Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Tohoku Road Trip

After taking a bus south to Fukuyama to rent a small mini-van specially converted to make camping easy from the wonderful couple who own Hero Travel, my Australian friend, Alex; former Skyview exchange student, Daisuke; and Daisuke's fellow Okinawan, Maki, and I drove over 4200km of Honshu, the main island of Japan.
Starting Out (Daisuke is eating beef jerkey--not what you think he's doing!)

Nyuuto Onsen: a very old hot springs resort in Akita

"Kappa no Yuu": a free hot springs along a mountain stream in the Yagen Valley of the Shimokita  Peninsula in Aomori.

Osorezan in Aomori is said to look like the Buddhist version of Hell.

A river valley in Hiraizumi, Iwate.

Ouchijuku, an original post town along a mountain pass in Iwate.

Tsuruga Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu

The temple atop Mount Haguro in Yamagata.

A bridge along the pilgrim's path to Mount Haguro in Yamagata

View from the top of Yama-dera, the mountain temple in Yamagata

Yama-dera, main building.

Statue at Yama-dera.

The bridge at Matsushima in Miyagi

View from the mountain road between Nikko and Nagano.

Matsumoto Castle in Nagano.

Nikko in Tochigi.

Nikko in Tochigi.

Hear No Evil. Speak No Evil. See No Evil.  (Nikko)

A brief glimps of Fuji at 5:00 am before the clouds covered it.

Narai, an old post town in Nagano.

Tsumago, 2nd post town in Nagano.

Magome, 3rd post town in Nagano.

A hyacinth in bloom.

Final Odometer Reading.