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  3. TRAVEL 2013
  4. JUNE, 2013: NIKKO, JAPAN

NIKKO I

Kekko means "I am content that I have seen the beauty the world has to offer." There is a Japanese saying: "Never say kekko until you've seen Nikko." Here is the first installment from my recent trip to Nikko. I hope you enjoy!
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OK: I'll admit it. Even in these days where flying is considered such a routine and mundane thing by pretty much everyone else, I still love looking at and taking photos of the wonderland from above. It is extremely rare for me to see anyone else on a plane pull out a camera (In fact, usually > 90% of the passengers pull down the shade for just about the entire flight). And, of course, with my big bulky camera, I get noticed as "That guy who has probably never flown before...." And, in case you are so inclined, you may leave a comment below (ditto on all of the photos).
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OK: I'll admit it. Even in these days where flying is considered such a routine and mundane thing by pretty much everyone else, I still love looking at and taking photos of the wonderland from above. It is extremely rare for me to see anyone else on a plane pull out a camera (In fact, usually > 90% of the passengers pull down the shade for just about the entire flight). And, of course, with my big bulky camera, I get noticed as "That guy who has probably never flown before...." And, in case you are so inclined, you may leave a comment below (ditto on all of the photos).

aaaflyingSaipan

  • OK: I'll admit it. Even in these days where flying is considered such a routine and mundane thing by pretty much everyone else, I still love looking at and taking photos of the wonderland from above. It is extremely rare for me to see anyone else on a plane pull out a camera (In fact, usually > 90% of the passengers pull down the shade for just about the entire flight). And, of course, with my big bulky camera, I get noticed as "That guy who has probably never flown before...." And, in case you are so inclined, you may leave a comment below (ditto on all of the photos).
  • Rice paddies between Narita and Tokyo (Photo obviously taken from the train).
  • Tokyo street from the train.
  • My room at Annex Turtle Hotori-an in Nikko. Online it was referred to as a "Western style room." Maybe they meant Western Japan? Basically just a futon on the floor. This is NOT a complaint, however: I loved it. It's a very clean and comfortable place. May not be great for people with certain mobility problems which would make getting up off the floor difficult. But it has all that most of us need for a good night's rest (which is pretty much all I am asking for most places where I stay).
  • Untitled photo
  • Annex Turtle's "hot spring." Unlike most of the onsen (hot spring) places I have heard about, this one allows for pretty much total privacy: You lock the door when you enter, and no one else can come in until you unlock it to leave.
  • Annex Turtle from the road out front.
  • Your guess is as good as mine.
  • Yamasugeno-jabashi (Snake-Bridge of Sedge). Also locally called Shinkyo (Sacred Bridge). According to legend, the first inhabitant of Nikko was carried across the river here by 2 serpents. It is not known when the first bridge was built here, but the present one was built in 1636.
  • Originally, passage over this bridge was restricted to nobility. Now it's restricted to tourists willing to pay 300 Japanese Yen (about $3.00) for the privilege. This is a 13-photo panorama, so there is a little distortion. Also, if you bring it up to full size you can examine small details.
  • I walked into town from Annex Turtle Hotori-an for lunch (about a mile-and-a-half along the Nihon Romantic Highway) and found this little place, which seemed rather inviting. I stepped inside and was very graciously seated by a lady who could speak a bit more English than I can speak Japanese. She brought me a menu which had only one entree choice, curried chicken. That sounded like what I was hungry for anyway, so I ordered. She pointed to drinks, and I ordered some type of herbal-honey chai type of thing (which was delicious). The menu said that the drink was 450 yen and the entree 1000 yen (each yen is nearly equal to a penny). I greatly enjoyed this delicious meal. When I pulled out 1450 yen to pay (tips are not appreciated in Japan, I've been told many times), she would take only 1000. When I pointed to the drink, she said "Included." Best deal I got in all of Japan! I highly recommend Sotto Voce!<br /> <br /> I now read that Sotto Voce is Italian for "intentionally lowering the volume of one's voice for emphasis." This place lowers the number of choices and the prices to emphasize a great meal at an exceptionally low price.<br /> <br /> Apparently the number of hours the place is open is also reduced: I passed by it a few times after (at times of day when other eating establishments were open) and never saw it open for business again. I hope it wasn't something I said!
  • Kinda thought this may be a name for effective marketing. No matter how old and decrepit it gets, it's always the Brandnew Square.
  • Back at Annex Turtle Hotori-an. This is the view out my window. Notice the river. VERY nice, gentle "roar" of water: Quite nice to sleep to!
  • With the included kimono and ready to head for the hot spring! Actually, I'm not generally a hot spring or hot tub guy (with rare exceptions when I am cold and the hot spring is in some beautifully pristine and scenic place) -- but I HAD to give it a try. Enjoyed a very relaxing 5 minutes there.
  • The restroom in my room was definitely built for efficiency. Notice that the shower hose comes off the lavatory. What you can't see is that the toilet inlet pipe (which you can see disappearing under the lavatory) hooks onto the cold water inlet pipe of the lavatory (prior to the valve). So, only one cold and one hot pipe had to be installed to bring water into this room for all uses! Works just fine, as long as no one needs to wash their hands while I am in the shower. It may also wake the shower person up if someone else were to flush the toilet (I would think that the temperature of the shower water would change dramatically). I was traveling by myself, however, so no problem.
  • As are many Japanese buildings, Annex Turtle Hatori-an is built with a sort of Zen courtyard in the center. This is taken from the hallway just outside my room, looking through the courtyard into the dining area.
  • Breakfast. While I highly recommend Annex-Turtle Hotori-an, and felt like it was an exceptional value for the room, I felt like the breakfast -- while high quality -- was a bit too expensive. Seems like it was about 2000 yen for some fresh fruit, an egg, and some coffee and juice. Again, high quality, but compared with other meals I had elsewhere, this seemed a bit high.<br /> <br /> Again, though: Staying here is highly recommended. You can visit their web site at <a href="http://www.turtle-nikko.com/hotori-an/index_en.html">http://www.turtle-nikko.com/hotori-an/index_en.html</a>
  • There is a nominal fee for entry into the shrines (seems like it may have been around 1000 yen for all the shrines combined), then some of the shrines have "special" places where you must pay extra if you decide to enter them (again, nominal fees -- from 100 yen or so up to 350 yen). The slide rules I learned to use when I was in high school are all gone nowadays. However, a much more ancient instrument, the abacus, is still in use here!
  • The typical Japanese Buddhist Shrine-grounds has various "gates," each guarded by different deities. The ones you see here are warrior gods enshrined in Nio-mon Gate (front gate) to Mausoleum Rin-no-ji Taiyuin. All the rest of the photos in this gallery EXCEPT for the last one were taken behind this gate.
  • A standard feature of such shrine areas is a fountain of sacred water, which practitioners use to cleanse their hands, arms, and mouths.
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