I got up super early and was out the door at 6.45. First to launch droney over the the samurai residence, Aizu Bukeyashiki, which served as the quarters of the region’s most important and highest ranked samurai, as well as his family, employees and servants. The original complex was burnt down during the Boshin War in 1868, but has since been reconstructed and furnished to replicate its appearance in the Edo Period. Because of the high rank of its former inhabitants, this samurai residence is quite expansive. There are dozens of different rooms and sections, including gardens, guest rooms, a tea house, an archery range and a rice mill.

On my drive back to the hotel to have brekkie, saw this incredible Disneyesque-looking place with a cherry tree overload and discovered it was a wedding chapel – wow!

Onto the freeway for a 117kms drive south west to visit Kanmangafuchi Abyss, by the Daiya River, a small gorge created by an eruption from Mt. Nantai around 7,000 years ago. From the riverside path, you can see several small statues of jizo, a bodhisattva said to protect children, women and travelers. There are around 70 jizo, but legend holds that the number changes each time you try to count them.

A few minutes up the road, the Nikkosan Rinnoji Temple, founded 1,200 years ago by Buddhist monk Shodo, who served as the first head priest of Nikko. Sanbutsudo Hall, the temple’s main building, is one of the largest wooden structures in Nikko. Inside this building are three great Buddha statues which are 7.5 meters high and covered in gold leaf. These represent Amida Nyorai (the Buddha of Infinite Light), Senju Kannon (the Thousand Armed Goddess of Mercy), and Bato Kannon (the Horse-Headed Kannon, Protector of Animals). I also really enjoyed walking around the delightful Japanese garden Shoyoen.

The lovely red Shinkyo Bridge is a Daiya River crossing set on the edge of forest. I met a delightful couple and their indulged fur baby there 🙂

A full day, quite tired on arrival at Sagamihara. My first experience of congestion on the freeways at peak hour and progressive delays in getting to the destination. Oy vay! On arrival at hotel, discovered I had booked myself into a “love hotel”. I truly can’t believe this! Catalogues of scantily-dressed women greeted me at the reception counter. Too tired after a LONG day to even think about rebooking elsewhere, I stayed the night. Very comfortable bed :)!! And its a hotel that worries about discreteness for clientele…there’s a separate going-up lift, and a going-down lift. Hahahahaha.