilets); Kobe was a okay, probably a little better than Yokohama. But at the end of the day, I'd say I still prefer Tokyo more.

Still, I need to pay Kyoto another visit. One day was definitely not enough to cover all the places that I planned to go.

Firstly, taking the wrong bus took me all the way to Fushimi-inari Shrine, which was in the opposite direction from the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), where I intended to head to. Not that it was a lousy place, but I knew I wouldn't have time for all the places; intended to only check out three of the famous temples (Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji).

But, oh well...

I got lost on the hill, trying to find my way out from the torii maze. And when I eventually came out from it, it was already past noon.

Unfurling the map I received from the not-so-friendly receptionist at the information counter earlier in the station, I examined and re-examined and re-re-examined it, before I decided that the closest place to visit next would be Kiyomizu-dera.

Last year in the multi-cultural communication class, we were required to do a presentation on our country. I remember talking about Penang's Kek Lok Si - it's fusion of Chinese, Burmese and Thai architectures, the commanding view from the top of the hill... If you've been to Kek Lok Si, think of a place 10 times better than that; that's Kiyomizudera.

Like Kek Lok Si, Kiyomizudera is built on a hill. The street that leads to the temple is lined up with omiyage shops. Feeling hungry? Don't be shy. Just step into a shop for some free sampling. Well, that was what I did on my way down from the temple; didn't have "lunch" till 4pm.

After about 15 minutes of walking, you'll find yourself at the very entrance of the temple, staring up at the gate, dumbstruck by the mere magnificence and the grand scale of the place. You'll have to pay a small fee to enter the temple. But, pst, there is another way. Instead of entering from the main entrance like everyone does, turn right before the stairs. You'll be heading in the opposite direction as everyone but that should save you a few bucks. That is, if you're fine with cheating in - of all places - a temple, and get cursed with a wart in the ass for all you know.

It takes more than a couple of hours to walk around the place. It's big, consisting of not just one but a few temples and shrines. I was there too late for the autumn leaves. A few weeks earlier and the view would have been magnificent. So is it during the cherry blossom season.

And so, I spent the rest of my afternoon there at Kiyomizu-dera. After filling up my stomach with the free samples, it was already too late for Kinkaku-ji. Ah well, I'll just need to find time to come back to Kansai for a second time. When I do, I'll allocate more time for Kyoto rather than wasting my time in crappy places like Umeda.

Travel Log: Nikko Toshogu Part II

1200 Tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu
My thousand-yen pass doesn't include the ticket to the Nemuri Neko. Instead I have to pay for an extra ticket. But this part of Toshogu is not to be missed, as it leads to the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The first shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty.

This is the famous carving at the entrance to the tomb. The sleeping cat symbolizes world peace. But I wonder what happens when the cat wakes up...

To get to the tomb, you'll fist have to climb hundreds of stairs. Old Japanese cedar trees line up along the route.

This is the gate which leads to Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb, which is, of course, off limits.

But this is how it looks like from the outside of the walls.

And this giant urn is where the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu is kept.

Then, heading back outside... Guess what, it's a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony!

The last time I visited Meiji Jingu, there was a wedding ceremony. It seems that everytime I visit a shrine, there must be a wedding ceremony going on... But a wedding at the famous Toshogu? That's out of the ordinary!

At about 13.15, I take the steps down and head for the third shrine, Futarasan Shrine. Before leaving Toshogu, I try to take a snap of myself in front of the main gate. Upon seeing me struggling keep the camera pointed at the right direction, a tourist comes over offering his help. Unfortunately, those photos just aren't too satisfying so I decide not to post them here.

These, I've forgotten where I took but I call them the "Dancing Gods".

There's the Green guy and the Red guy.

See what I mean?

Then, this is the self-portrait I took with the tallest Japanese cedar tree in the compound.

1400 Futarasan Shrine
Near the entrance to Futarasan Shrine, there's this tree where couples pray to.

They write their wishes on a piece of wood called an e-ma (絵馬), and hang it under the tree.

~ Oops, time for dinner. To be continued. ~

Travel Log: Nikko Toshogu Part I

Date: 18 November 2007 (Sunday)
Time: 1015 ~ 1458
Destination: Toshogu (東照宮) and vicinity, Nikko (日光)
Weather: Sunny/Cloudy; Windy (Max 13m/s); -1°C ~ 6°C

I'd been telling myself, "I'm going to Nikko. I'm going to Nikko," for quite some time. But everytime, I managed to come up with some sort of excuse and postpone the trip. Somehow, though, I eventually managed to get myself put it into action.

