A couple of weeks ago I came to the realisation that I'd settled into life in Japan a little too much, and was now living an existence of working, then spending my weekends bumming around home or my little town waiting to start work on Thursday. In short, I'd forgotten why I'd come here, which was to travel. I'm not here for work, my job is simply providing me the means to live in Japan - and while I'm here I should be seeing as much of the country and culture as I can. So to remedy this situation I decided to climb a mountain.
Okay, so Mt Takao isn't a huge mountain, and when I say "climb" I really mean "walk up". My point is, it got me out of the city for the day, seeing nature and just relaxing. Of course, I chose one of the hottest days for this expedition, and instead of taking the cable car or ropeway halfway up the mountain as most people do, I decided to climb the first part. Thus the first part of my walk was spent wiping sweat from my eyes while "konnichiwa"-ing the Japanese people walking DOWN the very steep road, while I walked up, eternally grateful for the "wifebeater" I'd decided to bring "in case it got hot". Yes I'm sure I looked like a yobbo, but they don't know what they are here so it's okay.
Anyway, here are some photos.
The giant torii over the entrance to the parking lot - I guess to cleanse your car's spirit as you enter?
The suspension bridge along one of the paths - on the map it looked a lot more impressive.
The path up the mountain. Well, one of the paths. There were about 6 or 7 different ways to get up the mountain, and when you're as indecisive as me, choice is not your friend, it can lead to hyperventilation and tears. I think I flipped a coin.
The view from the top. There were many views depending on which way you looked. Obviously.
Plums drying outside a restaurant at the top.
Lunch. I mentioned it was one of the hottest days, right? So you'd think I'd order something cool for lunch, wouldn't you? And the restaurant did have cold soba noodles, which would have been delicious. So why did I order the hot soba noodles in soup? I panicked. The waiter came to take my order, I pointed at the first picture I saw that looked edible. And so spent the next 15 minutes sweating even more while eating my delicious hot soba noodles.
The intricate carvings on the outside of the temple on Takao.
A rather foreboding face on the outside of the temple. Certainly makes one feel judged.
This shrine is perhaps devoted to the cool wooden sandals worn by the priests?
More shoes. These ones are protected!
The emergency slide from the second story of a building on the trip back down the mountain. Why walk when you can slide? I've since seen similar spiral slides down apartment buildings.
I mentioned there were a number of paths up and down the mountain - on the way down I decided to take path #2, which supposedly went past a waterfall. While the waterfall was pretty, what I could see of it, the path took me to almost the other side of the mountain, and so I spent the next hour walking through the town to find the train station. On the way I saw a crane - so Dad, this photo is for you.
A neat structure I saw on the way through town. Reminded me of something from Star Wars. Perhaps Chris can help me this?
I also found a dead dragonfly. I could wax poetic about the fragility of life, but I suck at poetry, so I won't.
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Now playing: Sufjan Stevens - Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)
2 comments:
I'm not really sure. Maybe the bridge of a Star Destroyer or some structure on the surface of the Death Star.
While we're in such a cool mode of blogging allow me to be the first (unlikely) to see that green face and say "HULK SMASH!!!!"
awww Chris I didn't even think of that!!
See this is why I needed you here :P
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