Koyo in Nikko

After taking the train from early morning to mid afternoon we hiked to the Nikko Park Lodge where we are staying. (We did get lost on the way, see previous post...) We decided that the wood burning stove, the old building smell, our little bed w/ it's quilt cover and heated blankets and space heater all made for a very cosy mountain cabin experience, and it doesn't hurt that they serve us a big bowl of delish oatmeal w/ hot chocolate for breakfast, and the staff is Uber helpful in planning our days.

Yum Oatameal for breakfast!!!

So anyways, we decided to go for a walk to find the 100meter slide, and then find the temple area. And we did both. The slide was crazy, it was a bunch of rollers, and it was super fun especially after going down a few times and loosening the rollers, and Lockey balances on his feet and went really fast, it wasn't easy, I tried! But as much fun as it was I now have visible bruises on my hiney, and don't worry, I won't be posting pictures. Of my hiney I mean.

Cami about to Bruise her bum on the 100m roller slide 

Afterwards we walked to the sacred bridge and some of the temples and shrines up the mountain close by. It was gorgeous weather, a little grey, cool enough to layer a bit and crisp, w/ the smell of mountain air. The leaves are starting to turn red and yellow in Nikko, it's beautiful.

Yay for fall colours 

Pagoda temple shriney structure 

Prayer blocks 

The moss was really cool 

Today we used the passes that the friendly Canadians left for us to get up to lake Chuzenji, most people pay extra to get up to Yumoto onsen which is higher on the mountain, but of course Lockey and I didn't want to start at the top and then come down the mountain, we did it the opposite way! We walked half way around Chuzenji lake rich w/ colors of Autumn. In Japan, Autumn is a big deal, they celebrate Koyo which is the changing of the leaves, and they look just spectacular. We planned to be in Nikko b/c this was where the colors were supposed to be the most spectacular at this time, and I couldn't have hoped for anything better. Reds, Burgundy, Maroon, Yellow, Gold, Brown, even Peach! Who knew there were neon peach leaves? Those were my favorite. There were also leaves that had dropped that were perfectly white on one side and dark brown on the other, you should definitely take time to look at our pictures when we post them, they are gorgeous. It was a perfect day. We saw the second largest waterfall in Japan, and Ryuzu falls, aka Dragon's head falls, and Yutika falls.

Second Largest Falls in Japan 

Cami and I at the second largest falls in Japan 

Typical Asian Pose at the beginning of our hike 

Pretty Fall Colours 

The River and Pretty Fall Colours 

Very Berry Red 

Ryuzu Falls 

Just above Ryuzu Falls 

Marshlands above the falls 

My new Fall Wallpaper 

 Also along the trail there were several bent over elderly people, old Asian people are in crazy good shape! Still hiking along and doing stairs (although we have seen accidents involving stairs and elderly people at least twice now unfortunately). And I can't say enough how kind Japanese people are, most people we passed said konichiwaaaaa (they draw out the aaaaaahhhh), and we also passed a school group with a man directing them and yelling trying to get ready to take a big class picture and I yelled CHEEEEESE and then there was pandamonium, the kids thought that was hilarious, and then I heard the man yelling trying to get them to get organized againa and then a few moments later the whole class yelled in unison "CHEEEEESE!" and then again a few moments later "CHEEEEEEEEESE!" And laughter, we had already passed, and were hidden in the trees, but we definitely laughed!

By the Crick 

There apparently was a Buddha carved into the rock in the Middle of these falls 

Perty Fall Colours 

 Once we made it to the top we found the "source of the hot springs" there were a few little "guysers" (pretty weak for guysers) but the ground was all muddy and clayish looking and there were some bubbling puddles, and of course just like a child I am curious how hot that stinky water actually is... As I crouched down next to the puddle w/ my finger getting closer and closer a bunch of elderly Japanese women noticed me and started speaking really eratically to me in Japanese (I've never seen Japanese women so excited...) So I rethought my strategy and instead let Lockey put his finger in! And when he said it was safe I put my finger in too... I think it was bubbling from the oxygen in the earth, not b/c it was boiling, but who would have known if we didn't touch it? We told the ladies "OK" and they repeated OK several times and then smiled and laughed. It was funny.

OK, enough w/ the tangent, so after we found the source of the hotsprings we found a public onsen for feet only (basically a hotspring w/ benches and you can dip your feet in for a soak). In a traditional onsen men and women are separated and you go in nudey, I still haven't manned up and done it... we'll see... Canadians are more modest or body concious or something... Or perhaps it's just me... but anyways, the foot onsen was a GREAT solution. We still had a hot spring experience, and as we had just finished a 6 hour hike our feet really appreciated the lovin.

Onsen Foot Bath Ahhhhh

All in all it was a perfect day. Probably my favorite day so far during our Japan trip, and the experience I was most looking forward to, and it didn't dissapoint. Thank gooness for a best friend to share the experience w/, and digital cameras to capture the beauty, it was a day I never want to forget.