SHIMOSUWA TO KYOTO

Such a pretty view from our window...

.....love the mountains too...

On our way down to breakfast one of the delightful staff saw me taking photos and offered to take one of Pete and me....

...the ground floor of our hotel...

....calming Japanese gardens..

Japanese interior decoration ....

A very old music box in the hotel foyer....The Lake Suwa area was and still is known for its manufacturing of music boxes. 

Also on display ...samurai swords...

Today we caught four trains to Kyoto. It was just six degrees when we left Shimosuwa. Our first train took us to Shiojiri where the  sky turned a brilliant blue. Inside the warm carriage, I sat next to the window , enjoying the view of the mountains and the little towns passing by.

Going past Kiso-Fukushima on our second train....which was taking us to Nagoya..

In Nagoya we caught a bullet train, the correct name is Shinkansen and the one we travelled on was a N700. These trains can travel at speeds of up to 320 km/hour.

Pete booked our tickets so we had reserved seats ...in carriage 13 (each train has 14 carriages.

We were very comfortable inside our carriage. Pete was very pleased with the large amount of leg room. It was an interesting experience. 

After arriving in Kyoto Station we headed to the subway and caught our final ride to our air B and B. The trip took three and a half hours and every train was on time (thankfully)...

We found our accomodation easily, only 20 metres from the subway. Once we had unpacked we set off to find a supermarket but found this beautiful shrine around the corner....it is the Goryo Shrine and was founded in 863.

The Shrine contains many statues...

We also walked past the Doshisha University. 

 

DAY 8

NARAI TO SHIMOSUWA

I am loving the colours....we left our accomodation early this morning to catch a train to Shimosuwa .....

On our way to the station we took a detour  to see this bridge....the Kiso Ohashi Bridge, a large wooden bridge made from Kiso cypress. It crosses the Narai River and is one of the largest wooden bridges in Japan constructed without piers, using arch design instead.

View from the bridge...

...a pleasant walk to the station in the sunshine by the river...

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Our first view of Mt Fuji....in the distance....this is Lake Suwa in the centre of Shimosuwa, it is  759 metres above sea level..

Beautiful street trees....we didn't do any forest walking today...the plan was to walk to the many interesting places in Shimosuwa ...it is the final town that we visited on the Nakasendo Way.

Outside the entrance to the Suwa Tasiha Shrine...

Nearby is this stone statue of Amitabha Buddha made in the 1600s 

We walked up 126 steps to see Tenkei no Matsu (Tenkei's pine tree) , a pine tree planted by the 16th century Zen monk Tenkei. Cedar trees and green moss carpet welcome you as you enter the first gate....at the back of the temple is a beautiful Japanese garden.

Tenkei's pine tree...it is a lot bigger than it looks in the photo...

Sua Taisha Akimiya Shrine ...there are two enormous bronze Komainu (guardian dogs) in front of the shrine...they are the biggest Komainu in Japan.

Love the trees...

This amazing painting made of tiles was on an outside wall of a building...next to the public Onsen...

Garden of the Honjin Inn....which is thought to be the most wonderful garden on the Nakasendo.

loved it....

Not far from our Hotel ....another statue of Jizo, a protector of children and travellers in Japanese Buddhism. The statue was outside the public Onsen ...the water was warm.

Three o'clock and we reached our Hotel ....

...our view of the city and mountains...

He looks good in his Yukata...

Dressed for dinner....

Our last dinner on the Nakasendo Trail....we have been so spoilt, enjoyed every meal that was given to us...we learned so much about the Japanese cuisine.