worldstallestpygmy

Mount Takao Part 2

I decided to descend down trail one as it contains most of the tourist sites on the mountain. The first site is the monkey park, an open viewing area, where approximately 50 macaque monkeys in a mountain top area are on display for those willing to pay to see them.

Back to the trail and the crowds have increased around mid morning with shoulder to shoulder nature lovers heading to the summit of Mt. Takao.

The Yakuoin Temple, believed to have been built around 750, is dedicated to the Medicine Bhudda, Yakushi Nyorai. The temple has been subject to many tempests during its time on the mountain including fires and typhoon but over 2,500 documents containing information about the beliefs prevalent during the Warring States and Edo periods are still preserved within the temple walls.

Continuing through the rest of the temple complex there are some amazing sights and the usual temple related stalls and more and more people.

After dodging the crowds on the descent of the mountain I arrived back at the cable car station and the queue to use the cable car stretched back through the forecourt but at least they were being entertained by a magician. A video is available on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZYXL9D7lHk).

9:12 AM | Category: Living in Japan, Out and about, outdoors, Temples | 0 comments

New York

The right price and 13 hours on a plane equals 7 days in New York. What to say about this city? While we only stayed on the island every day was filled with something new to see and experience from the famous Statue of Liberty, stage shows to some great food and candy (lolly) shopping, and eating cake.

Brooklyn Bridge

Night time Times Square

Empire State building from the top of the Rockefeller centre

Central Park from the top of the Rockefeller centre

Knights inside the Meteropolitan museum

Empire State building from 5th ave.

New York Stock exchange ready for Memorial Day

Union Square markets

Empire State building from Union Square

Central Park

Central Park boating

Central Park pond

Central Park stone bridge

3:05 PM | Category: New York, Out and about | 0 comments

Enoshima Island

About 30 minutes by train from Kamakura is Enoshima Island, a small island protruding into Sagami Bay. The main reason I visited the island was for the amazing views of Mt Fuji across the water, this the best time for these views (see my other post with pictures of Mt. Fuji from Enoshima Island).

Located on the highest point of the island, and offering spectacular 360 degree views of the coast line, Mt Fuji and the other side of the bay is the Enoshima observation lighthouse. For a small fee you can catch the elevator to the observation deck about 100 meters above the ocean and get great views of the surrounding area.

Linked to the mainland by a 600 metre long bridge the peak of the island is dominated by a shrine to Benzaiten, the goddess of music and entertainment. Benzaiten is said to have made the island rise from the bottom of the sea in sixth century and is apparently one of the three most famous goddesses in Japan.

Enoshima Island is also very popular with fisherman and on the day I visited they were everywhere trying their luck in a spectacular location.

On the back side of the island are two 6000 year old caves, the Enoshima Iwaya, made by the action of the waves. You can explore the cave if the weather is right with one cave containing religious artefacts, historical photographs and an automated fire-breathing dragon with guides handing out candles to visitor – just one thing – duck, the roof in places is very low.

You Tube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyzQ3BmdLnY

8:58 PM | Category: Mount Fuji, Out and about, outdoors | 0 comments

Mt. Fuji from Enoshima Island

Following a recent visit to Enoshima Island I realised I had taken a huge number of photos of Mt. Fuji and couldn’t decide which ones to leave out.

8:57 PM | Category: Mount Fuji, Out and about, outdoors | 0 comments

Thai festival 2012

After the events of March 2011 the Thai food festival took a break and came back better and bigger than ever. I don’t know the stats but this festival has to be one of the best attended festivals in Tokyo. There were soooo many people – almost too many – packed into the festival area. As with 2010 Singh beer was popular early in the day and the food was spectacular – fish cakes, dumpling, beef salad with chilli and mangoes - just to name a few of the excellent selections available.

12:34 PM | Category: festivals, Food, Living in Japan | 0 comments

Shibuya crossing

Shibuya crossing on a rainy golden week day from the second floor of Starbucks.

Video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhvKQV_03yM)

7:45 PM | Category: Living in Japan, Out and about | 0 comments

Spring in Odaiba

The first decent spring day (very sunny and very nice) was a great day to spend at Odaiba.

At Tokyo big sight there was the motorcycle show and the almost opened Diver city plaza with the world’s hugest transformer.

11:55 AM | Category: Entertainment, festivals, Living in Japan | 0 comments

Hong Kong

I felt a need for a break, the airfares were something not to be ignored, so a few days in Hong Kong resulted.

Hong Kong is a great city from the night food markets where people stop to get ingredients for dinner on the way home, Victoria Peak on the peak tram, bright lights across the water and just the sheer number of people living so close to each other (althoughliving in Tokyo had certainly made moving around a densely populated city very very easy).