Since I wasn't staying overnight in Nikko, I had to squeeze all my plans into one day. Besides, it takes more than 3 hours to Nikko from home, so I decided to take the 0609 train from home. Heck, was I ambitious; thought of also visiting the Chuzenji area as well for the Kegon falls. Well, at least, that was the plan, as you shall see later.

0645 - Wha-what time izzit?!
Oops, 2 hours late! 2 hours! Forget to set the handphone's alarm to ring on Sunday. (It only rings on school days.) But at least I wake up, even without the alarm. And that's something to boast about. Somehow, I manage to get ready in a mere 30 minutes (shower, pack the bag, gulp down glass of milk and chomp on half a piece of bread). Eventually leave from Ishikawadai station by the 0710 train.

0810 - Transit to Tobu line @ Asakusa
Phew! At last Asakusa. I make it in time for the 0810 train. 1 hour behind schedule. Well, at least I make up for one hour. I take a Rapid Train, which is cheaper than Limited Express, but of course, slower. (1320 yen, 2 hours 04 minutes approximately)

1014 - Tobu Nikko Station, at last!
Very, very, very good weather. See for yourself.

I buy a 1000-yen ticket which is valid for all the three shrines and temples, and a 500-yen World Heritage pass for unlimited bus rides within the designated route in one day. (Shouldn't have bought that, frankly.) My first destination is Rin-no-ji Temple; within walking distance from the station. I don't mind walking, but as mentioned earlier, I need to save time. So, I guess the bus is the better option. Damn crowded; "Oh, it's a Sunday, duh!"

1044 - First stop: Sanbutsudo, Rin-no-ji Temple (三仏堂、輪王寺)
Getting off at bus stop 82, it's the entrance to the first temple, Rin-no-ji.

This guy over here, is apparently some big guy. He's the founder of the temples of Nikko who founded Rin-no-ji Temple around 766 and Chuzenji Temple in 782.

The giant urn with burning incense, in front of Sanbutsu-do (三仏堂). Unfortunately, the building is currently under maintenance. It is the largest temple in Nikko mountains; and represents the architecture of the Tendai sect. Inside the temple (photos not allowed), are the wooden statues of the Thousand-handed Kwannon, the Amida Buddha, and the Horse-headed Kwannon.

The Sorinto Pillar is built in 1643 by the reques of Shogun Iyemitsu. Measuring 15 meters high, it contains in it 1000 volumes of holy sutra. Behind the pillar is the Holy Fire Temple (大護摩堂).

1122 - World Heritage, Toshogu (東照宮)
Now, this is the highlight of the day. World Heritage, Toshogu.

Pardon me, but this photo isn't taken well.

This is the Revolving Library (aka the Sutra Library). The place is off-limits but in the inside, there's a revolving book stack containing a complete collection of scriptures.

This is, uh, somewhere, somewhere, I don't remember...

And then you have this sacred stable. In every major shrine, there's always a stable.

Home to the sacred horse, presented by the New Zealand government as a symbol of goodwill. It's named Koha, which means "gift" in the Maori language.

But, what's more famous than the sacred horse is this.

The three monkeys on the lintels of the stable. "Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil"; these are derived from the three major principles of the Tendai sect. It is said that the Japanese version is shortened from a similar phrase found in the Analects of Confucius. The proverb has nothing to do with monkeys; it is just a word play.

Another reason why monkeys were carved is because according to legend, monkeys protect horses from illnesses. In fact, there're more than these three monkeys; the eight panels of wooden carvings represent different stages of life. (Nikko Toshogu Official Homepage)

Now, this is the coolest part. The Yomeimon Gate （陽明門）.

Closer, closer...

The gate is one of the many national treasures in this area. Lavish and elaborated carvings, as contrary to the typical Japanese shrines which emphasize on simplicity.

A man painting his drawing of the tower in front of the Yomeimon Gate.

Entering the Yomeimon Gate (陽明門), there's the Karamon (唐門) right ahead. Comparatively small in scale, but also a national treasure. Beyond the gate is the Yakushi-do, with a huge sumi-e of a dragon on its ceiling. By clapping your hands right under the dragon's head (but not at anywhere else), loud echoes could be heard. A monk demonstrated this by clapping two pieces of cedar wood, drawing oohs and aahs from us visitors.

~ To be continued ~