Mt. Takao

Here we are after climbing up Mt. Takao. Mt Fuji is in the background, but very very faint.
We thought that the day was going to be easy, as two 70-year-olds were going with us. HAHAHHAH. Definitely not the case. Although paved, the path up the mountain is probably 30 degrees incline or more. Surprisingly, the old folks were leading the pack, and asking us (sarcastically) if we were okay! Old folks in Japan are maybe a little too genki (元気) for me. :P


My friends outside the monastery (?) in Mt. Takao. We think the monks live there.

I do not remember if it was Shinto (shrine) or Buddhist (temple)... so pardon me if I name things incorrectly. Our hosts didn't know either, and made one of us ask to save their embarrassment!

There were several shrines along the way, this was a really pretty one!
























Not sure what the purpose of this thing was, some sort of mini-shrine.

Below: At the incense burning area.















Left: another picture of the pretty red building, it has incredible carvings on it!



Below: more omikuji (おみくじ fortunes).















This is a long wall of plaques with the names of donors. We joked about donating money just to see a plaque in Romaji (English alphabet)!











Below: the rope with white paper things signifies that a spirit/god is believed to live in the object. Several old trees along the path were marked.