Nikko is one of the most popular places in Japan for nature and outdoorsy stuff. Nikko is Nippon. Very traditional, lots of history, a mountain town. It's about an hour and a half away from Koga. Lots of hiking and scenery. It's really cold and snowed a bit while I was up there this time. Took a bus from the train station up to the area where the waterfall is. When we got up there six Japanese Santa Clauses greeted us and passed out presents. It was just before Christmas. They didn't know the words to Jingle Bells, but they knew the tune, so they "La La'd" their way through it.
Shrine in Utsunomiya - a city on the way to Nikko.
Same shrine in Utsunomiya.
Nikko - Kegon Waterfall
Nikko - Lake ChuzenjiWent to a Sumo match this past week. They're only held about every other month and the location moves around Japan each time, so I figured I should seize this opportunity while it's in Tokyo in January. I went because I know I won't be in Japan very long and it's probably the only time in my life I'd be able to go. After going, I know that if I lived the rest of my life in Japan, I would feel no urge to go again. The tickets are expensive, the individual matches last on average less than 10 seconds and the entire show is over in about two hours. They have some freshman and JV matches throughout the day, but the real heavyweights go from 4 - 6pm. It's a somewhat enthusiastic crowd towards the end, but not as exciting as the baseball crowds. They explained a lot of the tradition and the customs observed during the matches - kind of interesting - not noteworthy. I'd rather go to a bullfight or a Suns game.
Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo
The athletes
Warming up
Ready position
Battle
Pride and shame
Celebration
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