Bugger it! let's roll Mr Chuckles.
The taxi ride is glorious. After a month of hectic Tokyo life cruising at top speed next through the mountainside was liberating to say the least. Mr Chuckles is super and stops the meter at least 10mintues before we actually stop, and takes me right to starting point. The hike takes 3.5 hours
(will take longer depending on fitness and amount of photography stops). It was a perfect hike for the afternoon; superb scenery and with easy going path but with interesting sections of clambering up rocks and crossing bridges. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone from Tokyo wanting to escape for a day.
An unexpected highlight was Erinji Shrine (Shingen's family temple). I managed to catch the 3pm bus back to Enzan but saw the temple out the window and instinctively smacked the 'I want to get off' button. As the photos hopefully portray, it is a handsome Shinto shrine encompassed by a superb landscape garden designated by Kokushi Muso.
I concluded the already blissful day stumbling across Keuin Cafe. Run by a friendly and kooky local, Keuin Cafe is decorated with a array of hand-made objects, nic nacs, clothing, instruments, pottery, tapestry, artwork and jewellery. The cafe is located on the second level of this obviously architect designed concrete triangular planned shop / house. The owners living space is clear to view as you enter from the main street and is decorated in a similar hoarding/botanist style as the cafe area above. The coffee and complementary cookie were timely and delicious. She also fed me with books and magazines on Gokayama and iitobori wood carving after I expressed my interest in the traditional Japanese House and her personal collection. I consciously stayed much longer than I should have however I managed to make up time by hitching a ride back to the train station with a local tradesman in the now moonlit Enzan.
